Method and apparatus for winding a web onto a spool to form a continuous web reel

Abstract

In an apparatus and method for winding a web (W) of tissue paper material or nonwoven material onto a spool (2) to form a continuous web reel (3) on said spool (2), the force at the winding nip (5) is measured, and as the diameter of said web reel (3) increases, the spool (2) onto which said web reel (3) is being wound is moved along a horizontal plane during winding, thereby increasing the distance between said first support drum (4) and said spool (2) in the horizontal direction, and the distance between said second support drum (4) and said spool (2) increases. and a second support drum (9) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26) (27) (28) (29) (30) (31) (32) (33) (34) (35) (36) (37) (38) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (55) (60) (61) (62) (63) (64) (65) (70) (71) (72) (73) (74) (75) (76) (77) (80)

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for winding a web of tissue or nonwoven material onto a spool to form a continuous web reel on the spool, and to a winding machine for carrying out the method. [Background technology]

[0002] In in-line or off-line tissue paper web and nonwoven fabric winding machines, it is desirable to maintain uniform winding nip forces at the winding nip during the winding process and to avoid vibrations. U.S. Patent No. 5,931,406 discloses a winding machine for continuously winding a material web, such as a paper web or a board web. The winding machine has a contact pressure drum that forms a winding nip with the wound reel, and the contact pressure drum is rotatably arranged on a lifting table. The lifting table is displaceable vertically or substantially vertically and has a guide for the spool with guide rails. Other winding machines are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,690,298, 7,017,855, 5,988,557, 5,967,440, 6,129,305, 5,544,841, WO 2009 / 109503, WO 2004 / 080870, and EP 1 713 706 B1. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and machine for winding a tissue paper web, which provides good stability during winding and the possibility of reducing vibrations. It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved caliper and density control of the web reel. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide high flexibility, so that the machine can be adapted to optimize the process for various products. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a method for winding a tissue paper web material or a nonwoven web material onto a spool to form a continuous web reel. For each web reel being wound, the web is guided over a portion of the circumference of a first support drum and passes through a winding nip formed between the first support drum and the web reel being wound. The first support drum acts on the web reel, thereby generating a winding nip force at the winding nip. The web reel being wound is also supported by a second support drum arranged to form a nip with the web reel being wound during winding. According to the invention, the winding nip force at the winding nip is measured, and as the diameter of the web reel increases, the spool onto which the web reel is being wound is moved along a horizontal plane during winding, thereby increasing the distance between the first support drum and the spool in the horizontal direction. The second support drum is moved vertically downward to accommodate the increasing size of the web reel while maintaining contact with the web reel to maintain the nip force between the web reel and the second support drum, and as the diameter of the web reel increases, the first support drum is moved vertically downward and to such an extent that the winding nip force measured at the winding nip remains substantially at a set value or within a range consisting of a predetermined upper value and a predetermined lower value.

[0004] In some embodiments, any set value or predetermined upper and lower values ​​may be set to increase by an amount of at least 3% and no more than 10% during winding of each web reel from the start of winding of the web reel to the completion of said web reel.

[0005] In another embodiment, any set value or predetermined upper value and predetermined lower value may be set to decrease during winding of each web reel by an amount of not less than 3% and not more than 10% from the start of winding of the web reel to the completion of said web reel.

[0006] In yet another embodiment, the predetermined upper and lower values ​​can be set relative to a fixed set point, and in such an embodiment, the winding nip force at the winding nip can be held substantially constant during winding.

[0007] In an advantageous embodiment, the method can be performed such that an angle between a horizontal plane and a line extending from the axis of rotation of the first support drum and the axis of rotation of the web reel is kept constant from at least when the web reel has reached 20% of its final diameter until at least when the same web reel has reached 95% of its final diameter, preferably in the range of 40° to 50°, and most preferably 45°.

[0008] The nip force between the web reel and the second support drum is measured and compared to a set value, and if the measured nip force deviates from the set value by more than a specified allowable deviation, the second support drum is preferably, but not necessarily, moved vertically. Vertical movement continues until the measured nip force no longer deviates from the set value by more than the specified allowable deviation. This specified allowable deviation is preferably 4% or less, more preferably 2% or less.

[0009] Preferably, the method is carried out such that each spool rotates about an axis of rotation during winding, and the first support drum rotates about an axis of rotation that is located at a vertical level below the vertical level of the axis of rotation of the spool throughout the winding process.

[0010] In many advantageous embodiments, the method can be performed such that as the web reel moves along a horizontal plane, the second support drum also moves horizontally to follow the web reel, so that the angle between the horizontal plane and a line from the axis of rotation of the second support drum and the axis of rotation of the web reel remains substantially constant from at least the time the web reel reaches 25% of its final diameter to at least the time the web reel reaches 95% of its final diameter.

[0011] Advantageously, the method can be performed such that, when the first reel currently winding the web reaches a predetermined size and it is time to begin winding the second reel, the first support drum moves vertically upward to engage a new spool, the web is cut just before it reaches the first reel, and the second support drum acts as a brake on the first reel, slowing or stopping the rotation of the web reel. In such an embodiment in which the second support drum acts as a brake, the method can advantageously be performed such that, after the second support drum has acted as a brake on the first reel, the second support drum moves horizontally and vertically until it contacts the second reel to begin supporting the second reel.

[0012] Advantageously, the method may also be practiced by moving the second support drum horizontally during winding as the spool moves from at least when the web reel has reached 25% of its final diameter until at least when the web reel has reached 90% of its final diameter, so that the horizontal position of the second support drum remains constant relative to the position of the spool of the web reel that is winding.

[0013] In an embodiment of the invention, the method is carried out such that the spool of the web reel performing the winding rotates about an axis of rotation and the second support drum also rotates about an axis of rotation, and the axis of rotation of the spool and the axis of rotation of the second support drum are maintained in the same vertical plane from at least when the web reel has reached 25% of its final diameter until at least when the web reel has reached 90% of its final diameter.

[0014] In another embodiment, the method is carried out such that the spool of the reel rotating about an axis of rotation and the second support drum also rotating about an axis of rotation, the axes of rotation of the spool and the second support drum not being maintained in the same vertical plane. Instead, the line between the two axes may form an angle with respect to the vertical plane from the time when the web reel reaches at least 25% of its final diameter until the time when the web reel reaches at least 90% of its final diameter. The angle between the vertical plane and the line between the axis of rotation of the spool and the axis of rotation of the second support drum may be in the range of 5° to 80°, preferably in the range of 15° to 60°, and even more preferably in the range of 25° to 50°. For example, the angle may be 45°.

[0015] Advantageously, when the first web reel being wound reaches a predetermined size and it is time to start winding the second web reel, the first support drum is moved vertically upward and a new spool for the second web reel is moved towards a position where it is supported from below by the first support drum.

[0016] When changing the vertical position of the first support drum, this can advantageously be performed continuously as the diameter of the web reel increases.

[0017] Optionally, if the second drum is also changed in its vertical position, this can be done continuously as the diameter of the web reel increases.

[0018] The method can be performed such that the nip force at the nip between the web reel and the second support drum is increased during winding by an amount of 15% to 30% of the nip force at the start of winding from the start of winding of the web reel to the end of winding when the web reel reaches its final diameter, preferably by an amount of 20% to 28% of the nip force at the start of winding.

[0019] The present invention also relates to a winding machine for winding a web of tissue paper material or nonwoven material onto a spool to form a continuous web reel on the spool. The winding machine according to the present invention comprises a first support drum arranged to act against the take-up reel at a winding nip, the first support drum being vertically movable up and down. A first actuator is operatively connected to the first support drum to move the first support drum vertically. The machine further comprises a guide rail structure along which the web reel is horizontally movable as its diameter increases. A second support drum is arranged to act against the web reel to form a nip with the web reel. The second support drum is movable both horizontally and vertically. Suitably, a second actuator is operatively connected to the second support drum to move the second support drum vertically and horizontally. According to the present invention, the machine further comprises a logic control unit connected to the first actuator to control the first actuator. At least one winding nip force sensor is positioned to measure the force at the winding nip and transmit the force at the winding nip to the logic control unit, the logic control unit including software having instructions for comparing a set value for the force at the winding nip to the signal from the at least one winding nip force sensor and, if the signal from the winding force nip sensor indicates that the winding nip force at the winding nip deviates from the set value or is outside a range consisting of a predetermined low value and a predetermined high value, transmitting instructions to the first actuator to move the first support drum in a direction necessary to correct the deviation from the set force.

[0020] The set point may be a fixed set point for the force at the winding nip or may be varied during winding as a function of web diameter, in such an embodiment, the diameter being calculated by the logic control unit as a function of machine speed, time, and web thickness.

[0021] Optionally and advantageously, the machine may further comprise at least one nip force sensor arranged to measure the nip force at the nip between the second support drum and the web reel and to send a signal representative of the nip force at the nip between the second support drum and the web reel to the logic control unit, the logic control unit comprising software having instructions for comparing a set value for the nip force at the nip between the second support drum and the web reel with the signal from the at least one nip force sensor, and, if the signal from the sensor indicates that the nip force is outside a range consisting of a predetermined low value and a predetermined high value, sending a command to an actuator to move the second support drum in the direction required to correct the deviation from the set force.

[0022] Preferably, the machine further comprises a cutting device for cutting the web when winding a new web reel, however it should be understood that the machine may be delivered to a factory (e.g. a tissue paper factory) by the machine manufacturer without such a cutting device and that installation of the cutting device may be left to the factory operator. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an overall view of a winding machine according to the present invention. [Figure 2a] FIG. 2a shows a part of a winding sequence according to the invention at a first point in time. [Figure 2b] FIG. 2b is a view similar to FIG. 2a, but showing part of the winding sequence at a second point in time. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows winding in a machine configuration different from that of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows an example in which the configuration of FIG. 3 is slightly modified. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows yet another possible configuration. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a situation in which the first web reel has reached a predetermined size and it is time to start winding the second web reel. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram similar to FIG. 6, but showing steps following the situation in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows the steps following the situation shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows the steps that follow the situation shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 shows the steps following the situation shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 shows the steps that follow the situation shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 shows the steps that follow the situation shown in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 shows a situation where winding on one web reel has finished and winding on the next reel has begun. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a control system for the second support drum. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a winding machine 1 according to the present invention is shown for winding a tissue paper web material or a nonwoven web material onto a spool 2 to form a continuous web reel thereon. The winding machine 1 comprises a first support drum 4 arranged to act against a web reel 3 at a winding nip 5. The first support drum is arranged to be movable vertically upward and downward, as indicated by arrow A. A first actuator 6 is operatively connected to the first support drum 4 to move the first support drum 4 vertically. The machine also comprises a guide rail structure 7 along which the web reel 3 can move horizontally as its diameter increases. A second support drum 9 is arranged to act against the web reel 3 and form a nip 10 with the web reel 3. In this way, the second support drum 9 can contribute to improved stability during winding. The second support drum 9 is movable both horizontally and vertically. The second support drum 9 may be operatively connected to a second actuator 11 capable of vertically and horizontally moving the second support drum 9. While the second actuator 11 is shown only diagrammatically in FIG. 1, it should be understood that the second actuator 11 may take any form capable of providing vertical and horizontal movement. It should also be understood that the second actuator 11 may consist of one actuator for horizontal movement and one actuator for vertical movement. Referring to FIG. 14, a schematic configuration is shown in which the second actuator 11 includes a vertical actuator 11a for vertically moving the second support drum 9 and a horizontal actuator 11b for horizontally moving the second support drum 9. In accordance with the present invention, the winding machine 1 further includes a logic control unit 13. The logic control unit 13 is connected to and capable of controlling the first actuator 6. At least one winding nip force sensor 14 is arranged to measure the force at the winding nip 5 and send a signal indicative of the force at the winding nip 5 to the logic control unit 13.A winding nip force sensor 14 may be connected to a chuck 8 for transporting the outer end of the spool 2. The logic control unit 13 includes software with instructions for comparing a set value for the force at the winding nip 5 with a signal from the at least one winding nip force sensor 14 and, if the signal from the winding force nip sensor 14 indicates that the winding nip force at the winding nip 5 deviates from the set value or is outside a range consisting of a predetermined low value and a predetermined high value, sending a command to the first actuator 6 to move the first support drum 4 in the direction necessary to correct the deviation from the set value. The logic control unit 13 is connected to the actuators 6, 11a, and 11b for the first support drum 4 and the second support drum 9 and can therefore control the movement of the first support drum 4 and the second support drum 9 and thereby the winding nip force at the winding nip 5 and the nip force at the nip 10 between the second support drum and the web reel 3. The value of the winding nip force at the winding nip 5 may vary depending on the individual circumstances of the case. Naturally, all other things being equal, a wider web reel will require a higher winding nip force than a narrower web reel. If the force is expressed as linear excess rather than absolute, a typical value in many practical cases may be 0.9-1.1 kN / m, for example 0.98 kN / m, although other values, both higher and lower, are also conceivable.

[0025] The set point may be a fixed set point, but may alternatively be varied during winding as a function of the web diameter, which is calculated by the logic control unit 13 as a function of the machine speed, time and web thickness.

[0026] Preferably, the machine 1 further comprises at least one nip force sensor 15 arranged to measure the force at the nip 10 between the second support drum 9 and the web reel 3 and to send a signal indicative of the nip force between the second support drum 9 and the web reel 3 to the logic control unit 13. The logic control unit 13 may thus comprise software having instructions for comparing a set value for the nip force with a signal from the at least one nip force sensor 15 and, if the signal from the sensor 15 indicates that the nip force deviates from the set value or is outside a range consisting of a predetermined low value and a predetermined high value, sending a command to an actuator (e.g., the second actuator 11) to move the second support drum 9 in the direction required to correct the deviation from the set value.

[0027] The machine preferably further comprises a cutting device 16 for cutting the web as the winding of a new web reel 3 takes place.

[0028] A method according to the present invention for winding a web W onto a spool 2 to form a continuous web reel 3 thereon will now be described with reference to Figures 1, 2a, and 2b. As best shown in Figure 1, the web W is guided over a portion of the circumference of a first support drum 4 relative to each web reel 3 being wound. The web W is then guided through a winding nip 5 formed between the first support drum 4 and the web reel 3 being wound. The first support drum 4 acts on the web reel 3, generating a force in the winding nip 5. The web reel 3 being wound is also supported by a second support drum 9, which is arranged to form a nip 10 with the web reel 3 being wound during winding. During winding, the force in the winding nip 5 is measured (e.g., by at least one winding nip force sensor 14). As the diameter of the web reel 3 increases, the spool 2 onto which the web reel 3 is being wound is moved along a horizontal plane during winding, thereby increasing the horizontal distance between the first support drum 4 and the spool 2. FIG. 2a shows the web reel 3. At a first point in time, the web reel 3 reaches a certain diameter. FIG. 2b shows the same web reel 3. At a later point in time, the diameter of the web reel 3 increases, and the horizontal distance between the first support drum 4 and the spool 2 increases. To accommodate the increased diameter and horizontal movement of the spool 2, the second support drum 9 moves horizontally, as indicated by arrow B, and vertically downward, as indicated by arrow A. This allows the second support drum 9 to adjust its position to accommodate the increased size of the web reel 3 while still maintaining contact with the web reel 3 to the extent that the nip force between the web reel 3 and the second support drum 9 is maintained. As the diameter of the web reel 3 increases, the first support drum 4 also moves vertically downward, as shown by arrow A. The first support drum 4 moves to such an extent that the force measured at the winding nip 5 remains within a range consisting of a predetermined upper value and a predetermined lower value.

[0029] During winding of each web reel 3, the predetermined upper value and the predetermined lower value can be set to follow a curve that increases by an amount of 3% or more and 10% or less from the start of winding of the web reel 3 to the completion of the web reel 3, or a curve that decreases by an amount of 3% or more and 10% or less from the start of winding of the web reel 3 to the completion of the web reel 3.

[0030] During winding, the web reel 3 is transported by a guide rail structure 7. However, as the size of the web reel 3 increases, the weight of the web reel 3 can cause bending of the spool 2. This can increase the load on the second support drum 9. To compensate for this, the force at the winding nip 5 can be varied as the size of the web reel 3 increases.

[0031] However, the predetermined upper and lower values ​​can also be set relative to a fixed set value. This corresponds to a control in which a correction is attempted as soon as the winding nip force deviates from the fixed set value, but small deviations are tolerated. For example, as the diameter of the web reel 3 increases, the first support drum 4 can be moved downward. This ensures that the winding nip force at the winding nip 5 remains within a deviation of 2% from the fixed set value.

[0032] 2a and 2b, the angle α between the horizontal plane and a line from the rotation axis of the first support drum 4 and the rotation axis of the web reel 3 remains constant (i.e., the rotation axis of the spool 2). The method is preferably carried out at a constant angle α from the time when the web reel 3 reaches at least 20% of its final diameter until the time when the same web reel 3 reaches at least 95% of its final diameter. The angle α is preferably in the range of 40° to 50°, and most preferably 45°.

[0033] The nip force between the web reel 3 and the second support drum 9 is measured and compared to a set value. If the measured nip force deviates from the set value, it is preferred, but not required, to move the second support drum 9 vertically until the measured nip force does not deviate from the set value by more than 4%, preferably more than 2%. Because the increase in weight of the web reel 3 during winding can cause bending of the spool 2, the nip force at the nip 10 between the web reel 3 and the second support drum can be increased during winding. In many practical cases, the nip force between the second support drum 9 and the web reel can be increased by 15% to 30%, or by 20% to 28%, of the nip force at the start of winding (when the web reel is lighter) to the end of winding when the web reel reaches its final diameter. For example, it can be increased by 25% or about 25%. For this purpose, the logic control unit 13 may comprise software that controls the movement of the second support drum 9 during operation of the winding machine, so that the nip force in the nip 10 between the second support drum 9 and the web reel 3 increases from the nip force at the start of winding to the end of winding of the web reel 3 by an amount of 15% to 30% of the nip force at the start of winding. In this case, the nip force in the nip 10 between the second support drum 9 and the web reel 3 does not remain at a constant level but follows a curve. Thus, the method may be implemented so that the nip force in the nip 10 between the web reel 3 and the second support drum 9 increases during winding from the nip force at the start of winding of the web reel 3 to the end of winding when the web reel reaches its maximum diameter by an amount of 15% to 30% of the nip force at the start of winding, preferably by an amount of 20% to 28% of the nip force at the start of winding. This may be controlled by the logic control unit 13. Thus, the logic control unit may be provided with software having instructions to increase the nip force at the nip 10 between the web reel 3 and the second support drum 9 during winding by an amount between 15% and 30% of the nip force at the start of winding of the web reel 3 until the end of winding when the web reel reaches its maximum diameter.The logic control unit 13 is able to achieve this effect because it controls the vertical movement of the second support drum via the vertical member 11a of the second actuator 11.

[0034] Each spool 2 rotates about an axis of rotation during winding. Preferably, the winding process is carried out in such a way that the first support drum 4 rotates throughout the winding process about an axis of rotation that is located at a vertical level below the vertical level of the axes of rotation of the spools 2. The first support drum 4 supports the web reel at least partially from below throughout the winding process.

[0035] Preferably, the method according to the present invention is implemented such that as the web reel 3 moves along a horizontal plane, the second support drum 9 also moves horizontally following the web reel 3. This ensures that a line from the rotation axis of the second support drum 9 to the rotation axis of the web reel 3 remains at a constant angle with respect to the horizontal plane from the time when the web reel 3 reaches at least 25% of its final diameter until the time when the web reel 3 reaches at least 95% of its final diameter. The final diameter can vary depending on many factors, such as the web material and the intended end product. In many typical cases, the final diameter can be in the range of 3 to 4 m for a web reel formed from a tissue paper web. However, the final diameter can take other values, such as less than 3 m and more than 4 m. In many cases, the final diameter can be 3.5 m or 3.6 m. If the web material is a nonwoven material, the final diameter can be in the range of 1 m to 3 m. Typical values ​​are, for example, 1.2 m or 1.5 m. However, the final diameters of both tissue paper and nonwovens may deviate from the values ​​given here, and these values ​​should be understood as some typical examples only. The axial width of a web reel made from a tissue paper web may be 5.6 m to 6.0 m, although other widths are possible, such as widths less than 5.6 m and widths greater than 6 m. The axial width of a web reel made from a nonwoven material may take many different values, but typical values ​​may often be in the range of 2.2 m to 5 m. It should be understood that the axial width of a web reel may take other values.

[0036] Figure 3 shows how winding can be performed in a slightly different configuration compared to the configuration of Figures 2a and 2b. In the configuration of Figure 3, the second support drum is not directly below the spool 2 but is positioned at an angle α which is the same angle as it is to the first support drum 4.

[0037] Figure 4 shows a configuration similar to that of Figure 3, except that angle α here is smaller than in Figure 3 and may be approximately 45°. In the configuration of Figure 4, second support drum 9 is not located directly below the axis of rotation of spool 2. Instead, the line between the axis of rotation of second support drum 9 and the axis of rotation of spool 2 forms an angle β with a horizontal plane that is equal to angle α, i.e., may be at or about 45°.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a working configuration in which the angle α to the first support drum is kept fairly small during operation and the second support drum operates directly below the spool 2 in the vertical direction.

[0039] The angle α between the horizontal plane and a line from the rotation axis of the first support drum 4 and the rotation axis of the web reel 3 may be kept constant, for example 45°. However, for some applications, it may be preferable to vary the angle α during the winding operation so that it decreases or increases during operation. The logic control unit 13 may be provided with software designed to control the angle α during winding, whereby the angle α varies according to a predetermined decreasing or increasing curve, which may depend on the diameter of the web reel 3.

[0040] Doffing according to the present invention, ie, changing the spool to produce a new web reel 3, will now be described with reference to FIGS.

[0041] FIG. 6 shows a situation in which the first web reel 3 being wound has reached a predetermined size and it is time to begin winding the second web reel. In FIG. 7, it can be seen that the first support drum 4 has moved upward to engage the new spool 2. Referring to FIG. 8, the cutting device 16 has moved into position. In FIG. 9, the new spool 2 has moved forward toward its predetermined position. In FIG. 10, the web W has been cut just before it reaches the first web reel 3. A blowing device can be employed to blow the web onto the new reel spool 2.

[0042] Figure 11 shows the situation after cutting: the cutting device 16 has now opened and the second support drum 9 has moved to a new position, now acting as a brake for the first web reel 3, slowing or stopping it.

[0043] In FIG. 12, the cutting device 16 has moved back to its idle position and the web reel 3 is at rest or has a very slow rotation speed.

[0044] 13 shows how the second support drum 9 moves horizontally and vertically to come into contact with the second web reel 3. The second support drum 9 can then start supporting the second web reel 3.

[0045] With respect to doffing, the second support drum 4 will change its position horizontally relative to the web reel 3 being wound. However, as the spool 2 moves, the second support drum 4 should preferably be moved horizontally during winding so that the horizontal position of the second support drum 9 remains constant relative to the position of the spool 2 of the web reel 3 being wound, from at least when the web reel 3 has reached 25% of its final diameter until at least when the web reel 3 has reached 90% of its final diameter. Preferably, the rotational axis of the spool 2 of the web reel 3 being wound and the rotational axis of the second support drum 9 should be kept in the same vertical plane from at least when the web reel 3 has reached 25% of its final diameter until at least when the web reel 3 has reached 90% of its final diameter.

[0046] The method according to the invention and the winding machine according to the invention can be used both for on-line winding and for off-line winding.

[0047] The invention allows the winding process to be carried out with high stability.Due to the various configurations of the machine, the machine can be adapted to many different products.

[0048] Although the present invention has been described above in terms of a winding method and a winding machine, it should be understood that these categories merely reflect different aspects of the same invention, and thus the machine is designed to carry out the method according to the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. A method for winding a web (W) of tissue paper material or nonwoven material onto a spool (2) to form continuous web reels (3) on said spool (2), wherein for each winding web reel (3), the web (W) is guided over a portion of the circumference of a first support drum (4) and passes through a winding nip (5) formed between said first support drum (4) and said winding web reel (3), said first support drum (4) acting on said web reel (3) so as to generate a nip force in said winding nip (5), said winding web reel (3) being supported during winding by a second support drum (9) arranged to form a nip (10) with said winding web reel (3), The nip force at the winding nip (5) is measured, As the diameter of the web reel (3) increases, the distance between the first support drum (4) and the spool (2) in the horizontal direction increases by moving the spool (2) on which the web reel (3) is being wound along a horizontal plane during winding; moving the second support drum (9) vertically downward to accommodate the increasing size of the web reel (3) while maintaining contact with the web reel (3) to such an extent that the nip force between the web reel (3) and the second support drum (9) is maintained; and moving the first support drum (4) vertically downwards as the diameter of the web reel (3) increases and to such an extent that the nip force measured at the winding nip (5) remains substantially at a set value or within a range between a predetermined upper value and a predetermined lower value.

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein during winding of each web reel (3), the set value or the predetermined upper value and the predetermined lower value are set to increase by an amount of 3% to 10% of their respective values ​​at the start of winding from the start of winding of the web reel (3) to the completion of the web reel (3).

3. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein during winding of each web reel (3), the set value or the predetermined upper value and the predetermined lower value are set to decrease by an amount of 3% to 10% of their respective values ​​at the start of winding from the start of winding of the web reel (3) to the completion of the web reel (3).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined upper value and the predetermined lower value are set relative to a fixed set value.

5. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein by moving the first support drum downwards as the diameter of the web reel increases, the nip force in the winding nip remains within a deviation of 2% from a fixed set value.

6. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the angle between a horizontal plane and a line from the rotation axis of the first support drum and the rotation axis of the web reel is kept constant from at least the time when the web reel reaches 20% of its final diameter to at least the time when the web reel reaches 95% of its final diameter.

7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the angle is in the range of 40° to 50°, preferably 45°.

8. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nip force between the web reel (3) and the second support drum (9) is measured and compared with a set value, and if the measured nip force deviates from the set value, the second support drum (9) is moved vertically in the direction necessary to correct the deviation from the set value until the measured nip force does not deviate from the set value by more than 4%, preferably by more than 2%.

9. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nip force in the nip (10) between the web reel (3) and the second support drum is increased during winding by an amount of 15% to 30% of the nip force at the start of winding from the start of winding of the web reel (3) to the end of winding when the web reel reaches its final diameter, preferably by an amount of 20% to 28% of the nip force at the start of winding.

10. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each spool (2) rotates about an axis of rotation during winding, and the first support drum (4) rotates about an axis of rotation located at a vertical level below the vertical level of the axis of rotation of the spool (2) throughout the winding process.

11. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein as the web reel (3) moves along a horizontal plane, the second support drum (9) also moves horizontally following the web reel (3), so that an angle between the horizontal plane and a line from the rotation axis of the second support drum (9) and the rotation axis of the web reel (3) remains substantially constant from the time when the web reel (3) reaches at least 25% of its final diameter to the time when the web reel (3) reaches at least 95% of its final diameter.

12. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the first web reel (3) being wound reaches a predetermined size and it is time to start winding the second web reel, the first support drum (4) moves vertically upward to engage a new spool (2), the web is cut off at a point before it reaches the first web reel (3), and the second support drum (9) acts as a brake for the first web reel (3), slowing down or stopping the rotation of the web reel (3).

13. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein after the second support drum (9) acts as a brake on the first web reel (3), the second support drum (9) is moved horizontally and vertically until it contacts the second web reel (3) and starts supporting the second web reel (3).

14. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second support drum (9) is moved horizontally during winding as the spool (2) moves from at least when the web reel (3) has reached 25% of its final diameter until at least when the web reel (3) has reached 90% of its final diameter, so that the horizontal position of the second support drum remains constant relative to the position of the spool (2) of the web reel (3) being wound.

15. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the spool (2) of the web reel (3) being wound rotates about an axis of rotation and the second support drum (9) rotates about an axis of rotation, and the axis of rotation of the spool (2) and the axis of rotation of the second support drum (9) are kept in the same vertical plane from the time when the web reel (3) has reached 25% of its final diameter until the time when the web reel (3) has reached 90% of its final diameter.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein when the first web reel (3) being wound reaches a predetermined size and it is time to start winding the second web reel (3), the first support drum (4) is moved vertically upward, and a new spool (2) for the second web reel is moved toward a position where it is supported from below by the first support drum (4).

17. A winding machine (1) for winding a web (W) of tissue paper material or nonwoven material onto a spool (2) to form a continuous web reel on said spool (2), said winding machine (1) comprising: a first support drum (4) arranged to act against a take-up reel (3) at a winding nip (5), said first support drum (4) being movable vertically upwards and downwards; a first actuator (6) operatively connected to said first support drum (4) for vertically moving said first support drum (4); and a guide rail structure (7) along which the web reel (3) is movable horizontally as its diameter increases. a second support drum (9) that can act on the web reel (3) and that is arranged to form a nip (10) with the web reel (3), the second support drum (9) being movable both horizontally and vertically, the second support drum (9) being operatively connected to a second actuator (11) that can move the second support drum (9) vertically and horizontally, or the second support drum (9) being operatively connected to the first actuator, such that the first actuator (6) can move the second support drum (9) vertically and horizontally; the winding machine (1) further comprises a logic control unit (13) connected to the first actuator (6) and capable of controlling the first actuator (6); and at least one winding nip force sensor (14) arranged to measure the nip force at the winding nip (5) and send a signal representative of the nip force at the winding nip (5) to the logic control unit (13), wherein the logic control unit (13) comprises software having instructions for comparing a set value for the nip force at the winding nip (5) with the signal from the at least one winding nip force sensor (14), and, if the signal from the winding nip force sensor (14) indicates that the nip force at the winding nip (5) deviates from the set force or is outside a range consisting of a predetermined low value and a predetermined high value for the nip force, sending a command to the first actuator (6) to move the first support drum (4) in the direction required to correct the deviation from the set force.

18. 18. Winding machine (1) according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined low value and the predetermined high value are set in relation to a fixed set value for the winding nip (5).

19. 18. The winding machine (1) according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined low value and the predetermined high value for the nip force in the winding nip (5) vary during winding as a function of the diameter, the diameter being calculated by the logic control unit (13) as a function of machine speed, time and web thickness.

20. 18. The winding machine (1) according to claim 17, further comprising at least one nip force sensor (15) arranged to measure the nip force in the nip (10) between the second support drum (9) and the web reel (3) and to send a signal representative of the nip force between the second support drum (9) and the web reel (3) to the logic control unit (13), the logic control unit (13) comprising software having instructions to compare a set value for the nip force with the signal from the at least one nip force sensor (15) and to send a command to an actuator to move the second support drum (9) if the signal from the nip force sensor (15) indicates that the nip force is outside a range consisting of a predetermined low value and a predetermined high value.

21. 18. Winding machine (1) according to claim 17, wherein the winding machine further comprises a cutting device (16) for cutting the web (W) when a new web reel (3) is being wound.

22. 18. The winding machine (1) according to claim 17, wherein the logic control unit (13) comprises software having instructions to increase the nip force at the nip (10) between the web reel (3) and the second support drum (9) during winding by an amount of 15% to 30% of the nip force at the start of winding from the start of winding of the web reel (3) to the end of winding when the web reel reaches its final diameter.

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