US2539890A

US2539890A - Reel cover

Info

Publication number: US2539890A
Application number: US713245A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel E Brillhart
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1946-11-30
Filing date: 1946-11-30
Publication date: 1951-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-30

Description

S. E. BRILLHART Jan. 30, 1951 REEL COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Filed NOV. 30, 1946 S. E. BRILLHART Jan. 30, 1951 REEL COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 30, 1946 LvvE/vrm? S E. BR/LLHART A TTORNEY Jan. 30, 1951 s. E. BRILLHART REEL COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 30, 1946 A 7' TORNEV Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UN 1 TED STATES PATENT orr lc-r.

.REEL COVER 5 amuel E. Brillhart;Luther-ville, "Md, 'assignor to Western Electric Bomparry, Incorporated, cw .YorlgN. -Y..,*;amorporation of New .York Application November 30, lilfifserialNo. 71.3;245

. fl-Elairns.

This invention relates to reel covers and more particularly to flexible removable covers for cable reels.

During the manufacture of coaxial cable, certain method steps are performed by the aid of one machine after which the partially completed cable is wound upon a reel and transported thereby to one or more additional machines employed for the completion of the cable. While the reels are transported from one machine to another, or temporarily stored between machine operations, it is important that the partially completed cables be completely enclosed in their reels.

An object of the invention is to provide a flexible cover for a reel which may .be readily mounted on a reel to close the reel and is readily removable therefrom. I U

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising members having bent sideedges for interconnection with each other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficient length to extend around the reel.

More specifically the cover is formed of sheet metal members with their edges bent for interfitting hinge-like connections with each otherto form an assembly of a length sufiicient to surround a reel. upon the ends of the members to engage the heads of the reel and to support the reel when it is rolled from one position to another. Projecting lugs are formed integral with the supporting elements of one of the members disposed adjacent one end of the assembly, while flexible clamps are mounted upon the supporting elements of the member at the opposite end of the assembly for connection with the lugs to removably secure the assembly or cover on the reel. The supporting elements of one or more of the members interposed between the lugs and the supporting connection for the clamps have projections integral therewith to be engaged by the clamps and to be held'in place thereby. Furthermore, the leading end of the assembly has-a tongue member to project beneath the last member of the assembly when placed about a reel to completely enclose the cable on the reel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the cover, two 'of'the members Supporting elements are mounted here i l.

'vi'ewtalren substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 except that in this figure portions "of the heads of a reel are shown in dotted lines;

Fig. "5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along 'the line 55 oil ig. 2; and

-Fi g."'6 is a perspective View "of thecover on a reel.

'Referring now to the drawings, "the cover 'indicated generally at It is composed of a plurality of like members H of the cross-sectional contours shown in Fig.6. The members l! have small bent edges l2 at one "side thereof and large ben't edges M at the other side thereof for forming hinge-like connections between the members. As illustrated, the small bent edges of one member are receivable in the large bent edges of the adjacent member permitting the members pivotal or hinge-like "movement about the 'centerlines of these bent edges to complete a flexible assembly of as many members H as may be desired to surround a ree1,'the heads '15 of which are illustrated in Fig. 4. A tongue 'member F6 is interconnected with the adjacent :edge of the leading member 1 I, the free edge of the tongue member being bent back upon itself :asillustrated at r l l "in Fig. 1.

Pairs of supporting elements H] are formed of heavier and more durable material than the mater i-al employed in the *forming of the members "H and are secured by'suitable means such as rivets to the ends of their respective mem- The members H are preferably formed of sheet metal, while the elements I9 are forged or otherwise formed to support the reel when it "is-rolled from one position to another. The ends o'f the elements is lie on the peripheries o'fthe heads 15 while other elements 2%, identical in structure to the elements t9 with "the exception or their greater lengths (Fig. 3) and their inwardly extending flange portions 22, are positioned between pairs of the elements I9 to cooperate therewith in supporting the 'reel, the flangeportionsserving also "to hold the cover in place on the reel. One pair of elements 21 "has integral projecting lugs 23 in the form of "hooks as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The adjacent elements *2! have lateral projections t l-integral therewith recessed at in their upper surfaces to receive springs 26 of clamps indicated generally at 21.

The springs 26 of the clamps 2'! are connected to apertured flanges 28 integral with the elements 2| of the last member II of the assembly. The free ends of the springs 26 are secured by the aid of rivet-like members 29 to brackets 30. A pin 3| supported b the bracket 30 serves as a pivot for a lever 32. U-shaped catches 33 are formed to engage the lugs 23, the legs of the catches being pivotally connected at to their respective levers 32. The levers 32 are hollow or substantially U-shaped in cross-section throughout the major portion of their lengths to extend over, not only their brackets 30, but the adjacent portions of their springs 26. The free ends of the levers 32 are bent outwardly at 33 so that the operator may readily grip the lever to actuate it.

The cover may be readily placed about the reel whether the reel is supported in its take-up position in a machine, or resting upon the floor or other suitable support, If the reel has completed its service as a take-up reel, and it is desirable to cover the reel and enclose the complete or partially formed cable prior to its removal from the machine, the cover may be placed upon the reel and the ends of the covers brought together beneath or near the end of the machine with the clamps 2! in open position so that the catches 33 may be readily moved into engagement with the hook shaped lugs 23. At this time, with the latches in open position, the levers 32 extend to the right of their pivots 3|. The operator, prior to connecting the latches and during the positioning of the cover on the reel, guides the tongue member I3 at the leading end of the cover beneath the rearmost member I! to completely cover the reel and enclose the cable. The clamps 21 may then be closed by moving the levers 32 about their pivots 3i to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. During this movement of the levers the springs 26 will be expanded, establishing a pulling force therein which is suflicient to hold the cover tightly on the reel. It will be noted that when the clamps are in their closed positions the pivots 35 for the catches 33 and the connection of the catches with the lug 23 will lie in planes beyond the center-lines of their respective pivots 3!. To place the cover on the reel when the reel is resting on the floor, the cover is placed on the floor in' the position shown in Fig. 3, and the reel rolled on to the cover to approximately'the center thereof. The ends of the cover are brought into overlapping positions and the clamps connected to their lugs and closed as previously described.

The cover may be readil removed from the reel by moving the levers 32 into open position to release the forces of the springs 26 and free the catches 33 for removal from their lugs 23, the cover then being free to be removed from the reel. The formation of the members II not only completely enclose the reel, through the assistance of their elements I 9 and 2I, but provide a flexible structure conformable to reels of varied diameters. The members I I being constructed of sheet metal are light in weight and sufiiciently durable, the major wear on the cover being concentrated on the elements I9 and 2I which are heavier structures and support the reel while being transported or rolled from one position to another.

Another important feature of the reel cover .lies in the function of the clamps 2! to loosen the cover sufliciently for the opening of a door portion thereof and at the same time hold the remaining portion of the cover about the reel, The door portion is composed of the tongue member I6 and its two immediately connected members I I. When the clamps are in their closed positions the door portion is held closed, but when the levers 32 of the clamps are swung clockwise (Fig. 1) about their pivots 3I the ends of the cover are free to move away from each other to free the tongue I6 and allow the door portion to be opened. When the door portion is open, as illustrated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1, the cable may be tested by connecting it to a test set. The cover, when initially placed on the reel, has its door portion adjacent the end of the cable. After the desired tests have been completed the end of the cable may be disconnected from the test set, positioned beneath the cover, the door portion closed and the levers 32 of the clamps moved into their closed positions,

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may bemade therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising members having bent side edges for forming-a hinge-like interconnection with each other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficient length to extend around the reel, projecting lugs mounted on one of the members near one end of the assembly, and flexible clamps mounted on the member at the other end of the assembly for connection with the lugs to removably secure the assembly on the reel.

2. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising members having bent side edges for forming a hinge-like interconnection with each other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficient length to extend around the reel, supporting elements mounted upon the ends of the members to engage the heads of the reel, projecting lugs integral with the supporting elements of one of the members disposed adjacent one end of the assembly, and flexible clamps mounted on the supporting elements of a member adjacent the other end of the assembly for connection with the lugs to removably secure the assembly on the reel.

3. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising members having bent side edges for forming a hinge-like interconnection with each other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufficient length to extend around the reel, a tongue member, having one edge hingedly connected to the adjacent edge of the first member in the assembly, to partially extend beneath the last member in the assembly when the assembly is positioned about the reel, and means carried by one end of the assembly to removably secure the assembly on the reel.

4. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising members having bent side edges for forming a hinge-like interconnection with each other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufiicient length to extend around the reel, projecting lugs mounted on one of the members near one end of the assembly, flexible clamps mounted on the member at the other end of the assembly for connection with the lugs to removably secure the assembly on the reel, and projections integral with a member intermediate the members supporting the clamps and the lugs to be engaged by the clamps and held in place thereby.

5. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising laterally extending members hingedly connected to each other forming a fiexible assembly of the members of suificient length to extend around the reel, certain of the members at one end of the assembly forming a door portion, and a clamping unit actuable into closed position, to secure the assembly on the reel to close the space between the heads of the reel, and actuable into open position to free the door portion for movement into open position while maintaining the remainder of the assembly about the reel.

6. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the cover comprising laterally extending members hingedly connected to each other forming a flexible assembly of the members of sufiicient length to extend around the reel, certain of the members at one end of the assembly forming a door portion, and clamping units, carried by a member adjacent one end of the assembly for removable connection with a member adjacent the door portion, actuable into closed positions to secure the assembly on the reel with the door portion closed completely enclosing the space between the heads of the reel, and actuable into open positions to free the door portion for movement into open position while maintaining the remainder of the assembly about the reel.

7. A cover for a reel having spaced heads, the

cover comprising members formed of sheet material with their side edges bent to form interfitting hinge-like connections between successive members to complete a flexible assembly of the members of sufficient length to extend around the reel, supporting elements secured to the ends of the members to engage the peripheries of the reel heads and extend outwardly beyond the members when positioned on a reel to act as the supports for the reel, projecting lugs integral with the supporting elements of one of the members adjacent one end of the assembly, and flexible clamps mounted on the other end of the assembly for connection with the lugs to removably secure the assembly on the reel.

SAMUEL E. BRILLI-IART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 699,322 Hobbs May 6, 1902 1,406,303 Tomkinson Feb. 14, 1922 1,808,018 Charles June 2, 1931 2,172,055 Brown Sept. 5, 1939 2,172,056 Bureau Sept. 5, 1939 2,402,289 Lear et a1. June 18, 1946