Patent GB-1060058-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for accumulating metallic strip and the like
Inventor: LATOUR HARRY
IPC: B21C49/00
Filed: 1965-10-05
Abstract: 1,060,058. Metal strip feeds, making strip. ARMCO STEEL CORPORATION. Oct. 5, 1965, No. 42200/65. Headings B3A and B3W. [Also in Division B6] Surplus web such as metal strip is accumulated by coiling apparatus, from which the web is unwound from the inside of the coil 27, so that for example web-roll changing may take place without interrupting the feed of the web to a machine. The web accumulating apparatus comprises an annular rotatable table 12 surrounding a central stationary table 10 having a fixed annular abutment in the form of a cage of vertically mounted rollers 17. The uninterrupted surface of the rotatable table 12 receives the coil 27 having a predetermined number of convolutions. Continuous withdrawal of the web from the inside of the coil 27 causes the convolutions thereof to shrink and collapse on to the cage of rollers 17 so that the outer diameter of the coil is reduced but the number of convolutions remains unchanged. When substantially all of the convolutions have collapsed, actuating means causes a variable speed electric motor 15 to rotate the table 12 to wind additional convolutions on to the coil as convolutions are withdrawn from the inside, whereby the number of convolutions remains constant but the diameter of the coil increases and the length of web in the coil increases. Rotation of the table 12 ceases when a limit switch 39 embedded in the table is actuated to stop the motor 15 when the coil reaches its maximum permissible diameter. The coil then starts to collapse and the sequence of events is repeated. The rotatable table may have coil supporting positioning elements 16 such as permanent or electromagnets or a cushioning material such as rubber. A pressure pad (16a), Fig. 3 (not shown), may be provided to contact the uppermost edge of the coil. The entire coil may be immersed in lubricant to inhibit scratching and friction. Controls.-When the trailing end of the web being advanced from a web-roll to the coilar is reached, a tension sensing roller 23 moves down under the influence of the spring 24 to operate a micro-switch 25 and stop the rotation of the table 12. The trailing end of the web could be alternatively sensed by a photo-electric device or a spring-biased switch arm riding in contact with the surface of the web. When substantially all the convolutions of the coil have collapsed on to the cage of rollers 17, the tension of the web at 29 will have increased sufficiently to raise the roller 33 to operate a switch 35 to start the rotation of the table 12. The rheostat 37 controls the speed of rotation of the table 12; at high speed when web-tension at 29 is high and at low speed when the tension is low. Instead of using the floating roller 33, a sensing device may be so located on the table 12 that it would actuate the table drive when all but the outermost convolutions of the coil had collapsed on to the roll cage. Hydraulic or pneumatic drive means may be used instead of the electric motor 15, controlled by hydraulic or pneumatic valve means instead of the rheostat 37.