Device for Transferring and Aligning Strips Intended to be Assembled to form a Ply

A device for manufacturing a reinforcing ply N by assembling lengths of strip cut at an angle, and juxtaposed with one another via their respective selvedges, comprising:

• a feed means for delivering a straight-grain strip formed of mutually parallel metallic threads coated in a rubber compound;
• an assembly belt;
• a transfer means for conveying onto the assembly belt from the feed means a given length of straight-grain strip in a direction that makes a given angle with the longitudinal direction of the assembly belt and comprising a retaining wall, parallel to the planes of the assembly belt and of the feed means, and a first face of which is intended to come into contact with the surface of the strip;
• a cutting means for detaching a length of strip from the straight-grain strip, in which device the feed means, the transfer means and the assembly belt are fitted with magnetic means able to keep the said strip pressed firmly against the surface of the feed means, of the first face of the transfer means, and of the assembly belt, respectively,
• wherein the retaining wall is able to move up and down and back and forth with respect to the planes formed by the assembly belt and the feed means and wherein the magnetic means of the transfer means are able to move with respect to the retaining wall in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by said retaining wall between a raised position and a lowered position, and are adjusted so that, when the device is in operation:
• in the lowered position, said magnetic means of the transfer means exert on the metallic threads of the strip a magnetic field of a strength higher than the strength of the magnetic field exerted by the magnetic means positioned on the feed means, when the two opposite faces of the strip are simultaneously in contact with the first face of the retaining wall on the one hand, and with the surface of the feed means on the other hand, and such that
• in the raised position, said magnetic means of the transfer means exert on the metallic threads of the strip a magnetic field of a strength weaker than the strength of the magnetic field exerted by the magnetic means positioned on the assembly belt, where the two opposite faces of the strip are simultaneously in contact with the first face of said retaining wall on the one hand, and with the surface of the assembly belt on the other hand.