Center drive unwind system

Abstract

A center driven unwind system including a pair of horizontally spaced-apart side frames defining the beginning of a path of travel of the web being unwound from a parent roll for processing by a rewinder, a U-shaped arm structure pivotally mounted adjacent the U-shape base on each side frame with each arm of the U-shape adjacent the arm free end being equipped with a retractable chuck for insertion into a parent roll core, a variable speed drive operably associated with each chuck and adapted to develop an increasing rotational speed characteristic in the chuck as a parent roll carried by the chuck is unwound, a core table positioned adjacent the frame and adapted to receive from the U-shaped arm structure a partially unwound parent roll, the core table being equipped with a cradle for rotatably supporting the partially unwound roll after the chucks have been retracted therefrom, sensors provided on the U-shaped arm structure for positioning the chucks for introduction into the core of a parent roll to be subsequently unwound, and a thread-up conveyor adjacent the core table for conducting a leading edge portion of a web from the parent roll to be subsequently unwound toward the tail end portion of a web from the partially unwound parent roll for simultaneous introduction into a rewinder.