Automated support member positioning and removing systems and related devices and methods

An apparatus for supplying support members to a product loading station and automatically removing loaded support members therefrom, comprising:

• advancing means for advancing, in serial order and in spaced-apart relationship, a plurality of elongated support members having opposing first and second ends and an associated length, along a selected travel path to a loading station;
• loading means for loading each of the elongated support members individually with a respective continuous length of elongated product formed into multiple loops or a plurality of discrete lengths of elongated product at the loading station;
• and
• advancing means for advancing the loaded elongated support members away from the loading station along the selected travel path to cause the loaded elongated support members to travel downstream of the loading position.

An automated elongated support member supply and removal system comprising:

• a central platform member;
• a travel track mounted to the platform member that, in operation, is configured to advance continuously about an endless path about the platform member;
• a plurality of mounting brackets, each individually mounted to said travel track in spaced apart intervals, the mounting brackets being configured to travel along the endless path;
• and
• a plurality of elongated support members, each having an end portion configured to attach to a respective mounting bracket.

An automated loading system, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of elongated support members having a length and sized and configured to hold multiple loops of an elongated product thereon or multiple discrete lengths of draped elongated product thereon;
• (b) an automated winder configured to be cooperatively positioned and aligned with the discharge port of an extrusion and/or stuffer device configured to discharge-elongated product therefrom, the automated winder comprising;
• an elongated arm having an associated length that is about equal to or greater than the length of the elongated support member, said elongated arm having opposing first and second end portions, wherein, in position, said first end portion is adapted to receive an elongated product thereon from the extrusion and/or stuffer device, wherein said second end portion is configured to release the elongated item therefrom after the item travels greater than a major portion of the length of the arm in a direction that is away from the extrusion and/or stuffer device;
• and
• a winding mechanism attached to said elongated arm, said winding mechanism being configured to cause said elongated arm to travel repetitively in a desired motion so that, in operation, the winding mechanism causes the elongated product to individually travel about one of the support members as it is released from the second end portion of the arm;
• and
• (c) an automated apparatus for continuously presenting and positioning in serial order a respective one of the plurality of elongated support members to the winding arm so that the winding arm is positioned in spaced apart cooperating alignment with the elongated support member and is able to load the support members with a plurality of loops or discrete lengths of the elongated product.