Cable storage and feeding device

• US 5,551,647 A
• Filed: 06/10/1994
• Issued: 09/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas D. Browning
• Original Assignee: Thomas D. Browning
• Inventors: Browning, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DARLING, JOHN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US08/258,656
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 242/578.2, 242/580, 242/587, 242/588, 242/588.2, 242/608, 242/608.3, 242/118.5, 242/129.5, 242/129.6
• US Class Current: 242/578.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/305 with axially adjustable or removable elements for retaining the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/32 Stands or frameworks
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/325 Arrangements or adaptations for supporting the shafts, e.g. saddle type shaft bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/2416 with axial positions defined by discrete locations

Abstract

A portable, cable feeding or dispensing device having a base adapted to to be placed on and rest firmly on a floor, the ground or other support, stanchions affixed to the base and extending generally normally therefrom, shoulders on the stanchions formed by notches in an edge of each, a spool assembly having a hub, opposed first and second rims thereon, and an axle therethrough, the first rim being stationarily affixed on the spindle, the second rim or rims having a bearing for slidably mounting the same on the hub, a lock mechanism on the second rim or rims and hub for removably locking the same to the hub at a desired position therealong with respect to the first rim for confining therebetween coiled cable or cables mounted on the hub, the notches adapted to receive end portions of the axle lying outboard of the rims and support the spool for rotational motion for uncoiling and dispensing the cable.

Claims

1. A portable storage and feeding device for coiled cable items, comprising a base adapted to be placed on a floor, a pair of spaced apart stanchion members each being affixed to said base and extending generally normally upwardly therefrom and formed to have a lower section adjacent said base, an upper section spaced above said base, and an intermediate section lying between said lower and upper sections, said intermediate section of each of said stanchion members having a lateral dimension, a vertical dimension and a thickness dimension and having a front edge through which a slot is formed having a lateral component and a vertical component, said lateral component being directed inwardly from said edge and said vertical component being directed downwardly toward said base to give a designed slant angle to each said slot with respect to said base of from about 20°

to about 60°

, the portions of each of said stanchion members which form and provide said slots further provide a shoulder means at the terminus of each said slot lying substantially in a common plane passing through both said stanchion members at said terminus, spool means for carrying said cable items coiled thereon and having elongated hub means of substantially uniform lateral cross-section and having a longitudinal axis, first rim means, at least one second rim means having aperture means formed generally axially therethrough, said first and second rim means being mounted in spaced arrangement on said hub means with said hub means being inserted through said aperture means of said second rim means, said first and second rim means being adapted to axially position and retain cable items in coiled configuration around said hub means, said aperture means being bordered by bearing surface means for slidably mounting said second rim means on said hub means for providing for longitudinal positioning thereof on said hub means, said upper section of each of said stanchion members being spaced above said base a distance greater than the largest diameter of said first and second rim means, said base and stanchion members providing a supporting structure for said spool means, axle means slidably mounted through bore means provided substantially longitudinally and axially through said spool means for rotatably supporting said spool means, said first rim means being stationarily affixed on said hub means, cooperating latch means on said second rim means and hub means for removably locking said second rim means to said hub means at a desired longitudinal axial position therealong with respect to said first rim means for confining therebetween a coiled cable item axially mounted on said hub means, said shoulder means of said slots contacting opposite end portions of said axle means which extend axially outwardly of both said rim means and support said axle means and said spool means for rotational motion of said spool means for uncoiling and dispensing said coiled cable item, handle means affixed to said upper section of each of said stanchion members and spanning the same and being positioned above said first and second rim means to provide a clearance space, said handle means providing manual lifting means for said device, and wherein said slant angles of said slots are substantially the same and have a sufficient lateral component to allow said axle means and said spool means to be operably positioned on said stanchion members or removed therefrom within the limits of said clearance space and without interference with said handle means, said lateral dimension of said intermediate section of each said stanchion member being sufficient to accommodate the slot formed therein while providing sufficient strength to said stanchion members for allowing said device with a loaded spool mounted thereon to be picked up by said handle means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said stanchion members comprise a pair of upright wall means spaced apart on said base to provide cradle means for end portions of said axle means.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein each said rim means comprises a plate substantially axially mounted on said hub means.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said spool means has two pairs of first and second rim means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said latch means comprises split collar means mounted on said second rim means.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein said plates are substantially disc shaped.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said latch means comprises cooperating pin and socket means on said second rim means and hub means respectively.

8. The device of claim 2 wherein said latch means comprises cooperating, disengageable stop means on said second rim means and hub means.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said stop means comprises cooperating pin and socket means.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises split collar means mounted on said second rim means.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said hub means is constructed to provide side wall portions thereof with at least one radially outwardly expandable panel means whereby said lateral cross-section of said hub means can be adjusted to support coiled cable items having inside coil diameters of varying dimensions.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said at least one panel means is at least about a length of the adjustment provided for said second rim means along said hub means.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein said at least one panel means has a thickness of from about 0.025 to about 0.2 in., and is substantially rectangular in shape having inner and outer sides, inner and outer longitudinal edges, and front and rear end edges, said inner longitudinal edge having one element of a pivot means and said hub means having the other element of said pivot means whereby said at least one panel means is pivotally mounted along its inner longitudinal edge on said hub means such that said outer longitudinal edge can swing outwardly or inwardly along an arc.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said at least one panel means is provided with an opening through the sides thereof, lever means pivotally mounted on said at least one panel means with one portion extending outwardly from said at least one outer side of said panel means and another portion extending inwardly from said inner side of said at least one panel means, teeth means provided on said another portion of said lever means, stop means provided on said hub means, said tooth means and stop means being engageable to limit the inward rotation of panel means, spring means connected to said lever means and panel means and continually urging said lever means in an engaging direction to engage said teeth means with said stop, said one portion of said lever means providing a retraction means operable to disengage said teeth means from said stop means by the application of finger pressure to said one portion to pivot said lever means in a disengaging direction away from said stop means, the disengaging of said teeth means from said stop means allowing said panel means to be pivoted inwardly generally in an arc toward said hub means.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein when said teeth means are engaged with said stop means, an engagement axis of said teeth means make an obtuse angle of contact with an axis of force of said lever means, and wherein said obtuse angle of contact is less than the obtuse angle which a face angle of said shoulder means makes with said axis of force, whereby force applied along said axis of force will not cause said teeth to slide off of said stop means.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said latch means comprises laterally directed notch means in laterally opposite, exterior, longitudinally extending surfaces of said hub means, and leaf means on said second rim means having stop shoulder means spring urged into engagement with said notch means for preventing longitudinal movement of said second rim means on said hub means, and said leaf means being adapted to be contacted with portions of a users hand for retraction of said stop shoulder means from said notch means for allowing longitudinal movement of said second rim means along said hub means.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises laterally directed notch means in laterally opposite, exterior, longitudinally extending surfaces of said hub means, and leaf means on said second rim means having stop shoulder means spring urged into engagement with said notch means for preventing longitudinal movement of said second rim means on said hub means, and said leaf means being adapted to be contacted with portions of a users hand for retraction of said stop shoulder means from said notch means for allowing longitudinal movement of said second rim means along said hub means.