Automatic tape applying machine for sheet metal strips and method

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING A CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED METAL STRIP FROM A FIRST DESTINATION TO A SECOND DESTINATION WITH MINIMUM OF STOPPING TIME, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) STOPPING THE STRIP, (B) CLAMPING THE STRIP BY MEANS OF FIRST AND SECOND CLAMPS RESPECTIVELY LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A STRIP SHEAR, WHICH STRADDLES THE STRIP, AND A TAPPING DEVICE, ALIGNED WITH SAID SHEAR, WHICH IS LOCATED IN A FIRST POSITION ON ONE SIDE OF THE STRIP, SAID FIRST CLAMP BEING ON THE SIDE OF SAID SHEAR AND TAPPING DEVICE ADJACENT THE SOURCE OF SAID INCOMING CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED STRIP AND SAID SECOND CLAMP BEING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF, (C) SHEARING THE STRIP, (D) MOVING OUTWARDLY, AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, BOTH OF SAID CLAMPS SO AS TO PART THE SEVERED ENDS OF THE PIECES OF STRIP (E) MOVING SAID STRIP SHEAR AND TAPING DEVICE BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE STRIP UNTIL THE TAPING DEVICE REACHES A SECOND POSITION AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHEARED PIECES OF STRIP (F) MOVING SAID FIRST CLAMP SO THAT THE END GRIPPED BY SAID CLAMP IS IN POSITION FOR TAPING (G) MOVING A THIRD CLAMP, ALSO LOCATED ON SAID OPPOSITE SIDE WHICH GRIPS THE TRAILING END OF STRIP PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED TO SAID SECOND DESTINATION, SO THAT SAID LAST-MENTIONED END IS IN POSITION FOR TAPING (H) MOVING THE TAPING DEVICE SO AS TO EFFECT A TAPING STROKE AND APPLY A STRIP OF TAPE TO EACH SURFACE OF THE PIECES AT THE ENDS THEREOF AND, PAST SAID ONE SIDE THEREOF, SO AS TO CAUSE THE STRIPS OF TAPE TO JOIN TOGETHER, (I) SEVERING SAID STRIPS OF TAPE ADJACENT SAID ONE EDGE SO AS TO LEAVE A PORTION OF THE OUTER ENDS OF THE STRIPS OF TAPE LEADING FROM THE TAPE SUPPLY PRESSED TOGETHER IN THE TAPING DEVICE.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING A CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED METAL STRIP FROM A FIRST DESTINATION TO A SECOND DESTINATION WITH MINIMUM OF STOPPING TIME, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) STOPPING THE STRIP, (B) CLAMPING THE STRIP BY MEANS OF FIRST AND SECOND CLAMPS RESPECTIVELY LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A STRIP SHEAR, WHICH STRADDLES THE STRIP, AND A TAPPING DEVICE, ALIGNED WITH SAID SHEAR, WHICH IS LOCATED IN A FIRST POSITION ON ONE SIDE OF THE STRIP, SAID FIRST CLAMP BEING ON THE SIDE OF SAID SHEAR AND TAPPING DEVICE ADJACENT THE SOURCE OF SAID INCOMING CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED STRIP AND SAID SECOND CLAMP BEING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF, (C) SHEARING THE STRIP, (D) MOVING OUTWARDLY, AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, BOTH OF SAID CLAMPS SO AS TO PART THE SEVERED ENDS OF THE PIECES OF STRIP (E) MOVING SAID STRIP SHEAR AND TAPING DEVICE BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE STRIP UNTIL THE TAPING DEVICE REACHES A SECOND POSITION AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHEARED PIECES OF STRIP (F) MOVING SAID FIRST CLAMP SO THAT THE END GRIPPED BY SAID CLAMP IS IN POSITION FOR TAPING (G) MOVING A THIRD CLAMP, ALSO LOCATED ON SAID OPPOSITE SIDE WHICH GRIPS THE TRAILING END OF STRIP PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED TO SAID SECOND DESTINATION, SO THAT SAID LAST-MENTIONED END IS IN POSITION FOR TAPING (H) MOVING THE TAPING DEVICE SO AS TO EFFECT A TAPING STROKE AND APPLY A STRIP OF TAPE TO EACH SURFACE OF THE PIECES AT THE ENDS THEREOF AND, PAST SAID ONE SIDE THEREOF, SO AS TO CAUSE THE STRIPS OF TAPE TO JOIN TOGETHER, (I) SEVERING SAID STRIPS OF TAPE ADJACENT SAID ONE EDGE SO AS TO LEAVE A PORTION OF THE OUTER ENDS OF THE STRIPS OF TAPE LEADING FROM THE TAPE SUPPLY PRESSED TOGETHER IN THE TAPING DEVICE.