Method to extract and deposit coils in a rolling line and device to perform the method

Method to extract and deposit coils leaving a coiling machine, the coiling machine depositing the coils on a removal conveyor belt positioned on a substantially horizontal plane, the method comprising moving a coil-retaining assembly to a first working position in which the coil retaining assembly at least partly closes an outlet of the coiling machine for a period enough to permit the formation and accumulation of a desired number of leading-end coils within the coiling machine;

• then moving the coil retaining assembly to a second release position in which the coil retaining assembly frees the outlet of the coils from the coiling machine and enables the number of leading-end coils to fall simultaneously onto the removal conveyor belt, this simultaneous fall causing the flattening of the leading-end coils on the removal conveyor belt owing to the weight of that number of leading-end coils;
• and, while the coil retaining assembly is in the second release position, depositing each of a plurality of intermediate coils, the intermediate coils being formed subsequent to the leading-end coils and before trailing-end coils, from the coiling machine onto the removal conveyor belt as each coil is formed to arrange the intermediate coils on the removal conveyor belt such that the intermediate coils are partly superimposed on one another.