Pay-off assembly
First Claim
1. A pay-off assembly for transporting a cable reel and supporting the cable reel during pay-off of a cable loaded on the cable reel, the pay-off assembly comprising:
- an A-frame structure for supporting the cable reel, the A-frame structure comprising a pair of longitudinal braces attached at a bottom to a base and at a top to a top plate, the A-frame structure further comprising a lateral support brace attached between the base and the top plate; and
a reel lock assembly attached to the top plate, the reel lock assembly comprising;
a reel lock bottom comprising a U-shaped indentation, anda reel lock top comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall defining a channel sized to receive the reel lock bottom, the reel lock top arranged such that a portion of the first sidewall and a portion of the second sidewall extend below a top surface of the reel lock bottom and engage the reel lock bottom when the reel lock top is in a closed position, wherein the reel lock top, when transitioned into the closed position over at least a portion of the U-shaped indentation of the reel lock bottom, slides from a first horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom to a second horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved pay-off assembly allowing cable loaded on a cable reel to be transported to an installation site and/or paid-off during a cable pull is described. The pay-off assembly may include one or more of lateral support braces that provide stability and strength to an A-frame structure supporting the cable reel; a reel lock assembly for securely holding the cable reel in place during transport and/or pay-off of the cable; an end cap assembly that prevents detachment from an arbor as the arbor and cable reel rotate during pay-off; a dog hole stop assembly that engages a “dog hole” in the cable reel to prevent the cable reel from rotating during transport; a braking system for controlling the rotational speed of the cable reel during pay-off; and a ground attachment assembly that allows an additional cable reel to be loaded for transport and/or pay-off of the cable.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A pay-off assembly for transporting a cable reel and supporting the cable reel during pay-off of a cable loaded on the cable reel, the pay-off assembly comprising:
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an A-frame structure for supporting the cable reel, the A-frame structure comprising a pair of longitudinal braces attached at a bottom to a base and at a top to a top plate, the A-frame structure further comprising a lateral support brace attached between the base and the top plate; and a reel lock assembly attached to the top plate, the reel lock assembly comprising; a reel lock bottom comprising a U-shaped indentation, and a reel lock top comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall defining a channel sized to receive the reel lock bottom, the reel lock top arranged such that a portion of the first sidewall and a portion of the second sidewall extend below a top surface of the reel lock bottom and engage the reel lock bottom when the reel lock top is in a closed position, wherein the reel lock top, when transitioned into the closed position over at least a portion of the U-shaped indentation of the reel lock bottom, slides from a first horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom to a second horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for transporting a cable reel and supporting the cable reel during pay-off of a cable loaded on the cable reel, the system comprising:
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a base; an A-frame structure comprising a pair of longitudinal braces attached at a bottom to the base and at a top to a top plate, the A-frame structure further comprising a lateral support brace attached between the top plate and the base and running diagonally from the top plate down towards an outer edge of the base; an arbor assembly comprising an arbor tube for supporting the cable reel, and a removable end-cap assembly; and a reel lock assembly attached to the top plate, the reel lock assembly comprising; a reel lock bottom comprising a U-shaped indentation arranged to receive at least a portion of the arbor tube of the arbor assembly, and a reel lock top comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall defining a channel sized to receive the reel lock bottom, the reel lock top arranged such that a portion of the first sidewall and a portion of the second sidewall extend below a top surface of the reel lock bottom when the reel lock top is in a closed position, the reel lock top attached to the reel lock bottom by a fastener that acts as a hinge such that the reel lock top may be opened to receive the at least a portion of the arbor tube of the arbor assembly and closed to secure the arbor tube in place, the reel lock top, when being transitioned to the closed position, slides from a first horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom to a second horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A pay-off assembly comprising:
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a base; an A-frame structure comprising a pair of longitudinal braces attached at a bottom to the base and at a top to a top plate; and a reel lock assembly attached to the top plate, the reel lock assembly comprising; a reel lock bottom comprising a U-shaped indentation arranged to receive at least a portion of an arbor tube, and a reel lock top comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall defining a channel sized to receive the reel lock bottom, the reel lock top arranged such that a portion of the first sidewall and a portion of the second sidewall extend below a top surface of the reel lock bottom when the reel lock top is in a closed position, the reel lock top attached to the reel lock bottom by a fastener that acts as a hinge such that the reel lock top may be opened to receive the at least a portion of the arbor tube and closed to secure the arbor tube in place, and the reel lock top, when being transitioned to the closed position, slides from a first horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom to a second horizontal position in relation to the reel lock bottom. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification