Magnetic strip separator

A magnetic strip support and separator unit for use in supporting the upper strand of a horizontal loop in the looper section of a moving metal strip material processing line, said magnetic strip supporter and separator unit comprising:

• (a) a supporting structure;
• (b) a plurality of elongated, non-magnetic rollers respectively mounted on said supporting structure in transverse relationship relative to the upper strand of the horizontal loop, each of said plurality of elongated, non-magnetic rollers having a length greater than the width of the upper strand;
• and
• (c) magnetic means mounted on said supporting structure for lifting the upper strand of the horizontal loop into contact with said plurality of elongated, non-magnetic rollers, said magnetic means including at least one elongated magnetic element located between adjacent elongated, non-magnetic rollers and positioned in spaced, transverse relationship relative to the upper strand such that an air gap is formed between said elongated magnetic element and the upper strand when said magnetic means lifts the upper strand into contact with said plurality of elongated, non-magnetic rollers, said elongated magnetic element having a length substantially coextensive with said length of said elongated, non-magnetic rollers.

A magnetic strip support and separator unit for use in supporting the upper strand of a horizontal loop in the looper section of a moving metal strip material processing line, said magnetic strip support and separator unit comprising:

• (a) a supporting structure;
• (b) a plurality of non-magnetic rollers mounted on said supporting structure in transverse relationship relative to the upper strand of the horizontal loop;
• and
• (c) magnetic means mounted on said supporting structure for lifting the upper strand of the horizontal loop into contact with said plurality of non-magnetic rollers, said magnetic means including at least one magnetic element located between adjacent non-magnetic rollers and positioned in spaced relationship relative to the upper strand such that an air gap is formed between said magnetic element and the upper strand when said magnetic means lifts the upper strand into contact with said plurality of non-magnetic rollers, said magnetic means also including an adjustment means for adjusting the position of said magnetic element to vary the dimensions of said air gap.

In a moving metal strip material processing line including a looper section having a winch mechanism and a looper car connected to the winch mechanism for travel along a track structure in response to actuation of the winch mechanism, the looper car travelling in a first direction to accumulate and store the moving metal strip material in a horizontal loop having upper and lower strands while travelling in a second direction to refeed the moving metal strip material from the horizontal loop into the remainder of the processing line, an upper support means for supporting the upper strand of the horizontal loop in a horizontal fashion without obstructing the travel of the looper car along the track structure, said upper support means comprising:

• (a) a plurality of vertical frame members positioned at predetermined distances from the track structure such that said vertical frame members do not contact the looper car as the looper car travels along the track structure;
• (b) a plurality of magnetic strip support and separator units respectively secured to said plurality of vertical frame members and positioned at a predetermined height above the track structure such that none of the said plurality of magnetic strip support and separator units contacts the looper car as the looper car travels along the track structure, each of said plurality of magnetic strip support and separator units including a plurality of non-magnetic rollers mounted thereon in transverse relationship relative to the upper strand of the horizontal loop, each of said plurality of magnetic strip support and separator units also including energizable magnetic means mounted thereon for lifting the upper strand into contact with said plurality of non-magnetic rollers;
• and
• (c) switch means for providing a signal to selectively energize and de-energize said magnetic means in said plurality of magnetic strip support and separator units in response to the travel of the looper car along the track structure, said switch means including a rotary limit switch means mounted on the winch mechanism to sense the location of the looper car.

A method for supporting the upper strand in a horizontal loop of moving metal strip material, which horizontal loop is lengthened or shortened respectively by the travel of a looper car along a track structure in response to the actuation of a winch mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning a plurality of non-magnetic rollers at a first predetermined height above the track structure such that the upper strand in the horizontal loop passes beneath the plurality of non-magnetic rollers as the horizontal loop is lengthened or shortened;
• (b) positioning a plurality of electromagnets at both a location intermediate adjacent non-magnetic rollers and at a second predetermined height above the track structure such that the upper strand in the horizontal loop passes beneath the plurality of electromagnets as the horizontal loop is lengthened or shortened;
• (c) generating a signal in response to actuation of the winch mechanism to indicate the location of the looper car along the track structure;
• and
• (d) selectively operating the plurality of electromagnets in response to said signal such that those electromagnets beneath which the upper strand in the horizontal loop passes are energized to lift the upper strand into contact with plurality of non-magnetic rollers as the horizontal loop lengthens or shortens while those electromagnets remaining beyond the horizontal loop as the horizontal loop lengthens or shortens are de-energized to conserve power.