REEL DEVICE FOR EXTENSION CORD

• US 3,876,045 A
• Filed: 09/27/1972
• Issued: 04/08/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Otto H. Knarreborg
• Original Assignee: Otto H. Knarreborg
• Inventors: Knarreborg, Otto H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keen, D. W.
• Application Number:
  US05/292,732
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 242/54R,158.1,86.8,58R,58.1 191/12.2R,12.2A,12.4
• US Class Current: 191/12.20R
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4402 Guiding arrangements to control paying-out and re-storing of the material guides per se B65H57/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A reel device for extension cords comprising a pair of reels rotatably supported on a manual crankshaft which is axially movable for transmitting rotation to one of the reels, and a guide mechanism including a drive wheel in selective frictional engagement with one of the reels to automatically level wind the cord during rewind.

Claims

1. A reel assembly comprising a housing, a crankshaft supported by said housing for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, first and second reels mounted on said crankshaft for selective rotation thereby, first and second electrical cords normally spooled around said first and second reels, respectively, level wind means associated with said housing for guiding each of said cords onto the associated reels during rewind, said level wind means including a reciprocal guide member supported by said housing for reciprocal movement along a path extending transversely of said reels, and a rotary drive member drivingly connected to said reciprocal guide member, and latch means for selectively positioning said rotary drive member in operative engagement with one of said reels for rotation thereby, said first and second reels being axially spaced apart from each other with said drive member being disposed therebetween, said rotary drive member including a drive wheel, said latch means maintaining frictional engagement between one of said reels and said wheel, whereby rotation of said reel is transmitted to said wheel, said latch means including a lever pivotally supported by said housing, and a bearing carried by said lever rotatably supporting said drive wheel, said lever being selectively movable between first and second positions wherein said drive wheel engages said first and second reels respectively.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said latch means includes a detent member associated with said housing adjacent said lever with a plurality of spaced notches therein for retaining said lever in a selected position.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said latch means includes means for biasing said lever toward the selected notch.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein a crank mechanism is mounted to said housing and connected to said guide member, said drive wheel being affixed to a drive shaft supported near one end by said bearing, and a universal joint at the opposite end of said drive shaft connected to said crank mechanism.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second reels are mounted on the crankshaft for rotation with respect thereto, and further including means for selectively connecting the reels to the crankshaft for rotation thereby, said means including a clutch member mounted on the crankshaft for movement therewith and provided at each axial end thereof with at least one finger arranged for engaging an aperture formed in an adjacent reel for connecting the reel to the crankshaft, the crankshaft being axially movably supported by the housing for selectively engaging the reels.

6. A reel assembly for electrical extension cords, said assembly comprising a housing, a crankshaft supported by said housing for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, a cord reel mounted on said crankshaft for selective rotation thereby, an electrical cord normally spooled around said reel, level wind means associated with said housing for guiding said cord onto said reel during rewind, level wind means including a reciprocal guide member supported by said housing for reciprocal movement along a path extending transversely of said reel and including a rotary drive member affixed to a drive shaft for rotation thereof, a lever pivotally mounted to said housing, a bearing carried by said lever rotatably supporting said drive shaft, a crank mechanism drivingly connected between said reciprocal guide member and said drive shaft for operation thereby upon rotation of said drive member, and latch means for selectively maintaining said lever in a desired position, wherein said drive member is in engagement with said reel for rotation thereby.

7. The structure set forth in claim 6 wherein said latch means includes an elongated member associated with said housing with a plurality of spaced notches therein for retentatively embracing said lever.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 wherein said latch means includes means for biasing said lever to maintain it in the selected notch.

9. The structure set forth in claim 6 wherein the crank mechanism is mounted on said housing, and the drive member includes a drive wheel affixed to the drive shaft, and a universal joint is connected to the crank mechanism at the opposite end of the drive shaft.

10. The structure set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and second reels are mounted on the crankshaft for rotation with respect thereto, and further including means for selectively connecting the reels to the crankshaft for rotation thereby, said means including a clutch member mounted on the crankshaft for movement therewith and provided at each axial end thereof with at least one finger arranged for engaging an aperture formed in an adjacent reel for connecting the reel to the crankshaft, the crankshaft being axially movably supported by the housing for selectively engaging the reels.

11. A reel assembly comprising, in combination, a housing, a crankshaft supported by said housing for rotation about an axis, first and second reels mounted on said crankshaft for selective rotation thereby, first and second cords normally spooled around said first and second reels, respectively, level wind means associated with said housing for guiding each of said cords onto the associated reels during rewind, said level wind means including a reciprocal guide member supported by said housing for reciprocal movement along a path extending transversely of said reels, a rotary drive member drivingly connected to said reciprocal guide member, and latch means for selectively positioning said rotary drive member in operative engagement with one of said reels for rotation thereby, said rotary drive member including a drive wheel, said latch means maintaining frictional engagement between one of said reels and said wheel, whereby rotation of said reel is transmitted to said wheel, and said latch means including a lever pivotally supported by said housing, and a bearing carried by said lever rotatably supporting said drive wheel, said lever being selectively movable between first and second positions wherein said drive wheel engages said first and second reels respectively.

12. A reel assembly comprising, in combination, a crankshaft mounted for rotation about an axis, first and second reels mounted on the crankshaft for rotation with respect thereto, and means for selectively connecting the reels to the crankshaft for rotation thereby, said means including a clutch member mounted on the crankshaft for movement therewith and provided at each axial end thereof with at least one finger arranged for engaging an aperture formed in an adjacent reel for connecting the reel to the crankshaft, the crankshaft being axially movably supported for selectively engaging the reels.

13. The structure set forth in claim 12 wherein said first and second reels are axially spaced apart from each other with said drive member being disposed therebetween.