PURPOSE: To decrease a space for free loop while eliminating the detecting mechanism of a loop amount by controlling winding-up speed while adding a prescribed acceleration set value when restarting after a winding-up shaft is exchanged.

CONSTITUTION: When a winding-up shaft motor 10 is stopped in the case of exchanging a winding-up shaft 9 since it is made full, a fed sheet member 8 is stored in a free loop 7. This storing amount is calculated by integrating difference between the output of a feeding amount detection circuit 13 and the output of a winding-up amount detection circuit 14 at a comparator circuit 15. When the winding-up shaft 9 is exchanged and operated by applying the speed command of an IN side section +α from an acceleration setter 17, the storing amount is gradually decreased, and the amount is calculated by the comparator circuit 15. When the storing amount is turned to zero, this is received by a switching circuit 16, and the control of the winding-up shaft 9 is switched from the speed control of the acceleration setter 17 to current control. At such a time, a current command signal is changed by an input limiter 19 for gradually changing it from a load current value to a set current value, and the winding-up shaft 9 can be smoothly changed to the set current value of normal operations.