Air-cushion roll support in roll-making machine

Abstract

An apparatus for making a plurality of relatively narrow rolls of paper from a relatively wide band of paper has a relatively wide main roller to which is fed strips cut from the wide paper band. A plurality of pairs of support heads are arranged in two rows extending along the main roller with the rows spaced angularly from each other. Each pair of support heads is spaced in the respective row axially from the other support heads of the respective row and each pair of support heads is adapted to engage in an end of a respective roll core about which a respective one of the strips is wound. A drive rotates the main roller and thereby winds the strips up on the respective roll cores. Respective elongated supports extend axially along the main roller adjacent the rows of support heads and can be raised and lowered. A respective blower box at each of the rolls has an upwardly open mouth snugly engageable with the respective roll held in the respective pair of holders. Respective structures carrying the blower boxes on the respective supports can displace them between a use position engaging vertically upward beneath the respective roll and an out-of-use position laterally offset outward from the use position. Air is ejected from the mouths of the blower boxes to at least partially support the respective rolls via respective air cushions on the respective blower boxes.