A core plug for supporting a roll of sheet product with respect to a sheet product dispenser is provided. The core plug may include a shell and a support. The shell may be positioned about a longitudinal axis of the core plug and configured to be at least partially inserted into a central opening of the roll of sheet product. The support may be movably attached to the shell and configured to engage a support feature of the sheet product dispenser such that the roll of sheet product is rotatably supported with respect to the sheet product dispenser. The support may be positioned at least partially within the shell, and at least a portion of the support may be configured to translate relative to the shell in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the core plug.

Methods and apparatus for supporting a paper roll in a paper bucket of a printer are provided. The paper bucket may comprise a curved base portion for accepting paper rolls of varying widths, two oppositely disposed side walls movably mounted to the curved base portion, and a two-part spring-loaded spindle assembly extending through each of the side walls and adapted to support a paper roll therebetween. Each spindle assembly may comprise a first spring loaded spindle part and a second spring loaded spindle part movably connected to one another.

A recording apparatus comprises a lifting mechanism lifting and lowering a roll-shaped medium, wherein the lifting mechanism includes a lifting unit which lifts and lowers in an apparatus height direction and on which the roll-shaped medium is placed, a position adjustment unit configured to adjust a position of the lifting unit in the apparatus height direction, and a base unit supporting the lifting unit and the position adjustment unit. The base unit includes an insertion portion through which a shaft member supporting the base unit is inserted. The insertion portion includes an inner circumferential portion facing an outer circumferential portion of the shaft member. A plurality of rolling elements is disposed in the inner circumferential portion of the insertion portion, and the plurality of rolling elements protrudes from the inner circumferential portion when viewed from an axial direction in which the shaft member extends.

A winding unit includes a rail extending in an X direction, a support portion that is supported on the rail, that is movable in the X direction, and that is capable of supporting rolled medium, and a support mechanism that is supported on the rail and that is movable in the X direction. The support mechanism includes a placement portion capable of supporting the rolled medium from a vertically downward direction side, and a position adjustment unit that rises the placement portion in a vertically upward direction when the rolled medium is removed from the support portion. When viewed from a Y direction intersecting the X direction, a placement surface of the placement portion on which the rolled medium is placed is curved to be convex in the vertically upward direction.

A drive gear assembly for a roll that is detachably supported in a machine body, the assembly comprising a drive gear mounted for a rotation about a stationary axis in the machine body, a driven gear mounted on an end portion of the roller, and a bearing formed in the machine body for supporting said end portion in an operative position in which the drive gear meshes with the driven gear, the assembly further comprising by a safety cover that is pivotally supported on the machine body to be movable between an active position in which it covers at least a part of the periphery of the driven gear, except a portion where the drive gear meshes with the driven gear, and an open position in which it permits an insertion of the end portion of the roll into the bearing, the cover being elastically biased into the open position and having an engagement surface arranged to be engaged by at least one of the roll and the driven gear for holding the cover in the active position as long as the roll is in the operative position.

Maintaining a level of tension on material as it is processed in a manufacturing operation assists in the processing of the material. The tension of the material as it is fed through a process station is maintained by a material sag portion, such as an unsupported portion of the material extending between a roll of the material and the process station. The formation of the sag portion and the loading of the material forming the sag portion are automated and adjusted with a system having a material storage retrieval system, a shuttle, a tensioning device, and/or a processing station.

An apparatus for loading and unloading a roll includes a roll support portion disposed adjacent to a roll unwinder; a first traveling rail disposed on one side of the roll unwinder; a moving frame movably installed on the first traveling rail; and a roll attaching and detaching unit movably installed on the moving frame, wherein the roll support portion includes a lifting unit configured to move up and down a disposed roll, and wherein the roll attaching and detaching unit includes a moving plate moving on the moving frame, and a main body portion rotatably installed on the moving plate.

An assembly for handling reel spools, comprising linear support rails, having a first end and a second end, arranged parallel to each other, and a reel spool cart arranged on the support rails, the support rails being arranged at a first distance from each other, the first distance being greater than axial length of the reel spool, and the cart being provided with a hoisting device configured to hoist the reel spool vertically from beneath of at least one of the support rails to at least partly above at least one of the support rails.

A safety chuck mounted to equipment that process web material is provided. The safety chuck is provided with a die spring connecting a moveable jaw with a spindle, said spring urging the moveable jaw into a fully closed position. A number of magnets mounted on a mounting flange will engage the moveable jaw, overcoming the spring's force and holding the moveable jaw in a fully open position. Rotation of the spindle releases the magnets allowing the spring to force the moveable jaw back into a fully closed position.

Disclosed is a web handling system that includes a spindle having a spindle magnetic coupling portion and a roll core configured for receiving the spindle for mounting thereon and having a roll magnetic coupling portion, wherein the spindle and roll magnetic coupling portions are configured for magnetically attracting each other to hold the roll on the spindle.