Technical Field This plant is particularly intended, if not exclusively, to be placed downstream of wire, band or strip rolling-mill plants, in which instead of fly-cutting the rolled-stock, the latter is wound in coils.

Background Art In the prior art different systems for coil-winding the rolled-stock and also wire, for example originating from others plants, in a continuous way are known, citing as an example : US-A-3,796, 389 discloses an apparatus for strip winding placed in a feeding line with a split-system for two winding-machines alternating between each other in the winding.

A similar plant is disclosed in DE-A-4035193 where substantially a flying cutting shear and splitting-system to split is provided, without stopping the advancement of the wire on either of the winding-machines so that while winding is carried out in one machine, it is possible to proceed with the extraction of the coil in the other.

Another similar plant is explained in the EP1126933 in which a handling device is associated to each winding-machine to withdraw axially the coil from the stopped winding-machine and transfer it to evacuating transfer means, while the other is winding.

Drawbacks of the Prior Art The known solutions have operating speed limits and moreover are structurally complex and expensive.

The winding process can involve stops due to tangling and the handling arrangements and coil storage are impractical and quite slow.

The machines are cumbersome.

Both systems therefore present one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks or limitations.

In particular the solution EP1126933 is very complex and inefficient particularly with the limited speed of the reel opening and closing system that takes place with a system in the form of a flag-opening cap, with all the resultant drawbacks. The complexity of the latter solution derives furthermore from the pick-up and formed coil movement system that functions by means of ground guide-rails, trolleys and the like.

All these shapes make the system very complex, cumbersome and difficult to access and maintain. In conclusion it is unreliable. The operating speed is further limited by the complex structure of the systems for wire entry guidance and coil control after formation for pick-up.

Aim of the Present invention The aim of the present invention is to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks, to improve the performance of the plant and to improve the quality and/or reduce the cost of treated material.

Summary of the Invention The winding plant according to the present invention is concretized according to the characteristics of main claim.

The characteristics of the sub-claims refer to particularly advantageous solutions.

Advantages The advantages achieved resolve the pre-established aim and in particular allow a high multi-functional performance to be obtained and moreover allow a qualitatively good product to be obtained at a reduced production cost.

All this is obviously favoured by the vertical axis coil extraction system.

Brief Description of the Drawings The characteristics of the invention and other related features will be better understood with the aid of the attached Figures enclosed as a non-limitative example,

in which: - Fig. 1 represents a schematic side view of the winding plant applied to the end portion of a rolling-mill line during the winding phase or winding in a first winding- machine of two coordinated adjacent winding-machines supplied by a shunter with associated flying cutting shear, - Fig. 1 A represents the phase of depositing the coil in the binding station.

- Fig. 2 represents an overview of the plant in Fig. 1 in which it is possible to see the two adjacent winding-machines associated to a flag-transfer, namely with a column with a rotating overhanging arm to extract the coils from either of the winding-machines and deposit said coils in a posterior binding, transfer and stock station Fig. 2A.

- Fig. 3A and 3B represent, in an elevated side view, the mullion-transfer as in the previous Figures, respectively without coil, lowered and with coil raised for the transfer by means of rotation.

- Fig. 3C represents a plan view of the coil pick-up device with four jaws, placed at the end under the portal arm of the mullion-transfer device.

- Fig. 4,4A represent respectively a side and elevated view of a winding-machine from the feeding side of the wire to be wound (AB), with the pair of lowered wire-guide jaws around the wire winding reel to allow the automatic threading of the wire split by the upstream splitting flying shear (4C-2,3), while the pair of rolls that maintain the coil compact at the end of winding are rotated upwards at a distance from the winding reel (4B-422).

-Fig. 5 represents a view of the phase immediately following the wire threading and the start of winding (F), with the opposite wire-guide jaws (4C-431) immediately raised with a short disengagement movement from the previous wire-guide position, this movement being very fast as it is not integrated into the total disengagement mechanism that takes place in a following phase.

- Fig. 6 and 6A represent the view of the same device as in the previous Figures but in which the opposite wire-guide jaws are completely shifted by means of rotation on a

different articulation, sending-away from the winding reel (AV), while the two pairs of opposite rolls (422) have been rotated in approach against the wire coil, that is formed in rotation (B) - Fig. 7 represents an enlarged view of the constructive details of the wire-winding reel for the formation of the coil (winding reel) in partial axial section to show the respective moving mechanism and cooling device.

Said winder or winding-reel being in the winding position.

- Fig. 7A, represents a view of the winding reel (AV) in the previous Figure, in which in partial axial section, the moving mechanism is still visible and the latter has been transformed from a closed reel to a conic reel (410) and the flanging of the reel (411) is rotated upwards, namely towards the axis and towards the exterior to allow the axial extraction of said coil (B).

- Fig. 7B, represents a plan view of the nippers or reel-mandrel sectors, of which there are four, that form the winding reel in a movable way, namely the winding reel mandrel, with a hatched view of the respective inner holes, these channels being for the circulation of cooling water and thus the dispersion of heat that the hot-rolled wire introduces into winding the coil, together with the external undulated special shape of said nippers, to reduce as much as possible contact with the wire and allow improved heat dispersion by means of aerating.

- Fig. 8 represents a front view of a nipper (410) of the reel, with a view of the respective internal to-and-fro serpentine channelling (4102) for cooling.

Detailed Description of the Plant in Connection with Figures As disclosed in the previous Figures, the winding plant (see Fig. 1-lA, 2-2A) includes a split system or splitting of the known type with a flying shear, schematized with (1) that deviates the wire on two lines, alternatively on one or the other (2) towards either of the two respectively adjacent winding-machines (4), with the aid of suitable wire- guide means of the known type (3) for coil-winding (B).

While a coil forms in a winding-machine, in the adjacent winding-machine that is

stopped, the pick-up of the completed coil is carried out with a transfer (5,..., 521).

Coil Transfer (5, Figg. 1, 1A, 2, 2A. 3A, 3B, 3C) The coil transfer (5,..., 521) Fig. lA, is of the portal type, namely with a column (51), with a flag-type arm (52) that is rotary (510), whose end (521) carries an openable clamping device with a pair of clamps or crossed opposite jaws (522) for the pick-up and axial extraction of the coil (B) from the winding-machine (AV) of the respective winding device (4,4A), to transfer said coil (Fig. 2) from the stopped winding-machine to a posterior binding or strapping station by means of two known art opposite binding machines or tie-machines (6) Fig. 2A, the transfer of the coil to respective storage of tied coils (B1) then being provided.

The mullion-transfer is therefore of the portal type and its rotating arm (52) can be raised and lowered by means of a dynamic-fluid piston (520) for the pick-up and deposition action, while rotation is guaranteed by a respective motor/ratiomotor (510) at the base of the column on a respective thrust block (5101).

The lifting and lowering of the arm (52) is guaranteed by a box guide (520) with pairs of opposite guide rolls (5201) operating in a sliding way on the column with double-T section.

The pick-up of the coils is facilitated by the clamping device with four clamps that self- centre on the coil (B), opening and closing by means of respective fluid operated cylinders for opening and closing (5220).

In this way it is understood that the transfer movement is very fast and has open-air excursion, it does not encumber or impede the surrounding zones thus further allowing the greater compactness of the plant. Furthermore, this type of movement is manifestly very simple and very reliable with maintenance reduced to a minimum.

Winding Groups (4, 4A, 4B, 4C. Fig. 4, 4A, 5. 6. 6A) The two winding groups are identical and adjacent with a wire-winding reel (F) with an openable reel (AV) with a vertical axis.

Each group includes, in addition to the central winding reel (AV-41), two opposite coil-

compacting apparatuses (4B) in pairs of rolls (422) and two auto-introducing wire- guide jaws to automatically guide the wire at the beginning of winding (4C).

In the centre is the reel (41) with openable winding reel (AV).

Opposite Coil-Compacting Apparatus (4B ! They include two respective articulated devices (42), placed on both sides of the winding reel (AV) with respect to the wire advancment line that fits sideways into the reel (AB).

The rolls are mounted on an articulated arm (421) hinged to the base structure (420) and operated in rotation from a distanced position (Fig. 4) to a position against the coil (B) Fig. 6. The movement occurs by means of the fluid-operated base-cylinder (4212) on the reacting arm (4210).

Said rolls (422, see Fig. 6A) are mounted in pairs on a parallelogram (4222) with pairs of opposite arms mounted on the rolls'support (4220) and elastically moved under pressure by respective dynamic-fluid cylinder means (4221).

In this way the movement is simple and reliable and the guaranteed, invariable orientation of the rolls for the adequate control of the end turns of the coil (B) in the winding reel (4V-41) avoids slackness prior to pick-up.

Wire-Guide Group (4C) The wire-guide group includes two semicircular opposite wire-entry guide jaws (431) hinged sideways, horizontally (430) and controlled by a fast-moving dynamic-fluid cylinder (4311) at the end of the jaw movement arm (4310) hinged sideways at the base of the machine (4301) and rotated in sending-away and approach by means of a reacting arm (43101) operated by a fluid-operated base-cylinder (43102).

In this way it is understood that while with the opposite base-jacks (43102) the sending-away and approach of the wire-entry guide jaws (431) is carried out, their final movement, that is precise and fast to engage and disengage the wire, occurs with independent, short, precise and fast control (4311) that would otherwise prove impossible with this type of performance by the approaching and spacing-apart mover

device with wide excursion (43102).

The above therefore allows very high speed and good performance to be achieved, without the danger of tangling or the need to reduce the advancing speed of the wire or the need to use of speed adapting loops.

The short engagement and disengagement movement is clearly visible in Fig. 5 Winding Central Group-Winding Reel 4A, Fig. 7. 7A. 7B, 8) It comprises the central winding reel (41) with the closable and openable reel (AV), Reel opening and closing action (AV): The opening and closing of the reel (AV), necessary for extracting the coil (B) once it has been completed, occurs by means of four rotatable petal flange sectors (411) with a reacting arm (4111) moved by a sleeve (413) that moves axially by means of a dynamic-fluid ; cylinder (4131-4132) operated by a dynamic-fluid circuit (4133) with transmission to the reel base (41330) on a non-rotating coaxial axis with respect to the rotating reel (AV).

The advantage of this solution is very important for the compactness and simplicity of the rotation guaranteed by the shaft end connection (4131) with respect to the sleeve (413).

Reel Mandrel External Shape Variation (AV) The reel mandrel (AV) is composed of four sectors namely four nippers (410) hinged to the base (4121) of a rest-coil lower reel flange (412).

On the upper part, the movable sectors of the reel-mandrel (410) are articulated (4112) to said axially movable sleeve (413).

In this way, when the movable sleeve (413) is raised the upper flanging petals (411) are open, namely orthogonal to the reel axis and allow the formation of the coil (B) during winding, and the reel-mandrel sectors (410) are parallel and form a cylinder (Fig. 7).

When the coil is finished, in order to allow easy extraction, the movable internal sleeve (413) is withdrawn downwards operating simultaneously :

- the reel upper flanging petals that close upwards like a flower, - the core sectors that re-enter on the upper part (410, Fig. 7A) determining a conical shape with the upper base size being smaller than the lower base.

In this way the extraction of the coil (B), by means of the jaws of the clamping device (522), is allowed and facilitated.

Cooling System The semicircular reel mandrel sectors or nippers (410) are internally holed with channels (4102). The channels convey on a connecting duct (41020) with an interior duct double coaxial channel (41021,41022).

In this way the cooling of the reel is guaranteed.

Furthermore, the external shape of said core nippers or sectors is undulated by means of alternate longitudinal counterbores (4101).

In this way contact of the reel mandrel surface (AV) with the coil (B) is reduced and a circulation of air through these longitudinal counterbores is facilitated.

The reel (AV) rotates coaxially to the central axis by means of known art motorization with connection to a bevel-type drive (40, 401-402).

Winding Cyde The start of coil-winding occurs by means of said movable semicircular opposite jaw device (431) in association with the wire-introduction system (AB) for the first adherent turns to the side or base reel flange (AV) of the winding-machine.

This device receives the wire (F) from the dispenser (2-3) while it is closely fitted to the reel mandrel (AV) and then to the priming of the first turns, the coil forming area must quickly be left free. To do this in the most efficient way, the fast movement of rapid displacement (short rotation 4310, Fig. 5) is used.

Subsequently, with other slower and wider rotation movements (4310-43102) the wire-guide jaws sending-away is carried out, leaving free the space to the approach of said control rolls last coil turns (422).

In this way when the coil stops, the last turns are held closed until the clamping device

(522) of the transfer (5) intervenes, whose four jaws are rotated to 45° to clamp the coil (B) between said rolls (422).

Subsequently the rolls (422) move away and the coil (B) still remains closed by the clamping device. At the same time the reel (AV) is also opened thus tightening and closing the upper flanging petals that are oriented upwards.

In this way the lock-out coil is also internally loosened and can easily be removed upwards with the lifting of the arm (52) of the mullion-transfer (5) and rotated rearward for deposition in the binding-machine with two opposite binding groups (6).

At this point the cycle is repeated returning the priming wire-guide jaws to the position adjacent to the reel mandrel (AV) in order to receive a new wire (F) to be wound (Fig. 4).