System for supplying strip to a processing line

摘要

A system (10) for supplying strip material (S) to a processing line includes a strip uncoiler assembly (11) and a strip take-out assembly (12). The uncoiler assembly (11) carries a plurality of adjacently positioned coils (C) of strip material (S) with the trailing end of the strip material (S) of each coil (C) being attached to the leading end of the strip material (S) on the serially adjacent coil (C). The uncoiler assembly (11) also includes a drive mechanism (26) to rotate the coils (C) as the strip material (S) is payed off to the take-out assembly (12) which has a take-out arm (44) movable by an indexing device (73) to always be aligned with the individual coil (C) currently paying off strip material (S). Take-out assembly (12) also includes a dancer roller (57) which moves in response to the demand of the processing line to control the speed at which strip material (S) is payed off by the uncoiler assembly (11).