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US 5,601,250 AGranted
Strip accumulator
AssigneeGuild International Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Wheeler, Orst P. Kurylo
Life of this patent
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AssigneeGuild International Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Wheeler, Orst P. Kurylo
Estimating the term…
A strip accumulator for supporting a continuous length of strip material includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced stationary idler rolls for supporting an inner bundle of convolutions of the strip material on edge and an outer rotatable table surrounding the stationary idler rolls for supporting an outer bundle of such strip convolutions on edge. During overspeed filling of the accumulator, lifters are activated to facilitate transfer of the convolutions from the inner bundle to the outer bundle. Circumferentially spaced, radially extending skid bars may be provided on the upper surface of the rotatable table to reduce drag on the strip material during such transfer of the strip material from the stationary idler rolls to the rotatable table during overspeed filling of the accumulator. When the accumulator is filled to the desired capacity, the lifters are lowered out of the way so as not to interfere with the smooth transfer of the convolutions from the outer bundle to the inner bundle. Relatively short rods or bars are provided in the gap between the rotatable table and stationary idler rolls to prevent irregular or bent strip from getting hung up in the gap during transfer of the strip material from the rotatable table to the stationary idler rolls.
A strip accumulator for supporting a continuous length of strip material consisting of a plurality of convolutions having substantially vertical axes comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced, generally radially extending stationary idler rolls for supporting an inner bundle of such convolutions on edge, a rotatable outer support surrounding said stationary idler rolls for supporting an outer bundle of such convolutions on edge, said stationary idler rolls and said outer support having a gap therebetween, a drive mechanism for rotating said outer support around said stationary idler rolls during filling of said accumulator with the strip material, a plurality of circumferentially spaced lifters positioned between said stationary idler rolls adjacent radial outer ends of said stationary idler rolls, and actuator mechanisms for positioning said lifters in a lower position below a plane defined by upper surfaces of said stationary idler rolls during the transfer of the convolutions of said outer bundle from said outer support to said stationary idler rolls and in a raised position intersecting such plane for lifting the convolutions of said inner bundle off said stationary idler rolls and transferring such convolutions to said outer support as the convolutions of said inner bundle expand during filling of said accumulator with the strip material.
A strip accumulator for supporting a continuous length of strip material comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced, generally radially extending stationary idler rolls for supporting an inner bundle of convolutions of such strip material on edge, a rotatable table surrounding said stationary idler rolls for supporting an outer bundle of convolutions of such strip material on edge, a plurality of circumferentially spaced lifters positioned between said stationary idler rolls adjacent radial outer ends of said stationary idler rolls, and actuator members for moving said lifters between a lower position below a plane defined by upper surfaces of said stationary idler rolls during the transfer of the convolutions of said outer bundle from said outer support to said stationary idler rolls and a raised position for lifting the convolutions of said inner bundle off said stationary idler rolls and transferring such convolutions to said rotatable table as the convolutions of said inner bundle expand during filling of said accumulator with the strip material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.