Web waste disposal

Abstract

A system for disposal of a waste web including: a spindle onto which a roll of web is wound; a cutting station for cutting the web; an ejector for ejecting the roll off the spindle for disposal, to free the spindle to be re-loaded with another roll of web. The invention also relates to a method of forming, and removing, a roll of web material from a rotatable device.

1 . A system for disposal of a waste web including:
 a spindle onto which a roll of web is wound;   a cutting station for cutting the web;   an ejector for ejecting the roll off the spindle for disposal, to free the spindle to be re-loaded with another roll of web.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a loop control zone upstream of the cutting station which buffers the web while the web is cut and the roll is ejected off the spindle. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the loop control zone includes a set of rollers, over which the web passes, the position of the rollers being variable so as to vary the distance of travel of the web, depending on the degree of buffer required. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a clamp with jaws which grip the web and pass the web through a gap in the spindle, so that the web is loaded onto the spindle when the spindle is rotated. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the spindle is formed of projecting arms and the gap is defined between the aims, so as to initially align with the clamp, in order to load the web onto the spindle. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the jaws of the clamp are arranged to open a distance sufficient to clear the spindle during return to the cutting station. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the clamp carries a cutter for cutting the web at the cutting station. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further including a second clamp which is engaged to hold the web prior to the jaws of the first clamp being opened to return to the cutting station, the second clamp being released when the spindle is rotated to load the web onto the spindle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the ejector is in the form of a plate which is pushed outwardly along the arms until the reel is ejected. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 10 , further including a chute into which the rolls of web are ejected for collection in a waste disposal bin. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming and removing a roll of web material from a rotatable device, the method including loading a quantity of web material onto the rotatable device, clamping and cutting the web being wound onto the rotatable device when a predetermined quantity of web material has been wound onto the rotatable device, pushing the wound web off the rotatable device, re-attaching the cut end of the web to the rotatable device and winding a next quantity of web onto the rotatable device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including loop control in the path of the web material upstream of the clamping and cutting. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the loop control includes accommodating an oversupply of web material upstream of the rotatable device so as to store web material while clamping, cutting and ejecting a wound web off the rotatable device is carried out.