Coil stock cradle

Claim 2

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means at each side of said housing selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, said adjusting means comprising first actuating means mounted at one side of said housing and second actuating means mounted at the opposite side of said housing, clutch means associated with each of said guide plates, coupling means carried by each of said actuating means, said actuating means being shiftable between a first position wherein one of said coupling means engages one of said clutch means to permit movement of one of said plates individually and a second position wherein the other of said coupling means engages the other of said clutch means to permit movement of the other of said plates individually, and means for separately moving both of said coupling means, whereby movement of either coupling means permits said actuating means to be shifted to a third position wherein both coupling means simultaneously engage both clutch means to permit movement of both plates as a unit.

Claim 3

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced side walls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, said last-mentioned means comprising a pair of axially aligned, separately rotatable hollow shafts extending across said side walls, one of said shafts having a left-hand threaded portion and the other having a right-hand threaded portion, each of said portions threadedly receiving and mounting one of said guide plates, a clutch member secured to each of said shafts, an elongated rod freely extending through said shafts and having handle means at opposite ends thereof located outside of said side walls, and coupling means associated with said rod at opposite ends thereof selectively movable between a first position wherein neither clutch member is engaged whereupon rotation of said rod effects no movement of said plates, a second position wherein both clutch members are simultaneously engaged whereupon rotation of said rod causes simultaneous inward or outward movement of said plates, and third and fourth positions wherein one or the other of said clutch means are engaged whereupon rotation of said rod causes movement of the corresponding plate only.

Claim 4

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced side walls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, said last-mentioned means comprising a pair of axially aligned, separately rotatable hollow shafts extending across said side walls, one of said shafts having a left-hand threaded portion and the other having a right-hand threaded portion, each of said portions threadedly receiving and mounting one of said guide plates, a clutch member secured to each of said shafts, an elongated rod freely extending through said shafts and having handle means at opposite ends thereof located outside of said side walls, and coupling means associated with said rod at opposite ends thereof selectively movable between a first position wherein neither clutch member is engaged whereupon rotation of said rod effects no movement of said plates, a second position wherein both clutch members are simultaneously engaged whereupon rotation of said rod causes simultaneous inward or outward movement of said plates, and third and fourth positions wherein one or the other of said clutch means are engaged whereupon rotation of said rod causes movement of the corresponding plate only.

Claim 5

In the cradle of claim 2, said coupling means comprising a pair of pins adapted to make driving engagement with said clutch members, one of said pins carried by each of said handle means and extending inwardly toward the adjacent clutch member, each of said pins being movable relative to its handle means between an inner and an outer position, said rod being longer than the combined lengths of said shafts, whereby said rod and handle means may be shifted laterally with respect to said shafts, the spacing between the inner ends of said pins when both of the latter are in their outer position being such that said rod may be laterally shifted to selectively assume any of the aforesaid first, third or fourth Positions, while when either one of said pins is in its inner position, said rod may be laterally shifted to assume the aforesaid second position.

Claim 6

In the cradle of claim 1, the combination further comprising feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, said means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means.

Claim 7

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, the combination further comprising feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, said last-mentioned means comprising a first post extending vertically from one of the walls of said housing, a block slidably mounted on said first post, a second post slidably mounted in said block and extending laterally of said housing, said feeler and switch means being mounted on the inner end of said second post, the position of said first post being pivotally adjustable in a plane parallel to the plane of said sidewalls.

Claim 8

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, the combination further comprising feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, said last-mentioned means comprising a first post extending vertically from one of the walls of said housing, a block slidably mounted on said first post, a second post slidably mounted in said block and extending laterally of said housing, said feeler and switch means being mounted on the inner end of said second post, the position of said first post being pivotally adjustable in a plane parallel to the plane of said sidewalls.

Claim 9

In the cradle of claim 5, the mounting of said first post comprising a quick-release latch operable to release said first post for swinging movement to a position where said feeler means is removed from the path of said stock.

Claim 10

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, the combination further comprising a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock as it is unwound from the cradle, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to and extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 11

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, the combination further comprising a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock as it is unwound from the cradle, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to and extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 12

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for suppoRting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, the combination further comprising feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, the combination further comprising a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock after it passes said feeler means, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to and extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 13

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for suppoRting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, the improvement comprising means selectively operable for adjusting said plates inwardly or outwardly as a unit, or for adjusting either of said plates individually, the combination further comprising feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, the combination further comprising a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock after it passes said feeler means, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to and extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 14

In a coil cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing between said plates, and feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwould stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, said last-mentioned means comprising a first post extending vertically from one of said walls of said housing, a block slidably mounted on said first post, a second post slidably mounted in said block and extending laterally of said housing, said feeler and switch means being mounted on the inner end of said second post, the position of said first post being pivotally adjustable in a plane parallel to the plane of said sidewalls.

Claim 15

In a coil cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing between said plates, and feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwould stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, said last-mentioned means comprising a first post extending vertically from one of said walls of said housing, a block slidably mounted on said first post, a second post slidably mounted in said block and extending laterally of said housing, said feeler and switch means being mounted on the inner end of said second post, the position of said first post being pivotally adjustable in a plane parallel to the plane of said sidewalls.

Claim 16

In the cradle of claim 9, the mounting of said first post comprising a quick-release latch operable to release said first post for swinging movement to a position where said feeler means is removed from the path of said stock.

Claim 17

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing between said plates and a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock as it is unwound from the cradle, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to anD extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 18

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing between said plates and a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock as it is unwound from the cradle, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to anD extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 19

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing between said plates, upper and lower pinch rolls extending between said sidewalls, the free end of said stock passing between said pinch rolls, said upper pinch roll forming a part of a separate assembly mounted on said housing for movement between an operative and an inoperative position, quick-release latch means releasably maintaining said assembly in said operative position, and means for adjusting the pressure between said pinch rolls when said assembly is in operative position, said means comprising a center adjustment for evenly adjusting the pressure between said rolls throughout their length, and right- and left-end adjustments selectively operable to adjust the pressure between said rolls at either end, feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, and a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock as it is unwound from the cradle, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to and extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.

Claim 20

In a coil stock cradle comprising a housing having a pair of upstanding spaced sidewalls, a plurality of support rolls rotatably mounted between said walls adjacent the lower ends thereof for supporting coil stock, means carried by said housing for uncoiling said stock to feed same from the cradle, a pair of spaced guide plates mounted between said walls in substantially parallel disposition thereto for receiving said coil stock therebetween, means for adjusting the spacing between said plates, upper and lower pinch rolls extending between said sidewalls, the free end of said stock passing between said pinch rolls, said upper pinch roll forming a part of a separate assembly mounted on said housing for movement between an operative and an inoperative position, quick-release latch means releasably maintaining said assembly in said operative position, and means for adjusting the pressure between said pinch rolls when said assembly is in operative position, said means comprising a center adjustment for evenly adjusting the pressure between said rolls throughout their length, and right- and left-end adjustments selectively operable to adjust the pressure between said rolls at either end, feeler means carried by said housing and extending across the path of the stock being unwound from said cradle, said feeler means being positioned so as to be engaged by the unwound stock when a predetermined amount of slack ceases to exist in the latter, switch means connected to said feeler means and actuated thereby when the latter is engaged by the stock to energize said uncoiling means, and means permitting ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of said feeler means, and a support assembly for guiding and supporting the stock as it is unwound from the cradle, said support assembly comprising a pair of aligned rods extending vertically upward from opposite sides of said housing, a fixed bar connected to and extending across said rods adjacent the upper ends of the latter, a second bar extending across said rods and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, and a pair of separate upstanding posts mounted on said second bar, said stock being adapted to pass over said second bar between said posts, said posts being slidably and pivotally adjustable on said second bar, said entire assembly being pivotally adjustable with respect to said housing.