Switching reel for electrical cable
First Claim
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1. A reel assembly for a cable comprising in combination:
- a housing;
a reel rotatably mounted on said housing and adapted to receive said cable;
first bias means for biasing said reel towards a first state, said cable being substantially wound about said reel in said first state;
interconnect means for interconnecting said cable and an external power supply, said interconnect means including a pair of conductive cups secured to said housing and a pair of brush assemblies secured to said reel, each of said conductive cups having a substantially annular ring portion substantially coaxial with said reel, each of said brush assemblies extending substantially radially with respect to said reel and including a brush adapted to wipingly engage one of said ring portions, said conductive cups and said brush assemblies being coupled to said external power supply and said cable, respectively;
ratchet means operable in an engaged state for maintaining said reel in at least a second state wherein at least a portion of said cable is freed from said reel and operable in a disengaged state for permitting said reel to be rotated to said first state by said first bias means; and
switch means operable in a first switch state for maintaining interconnection of said cable and said external power and operable in a second switch state for interrupting said interconnection of said cable and said external power supply;
said switch means including a lever, pivotally mounted on said housing, and a switch, said lever operatively engaging and disengaging said switch whenever said ratchet means is in said engaged state and said disengaged state, respectively, said ratchet means including a ratchet mounted on said reel and a pawl rotatably mounted on said lever.
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Abstract
A reel assembly for an electrical cable wherein the electrical cable is de-energized during winding and unwinding thereof.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A reel assembly for a cable comprising in combination:
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a housing; a reel rotatably mounted on said housing and adapted to receive said cable; first bias means for biasing said reel towards a first state, said cable being substantially wound about said reel in said first state; interconnect means for interconnecting said cable and an external power supply, said interconnect means including a pair of conductive cups secured to said housing and a pair of brush assemblies secured to said reel, each of said conductive cups having a substantially annular ring portion substantially coaxial with said reel, each of said brush assemblies extending substantially radially with respect to said reel and including a brush adapted to wipingly engage one of said ring portions, said conductive cups and said brush assemblies being coupled to said external power supply and said cable, respectively; ratchet means operable in an engaged state for maintaining said reel in at least a second state wherein at least a portion of said cable is freed from said reel and operable in a disengaged state for permitting said reel to be rotated to said first state by said first bias means; and switch means operable in a first switch state for maintaining interconnection of said cable and said external power and operable in a second switch state for interrupting said interconnection of said cable and said external power supply; said switch means including a lever, pivotally mounted on said housing, and a switch, said lever operatively engaging and disengaging said switch whenever said ratchet means is in said engaged state and said disengaged state, respectively, said ratchet means including a ratchet mounted on said reel and a pawl rotatably mounted on said lever. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification