Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With particular frame or frame carrier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-19
2001-03-13
Rivera, William A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With particular frame or frame carrier
C242S396900, C242S407100, C242S563200, C242S423200, C242S597400, C242S608500, C242S609100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199786
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to reels. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a wire reel that approximately indicates the amount of wire remaining on the reel. According to another aspect of the present invention, a wire reel assembly allowing easy replacement of the type of wire mounted to the reel is described.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wire reels assemblies are well known in the art. They usually consist of a reel mounted to a reel support allowing free rotation of the reel.
Two general types of wire reels assemblies exist. The first type of wire reel assemblies is mainly concerned with reels that are not reusable, for example, reels made of cardboard and plywood onto which wire is coiled by the wire manufacturer and that are designed to be discarded when they are empty.
The second type of wire reel assemblies are concerned with reusable reels onto which coils of wire may be mounted and removed. This type of wire reel assemblies are becoming increasingly popular since their use allow the wire manufacturers to supply their coils of wire unmounted to reels, thus reducing production costs. Furthermore, reusable reels are inherently environment friendly.
Known wire reel assemblies of the second type suffer from many drawbacks. For example, they require the reels to be removed from the support to allow the removal of the coil of wire from the reel; they do not provide ways to bind the coil of wire before it is removed from the reel; they do not provide a visual indication of the amount of wire remaining on the reel.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved wire reel assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a wire reel assembly comprising:
a reel having a central aperture;
a reel support including:
a base provided with first and second ground engaging portions interconnected by a generally inverted Y-shaped assembly having a proximate end and first and second distal ends; the first and second distal ends being mounted respectively to the first and second ground engaging portions;
an arm so mounted to the proximate end of the inverted Y-shaped assembly as to have a free distal end; the arm being configured and sized to rotatably receive the reel; and
a reel securing assembly removably interconnecting the reel and the reel support.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjustable brake mechanism for a wire reel assembly including a reel having a central aperture and a reel support provided with an arm configured and sized to rotatably receive the reel; the the arm having a proximate end provided with a fixed abutment element having a friction surface, and a distal end; the adjustable brake mechanism comprising a pressure applying element configured and sized to be removably mounted to the distal end of the the arm to bias the reel towards the fixed abutment element to thereby generate a friction force between the friction surface and the reel; the pressure applying element being longitudinally movable with respect to the the arm to modify the friction force.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wire reel comprising:
a generally cylindrical body having first and second opposite ends;
first and second generally circular sides; the first and second sides being configured and sized to be removably mounted to respective first and second opposite ends of the body; the first and second sides including radially provided marks indicating the amount of wire remaining onto the reel.
It is to be noted that the term “wire” used in the present disclosure and in the appended claims is to be construed as any type of wires that may be wound onto a reel such as, for example, electrical wires, electrical cables, fiber optic cables, telephone cables, cables, ropes and the like.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Lessard Claude
Nolet Rock
IPL Inc.
Quarles & Brady LLP
Rivera William A.
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