A method for managing the continuous feeding of an elongate element wound on reels to a station for building a tire, wherein the elongate element is continuously supplied from an unwinding device of successive reels. When the terminal end of the elongate element wound on a first reel leaves said first reel, the method provides for: the first reel to be moved away from the unwinding device on a first movable carriage; a second reel, successive to the first reel, and mounted on a second movable carriage, to be positioned in place of the first reel; and the terminal end of the elongate element previously wound on the first reel, to be joined to the starting end of the elongate element wound on the second reel.

A rolled material storage apparatus configured to receive a plurality of rolls of material and further provide improved loading and unloading thereof. The rolled material storage apparatus includes a frame having a first row of receiving platforms and second row of receiving platforms superposed thereto and further being parallel. A first support rod and a second support rod are coupled to the first row of receiving platforms and a second row of receiving platforms respectively. The receiving platforms are tiltably movable intermediate a first position and a second position. Secured to the receiving platforms is a mounting post configured to engage a portion of a roll of material. A locking member is present on each receiving platform and is operable to lock each platform into its first position. The frame includes wheels and a push member is further included to assist in moving the rolled material storage apparatus.

The invention relates to a system for feeding a coating material from a modular unit to a coating device, said modular unit (40-42) being provided for the storage and provision of preferably roll-type or coil-type coating material units, in particular edge strips (K) for applying to a narrow side of panel-type workpieces (W) and said feed system having: a feed section (20) for holding and transporting the coating material; a cassette unit (25) for guiding the coating material provided by the feed section (20); at least one mobile modular unit (40-42); and a coupling section (30) for coupling the mobile modular unit (40-42) to the feed section (20), the modular unit (40-42) holding coating material units.

The roll tilter supports a palleted roll of sheet or thin plate material and re-positions the roll for mounting to an unrolling fixture. The roll tilter received the roll resting on a pallet in a vertical centerline position and rotates the palleted roll from the vertical position to a position with the roll centerline in a horizontal position to facilitate mounting the roll on an unrolling fixture.

An assembly handles a roll used on a machine in a converting line. A storage assembly has a storage structure that extends above the machine that uses the roll. The storage assembly has a rack for supporting the roll in the storage structure. The rack has a roll mover configured to move horizontally between a stored position and an extended position. A transfer assembly has first and second supports on laterally opposite sides of the converting line. The first and second supports are adjacent to and extending above the machine. The transfer assembly has a lifter that is operatively connected to and supported by the first and second supports. The lifter is configured to move vertically relative to the first and second supports between the storage assembly and the machine. The transfer assembly is configured to transfer the roll between the rack in the storage structure and the machine.

A process for improving the convertability of parent rolls of convolutely wound web materials is disclosed.

An apparatus for the non-compression transportation of a convolutely wound web material parent roll is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a motivator and an end effector operably, cooperatively, and pivotably engaged to the motivator. The end effector provides a pair of opposed core plugs capable of cooperative and penetrating engagement with a core of the parent roll when the first core plug is disposed proximate to a first portion of the core of the parent roll and the second core plug is disposed proximate to a second portion of the core of the parent roll disposed distal therefrom.

In order to provide an automated roll transport vehicle with which the work required to install the vehicle in a production facility is simplified, a transport carriage includes a transport vehicle side support element that supports a roll upwardly of the transport carriage such that the roll can be transferred to a receiving device, moving operation means for moving a core a of the roll supported by the transport vehicle side support element with respect to the transport carriage, control means for controlling operation of the moving operation means to locate the core a in a proper position at which both ends of the core a can be supported by a pair of device side support elements with the transport carriage stopped at a transfer location. One or more imaging device or devices for capturing an image of the device side support element is provided.

A machine for producing disposable products anticipates when a current run of a product size is coming to an end, and therefore begins loading of material rolls intended for the next product size or code that will be run. An integrated production facility layout automatically orders and stocks raw material based on production plans, and commands a production machine to produce specific products of differing configurations, and automatically loads appropriately sized raw materials into the process.

In order to provide an automated roll transport vehicle with which the work required to install the vehicle in a production facility is simplified, a transport carriage includes a transport vehicle side support element that supports a roll upwardly of the transport carriage such that the roll can be transferred to a receiving device, moving operation means for moving a core a of the roll supported by the transport vehicle side support element with respect to the transport carriage, control means for controlling operation of the moving operation means to locate the core a in a proper position at which both ends of the core a can be supported by a pair of device side support elements with the transport carriage stopped at a transfer location. One or more imaging device or devices for capturing an image of the device side support element is provided.