GB2368834A

GB2368834A - Cable reel

Info

Publication number: GB2368834A
Application number: GB0115556A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Adrian Gough
Original assignee: Bridisco Ltd
Current assignee: Bridisco Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-14
Filing date: 2001-06-26
Publication date: 2002-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-26
Also published as: GB2368834B; GB0027741D0; GB0115556D0

Abstract

A cable reel comprises a housing, a rotatable drum 11 within the housing, a reel of cable 12 wound on the drum, a cable outlet in the housing for withdrawal of the cable as the drum rotates within the housing, and a plug socket block 18 mounted on the drum and connected to the innermost end of the cable and accessible externally of the housing, the plug socket block being readily releasable from the drum, to enable the cable and block to be used independently of the housing and drum. The cable outlet allows passage of the block after the cable is fully unwound from the drum. The socket block may be retained in the drum by catch means in the form of a pivoted or removable gate. The block may include a plurality of sockets and an indicator light. The drum may be rotated by a pivoted handle 22.

Description

A CABLE REEL THIS INVENTION concerns a cable reel wherein a length of cable is wound upon a drum rotatable within a housing having an aperture through which the cable may be withdrawn upon rotation of the drum.

Many such cable reels are available wherein a single or double plug socket is fixed to the drum and is accessible externally of the housing for the removable connection of a plug of an electrical appliance.

Thus the reel provides an extension lead for the appliance.

Such cable reels enable the operation of, for example, a power tool at a position remote from a fixed power point, but where that position requires that the user must gain access via a ladder, this necessitates suspending the relatively heavy cable reel from the cable of the appliance. The bulky housing of the reel can become snagged on nearby objects causing disconnection of the appliance whereupon the reel may fall to the ground causing damage or injury.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable reel wherein the plug socket can be readily and replaceably removed from the reel and housing for greater convenience.

According to the present invention, the cable reel comprises a housing, a rotatable drum within the housing, a reel of cable wound on the drum, a cable outlet in the housing for withdrawal of the cable as the drum rotates within the housing, and a plug socket block mounted on the drum and connected to the innermost end of the cable and accessible externally of the housing for the removable connection of a plug; characterised by means to enable the socket block to be released from the drum and withdrawn from within the housing along with the cable.

The cable outlet may be of such dimensions and location as to allow passage of the socket block after the cable is fully withdrawn from the drum.

Catch means may be integrally formed with the drum and provide a snap fitting of the socket block when inserted.

The catch means may be a pivoted or removable gate which may be opened to enable withdrawal of the socket block from the drum.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1 and 2 are front and rear perspective views respectively of a cable reel made in accordance with the invention and including a double plug socket block; Fig. 3 illustrates how the socket block is removable from the cable reel; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating catch means to enable the socket block to be released from the cable reel.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the cable reel comprises a housing 10 containing a rotatable drum 11 upon which is wound a reel of cable 12, the outermost end of which is connected to an electrical plug 13.

The drum 11 is mounted on a spigot 14 which serves as a bearing to enable the reel 11 to rotate within the housing 10 as the cable 12 is withdrawn from the housing through a cable outlet opening 15. The opening 15 includes a recess 16 to house a part of the body of the plug 13 when the cable is fully wound upon the drum. A carrying handle 17 is provided on the housing 10.

A double plug socket block 18 with indicator light 19 is retained within a recess 20 in the drum 11.

As with conventional cable reels of this kind the plug 13 and cable 12 may be withdrawn to its full extent from the housing by rotation of the drum 11 as the cable is pulled from the housing through the opening 15. However, in the case of conventional reels the or each socket is screwed or otherwise fixed to or integrally formed with the drum and is thus not removable therefrom.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the socket block 18 a self-contained unit and is cradled within the recess 20 in the central region of the drum 11, and when the cable 12 is fully withdrawn the socket block 18 also may be withdrawn from the recess 20 through the cable outlet opening 15 so that the cable and socket block may be used independently of the housing 10 and drum 11 for greater convenience.

An end wall of the recess 20 within the drum 11 includes catch means in the form of integrally moulded and flexible tongues 21 which are easily distorted to permit the release and withdrawal of the socket block 18, and replacement thereof, when required. The tongues 21 are sufficiently resilient to retain the socket block 18 within the recess 20 in normal use.

Alternatively, a removable or pivotable gate in the end wall of the recess 20 may be provided for this purpose.

As will be seen from Fig. 3, ease of rotation of the drum 11 within the housing 10 is afforded by means of a pivoted handle 22 which, when not in use, is foldable to be contained within a recess 23 thus to be flush with the front face of the drum as illustrated in Fig. 1.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only. For example, the socket block 18 may be removed from within the drum and housing by providing, for example, a covered slot in the wall of the drum and housing through which the inner end of the cable may pass when the cable is fully withdrawn.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A cable reel comprising a housing, a rotatable drum within the housing, a reel of cable wound on the drum, a cable outlet in the housing for withdrawal of the cable as the drum rotates within the housing and a plug socket block mounted on the drum and connected to the innermost end of the cable and accessible externally of the housing for the removable connection of a plug; characterised in that the socket block is readily releasable from the drum and withdrawn from within the housing along with the cable.
2. A cable reel according to Claim 1, wherein the cable outlet is of such dimensions and location as to allow passage of the socket block after the cable is fully withdrawn from the drum.
3. A cable reel according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, including catch means integrally formed with the drum to retain the socket block when inserted.
4. A cable reel according to Claim 3, wherein the catch means is in the form of a pivoted or removable gate which may be opened to enable withdrawal of the socket block from the drum.
5. A cable reel according to Claim 3, wherein the catch means is integrally formed with the drum and is of sufficient resilience to permit release of the socket block and reinsertion thereof with the cable withdrawn from the drum.
6. A cable reel according to any preceding claim, wherein the socket block is a self-contained unit whereby the cable and socket block may be used independently of the housing and drum when removed therefrom.
7. A cable reel according to any preceding claim, wherein the socket block includes a plurality of electrical plug sockets and an indicator light.
8. A cable reel according to Claim 1, including covered slots in the walls of the drum and housing through which the inner end of the cable may pass when the cable is fully withdrawn from the drum thus to permit removal also of the socket block.