Loop distributor for reforming station

Abstract

A rolling mill reforming station has an annular chamber into which rings are dropped to accumulate in coil form. A guide member is rotated about a circular path surrounding the path of ring descent. The guide member has a three dimensionally .[.curved.]. .Iadd.shaped .Iaddend.guide surface configured in the general shape of a plow share which distributes the descending rings around the circumference of the accumulating coil.

I claim: 
     
       1. In an apparatus for receiving a series of loops descending along a vertical path from a delivery device, and for accumulating the thus received loops in the form of an annular coil, a device for horizontally distributing the loops as they descend into the apparatus, said device comprising: a) means defining a circular path surrounding said vertical path;   b) a .[.curved.]. .Iadd.rotatable .Iaddend.guide member having a three dimensionally .Iadd.shaped .Iaddend.guide face .[.formed as a segment of the interior surface of an inverted hollow cone.]., said guide face having: (i) a top edge extending from a front end to a rear end along a segment .Iadd.of .Iaddend.said circular path; (ii) a trailing edge extending downwardly from said rear end to a lower end; and (iii) a leading edge extending upwardly from said lower end and angularly with respect to said trailing edge to said front end, said guide face .Iadd.extending into said vertical path and .Iaddend.being arranged to be contacted by and to horizontally deflect the descending loops away from .Iadd.the said segment of .Iaddend.said circular path; and   c) means for rotating said guide member around said circular path to circumferentially distribute the thus deflected loops around the axis of the accumulating annular coil.   
     
     
       2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said circular path defines the upper end of a cylindrical enclosure within which the annular coil is accumulated, said front end being spaced from the opposite interior surface of said enclosure by a first distance which is approximately equal to the inner diameter of said enclosures, said lower end being spaced from the opposite interior surface of said enclosure by a second distance which is less than said first distance. 
     
     
       3. The device is claimed in claim 2 wherein a guide element is disposed centrally within said enclosure to cooperate therewith in defining an annular chamber for receiving said loops, and wherein said second distance (d 2 ) is measured as: ##EQU2## where: D a  =is the outer diameter of said chamber   D b  =is the inner diameter of said chamber   C=is a clearance constant .Iadd.   
     
     
       4.  The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide face is formed as a segment of the interior surface of an inverted hollow cone. .Iaddend.