CA2257553A1 - Spool assembly for pintle - Google Patents
Spool assembly for pintle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2257553A1 CA2257553A1 CA002257553A CA2257553A CA2257553A1 CA 2257553 A1 CA2257553 A1 CA 2257553A1 CA 002257553 A CA002257553 A CA 002257553A CA 2257553 A CA2257553 A CA 2257553A CA 2257553 A1 CA2257553 A1 CA 2257553A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- spool
- receiving area
- wall
- wire
- assembly
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H75/00—Storing webs, tapes, or filamentary material, e.g. on reels
- B65H75/02—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks
- B65H75/34—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables
- B65H75/38—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables involving the use of a core or former internal to, and supporting, a stored package of material
- B65H75/44—Constructional details
- B65H75/4418—Arrangements for stopping winding or unwinding; Arrangements for releasing the stop means
- B65H75/4428—Arrangements for stopping winding or unwinding; Arrangements for releasing the stop means acting on the reel or on a reel blocking mechanism
- B65H75/4431—Manual stop or release button
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H75/00—Storing webs, tapes, or filamentary material, e.g. on reels
- B65H75/02—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks
- B65H75/34—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables
- B65H75/38—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables involving the use of a core or former internal to, and supporting, a stored package of material
- B65H75/40—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables involving the use of a core or former internal to, and supporting, a stored package of material mobile or transportable
- B65H75/406—Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans, mandrels or chucks specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables involving the use of a core or former internal to, and supporting, a stored package of material mobile or transportable hand-held during use
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2402/00—Constructional details of the handling apparatus
- B65H2402/40—Details of frames, housings or mountings of the whole handling apparatus
- B65H2402/41—Portable or hand-held apparatus
- B65H2402/412—Portable or hand-held apparatus details or the parts to be hold by the user, e.g. handle
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2407/00—Means not provided for in groups B65H2220/00 – B65H2406/00 specially adapted for particular purposes
- B65H2407/40—Means for adding commercial value, e.g. sound producing or logos
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
- B65H2701/30—Handled filamentary material
- B65H2701/36—Wires
- B65H2701/366—Pintle for seaming paper machine fabrics
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
- B65H2701/50—Storage means for webs, tapes, or filamentary material
- B65H2701/53—Adaptations of cores or reels for special purposes
- B65H2701/537—Stopping the winding or unwinding of reels which do not feature spring motors
Landscapes
- Storage Of Web-Like Or Filamentary Materials (AREA)
Abstract
The spool assembly for storing and handling a wire, especially a pintle, includes a spool that is annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim of U-shaped cross-section in which the wire can be wound. At least one of the side walls of this rim has an outer edge with teeth formed in it. The spool assembly also includes a spool-receiving member that is made of one single piece and has a spool-receiving area, a set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks to catch the spool and freely retain it within the spool-receiving area, a handle integral to the spool-receiving area, and a brake integral to the spool-receiving area. The brake comprises a flexible arm portion having one tooth projecting towards the periphery of the spool so as to engage the teeth of the spool and thus prevent the spool from being rotated unless the handle is lifted up thanks to the flexibility of its arm portion. This assembly is preferably made of plastic material and is very simple in structure and very versatile in use.
Description
SPOOL ASSEMBLY FOR PINTLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the invention The present invention relates to a spool assembly for use in storing and handling a wire which is preferably but not necessarily a pintle.
b) Brief descr~tion of the prior art In the paper making industry, it is of common practice to use fabric belts that are made of sections connected to each other to form an endless loop. Such belts carry the wet fibrous sheets that are prepared from the processed pulp. It is also of common practice to connect the adjacent ends of the belt sections by means of seams made by passing a cable known in the trade as a « pintle » through a tubular passage formed by intermeshed loops of fabric yarns projecting at the ends of the adjacent sections when the same are interfitted and held together. Usually, the pintle consists of a mono- or multi-filament yarn whose leading end is attached to a stiff guiding wire made of metal, which acts as a needle to facilitate insertion of the yarn 2 0 into the passage formed by the loops.
Further information regarding the use of pintles to connect fabric belt sections, can be found to the preambles of U.S. patent Nos. 4,842,212 to ASTEN GROUP, INC. and 5,033,618 to ALBANY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Of course, it is necessary that the pintle be stored and made available in such a manner as to make its use and installation as fast and easy as possible, especially in the case of replacement of used or damaged sections of the belt of a paper making machine, which must be made in a very fast manner on the premises.
Spool assemblies for pintles have already been devised to meet the 3 o above mentioned requirement. In this connection, reference can be made again to the above mentioned patents, which are both directed to such assemblies. Reference can also be made to U.S. patent No. 5,280,861 in ' CA 02257553 1999-O1-14 the name of LIPPERT PINTLEPIN MFG. INC. which discloses a spool assembly comprising one or two cylindrical spools in which pintles can be wound. The spool assembly disclosed in this patent also comprises one or two cylindrical spool-receiving members each having a cylindrical peripheral wall, a flange preferably in the form of a ring projecting radially inwardly from one of the edges of the peripheral wall to hold one of the spools, a plurality of hooks integral to and projecting from the other edge of the peripheral wall at given intervals, and an opening provided in the peripheral wall to allow the pintle wound in the groove of the spool to be pulled out.
1o The spool assembly disclosed in the patent further comprises a flat, preferably ring-shaped circular cover having an external diameter that can be engaged by the hooks and held tight by these hooks against the other edge of the spool receiving member, to form therewith a casing in which each spool is freely mounted. A stopper is devised to be snapped onto the casing formed by each spool receiving member and the corresponding cover, in order to rigidly hold any portion of the pintle projecting outwardly from the casing through the opening and thus to prevent said pintle from winding back into the corresponding spool-receiving member when such is not wanted.
2 o Even if the structural components of the spool assembly disclosed in this U.S. patent No. 5,280,861 are easy to assemble and use, it has now been found a simpler and more efficient way to design and assemble together the structural components of a spool assembly. It has also been found a better and more efficient way of controlling the exit of the pintle when it is pulled out.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a spool assembly for wires, cables, pintles and the like, which is very simple in structure and very handy to use.
More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a spool assembly comprising only two basic components, namely a spool and a spool receiving member incorporating a brake and, optionally, a set of stoppers as parts of its structure.
The spool assembly according to the invention basically comprises:
-a spool of given outer diameter and thickness on which the wire to be stored can be wound, said spool being annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim of U-shaped cross-section in which the wire can be wound, said rim having a bottom wall in the form of an 1o annular ring and two side walls in the form of flat rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring at least one of said side walls having an outer edge with teeth formed in it, said teeth being equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in a same direction; and -a spool-receiving member made of one single piece, said spool receiving member comprising:
--a spool-receiving area comprising a surrounding wall having an inner diameter and a width selected to match with the outer diameter and thickness of the spool, and a ring-shaped wall that projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall to provide a support 2 o and thus to retain the spool;
--a set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks projecting from the ring-shaped wall, said hooks being sized, positioned an oriented to catch the spool and freely retain it within the spool-receiving area;
--a handle integral to the spool-receiving area;
--a brake integral to the spool-receiving area, said bake comprising a flexible arm portion that is part of the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area, a ring sized to be engaged by one finger of a user, and at least one tooth projecting below the ring towards the periphery of the spool, said at least one tooth being shaped, sized and oriented in 3 o a direction opposite to the said direction so as to engage the teeth of the one side wall of the spool and thus prevent the spool from being rotated in the said reaction unless the handle is lifted up thanks to the flexibility of its arm portion; and --an outlet provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area to allow the wire wound on the spool to exit from the spool-receiving member.
As can be appreciated, the spool assembly according to he invention is very simple in structure and assembly in addition of being versatile in use.
Preferably, each of the structural components of the spool assembly according to the invention is made of plastic material, such as polycarbonate or polypropylene.
The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded rear perspective view of a spool assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing its two basic structural components, viz. the spool and the spool-receiving member;
2 o Figures 2 and 3 are rear and front perspective views, respectively, of the spool-receiving member of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1, with the spool and the spool-receiving member illustrated in assembled position;
Figure 5 is an enlarged front perspective view in partial cross-section of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1, with the spool and the spool-receiving member illustrated in assembled position;
Figure 6 is a view similar to the one shown in Figure 5 but taken from a different angle, said Figure showing details of the stoppers that are parts of the spool-receiving member; and Figures 7 and 8 are front perspective views of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in the preceding Figures, when used to unwind the pintle (Figure 7) and to rewind the same (Figure 8).
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the invention The present invention relates to a spool assembly for use in storing and handling a wire which is preferably but not necessarily a pintle.
b) Brief descr~tion of the prior art In the paper making industry, it is of common practice to use fabric belts that are made of sections connected to each other to form an endless loop. Such belts carry the wet fibrous sheets that are prepared from the processed pulp. It is also of common practice to connect the adjacent ends of the belt sections by means of seams made by passing a cable known in the trade as a « pintle » through a tubular passage formed by intermeshed loops of fabric yarns projecting at the ends of the adjacent sections when the same are interfitted and held together. Usually, the pintle consists of a mono- or multi-filament yarn whose leading end is attached to a stiff guiding wire made of metal, which acts as a needle to facilitate insertion of the yarn 2 0 into the passage formed by the loops.
Further information regarding the use of pintles to connect fabric belt sections, can be found to the preambles of U.S. patent Nos. 4,842,212 to ASTEN GROUP, INC. and 5,033,618 to ALBANY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Of course, it is necessary that the pintle be stored and made available in such a manner as to make its use and installation as fast and easy as possible, especially in the case of replacement of used or damaged sections of the belt of a paper making machine, which must be made in a very fast manner on the premises.
Spool assemblies for pintles have already been devised to meet the 3 o above mentioned requirement. In this connection, reference can be made again to the above mentioned patents, which are both directed to such assemblies. Reference can also be made to U.S. patent No. 5,280,861 in ' CA 02257553 1999-O1-14 the name of LIPPERT PINTLEPIN MFG. INC. which discloses a spool assembly comprising one or two cylindrical spools in which pintles can be wound. The spool assembly disclosed in this patent also comprises one or two cylindrical spool-receiving members each having a cylindrical peripheral wall, a flange preferably in the form of a ring projecting radially inwardly from one of the edges of the peripheral wall to hold one of the spools, a plurality of hooks integral to and projecting from the other edge of the peripheral wall at given intervals, and an opening provided in the peripheral wall to allow the pintle wound in the groove of the spool to be pulled out.
1o The spool assembly disclosed in the patent further comprises a flat, preferably ring-shaped circular cover having an external diameter that can be engaged by the hooks and held tight by these hooks against the other edge of the spool receiving member, to form therewith a casing in which each spool is freely mounted. A stopper is devised to be snapped onto the casing formed by each spool receiving member and the corresponding cover, in order to rigidly hold any portion of the pintle projecting outwardly from the casing through the opening and thus to prevent said pintle from winding back into the corresponding spool-receiving member when such is not wanted.
2 o Even if the structural components of the spool assembly disclosed in this U.S. patent No. 5,280,861 are easy to assemble and use, it has now been found a simpler and more efficient way to design and assemble together the structural components of a spool assembly. It has also been found a better and more efficient way of controlling the exit of the pintle when it is pulled out.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a spool assembly for wires, cables, pintles and the like, which is very simple in structure and very handy to use.
More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a spool assembly comprising only two basic components, namely a spool and a spool receiving member incorporating a brake and, optionally, a set of stoppers as parts of its structure.
The spool assembly according to the invention basically comprises:
-a spool of given outer diameter and thickness on which the wire to be stored can be wound, said spool being annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim of U-shaped cross-section in which the wire can be wound, said rim having a bottom wall in the form of an 1o annular ring and two side walls in the form of flat rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring at least one of said side walls having an outer edge with teeth formed in it, said teeth being equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in a same direction; and -a spool-receiving member made of one single piece, said spool receiving member comprising:
--a spool-receiving area comprising a surrounding wall having an inner diameter and a width selected to match with the outer diameter and thickness of the spool, and a ring-shaped wall that projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall to provide a support 2 o and thus to retain the spool;
--a set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks projecting from the ring-shaped wall, said hooks being sized, positioned an oriented to catch the spool and freely retain it within the spool-receiving area;
--a handle integral to the spool-receiving area;
--a brake integral to the spool-receiving area, said bake comprising a flexible arm portion that is part of the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area, a ring sized to be engaged by one finger of a user, and at least one tooth projecting below the ring towards the periphery of the spool, said at least one tooth being shaped, sized and oriented in 3 o a direction opposite to the said direction so as to engage the teeth of the one side wall of the spool and thus prevent the spool from being rotated in the said reaction unless the handle is lifted up thanks to the flexibility of its arm portion; and --an outlet provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area to allow the wire wound on the spool to exit from the spool-receiving member.
As can be appreciated, the spool assembly according to he invention is very simple in structure and assembly in addition of being versatile in use.
Preferably, each of the structural components of the spool assembly according to the invention is made of plastic material, such as polycarbonate or polypropylene.
The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded rear perspective view of a spool assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing its two basic structural components, viz. the spool and the spool-receiving member;
2 o Figures 2 and 3 are rear and front perspective views, respectively, of the spool-receiving member of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1, with the spool and the spool-receiving member illustrated in assembled position;
Figure 5 is an enlarged front perspective view in partial cross-section of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1, with the spool and the spool-receiving member illustrated in assembled position;
Figure 6 is a view similar to the one shown in Figure 5 but taken from a different angle, said Figure showing details of the stoppers that are parts of the spool-receiving member; and Figures 7 and 8 are front perspective views of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in the preceding Figures, when used to unwind the pintle (Figure 7) and to rewind the same (Figure 8).
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
The spool assembly 1 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, is intended to be used for storing and handling a wire or cable, such as a pintle 3 (see Figures 5, 7 and 8).
As shown in Figure 1, the spool assembly 1 comprises two basic components each of which is preferably made of plastic material. These components are:
- a spool 1 1 on which the pintle 3 to be stored can be wound; and - a spool-receiving member 31 for receiving and holding the spool 11.
As is shown in Figures 1 and 5, the spool 1 1 is annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim 13 of U-shaped cross-section in which the pintle 3 can be wound. The rim 13 has a bottom wall 2 o in the form of an annular ring and two side walls 17,19 in the form of flat rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring. As can be seen, the side walls 17,19 have substantially the same outer diameter. One of the side walls, viz. the one numbered 19, has an outer edge with teeth 21 formed in it. The teeth 21 formed in this outer edge are equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in the same direction "A". The utility of these teeth 21 will be explained hereinafter. The spool 1 1 also comprises a stem 23 integral to and projecting externally from the side wall 19. Once again, the utility of this stem 23 will be explained hereinafter.
As is better shown in Figures 2 and 3, the spool-receiving member 31 is made of one single piece. It comprises a spool-receiving area 33, a handle 35, a brake 37 and an optional set of stoppers 39,41.
The spool-receiving area 33 comprises a surrounding wall 43 whose inner diameter and width are selected to "match" with the outer diameter and thickness of the spool 1 1. It also comprises a ring-shaped wall 45 that projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall 43 to provide a support and thus to retain the spool 1 1 when the same is inserted into the spool-receiving area with its toothed side wall 19 in contact with the wall 45 (see Figure 1 ). A set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks 47, to 47' project upwardly from the wall 45. These hooks are sized, positioned and oriented to "catch" the outer edge of the other side wall 17 of the spool in order to freely retain the same within the spool-receiving area 33. The expression "to freely retain" as used hereinabove means to hold and retain the spool 1 1 within the area 45 while allowing it to be rotated coaxially therewith either by pulling the pintle 3 out of the spool or by manually imparting a rotation to the spool via the stem 23.
As is shown, each hook 47,47' is provided with a reinforcing flange 49. In the illustrated embodiment, there are four hooks and two of them (those numbered 47') have their flanges 49 positioned in such a manner as 2o not to infer with their flexibility, thereby making it possible to easily "snap"
the spool 1 1 within the spool-receiving area 43 and to detach it from the same whenever wanted. The holes that are shown adjacent to each hook on the accompanying drawings, are just there for molding purpose.
As is also shown, other reinforcing flanges 51 may advantageously be provided onto the inner and outer edges of the ring-shaped wall 45 both in and out of the spool-receiving area 33.
The handle 35 is integral to the spool-receiving area 33. As is shown, it is in the form of a loop and has a U-shaped cross-section with a bottom wall 53 integral to and extending in the same plane as the ring-shaped wall 3 o 45 and a pair of opposite side walls 55 integral to and extending in line with the surrounding wall 43.
As shown in Figure 1, the spool assembly 1 comprises two basic components each of which is preferably made of plastic material. These components are:
- a spool 1 1 on which the pintle 3 to be stored can be wound; and - a spool-receiving member 31 for receiving and holding the spool 11.
As is shown in Figures 1 and 5, the spool 1 1 is annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim 13 of U-shaped cross-section in which the pintle 3 can be wound. The rim 13 has a bottom wall 2 o in the form of an annular ring and two side walls 17,19 in the form of flat rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring. As can be seen, the side walls 17,19 have substantially the same outer diameter. One of the side walls, viz. the one numbered 19, has an outer edge with teeth 21 formed in it. The teeth 21 formed in this outer edge are equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in the same direction "A". The utility of these teeth 21 will be explained hereinafter. The spool 1 1 also comprises a stem 23 integral to and projecting externally from the side wall 19. Once again, the utility of this stem 23 will be explained hereinafter.
As is better shown in Figures 2 and 3, the spool-receiving member 31 is made of one single piece. It comprises a spool-receiving area 33, a handle 35, a brake 37 and an optional set of stoppers 39,41.
The spool-receiving area 33 comprises a surrounding wall 43 whose inner diameter and width are selected to "match" with the outer diameter and thickness of the spool 1 1. It also comprises a ring-shaped wall 45 that projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall 43 to provide a support and thus to retain the spool 1 1 when the same is inserted into the spool-receiving area with its toothed side wall 19 in contact with the wall 45 (see Figure 1 ). A set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks 47, to 47' project upwardly from the wall 45. These hooks are sized, positioned and oriented to "catch" the outer edge of the other side wall 17 of the spool in order to freely retain the same within the spool-receiving area 33. The expression "to freely retain" as used hereinabove means to hold and retain the spool 1 1 within the area 45 while allowing it to be rotated coaxially therewith either by pulling the pintle 3 out of the spool or by manually imparting a rotation to the spool via the stem 23.
As is shown, each hook 47,47' is provided with a reinforcing flange 49. In the illustrated embodiment, there are four hooks and two of them (those numbered 47') have their flanges 49 positioned in such a manner as 2o not to infer with their flexibility, thereby making it possible to easily "snap"
the spool 1 1 within the spool-receiving area 43 and to detach it from the same whenever wanted. The holes that are shown adjacent to each hook on the accompanying drawings, are just there for molding purpose.
As is also shown, other reinforcing flanges 51 may advantageously be provided onto the inner and outer edges of the ring-shaped wall 45 both in and out of the spool-receiving area 33.
The handle 35 is integral to the spool-receiving area 33. As is shown, it is in the form of a loop and has a U-shaped cross-section with a bottom wall 53 integral to and extending in the same plane as the ring-shaped wall 3 o 45 and a pair of opposite side walls 55 integral to and extending in line with the surrounding wall 43.
The brake 37 is also integral to the spool-receiving area 33. It is located within the loop formed by the handle to allow the user to trigger it with one finger when holding the assembly (see Figure 8). As is shown, the brake 37 comprises a flexible arm portion 57 that is part of, and actually "completes" the surrounding wall 43 of the spool-receiving area 33 at the level of the handle 35. It also comprises a ring 59 sized to be engaged by one of the fingers of the person handling the spool assembly 1 by the handle 35 (see Figure 8). It further comprises at least one and preferably two teeth 61 projecting below the ring 59 towards the periphery of the to spool 1 1. More specifically, the teeth 61 are shaped, sized and oriented in a direction opposite to the arrow "A" so as to engage the teeth 21 of the side wall 19 of the spool 11 and thus to prevent the spool from being rotated in the direction "A" unless the handle 37 is lifted up thanks to the flexibility of the arm portion 57. In practice, this allows the pintle 3 to be freely unwound as is shown in Figure 7 while preventing it from inadvertently moving back into the spool assembly 1 due to a back pressure that would rotate the spool in the direction "A". This also permits to hold the spool 1 and to prevent it from rotating when not in use. If, however, one wants to rewind part of the unwound pintle 3, he or she may lift up the 2 o brake 37 as is shown in Figure 8 and then rotate the spool 1 by means of its stem 23 to rewind the pintle. Opposite beads 62 may advantageously be provided on the adjacent portion of the handle 35 and flexible arm portion 57 to limit the motion of the brake when it is lifted up.
Of course, an outlet 63 must be provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area 33 to allow the pintle 3 wound on the spool to exit from the spool-receiving member 31. Preferably, this outlet 63 is located in a portion of the member 31 adjacent to the handle 35. Preferably also, a substantially flat supporting surface 65 external to the spool receiving area 33, is provided as part of the structure of the spool-receiving member 31 3 o just "behind" the outlet 63. Its purpose is to support and guide the pintle exiting from the outlet 63, as is better shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8.
Of course, an outlet 63 must be provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area 33 to allow the pintle 3 wound on the spool to exit from the spool-receiving member 31. Preferably, this outlet 63 is located in a portion of the member 31 adjacent to the handle 35. Preferably also, a substantially flat supporting surface 65 external to the spool receiving area 33, is provided as part of the structure of the spool-receiving member 31 3 o just "behind" the outlet 63. Its purpose is to support and guide the pintle exiting from the outlet 63, as is better shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8.
Adjacent to the supporting surface 65 is a supporting wall 67 that is also an integral part of the spool-receiving member 31. As is shown, this supporting wall 67 is, for obvious design reason, preferably triangular in shape and extends in a radial plane, thereby making this wall 67 parallel to the side walls 17, 19 of the spool 1 1 and to the ring shaped wall 45 of the spool-receiving area 33.
The wall 67 supports the stoppers 39, 41. As is better shown in Figure 6, the first stopper 39 consists of a slotted rod that is integral to and projects perpendicularly from the wall 67 at a short distance away from to both the outlet 63 and supporting surface 65. This slotted rod is devised to receive a rubber peg 69 having a radially projecting tongue 71 which, when the peg is inserted into the rod 39, comes into contact with and bears against the supporting surface 65 and thus pinches the portion of the pintle 3 that may extend on it.
The second stopper 41 also consists of a rod that is integral to and projects perpendicularly from the wall 67 at a short distance away from both the first stopper 39 and the supporting surface 65. This rod is devised to receive a rubber cap 73 having radially projecting flanges 75 on part of its side. Once again, when the cap is fitted onto the rod 41 and properly 2 o rotated, its flanges come into contact with the supporting surface 65 and pinch the pintle 3, thereby locking it in position.
As can be appreciated, the use of one or two stoppers is just optional. However, the main advantage of using such stoppers is that they give to the user of the spool assembly 1 the possibility to lock the end of the pintle 3 and prevent it from moving in any direction.
The spool assembly 1 that has just been described is very simple yet efficient in structure. It comprises only two structural components (to which the rubber peg 69 and cap 73 must be added) that are of very simple structure and easy to mold and assemble. It works as well as, not to say 3 o better than, the existing assemblies and has the same advantages. It also has the ability to prevent unwanted backward rotation of the spool.
The wall 67 supports the stoppers 39, 41. As is better shown in Figure 6, the first stopper 39 consists of a slotted rod that is integral to and projects perpendicularly from the wall 67 at a short distance away from to both the outlet 63 and supporting surface 65. This slotted rod is devised to receive a rubber peg 69 having a radially projecting tongue 71 which, when the peg is inserted into the rod 39, comes into contact with and bears against the supporting surface 65 and thus pinches the portion of the pintle 3 that may extend on it.
The second stopper 41 also consists of a rod that is integral to and projects perpendicularly from the wall 67 at a short distance away from both the first stopper 39 and the supporting surface 65. This rod is devised to receive a rubber cap 73 having radially projecting flanges 75 on part of its side. Once again, when the cap is fitted onto the rod 41 and properly 2 o rotated, its flanges come into contact with the supporting surface 65 and pinch the pintle 3, thereby locking it in position.
As can be appreciated, the use of one or two stoppers is just optional. However, the main advantage of using such stoppers is that they give to the user of the spool assembly 1 the possibility to lock the end of the pintle 3 and prevent it from moving in any direction.
The spool assembly 1 that has just been described is very simple yet efficient in structure. It comprises only two structural components (to which the rubber peg 69 and cap 73 must be added) that are of very simple structure and easy to mold and assemble. It works as well as, not to say 3 o better than, the existing assemblies and has the same advantages. It also has the ability to prevent unwanted backward rotation of the spool.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the preferred embodiment described hereinabove and shown in the drawings without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims (4)
1- A spool assembly for storing and handling a wire, comprising:
-a spool of given outer diameter and thickness on which the wire to be stored can be wound, said spool being annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim of U-shaped cross-section in which the wire can be wound, said rim having a bottom wall in the form of an annular ring and two side walls in the form of flat rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring, at least one of said side walls having an outer edge with teeth formed in it, said teeth being equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in a same direction; and -a spool-receiving member made of one single piece, said spool receiving member comprising:
-a spool-receiving area comprising a surrounding wall having an inner diameter and a width selected to match with the outer diameter and thickness of the spool, and a ring-shaped wall that projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall to provide a support and thus to retain the spool;
-a set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks projecting from the ring-shaped wall, said hooks being sized, positioned and oriented to catch the spool and freely retain it within the spool-receiving area;
-a handle integral to the spool-receiving area;
-a brake integral to the spool-receiving area, said bake comprising a flexible arm portion that is part of the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area, a ring sized to be engaged by one finger of a user, and at least one tooth projecting below the ring towards the periphery of the spool, said at least one tooth being shaped, sized and oriented in a direction opposite to the said direction so as to engage the teeth of the one side wall of the spool and thus to prevent the spool from being rotated in the said direction unless the handle is lifted up thanks to the flexibility of its arm portion; and -an outlet provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area to allow the wire wound on the spool to exit from the spool-receiving member.
-a spool of given outer diameter and thickness on which the wire to be stored can be wound, said spool being annular in shape and devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim of U-shaped cross-section in which the wire can be wound, said rim having a bottom wall in the form of an annular ring and two side walls in the form of flat rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring, at least one of said side walls having an outer edge with teeth formed in it, said teeth being equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in a same direction; and -a spool-receiving member made of one single piece, said spool receiving member comprising:
-a spool-receiving area comprising a surrounding wall having an inner diameter and a width selected to match with the outer diameter and thickness of the spool, and a ring-shaped wall that projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall to provide a support and thus to retain the spool;
-a set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks projecting from the ring-shaped wall, said hooks being sized, positioned and oriented to catch the spool and freely retain it within the spool-receiving area;
-a handle integral to the spool-receiving area;
-a brake integral to the spool-receiving area, said bake comprising a flexible arm portion that is part of the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area, a ring sized to be engaged by one finger of a user, and at least one tooth projecting below the ring towards the periphery of the spool, said at least one tooth being shaped, sized and oriented in a direction opposite to the said direction so as to engage the teeth of the one side wall of the spool and thus to prevent the spool from being rotated in the said direction unless the handle is lifted up thanks to the flexibility of its arm portion; and -an outlet provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-receiving area to allow the wire wound on the spool to exit from the spool-receiving member.
2- A spool assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spool and spool-receiving member are made of plastic material.
3- A spool assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein:
- the spool-receiving member comprises a substantially flat supporting surface external to the spool-receiving area just behind the outlet provided in the surrounding wall, said supporting surface being used to support and guide the wire exiting from the outlet;
- the spool-receiving member also comprises a supporting wall extending in a radial plane parallel to the side walls of the spool and to the ring-shaped wall of the spool-receiving area; and - said spool assembly further comprises at least one stopper fixed to the supporting wall, said at least one stopper comprising a rod integral to and projecting perpendicularly from the supporting wall at a short distance away from both the outlet and the supporting surface, and a rubber cap having radially projecting flanges on part of it, said cap being fitted onto the rod and sized so that, when it is rotated, its flanges may come into contact with the supporting surface and pinch the wire extending on it, thereby locking said wire.
- the spool-receiving member comprises a substantially flat supporting surface external to the spool-receiving area just behind the outlet provided in the surrounding wall, said supporting surface being used to support and guide the wire exiting from the outlet;
- the spool-receiving member also comprises a supporting wall extending in a radial plane parallel to the side walls of the spool and to the ring-shaped wall of the spool-receiving area; and - said spool assembly further comprises at least one stopper fixed to the supporting wall, said at least one stopper comprising a rod integral to and projecting perpendicularly from the supporting wall at a short distance away from both the outlet and the supporting surface, and a rubber cap having radially projecting flanges on part of it, said cap being fitted onto the rod and sized so that, when it is rotated, its flanges may come into contact with the supporting surface and pinch the wire extending on it, thereby locking said wire.
4- A spool assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said assembly comprises two of said at least one stopper, the other one of said stoppers comprising a slotted rod integral to and projecting perpendicularly from the supporting wall at a short distance away from the supporting surface, and a rubber peg sized to be inserted into said slotted rod, said peg having a radially projecting tongue that comes into contact with and bears against the supporting surface and the wire extending on it.
Priority Applications (8)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002257553A CA2257553A1 (en) | 1999-01-14 | 1999-01-14 | Spool assembly for pintle |
| AU40257/99A AU4025799A (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-26 | Spool assembly for pintle |
| EP99923332A EP1082263B1 (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-26 | Spool assembly for pintle |
| DE69906281T DE69906281T2 (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-26 | COIL DESIGN FOR CONNECTING WIRES |
| AT99923332T ATE235416T1 (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-26 | COIL CONSTRUCTION FOR CONNECTING WIRES |
| CA002331637A CA2331637C (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-26 | Spool assembly for pintle |
| PCT/CA1999/000481 WO1999062808A1 (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-26 | Spool assembly for pintle |
| US09/320,587 US6152395A (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-05-27 | Spool assembly for pintle |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002257553A CA2257553A1 (en) | 1999-01-14 | 1999-01-14 | Spool assembly for pintle |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2257553A1 true CA2257553A1 (en) | 2000-07-14 |
Family
ID=29554903
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002257553A Abandoned CA2257553A1 (en) | 1998-05-29 | 1999-01-14 | Spool assembly for pintle |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2257553A1 (en) |
-
1999
- 1999-01-14 CA CA002257553A patent/CA2257553A1/en not_active Abandoned
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US5280861A (en) | Spool assembly for pintle | |
| US6152395A (en) | Spool assembly for pintle | |
| US3903601A (en) | Dispenser for orthodontic chain-formed intraoral devices | |
| US6234418B1 (en) | Line storage device | |
| EP1439015B1 (en) | Reinforcement binding machine, reel, and method of detecting rotation of reel | |
| US20110133142A1 (en) | Apparatus and method for dispensing fish tape | |
| AU2002335473B2 (en) | Reinforcement binding machine and reel used for the machine | |
| US4669693A (en) | Receptacle suspension means | |
| US2824709A (en) | Dispenser for filamentary material | |
| US2422358A (en) | Yarn bobbin | |
| CA2257553A1 (en) | Spool assembly for pintle | |
| CA2331637C (en) | Spool assembly for pintle | |
| US5354012A (en) | Bobbin for rotatable, releasable attachment to identical bobbins | |
| KR101826902B1 (en) | fire hose reel for fire hydrant box | |
| KR102392329B1 (en) | Strap dispenser | |
| CA2083884C (en) | Spool assembly for pintle | |
| US4601453A (en) | Open reel adjustable hanger | |
| WO2018177626A1 (en) | Reeling apparatus for spooling a flexible member therefrom | |
| US397999A (en) | Chusetts | |
| RU2772499C1 (en) | Freely mountable clip retainer for fixing the free end of the clip on the clip spool | |
| GB2306441A (en) | Cable drum | |
| JPH0731796Y2 (en) | hose | |
| EP1048254A2 (en) | Curtain cord tidy | |
| CA1229484A (en) | Spool mechanism "b" version | |
| WO2001055023A1 (en) | Synthetic-resin support or center for winding yarns into packages, with a means of automatic retention of the reserve turns of yarn |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |