Patent ID: 7695240

Claim:
A method of operating a system for bundling long ferrous products wherein said system comprises: a roller table for delivering said products longitudinally to a receiving station; a cradle spaced laterally from said receiving station, said cradle being constructed and arranged to receive and accumulate said products in bundle form; a stacker positioned between said receiving station and said cradle; a transport system for laterally advancing products along a horizontal path from said receiving station to said stacker; and a pre-stacker positioned between said stacker and said receiving station, said pre-stacker having a base vertically adjustable along and rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said path, and having vertically spaced upper and lower fingers projecting horizontally from said base; said method comprising the steps of: (i) lowering said base along said axis to a position at which said upper fingers are below said path; (ii) operating said transport system to deliver a first layer of said products along said path to a position overlying said upper fingers; (iii) raising said base along said axis to a position at which said first layer of products is elevated above said path and supported on said upper fingers; (iv) operating said transport system to deliver a second layer of said products along said path to a position underlying said upper fingers; (v) rotating said base about said axis to remove said upper fingers from beneath said first layer of products and to deposit said first layer of products on said second layer of products to thereby form a sub-bundle; and (vi) lowering said base along said axis to a position beneath said path; (vii) operating said transport system to convey said sub-bundle to said stacker; and (viii) operating said stacker to deposit said sub-bundle in said cradle.