USRE24250E - Waldschmidt - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1956 H. WALDSCHMIDT Re. 24,250

ELECTRICIANS FISH TAPE REEL Original Filed Oct. 1, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

A T'roRNE Y- R... 24,250 Reissued Dec. 4, 1956 ELECTRICIANS FlSH TAPE REEL Henry Waldschmidt, Culver City, Calif.

Original No. 2,689,709, dated September 21, 1954, Serial No. 383,461, October 1,1953. Application for reissue May 23, 1955, Serial No. 510,596

24 Claims. (Cl. 254-134.3)

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specifi" cation; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to reels for electricians fish tape (a tape used in fishing electric conductors through metal conduit in the wiring of buildings etc). Its general object is to improve upon and facilities the operation of the conventional fish tape reel.

The conventional reel comprises simply a drum of toroidal (ring-shaped) general contour, with a deep channel cross section including a bottom web, conventionally of cylindrical form, upon which the narrow flat metal tape is wound, together with axially spaced side wall members projecting generally radially outwardly from said web and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them a circumferential slot, of substantially the same width as the tape, through which the tape emerges. Customarily, the width of the slot is the same or slightly less than the width of the tap, so that the tape is imprisoned inside the reel except when forcibly pulled out of or into the reel. in either case, the electrician grasps the reel in one hand and the tape in the other hand, and manipulates the portion of the tape which extends tangentially from the body of tape wound upon the reel bottom, through the peripheral slot of the reel, and subjects this tangential portion to tension by a pull which is directed either radially outwardly or radially inwardly in order to remove a length of the tape from the reel or to reinsert a length of the tape back into the reel, respectively. The tape is customarily of rectangular section, of sufiicient thickness (e. g. As x .045, /2" x .060", A" x .060") to resist buckling and twisting when in use, and has corner edges which tend to chafe and abrade the hands of the electrician during the above referred to pulling process. To force the tape into and out of the reel calls for the expenditure of muscular energy, and this, coupled with the abrading effect on the hands, makes the use of the tape a wearing task for the operator.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved fish tape reel which includes mechanism for directly spreading the lips of the reel drum where the tape passes between the lips, so that the operator need no longer utilize the wedging contact between the side margins of the tape and the reel lips, in order to effect such spreading.

A further object is to provide an improved fish tape reel which eliminates the necessity for the operator grasping the tape directly in his hand and applying tension thereto in order to remove it from the reel or reinsert it into the reel.

More specifically, the invention contemplates an improved fish tape reel embodying means for mechanically engaging and spreading the lips of the reel drum while simultaneously guiding the tape through the widened portion of the reel drum slot which is thereby provided.

In this connection it may be noted that as the tape is unreeled, the widened area of the slot must trave circumferentially around the reel drum, and accordingly the invention further aims to provide a mechanism including a spreading device which is so associated with the reel drum as to be freely movable circumferentially thereon while exerting a wedging action between the lips of the reel drum so as to spread the slot and allow the tape to freely emerge.

A further object is to provide such an arrangement wherein the amount of short required for spreading the lips is reduced to a minimum through the use of a spreading device having a rolling action which substantially eliminates friction in the spreading operation.

A further object is to provide such an improved fish tape reel, wherein the spreading device is carried by a frame, which may also constitute a portion of a handle means, which [encloses] embraces a segment of the reel drum and has an anti-friction rolling connection therewith such' that the spreading device [handle] may be freely moved around the circumference of the reel while the spreading action is being exerted. Further, the invention contemplates such an arrangement wherein the spreading device is so associated with the handle means that the hand of the operator may simultaneously grasp the handle means [and the spreading device] and exert pressure against the spreading device in either of two directions so as to spread the reel drum slot either ahead of or behind the tape depending upon whether the tape is being removed from or reinserted into the reel.

Another object is to provide a fish reel, embodying a spreader roller carrying frame which is adapted for ready attachment to and removal from a standard fish tape reel.

Another object is to provide such a fish tape reel, embodying a frame or handle unit which is of a sectional structure embodying separable sections latched together so as to make it possible to quickly remove the frame [handle] from the reel drum or to replace the frame [handle] on the reel drum as desired. In this connec tion, it is a further object to provide a combined handle means and spreading device in the form of an attachment which may be quickly attached to any conventional fish tape reel drum as an accessory.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the reel drum embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken in the median radial plane of the reel, in the area thereof surrounded by the handle and spreader attachment, with the latter shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded view partially in section, of the releasable latching means.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the conventional fish tape reel drum is indicated generally at A. It comprises a cylindrical bottom web member 7 and a pair of side flange members 8 which extend in a generally radially outward direction and terminate in peripheral laps 9 which are axially spaced to define slot 10. The tape 11, of narrow, relatively thick, rectangular cross section, is Wound upon the bottom web "I and has a portion thereof, indicated at 11', which extends tangentially from the reeled body of tape, through slot 10, where it may be grasped and utilized by the electrician. The lips 9 are customarily in the form of rolled beads of generally circular cross section, providing relatively smooth double curved surfaces, which, in the conventional reel, are engaged by the edges of the tape as it is pulled into or out of the reel, the tape itself exerting a wedging action against these curved surfaces.

The present invention provides, in combination with the reel drum A; a frame or handle unit B of sleeve form encircling a segment of reel drum A and of arcuate longitudinal contour corresponding to that of the reel drum A; and an actuator unit, referred to generally by the reference Letter C.

[Handle] Frame unit B is of sectional construction, comprising an outer [member] section and an inner [member] section 16 which is separably latched to outer [member] section 15. Outer [member] section 15 is generally is generally of channel section, including a peripheral web portion 17 (Figs. 2 and 3) and a pair of side wall members 18 which are in fairly close embracing though freely slidable relation to side flanges 8 of the reel drum A. At the respective ends of the [handle] frame unit B, side wall members 18 are extended radially outwardly to provide axially spaced ears 19, and peripheral web 17 is arched outwardly at 20 and joined to ears 119 to provide roller housing sockets in which are received rollers 21. Rollers 21 constitute the outer races of anti-friction bearings 22 which are journalled on pintles 23 the ends of which are mounted in ears 19. Rollers 21 are arranged to bear against the respective peripheral beads 9 of the reel drum A so as to provide for rolling support of [handle 17] frame B on drum A with the inner wall of web member 17 out of contact with the periphery of the drum.

Inner frame [handle member] section 16 is likewise of channel section, including a web having a chordal central portion 24 and arched end portions 25 and 26; [member] section 16 further including side flanges 27 having at one end slots 28 to receive pins 29 that are anchored in side wall members 18 of the outer frame section [handle portion] 15. At the other end of frame [handle member] section 16, there is a spring urged latch comprising a pintle 30 which extends through a pocket 31 at the end of web portion 26 L] and is journalled in the side flanges 27 [28 of frame section [handle member] 16, a pair of spaced elbow-shaped arms 32 mounted on pintle 30 (Fig. 4) and projecting generally radially outwardly, and a pin 33 carried by the free ends of arms 32 and having limited swinging movement in slots 34 (Fig. 5) in side flanges 27 [28]. The ends of pin 33 are adapted to engage in slots 34 in radially inwardly projecting end parts 35 of side wall members 18 of frame [handle member] section 1.5 at the latching end thereof, the slots 34' extending generally circumferentially. A coil spring 36, under tension between pin 33 and a hook 37 struck inwardly from web member 26 adjacent pocket [socket] 31, urges the pin 33 in a direction to bottom in slots 34- and 34. End parts 35 are shaped to fit snugly in pocket [pockets] 31, having curved inner edges 38 which are fitted to the inner wall of arched web portion 26 of frame section [handle member] 15, and squared end edges 39 which abut the terminal wall portion of pocket [socket] 31. Thus the end parts 35 are adapted to establish a loose Wedging fit in pocket [socket] 31, such that pocket [socket] 31 can be separated from parts 35 only by moving in a generally radially inward direction[, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5]. Such separation is prevented by the interengagement of the respective end. portions of latch pin 33 in notches 34 and 34 of the pocket [socket] '51 and end parts 35 respectively.

To release the latching connection between frame [handle members] sections 15 and 16, the operator engages the ends of latch pin 33 between the fingers, [and] swinging the pin out of notches 3d, 34 until it clears the end edges 39 of end parts 35. Piyoting the inner frame [handle member] section 16 at its one end on pins 29, the other end thereof is swung radially inwardly to provide sufficient clearance between web member 26 of frame [handlemernberllsection 16 and frame [handle member] sectio 'l L1 to permitend portion 25 to be withdrawn from pins 29. Frame section 16 carries a roller 54 which forms the outer race of an anti-friction bearing 55 journalled upon a pintle 56 the ends of which are mounted in slots 57 in the respective side flanges 28.

Spreader unit C comprises a lever 46], which may be of stamped sheet metal construction, including a web portion 41, side wall members 42, a forward nose portion 43, and a tail member 44, functioning as a finger-thumb grip. Side wall members 42 are spaced apart just enough to embrace a pair of discus shaped spreading rollers 45, 45 having frusto-conical side faces, whereby they taper to minimum width at their peripheries and are engageable in the slot 10. Side wall members 42 are received in a slot 46 in peripheral web 17 of the frame [handle member] section 15. Rollers 45, 45 are pivoted on the ends of pins 47, 47' which are mounted in side walls 42.

Lever 40 is pivoted, intermediate its ends, upon a pivot 48, between a pair of cars 49 which are struck outwardly from web member 17 at the respective sides of slots 46. Thus the lever may be rocked so that either the forward or the rearward end thereof may be moved radially inwardly with reference to the [handle] frame unit B, thus to force roller 45 or 45' between lips 9, spreading the lips.

Tape 11 has a portion 11 thereof projecting between rollers 45, 45 and through an aperture 52 in the end of the lever 40. A guide member 53 inside of lever 4% guides the tape from the point between the rollers to the aperture 52.

It will now be apparent that the frame [handle] B may he slid circumferentially along reel drum A with rollers 45, 45' riding against lips 9 and rotating to provide a substantially frictionless connection between them. By tilting lever 50 as indicated by arrow 56, roller 45' may be forced radially inwardly, exerting a wedging action to spread lips 9 behind the tape 11'. By tilting lever 4 as indicated by arrow 51, roller .5 may be forced radially inwardly, to spread the lips 9 ahead of the tape 11'.

A pair of leaf springs [58] 64 are secured at their respective ends, as by. rivets [59] 65, to frame [handle member] section 16, with their central portions bearing against pintle 56 on respective sides of roller 54. Roller 54 is thus embraced between the leaf springs 64 [58] (Fig. 3).

In the operation of the device, the operator gnasps the frame [handle] B and spreader unit C in one hand, with the fingers extending inwardly and hooked around frame [handle member] section '16 and with the thumb hooked under grip 44 (or with grip 44 grasped between the thumb and forefinger). It will be apparent that, with the hand thus grasping the lever 40 and frame B simultaneously, that the lever 40 and the frame B cooperatively function as a handle means for holding the spreader attachment in one hand while the reel or tape is grasped in the other hand for effecting rotation of the. reel. He then grasps the reel member A in the other hand and by a suitable pull, causes the reel member A to rotate inside of handle unit B. During such rotation, he bears upwardly against the leftward end of lever 40 as viewed in Fig. 2, in order to spread the lips 9 rearwardly of tape section 11 when rolling the tape upon the reel (in which case the reel is rotated counterclockwise). If he is removing tape from the reel, he rotates the reel member A clockwise .and bears downwardly against the grip 44 of the lever 40 to spread the lips 9 ahead of the tape 11'. Thus the tape may be removed from or reeled onto the reel drum without frictional engagement between the side margins of the tape and the lips 9, the spreading of the lips being accomplished by the wedging pressure of rollers 45, 45' as they roll against lips *9 with a substantially ant-Lfriction rolling contact.

The guide 53 serves to bend the tape 11' around the circumference of the roller 45' so as to assure contact betweenthe tape and the roller at all times.

When the roller 45 is pressed inwardly to spread the reel lips ahead ofthe tape 11' for unreeling the tape (the reel' moving-clockwise) the rotation (counterclockwise) of roller.45-'bet-ween the reel lips, as driven thereby, will be in the direction for assisting the tape 11 in its unreeling movement, and the roller 45', freed from contact with the reel lips, will idle in the direction (clockwise) opposite that which it would be driven if engaged by the reel lips, thus providing free-rolling anti-friction support for the tape passing across its periphery.

When the tape is being reeled into the reel, roller 45', depressed between and driven by the reel lips, now moving counterclockwise, will rotate clockwise, counter to the direction of movement of the tape into the reel, and will exert a dragging eflect against the tape which will cause the tape to be tightly wound in the reel. Roller 45 in this case will roll freely with the tape movement in a clockwise direction, or, if any contact with the reel lips remains, will be driven in that direction to assist the movement of the tape into the reel.

When the lever 40 is in a neutral position, the lips 9 will grip the edges of tape section 11', so as to clamp the tape securely against unreeling.

It will now be apparent that the invention provides an improved reel spreading apparatus including, as essential elements, a frame which is attachable to and detachable from a conventional fish tape reel and has means to bear against the reel in a manner to provide for substantially free relative circumferential movement between the reel and the frame, together with a spreader roller carried by the frame and maintained in a position projecting between the lips and spreading them at the point of egress and ingress of the tape while rolling circumferentially against the lips so that the reel may be rotated in response to the unrolling of the tape under a pull applied by one hand of the operator, while the handle frame B is held in the other hand, thus supporting the reel for such rotation.

I claim:

1. In a fish tape reel, a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a web on which the tape may be 'wound and a pair of flanges projecting radially outward-1y therefrom and having peripheral lips which are axially opposed to define a circumferential slot through which the tape is adapted to pass with an interference fit; a frame [handle] of arcuate sleeve form, enclosing a segment of said drum and circumferenti-ally slidable thereon; an actuator lever pivoted to said frame [handle] on an axis parallel to the drum axis; and a roller of discus form totatalbly mounted in said lever in the plane of said slot and projecting into said slot, said roller having firustoconical side walls engageable with said lips with a wedging action for spreading the lips adjacent the point of emergence of the tape through said slot when said lever is tilted to move said roller radially inwardly.

2. In a fish tape reel, a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a web on which the tape may he wound and a pair of flanges projecting radially outwardly therefrom and having peripheral lips which are axially opposed to define a circumferential slot through which the tape is adapted to pass with an interference fit; a frame [handle] of arcuate sleeve form, enclosing a segment of said drum and circumferentially slidahle thereon, said frame [handle] having a peripheral aperture; an actuator lever pivoted to said frame [handle] on an axis adjacent said aperture and parallel to the drum axis; and a roller of discus form rotatably mounted in said lever in the plane of said slot and projecting through said aperture and into said slot, said roller having frusto-conical side walls engageable with said lips with a wedging action for spreading the lips adjacent the point of emergence of the tape through said slot when said lever is tilted to move said roller radially inwardly.

3. In a fish tape reel, a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a web on which the tape may be wound, and a pair of flanges projecting radially outwardly therefrom and having peripheral lips which are axially opposed to define a circumferential slot through which the tape is adapted to pass with an interference fit; a frame [handle] of arcuate sleeve form, enclosing a segment of said drum and circumferentially slidable thereon; an actuator lever pivoted to said frame [handle] intermediate its ends on an axis parallel to the drum axis, for rocking movement in the plane of said slot; and a pair of rollers of discus form rotatably mounted in said lever in said slot plane and projecting into said slot, said rollers having 'frusto-conical side walls engage- =able with said lips with a wedging action to spread the lips ahead of the point of emergence of the tape through said slot when the lever is tilted in one direction and behind said point of emergence when the lever is tilted in the opposite direction.

4. A fish tape reel as defined in claim 3, wherein said lever has a passage extending from between said rollers through an end of said lever at a point radially outwardly of the rollers, through which said tape passes in emerging from the drum.

5. A reel as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame [handle] is provided, at its respective ends, with antifriction rollers travelling .on the periphery of said drum.

6. A reel as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame [handle] is provided, at its respective ends, with antifric-tion rollers travelling on the periphery of said drum and is provided, intermediate its ends, with a springpressed roller travelling against the inner wall of the drum.

7. A reel as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame [handle] comprises an outer section [member] of channel section having side portions embracing the respective sides of the drum and projecting radially inwardly of the inner margin of the drum, and an inner section [member] having at its respective ends, means separably attaching the same to said inwardly projecting side portions of the outer section [member].

8. A reel as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame [handle] comprises an outer section [memlber] of channel section having side portions embracing the respective sides of the drum and projecting radially inwardly of the inner margin of the drum, and an inner section [member] having at its respective ends, means separably attaching the same to said inwardly projecting side portions of the outer section [member], said attaching means comprising a circumferentially extending slot in one end of said inner handle section [member], a pin mounted in the corresponding end of the outer handle section [member] and receivable in said slot, a generally medially inwardly extending end part on the other end of said outer handle section [member], a pocket [socket] on the corresponding end of the inner handle section [member] and snugly fitting circumiferentially opposed surfaces of said end part, said pocket [socket] and end part having registering circumferenti-aliy extending notches, and a latch element carried by said pocket [socket] and engageab-le in said notches to latch said pocket [socket] to said end part against relative radial movement.

9. For use with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circumferential slot through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein. a spreader comprising a frame having means for mounting the same on the reel for relative circumferential movement; a lever carried by said fame; and a spender roller rotatably mounted on said lever in a position for projection into said slot and for engagement between said lips, said lever being operable to efiect limited inward movement of said roller for spreading said lips slightly to provide a circumferentialiy limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferential-1y of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

10. A spreader as defined in claim 9, wherein said lever is a separate part, pivoted to said frame on an axis adjacent and transverse to the reel periphery, and wherein said roller is journalled on said lever on an axis adjacent said reel periphery and circumferentially spaced from said lever pivot axis, for substantially radial inward movement when the lever is tilted.

11. A spreader as defined in claim 10, wherein there are two spreader rollers, spaced circumferentially from said lever pivot axis on both sides thereof, one of said rollers being operative when the tape is being unwound from the reel and the other being operative when the tape is being wound into the reel.

12. For use with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminatng in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circumferential slot through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein. a spreader comprising a frame having means for mounting the same on the reel for relative circumferential movement; a lever carried by said frame; and a spreader roller rotatably mounted on said lever in a position for projection into said slot and for engagement between said lips, said roller being operable to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

13. In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein. a spreader comprising a frame having means for mounting the same on the reel for relative circumferential movement; a handle lever attached to said frame and disposed radially outwardly thereof; and a spreader roller rotatably mounted on said lever outwardly of said reel, projecting into said slot, and operable with a rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame 14. In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a frame having means for mounting the same on the reel for relative circun'iferential movement; said mounting means including a bearing roller mounted on the frame within the reel and engaging the inner face thereof with a rolling contact; a spreader roller of disc form; and means rotatably mounting said spreader roller on said frame radially outwardly of the reel and projecting into said slot, said spreader roller including a portion slightly thicker than the normal width of said slot, operable with rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accord ance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

15. In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web .on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circu'lar slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means including a frame portion bridging a section of said reel radially, and a lever portion projecting radially outwardly of said frame portion; and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including a bearing roller in rolling contact with the inner face of said reel web and a spreader roller mounted on said lever portion, disposed radially outwardly of the reel and projecting into said slot, said rollers and frame portion being in embracing relation to said reel section and cooperatively providing a rolling connection between said spreader and said reel whereby said handle means may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated by his other hand, said spreader roller being operable with a rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egrees of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

16, In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bot tom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in .peripherallips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means including a frame portion bridging a section of said reel radially, and a lever portion projecting radially outwardly of said, frame portion; and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including a bearing roller in rolling contact with the inner face of said reel web and a spreader roller disposed radially outwardly -of the reel and projecting into said slot, said rollers and frame portion being in embracing relation to said reel section and cooperatively providing a rolling connection between said spreader and said reel whereby said handle means may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated by his other hand, said spreader roller including a portion slightly thicker than the normal width of said slot, to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being 'un-rol'led therefrom, with said enlargement travelling'circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation 'of the reel relative to the frame.

17. In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means including a frame portion bridging a section of-said reel radially, and a lever portion projecting radially outwardly of said frame portion; and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including bearing rollers disposed radially inwardly and outwardly of said reel section and respectively engaging said web and the periphery of the reel, and a spreader disc disposed radially outwardly of the reel and project ing into said slot, said rollers and frame portion being collectively .in, embracing relation to said reel section and cooperatively providing a rolling connection between said spreader and said reel whereby said handle means may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated by the other hand, said spreader disc including a portion, of slightly greater thickness than the width of. said slot, operable with a rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

18. For use with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circumferential slot normally slightly narrower than the tape through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means including a frame portion adapted to bridge a section of said reel radially and a lever portion disposed radially outwardly of said frame portion, and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including a bearing roller positioned to have rolling contact with the inner face of said reel web and a spreader roller positioned to project into said slot from a position radially outwardly of the reel, said rollers and frame being arranged to embrace said reel section and to cooperatively provide a rolling connection between said spreader and said reel whereby said handle means may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated by the other hand, said spreader roller including a portion, of slightly greater thickness than the width of said slot, operable with a rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

19. For use with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circumferential slot normally slightly narrower than the tape through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means adapted to bridge a section of said reel radially, and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including a bearing roller positioned to have rolling contact with the inner face of said reel web and a spreader roller positioned to project into said slot from a position radially outwardly of the reel, said rollers and frame being arranged to embrace said reel section and to cooperatively provide a rolling connection between said spreader and said reel whereby said handle means may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated by the other hand, said spreader roller including a portion, of slightly greater thickness than the width of said slot, operable with a rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

20. For use with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circumferential slot, normally slightly narrower than the tape through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means adapted to bridge a section of said reel radially,

and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including bearing rollers positioned to have rolling contact with said web and the periphery of the reel respectively and a spreader roller comprising a disc positioned to project radially inwardly into said slot from a point outwardly of the reel, said rollers and frame portion being arranged to collectively embrace said reel section and to cooperatively provide a rolling connection between said reel and handle means whereby the latter may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated by the other hand, said spreader disc being operable with a rolling engagement between said lips to spread said lips slightly to provide a circumferentially limited enlargement of said slot for free egress of the tape from the reel while being unrolled therefrom, with said enlargement travelling circumferentially of the reel in accordance with rotation of the reel relative to the frame.

21. In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: a spreader comprising a handle means including a frame portion bridging a section of said reel radially and a lever projecting radially outwardly of said frame portion; and a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said handle means, including bearing rollers disposed radially inwardly and outwardly of said reel section and respectively engaging said web and the periphery of the reel, and a roller disc projecting into said slot for bearing engagement against the tape, and operable to push the tape through the slot into the reel in a reeling operation, said rollers and frame portion being collectively in embracing relation to said reel section and cooperatively providing a rolling connection between said spreader and said reel whereby said handle means may be grasped in one hand of an operator while the reel is rotated within said frame by the other hand.

22. In combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel cross section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slotnormally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: an attachment comprising a frame bridging a section of the reel radially and disposed at least in part radially inwardly and outwardly of said reel section and respectively engaging the web and the periphery of the reel, and a member on the frame, sufliciently thin to enter said slot, projecting into the slot for bearing engagement against the tape and operable to push the tape through the slot into the reel in a reeling action, said frame being in embracing relation to the reel section and cooperatively providing a moving conection between the attachment and the reel whereby the frame may be grasped in one hand by the operator while the reel is rotated within the frame by the other hand of the operator 23. In a combination with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than' the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: an attachment including a frame bridging a section of said reel radially and having bearing means disposed radially inwardly and outwardly of said reel section, and respectively engaging said web and said lips, the outer bearing means comprising a member sufliciently thin to be received in said slot, projecting into said slot for bearing engagement against the tape within the reel, and operable to push the tape through the slot into the reel in a reeling operation, said bearing means and frame being collectively in embracing relation to said reel section and cooperatively providing a rotating eon nection between frame and said reel, said frame extending arcuately along a section of the reel and functioning as a handle means that may be grasped in one hand ofan operator while the reel is rotated by the other hand.

24. For use with a fish tape reel having a toroidal reel drum of channel section including a bottom web on which the tape may be wound and a pair of flanges extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in peripheral lips which define between them an endless circular slot normally slightly narrower than the tape, through which the tape passes when being unwound from the reel or rewound therein: an attachment including a tubular member of'generally rectangular cross section and of arcuate longitudinal contour, proportioned to receive a segment of said reel and to be grasped within the hand of an operator to function as ahandle means for rotatably supporting the reel while the other hand of the operator is used for grasping an exposed portion of the reel and r0- tating the reel within said tubular member, said tubular member including a peripheral portion and a radially inward portion having respective bearing means adapted. for bearing engagement against the periphery and said web portion ofthe reel respectively to provide for the rotatable mounting of the reel within said tubular member, and a tape engaging member of disc form, sufliciently thin to be received in said slot, carried by said peripheral portion of said tubular handle member, projecting, into said slot for bearing engagement against the tape, and operable to push the tape through the slot into the reel in a wind-up operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,945 Lange June 30, 1931 1,815,433 Dunagan July 21, 1931 1,890,945 Hormel Dec. 13, 1932 160,589 Granfield May 30, 1939 2,534,472 Norvelle Dec. 19, 1950

Images