Spooling apparatus for survey wire

• US 8,800,739 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Technologies Limited (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spectrum External Line Inspection Technology Inc.
• Inventors: McDonnell, Shamus, Lischuk, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, MARK T
• Application Number:
  US13/455,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20120273603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 191/12.4, 191/12.2 R, 324/323, 324/357, 324/329, 324/71.1, 324/72, 702/59, 346/33.P, 200/61.15
• US Class Current: 191/12.2R
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2515/70 Electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. electric power or current
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/36 Wires
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/14 with two end flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/28 Arrangements for positively securing ends of material

Abstract

A spooling apparatus includes a spool for holding wire, the spool having a wire-retaining section and end plates, the end plates having one or more apertures. A conductive plate is positioned on an end plate of the spool opposite the wire-retaining section, and at least one conductive extension that extends through a corresponding aperture of the end plate such that the conductive extension is adjacent to the wire retaining section. Wire is spooled onto the wire-retaining section, at least a portion of the wire being uninsulated and in electrical contact with the conductive extensions of the conductive plate.

Claims

1. A spooling apparatus comprising:

a spool for holding wire, the spool having a wire-retaining section and end plates, the wire-retaining section having an outer surface, and the spool defining an axially extending, central aperture;

a conductive plate positioned on an end plate of the spool adjacent the wire-retaining section, the conductive plate having an aperture aligned with the central axis of the spool, and at least one conductive extension that extends through a corresponding aperture of the end plate such that the at least one conductive extension is outside the spool and adjacent to the outer surface of the wire retaining section, the conductive plate further comprising a conductive attachment electrically connected to the conductive plate and extending through the central aperture and the central axis of the spool, and the conductive attachment having a connection point for connecting to an external voltmeter; and

a wire spooled onto the wire-retaining section, at least a portion of the wire being uninsulated and in electrical contact with the at least one conductive extension of the conductive plate.

2. The spooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of revolutions of the uninsulated portion contacts the at least one conductive extension.

3. The spooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein a section of the uninsulated portion extends through an aperture of the end plate and is in electrical contact with the conductive plate.

4. The spooling apparatus of claim 3, wherein the section of the uninsulated portion is positioned between the conductive plate and the end plate.

5. The spooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spool holder, the spool holder comprising a wire controlling portion that is positioned adjacent to at least one end plate of the spool.

6. The spooling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the conductive attachment is used to secure the spool to the spool holder.

7. The spooling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spool holder comprises a flexible material shaped to have an inner cavity with an inner diameter that is substantially the same size as the diameter of the end plates of the spool.