Switching reel for electrical cable

• US 4,154,324 A
• Filed: 10/27/1976
• Issued: 05/15/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terrence H. Upton, William Nicholas
• Original Assignee: Terrence H. Upton, William Nicholas
• Inventors: Upton, Terrence H., Nicholas, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handren, Frederick R.
• Application Number:
  US05/736,083
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 191/12.2 R, 191/12.4, 200/153 F, 200/65.15, 200/65.16, 200/65.58 B, 339/5 RL
• US Class Current: 191/12.20R
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2407/10 Safety means, e.g. for preventing injuries or illegal operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/38 involving the use of a core or former internal to, and supporting, a stored package of material
• 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: B65H 75/4434 actuated by pulling on or imparting an inclination to the material
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A reel assembly for an electrical cable wherein the electrical cable is de-energized during winding and unwinding thereof.

Claims

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.

2. A reel assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switch is closed whenever engaged by said lever.

3. A reel assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising second bias means for biasing said lever away from said switch.

4. A reel assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a relay responsive to said switch.

5. A reel assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising dispenser means for dispensing said cable, said dispenser means being adapted to receive a pair of connectors secured to said housing.

6. A reel assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said housing includes a series of equally spaced connectors, whereby said dispenser means is securable to said housing at different orientations with respect thereto.