Method of and apparatus for temporarily storing a running web

Abstract

A facility for temporary storage of a running web of cigarette paper, tipping paper or the like between a bobbin or another source of web and a web processing or consuming machine employs two polygonal arrays of rollers which can be rotated about their respective axes. Each roller of a first array can be coaxial to and can rotate with a roller of the second array; alternatively, the rollers of the second array can rotate as a unit relative to the rollers of the first array. One or more deflecting rolls are provided to direct the web into and out of the storage facility; alternatively, the deflecting rolls can serve to direct the web from one of the two arrays of rollers to the other array. The web is convoluted about at least one of the two arrays of rollers (preferably about each such array of rollers) when at least one of the arrays of rollers is caused to turn in one direction, and the quantity of the stored web is reduced by rotating at least one of the arrays of rollers in another direction, such as counter to the one direction.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A facility for temporary storage of a running web of flexible material, comprising: 
 a web collecting assembly including at least one magazine having means for temporarily gathering the running web; and    at least one convoluting unit having means for moving the web in a first direction to thus convolute the web on said gathering means and in a second direction to thus unwind the convoluted web from said gathering means.    
     
     
         2 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein the web consists of a wrapping material for smokers'products and said web collecting assembly is disposed between a source of web and a web processing machine.  
     
     
         3 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said moving means includes a device for flexing the running web around said gathering means during movement of the web in said first direction under the action of said moving means.  
     
     
         4 . The facility of  claim 3 , wherein said moving means is movable in a predetermined direction to thus move the web in said first direction and said flexing device includes a roller rotatable about an axis which is inclined relative to said predetermined direction.  
     
     
         5 . The facility of  claim 4 , wherein said axis is at least substantially normal to said predetermined direction.  
     
     
         6 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one magazine has an inner side and an outer side, said moving means being arranged to convolute the running web around said outer side while the web is being moved in said first direction.  
     
     
         7 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one magazine defines for the running web a closed path and said moving means includes a roller arranged to orbit about a center of said closed path to thus introduce the web into said path in response to orbiting in said first direction.  
     
     
         8 . The facility of  claim 7 , wherein said closed path is one of a polygonal path and a circular path.  
     
     
         9 . The facility of  claim 8 , wherein said axes of rotation together form a substantially circular array of axes.  
     
     
         10 . The facility of  claim 8 , wherein the axes of rollers of said at least one magazine are at least substantially equidistant from each other.  
     
     
         11 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said web collecting assembly comprises a plurality of magazines.  
     
     
         12 . The facility of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of magazines includes said at least one magazine and a second magazine, said second magazine having an inner side and an outer side and said moving means is arranged, to convolute the web around the outer side of said second magazine in response to movement in said first directions.  
     
     
         13 . The facility of  claim 12 , wherein said moving means includes means for rotating said second magazine about a predetermined axis, said outer side of said second magazine defining for the moving web an endless path which is one of a circular path and a polygonal path and has a center on said predetermined axis.  
     
     
         14 . The facility of  claim 13 , wherein said second magazine includes a plurality of rollers rotatable about axes which are at least substantially parallel to said predetermined axis.  
     
     
         15 . The facility of  claim 14 , wherein the axes of said plurality of rollers are at least substantially equidistant from each other.  
     
     
         16 . The facility of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one magazine has an outline which is one of a substantially polygonal and a substantially circular outline with a center on said predetermined axis.  
     
     
         17 . The facility of  claim 11 , wherein said magazines are adjacent each other.  
     
     
         18 . The facility of  claim 17 , further comprising guide means for directing successive increments of the running web from one of said magazines to another of said magazines.  
     
     
         19 . The facility of  claim 18 , wherein said guide means comprises at least one web-deflecting roll.  
     
     
         20 . The facility of  claim 18 , wherein said guide means comprises a first web deflector at said one magazine and a second web deflector at said other magazine.  
     
     
         21 . The facility of  claim 20 , wherein each of said deflectors comprises a roll.  
     
     
         22 . The facility of  claim 17 , wherein one of said magazines is rotatable.  
     
     
         23 . The facility of  claim 22 , wherein another of said magazines is arranged to rotate with said one magazine.  
     
     
         24 . The facility of  claim 17 , wherein one of said magazines comprises a plurality of first rollers arranged to support a variable length of convoluted web and another of said magazines comprises a plurality of second rollers, one for each of said first rollers, each of said second rollers being coaxial with one of said first rollers.  
     
     
         25 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said moving means is movable relative to said at least one magazine.  
     
     
         26 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one magazine has an inner side and an outer side and further comprising means for directing successive increments of the running web from said inner side to said outer side of said at least one magazine.  
     
     
         27 . The facility of  claim 26 , wherein said means for directing forms part of said at least one magazine.  
     
     
         28 . The facility of  claim 26 , wherein said means for directing comprises a roller.  
     
     
         29 . The facility of  claim 28 , wherein said at least one magazine includes a plurality of rollers and one of said plurality of rollers constitutes said means for directing.  
     
     
         30 . The facility of  claim 26 , wherein said moving means includes a roller and means for moving said roller along an outer side of said at least one magazine.  
     
     
         31 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein said web collecting assembly further includes a second magazine surrounding and being rotatable relative to said at least one magazine, said moving means being provided on said second magazine and being arranged to convolute the web around said at least one magazine and around said second magazine in response to rotation of said second magazine in said first direction.  
     
     
         32 . The facility of  claim 31 , wherein said moving means is arranged to convolute the web around one of said magazines in a clockwise direction and around the other of said magazines, in a counterclockwise direction.  
     
     
         33 . The facility of  claim 32 , wherein said moving means includes a roller forming part of said second magazine.  
     
     
         34 . The facility of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one magazines is stationary.  
     
     
         35 . A method of temporarily storing a length of a running web of flexible material, comprising the steps of: 
 advancing the web lengthwise in a predetermined direction along an elongated path;    imparting to an elongated portion of said path a configuration which causes the web to form at least a portion of at least one convolution; and    altering said configuration to at least partially eliminate the at least one convolution.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the said imparting step includes increasing the length of said elongated portion of said path and said altering step includes reducing the increased length of said portion of said path.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the said advancing step includes drawing, the web from a source, and further comprising the step of converting the web into a part of a smokers' product downstream of said elongated portion of said path, as seen in said predetermined direction.