WO2017082908A1

WO2017082908A1 - A method and a system for fabricating a coil of wire

Info

Publication number: WO2017082908A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/060339
Authority: WO
Inventors: Neil S. GOW; Paul Barry RICHES
Original assignee: Primetals Technologies Germany Gmbh
Priority date: 2015-11-12
Filing date: 2015-11-12
Publication date: 2017-05-18

Abstract

Disclosed are a method of fabricating a wire and system for fabricating a wire in which the wire is coiled and laid on a moving conveyor, and a detector- enabled controller trims the leading portion and the trailing portion of the coil of wire with an electro- mechanically controlled clipper, removes the clipped ends with an electro-mechanically controlled gripper, and repositions the newly formed ends of the wire to avoid cobbles.

Description

A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR FABRICATING A COIL OF WIRE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a method and a system for fabricating a coil of wire.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Producing a coiled wire is well known. A well known system for rolling a wire includes a laying head that lays a hot wire as it is formed on a cooling conveyor. In a typical process, a coiled wire is produced by coiling a wire into loops, which are then laid one behind the other on a moving conveyor belt. The laid coiled wire is then cooled as it travels. At the end of its travel, the coiled wire is dropped (usually loop after loop) around a centering pole located at a reforming station, where the loops are stacked atop one another and then bundled.

[0003] It is well known that the leading end and the trailing end of the coiled wire produced in the manner described may not be properly formed. The improper formation of the leading and the trailing ends could be due to several factors. For example, wire cannot be fed properly at the leading end and the trailing end, or the leading end may not be properly cooled. It is thus necessary to cut off the improperly formed leading end and trailing end of the coiled wire.

[0004] Typically, the cutting is carried out by a worker with a bolt cutter or the like device who cuts off several or more meters of the loops of the coiled wire from the leading portion of the coiled wire, which includes the leading end of the wire and from the trailing portion of the coiled wire, which includes the trailing end of the coiled wire. However, cutting the wire while it is moving can present difficulties given the relatively high speed of the conveyor.

[0005] In conventional mill installations, the leading and trailing ends of hot rolled products may be trimmed manually by mill personnel after the products have been gathered into coils and while the products are still in the process of cooling down from elevated rolling temperatures. Mechanically complex equipment is required to physically reorient the coils in order to provide access to both ends, and care must be taken by mill personnel to avoid injurious contact with the still hot product.

[0006] Thus, automatic shearing and removal systems have been proposed. EP 0255724, for example, discloses a method and a device for severing wire windings lying one behind the other and overlapping one another. The windings are shaped by a laying head and are deposited on the conveyor. A movable unit moves a device with a wire winding receiving apparatus and a cutting apparatus over the conveyor. On the device, there is a tool head, which is lowered into a waiting position, directed towards the conveying path, for identifying the wire winding to be severed. A sensor is provided for this purpose. After synchronisation of the movement of the tool head with the wire winding feed and counting of the wire windings to be cut off, the tool head is lowered further until a penetrating pin penetrates between the wire windings. Then, a wire winding is pushed into a function plate of the tool head and clamped. During the lifting of the tool head, the wire is severed, and the unwanted wire is held on a raised holder in the upper end position of the tool head. The tool head is then moved over the conveying path and swung out sideways in order to discard the unwanted wire outside the conveying path. Thereafter, the tool head is returned into the waiting position above the conveying path.

[0007] JP 5994523 discloses a device capable of detecting and cutting the front and rear ends of a coiled wire, that is being transported by a conveyor, and removing the cut off ends by a removing device.

Specifically, a travelling dolly straddles a conveying device. The dolly is driven in the transporting direction of the device by driving wheels with the aid of a reversible driving device. A movable bed having mounted thereon a detecting device, a cutting device, and a removing device, is installed on the dolly to move in the transporting direction by a driving device. The front or the rear end of the coiled wire is irradiated by a light, detected by a linear image sensor of the detecting device, and is cut off by lowering the cutting device. The cutoff ends are removed by the removing device. [0008] If, after cutting, the end of the coil is not properly positioned on the conveyor, it may cause cobbling. Neither system disclosed in the above- mentioned references offers a solution to this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED SUBJECT MATTER

[0009] An object of the present invention is an automated method or an automated system that

automatically identifies and removes the leading end and the trailing end portions of a wire as it moves on the conveyor.

[0010] Other objectives of the present invention are to reduce the labor required in coil handling, to reduce workplace accidents, to increase rolling mill yield, to reduce rolling mill cobbles by removing poorly shaped rings before they can get trapped/caught on the cooling conveyor or the reform tub at the reforming station, and to improve uniformity of the mechanical property of the coiled wire by accurately controlling the trimming of the leading and the trailing ends of the coiled wire.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to rolling mills producing hot rolled rod products, and are concerned in particular with the trimming and removing of the front (leading) and tail (trailing) ends of such products, and the proper positioning of the newly formed ends after the trimming thereof.

[0012] The method includes forming a wire into a coil having a leading end and a trailing end, placing the coiled wire on a moving conveyor, thereby moving the coiled wire in a longitudinal travel direction, the coiled wire that is placed on the conveyor including succeeding overlapping loops.

[0013] The coiled wire is transferred from an upstream location at a laying head where the wire is coiled and deposited on the conveyor to a downstream position where it is received by a centering device (e.g. a reform tub) or the like at a reforming station.

[0014] A method according to the present invention further includes automatically severing the wire as it moves in the longitudinal direction with a clipper device and automatically relocating the newly formed trailing end or the leading of the coiled wire as it moves to an optimal position for receipt by the

centering device at the reforming station.

[0015] In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a sensor and a controller are employed to: 1. identify and track the number of rings to be

trimmed from a coil;

2. cut and store the trimmed rings in a safe manner; and

3. ensure that the newly formed leading and trailing ends are properly positioned on the conveyor for optimum delivery to the reforming station.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING (S)

[0017] Fig. 1 is a simplified illustration of a system for automatically trimming the front (leading) and tail (trailing) ends of hot rolled rod products, in

accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Fig. 2 is a control diagram for a system

according to the present invention;

[0019] Fig. 3 is a more detailed illustration of a system that carries out a method according to the present invention;

[0020] Fig. 4 illustrates a portion of a first version of a robotic arm for a system according to the present invention;

[0021] Fig. 5 illustrates a clipper for a robotic arm of a system according to the present invention;

[0022] Fig. 6 illustrates a gripper for a robotic arm of a system according to the present invention; and [0023] Fig. 7 illustrates a portion of a second version of a robotic arm for a system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The components described hereinafter as making up the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components that would perform the same or a similar function as well as the materials described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] Referring now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the views, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0026] With reference initially to Fig. 1, a conveyor 10 is shown positioned to receive rings of a hot rolled rod product (see, e.g. wire 11 in Fig. 3) issuing from a laying head 12. A rail 14 is provided to extend parallel the conveyor 10 from a first upstream location "A" to a downstream second location "B". [0027] A robot 16 is mounted on rail 14 for movement between the first and second positions A, B. Robot 16 has arms (discussed below) equipped with at least one gripping device and at least one shearing device. A detector (e.g. a camera) may be carried by robot 16. The detector may be positioned to detect rings emerging from the laying head 12.

[0028] With reference to Fig. 2, a robot controller 18 receives product information from the mill control system 20. Such information may include, for example, front end crop length and tail end crop length as well as front and tail end tracking data generated by upstream hot metal detectors installed after laying head 12 before position A to detect the presence of hot metal on conveyor 10 to indicate location of wire 11 relative to position A. This information will provide the number of rings to be trimmed from the front and tail ends of wire 11, and enables the robot 16 to identify the location of the cut on wire 11.

[0029] Robot 16 may then grip the severed rings and transfer them to a stem or other like scrap receiving device (not shown) . Before or after the removal of the severed rings, the newly formed ends of the coiled wire 11 (i.e. the ends formed after the cutting operation) are repositioned by a gripping device to avoid being snagged by conveyor 10 or being snagged at the reforming station to minimize mill cobbles. The gripping

device(s) of robot 16 may also serve to ensure that the newly formed leading and trailing ends of the coiled wire 11 are properly positioned on conveyor 10 for optimum delivery to the reforming station.

[0030] Preferably, these steps will be performed initially on a front end of coiled wire 11 as robot 16 moves along rail 14 from the first location A to the second location B. Robot 16 may then return to the first location A in readiness to repeat the above steps on the tail end of the coiled wire 11.

[0031] By automatically rather than manually trimming the front and tail ends of wire 11, a system according to the present invention beneficially reduces the labor devoted to coil handling, reduces workplace injuries to mill personnel, increases mill yield, and reduces mill cobbles caused by poorly shaped rings becoming snagged on the conveyor or at the reforming station. Uniformity of coil mechanical properties is also enhanced by accurately enforcing trimming instructions generated by mill control system 20.

[0032] Referring to Fig. 3, a system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a laying head 12, a cooling conveyor 10 (e.g. a Stelmor conveyor) arranged at the output of laying head 12 to receive a coil of wire 11 from laying head 12 and to transport wire 11 to a reform tub 21, a target position detector 17, at least one robotic arm 19, a controller 18, and at least one transporter 22 that transports position detector 17 and robotic arm 19 along conveyor 10.

[0033] In the preferred embodiment, position detector 17 and robotic arm 19 are mounted on a carriage 24.

Carriage 24 is mounted on a rail 14. Carriage 24 and rail 14 together constitute a transporter 22 according to the preferred embodiment. In the preferred

embodiment, rail 14 is arranged parallel to the

longitudinal direction of conveyor 10 whereby carriage 24 can be moved parallel to the direction of movement of conveyor 10. Preferably, rail 14 is arranged lateral and spaced from conveyor 10. Preferably, carriage 24 is moved on rail 14 with the help of a variable speed motor, which can be controlled to move carriage 24 at the speed of conveyor 10, at a speed higher than the speed of the conveyor 10, and at a speed lower than conveyor 10. In operation, conveyor 14 normally moves at a constant speed that is set by the operator. The speed of carriage 24 can be set by referencing the speed of conveyor 10 as set by the operator. For example, the speed of the conveyor may be provided to controller 18 by mill control system 20 (see. Fig. 2) as a variable.

[0034] Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, robotic arm 19 may be equipped with at least one electronically

controllable gripper 32 that is capable of gripping wire 11 when it is hot (e.g. when it leaves laying head 12), and at least one electronically controllable clipper 31 that is capable of clipping the hot wire 11. Robotic arm 19 may be rotatably mounted on carriage 24 at one end. At the opposite end a telescopic arm 26 (Fig. 4) or the like may be mounted on which gripper 32 and clipper 31 will reside. Telescopic arm 26 may be electronically controlled to selectively lower gripper 32 and clipper 31 toward conveyor 10, and to withdraw gripper 32 and clipper 31 away from conveyor 10.

Alternatively, arm 19 may be lowered or lifted in any suitable manner to achieve the intended results as set forth herein.

[0035] An electronically controllable motor may be used to rotate robotic arm 19 to position gripper 32 and clipper 31 for gripping wire 11 and for clipping wire 11 so that a portion of wire 11 may be clipped at a target position and, with the aid of gripper 32, removed from conveyor 10 to a receptacle.

[0036] Position detector 17 detects a target position on wire 11 at which wire 11 is cut by clipper 31 to separate a portion of wire 11 that includes its trailing end 15 or its leading end 13 from the rest of wire 11. A suitable detector 17 can include a camera mounted on a support 28 (e.g. an arm), which is mounted at one end, for example, on carriage 24. The camera may be

positioned over conveyor 10 at a location suitable for observing wire 11.

[0037] Alternatively, detector 17 may include a

temperature sensor mounted on arm 28 above conveyor 10 in a position suitable for detecting the temperature of wire 11.

[0038] As yet another alternative, detector 17 may include an optical color sensor mounted on arm 28 in a position suitable for detecting the color radiated from wire 11, based on which the system can infer the temperature of wire 11.

[0039] Controller 18 is operatively connected to detector 17. Controller 18 includes a processor (e.g. a microcontroller) and a non-volatile memory. Stored in the non-volatile memory are non-transitory instructions, which can be read and executed by the processor to determine, based on information provided by detector 17 and based on variables provided by mill control system 20 (e.g. the length of wire 11 to be cut from leading end 13 and trailing end 15, the speed of the conveyor 10, and the upstream hot metal detectors), the position of leading end 13 of wire 11 on conveyor 10, the target position for cutting wire 11 to obtain a leading portion of wire 11 that includes leading end 13, the position of trailing end 15 of wire 11 on the conveyor 10, and the target position for cutting wire 11 to obtain a trailing portion of wire 11 that includes its tail end.

Controller 18 will have instructions based on which gripper 32 will be operated to grip a portion of wire 11 at or near the target position, and instructions to cut wire 11 through the target position by clipper 31.

[0040] For example, when a camera is used as a detector, information may be provided to controller 18 from detector 17 based on which leading end 13 of wire 11 can be located, the number of loops of wire 11 that includes leading end 13 and the target position can be identified

(this would constitute the leading portion that will be cut out of the coil of wire 11 and removed) , trailing end 15 of wire 11 can be located, and the number of loops of wire 11 that includes trailing end 15 and the target position can be identified (this would constitute the trailing portion that will be cut out from the coil of wire 11 and removed.

[0041] If detector 17 is a temperature sensor,

controller 18 may include instructions based on which it can determine leading end 13 of wire 11, trailing end 15 of wire 11, and the target positions that would define the leading portion and the trailing portion that are cut out from the coil of wire 11 and removed. The determination could be made based on the changes in temperature in wire 11 that are detected by the

detector.

[0042] If detector 17 is an optical color sensor, controller 18 may include instructions based on which it can determine leading end 13 of wire 11, trailing end 15 of wire 11, and the target positions that would define the leading portion and the trailing portion that are cut out from the coil of wire 11 and removed. The determination could be made based on the changes in the color radiated from wire 11, from which the changes in the temperature along the body of wire 11 can be inferred.

[0043] Controller 18 may further include instructions to operate gripper 32, to operate clipper 31, to operate robotic arm 19, to operate telescopic arm 26, and to operate carriage 24. Controller 18 may be located in a housing integrated with and thus moved with carriage 24, or controller 18 may be located at another place. In either case, controller 18 can receive data and

instructions from mill control system 20 as previously described, which set parameters/variables for controller 18.

[0044] Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, telescopic arm 26, which would be connected to arm 19, may include a supporting transverse arm 30 to support at least one clipper 31, and one gripper 32. Clipper 31 may include shears 33 for cutting wire 11. Gripper 32 may include a clamp 34 for gripping wire 11. Shears 33 are

electromechanically operated. Clamp 34 is

electromechanically operated. To control the operation of gripper 31 and clipper 32, controller 18 may be in communication with electromechanical controls of gripper 31 and clipper 32 wirelessly or via wires (not shown) .

[0045] In an alternative embodiment, transverse arm 30 may support two grippers 32, and a clipper 31 located between the grippers 32. While telescopic arm 26 may be fixed at an end of arm 19, it may also be configured to move along (for example, slidably) arm 19 for positional adjustment as needed. [0046] A detector 17 may be mounted on transverse arm 30 in an alternative embodiment in which case arm 17 may be omitted.

[0047] A method for fabricating a coil of wire 11 according to the present invention includes severing and removing of selected leading and trailing portions of a coiled wire 11 deposited by laying head 12 on moving conveyor 10, and positioning of the coiled wire 11 for receipt by a reforming station 21 after the severing with an apparatus that includes a moveable carriage 24 that carries a clipper 31, a gripper 32, a detector 17, and a controller 18 to control carriage 24, clipper 31, and gripper 32 based on signals from detector 17 and variables provided, for example, by mill control system 20. The method includes laying a coiled wire 11 on moving conveyor 10 by laying head 12, the coiled wire 11 including a plurality of loops defined between a leading end 13 and a trailing end 15, moving carriage 24 from a standby position along the same direction as the

direction of movement of conveyor 10, identifying with detector 17 a leading portion of the coiled wire 11 that includes leading end 13 thereof by designating a new leading end 13 location on the coiled wire 11 where the leading portion is severed from the coiled wire 11, in any order, gripping the leading portion with gripper 32, severing the leading portion from the coiled wire 11 with clipper 31, and repositioning the coiled wire 11 on conveyor 10 so that the designated new leading end location of the coiled wire 11 is positioned at a location on conveyor 10 suitable for receipt of the coiled wire 11 by reforming station 21 after the leading portion is severed to avoid mill cobbles, removing the severed leading portion from conveyor 10 with gripper 32, identifying a trailing portion of the coiled wire 11, the trailing portion including trailing end 15 thereof by designating a new trailing end location on the coiled wire 11, in any order, gripping the trailing portion with gripper 32, severing the trailing portion from the coiled wire 11 with clipper 31, repositioning the coiled wire 11 on conveyor 10 so that the designated new trailing end location of the coiled wire 11 is positioned at a location on conveyor 10 suitable for receipt of the coiled wire 11 by reforming station 21 after the trailing portion is severed to avoid mill cobbles, and removing the severed trailing portion from conveyor 10 with gripper 32. The suitable positions that would avoid mill cobbles can be determined

experimentally and provided as a variable to controller 18 by mill control system 20. A suitable position may be a position between the longitudinal sides of conveyor 10 on conveyor 10.

[0048] Thus, in a method according to the present invention, detector 17 is used to designate the new leading end location and the new trailing end location, where the cut is made by clipper 31 under the control of controller 18.

[0049] In an alternative embodiment, a first gripper 32 and a second gripper 32' are provided, which may be identical devices. The coiled wire 11 is gripped by first gripper 32 and second gripper 32', the coiled wire 11 is sheared at a location between first gripper 32 and second gripper 32' to sever the leading portion or the trailing portion, the coiled wire 11 is repositioned by moving telescopic arm 26 along arm 19, first gripper 32 is released while second gripper 32' maintains its grip on the severed leading portion to remove the severed leading portion. The two-gripper solution allows for repositioning of the newly formed end after cutting without losing the location of the severed portion.

[0050] A system according to the first embodiment may operate as follows.

[0051] Carriage 24 may be positioned at a standby position (e.g. position A) along rail 14 before wire 11 is fed to the conveyor 10 from laying head 12. When laying head 12 begins to feed the coil of wire 11 to conveyor 10, a signal may be sent by mill control system 20 to controller 18 to initiate operation.

Alternatively, the hot metal detector can signal the presence of a newly formed wire 11 on conveyor 10.

Controller 18 may then move carriage 24 from the standby position toward laying head 12 in a direction opposite the direction of movement of conveyor 10, until detector 17 passes over leading end 13 of wire 11. In an alternative example, carriage 24 may remain stationary until leading end 13 of wire 11 passes under detector 17. In either case, controller 18 determines the position of leading end 13 of wire 11 based on

information provided by detector 17. If detector 17 is a camera, suitable instructions may be provided to controller 18 to identify an end of wire 11 based on, for example, a signal from a hot metal detector and the speed of conveyor 10. If detector 17 is a temperature sensor, the rapid change in the temperature (relative to conveyor 10 surface) may be used to indicate the presence of an end of wire 11. If detector 17 is an optical color sensor, the color radiated from the hot wire 11 may be used to infer the temperature change, whereby the location of the end of wire 11 may be determined.

[0052] Thereafter, the target position for clipping wire 11 may be determined relative to leading end 13. For example, if detector 17 is a camera, the number of loops of wire 11 may be counted by allowing wire 11 to pass under detector 17. If detector 17 is a temperature sensor, the target position may be selected based on a temperature value along wire 11. If detector 17 is an optical color sensor, the target position may be selected based on the color radiated from wire 11, from which the temperature of wire 11 may be inferred. The necessary variable such as the number of loops to be cut, the temperature of the location of the cut or the color of the location of the cut can be provided by the mill control system 20.

[0053] Once leading end 13 of wire 11 is detected, if carriage 24 is moving in the direction opposite the direction of conveyor 10, controller 18 may cause carriage 24 to move in the direction of movement of conveyor 10. If carriage 24 is not moving, controller 18 may start moving carriage 24 in the direction of movement of conveyor 10. In either case, carriage 24 may be moved initially at the same speed as conveyor 10. Controller 18 may then slow down carriage 24 for a sufficient amount of time to allow gripper 32 and clipper 31 to register above the target position. By registering it is meant that gripper 32 and clipper 31 will be above the target position. Clipper 31 will be directly above the target position when registered above the target position and gripper 32 will be above a position spaced from the target position defined by the distance between clipper 31 and gripper 32.

[0054] Once gripper 32 and clipper 31 are registered with the target position, controller 18 operates telescopic arm 26 to lower gripper 32 and clipper 31 toward wire 11, and then operates gripper 32 to grab wire 11, operates clipper 31 to cut wire 11 through the target position, and then operates robotic arm 19 to remove the clipped portion (the leading portion) of wire 11 from conveyor 14. The clipped portion will be deposited in a receptacle by the robotic arm under the control of controller 18, and the robotic arm 19 will return to a position over conveyor 10.

[0055] To clip a section from the end of wire 11, controller 18 may move carriage 24 in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of conveyor 10 until detector 17 detects trailing end 15 of wire 11. The detection could be carried out in the same manner as that described above with reference to the detection of leading end 13 of wire 11. Once trailing end 15 of wire 11 is detected, carriage 24 may be again moved faster than the speed of conveyor 10 in the direction of movement of conveyor 10 until a target position on wire 11 is detected for cutting by clipper 31. Carriage 24 is then slowed down until gripper 32 and clipper 31 are properly registered above the target position. Once gripper 32 and clipper 31 are in the proper position, the speed of carriage 24 is adjusted so that it moves at the speed of conveyor 10. Thereafter, controller 18 operates telescopic arm 26 to lower gripper 32 and clipper 31 toward wire 11, operates gripper 32 to grip wire 11, operates clipper 31 to clip wire 11 through zhe target position, and then operates robot arm 19 to remove the clipped portion (the trailing portion) that includes the tail end from conveyor 10. The removed trailing portion is deposited in a receptacle by robotic arm 19 under the control of controller 18.

[0056] After or before the cutting operation, the newly formed (or the designated new) leading end 13' of wire 11 and the newly formed (or the designated new) trailing end 15' of wire 11 are moved to a proper position on the conveyor to avoid cobbling as described. For example, gripper 32 may be operated to move wire 11 before the cutting of wire 11 and the removal of the cut portion, or at least before the removal of the cut portion.

Alternatively, after the removal, gripper 32 may be operated to grab wire 11 and reposition the newly formed end on the conveyor to avoid cobbling. To reposition wire 11, telescopic arm 26 may be moved along arm 19 traverse to the direction of movement of conveyor 10. For this purpose, telescopic arm 26 may be slidably mounted on arm 19. Alternatively, arm 19 may be rotated to reposition wire 11 while it is held by the gripper 32.

[0057] In a system according to the another embodiment, detector 17 may be supported on telescopic arm 19. In this case, once the target position is determined gripper 32 and clipper 31 could be lowered toward wire 11 without separate steps to register the same above the target position as described.

[0058] In yet another embodiment, which may be based on the first embodiment or the second embodiment, robotic arm 19 may be assembled on a carriage that is moveable on a rail 14 installed above conveyor 10.

[0059] In another embodiment, instead of one carriage, two carriages could be used, one carrying detector 17, one carrying robotic arm 19. Each carriage could be independently controlled. Thus, while detector 16 detects the end positions and the target positions, robotic arm 19 could be positioned to operate gripper 32 and clipper 31 as described. In this embodiment, the carriages could be mounted to travel on one common rail, or independent rails positioned lateral to conveyor 10 or above conveyor 10, or one rail could be positioned lateral to conveyor 10 and the other above conveyor 10.

[0060] In yet another embodiment, gripper 32 could be operated to simply reposition a section of wire 11 without operating clipper 31 in order to prevent, for example, a misformed section of wire 11 from being caught in the conveyor or another part of the system.

[0061] While the present embodiments have been described with reference to wire 11 that is fed to conveyor 10 in coil form, it should be understood that a system according to the present invention could also handle elongated wires.

[0062] Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. A method for fabricating a coil of wire that includes severing and removal of selected leading and trailing portions of a coiled wire deposited by a laying head on a moving conveyor, and for proper positioning of the coiled wire for receipt by a reforming station, the method being carried out by an apparatus that includes a controller, and a moveable carriage that carries a clipper, a gripper, and a detector, the controller being configured to control the carriage, the clipper, and the gripper based on signals from the detector, the method comprising:

laying a coiled wire on the moving conveyor by a laying head, the coiled wire including a plurality of loops defined between a leading end and a trailing end;

moving the carriage from a standby position along a same direction as direction of movement of the conveyor;

identifying with the detector a leading portion of the coiled wire that includes the leading end thereof by designating a new leading end location on the coiled wire where the leading portion is severed from the coiled wire;

in any order, gripping the leading portion with the gripper, severing the leading portion from the coiled wire with the clipper, and repositioning the coiled wire on the conveyor so that the designated new leading end location of the coiled wire is positioned at a location on the conveyor suitable for receipt of the coiled wire by the reforming station after the leading portion is severed;

removing the severed leading portion from the conveyor with the gripper;

identifying a trailing portion of the coiled wire that includes the trailing end thereof by designating a new trailing end location on the coiled wire;

in any order, gripping the trailing portion with the gripper, severing the trailing portion from the coiled wire with the clipper, repositioning the coiled wire on the conveyor so that the designated new trailing end location of the coiled wire is positioned at a location on the conveyor suitable for receipt of the coiled wire by the reforming station after the trailing portion is severed; removing the severed trailing portion from the conveyor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detector designates the new leading end location and the new trailing end location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the detector comprises a camera.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the detector comprises a thermal sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the carriage is mounted on a rail and is moved parallel to the conveyor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes an arm rotatably mounted on the carriage at one end, and selectively rotatable to a first position over the conveyor or a second position lateral to the conveyor, wherein the gripper and the clipper are moveably mounted on the arm to move along the arm and to move toward and away from the conveyor, and wherein the removing steps are carried out by rotating the arm from the first position to the second position.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the detector is mounted on the arm.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveyor is a cooling conveyor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the gripper includes a first clamp and a second clamp, the coiled wire is gripped by the first clamp and the second clamp, the coiled wire is sheared at a location between the first clamp and the second clamp to sever the leading portion or the trailing portion, the coiled wire is repositioned, the first clamp is released while the second clamp grips the severed leading portion to remove the severed leading portion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the carriage is moveable at a speed that is greater than speed of the conveyor, and wherein the carriage is moveable at different speeds.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller resides on the carriage.

12. An apparatus configured to sever and remove selected leading and trailing portions of a coiled wire deposited on a laying head on a moving conveyor to travel to a reforming station, and configured to reposition the coiled wire after severing, the apparatus comprising a controller, and a moveable carriage that carries a clipper, a gripper, and a detector, the controller being configured to control the carriage, the clipper, and the gripper based on signals from the detector, the controller being configured, a) to move the carriage from a standby position along a same direction as direction of movement of the conveyor;

b) identify with the detector a leading portion of the coiled wire that includes the leading end thereof by designating a new leading end location on the coiled wire where the leading portion is severed from the coiled wire; c) in any order, to control the gripper to grip the leading portion, to control the clipper to sever the leading portion from the coiled wire, and to reposition the coiled wire with the gripper on the conveyor so that the designated new leading end location of the coiled wire is positioned at a location on the conveyor suitable for receipt of the coiled wire by the reforming station after the leading portion is severed;

d) to remove the severed leading portion from the

conveyor with the gripper;

e) identify a trailing portion of the coiled wire that includes the trailing end thereof by designating a new trailing end location on the coiled wire;

f) in any order, to control the gripper to grip the trailing portion, to control the clipper to sever the trailing portion from the coiled wire, and to reposition the coiled wire on the conveyor so that the designated new trailing end location of the coiled wire is positioned at a location on the conveyor suitable for receipt of the coiled wire by the reforming station after the trailing portion is severed; and g) to remove the severed trailing portion from the conveyor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the detector comprises a camera.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the detector comprises a thermal sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the carriage is mounted on a rail and is movable parallel to the conveyor.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus includes an arm rotatably mounted on the carriage at one end, and selectively rotatable to a first position over the conveyor or a second position lateral to the conveyor, wherein the gripper and the clipper are moveably mounted on the arm to move along the arm and to move toward and away from the conveyor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the detector is mounted on the arm.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the gripper includes a first clamp and a second clamp, and the clipper is located between the first clamp and the second clamp.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the carriage is moveable at a speed that is greater than speed of the conveyor, and wherein the carriage is moveable at different speeds.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller resides on the carriage.