Method of and apparatus for serving helical coils with a protective band

Abstract

A helical induction coil of large diameter which is to be served with a protective band is suspended from a driving roller having a substantially horizontal axis of rotation so that the coil axis is substantially horizontal. A serving device is supported on the respective convolution to be served and also on immediately adjacent convolutions at the lowermost region of the coil for advancement in the longitudinal direction of the convolutions. Spreading rollers spread the immediately adjacent convolutions from the respective convolution to permit the serving device to advance. The driving roller frictionally entrains the coil and thus rotates the same about the coil axis and the spreading device is advanced at the same speed as but in the opposite direction than the respective convolution so that the position of the serving device diametrally opposite to the driving roller relative to the coil is maintained. The serving device includes a housing and a serving ring driven into rotation about the respective convolution and carrying a payout reel for a protective band for shared rotation with the serving ring and for individual rotation about an axis of rotation of the serving ring. The serving device further includes a carriage on which the housing is mounted and on which a plurality of driving, support and guiding rollers which contact the respective convolution and the immediately adjacent convolutions is supported. The serving device includes a plurality of interchangeable units so that the serving device can be adapted to induction coils of different diameters.