Device for winding and reeling an elongated flexible member

• US 4,402,472 A
• Filed: 07/07/1980
• Issued: 09/06/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CD Indicator AG
• Original Assignee: Paul Burtscher
• Inventors: Burtscher, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US06/166,192
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 242/107-107.7, 185/37, 185/39, 74/802, 74/781 R
• US Class Current: 242/375.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/004 Retractable leashes
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/481 Planetary
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4423 Manual stop or release button
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/486 Arrangements or adaptations of the spring motor
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/1005 Means for controlling winding or unwinding of tapes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A winding and reeling device for an elongated, flexible member. A reel is connected to the outer end of a spiral spring. The outer end of the spiral spring is rigidly connected to the reel, whereby a gear is connected between the outer and the inner end of the spiral spring such that upon rotation of the outer end of the spiral spring around its center axis the inner end of the spiral spring rotates around the same axis, however at a slower rotational speed. The reel has smooth surfaces and comprises at no place any gear teeth. A rotation of the reel causes the rotation of the gear wheels of the gear, whereby two gear wheels having a different number of teeth are rigidly connected to each other and arranged on a common shaft. A further shaft is provided which carries two further gear wheels, whereby one gear wheel is rigidly connected to the further shaft and the other gear wheel is freely rotatable on said further shaft. The gear is a speed reduction gear, whereby its input end is driven by the reel and its output end drives the inner end of the spiral spring. Accordingly, the space occupied by the spiral spring is smaller than hitherto possible, and a space saving of the entire device is achieved. The device is suitable for reeling weblike members such as measuring tapes or leashes for dogs and also for reeling electrical cables such as for instance used in vacuum cleaners.

Claims

1. A winding and reeling device comprising

a casing,

a first shaft defining a central axis in said casing,

a toothless reel disposed to rotate about the central axis in said casing,

an elongated flexible member wound on said reel and having one end protruding out of said casing,

a spiral spring in said casing adapted to rotationally bias said reel in a take-up rotational direction,

said spiral spring having an inner end and an outer end,

said outer end being connected to said reel,

gear means in said casing operatively connected to the inner end of said spiral spring and being operatively connected to said reel,

said gear means including first and second gears rigidly connected to each other and each having a different number of teeth, a second shaft rigidly connected to said first and second gears and being journalled to said toothless reel eccentrically to said central axis, a third gear rigidly connected to said casing and meshing with said second gear, and a fourth gear meshing with said first gear and being rigidly connected to said first shaft,

said gear means upon rotation causing rotation of the outer end of said spiral spring at a first rotational speed and rotation of the inner end of said spiral spring at a slower second rotational speed,

the improvement being characterized in that

said first and third gears have a first number of teeth and said second and fourth gears have a second number of teeth larger than the first number of teeth, and

wherein a locking member is disposed exteriorly of said casing and is displaceable between a released position and a locking position, said locking member engaging the elongated flexible member in a drawn out position against the biassing force of said spiral spring to define its locking position, a notch in said locking member, and a sliding member movably carried by said casing for movement into said notch for locking said locking member in its released position.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible member comprises a dog leash which is extendable out of said casing.

3. The improved winding and reeling device of claim 1, wherein there is provided a first spring means arranged to bias said locking member into its locking position, and wherein there is provided a second spring means arranged to bias said sliding member away from said locking member.

4. The improved winding and reeling device of claim 1, wherein said locking member comprises a recess for receiving said sliding member, and wherein said sliding member protrudes into said recess when said locking member is in its release position.

5. The improved winding and reeling device of claim 1, wherein said locking member is supported by a supporting shaft which is arranged such that said locking member is eccentrically supported by said casing.

6. The improved winding and reeling device of claim 4, wherein said recess comprises a side flank section, whereby said locking member exerts in its release position via said flank section a pressure force onto said sliding member in order to lock said sliding member.