US3415459A

US3415459A - Coil uncoiling arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3415459A
Application number: US554601A
Authority: US
Inventors: O'brien Jeremiah Wagner
Original assignee: United Engineering and Foundry Co
Current assignee: United Engineering and Foundry Co
Priority date: 1965-06-14
Filing date: 1966-06-01
Publication date: 1968-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-10

Description

D c. 0, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN COIL UNCOILING ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1966 mmJ QMkZDOU INVENTOR.

JEREMIAH W. O'BRIEN f4 Mt; H A fO RiEY Dec. 10, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN 3,415,459

COIL UNCOILING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 1, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATION"D" LSI STATION B i a: I w (u I I- F l r'% IO z I (D o N m 9 EL 0 N r 35 '3 102 (n as 0.0 m

INVENTOR.

JEREMIAH W O'BRIEN HI ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN 3,415,459

COIL UNCOILING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 1, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 r0 9' LL INVENTOR fl JEREMIAH w. O'BRIEN JL Q 7245:;

TORNEY Dec. 10, 1968 .1. w. O'BRIEN COIL'UNCOILING ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 1, 1966 P N U ATTORNEY HIZ United States Patent 3,415,459 COIL UNCOILING ARRANGEMENT Jeremiah Wagner OBrien, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineering and Foundry Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 1, 1966, Ser. No. 554,601 Claims priority, application Great Britain, June 14, 1965, 25,134/ 65 Claims. (Cl. 242-79) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for uncoiling strip material wherein a coil diameter measuring device causes a coil to be properly positioned on an uncoiler, the strip being delivered to a processing machine.

Background of invention Apparatus for feeding coils into processing equipment, such as a rolling mill, have, in the past, taken many forms. Illustrations of past apparatuses are shown in US. Patents Nos. 2,485,961 which issued to C. J. Duby on Oct. 25, 1949; 2,708,078 which issued to H. H. Shakely on May 10, 1955; and 2,756,943 which issued to M. P. Sieger on July 31, 1956. In each of these disclosures sometime prior to the time when the coil is actually uncoiled, it is rolled through one or more stations where it is processed preparatory to uncoiling. In recent tandem coil mills the di ameter of the coils has grown to 100 weighing as much as 70,000 lbs. so that it is highly objectionable to allow the coils to be rolled during their preparation since when rolled the surfaces of the coils are damaged. Moreover, they possess tremendous inertia energy when they are allowed to roll from a high elevation to a lower elevation which energy :must be dissipated to bring the coils to rest. To do this the uncoiling apparatus must be constructed extremely heavy and rigid, in addition to furnishing a cushioning device.

It is the present trend in order to keep down scrap losses to bring the coils to the rolling mill in the form of tightly wound coils which have been formed on a mandrel and in which form they are very conducive to successful uncoiling by employing a drag-type uncoiler. The uncoiler usual- 1y includes opposed mandrels which protrude into the opening of the coils to support them during the uncoiling operation. Coils not formed on a mandrel are characterized as loose coils, in which case they have to be uncoiled in a coil box. The coil box may, in some cases, consist of opposed rotatable disks which serve to withstand lateral movement of the coils during their uncoiling, during which time the coils are also rotatably supported by a pair of freely rotatable rollers.

The present invention is addressed to a coil uncoiling arrangement employing an uncoiler wherein the coils are not allowed to be rolled, but are carried throughout the preparation period prior to their actual uncoiling.

The employment of a cone-type uncoiler has not in the past lent itself to full automation and maximum production in that the coils, which may vary in diameter from to 100", have had to be manually positioned vertically to line up their central openings with the cones so that the cones could be brought into a rotatable supporting position with the coils.

The present invention provides for the automatic positionin-g of the coils relative to the cones of the uncoiler, wherein complete automation can be realized with maximum production.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coil handling, positioning and transferring method and apparatus that eliminates any need to roll the coils during the coil transferring and preparatory stages, including means for carrying the coils from their entry positions to the position of uncoiling and means for automatically determining the diameter of the coils and positioning the coils relative to the cones of an uncoiler nothwithstanding the varied diameters of the coils.

If desirable, the arrangement may also include a coil supporting means including means for raising the coil and wherein a combination coil box and uncoiler is employed. In this case after the coil is supported by the coil supporting member of the uncoiler, the coil transfer means can be retracted so as to be available to receive a second coil and the coil supporting means raised into supporting engagement with the coil. The coil supporting means may consist of either a single length roll or two pair of different length rolls which can be selectively brought into use with coils having a Width corresponding closest to one or the other of the different length rolls.

Drawings These features, as well as others, will be more fully appreciated when the following specification is read along with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of one form of the present invention, the coil diameter measuring device being omitted for clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the equipment shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention being elevational and plan views, respectively.

Description of invention With reference first to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown spaced from a 4-high rolling mill, not shown, a conveyor 10, the discharge end of which is only illustrated, which comprises a number of coil supporting saddles 8 associated with a pair of chains 9 of the conveyor which delivers coils deposited on the saddles in a direction of the mill not shown. A coil so located is identified in FIGURE 2 as Station A. The conveyor is driven by a motor gear unit 11.

At the discharge end of the coil conveyor 10, and arranged perpendicular and adjacent to one side, there is provided a coil transfer beam 13 having an end portion that is adapted to pass beneath the coil and between the conveyor saddles 8 and assume a supporting relationship therewith. At the far end of the beam 13 there is provided a piston cylinder assembly 14 which traverses the beam to and from the conveyor 10. Also at the discharge end of the conveyor there is provided a coil lift 15 having a piston cylinder assembly 16 which serves to lift the coil from the conveyor a distance sutiicient to allow the carrying portion of the beam 13 to be brought underneath the coil.

At the side of the conveyor opposite the beam 13, there is provided a coil transfer car 17. The transfer car is positioned directly in line with the beam 13 and adapted to receive a coil carried by the beam; a coil so positioned is identified in FIGURE 2 as Station B. It is important to point out at this juncture that it is a feature of the present invention to so control the movement. of the beam 13 so as to automatically locate the coils, irrespective of their width within the range rolled by the mill on the center line of the mill. The electrical components that make up the control for the traverse movement of the beam 13 will be more fully described hereinafter.

The transfer car 17 consists of two spaced-apart rolls 18 and 19 driven by a motor 20 and which serve to support a coil, the rolls being received in a common frame 21 which slides vertically in an outer frame 22 of the car. The frame 21 is moved vertically by a piston cylinder assembly 23 carried :by the outer frame 22. Between the rolls 18 and 19 there is provided a small roller 24 which is connected to a double acting piston cylinder assembly 25, the other end of the piston cylinder assembly being connected to an electrical device, such as a core DC transformer 26. To the left of the transfer car is provided an extension 27 to which there is mounted a trunnion shaft 28 on which there are secured peeler arms 29, the arms 29 having at its extreme end a roller 31 and a peeler knife 32, the latter, when in its operative position is adapted to come between the outer and next adjacent convolutions of the coil to separate the outer convolution from the body of the coil. The arm is raised about the trunnion shaft 28 by a piston cylinder assembly 33 carried also by the outer frame 22 of the transfer car 17. The car is provided with two pairs of wheels 35 and 36 which are received in parallel tracks 37 that run from the coil receiving position to the coil uncoiling position, i.e. from Station B to Station D. The car is traversed horizontally over the tracks 37 by a piston cylinder assembly 38 which is employed to position the coil carried by the car,

first in an intermediate position which is identified in FIGURE 1 as Station C and then in Station D, likewise identified.

At this point rfeerence will be made to another important feature of the present invention. Prior to the lift removing the coil from the conveyor 10, there is brought into play a coil diameter measuring device 40, one form of which is schematically illustrated in FIG- URE 1. The device consists of a prober 41 which is vertically adjustable by virtue of its being associated with a rotatable screw 42 and nut 43. The upper end of the screw is secured to a gear 44 which is driven by a gear 45 that in turn is driven by a torque motor 46. The gear 45 functions as a pinion and serves to rotate a third gear 47 to which a cam-type limit switch LS4 is associated. Also associated with the gear 44 is a pulse generator 48 which will generate an electrical signal consonant with the movement of the prober 41, which movement will represent the diameter of the coil being measured.

In turning now to the intermediate Station C, as will be explained during the operation of the apparatus herein disclosed, the leading end of the strip having been separated from the coil prior to conveyance to Station C, and is adapted to be fed by a rotation of the rolls 18 and 19 into a strip-holding shelf 51 which holds the leading end above the strip of a previous coil which is being uncoiled by the uncoiler. It is during this period, as will be further explained, that the elevational position of the coil is set with respect to its determined diameter so that its axis will coincide with the axis of the uncoiler mandrel when the coil is moved into the uncoiler 55.

Turning now to the coil uncoiling apparatus located in Station D, thereis provided an uncoiler 55 of usual construction having two slidable frames 56 and 57 which rotatively support expandable mandrel heads 59 and 61, driven by motors 58, the expandable mandrel heads being of a size commensurate with the opening of the coils so as to protrude into the openings and when expanded engage and support the coils. These mandrel heads are of the expandable type and provide positive gripping and control of the rotating coils. Above and to one side of the uncoilers there is provided a pair of pinch rolls 63 employed to feed the leading end of the strip from the uncoiler 55 into the mill, not shown, the top roll thereof being raised and lowered by a piston cylinder assembly 64.

A more detailed description of the operation of the arrangement shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 will now be given, in which connection as the operational sequence proceeds, the principal electrical and hydraulic components will be identified and their operational functions noted.

Coils are placed on the saddles 8 of the conveyor 10 by a crane or truck in a usual manner. Since the coils will vary in width, they will not necessarily be centered on the saddles 8. However, their leading ends will always extend toward the mill. The conveyor will be operated to bring a coil to a predetermined position at Station A. A limit switch LS1, shown only in FIGURE 2, associated with the conveyor drive 11, will stop the conveyor after it has been advanced an amount equal to the distance between the saddles.

When the coil is stopped after it reaches Station A," the limit switch LS1 will cause the operation of the cylinder 16 to raise the coil lift 15 a fixed amount so that the coil will be lifted off the conveyor, enabling the transfer beam 13 to be positioned under the coil. A limit switch LS3, shown in FIGURE 2, associated on the coil lift is tripped at the elevational position of the lift 15 to effect movement of the cylinder 14 to position the transfer beam 13 under the coil and to energize the torque motor 46 of the coil measuring device 40. The motor will lower the prober 41 from its upper position into engagement with the top of the coil. The pulse generator 48 mounted on this coil measuring device feeds a signal to a counter 50, shown in FIGURE 1, representative of the number of counts between the upper position of the prober and the position where it first contacts the coil. This count value is subtracted from the value representing the count value of the fixed distance between the upper position of the prober 41 and the top of the conveyor lift. This subtraction will represent the diameter of the coil, which data is maintained in a simple memory circuit, not shown. The prober 41 will be automatically raised to its upper, inoperative position immediately after the coil measuring operation is completed.

While the coil diameter is being measured, the beam 13 will be traversed by operating the piston cylinder assembly 14, in which a cold metal detector 70, mounted on the front end of the transfer beam, will start a pulse generator 71, which signals a pulse counter 72 to indicate the presence of the adjacent edge of the coil. The same elements will produce a second signal relative to the opposite edge of the coil when the beam 13 is adjacent to a position where the detector passes the opposite edge, which action will automatically stop the transfer beam 13 and the pulse generator 71.

A second pulse counter 73, shown in FIGURE 2, is employed to measure the travel of the beam 13 between the coil lift 15 and the transfer car 17. The two count values received from the counter 72 represent the width of the particular coil being handled and is held in a memory circuit, not shown.

When the prober 41 returns to its upper position, the limit switch LS4, shown only in FIGURE 1, associated with the coil diameter measuring device 40, allows the coil lift 15 to lower, the extent of lowering being controlled by a limit switch LS3A. The last-named limit switch being interlocking with the control of the piston cylinder assembly 14 and causes the transfer beam 13 to move the coil to Station B directly over the coil transfer car 17. The exact amount of the stroke of the cylinder 14 will be controlled pursuant to the measured coil width. The count value representing the width of the coil which was held in memory will be divided by two and added to the total fixed number of counts representing the distance between the full retracted position of the beam 13 and the center line of the coil car which coincides with the center line of the mill, not shown. The resulting count, plus the count signal received from the counter 73, signals the transfer beam 13 to stop when the coil is in the center line position of the mill. When the transfer beam stops above the coil tarnsfer car 17, the stopping signal, whichmay be delayed by a relay 74 associated with the counters 72 and 73, will also raise the rolls 1 8 and 19 of the car by operation of the piston cylinder assembly 23. The vertical movement will be stopped at a fixed distance by a limit switch LS5, shown in FIGURE 1, interconnected with the piston cylinder assembly 23. This action will raise the coil from the beam 13. When the rolls 18 and 19 have reached their full vertical height position, the same limit switch will effect a retraction of the transfer beam 13 to its full retract position and also position the strip shelf 51 located over the uncoiler 55. At some fixed point where the beam is clear of the maximum width coil, the limit switch LS2, shown in FIGURE 2, associated therewith will lower the rolls 18 and 19 of the car to a predetermined position preparatory to opening the coil.

The automatic opening of the coil will be initiated when the roller 24 connected to one end of a double-ended air piston cylinder assembly 25 mounted between the cradle rolls 18 and 19 contacts the coil and effects operation of the transducer 26. The contact is made when the rolls 18 and 19 stop in their lower position, in which the limit switch LS energizes a valve of the air piston cylinder assembly to raise the roller 24 into contact with the bottom of the coil. After a short time delay, the rolls 18 and 19 are rotated to rotate the coil in a counterclockwise direction. With respect to the roller 24, it should be noted that a limit switch LS6, shown only in FIGURE 1, is associated with the air cylinder assembly 25 and the cylinder assembly 14 of the beam 13 to prohibit operation of the transfer beam when the roller 24 is in its raised position.

As the coil rotates, the roller 24 will move vertically when the edge of the outer convolution :has passed over it. This will cause a small movement in the cylinder 25 which will be detected by the transformer 26, and produce a signal indicating the position of the front end of the strip of the coil. This signal will stop rotation of the rolls 18 and 19 and position the outer end of the strip somewhat below the operative position of the peeler knife 32. When the coil stops rotating, a voltage relay, not shown, in the motor control circuit of the rolls will energize a valve to operate the cylinder 33 to bring the peeler roller 31 and knife 32 against the coil. A limit switch LS7, shown only in FIGURE 1, is mounted on the travel mechanism of the peeler and will operate when the roller 31 leaves its full retract position to start the coil rotating clockwise upon operating the motor 20 for the rolls 18 and 19 of the coil car. As FIGURE 2 illustrates, a pulse generator 75 is couple-d to the drive of the rolls which feed a counter 76. After a predetermined number of counts, the rotation of the coil will have stopped. The peeler knife 32 during this rotation will have broken the strap or band around the coil and at the same time will have broken open the outer coil wrap. The strap will become free of the coil and can then fall into band-catching buckets located in the pit on either side of the coil car traversing piston cylinder assembly 38. It should be pointed out that for optimum results the coil should be banded olf center and the buckle of the band arranged near the leading end of the coil.

The same count which stops the coil rotation signals the operation of a solenoid, not shown, feeding the piston cylinder assembly 33 of the peeler roller 31 to bring the roller 31 with the leading end of the coil down and over a portion of the top of the extension 27 to put a permanent set on the strip. When the peeler roller reaches its lowest position, a limit switch LS7, shown in FIGURE 1, will start rotation of the coil in the counterclockwise direction slightly less than the number of counts it had completed in the clockwise direction, but suflicient to free the strip from the peeler knife 32 and roller 31. A signal which is instigated *by the counter 76 will stop the rotation of the coil and also cause operation of the cylinder 38 to traverse the coil car 17 to Station C where it will be stopped by a limit switch LS8, shown only in FIGURE 1. When the coil car reaches Station C, the limit switch LS8 will also cause the rolls 18 and 19 of the coil car to be raised by operation of the piston cylinder assembly 23 to a proper height for later entry of the mandrel heads 59 and 61 into the eye of the coil. A pulse generator 77 associated with the coil car piston cylinder assembly 23 feeds a counter 78 which is adapted to count from the coil cars fixed lowered position. The rolls 18 and 19 of the coil car are positioned by making the counts of the counter 78 of the coil car cylinder 23 equal to the fixed count distance between the level of the uncoiler mandrel heads 59 and 61 and the fixed lowered position of the coil car minus one-half of the coil diameter count, the electrical value of which, as previously noted, is being held in a memory circuit.

When the signal instigated by the counter 78 stops the rolls 18 and 19 of the coil car in the proper vertical position, it will also cause clockwise rotation of the coil. Operation of the rolls 18 and 19 will bring the peeler roller 31 again into contact with the coil to facilitate threading of the strip onto the support shelf 51 and between the pinch rolls 63. A magnetic switch 79, shown only in FIGURE 1, will stop the rotation of the rolls 18 and 19 and, hence, the coil after the end of the strip is in the proper position between the pinch rolls 63.

In the preceding operations, the variations in the diameters of the coils will, of course, change the length of strip being fed into the pinch rolls 63 which length will correspond to a certain number of counts of the counter 78. Therefore, the coil diameter measurement taken at Station A can be taken from the memory circuit to modify the counts from the counter 76, shown in FIG- URE 2, associated with the rolls 18 and 19, in accordance with the actual diameter of the coil, thus the rolls 18 and 19 will be driven to pass out the required length of strip for all coils.

When the trailing end of a preceding coil in the uncoiler 55 has left the uncoiler and has reached the first mill stand, the load cell, not shown, arranged on the stand will give a signal on the loss of the rolling loads to cause the mandrels 59 and '61 of the uncoiler to collapse, and at the same time open the shelf 51 a fixed amount to drop the leading end of the succeeding coil upon the lower roll of the pinch roll unit 63, which coincides with the pass line of the mill, not shown. Also, the top driven pinch roll will be lowered upon operation of the cylinder 64 to engage the strip and position the roller guides of the mill, all pursuant to the determined width of the strip in accordance with the data held in the memory circuit. After the mandrels are collapsed, a pressure transducer associated therewith will give a signal that will cause them to be fully retracted. When these functions are complete, the coil car 17 is moved forward by operation of the cylinder 38 to the end of its travel to position the coil into the uncoiler 55. The lineal speed of the pinch rolls will be approximately the same as the traverse speed of the coil car 17, and the pinch roll will stop when the car stops at the end of its travel as determined by contact of a limit switch LS9, shown only in FIGURE 1.

This same limit switch also causes movement of the mandrels into the opening of the coil. The traverse of each mandrel will be tied together hydraulically which will cause the mandrels to reach the coil at the same time. When the mandrels press against the coil, the pressure buildup will cause a pressure transducer in the traverse hydraulic system to operate to expand the mandrels. After this, a transducer in the system provided for expanding the 'mandrels will signal the cylinder 23 of the coil transfer car 17 to lower to its bottom position. As soon as it stops, its limit switch LS5 will cause the car to return to its initial position, i.e. Station B, and return the peeler roller 36 to its full retract position. It will also begin the operation of the uncoiler and pinch roll to deliver the front end of strip to the mill stand. When the coil transfer car 17 reaches Station B, it will permit the next coil to be transferred from the conveyor 11. The width and diameter dimensions of the next coil will be received by a separate memory circuit. When the front end of coil being uncoiled reaches the first stand, the load cell of the stand will open the pinch rol-ls 63, stop its motor and place the uncoiler motors in controlled tension. It will be appreciated that all the related components of the uncoiling arrangement will be interlocked electrically and/or hydraulically to prohibit operation should the components of uncoiling arrangement not be in their proper positions or capable of following the proper sequence.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to FIGURES 3 and 4. In these figures there is illustrated a rolling mill 85 to which coils are fed from a conveyor 86 after being deposited on a transfer car 87 by a coil carrying beam 88 similar in construction and operation to that described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2. The conveyor 86 and transfer car 88 can also be constructed similar to what was explained with respect to the previous embodiment, as well as the coil preparatory section and strip-supporting shelf. The second embodiment differs from the earlier one in that in combination with the conetype uncoiler there is provided a coil box in which, as previously noted, -a coil unwound in the coil box must be supported by rolls beneath the coil box. Also, as previously noted, these coils will be loosely wound and will not have a constant diameter central opening. In the second embodiment there is provided for uncoiler apparatus 89, which includes pairs of mandrels 91 and coil box disks 92, a coil elevator 93, the top of which is provided with a head 94 which receives :a frame 95. As shown, the frame 95 has mounted on it, 'two sets of

rollers

96 and 97. As shown in FIGURE 4, the rollers 96 are relatively short compared to the rollers 97. A piston cylinder assembly 98 is provided, connected to the frame 95, for sliding the frame so as to position one of the pairs of

rollers

96 or 97 over the elevator 93.

It will be appreciated that even though the width of the coil will vary greatly, the disks of the coil box must still be positioned closely adjacent the edge of the coils during the uncoiling operation. In this arrangement, depending upon the width of the coil, either of the two pair of

rollers

96 or 97 will be positioned so as to give the maximum support for all the coils and still permit the disks of the coil box to be positioned closely adjacent the sides of the coils. When the coil box is not being used, but instead the mandrels of the uncoiler are, the

rollers

96 and 97 are retracted to the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 by operating the piston cylinder assembly 99. It is important to appreciate that while two sets of rollers have been shown in a given case, only one set of rollers need be employed.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statues, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for handling coil of strip-like material having varying parameter characteristics incident to their being uncoiled into a processing machine:

a conveyor spaced from said processing machine at the entry side thereof,

said conveyor including means for supporting a plurality of coils to be uncoiled,

a coil uncoiler including a coil supporting member and arranged between the conveyor and the processing machine adapted to uncoil strip into said processing machine,

a coil transfer device including means for supporting a coil and movable between said conveyor and said coil uncoiler for carrying coils from the former to the latter,

means for causing said movement of said coil transfer device,

means for determining the parameter characteristics of a coil prior to the coil being transferred to said uncoiler, and

means associated with said parameter characteristic determining means and said coil transfer device for assuring that a coil brought to the uncoiler will be properly positioned to be immediately engaged by the coil supporting member thereof and uncoiled.

2. In an apparatus according to claim 1, said parameter characteristic determining means including a means for determining the varying diameters of the coils.

3. In an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor is offset from the longitudinal axis of said processing machine:

said apparatus including a lateral coil transfer means arranged on one side of said conveyor, said coil transfer device being arranged on the opposite side of said conveyor for receiving coils from said lateral coil transfer means,

said coil tranifer device being arranged in direct line with the processing machine and arranged to move a coil longitudinally thereof, and

means for causing said lateral coil transfer means to engage and transfer a coil from said conveyor to said coil transfer device.

4. In an apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the width of coils also varies:

said parameter characteristic determining means including means adjacent to said conveyor for determining the varying widths of said coils prior to a coil being received by said coil transfer device,

means associated with said width determining means for controlling the operation of said means for moving said lateral coil transfer means so as to position a coil with respect to said coil transfer device coincident with the center of said processing machine.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coil transfer device includes means for rotating a coil supported thereby:

a strip peeling means pivotally mounted on said coil transfer device and adapted to be selectively brought into engagement with the outer convolution of a rotated coil to separate the leading end from the main body thereof,

means carried by said coil transfer device over which a peeled leadihg end is bent, and

means for causing movement of said strip peeling means to effect in one case peeling of the strip and in the other case bending thereof over the bending means.

6. In an apparatus according to claim 5, an intermediate station between said conveyor and said uncoiler and through which said coil transfer device passes:

means in said intermediate station for supporting the peeled strip while a second coil is being fed into the processing machine from said uncoiler, and

means for removing the support for said peeled strip when the coil thereof is to be transferred to said uncoiler, thereby to allow the strip to assume the strip feeding position of said processing machine.

7. In an apparatus according to claim 6, including a pair of pinch rolls arranged above said uncoiler and adjacent to said processing machine:

said rolls being separated a distance sufficient to allow two strips to be fed between them,

one of said rolls being arranged in the strip feeding position of said processing machine and the other roll being movable to engage said one roll to cause a single strip fed therebetween to be fed into said processing machine.

8. In an apparatus according to claim 1, including a second coil supporting member cooperatively associated with said uncoiler and its first coil supporting member, and

means for bringing said second coil supporting member into a supporting relationship with a coil supported by the first coil supporting member of said uncoiler after said coil transfer device can be retracted away from said uncoiler.

9. In an apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said uncoiler comprises a pair of opposed rotatable disks that form a coil box:

said second coil supporting member includes two pairs of ditferent length coil supporting rolls, the longer pair adapted to support coils of wide widths and the shorter rolls, coils of narrower widths.

10. In an apparatus according to claim 1, including means for stopping the conveyor to predeterminately position a coil relative to said lateral coil transfer means:

means operative on the stoppage of the conveyor for raising a coil off said conveyor,

other means responsive to the stoppage of the coil for raising said coil support means of said coil transfer device to position it to receive a coil from said lateral transfer means,

means responsive to the raising of the coil off the conveyor-for initiating operation of said coil diameter determining means,

other means responsive to the raising of the coil off the conveyor for eflecting operation of said lateral transfer means,

means for detecting the location of the end of the coil when supported by said coil transfer device and for stopping rotation thereof in a predetermined position relative to a strip peeling means,

means for effecting rotation of the coil supported by said coil transfer device in a direction to cause the strip peeling means to separate the leading end from the body of the coil,

means responsive to the completion of the strip peeling operation for bringing the coil transfer device to a position intermediate said conveyor and said uncoiler,

means responsive to the coil transfer device being brought to said intermediate po ition for again causing operation of said coil support means thereof to position the coil relative to the coil supporting member of said uncoiler,

means responsive to said positioning of the coil relative to the coil supportingmember to cause rotation of the coil in a direction to feed the leading end towards the processing machine,

means for interrupting said feeding of the leading ends after a predetermined length has been paid out, and

means for bringing the coil from the intermediate station to said uncoiler.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,485,961 10/1949 Duby 242-79 2,756,943 7/1956 Sieger 24279 3,186,655 6/1965 Huffington et al. 242--79 25 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

NATHAN L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner.