Methods for carrying out a flying reel change

Abstract

A flying reel change is accomplished by joining an exhausting web of a first reel that is to be replaced to a web of a fresh or replacement reel. The fresh reel is caused to run at the speed of the exhausting reel to be replaced prior to such joining. The exhausting web is joined to the fresh web once the diameter of the reel to be replaced has reached a set minimum. This minimum diameter may be fixed by the characteristics of a core for this exhausting reel.

1 - 49 . (canceled) 
   
   
       50 . A method for performing a flying roll change including:
 providing a first, exhausting roll of material having a first web of material;   providing a second, fresh roll of material having a second web of material;   supporting said first roll of material for rotation at a first web speed;   supporting said second roll of material for rotation at a second web speed;   determining a minimum diameter of said first roll of material; and   connecting said first web and said second web of material when said first roll of material reaches said minimum diameter.   
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50  further including providing a material core for at least said first roll of material and determining said minimum diameter as a function of properties of said material core. 
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 50  further including providing a roll changer having material roll clamping mandrels for supporting said first and second rolls of material and determining said minimum diameter as a function of properties of said roll clamping mandrels for said first roll of material. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 50  further including determining said minimum diameter of said first roll as a function of a width of said first web of material. 
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 50  further including providing said first web speed greater than said second web speed, reducing said first web speed to said second web speed and connecting said first web and said second web at said reduced first web speed. 
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54  further including providing a program and using said program for reducing said first web speed and connecting said first web to said second web. 
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 50  further including providing a program and using said program for connecting said first web and said second web. 
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 54  further including setting said second web speed as a function of a width of said first and second webs of material. 
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 51  further including setting said second web speed during said connecting of said first and second webs of material as a function of said properties of said material core. 
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 52  further including providing a material core for at least said first roll of material and determining said minimum diameter also as a function of properties of said material core. 
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 54  further including providing a material core for at least said first roll of material and setting said second web speed during said connecting process as a function of geometric dimensions of said core. 
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 51  further including determining said minimum diameter of said first roll of material as a function of geometric properties of said material core. 
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 60  further including setting said second web speed as a function of an interior diameter of said material core. 
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 61  further including determining said minimum diameter as a function of an interior diameter of said core. 
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 60  further including setting said second web speed as a function of a wall thickness of said core. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 61  further including determining said minimum diameter as a function of a wall thickness of said material core. 
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 51  further including determining said minimum diameter as a function of a modulus of elasticity of said material core. 
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 52  further including setting said second web speed during said connecting of said first web and said second web as a function of geometric characteristics of said roll clamping mandrels. 
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 52  further including determining said minimum diameter as a function of lengths of clamping jaws on said clamping mandrels. 
   
   
       69 . A roll changer usable for feeding a web of material comprising:
 a first roll support usable to rotatably support a first, exhausting roll of material having a first web of material;   a second roll support usable to rotatably support a second, fresh roll of material having a second web of material;   first and second roll support receptacles on said first roll support;   third and fourth roll support receptacles on said second roll support;   a support journal on each said support receptacle; and   clamping jaws on each said support journal.   
   
   
       70 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein said support journals on each of said first and second roll supports have four of said clamping jaws arranged in an axial direction of said support journals. 
   
   
       71 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein an axial length of each said support journal is at least 250 mm. 
   
   
       72 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein a sum of lengths of said clamping jaws on each said support journal, in an axial direction of said support journals is at least 300 mm. 
   
   
       73 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein each said support journal has at least two of said clamping jaws arranged in an axial direction of each said support journal. 
   
   
       74 . The roll changer of  claim 71  wherein said support journals have at least four of said clamping jaws arranged in an axial direction of said support journals. 
   
   
       75 . The roll changer of  claim 71  wherein said axial length of each said support journal is at least 300 mm. 
   
   
       76 . The roll changer of  claim 75  wherein said length of each said support journal is at least 330 mm. 
   
   
       77 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein a length of each said clamping jaw, in an axial direction of each said support journal is at least 80 mm. 
   
   
       78 . The roll changer of  claim 77  wherein said length of each said clamping jaw is at least 95 mm. 
   
   
       79 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein an axial length of said clamping jaws in an axial direction of each said support journal is at least 340 mm. 
   
   
       80 . The roll changer of  claim 79  wherein said axial length of said clamping jaws is at least 380 mm. 
   
   
       81 . The roll changer of  claim 69  further including a plurality of said clamping jaws on each said support journal and defining a circumferential, evenly spaced row on a circumference of said support journal. 
   
   
       82 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein ones of said clamping jaws on each said support journal are axially aligned. 
   
   
       83 . The roll changer of  claim 81  further including two rows of said clamping jaws on each said support journal. 
   
   
       84 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein said clamping jaws on each said support journal are adapted to receive a core of one of said first and second rolls of material. 
   
   
       85 . The roll changer of  claim 84  wherein a length of each said core is greater than 4000 mm. 
   
   
       86 . The roll changer of  claim 85  wherein said length of each said core is greater than 4200 mm. 
   
   
       87 . The roll changer of  claim 84  wherein each said core has a wall thickness greater than 10 mm. 
   
   
       88 . The roll changer of  claim 87  wherein said core wall thickness is greater than 15 mm. 
   
   
       89 . The roll changer of  claim 87  wherein said core wall thickness is greater than 17 mm. 
   
   
       90 . The roll changer of  claim 87  wherein said core wall thickness is greater than 20 mm. 
   
   
       91 . The roll changer of  claim 84  wherein an interior diameter of said core is 150.2 mm±0.2 mm. 
   
   
       92 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein said roll changer is adapted to perform a flying roll change between said first web of material and said second web of material. 
   
   
       93 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein each of said support journals has a diameter of greater than 140 mm. 
   
   
       94 . The roll changer of  claim 93  wherein each said support journal diameter is between 145 mm and 155 mm. 
   
   
       95 . The roll changer of  claim 93  wherein each said support journal diameter is between 148 mm and 152 mm. 
   
   
       96 . The roll changer of  claim 69  wherein said roll changer is located before, in a direction of web travel, a web-fed rotogravure printing press.