A paper rewinding machine includes a rewinding assembly operable to produce coreless retail paper rolls.

A sheet product dispenser for dispensing sheet product from a roll of sheet product is provided. An example sheet product dispenser includes a housing defining an interior space for receiving a first roll of sheet product therein, a mandrel positioned within the interior space, and a spindle positioned over at least a portion of the mandrel and configured to support the first roll of sheet product for rotation about the mandrel. The spindle comprises a base portion and a nose portion configured to translate relative to one another along a longitudinal axis of the mandrel. At least a portion of the spindle is configured to translate relative to the mandrel from a first configuration to a second configuration to cause a remainder of the first roll of sheet product to deform and enable movement of a dispensing door to enable access to a second roll of sheet product.

Spindles and cover assemblies for dispensing sheet product are provided, such as for use with coreless sheet product rolls. The spindle may include a hollow cylindrical body, which may have an elongated channel in a sidewall; a rod which extends partially out of the body; and a spring disposed within the body in biasing contact with the rod, wherein the rod may include a flexible tab matingly engaged within the channel, permitting the rod to translate within the hollow cylindrical body without falling out. In some other cases, the hollow cylindrical body may have an end with an opening bounded by an inward facing ledge, and the rod may include a radial ledge, such that the rod can translate within the body but cannot fall out due to interference between the inward facing ledge and the radial ledge. In some other cases, the spindle includes a friction hub disposed about and rotatable around the hollow cylindrical body between ends of the body.

Winding apparatuses for winding sheet material and related methods are disclosed herein. The winding apparatuses can include a set of winding drive rollers. Each drive roller of the winding drive rollers can have drive wheels spaced apart along the respective drive roller with a winding zone between the winding drive rollers. The winding apparatus can also include a feed system positioned before the set of the winding drive rollers for moving sheet material along a travel path in a machine direction into the winding zone.

A coreless roll of absorbent sheet products is made of a spirally wound web of absorbent substrate including at least two superposed plies of absorbent substrate, the web of absorbent substrate being wound such as to define an axial hollow passageway centrally positioned relatively to the coreless roll and extending from one edge to another edge of the coreless roll. The web of absorbent substrate further includes a stiffening insert, the stiffening insert being inserted in-between two superposed plies of absorbent substrate, the stiffening insert being positioned such as to line the axial hollow passageway, the stiffening insert having a length such that the stiffening insert extends at least around three quarter of a circumference of the passageway, preferably substantially completely around a circumference of the passageway.

A method is provided for removing mandrels from successive rolls of convolutely wound web material. In one aspect, a roll of web convolutely wound around a mandrel is moved to a position in which the mandrel is aligned with a clasp with the clasp spaced apart from the mandrel. The clasp is then moved along a path toward the roll. Movement of the clasp toward the roll is stopped only when the clasp is in a position to engage the mandrel. The mandrel is engaged with the clasp. The clasp and the mandrel are moved away from the roll to withdraw the mandrel from the roll. The mandrel is released from the clasp when the mandrel is removed from the roll. The mandrel is removed from the path of the clasp. The steps are repeated for a subsequent roll.

There is disclosed a driver including an elongate shaft and at least one drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a housing which has an orifice for receiving the elongate shaft, and a drive wheel which is located at least partially within the housing. The drive wheel has a bore with a cross-section shaped so that the internal surface of the bore contacts the circumference of elongate shaft when the elongate shaft is inserted into the bore. The bore has at least two fulcrum surfaces so that the drive wheel is pivotable about the elongate shaft. The housing is slideable relative to the elongate shaft.

A film dispenser for use in unwinding film from coreless film rolls. A first dispenser member is selectively matable with a second dispenser member. The first and second dispenser members can be mated together in at least two angular positions. The position of a radially outward facing surface of the dispenser can be adjusted based on the angular position of the dispenser members so that the dispenser can firmly engage and support film rolls of varying internal dimensions. Each of the dispenser members can have a radially extending support wall. The support walls define complementary interlocking formations. When the dispenser members are mated together, the complementary interlocking formations engage one another to form a rigid connection between the dispenser members. The engaged support walls radially support a central region of the film roll.

A paper rewinding machine includes a rewinding assembly operable to produce coreless retail paper rolls.

A paper rewinding machine includes a rewinding assembly operable to produce coreless retail paper rolls.