Apparatus for providing taped coils of sheet material

Abstract

Apparatus for providing taped coils of sheet material comprises an intermittently operable feed roll mechanism for feeding a continuous web of sheet material through an intermittently operable web shear mechanism to an intermittently operable coiling mechanism on which coils are wound and which has an intermittently operable adhesive tape dispensing and applying mechanism associated therewith to tape the wound coil after web severance. The coiling mechanism comprises a rotatable expandable/retractable mandrel upon which the sheet material is wound into a coil while the mandrel is expanded; a pair of hold-down plates and a plurality of spaced apart web guide plates disposed around the periphery of the mandrel and adjustably positionable between winding and release positions to initially direct the severed leading edge of the incoming web around the expanded mandrel at the onset of coil winding; a plurality of spaced apart cage rollers disposed around the periphery of the mandrel and adjustably positionable between winding and release positions to press against the coil as it is being wound and thereby ensure tightness; a mandrel support mechanism to support the mandrel during winding; and an ejector mechanism for axially shifting a taped coil off the retracted mandrel when the mandrel stops rotating and while the hold-down plates, the web guide plates, and the cage rollers are located radially away from the mandrel and coil thereon in the release position. Control means are provided to operate the apparatus mechanisms and components thereof in timed relationship and enable sequential production of taped coils.