Method for making packets of amorphous steel strip for transformer core manufacture

A method of making packets of amorphous metal strip adapted to be wrapped about the arbor of a transformer-core-making machine, each packet comprising a plurality of groups of strips, each group comprising many thin layers of strip, each layer having two longitudinally-extending edges at opposite sides of the layer and two transversely-extending edges at opposite ends of the layer, the longitudinally-extending edges at each side of the layers of each group being substantially aligned and the transversely-extending edges at each end of the layers in each group being in near alignment, said method comprising:

• (a) providing first and second composite strips, each comprising many thin layers of amorphous metal strip stacked in superposed relationship, the composite strips having leading ends that are located in initial positions that are axially spaced from each other at the start of a packet-making operation, the initial positions being at opposite ends of a stacking zone on a supporting surface where the packets are built up during a packet-making operation,
• (b) advancing the leading end of said first multi-layer composite strip from its initial position in a first-strip forward direction,
• (c) after the step of paragraph (b), cutting said first multi-layer composite strip at a first cutting location spaced rearwardly of the leading edge of said first composite strip, thereby detaching from said leading end of said first composite strip a first section of multi-layer amorphous metal strip and also creating a new leading end of said first composite strip just behind said first cutting location,
• (d) axially advancing said first detached section in said first-strip forward direction to a position axially spaced from said first cutting location and within said stacking zone,
• (e) advancing the leading end of said second multi-layer composite strip from its initial position in a second-strip forward direction that is opposite to said first-strip forward direction,
• (f) after the step of paragraph (e), cutting said second multi-layer composite strip at a second cutting location spaced rearwardly of the leading edge of said second composite strip, thereby detaching from said leading end of said second composite strip a second section of multi-layer amorphous metal strip and also creating a new leading end of said second composite strip just behind said second cutting location,
• (g) axially advancing said second detached section in a second-strip forward direction into a position within said stacking zone atop said first detached section,
• (h) performing the steps of paragraphs (b) and (d) with first transport means that is moved from a home position in a first-strip forward direction during the steps of paragraphs (b) and (d) and thereafter is returned in an opposite direction to said home position in preparation for advancing the new leading end of said first composite strip in said first-strip forward direction, and
• (i) performing the step of paragraph (e) concurrently with said return motion of said first transport means to said home position,
• (j) cutting said composite strips to detach additional sections of multi-layer amorphous metal strip from said composite strips and stacking said additional sections upon said first and second sections in said stacking zone until a predetermined number of said sections have been stacked upon said first and second sections to form a packet, and in which the method is further characterized by:
• (k) each group being formed from one or more of said sections with the layers of each group stacked in near alignment, and
• (l) the leading edges of the stacked sections being located when stacked in positions that locate the adjacent transversely-extending edges of adjacent groups in staggered relationship with respect to each other.