A rewinding machine winds a web material into a log about a core. The web material to be wound is directed about a rotating winding drum. A continuous loop is spaced from the winding drum and with the winding drum defines a nip through which the core is inserted and through which the web material is directed. A surface of the continuous loop opposite the winding drum across the nip is configured to move in a direction generally opposite of the winding drum for winding the web material about the core. A rider roll defines a winding space with the winding drum and the continuous loop. The rider roll is movable relative to the continuous loop and the winding drum to allow for an increase in a diameter of the log in the winding space during winding of the web material about the core.

The machine (1) comprises: an unwinding section (3) of parent reels (Ba, Bb) of web material (Na, Nb); a cutting station (13), comprising a plurality of cutting members (201, 203) to divide the web material (Na, Nb) into longitudinal strips (S); a plurality of winding stations (15); in each winding station (15), a guide arm (31) to guide the longitudinal strip (S), adjustable parallel to the rotation axis (C-C) of the winding mandrel (51). The cutting station (13) comprises sensor members (213, 214) to detect the position of the cutting members (201, 203). A control unit (216) is interfaced with the sensor members (213, 214) of the cutting station (13) and the positioning actuators (27), to position the guide arms (31) parallel to the rotation axis (C-C) of the respective winding mandrel (51) as a function of the position of the corresponding cutting member (201, 203).

A rewinding machine winds a web material into a log about a core. The web material to be wound is directed about a rotating winding drum. A continuous loop is spaced from the winding drum and with the winding drum defines a nip through which the core is inserted and through which the web material is directed. A surface of the continuous loop opposite the winding drum across the nip is configured to move in a direction generally opposite of the winding drum for winding the web material about the core. A rider roll defines a winding space with the winding drum and the continuous loop. The rider roll is movable relative to the continuous loop and the winding drum to allow for an increase in a diameter of the log in the winding space during winding of the web material about the core.

Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for supplying, staging, and/or handling, and/or for replacing rolls (12, 20) with flat material and/or film material wound thereonto and serving as packaging material (22) for packaging piece goods, bundles, or the like sets of articles. Depleted rolls (20) are removed from at least one installation position (EB1, EB2) of a packaging machine (14), and new rolls (12) are mounted into the particular installation position (EB1, EB2), with new rolls (12) being staged to the packaging machine (14) in a specified feeder device.

Each of the installation positions (EB1, EB2) of the packaging machine (14) includes at least one rotatable receiving mandrel (70) for the rotatable reception and holding of the rolls (12). The at least one receiving mandrel (70) is shiftable in its axial direction upon removing a depleted roll (20) and/or upon mounting of a new roll (12).

Unwinder of a thin ply product wound on a roll, comprising a first roll-holder assembly equipped with a first unwinding rod for a respective roll, on which the roll is adapted to be supported, and which has an axis of rotation transversal to the direction of movement of the ply unwound from the roll, a second roll-holder assembly equipped with a second unwinding rod of a respective roll, on which the roll is adapted to be supported, said second rod being parallel to said first unwinding rod of the first roll-holder assembly, said second roll-holder assembly facing said first roll-holder assembly in an unwinding zone, a ply splicing assembly placed above said first and second facing roll-holder assemblies, a ply accumulation unit to allow automatic switching between a roll being unwound in one said roll-holder assembly and a spare roll provided in the other roll-holder assembly, a system for the lateral movement of each of said unwinding rods with respect to said unwinding zone, from said unwinding zone to a loading zone wherein said rolls are outside said winding zone to facilitate loading the rolls into the respective roll-holder assemblies, wherein said splicing assembly can be moved from a working position above the two said roll-holder assemblies in said unwinding zone, to a working position above an extracted roll assembly in the loading zone, to allow preparation for splicing of the leading edge of the ply wound on the spare roll.

Unwinder of a thin ply product wound on a roll, of the type with automatic switching of the unwinding roll with a spare roll, said unwinder comprisinga first roll-holder assembly equipped with a first unwinding rod for a respective roll, on which the roll is adapted to be supported, and which has an axis of rotation transversal to the direction of movement of the ply unwound from the roll,a second roll-holder assembly equipped with a second unwinding rod for a respective roll, on which the roll is adapted to be supported, said second rod being parallel to said first unwinding rod of the first roll-holder assembly, said second roll-holder assembly facing said first roll-holder assembly in an unwinding zone, wherein of said two roll-holder assemblies, one assembly holds the unwinding roll and the other assembly holds the spare roll to be switched,a ply splicing assembly placed above said first and second facing roll-holder assemblies,a ply accumulation unit to allow automatic switching between a roll being unwound in one said roll-holder assembly and a spare roll provided in the other roll-holder assembly,a transversal position correction system for the side edges of the plies on the rolls present in said roll-holder assemblies.