Method and apparatus for temporarily interrupting the passage of long products between upstream and downstream paths in a rolling mill

1. An apparatus for temporarily interrupting the passage of a long product between upstream and downstream paths, said apparatus comprising:

a cylindrical drum positioned between said paths, said drum being rotatable about a stationary vertical axis;

means for rotating said drum in one direction about said axis to receive a product from said upstream path and to accumulate said product thereon in a series of windings, and for reversing the direction of rotation of said drum about said axis to unwind the accumulated product therefrom to said downstream path, said product being received on and unwound from said drum at a common horizontal level; and

means for vertically displacing said drum along said axis and during drum rotation to vertically distribute said windings on said drum.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising delivery means operable at spaced locations around the circumference of said drum for delivering product from said upstream path to said drum and for delivering product unwinding from said drum to said downstream path.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said delivery means serves to forcibly propel said product.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 or 3 wherein said delivery means comprises a single driven pinch roll unit, and means for moving said pinch roll unit around the circumference of said drum between said locations.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pinch roll unit is driven in one direction to deliver said product to said drum, and is driven in the opposite direction to deliver the product unwinding from said drum to said downstream path.

6. An apparatus for temporarily interrupting the passage of a long product between upstream and downstream paths, said apparatus comprising:

a cylindrical drum positioned between said paths, said drum being rotatable about a stationary vertical axis;

delivery means operable at a first location around the circumference of said drum for delivering said product from said upstream path to said drum;

means for rotating said drum about said axis in one direction to accumulate said product thereon in a series of windings, and for reversing the direction of rotation of said drum about said axis to unwind the accumulated product therefrom;

said delivery means being operable at a second location around the circumference of said drum for delivering the product unwinding from said drum to said downstream path, said delivery means comprising a single pinch roll unit movable in a horizontal plane between said first and second locations, said pinch roll unit being driven in a first direction at said first location and in an opposite second direction at said second location;

and means for vertically displacing said drum along said axis and during rotation of said drum at a rate of approximately one product diameter per drum revolution.

7. A method of temporarily interrupting the passage of a long product between upstream and downstream paths, said method comprising:

providing a cylindrical drum positioned between said paths, said drum being rotatable about a stationary vertical axis;

rotating said drum in one direction to receive a product from said upstream path while vertically displacing said drum along said axis to thereby accumulate said product thereon in a series of vertically distributed windings; and

reversing the direction of rotation of said drum about said axis to unwind the accumulated product therefrom to said downstream path.