Wire reel

Dec. 20, 1960

L. W. BLARY

WIRE REEL

Filed June 27, 1958

2,965,327

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United States Patent Office _PM ,. _D²’⁹®⁵;³²⁷ **** Patented Dec. 20, I960

2,965,327 WIRE REEL

Louis W. Blary, 726 Hannon Ave., Danville, Π1.

Filed June 27,1958, Ser. No. 744,999

Claims. (CI. 242—77.2)

This invention relates to means for supporting reels of wire in both stationary locations and in transportation from one place to another. The invention contemplates the winding of wire on the reel at the factory making the wire, and therefore the invention relates per se to the carrying device providing means for mounting the reels in a detachable manner.

The invention also contemplates the mounting of the reels on the carrier in such manner that wires may be pulled from several reels at a time, the reels being revoluble whereby plurality of wires, if desired, may be pulled from the carrier for pulling through conduits and the like such as in wiring houses or buildings, or running a plurality of wires to various positions such as for machines.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the unique manner of mounting the reels on the carrier; the ease of transporting the reels; the immediate availability of one or more wires from like numbers of reels; and in the compactness of the device. The invention in the form as now best known to me is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein—

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan and partial section; and

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective and partial section of an empty reel.

A frame, designated generally by the numeral 10, has a transverse member 11 serving as an axle, on each end of which is a supporting wheel 12. An elongated member has one end 13 fixed centrally of the length of the axle 11 and extends therefrom by a length 14 upwardly to merge through a bend 15 into a length 16 extending downwardly as best shown in Fig. 1. The lengths 14 and 16 and the bend 15 are in a common vertical plane. This structure forms a tripod wherein the bend 15 is supported above the three points defined by the undersides of the wheels 12 and the end of the length 16, here shown as being provided with a cap 17.

A transverse post 18 is fixed to the length 14 intermediate the end 13 and the bend 15, Fig. 2, to extend at right angles therefrom and by an equal length on each side thereof. Each length of the post 18 which extends from the member 14 revolubly carries a hub 19.

Each hub 19 has an outer end frusto-conical face 20, from the larger diameter end of which as defined by the line 21 there slopes inwardly of the hub to a lesser diameter line 22 a frusto-conical face 23. From the line 22, the hub enlarges through a frusto-conical portion to form the face 24. In this manner, the line 22 is at the smallest diameter portion of the hub as between the lines 21 and the inner-most end 25 of the hub, defining a shallow V substantially centrally of the axial length of the hub. The hub 19 in each instance may be made out of any suitable material, such as plastic as is herein indicated. The material, whatever may be employed, is substantially nondeformable.

In like manner, a pair of hubs 26, one on each side of the length 16, is revolubly carried on a second post 18 intermediate to bend 15 and the end cap 17. The hubs 26 are identical with the hubs 19 and all of the hubs are held on their respective posts or arms by means of end retainers 27 secured to the arms.

These hubs each receive a reel initially having wire 28 carried thereby. The reel in each instance is designated by the numeral 29 and is best shown in Fig. 3. The reel 29 comprises a pair of circular wires 30 and 31 of equal diameters, and these wires are interconnected by a plu10 rality of U-shaped members 32, herein shown as four in number and radially disposed in spaced apart relation around the wires 30 and 31, the open ends of the members 32 being fixed to the wires 30 and 31 in each instance, and the intervening web 33 slopes from the sides 34 and 15 35 of the member 32 in straight lines to a central apex 36.

Two of these reels, 29α and 29Z&gt;, are shown mounted on their respective hubs, Fig. 2, wherein the reels have been shifted from the dash-line position over the frustoconical surface 20 by springing the members 32 to permit 20 the web apexes 36 to spring back into the central position between the faces 23 and 24 immediately over the circumferential line 22.

As above indicated, these reels 29 are preferably originally wound with the wire 28 at the wire factory. In 25 order to permit the webs 33 to be sprung over the line 21 of the hubs 19, it is preferred that there be a circumferential band 37 wrapped around the webs 33 without coming into contact with the central portions of those webs so that the wire, Fig. 2, has its original inner-turns 30 bearing on this band 37 and not directly against the webs 33. Thus the loaded reels 29 may be pressed over the respective hubs 19 and 26 and thus held in place, to be carried by the arms or posts 18 to permit the reels to turn when the wire ends 38 are pulled from the reels. 35 A convenient way of guiding the ends 38 is through the elliptical loop 39, Figs. 1 and 2, where the ends 38 are pulled up through the loop 39, this loop 39 being centered and fixed across the underside of the bend 15.

The device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in solid lines is 40 in the stationary position at the place where the wire is to be pulled from the reels for use in the wiring operations. When the device is to be transported, the length 16 is lifted such as by gripping the cap 17 to the dash line position, Fig. 1, when the entire structure may be 45 wheeled to any other desired position.

Therefore, it is to be seen that I have provided a simple, yet most effective structure for supporting demountably a plurality of reels each attached to the carrying structure and removable therefrom independently 50 of any other reel. The reels are in such form and construction that they may be disposed of if so desired after all the wire is used therefrom. The overall cost of the device is exceedingly low, but a considerable saving in time as well as in prevention of having to untangle wires 55 where the reels are not so carried is had.

Therefore, while the device has been described in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited 60 to that form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.