Winding machine

Abstract

A method and roll-winding apparatus for automatically winding into rolls a sheet of material and automatically applying a leader tape to the trailing end of a length of sheet material wound into a roll. The trailing end section may likewise be automatically reversely folded outwardly over itself to form a tab on the wound roll for easy removal of the sheet material on a wound roll. The apparatus carries out the method automatically with a continuously driven winding drum to which elongated cores are presented sequentially parallel thereto for driving of the cores individually and transversely of a path of travel of the longitudinally travelling sheet material to be wound as corresponding lengths on the cores individually. The leading end sections of the succeeding lengths of sheet material are automatically wound on individual cores. Once a desired length of sheet material has been wound on a respective core the trailing sheet material free of the core is automatically severed adjacent the wound roll and the winding of a next roll commences on a new core presented to the drive or winding drum. The previously finished wound roll is automatically ejected from the machine but prior to ejection a leader tape is advanced longitudinally and applied to a trailing end of the length of material on the wound roll. The leader tape is severed and a tab is formed, if desired, on the trailing end by use of a roll reversely folding outwardly and back over itself the trailing end section to form a tab on the wound roll for easy access to the wound material thereon. The steps are repeated to make as many wound rolls as desired.