IE20060200U1 - A cable reel reinforcing and repair device - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A cable reel reinforcing device for reinforcing cable reels having a hollow central core between a pair of cnd flanges around which cable may be wound, the device comprising: a pair of outer end flanges each having an inner face adapted to oppose the end flanges and having an outer surface adapted to receive a cable reel, and a central portion linking the two outer end flanges and having an outer surface adapted to receive a cable reel, wherein the central portion comprises two parts releasably engageable to allow the device to be split to allow a cable reel to be loaded onto the central portion, and reengaged to secure the cable reel in place on the central portion between the outer end flanges of the device. The device may also be used to repair damaged cable reels.

Description

A cable reel reinforcing and repair device.

The present invention relates to spools or reels for holding wound lengths of cables, Field of the Invention wires and the like. In particular the invention relates to a device for strengthening and/or repairing such spools or reels.

Background to the Invention Spools have been around for many years as conveyers of lengths ofelongate materials such as string, cotton, wire, wool, ropes and chains, and more recently electrical items such as coated wires and cables.

Cables and coated wires are common articles in the electrical trade and are usually purchased by length, wound around a spool or reel. Typically, the spools have a hollow metal core having a flange at either end, the flanges usually being made from cardboard.

The end flanges are typically of circular cross—section and provided with a central aperture to coincide with the hollow of the metal core. During constructions, the ends of the metal core would be partially inserted through the holes in the cardboard and curled outwardly to secure the flanges to the core. The end flanges are particularly important for retaining the wire or cable in its wound manner around the central core. The hollow bore through the central core allows the assembled coil of wire/cable to be mounted on a rod or spindle prior to and/or during use.

These spools carrying cable would be used on a daily basis by electricians. Due to the nature of their work and conditions of their workplace, it will be appreciated that the spools are subjected to considerable wear and tear. One common results of the wear and tear is that the end flanges of these spools become damaged and even have a tendency to becoming detached from the central spool. This is particularly common where the cardboard of the spools becomes wet. When the end flanges are damaged or detached in this way, the coiled cable can be slip off the central core or become entangled.

It will be appreciated therefore that once a spool is damaged in this manner, it is almost always easier for the worker to discard the damaged coil and substitute for a replacement coil.

One solution to this problem has been developed in the form of stronger spools, such as plastic spools, which are structurally tougher than the standard metal and cardboard spools. It will be appreciated however that these improved spools carry a higher manufacturing cost which is passed on to the user in the form of a higher purchase price.

Cable reels incorporating a plastic spool are not always desirable to those in the electrical trade who would rather purchase the cheaper standard reels. For larger scale reels, wooden spools may be used.

What is required therefore is a way of preventing such cable spools from becoming damaged due to the unavoidable wear and tear, and a way to prolong the life of damaged cable reels.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the invention to provide a device for reinforcing standard cable Spools.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for use in fixing broken cable spools to allow continued use after breakages.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for reinforcing or fixing cable reels suitable for use with a plurality of sizes of cable reels.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for reinforcing or fixing cable reels which is simple to produce at low cost.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for reinforcing or fixing cable reels which is reusable multiple times.

|Eooo2oo Summarv of the Invention Accordingly there is provided a device for reinforcing cable reels having a hollow central core between a pair of end flanges around which cable is wound, the device comprising: a pair of outer end flanges adapted to cooperate with the outer face of the flanges of a cable reel, a central portion linking the two outer end flanges and having an outer surface adapted to receive a cable reel, wherein the central portion comprises two parts releasably engageable in an end to end orientation, to allow the device to be split to allow a cable reel to be loaded onto the central portion, and reengaged to secure the cable reel in place.

According to one aspect of the invention, the two parts of the central portion are engageable using screw threads.

In one embodiment, at least part of one of the central portion parts has an external diameter less then the internal diameter of the other part, to allow the first part to be at least partially received into the open end of the second part. The diameter of the first part may vary along its axial length. In one embodiment, the first part may be frustoconical in shape, wherein the narrower end is receivable into the open end of the second part.

In another embodiment the first part may be provided with cylindrical neck extending in an axial direction from its open end, wherein the neck has an outer diameter smaller than that the outer diameter of the body of the first part, and smaller than the internal diameter of the second part. Preferably the neck has a screw-threaded outer surface to engage with corresponding screw threads on the internal surface of the second part.

Preferably, in an assembled configuration the neck is fully received within the second part, so a continuous outer surface of the central portion is achieved. The neck may be hollow. Preferably the neck is integrally formed on the first part of the central portion. liooozoo 4 In an altemative embodiment, the whole of the first part is receivable into the second part, in which case screw threads may be provided along the full length of the first part.

In an altemative embodiment the two parts may be snap fitted together, or alternative coupling means may be provided.

In one embodiment, the distance between the outer end flanges is variable to fit cable reels of different lengths. This may be achieved by having a telescopic central portion.

In one embodiment, the two parts of the central portion may be releasably engageable in a telescopic manner. In one embodiment screw threads may be provided to control the telescopic advancement of one part into the other.

Preferably the outer end flanges are integrally formed on the central portion. Preferably the central portion is a drum. Preferably the drum is hollow.

Desirably the device is plastic, although it will be appreciated that other materials including rubber and metal may be employed. Examples of suitable materials include hard plastic and soft rubber.

In one embodiment the device may comprise means for aiding gripping of the end flanges of the device. These may be particularly useful when the two portions of the device are connected by screw—threads. Concave recesses or convex protrusions may be provided on at least one of the end flanges to aid manipulation of the device.

It will be appreciated that the device may be provided in a variety of different central portion diameters and outer flange diameters to suit its intended use. The only requirement for each use is that the external diameter of the central portion is smaller than the internal diameter of the cable reel or spool it is being used with, to enable the central portion to fit within the internal cavity through the spoo1’s hollow core. In one embodiment of device, the internal diameter of the drum is approximately 65mm, the diameter of the end flanges is approximately 310mm, and the distance between the two end flanges when assembled is between approximately 90mm and 200mm. lEo6o2oo One will appreciate that by using the device of the present invention, damage to a cable reel will be minimised, if not prevented.

Ideally the device will be used with each new cable reel, with the cable reel maintained on the central core until such time as the cable either runs out or is no longer required. It will be appreciated that at such time the used reel may be removed from the device by separating the two parts of the central portion. The device is then ready for use with a new cable reel. The device may be reused multiple times.

Due to the simplicity of the device, it should be possible to manufacture at low cost and ideally users would purchase at least one device for repeated use on each job.

According to the invention there is further provided use of the aforementioned device to repair a broken cable reel. The device will be of particular where one or both of the end flanges of the cable reel have been broken, partially or fully detached from the core. It will be appreciated the device can enable such a broken reel to be continued to be used until such time as the cable runs out or is no longer required.

The invention further provides an assembly comprising a cable reel reinforcing device according to any preceding claim, and a cable reel having a hollow central core between a pair of end flanges around which cable may be wound, the cable reel being mounted on the central portion of the cable reel reinforcing device between the outer end flanges of the cable reel reinforcing device.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a standard cable reel with which the device of the invention may be used. liooozoo Figure 2 is a side view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention in its assembled configuration.

Figure 3 is an end view of the device of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is side view of the device of Figure 2 in its unassembled configuration.

Figure 5 is a side view of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention in its unassembled configuration.

Figure 6 is a side view of a device according to a third embodiment of the invention in its unassembled configuration.

Figure 7 is a side view of the device of any of Figures 2 to 6 with a cable reel of the type shown in Figure 1 shown in situ on the device.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a cable reel or spool, of the type the device of the present invention is intended for use with. The reel comprises a hollow central core between a pair of end flanges. Both the central core and the end flanges are of circular cross-section although it will be appreciated that the device of the invention may be used with similar reels of any cross-section. In use, the reel will have a length of cable or wire wound around the core, however the wound cable is not shown in Figure 1 for the sake of clarity. When used with cable such as electrical cable or telephone cable, the core is typically metal while each of the end flanges are typically cardboard.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The device is similar in shape to the reel of Figure 1, having a pair of outer end flanges 2 and a central drum 4 linking the two outer end flanges.

As shown in Figure 2, the central drum is split along its length into two portions or parts a and 4b,joining atjoin 6.

As shown in Figure 3, the central drum 4 is hollow.

Figure 4 shows the device in an open configuration wherein the two portions 4a and 4b of the drum 4 have been disengaged. In this embodiment of device, screw threads 5 are provided to allow the two portions to engage one another. Portion 4a of the drum 4 is lfoaogoo provided with a cylindrical neck portion 9 extending axially from its inner surface, having on its external surface a threaded surface 5. Although not shown in Figure 4, a corresponding threaded surface is provided on the internal surface of portion 4b.

With the device 1 in its open configuration, a cable reel to be reinforced or fixed may be fed over either of the drum portions 4a or 4b. The external diameter of the drum 4 is less than the internal diameter of the hollow central core of a standard cable reel. The two parts 4a and 4b of the device 1 may then be reassembled by screwing together in opposite directions. The reassembled device 1 with a cable reel 10 in situ between the device’s external flanges 2 is shown in figure 7. The end flanges 12 of the cable reel 10 sit inside the external flanges 2 of the device 1.

Figures 5 and 6 show two alternative embodiments of device according to the invention.

Both embodiments of the device are very similar to that shown in Figures 2 to 4, the only difference being the form of the two drum portions, 14 and 24.

On the device shown in figure 5, the whole of the first drum portion 14a is screw- threaded 15 on its outer surface. The external diameter of the first portion 14a is less than the internal diameter of the second portion 14b, so that the first portion 14a may be fully received into the second portion 14b. When fully received into the second portion 14b (this assembled arrangement is not shown), the open end 17 of the second portion 14b abuts the internal face 2a of the first portion’s end flange 2. If the device is intended for use on a particularly long cable reel, the first portion 14a may be only partially inserted into the second portion 14b to maximise the distance between the two end flanges 2 of the device.

The device shown in Figure 6 is similar to that in Figure 5, however in Figure 6 the device has a frustoconical first portion 24a. The external diameter of the end of the frustoconical first portion 24a (proximal to the end flange 2) is substantially the same as the external diameter of the second portion 24b. The outer wall of the first portion gradually converges towards end distal to the end flange 2, which is smaller in diameter than the mouth 27 of the second portion 4b.

The words “comprises/comprising” and the words “having/including” when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated E06020‘) features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Claims (1)

Claims A cable reel reinforcing device for reinforcing cable reels having a hollow central core between a pair of end flanges around which cable may be wound, the device comprising: a pair of outer end flanges each having an inner face adapted to oppose the outer face of the end flanges of a cable reel, and a central portion linking the two outer end flanges and having an outer surface adapted to receive a cable reel, wherein the central portion comprises two parts releasably engageable to allow the device to be split to allow a cable reel to be loaded onto the central portion, and reengaged to secure the cable reel in place on the central portion between the outer end flanges of the device. A cable reel reinforcing device according to
1. Claim 1 wherein the distance between the outer end flanges is variable to receive cable reels of different lengths. . A cable reel reinforcing device substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. Use of the device of any preceding claim to repair a broken cable recl. An assembly comprising: a cable reel reinforcing device according to any of Claims 1 to 3, and a cable reel having a hollow central core between a pair of end flanges und which cable may be wound, the cable reel being mounted on the central portion of the cable reel reinforcing device between the outer end flanges of the cable reel reinforcing device. TOMKINS & CO.