Apparatus and method for accumulating metallic strip and the like

Claim 1

IN A STRIP ACCUMULATING DEVICE: (A) AN ANNULAR ROTATABLE TABLE SURROUNDING A CENTRAL STATIONARY TABLE, SAID ROTATABLE TABLE HAVING A PLANAR SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR RECEIVING A COIL OF STRIP, (B) CONVOLUTIONS OF WHICH SURROUND SAID STATIONARY TABLE, (C) A FIXED ANNULAR ABUTMENT ON SAID STATIONARY TABLE AGAINST WHICH CONVOLUTIONS OF SAID COIL COLLAPSE AS STRIP IS WITHDRAWN FROM THE INSIDE OF SAID COIL, (D) RETRACTABLE ABUTMENTS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO ROTATABLE TABLE, SAID ABUTMENTS BEING SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CENTRAL STATIONRY TABLE AND RADIALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT THERETO, SAID ABUTMENTS BEING MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT FROM A RETRACTED POSITION IN WHICH THE PLANAR SUPPORTING SURFACE OF SAID ROTATABLE TABLE REMAINS UNINTERRUPTED TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID ABUTMENTS INTERRUPT THE PLANAR SURFACE OF SAID TABLE SO THAT CONVOLUTIONS OF THE COIL MAY BE WOUND THEREABOUT UPON ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE TABLE, (E) MEANS FOR STARTING AND STOPPING ROTATION OF SAID TABLE, AND (F) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RETRACTABLE ABUTMENTS FROM ONE POSITION TO THE OTHER.