Collapsible Reel

Abstract

A reel for wire, rope, or similar materials having two rigid flat flanges spaced apart in parallel planes normal to a common axis and connected at angularly spaced points around the axis by a plurality of elongated fingers which are formed of a foldable or flexible material permitting movement of the flanges toward each other and which are of a length correlated with the length of an axially rigid spacer surrounding the fingers and engaging the flanges to hold them in spaced relation while the fingers are under tension.

Description

This invention relates to reels for holding wire, rope, or similar materials on a central core or hub and between rigid end flanges which project radially and outwardly from the core. More particularly, the invention relates to a reel in which at least a part of the core is collapsible to permit the flanges to lie close together and thereby reduce the space required during shipment.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a reel of the above character with a novel core construction permitting shipment of the reel in collapsed condition while being rugged so as to stand hard use when the reel parts are assembled.

Another object is to form a part of the core of individual elongated members which connect the flanges at angularly spaced points around a common axis of the flanges and which are flexible to permit folding into collapsed positions while also being stretchable to provide a yieldable force urging the flanges toward each other into assembled relation.

A further object is to provide a novel construction of the flexible core members permitting the reel parts to be shipped in a small space in an unassembled condition while being easily assembled to the desired size with little effort by the ultimate user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of a reel embodying the novel features of the present invention with one part of the spacer removed and a part of one flange broken away to show the interior of the core construction;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the outer side of one flange of the reel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the inner side of the flange of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a lay-out view of the flexible core member;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and showing a modified construction;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a flange of another modified construction;

FIG. 8 is a top edge view of the flange of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a flexible core finger for the flange of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 10--10 of FIG. 7 with the core finger of FIG. 9 in assembled relation;

FIG. 11 is a flexible core member of a further modification;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a core finger intended for use with the core member of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 13--13 of FIG. 11 with the other parts of that modified reel construction in assembled relation;

FIG. 14 is an elevational view of the flange and core members of another modification;

FIG. 15 is a top view of the flange and core members of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 13 and showing still another modification .

The invention is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration embodied in a reel 16 of the spool type adapted to receive wire, rope or similar material which is wound on a central core 17 between two rigid end flanges 18. The core comprises generally elongated members or fingers 19 which extend between and are connected to the flanges at angularly spaced points around a common axis of the flanges and are flexible to permit transverse folding and collapse of the core accompanied by movement of the flanges toward each other. To hold the flanges spaced apart in the assembled condition of the reel, the core also includes a hollow tubular spacer 20 which encircles the flexible core member and is rigid in an axial direction so as to engage the flanges on the inner sides and maintain their spacing.

In accordance with the present invention, an axial compressive force is exerted on the ends of a spacer so that when these ends engage opposed surfaces on the flanges 18 to hold the flanges spaced apart, the spacer and the other parts are held frictionally in assembled relation. Such an axial compressive force preferably is derived by correlating the lengths of the fingers with the axial length of the spacer 20 so that, in the final assembly with the spacer between the flanges, the fingers are under tension and the flanges press axially against the ends of the spacer.

In a preferred form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the ends of the spacer snap in behind radially and inwardly facing shoulders 21 on the flanges adjacent the opposed flange surfaces to retain the spacer in a locked position with respect to the flanges and the fingers, the fingers being formed of a material which will stretch far enough to permit movement of the spacer inwardly past the shoulders during assembly while still being under tension after the spacer is assembled by inward shifting behind the shoulders. The opposed surfaces of the flanges in this construction are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the portions of the flanges which define the shoulders.

Also, in the preferred construction, the fingers 19 are formed conveniently as parts of core members 22 having central hubs or bodies 23 which connect the inner ends of the fingers and from which the fingers radiate. The hubs are formed separately from the flanges 18 and are located on the outer sides of the flanges with the fingers extending inwardly through angularly spaced slots 24 in the flanges and releasably connected to each other at their inner ends in a central plane intermediate the flanges.

The flanges 18 in the preferred reel 16 of FIGS. 1 through 5 may be formed of various materials which provide the desired rigidity, examples being molded plastic, plywood, fiberboard and cardboard. In the present instance, each flange is a circular disc formed of three plys 25 of corrugated cardboard. The outer two plys are formed with a central aperture 26 to receive a shaft (not shown) to support the reel for loading and unloading, these layers also having another aperture 27 located eccentrically with respect to the axis of the flanges to receive a drive member for rotating the reel. The eccentric hole is indicated as circular on one flange and radially elongated on the other to accommodate driving members with different radial spacings from the axis of rotation.

While the shoulders 21 may be interrupted and provide spaced inwardly facing surfaces, in the preferred construction they are continuous annular surfaces formed as the defining walls of large central holes in the innermost layers 25 of the flanges 18. The diameter of the shoulders is just slightly larger than the diameter of the spacer 20 to receive the outer ends of the spacer with the shoulders engaging the outer sides of the ends.

The slots 24 receiving the fingers 19 are cut through the outer two layers 25 of the flanges 18 and are located adjacent but inwardly of the shoulders 21. Each slot is arcuate with its outer edge lying on a circle of the same radius as the shoulder and with its inner edge lying on a smaller circle, the radial thickness of the slot being equal approximately to the sum of the thickness of each finger and the spacer 20 radially so that, when the spacer is snapped in behind the shoulder, the inner periphery of the end of the spacer fits closely against the outer sides of the fingers. In the present instance, there are six fingers on each core member 22 and, correspondingly, there are six slots formed in each flange to receive the fingers.

The core members 22 preferably are formed of a suitable plastic or metal which will permit flexing of the fingers with respect to the hub 23 about a hinge at their line of juncture at the inner ends of the fingers without fracturing or cracking during exposure to extreme temperature conditions. In plastic, one material found to be suitable for this purpose is nylon and the juncture lines or hinges are coined to achieve the desired resistance to fracturing while still having the desired tension urging the flanges 18 against the ends of the spacer 20 when the reel parts are assembled.

To enable the parts to be shipped flat while facilitating their assembly by the user, the outer ends of the fingers 19 of each core member 22 are formed for easy connection to the outer ends of the other core member after the fingers are extended through the slots 24 of their respective flanges 18. Suitable connections are achieved in this instance by forming the outer ends of the fingers alternately with tabs 28 and with slots 29, the tab of each finger fitting into the slot of a finger on another core member.

While the tubular spacer 20 may take various forms such, for example, as a strip of corrugated paper board which is wrapped around the outer sides of the fingers, it is shown in the present instance as two semi-cylindrical halves of a rigid cardboard tube. The radius of the outer periphery of the two halves when they abut each other to form a cylinder is equal approximately to or is just slightly less than the diameter of the shoulders 24. The inner diameter of the tube is approximately equal to or is slightly greater than the diammetrical spacing of the outer sides of diametrically opposite fingers 19 extending through the slots.

The improved reel 16 of FIGS. 1 through 5 may be shipped with the flanges 18 separated from the core members 22 and with the parts lying flat against each other, or the parts may be partially assembled with the fingers 19 extended through the slots 24 and connected to each other and with the flanges moved toward each other as permitted by flexing of the fingers. In partially assembling the reel parts, first the fingers are extended through their respective slots with eccentric apertures on the hubs 23 registering with the eccentric holes 27 in the flanges. Then, the tabs 28 of the fingers on one core member are inserted in the slots 29 of the fingers of the other core member. Next, the flanges are separated to extend the fingers and the two halves of the spacer 20 are moved radially and inwardly from opposite sides of the core and between the flanges. The length of the spacer halves axially being greater than the relaxed length of the fingers when connected together and extended between the opposed surfaces of the second layers 25 of the flanges within the shoulders 24, the fingers are stretched substantially during the inward movement of the spacer halves toward each other until the spacer halves move inwardly or snap in behind the shoulders. Once the spacer halves are located in this position, the tensioning of the fingers is relaxed somewhat but the fingers preferably still urge the flanges toward each other and against the ends of the spacer to prevent separation of the flanges far enough that the spacer halves can move out from behind the shoulders. Radial support on the inner side of the spacer at its ends is provided by the various fingers where they extend inwardly through the slots. Once the spacer halves are snapped in behind the shoulders, the reel is assembled and ready to receive the material to be wound on the core.

Due to tensioning of the fingers 19 when the halves of the spacer 20 are moved inwardly to their assembled positions between shoulders 24 on the flanges 18, a frictional force is present between the ends of the halves and the flanges to resist sliding of the halves outwardly with respect to the flanges. The parts thereby tend to remain in their assembled condition apart from the shoulders which provide a positive stop. Due to such frictional forces, the shoulder may be removed in some instances while still retaining the assembled relation of the parts. Such a construction is shown in a modification in FIG. 6 where parts corresponding to parts of the preferred form bear similar reference numbers with the suffix a. That modification is adaptable to spacers 20a of different diameters while utilizing the same core members 22a. For this purpose, a flat annular insert 30 smaller in diameter than the flanges 18a is utilized on the inner side of each flange. The outer diameter of the insert is equal approximately to the inner diameter of the spacer when its halves are abutting each other and the outer periphery of the insert provides support for the inner sides of the ends of the spacer. Radial slots 31 are cut in the insert to receive the core fingers 19a. With spacers of different diameters, correspondingly different sizes of inserts may be used.

Another modified construction is shown in FIGS. 7-10 where parts corresponding to the parts of FIGS. 1-5 have similar reference numbers with a suffix b. In that construction, instead of being formed as parts of a core member separate from the flanges 18b, the fingers 19b are formed as separate parts with connecting elements 33 and 34 on the ends of the fingers and on the flanges. The flanges preferably are molded from plastic and are formed with an inwardly projecting rib 35 of a contour the same as the periphery of the flanges. While this may be circular as in FIGS. 1 to 6, it is shown in FIG. 7 as being octagonal. The connecting elements 33 and 34 in this instance are tabs on the ends of the fingers which are simply elongated straps and slots formed in alternating sides of the octagonal rib, there being only four fingers in this instance and thus only four slots on each rib. The slots have wide outer edge portions to receive the tabs and narrow inner edge portions to interlock with slots on the tab.

To hold the tabs 34 in the narrow outer edge portions of the slots 33, the inner sides of the flanges 18b preferably are lined with a layer 41 of material such as corrugated cardboard thick enough to cover the wider outer edge portions but compressible to permit entry of the tabs into the wider edge portions as well as hold the tabs in the narrow inner edge portions. The spacer (not shown) in this instance again either may be a cardboard strip wrapped around the outer peripheries of the ribs or may be halves of a rigid tube whose inner diameter is equal to the diammetrical spacing of corners of the rib. In assembling the parts of this modified reel, first the tabs 34 of the fingers 19b are inserted into the wider outer edge portions of their respective slots 33 from the outer sides of the rib 35 as permitted by pressing outwardly against the layer 41 of compressible material. When the tabs are within the slots, the layer presses them inwardly so that the tabs are locked in the inner narrow parts of the slots and the flanges then are connected by the fingers. Finally, the spacer is assembled and the relation of the length of the spacer and the relaxed lengths of the fingers between the opposed inner faces of the compressible layers 41 for exertion of an axial compressive force on the ends of the spacer is the same as in the previously described constructions.

In still another modification shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, parts like those of FIGS. 1 to 5 have similar reference numbers with the suffix c. In that form, the fingers are formed in three parts with central elongated sections 19c having tabs 34c similar to the strips 19b of the form of FIGS. 7 through 10. The connection of these strips to the flanges 18c, is effected through the provision of a modified hub 37 with angularly spaced tabs 38 formed with slots 39 to receive the tabs on the strips, the tabs constituting the other parts of the fingers. The modified hub and the slotted tabs therein are formed of a thin sheet of plastic which is adapted to lie against the outer side of the flange 18c and the latter is formed as a disc of rigid material such as cardboard with the slotted tabs 38 extending through slots 24c in the discs. The relation of the fingers lengths and the axial length of the spacers in this modification also is similar to those previously described.

A further modification is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. There, the fingers 19d are molded integrally with rigid flange members 18d and each finger projects axially from one flange and has a tab 34d in its outer end fitting into a slot 33d on a rib 35d projecting inwardly from the other flange. In this instance, the flanges are shown as being octagonal with two fingers projecting from diammetrically opposite sides of each flange and angularly spaced from two ribs with slots to receive the fingers of the other flange. The slots are similar to those of the modification of FIGS. 7 to 10 and similar compressible layers 41d are located on the inner sides of the flange members to permit entry of the tabs 34d into the slots and to retain the tabs in the slots. This form also is used with a spacer (not shown) having the same relation of its axial length with the lengths of the fingers between the compressible layers to achieve the desired axial stretching of the fingers as discussed above.

In still another modification of FIG. 16, the fingers 19e are formed integral with the flanges which are relatively stiff as in the forms of FIGS. 7 to 10 and FIGS. 14 and 15. However, the fingers are similar to those of the form of FIGS. 1 to 5 with tabs 28e and slots 29e on alternating fingers of one flange interfitting with the complementary parts on the other flange. In this form, the axial compression on the spacer ends is obtained by the stretching of the fingers. To facilitate bending of the fingers relative to the flanges and reduce breaking at the line of bending, hinges are formed along such lines by a coining operation.

It will be apparent that the novel reels described above are capable of being shipped in collapsed condition so as to require little space and yet may be assembled quickly and easily by the user. The parts are held effectively in their assembled relation due to the correlation of the lengths of the fingers 19 with the axial length of the spacer 20 so that the fingers are placed in tension as the spacer is moved into its finally assembled position following connection of the fingers. By making the core members 22 separate from the flanges as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, reels of different axial lengths and core diameters may be formed easily. Different axial lengths of reels also may be achieved easily with the other modifications where fingers of one length may be substituted easily for fingers of another length.

Claims

I claim:

1. A reel having, in combination two rigid flat flanges spaced apart in parallel planes normal to a common axis extending through centers of the flanges, a plurality of elongated fingers of equal length spanning and connected at opposite ends to said flanges and located at points spaced angularly equal distances around said axis, said fingers being foldable transversely of their lengths to permit movement of the flanges toward each other, and a hollow tubular axially rigid spacer encircling said fingers on their outer sides with its ends engaging opposed surfaces on said flanges to hold the flanges spaced apart, said fingers being formed of a stretchable resilient material and the axial length of said spacer being correlated with and greater than the relaxed length of said fingers between the flanges so that the flanges are spaced apart a distance great enough to place said fingers under tension and the fingers exert a force urging the flanges against the spacer ends to hold the parts in assembled relation.

2. The reel of claim 1 in which said spacer is formed as two semi-cylindrical halves of a rigid tube.

3. The reel of claim 1 in which shoulders are formed on said flanges outwardly of and adjacent said opposed surfaces and face radially and inwardly to engage radially and outwardly facing surfaces on the ends of said spacer to prevent outward movement of the spacer.

4. The reel of claim 3 in which said shoulders are continuous annular surfaces and said spacer is of cylindrical shape with an outer diameter slightly less than the diameter of the shoulders to permit movement of the spacer ends inwardly behind the shoulders.

5. The reel of claim 3 in which said spacer is formed as two semi-cylindrical halves of a rigid tube.

6. The reel of claim 1 in which said fingers extend along and lie closely adjacent the inner side of said spacer to provide radial support for the spacer.

7. The reel of claim 1 in which said flanges are formed with openings inwardly of said spacer and said fingers are formed as parts of core members having flat sections lying against the outer sides of the flanges with the fingers of each core member extending inwardly through the flange openings and connected to the fingers of the other member between the flanges.

8. The reel of claim 1 in which said fingers are formed as integral radial projections of core members having flat central hubs lying against the outer sides of said flanges with the fingers extending inwardly through apertures in the flanges and connected to each other intermediate the flanges.

9. The reel of claim 8 in which said apertures are arcuate slots having outer edges lying on a circle equal approximately to the outer diameter of said spacer and inner edges spaced from the outer edges a distance equal approximately to the combined radial thickness of said spacer and one of said fingers.

10. The reel of claim 1 in which said fingers include separable sections adapted at opposite ends for connection to the flanges to facilitate substitution of fingers of different lengths to provide different axial lengths of the reel.

11. The reel of claim 1 in which said flanges are formed with integral connecting elements adapted to receive cooperating ends of said fingers to connect the fingers to the flanges.

12. The reel of claim 11 in which said fingers and connecting elements are formed as integral molded parts of said flanges alternating in angularly spaced relation about the flanges.