Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
In combination, an uncoiler which carries a revolvable coil of strip material, an accumulator having revolving pinch rolls which draw strip material from the coil on said uncoiler, said accumulator at least temporarily storing a quantity of the strip material while transferring strip material to a processing line, and a control device, said control device comprising first means providing a signal proportional to the revolutions of said pinch rolls, second means providing a signal proportional to the revolutions of the coil, counter means having at least one predetermined number loaded therein and counting the occurrence of each signal from said first means, and means to reset said counter means to a said predetermined number if a signal from said second means is received by said means to reset before said counter means has counted a number equal to said predetermined number.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
In combination, an uncoiler which carries a revolvable coil of strip material, an accumulator having revolving pinch rolls which draw strip material from the coil on said uncoiler, said accumulator at least temporarily storing a quantity of the strip material while transferring strip material to a processing line, and a control device, said control device comprising first means providing a signal proportional to the revolutions of said pinch rolls, second means providing a signal proportional to the revolutions of the coil, counter means having at least one predetermined number loaded therein and counting the occurrence of each signal from said first means, and means to reset said counter means to a said predetermined number if a signal from said second means is received by said means to reset before said counter means has counted a number equal to said predetermined number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
80 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein the signal of said first means is a plurality of pulses per revolution of said pinch rolls and the signal of said second means is a single pulse per revolution of the coil, said predetermined number being the number of pulses which will be provided by said first means when the coil makes one revolution at a diameter at which the coil contains remaining strip material substantially equal to the capacity of the accumulator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination of claims 1 or 2, said control device further comprising means to load said counter with said predetermined number.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The combination of claims 1 or 2, said control device further comprising means to load said counter means with more than one predetermined number, a second said predetermined number being the number of pulses which will be provided by said first means when the coil makes one revolution at a diameter at which the coil contains only a few wraps of strip material thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination of claim 1, said control device further comprising means to load said counter means with more than one predetermined number.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination of claim 1, said control device further comprising relay means activated by said means to reset if a signal from said second means is not received by said means to reset before said counter means has counted a number equal to said predetermined number, said relay means controlling the operation of the accumulator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination of claim 6 wherein said relay means includes a first relay to control the accumulator when the coil contains remaining strip material thereon substantially equal to the capacity of the accumulator and a second relay to control the accumulator when the coil contains only a few wraps of strip material thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of claim 1, said means to reset including means capable of exhibiting a plurality of logic states, one of said logic states resetting said counter means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination of claim 8 wherein a second of said logic states enables said predetermined number to be loaded into said counter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claims 8 or 9, said means to reset further including means to control the logic state of said means capable of exhibiting a plurality of logic states.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of controlling the automatic operation of a strip accumulator having revolving rolls which draw strip material from a revolving coil on an uncoiler to store the same for continuous use in a processing line comprising the steps of determining the diameter of the coil of material at the point that the remaining material on the coil will substantially equal the capacity of the accumulator, determining the number of revolutions said rolls travel at the time the coil travels one revolution at the determined diameter, drawing the strip material from the coil of material to the accumulator, monitoring the revolutions of the rolls and of the coil, and stopping the drawing of material from the coil when the coil travels one revolution before the rolls travel the determined number of revolutions.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of controlling the automatic operation of a strip accumulator having revolving rolls which draw strip material from a revolving coil on an uncoiler to store the same for continuous use in a processing line comprising the steps of determining the diameter of the coil of material at the point that the remaining material on the coil will substantially equal the capacity of the accumulator, determining the number of revolutions said rolls travel at the time the coil travels one revolution at the determined diameter, drawing the strip material from the coil of material to the accumulator, monitoring the revolutions of the rolls and of the coil, and stopping the drawing of material from the coil when the coil travels one revolution before the rolls travel the determined number of revolutions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 11 comprising the additional steps of after stopping the drawing of material, permitting the accumulator to substantially empty its strip material to the processing line, and restarting drawing strip material from the coil of material to substantially fill the accumulator to the capacity thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
A method according to claim 12 comprising the additional steps of determining the diameter of the coil of material at the point that only a few wraps of material remain on the coil, determining the number of revolutions the rolls travel at the time the coil travels one revolution at the point that only a few wraps of material remain thereon, and after the step of restarting drawing strip material slowing the drawing of material from the coil when the coil travels one revolution before the rolls travel the determined number of revolutions at the point that only a few wraps of material remain on the coil.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of controlling a processing line whose input is drawn from a first revolving member having a diminishing first diameter through a second revolving member having a constant diameter, the input to the processing line being stopped when the first revolving member reaches a predetermined diameter comprising the steps of determining from the predetermined diameter the number of revolutions said second revolving member will make when said first revolving member makes one revolution at the predetermined diameter, continually monitoring the revolutions of said first and second revolving members and stopping the input to the processing line when said first revolving member makes one revolution before the second revolving member makes the determined number of revolutions thereby controlling the processing line.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of controlling a processing line whose input is drawn from a first revolving member having a diminishing first diameter through a second revolving member having a constant diameter, the input to the processing line being stopped when the first revolving member reaches a predetermined diameter comprising the steps of determining from the predetermined diameter the number of revolutions said second revolving member will make when said first revolving member makes one revolution at the predetermined diameter, continually monitoring the revolutions of said first and second revolving members and stopping the input to the processing line when said first revolving member makes one revolution before the second revolving member makes the determined number of revolutions thereby controlling the processing line.