It is becoming practical to cross-wind some adhesive tapes on to a spool. By"cross- winding"is meant winding the tape on to a spool which is wider than the tape, and distributing the tape across the width of the spool as the spool rotates to wind it on.

The tapes are such that when the adhesive is against the non-adhesive back of the tape, it does not adhere-an example of such tape is a foam masking tape for masking door and other openings of automobiles during refinishing, where the tape is required to removably adhere to the automobile. Desirably, the spool has a non-stick finish so that the tape does not adhere to it, otherwise the first layer of tape, which is in contact with the spool surface, will be wasted.

However, it is then not easy to attach the end of the tape to an empty spool at the beginning of the wind.

The present invention solves that problem.

The invention comprises a spool for cross-winding an adhesive tape, which has a non- stick finish, except for a"start"area to which an end of the tape can be attached by its adhesive.

The"start"area can be a thin stripe extending across the spool, so that the end can be placed anywhere across the spool. The strip may extend helically around the spool, so that there is always a location to which the end may be attached, regardless of the orientation of the spool.

The stripe may be created by winding on to the surface of a spool of cardboard or other material to which the tape would adhere a layer of film which sticks to the material and has a non-stick surface, the film being would helically, leaving a gap between adjacent edges the helix angle being such that there is, on any generator of the cylindrical surface, at least one gap One embodiment of spool according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which the single Figure is a perspective view.

The drawing illustrates a spool 11 for cross-winding a foam masking tape 12, which has on one face an adhesive stripe 13 for attachment around the rim of an automobile door or other opening, or to fixed structure into which the door or other opening member fits.

The spool 11 is made of cardboard. The usual method for making cardboard spools is to helically wind a strip of cardboard on a circular section former and push off the wound section, which has its abutting edges glued together, all as a continuous operation, chopping off spool lengths. A non-stick film layer can be incorporated in this operation,

and wound together with the cardboard strip. The spool 11 has such a layer 14, which, however, is slightly less wide than the cardboard strip from which the spool 11 is made, so that adjacent edges do not abut, leaving a gap 15 exposing the cardboard, to which the adhesive strip 13 will adhere.

The helix angle is such that there is at least one gap on any generator of the cylinder, so that regardless of the orientation of the spool when the free end 12a of the tape 12 is presented for attachment, there will be at least one position to which it can stick.

Other methods of providing the"start"area can be used, of course, such, for instance, as removing or roughening a strip of non-stick surface.