FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns an apparatus and a corresponding method for feeding and cutting on the fly a metal product, specifically a rod or a metal wire, in the context of a plant for the production of metal bobbins, also called coils, in line starting from a product exiting from a rolling process.

The apparatus and method allow to remove portions of metal product which could generate problems or blockages during movement or in the winding step to form the coil, or to carry out simple sampling of the product, or to allow to divide the product into portions of the desired weight.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plants are known for the production of metal coils in which a hot-rolled metal product, for example a smooth or ribbed rod or wire, is fed continuously or semi- continuously (for example with a “billet to billet” feed) toward a winding apparatus in which a laying head, or loop-forming head, forms a continuous series of loops and places them, in a configuration staggered in length, on an apparatus for feeding the metal product. The latter comprises a continuous transport conveyor, generally a belt or a roller way, on which the product is subjected to cooling. The transport conveyor is generally disposed in a fixed position and is flat, in descent or ascent, or is equipped with jumps.

The metal product thus disposed and moved ends its travel in a coil-forming apparatus, and is dropped into a well in the center of which there is normally a trolley mounting a centering rod on which the loops are stacked one above the other to define the coil.

It is known that the initial and/or final part of the product, rod or wire exiting the rolling line, may not be formed correctly. Consequently, while the product advances along the roller way, it is normally necessary to check at least the condition of the last coil, or more generally of a last portion of the product, in order to guarantee that the coil-forming apparatus works without the risk of blockages.

The blocking of the loops along the roller way or in the coil-forming apparatus is one of the most widespread problems and should be prevented since it can cause malformation of the coils, plant stoppages, damage to the structures, increase in maintenance interventions and, in the presence of operators, also a high risk of accidents.

In conventional plants, the checking of the last portion of product being fed is performed manually by one or more operators simultaneously, who supervise the terminal zone of the roller way where the product transits at a temperature of about 500°C. Manual cutting of the tail portion of the moving product can present difficulties dictated by the high relative speed of the roller way with respect to the operators, by the temperatures involved, by the weight of the material which makes it awkward to manually move the portion of product to be removed from the roller way.

In addition to the tail or head portion, it is often necessary to also remove portions of the product for laboratory analysis. In this case too, currently, the removal is performed manually with the same problems described above. Apparatuses are also known in which the cutting of the advancing metal product is done in an automated manner. An example of such a solution is described in document JP 2007 152354 A.

There is therefore a need to perfect an apparatus and method for feeding and cutting a metal product which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

To do this it is necessary to solve the technical problem of separating the moving loops so as to distance an upstream coil from a downstream coil, so as to obtain a single wire to be cut. This problem is very complex, also because while the loops are being separated the correct overall advance of the metal product toward the coil-forming apparatus has to be guaranteed, without any loops or bends being made on the product.

One purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus, and to perfect a method, to allow the continuous feed of the metal product and at the same time, according to needs, to be able to cut a desired portion of product “on the fly”, for example a head, tail or intermediate portion, quickly and easily.

Another purpose of the present invention is to perfect an automated method for feeding and cutting said metal product which allows to reduce the presence of dedicated operators, and consequently the associated risks of accidents and the lengthening of operating times.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, and to resolve the technical problem disclosed above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, an apparatus for feeding and cutting a metal product conformed into overlapping loops, according to the present invention, comprises at least a first, a second and a third conveyor which are aligned and partly overlapping in succession, at different heights, in particular decreasing heights, along an axis of feed of the metal product.

The conveyors are provided with respective feed elements which define a respective first, second and third feed plane, which are configured to support and allow the feed of the metal product. Such feed elements can be rollers, chains or other similar or comparable elements. The apparatus also comprises a control unit configured at least to control the actuation of the feed elements, with the aim of guaranteeing a desired feed speed of the metal product. The actuation of the feed elements provides to make rollers, chains or other similar or comparable elements rotate in order to make the metal product move forward, or possibly backward. The second conveyor is linearly mobile parallel to the axis of feed between a so-called zero position and an end-of-travel position, and it is equipped with a cutting device configured to cut a portion of the metal product.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the second conveyor comprises a front end upstream of which there is installed the cutting device and a separation element.

Moreover, the control unit is configured at least to control the actuation of the feed elements in a synchronous and correlated manner, together with a linear movement of the second conveyor, in order to separate, by means of the separation element, a portion of metal product already fallen onto the third conveyor from the portion still present on the second conveyor, and to activate the cutting device in order to cut the metal product present on the second feed plane.

This apparatus therefore allows to perform the cutting of the metal product, for example of a head, tail or intermediate portion, in an automated manner, without process interruptions and with a reduced presence of/need for dedicated personnel. Furthermore, this apparatus has a configuration that lends itself both to installation in plants for the production of latest generation metal coils, and also to “revamping” of pre-existing plants. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the last feed elements of the first, second or third conveyor each consist respectively of two facing cantilevered parts, transversely distanced so that a hollow space is defined between them to direct the fall of the metal product downstream, wherein the separation element is disposed upstream of the cantilevered parts. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the separation element can advantageously be a head feed element of the second conveyor. According to one variant, the separation element is a striker bar.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the third conveyor comprises a plurality of portions, or sections, all mobile, all fixed or a combination of mobile portions and fixed portions.

According to a preferred embodiment, the third conveyor comprises two fixed portions and one mobile portion disposed between them, wherein at least the mobile portion is configured to cooperate with a terminal part of the second conveyor in order to receive and evacuate the portion of metal product cut by the cutting device. In particular, the mobile portion can be moved in order to evacuate the previously cut metal product from the third feed plane.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, at least one of the mobile portions which forms part of the third conveyor can be selectively rotatable in order to evacuate the cut portion of metal product into a suitable space, suitably located, below the third feed plane for example.

According to a preferred embodiment, the feed elements mounted on one or more mobile portions of the third conveyor are actuated independently of the feed elements mounted on one or more fixed portions of the third conveyor. According to one variant, the feed elements mounted on the one or more mobile portions of the third conveyor are actuated in a coordinated manner with respect to the feed elements mounted on the one or more fixed portions, by means of a common actuator or with two or more actuators driven in a coordinated manner. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cutting device is a shear. The shear is, advantageously, a guillotine shear.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cutting device has a vertical cutting plane, orthogonal to the second feed plane.

Some embodiments described here also concern a plant for producing metal coils comprising:

- a winding apparatus having a loop-forming head configured to conform, in a continuous or discontinuous manner, a metal product into loops;

- a coil-forming apparatus provided with a well, in the center of which there is a centering rod configured for the automatic stacking of the metal product into loops in order to define a coil, and

- an apparatus for feeding and cutting a metal product, as described above, disposed between the winding apparatus and the coil-forming apparatus.

Some embodiments described here also concern a method for feeding and cutting a metal product conformed into overlapping loops, comprising: - a supply step, in which the winding apparatus as above lays a metal product on a first conveyor provided with a first feed plane having respective first feed elements;

- a first feed step, in which the first feed plane makes the metal product advance toward the second conveyor provided with a second feed plane having respective second feed elements, the second conveyor being disposed along the axis of feed aligned overlapping with the first conveyor at a lower height than the latter;

- a second feed step, in which the second conveyor is in a so-called zero position and the second feed elements make the metal product advance toward a third conveyor provided with a third feed plane having respective third feed elements, the third conveyor being disposed along the axis of feed aligned overlapping with the second conveyor at a lower height than the latter;

- a third feed step, in which the second conveyor translates from the zero position toward the end-of-travel position with a first acceleration, while the second feed elements gradually slow down their rotation in a manner that is synchronous and correlated to the movement of the second conveyor;

According to one aspect of the present invention, the method also comprises the following steps: - a separation step, in which the second conveyor, before it reaches the end-of- travel position, is further accelerated with a second acceleration while the second feed elements rotate correspondingly in a direction opposite to that which allows the feed of the metal product, in order to separate a portion of metal product already fallen onto the third conveyor from the portion still present on the second conveyor, by interposing a separation element located on board the second conveyor, and

- a cutting step, in which the cutting device present on board the second conveyor upstream of a front end thereof is activated in order to cut the laid down metal product, in correspondence with the separation element.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, after the cutting step, there follows an evacuation step in which the feed elements of the second or third feed plane respectively of the second conveyor and of the third conveyor are activated in order to evacuate the portion of metal product cut by the cutting device in the direction of the winding apparatus toward suitable unloading zones.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, during the evacuation step, the mobile portion of the third conveyor cooperates with a terminal part of the second conveyor in order to receive and evacuate the portion of metal product cut by the cutting device, removing it from the third feed plane.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, during the evacuation step, the mobile portion is made to rotate in order to evacuate the cut portion of metal product into a suitable space below the third plurality of rollers.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, after or at the same time as the evacuation step, there is provided a return step in which the second conveyor is returned to the zero position, and during its translation to the zero position the feed elements of the second feed plane are driven so that the metal product can continue its travel with the desired linear speed.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cutting step occurs “on the fly”, while the cutting device moves together with the metal product. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in the first, second and third feed steps, in the separation step and in the cutting step, the absolute linear speed of the metal product remains substantially constant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of one embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a lateral view of a plant for the production of metal coils which comprises an apparatus for feeding and cutting a metal product, according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a top view of fig. 1 ;

- figs. 3-11 show a possible operating sequence carried out in accordance with the method for feeding and cutting a metal product according to the present invention;

- figs. 12, 13 show an enlarged detail of the terminal part of the second conveyor in a first (fig. 12) and second (fig. 13) embodiment.

We must clarify that in the present description the phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures in the attached drawings also as described, have the sole function of better illustrating and explaining the present invention, their function being to provide a non-limiting example of the invention itself, since the scope of protection is defined by the claims.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications. DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to fig. 1 and fig. 2, a plant 100 for the production of metal coils 200 comprises a winding apparatus 110 having a laying head, or loop-forming head, 111, configured to conform, in a continuous or discontinuous manner, a metal product P into loops, a coil-forming apparatus 112 provided with a well 113 in the center of which there is a centering rod 114 configured to allow the automatic stacking of the loops of metal product P in order to define the coil 200, and an apparatus 10 for feeding and cutting the metal product P disposed between the winding apparatus 110 and the coil-forming apparatus 112. The feeding and cutting apparatus 10 according to the present invention comprises a plurality of conveyors aligned along an axis of feed X of the metal product P, on which the metal product P is made to advance laid down in partly overlapping loops.

The feeding and cutting apparatus 10 comprises at least a first conveyor 11, a second conveyor 12 and a third conveyor 13, which are aligned and partly overlapping in succession, at decreasing heights, along the axis of feed X.

In particular, the first conveyor 11 is disposed at a higher height than the second conveyor 12, and the second conveyor 12 is disposed at a higher height than the third conveyor 13. Consequently, a first step can form between the first conveyor 11 and the second conveyor 12, and a second step can form between the second conveyor 12 and the third conveyor 13.

Favorably, the conveyors 11, 12, 13 are reciprocally disposed along the axis of feed X in such a way as to guarantee, in any case, a continuous feed of the metal product P without interruptions. Consequently, the first conveyor 11 is always at least partly overlapping with the second conveyor 12, and the second conveyor 12 is always at least partly overlapping with the third conveyor 13.

According to one possible embodiment, the third conveyor 13 can extend even below the first conveyor 11.

Each conveyor 11, 12, 13 comprises a respective first, second and third feed plane 14, 15, 16. The feed planes 14, 15, 16 are preferably horizontal. However, it is not excluded that the feed planes 14, 15, 16 may be inclined downward in the direction of feed of the metal product P, or upward.

The feed planes 14, 15, 16 are defined by feed elements which in this specific case are a plurality of rollers 14a, 15a, 16a. The plurality of rollers 14a, 15a, 16a defines respective roller ways and is managed by suitable actuation means.

According to possible variants, the feed planes 14, 15, 16 can be defined by a plurality of respective chains.

According to some embodiments, the last rollers, for example the last three rollers, of one or more of either the first, second and third plurality of rollers 14a, 15 a, 16a can each consist respectively of two facing cantilevered parts, hereafter referred to as cantilevered rollers, transversely distanced so that a hollow space is defined between them to direct the fall of the metal product P onto the subsequent conveyor 12, 13 or into the well 113 of the coil-forming apparatus 112. The cantilevered rollers project from two opposite lateral panels of the respective conveyor 11, 12, 13.

With reference to figs. 12 and 13, these show the cantilevered rollers 315 provided on the second conveyor 15. These cantilevered rollers 315 have different lengths in order to define a hollow space that gradually increases in the direction of the axis of feed X. The lengths, intended as cantilever, of the individual cantilevered rollers 315 are independently adjustable. Favorably, the cantilevered rollers 315 adjusted with a greater length have a faceted rolling surface able to make the material jump, promoting the detachment of the loops. For example, this rolling surface can have a square-shaped profile.

Each conveyor 11, 12, 13 is equipped with its own actuation mean, in particular a first, second and third actuator Ml, M2, M3 which are configured to drive the first, second and third plurality of rollers 14a, 15a, 16a in rotation.

Contrary to the first conveyor 11 and to the third conveyor 13, which are disposed in a fixed position along the axis of feed X, the second conveyor 12 is linearly mobile with respect to the first conveyor 11 and with respect to the third conveyor 13 parallel to the axis of feed X in both directions, as will be explained in more detail below.

The second conveyor 12 can be provided with trolleys 17 mobile on guides 18 which are parallel to the axis of feed X and driven by a fourth actuator M4. The two ends, initial and final, of the guides 18, illustrated here by way of example with a line, define the maximum translation travel of the second conveyor 12.

The second conveyor 12 is mobile between a first position, or zero position, and a second position, or end-of-travel position.

In the so-called zero position, a front end 19 of the second conveyor 12 is located upstream with respect to when the same front end of the second conveyor 12 is in the end-of-travel position.

Favorably, in both the first and second positions, the second conveyor 12 is disposed upstream below the first conveyor 11 and downstream above the third conveyor 13.

By way of example, when the second conveyor 12 is in the zero position and is kept stationary, it is possible to perform the normal feed of the metal product P by activating the first, second and third plurality of rollers 14a, 15a, 16a at the same speed of rotation, or possibly at speeds of rotation which gradually vary downstream.

According to possible embodiments, a third position, or resting position, can also be provided, in which the second conveyor 12 is located for at least most of its extension below the first conveyor 11.

In possible embodiments, in which the third conveyor 13 extends even below the first conveyor 11, the second conveyor 12, when it is in the resting position, can be even completely below the first conveyor 11. In this case, the metal product P would advance directly from the first conveyor 11 to the third conveyor 13, making a double jump equivalent to the sum of the first step and the second step.

According to some embodiments, the second conveyor 12 is provided with a cutting device 20 mounted in correspondence with its front end 19.

The cutting device 20 is preferably mounted immediately upstream of the last rollers, for example of the last three rollers, of the second plurality of rollers 15a.

The cutting device 20 is, in any case, positioned in order to cut the metal product P before it falls from the second conveyor 15. Therefore, the cutting device 20 preferably acts on the metal product P when the latter is still on the second feed plane 15, shortly before it falls. Purely by way of example, the cutting device 20 can be a vertical shear and comprise a pair of cutting elements or blades 21, 22. The pair of blades 21, 22 comprises an upper blade 21 which is normally located above the second plurality of rollers 15a and a lower blade 22 which is normally located below the second plurality of rollers 15a. The vertical shear has a vertical cutting plane, orthogonal to the second feed plane 15. The blades 21, 22 are mobile with respect to each other in order to cut a section of the metal product P which passes between them. The drive of the blades 21, 22 occurs thanks to a fifth actuator M5. The blades 21, 22 can pass through a hollow space present between one roller and the next.

In one embodiment, the cutting device 20 is a guillotine shear. The second conveyor 15 is favorably provided with a separation element disposed in correspondence with the front end 19, immediately upstream of the last rollers, for example of the last three rollers, of the second plurality of rollers 15a.

The separation element is disposed upstream of the cantilevered rollers 315. The function of the separation element is to be interposed between the loops of the metal product P in the separation step which will be described below.

The separation element can be the head roller 415 disposed upstream of the cantilevered rollers 31 . In other words, the head roller 415 is the last “whole” roller of the second plurality of rollers 15a.

According to one variant, the separation element can be a striker bar or blade 215 mounted between the “whole” head roller 415 and the first cantilevered rollers 315, see fig. 13.

According to some embodiments, the third conveyor 13 comprises a plurality of portions, or sections, all mobile, all fixed or a combination thereof.

Purely by way of example, the third conveyor 13 comprises two fixed portions 13a and 13c and one mobile portion 13b disposed between them. The fixed portions 13a and 13c and the mobile portion 13b are disposed on the same plane.

The mobile portion 13b is configured to cooperate with the terminal part of the second conveyor 12 in order to receive and evacuate the portion of metal product P previously cut by the cutting device 20.

The mobile portion 13b can be moved to evacuate the portion of metal product P previously cut by the cutting device 20 from the third feed plane 16.

The mobile portion 13b can be rotatable, for example downward, so as to allow the evacuation of the cut portion of metal product P into a suitable unloading space, for example below the third plurality of rollers 16, where a collection mean, for example a dolly 25, can be present.

Therefore, the mobile portion 13b extends between a fixed end and a mobile end thereof, wherein the fixed end is rotatable around a pin 24 which is orthogonal to the axis of feed X. Advantageously, the fixed end is the one closest to the second conveyor 12.

The rotation of the mobile portion 13b can be activated by a sixth actuator M6.

The rollers of the mobile portion 13b can be actuated independently of the rollers of the fixed portion 13a, 13c. In this case, the third actuator M3 can comprise a third actuator for the mobile part M3 ’ and a third actuator for the fixed part M3”.

According to one variant, the rollers of the mobile portion 13b are actuated in a coordinated manner with respect to the rollers of the fixed portion 13a, 13c, for example by means of a common actuator or by means of two or more actuators driven in a coordinated manner.

The fixed portion 13c, which is the one furthest from the coil-forming apparatus 112, acts as an unloading conveyor to receive and evacuate the portions of metal product P arriving from the mobile portion 13b of the third conveyor 13.

The feeding and cutting apparatus 10 also comprises a control unit 23 operatively connected to the actuators M1-M4, to control the feed speeds of the metal product P along the conveyors 11, 12, 13, and to the actuator M5, to coordinate the “on the fly” cut of the metal product P according to requirements. In particular, the control unit 23 is configured at least to control the rotation of the first, second and third plurality of rollers 14a, 15a, 16a in a synchronous and correlated manner, together with the movement of the second conveyor 12 in order to linearly lay down at least one segment of the metal product P, and to activate the cutting device 20 in order to cut the at least one segment of the metal product P linearly laid down.

The control unit 23 is also operatively connected to the sixth actuator M6 to manage the evacuation of the cut portion of metal product P.

The operation of the feeding and cutting apparatus 10 described heretofore, which corresponds to the method according to the present invention, will now be described in detail considering a first operating mode which is realized when the metal product P is made to advance continuously toward the coil-forming apparatus 112 by the winding apparatus 110, and a second operating mode when the metal product P has to be cut to size (cutting the head, tail or intermediate portion). First operating mode: normal feed

Following a continuous or discontinuous supply step of the metal product P, the method provides a single normal feed step, in which the first plurality of rollers 14a, rotating at a first speed of rotation R1 (clockwise in the drawings), makes the metal product P advance at a correlated first linear speed V 1 along the axis of feed X toward the second conveyor 12.

The linear speed V 1 of the metal product P is normally in the range of 0.1 -2 m/s.

The metal product P advances until the end of the first conveyor 11 and then falls, in correspondence with the first step, onto the second plurality of rollers 15a of the second conveyor 12, which is stationary in the zero position.

The second plurality of rollers 15a of the second conveyor 12, rotating at a second speed of rotation R2 (clockwise in the drawings), makes the metal product P advance at a correlated second linear speed V2 along the axis of feed X toward the third conveyor 13.

The metal product P advances to the end of the second conveyor 12 and then falls, in correspondence with the second step, onto the third plurality of rollers 16a of the third conveyor 13.

The third plurality of rollers 16a of the third conveyor 13, rotating at a third speed of rotation R3 (clockwise in the drawings), makes the metal product P advance at a correlated third linear speed V3 along the axis of feed X toward the coil-forming apparatus 112 where it is collected, for example vertically, in order to form a coil 200.

The first, second and third speeds of rotation Rl, R2, R3 can be the same as each other, so that the first, second and third linear speeds VI , V2, V3 of the metal product P are also the same as each other.

According to one variant, the first, second and third speeds of rotations Rl, R2, R3 are different from each other, so that the metal product P accelerates or slows down during its travel downstream, that is, toward the coil-forming apparatus 112.

Second operating mode: feed and cut

When the cut of a portion of metal product P is required, the feed step described above occurs differently. In particular, the feed of the metal product P is also obtained by linearly translating the second conveyor 12, parallel to the axis of feed X, as will be described below.

In this specific case, following a supply step in which the metal product P is laid, continuously or discontinuously, on the first plurality of rollers 14a of the first conveyor 11 , a first feed step is provided.

If the supply step has just begun, as shown in fig. 3, the metal product P exits from the loop-forming head 111 of the winding apparatus 110 with a head portion Pl thereof. Conversely, if the supply step is about to end, the metal product P exits from the loop-forming head 111 with a tail portion P2 thereof.

In the first feed step (fig. 3), the first plurality of rollers 14a, rotating at a first speed of rotation Rl, makes the metal product P advance at a corresponding first linear speed VI toward the second conveyor 12.

If the supply step has just begun, the metal product P advances until the head portion Pl falls onto the second plurality of rollers 15a of the second conveyor 12.

The first feed step is followed by a second feed step (fig. 4) in which the second conveyor 12 is in the zero position and the second plurality of rollers 15a, rotating at a second speed of rotation R2, makes the metal product P advance at a corresponding second linear speed V2 toward the third conveyor 13.

During the second feed step, the second speed of rotation R2 is favorably the same as the first speed of rotation R1 so that the second linear speed V2 is the same as the first linear speed VI. According to one variant, these speeds of rotation Rl, R2, and consequently these linear speeds VI, V2, can also be different.

During the second feed step, the head portion Pl falls onto the third plurality of rollers 16a of the third conveyor 13.

Subsequently, in a third feed step (fig. 5), the second conveyor 12 translates from the zero position toward the end-of-travel position with a first acceleration Al (therefore with increasing speed of translation), while the second plurality of rollers 15a gradually slows down its rotation (R2’<R2) in a manner that is synchronous and correlated to the movement of the second conveyor 12. The second plurality of rollers 15a stops only the moment the speed of translation of the second conveyor 12 reaches the second linear speed V2 of the metal product P.

During the third feed step, the second speed of rotation R2, which initially was by way of example the same as the first speed of rotation Rl, decreases while the second linear speed V2 remains comprised between the value of the first linear speed V 1 and the linear speed value which the metal product P has along the third conveyor 13, thanks to the speed compensation caused by the movement of the second conveyor 12.

During the third feed step, the second plurality of rollers 16a, rotating at a third speed of rotation R3, makes the metal product P advance at a corresponding third linear speed V3 toward the coil- forming apparatus 112.

The third speed of rotation R3 is favorably the same as the first speed of rotation Rl.

The third feed step is followed by a separation step (fig. 6) in which the second conveyor 12, before it reaches the end-of-travel position, is further accelerated with a second acceleration A2 while the second plurality of rollers 15a rotates correspondingly in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in the drawings) with speed of rotation R2”, in order to separate the loops that have already fallen, that is, the head portion Pl, from those that have not yet fallen, by interposing the rollers, in particular the last roller, or other separation element 215 on board the second conveyor 12.

Precisely this overspeed allows the second conveyor 12 to impact the falling metal product P with the head roller 415 of the second plurality of rollers 15a, or with another separation element, for example with the striker bar or blade 215, so as to separate the “upstream” loops and the “downstream” loops and allow the cutting device 20 to act freely, cutting the metal product P in a zone where the loops do not overlap.

During the separation step, the second linear speed V2 of the metal product P remains substantially constant.

Following the separation step, the method provides a cutting step (fig. 7) in which the cutting device 20 present on board the second conveyor 12 is activated in order to cut a segment of metal product P. This segment of metal product P can be the head portion Pl , the tail portion P2 or an intermediate portion between them.

The cut is performed “on the fly”, so that the metal product P continues to advance during the cut.

Immediately after the cutting step, there follows an evacuation step (fig. 8) which can differ depending on whether the head portion Pl or the tail portion P2 is evacuated.

In the case of evacuation of the head portion Pl, the second conveyor 12 continues its travel until it passes the mobile section 13b of the third conveyor 13, then decelerates until it stops in correspondence with the end-of-travel position, while the second plurality of rollers 15a is made to correspondingly accelerate (clockwise in the drawings) with speed of rotation R2” ’ in order to keep the second absolute linear speed V2 of the metal product P constant, although this is not strictly necessary. In this way, the cut part of the head portion Pl, which had already fallen onto the third plurality of rollers 16a of the third conveyor 13, in particular onto the mobile portion 13b or onto the fixed portion 13c, continues its travel.

The downward rotation of the mobile portion 13b of the third conveyor 13 is then activated in order to unload the head portion P 1. Conveniently, the mobile portion 13b could already have previously been taken to the unloading position. Alternatively, the rollers 16a of the third conveyor 13 are driven counterclockwise with an unloading speed of rotation R3 ’ in order to unload the head portion Pl toward the fixed portion 13c and subsequently from the latter into a suitable space in the direction of the loop-forming head 111, fig. 10.

Subsequently, after returning the mobile portion 13b of the third conveyor 13 to the original position, the method provides a return step (fig. 9) in which the second conveyor 12 is returned to the zero position. During the translation of the second conveyor 12 to the zero position with a third acceleration A3, the second plurality of rollers 16a is accelerated (clockwise in the drawings) rotating at a fourth speed R2 ^1V so that the metal product P can continue its travel with the same second linear speed V2.

The second conveyor 12 therefore remains stationary in the zero position until the tail portion P2 exits from the loop-forming head 111, or until the cut of an intermediate portion of metal product P is required.

When the second conveyor 12 is stationary in the zero position, the feeding and cutting apparatus 10 works with the first operating mode as described above, for example as visible in fig. 1.

When the supply step is about to end, the metal product P exits from the loopforming head 111 with its tail portion P2, and the first, second and third feed steps, the separation step and the cutting step are repeated. In the case of evacuation of the tail portion P2, the second conveyor 12 decelerates until it stops in correspondence with the end-of-travel position, or before, and the second plurality of rollers 15 is also made to decelerate correspondingly until it stops, “holding” the tail portion P2 just cut on the second conveyor 12. Subsequently, the method provides a return step during which the second conveyor 12 is translated toward the zero position and the rollers 15a are accelerated (clockwise in the drawings) in order to unload the tail portion P2 onto any one of the sections of the third conveyor 13, which proceeds to unload it as in the case of the head portion.

According to one possible alternative, the rollers 15a of the second conveyor 12 are accelerated in the opposite direction with an unloading speed of rotation R2 ^V so as to unload the tail portion P2 in the direction of the loop-forming head 111, for example into a suitable space below the first conveyor 11 , fig. 11.

At this point, the second conveyor 12 has been returned to the zero position and a new metal product P can be processed in order to produce a new coil 200.

In the second operating mode it is possible to provide an operating sequence which allows to divide and cut the metal product P into portions of a desired weight. This always occurs by operating variations in the speed of the rollers 15a,

16a and by suitably moving the second conveyor 12 in the same way as previously described.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the feeding and cutting apparatus 10 and to the feeding and cutting method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art will be able to achieve other equivalent forms of apparatus and method for feeding and cutting a metal product, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate their reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the very claims.