Abstract: Method and apparatus for dispensing flexible materials from multiple coils which are stacked in coaxial alignment upon a rotatable turntable so that the open inner eye of each coil is vertically oriented. For dispensing, the top most coil is clamped between a snubber roll on the outer periphery, and an expandable core which is positioned within the inner eye and activated to provide gripping engagement therewith. Since the expandable core is flexible, it conforms to the shape of the inner eye, thus readily adapting the invention for use with coils which are noncircular or irregularly formed. In a preferred form, the expandable core and snubber roll are coactively connected components of the floating arm assembly which is completely separable from both the turntable and the pay-out assembly. As thus constructed, the floating arm assembly drifts horizontally to follow the irregular motion resulting from rotation of off-centered coils.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dispensing unconfined flat coiled strips, mults of which have been stacked in coaxial alignment. The mults form an enlarged cluster coil and in some cases the mults are severably attached to one another. Strip dispensing is effected successively from one coil at a time by means of a turntable upon which the coiled mults are set and associated accessory gear, including supportive coactively mounted coiled snubber and clamping coils, gate and dancer rolls with associated speed control and a pay-out basket assembly, adapted to rotate the dispensed strip to a desired plane. The invention is characterized by eye to the sky dispensing of strips from coils which, aside from the stacking, are otherwise unconfined. In a refined form wherein mutliple mults are attached to one another, the strip is peeled from a given mult by a peeling-blade which is associated with the snubber roller.