System and apparatus for storing and processing strip material

摘要

A system and apparatus therefor which stores and processes flexible strip materials and particularly tire manufacturing components such as the tread portion. A portable storage unit has a pair of hollow, cylindrical-shaped spools loosely supported on a pair of cradles within a frame. A pair of annular flanges adjacent the ends of each of the spool surfaces engages stop plates on the frame to retain the spools in position on the cradles when the frame is in both a vertical load and unload position and a horizontal storage and transport position. Drive units for loading and unloading the spools preferably are similar, each including a pair of expanding mandrels and a motor driven chain connected to one of the mandrels. The storage unit is placed on a carriage which is located adjacent the mandrels of the drive units by material handling equipment. The carriage is moved horizontally toward the stationery mandrels until the mandrels are inserted within the spool interiors. The mandrels then are expanded securely gripping the spools thereon. The carriage platform then is lowered allowing the spools to lift off their supporting cradles enabling the spools to be rotated freely by the mandrels for loading and unloading the strip material on or off the spools. A storage unit is loaded with extruded tire tread material in the vertical position and then is placed in a horizontal position for subsequent shipment and storage reducing the formation of imperfections in the tread which occurs if the tread is aged in the vertical stored position.