BUNDLING SYSTEM FOR LONG PRODUCTS
A system for bundling long ferrous products comprises a roller table for delivering the products longitudinally to a receiving station. A cradle is spaced laterally from the receiving station and is constructed and arranged to receive and accumulate the products in bundle form. A stacker is positioned between the receiving station and the cradle, and a pre-stacker is positioned between the stacker and the receiving station. A transport system laterally advances products from the receiving station to the pre-stacker, and the pre-stacker operates in concert with the transport system to pre-stack multiple layers of the products into sub-bundles and to transfer the sub-bundles to the stacker, which then operates to deposit the sub-bundles in the cradle.
1 . A system for bundling long ferrous products, comprising:
a roller table for delivering said products longitudinally to a receiving station;
a cradle spaced laterally from said receiving station, said cradle being constructed and arranged to receive and accumulate said products in bundle form;
a stacker positioned between said receiving station and said cradle;
a pre-stacker positioned between said stacker and said receiving station; and
a transport system for laterally advancing products from said receiving station to said pre-stacker, said pre-stacker being constructed and arranged to operate in concert with said transport system to pre-stack multiple layers of said products into sub-bundles and to transfer said sub-bundles to said stacker, said stacker being operative to deposit said sub-bundles in said cradle.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein said stacker comprises support arms that are movable in a transfer cycle between a first position receiving the sub-bundles from said pre-stacker, and a second position depositing said sub-bundles in said cradle.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein said pre-stacker comprises upper and lower fingers that are manipulable in a pre-stacking cycle to stack selected product layers into sub-bundles and to transfer said sub-bundles onto the support arms of said stacker.
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein said fingers are manipulable in said pre-stacking cycle to grip and invert selected product layers in the course of forming said sub-bundles.
5 . The system of claims 3 or 4 wherein said pre-stacking cycle overlaps said transfer cycle.