Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With particular drive
Patent
1999-05-13
2000-11-21
Jillions, John M.
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With particular drive
191 122A, B65H 7534
Patent
active
061490962
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to reels for elongate members and in particular, but not exclusively, to reels for electric cable.
Electric cable extension reels have previously been proposed for use when machinery or other apparatus does not have sufficient cable fitted to reach the main electricity supply. The cable reel provides an extension, allowing power to reach the machinery.
Several types of cable extension reel have been proposed. A simple version consists of a drum with cable wound around it, the cable having a plug fitted to one end and a socket fitted to the other end and the cable being manually wound onto the drum when not in use. This arrangement can result in loose cable lying on the ground, possibly becoming tangled in machinery with consequent risk of damage or danger, such as electrocution of the machine operator. An alternative proposal uses springs to rewind the cable when not in use but these arrangements have been found too heavy to be portable and thus need to be mounted at a fixed position, making them less useful than a portable extension cable.
The present invention seeks to obviate or mitigate these or other disadvantages of the prior art.
According to the invention, there is provided a reel for an elongate member, comprising a rotatable member onto which the elongate member may be wound and from which it may be unwound, support means on which the rotatable member is mounted, drive means operable to turn the rotatable member and control means operable to control the drive means, the control means being operable to sense slackness in the elongate member and to turn the rotatable member to take up the slack, and being operable to sense tautness in the elongate member and to cause the drive means to cease turning the rotatable member, to allow the elongate member to be unwound from the rotatable member, the drive means comprising an electric motor and the control means comprising switch means which operates when the elongate member becomes slack or taut, thereby causing the electric motor to turn or to cease to turn the rotatable member.
Preferably the rotatable member is mounted to move relative to the support means by a second movement other than turning to wind the elongate member and to do so in response to the elongate member becoming taut, the switch means sensing the second movement to control the drive means.
Preferably the rotatable member is mounted to rock relative to the support member about an axis spaced from the axis about which the rotatable member turns to wind, the arrangement being such that tautness in the elongate member causes the rotatable member to rock in a first direction and such that slackness allows the rotatable member to rock in the second, reverse direction.
The apparatus may further comprise second switch means operable in response to second movement of a magnitude greater than is required to operate the first switch means, the second switch means being operable to disable and re-enable the drive means.
Preferably the elongate member is an electric cable. The drive means may be powered by the supply conveyed by the electric cable. The operating speed of the drive means is preferably adjustable.
Preferably the elongate member carries a third switch at its remote end and operable to disable the drive means.
Preferably the support means comprises a switching portion operable to operate the third switch as the third switch approaches the rotatable member during winding, thereby disabling the drive means. The switching portion may define an aperture through which the elongate means passes when being wound, the aperture walls engaging the third switch means as it passes, to operate the switch. The third switch means may be a rocker switch and the clearance within the aperture may be restricted to cause the switch to rock as it passes through the aperture in either direction.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective vi
REFERENCES:
patent: 4504023 (1985-03-01), Lauritzen
patent: 4666102 (1987-05-01), Colbaugh et al.
patent: 4721833 (1988-01-01), Dubay
patent: 4825986 (1989-05-01), Pepper
patent: 4842108 (1989-06-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5034571 (1991-07-01), Galloway
patent: 5647554 (1997-07-01), Ikegami et al.
patent: 5775473 (1998-07-01), Cordero
LandOfFree
Reel does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Reel, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Reel will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1250164