US3905218A

US3905218A - Winding apparatus for sheet metal strip

Info

Publication number: US3905218A
Application number: US461040A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cesare Galletti
Original assignee: Innocenti Santeustacchio SpA
Current assignee: SMS Group SpA
Priority date: 1973-04-17
Filing date: 1974-04-15
Publication date: 1975-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-16
Also published as: DE2418316C2; IT983929B; DE2418316A1

Abstract

A winding apparatus for sheet metal strip has at least one chain of rollers interconnected by links which can be moved into a position partially surrounding a horizontal winding spindle, the leading end of the strip being fed between the chain and the spindle to cause the strip to be curved around the spindle and retraction of the chain being permitted by hydraulic actuators as the initial turns are wound on the spindle. The chain-displacing actuators are carried on a movable slide which is retracted after the initial turns have been wound, while an auxiliary roller is brought into contact with the partly wound roll to prevent its unrolling.

Description

United States Patent Galletti 1 Sept. 16, 197 5 [54] WINDING APPARATUS FOR SHEET METAL 2,963,237 12/1960 Yaeger 72/148 STRIP 3,328,991 7/1967 Petros 72/148 [75] Inventor: Fesare Galletti, Milan S. Felice, Primary Examiner c w Lanham m y Assistant ExaminerRobert M. Rogers [73] Assignee: lnnocenti Santeustacchio S.p.A., n y, 8 Firm$ughrue, Rothwell, MiOn,

Brescia, Italy Zinn and Macpeak [22] Filed: Apr. 15, I974 Appl. No.1 461,040

l 5 7 ABSTRACT A winding apparatus for sheet metal strip has at least one chain of rollers interconnected by links which can be moved into a position partially surrounding a horizontal winding spindle, the leading end of the strip being fed between the chain and the spindle to cause the strip to be curved around the spindle and retraction of the chain being permitted by hydraulic actuators as the initial turns are wound on the spindle. The chain-displacing actuators are carried on a movable slide which is retracted after the initial turns have been wound, while an auxiliary roller is brought into contact with the partly wound roll to prevent its unrolling.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures WINDING APPARATUS FOR SHEET METAL STRIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sheet metal strip winding apparatus for the formation of coils, of the type comprising a winding spindle, rotatably supported with its axis horizontal by a bearing structure, means for conveying sheet-metal strips and the like towards the spindle and means for forming the initial turns of coiled strip upon the spindle.

It is known that in winding coils of sheet-metal strip and the like it is necessary to form a few turns initially on a rotating winding spindle, by means of a winding apparatus suitable for obtaining the desired curvature of the strip, after which the continued rotation of the spindle causes the winding of the strip to progress until a complete coil is wound.

Winding apparatus at present in use comprises essentially a winding spindle supported for rotation about a horizontal axis by a bearing structure and an endless belt supported by driving rollers and transmission rollers so arranged that the belt partly embraces the circumference of the said winding spindle. The metal strip to be wound is supplied to the apparatus by causing it to pass between the winding spindle and the belt; this belt presses the metal strip against the spindle, curving it, and thus allowing the formation of the first turns on the spindle.

Such winding apparatus suffers from insurmountable technical disadvantages, among which may be included the considerable wear and tear of the belt, which has to be replaced frequently. Another disadvantage is the limited magnitude of the pressing force exerted by the belt to bend the metal strip on to the spindle, so that in practice it is not possible to effect the winding into coils of strips of considerable thickness (for example 67 mms.), especially when the strips are of large width.

A further disadvantage of the known type of winding apparatus is due to the strength characteristics of the material from which the belt is made; in fact it is not infrequent for the leading end of the metal strip, at the moment of insertion between belt and spindle, to strike violently against the belt itself, causing breakage. Another disadvantage of the known type of apparatus lies in the possibility that the belt, under variable stress, may slide laterally with respect to the supports, with consequent serious irregularities in working.

The problem with which this invention is concerned is the provision of winding apparatus for winding sheet metal strip on a rotating spindle to form coils, having structural and functional characteristics such as to overcome at the same time the abovementioned disadvantages of the already known winding apparatus, that is to say, having structural characteristics making it possible to wind metal strip of consistent thicknesses and considerable width, while at the same time limiting the disadvantage of wear and breakage of some of the parts in the initial stages of winding of the metal strip and guaranteeing regular and prolonged working.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This problem is solved in accordance with this invention, in that the means for forming the initial turns of sheet metal strip upon the spindle comprise:

i. a slide movably mounted for movement in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle;

ii. means for moving said slide between a rest position spaced from said spindle and an operating position close to said spindle;

iii. at least one chain of freely rotatable rollers posi- -tioned at one side of said spindle, the rollers of said chain extending parallel to the axis of the spindle;

iv. at least two jaw-like arms, pivoted at one of their ends to said slidewith pivot axes parallel to the axis of said spindle and supporting at the other ends a respective said roller at the ends of said chain, and

v. fluid pressure actuator means for effecting angular displacement of said arms around their respective pivot axes from a position spaced from said spindle to a position close to said spindle in which said arms partially surround said spindle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages obtained through this invention and further characteristics of the winding apparatus according to the invention will be better understood from the following description, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned lateral view of winding apparatus according to one embodiment of this invention in its rest or inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned lateral view of the winding apparatus of FIG. 1, shown in its working or operative position;

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale and'partially sectioned, of a detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 represent on an enlarged scale a view in partial plan of the winding apparatus of the preceding Figures;

FIG. 5 is a section along line VV of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 6 is a section along line VI-VI of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of a section of the chain of winding apparatus according to this invention;

FIG. 8 shows in section the development of the said chain of FIG. 7, and

FIG. 9 is a view in plan, partly sectioned, of the development of two chains of the winding apparatus according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the winding apparatus according to this invention comprises a winding spindle 4, rotatably supported with its axis horizontal by a bearing structure known per se and not shown, a slide 1 movably mounted upon respective parallel guides 2, arranged laterally to the said spindle 4 and inclined upwardly in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the said spindle. The guides 2 are constituted for example of C-section irons supported by feet 2a fixed to respective bases A at different heights.

In a position below the slide 1, the guides 2 support an oleodynamic double-acting piston and cylinder actuator 3 the axis of which is parallel to said guides 2; the piston rod 3a of said actuator 3 is connected through a joint 3b, to a crossbar 1a, fast with the slide 1, to effect movement of the slide 1 relative to the guides 2.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, the slide 1 is essentially constituted by a plate-like base 101, two vertical side plates la, lc fast with the base 101 along the sides of the latter parallel to the guides 2, and a third vertical plate 11), parallel to the side plates 1a, IL and fast with the base 101, extending along the median line of the base 101. The plates la, lb and 1c are rigidly interconnected by a plurality of crossbars (not shown) and a box-section crossbar 9 the transverse section of which (FIGS. 1 and 2) is delimited, on the side turned towards the winding spindle 4, by a wall formed with three

steps

9a, 9b, 9c lying in separate planes.

To the flat step 9a of the crossbar 9 (FIGS. 1 and 4) and more precisely to the portions of said step 9a disposed between the respective pairs of vertical plates lu, 1b, and 1b, 1c, there are centrally fixed

brackets

203 and 204 respectively provided with pairs of

lugs

205, 206 to which are pivoted through horizontal pivots 6c, 1060, the respective ends 6b, 10610 of oleodynamic piston and

cylinder actuators

6 and 106 the axes of which lie in vertical planes. The

piston rods

6a, 106a of the said oleodynamic actuators are pivotally connected through horizontal pivot pins 23 and 123, to respective pairs of

lugs

107, 108, fixed to

respective crossbars

109 and 110 which stiffen pairs of

gusset plates

11, 112 projecting from respective

boxlike bodies

21 and 121. The boxlike body 21 is rotatably mounted on a horizontal pivot pin 22 supported at each end by the vertical plates la and 1b of the slide 1. The boxlike body 121 is rotably mounted on a horizontal pivot pin 122 supported at each end by the vertical plates lb and 1c of the slide 1. therefore by operating the

oleodynamic actuators

6 and 106, the

boxlike bodies

21 and 121 can be rotated around their respective pivot pins 22 and 122.

Respective slides

37 and 137 are movably guided in the

boxlike bodies

21 and 121, which are open towards the winding spindle 4. The slides 37 and l37 are essentially constituted by boxlike bodies having open sides turned towards the winding spindle 4 and provided with respective pairs of

lugs

113, 114 disposedin vertical planes. The pairs of

lugs

113, 114 support respective horizontal pivot pins 19, 119 upon which are rotatably mounted the

end rollers

17, 117 of

respective chains

5, 105 to be described in detail hereinafter.

In FIG. 4 to simplify the drawing the top walls of the two boxlike bodies constituting the

slides

37, 137 are not depicted. The lateral walls of these

slides

37 and 137 support further horizontal pivot pins 219, 319 upon which

respective counter-rollers

36, 136 are mounted rotatably, the said

rollers

36, 136 being in peripheral contact, along one of their generatices, with the

respective end rollers

17 and 117.

For effecting the alternating motion of the

slides

37 and 137 respective oleodynamic piston and

cylinder actuators

38 and 138 are supported in the

boxlike bodies

21 and 121, the

ends

38a and 138a of the respective actuators 3S and 138 being pivotally connected by respective horizontal pivot pins 43, 143 to respective pairs of

lugs

243, 343 carried by crossbars 109a, 1 10a which stiffen the

respective gusset plates

111, 112 of the said boxlike bodies. The

respective piston rods

38b, and 138b of the said-

oleodynamic actuators

38 and 138 are connected, with the interposition of

respective joints

39, 139, to respective transverse walls 40, 140 of the

slides

37 and 137 respectively.

The

chains

5 and 105 are identical to each other so that, in the following description, reference is only made to one of these chains. In FIG. 6, in which both

chains

5 and 105 are shown, similar components of the two chains are designated by the same reference numerals.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the chain 5(105) is constituted by a series of

rollers

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 mounted rotatably and coaxially, through the interposition of bearings 20, upon respective pins 19 arranged at regular intervals with their axes parallel one with the other. Adjacent pairs of the pins 19 of the chain are connected together at the two sides of the chain, by

respective links

18 and 18a the ends of which are pivotally connected through interposed bushes to portions of the respective pins 19 which project outwardly from the respective rollers 10 17. The links 18 which form one side of the chain are rigidly connected to the opposite links 18a which form the other sude of the chain, by bars of T-shaped crosssectional profile, each of which is located between two adjacent said rollers. The two wings 18b of each T section bar 180 are concavely curved towards the exterior of the chain and their width is such that they cannot come into contact with the surfaces of the adjacent rollers between which they are positioned.

The pin 19 upon which the end roller 17 of the chain 5 is mounted is supported with its axis parallel to the axis of the winding spindle 4 by the slide 37 within the boxlike body 21. as previously described.

The pin 19 upon which the roller 10 at the other end of the chain 5 is rotatably mounted is supported with its axis parallel to the axis of the winding spindle 4 by a pair of

levers

28 and 28a, pivotally supported by a horizontal pivot pin 29 which is transversely supported by an end portion of an essentially jawshaped structure 30.

This structure 30 (FIGS. 3 and 6) is constituted by two plate-like first order levers 30a and 30h, each jaw shaped and disposed in a different vertical plane. The adjacent end portions of these plate-

like levers

30a and 30b disposed between the plates 1a and 1b of the slide 1, are rigidly interconnected by means of a horizontal sleeve 31a and by a pivot pin 32a which is also horizontal. The sleeve 31a is rotatably and coaxially mounted on a horizontal pivot pin 31 which is supported by the plates la and 1b of the slide 1 and which constitutes the fulcrum for both the plate-

like levers

30a and 30b. Upon the pivot pin 32a which constitutes the power end of the said plate-like levers there is coaxially and rotatably mounted a horizontal sleeve 32 provided with a bracket 33 to which is pivotally attached, through a vertical pivot pin 33a, one end of a joint 8b. The other end of the joint 8b is adjustably connected to an extension of the piston rod 8a of an oleodynamic piston and cylinder actuator 8 which is located between the vertical plates 1:! and 1b of the slide 1 and is supported by the flat step 90 of the boxlike crossbar 9 located between the same vertical plates of the slide 1. More precisely, the actuator 8 is connected to the boxlike crossbar 9 by a pivotal connection with a horizontal axis 8c, in manner exactly analogous to that described for the

actuators

6 and 106 to which reference should be made for the structural details.

The resistance end of the plate-

like levers

30a and 30b, is constituted by the horizontal pivot pin 29 which rigidly interconnects the said levers and on which are pivoted through a single sleeve 290 the

levers

28 and 28a which support the end roller 10 of the chain 5. The said levers 28, 28a are provided at their ends opposite to those which support the end roller 10, with projections 34a to which are connected respective ends of springs 34 the other ends 35 of which are fixed to the respective plate-like levers 30a and 30h.

The pivot pin 19 which supports the end roller of the chain 105 is connected and supported, in manner analogous to what has been described above with reference to the chain 5, by a jaw-shaped structure 130 comprising essentially two plate-like jawbone shaped levers 130a and 13017. This structure 130, part of which is located between the vertical plates lb and 11- of the slide 1, is exactly similar to the structure 30 previously described and is actuated by an actuator 108 which in analogous manner to the actuator 8 of the structure 30, is connected to the structure 30 at its power end 132. The components of the structure 130 and the chain 105 are designated by the same reference 'numerals as those of the structure 30 and the chain 5.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 5 and 8 the pivot pins 19 upon which the

rollers

15 and 16 of the chain 5 are rotatably mounted are held in the horizontal position by the vertical walls 24b of a boxlike structure 24 which is movably mounted between the vertical plates 10 and lb of the slide 1, to which it is attached through interposed cheeks 24a. The vertical walls of the boxlike structure 24 supports a further horizontal pivot pin 25 upon which the head 125a ofa rod 125 is supported. The rod 125 engages movably and axially in a seat 26a of ajoint 26 which is adjustably connected to an extension of the piston rod 7a of an oleodynamic actuator 7. Displacement of the rod 125 into the said seat 12611 is opposed by a cup spring 27, anddisplacement of the rod 125 is limited in both directions by a detent constituted by a washer 12511 fast with the said rod 125: at one extreme the detent washer 125k abuts an annular internal surface of the seat 26a and at the other extreme the detent washer 125!) abuts a closure ring or ferrule 126 of the joint 26.

The oleodynamic actuator 7, the axis of which lies in a vetical plane disposed between the vertical plates 10 and lb of the slide 1, is supported by the boxlike crossbar 9 and, more precisely, by the flat step 912 of the latter disposed between the vertical plates 1a and 1h. The connection between the cylinder of the actuator 7 and the boxlike crossbar 9 is effected by a horizontal pivot pin 7/; entirely analogously to the connection of the

actuators

6, 106 and 8, 108 to the

respective steps

9a, 9c to the description of which reference should be made for the constructional details,

The transverse wall 224 of the boxlike structure 24 is provided centrally with a window 324 of dimensions suitable for allowing the passage therethrough of the piston rod 7a of the oleodynamic actuator 7 and to enable the angular displacements of the said piston rod 711 about the pivot pin 7b.

The pivots 19 upon which the

rollers

15 and 16 of the chain 105 are mounted are supported in the horizontal position by the vertical walls of a boxlike structure 124 movably mounted between the plates lb and 1c of the slide 1. This boxlike structure 124 is entirely similar to the boxlike structure 24 previously described so that its corresponding component parts are designated by the, same reference numerals. To this boxlike structure 124 there is connected an oleodynamic actuator 107, entirely similar to the actuator .7 described with reference to the structure 24.

The vertical plates la, lb, 10 are provided with upwardly extending large gusset plates 44: in the drawings spindle 4 the gusset plates 44 define entry plane 44a for the sheet metal strip 45 to be wound upon the spindle 4.-The sheet metal strip 45 is guided towards the spindle 4 by means of a chute 46 extending tangentially to the spindle itself and supported by the same structure, not shown, as that which supports the spindle 4. The chute 46 may be moved selectively towards or away from the winding spindle 4 by an oleodynamic actuator 46a having a piston rod 46!) (FIG. 2).

A carriage 49 is located below the spindle 4 and is movable on rails 48 parallel to the axis of the said spindle and fixed to the base of the apparatus. The carriage 49 supports a saddle structure 49a intended to receive the finished coil of sheet-metal strip. Between the carriage 49 and the slide Ithere is positioned a mobile structure 50, known per se, which supports an auxiliary roller 47. An oleodynamic actuator 51 is provided for moving the structure 50 from a position spaced from, to a position close to, the winding spindle 4. In the latter position the auxiliary roller 47 presses against the sheet-metal coil being for-med, preventing it from unwinding.

OPERATION The manner of operation of the winding apparatus described above is as follows.

Before starting to wind a coil of metal strip, the slide 1 is brought from the rest position shown in FIG. 1 to the operating position of FIG. 2, where it remains until after formation of the initial turns (for example from two to five turns) of sheet-metal strip on the winding spindle 4. The slide 1 is then returned to the rest position, whilst the winding of the sheet-metal strip on to the spindle 4 continues.

When the slide 1 is in the rest position, the piston rods of the

actuators

8 and 108 and the jaw-

like structures

30 and 130 are in the position of maximum opening with respect to the spindle 4. Also the piston rods of the

actuators

6, 106 and 7, 107 are retracted. Under these conditions, the chains 5 and are spaced from the spindle 4 and are maintained in tension by the springs 34 which, through the

levers

28 and 28a, act upon the end rollers 10 of the chains themselves. By extending the actuator 3, the slide 1 is brought into operative position close to the spindle 4 (FIG. 2). At this point, the

actuators

8 and 108 are extended to effect an angular movement of the jaw-like structures 30 and about the respective pivot pins 31, in the direction (anticlockwise in FIG. 2) to cause the

chains

5 and 105 to approach the spindle 4, which is partially wrapped by

chains

5, 105. At the same time, through extension of the

actuators

6, 106 and 7, 107, the

boxlike structures

21, 121 and 24, 124 respectively are moved towards the spindle 4. The structures 21, I21 act in practice as jaw arms, in a manner analogous to the

structures

30 and 130.

Under these conditions the chains Sand 105 are wrapped around the spindle 4. Advantageously the length of each chain is such that it wraps around the spindle 4 for more than threequarters of the circumference'of the latter, whilst the overall width of the two The

actuators

7 and 107, like the

actuators

38 and 138, are adjusted in advance so that the rollers 17 and l5, 16 of the chains and S supported by them, do not make contact with the surface of the spindle 4, but remain slightly spaced from it, by a distance slightlyless than the thickness of the sheet-metal to be wound upon the spindle 4. This makes it possible to limit violent impacts on the end rollers of the

chains

5 and 105 from the leading end of the sheet-metal strip entering the space between the chains themselves and the winding spindle 4. This also avoids unnecessary stresses on the surface of the spindle 4 when the apparatus is empty. Biasing of the chains towards the spindle 4 is effected by springs 34.

The sheet-metal, fed by the chute 46, passes through the space between the chains 5 and 10S and the spindle 4, by which it is strain-relieved and curved. In this operation the greatest force is sustained by the

rollers

17 and 15, 16 of the chains, these rollers being controlled by the

actuators

7, 107 and 38, 138 the task of which is to increase the pressure of the rollers on the sheetmetal. Nevertheless the pressure exerted by the rollers of the

chains

5 and 105 upon the sheet-metal is obtained essentially from the pull which the chains exert on the metal strip, a pull which is due to the

actuators

6 and 106 which control the angular movements of the

jaw structures

21 and 121 about the respective pivot pins 22 and 122 on the vertical plates of the slide 1.

The sheet-metal strip 45, passing under the

rollers

17, 16 and of the

chains

5 and 105, causes the latter to draw away from the spindle 4 by a distance equal to the thickness of the sheet-metal itself, this drawingaway being permitted by the anticipated yielding of the piston rods of the

actuators

7, 107 and 38, 138.

As the coil grows during formation of the initial turns thereof, both the

chains

5 and 105 draw away from the spindle 4 by amounts equal to the increasing thickness of the coil, such drawing-away being permitted by the pistons of the actuators connected to the jaw-

structures

21, 121 and 24, 124, which move angularly around their respective fulcra or pivots relative to the vertical plates of the slide 1. The jaw-

structures

30 and 130 during the abovementioned formation of the initial turns of the sheet-metal coil do not move angularly around the respective fulcra 31, since the drawing-away of the end rollers 10 of the

chains

5 and 105, with increase of the coil, is permitted by the angular movement of the levers 28 and 2811 around their respective pivot pins 29.

After the initial turns of the sheet-metal coil have been formed on the spindle 4, the jaw-

structures

30 and 130 are moved angularly around their respective pivot pins 31 by the

actuators

8 and 108 in the direction (clockwise as shown in the drawings) to cause withdrawal of the

chains

5 and 105 from the spindle 4. Si-

multaneously pressure is supplied to the

actuators

6 and 106 to cause angular displacement, in the anticlockwise direction, of the

structures

21 and 121.

At this point the slide 1 is retracted to its initial rest position shown in FIG. 1, whilst the winding of the sheet-metal on the spindle 4 continues. During this winding, and before the coil is completed, the auxiliary roller 47 is brought into contact with the sheet-metal itself by the actuator 51, for the purpose of preventing unrolling of the coil upon completion of winding.

The finished coil is loaded in a manner known per se on the saddle structure of the carriage 49, which transports the coil to storage, the winding apparatus according to the invention being now ready for the winding of a further sheet-metal strip.

What is claimed is:

1. Winding apparatus for winding sheet metal strip into coils, comprising a winding spindle, bearing structure rotatably supporting said spindle with its axis horizontal, means for conveyance of sheet-metal strip towards said spindle and means for forming the initial turns of a coil upon said spindle, wherein the improvement consists in the means for forming the initial turns of sheet-metal strip uponsaid spindle comprising:

iii. at least one chain of freely rotatable rollers positioned at one side of said spindle, the rollers of said chain extending parallel to the axis of the spindle;

iv. at least two jaw-like arms, pivoted at one of their ends to said slide with pivot axes parallel to the axis of said spindle and supporting at the other ends respective said rollers at the ends of said chain, and

v. fluid pressure actuator means for effecting angular displacement of said arms around their respective pivot axes from a position spaced from said spindle to a position close to said spindle in which said arms partially surround the spindle;

one of said jaw-like arms which supports the roller at one end of the chain comprises a boxlike body. a"

horizontal pivot pin on which one side of said boxlike body is mounted, said pivot pin being supported by the slide, said body being open on the other side turned towards the spindle, a slide movable within said boxlike body in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said spindle, said slide having vertical walls supporting externally of said body the pin upon which the said roller is rotatably mounted, and fluid pressure actuator means in said boxlike body for effecting displacements of the slide relative to said body.

2. Winding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the other of said arms which supports the end roller at the other end of the chain comprises a pair of plate-like levers disposed in vertical planes, a first horizontal pivot pin supported by the slide and pivotally' supporting said levers, a second horizontal pivot pin rigidly interconnecting the ends of said plate-like levers remote from said first horizontal pivot pin, a pair of second levers pivoted to said second horizontal pivot pin and disposed on the opposite sides of the chain, said second levers supporting at one end the pin upon which said end roller of the chain is rotatably mounted,'and' trac tion spring means fixed to the'said vertical plate-like levers and connected to-the other ends of said second levers.

Claims

1. Winding apparatus for winding sheet metal strip into coils, comprising a winding spindle, bearing structure rotatably supporting said spindle with its axis horizontal, means for conveyance of sheet-metal strip towards said spindle and means for forming the initial turns of a coil upon said spindle, wherein the improvement consists in the means for forming the initial turns of sheet-metal strip upon said spindle comprising: i. a slide movably mounted for movement in a direction transverse to the axis of said spindle; ii. means for moving said slide between a rest position spaced from said spindle and an operating position close to said spindle; iii. at least one chain of freely rotatable rollers positioned at one side of said spindle, the rollers of said chain extending parallel to the axis of the spindle; iv. at least two jaw-like arms, pivoted at one of their ends to said slide with pivot axes parallel to the axis of said spindle and supporting at the other ends respective said rollers at the ends of said chain, and v. fluid pressure actuator means for effecting angular displacement of said arms around their respective pivot axes from a position spaced from said spindle to a position close to said spindle in which said arms partially surround the spindle; one of said jaw-like arms which supports the roller at one end of the chain comprises a boxlike body, a horizontal pivot pin on which one side of said boxlike body is mounted, said pivot pin being supported by the slide, said body being open on the other side turned towards the spindle, a slide movable within said boxlike body in a direction perpendicular to the axis of said spindle, said slide having vertical walls supporting externally of said body the pin upon which the said roller is rotatably mounted, and fluid pressure actuator means in said boxlike body for effecting displacements of the slide relative to said body.

2. Winding apparatus as defined In claim 1, wherein the other of said arms which supports the end roller at the other end of the chain comprises a pair of plate-like levers disposed in vertical planes, a first horizontal pivot pin supported by the slide and pivotally supporting said levers, a second horizontal pivot pin rigidly interconnecting the ends of said plate-like levers remote from said first horizontal pivot pin, a pair of second levers pivoted to said second horizontal pivot pin and disposed on the opposite sides of the chain, said second levers supporting at one end the pin upon which said end roller of the chain is rotatably mounted, and traction spring means fixed to the said vertical plate-like levers and connected to the other ends of said second levers.