Reel

Abstract

A reel for unreeling a coil of wire such as electricians wire which includes a guide, a support disk rotatably mounted on a central shaft and supported on a plurality of rollers positioned adjacent the peripheral edge thereof. A set-screw brake is threaded into the hub of the support plate and engages against the vertical shaft to provide a braking action to prevent the reel from unwinding too fast. A plurality of posts are adjustably positioned on the reel base and supported thereabove to support the inner circular portion of a coil of wire to be unwound therefrom. The wire passes through a guide eye to help in maintaining the alignment thereof. A handle is secured to the upper end of the shaft for moving the reel from place to place.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to reels for unwinding electrician's wire as it is drawn therefrom by the electrician to make use thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A shaft is supported in upright position on a base and has an arm rotatably mounted thereon and carrying a guide eye on its outer end. A plurality of rollers on the arm are arranged to support a reel journalled on the shaft. A top cover is also mounted on the shaft for engaging the top surface of a coil of wire. A plurality of supports are adjustably positioned on the reel plate and extend through the top support to support the center of the wire reel. A brake on the hub of the reel restricts rotation of the reel on the shaft to prevent too rapid unreeling as the wire is used.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a reel for supporting electrician's wire to permit it to be unreeled without become entangled.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally, a portable wire reel for supporting a coil of wire for unreeling as the wire is used.

The portable reel 10 includes a pair of base members 11, 12 arranged at right angles to each other and including a plurality of ground engaging feet 13 formed thereon. An upright shaft 14 has a head 15 on its lower end and the shaft 14 extends upwardly through the center of the members 11, 12 being secured thereto by rivets 16. The rivets 16 also secure the members 11, 12 together to form with the shaft 14 a rigid structure. A handle 17 having a flat neck 18 is welded to the upper end of the shaft 14 at 19 for reasons to be assigned.

A bar 20 is journalled on the shaft 14 and supported on a spacer washer 21. The bar 20 has yokes 22 secured thereto with rollers 23 journalled therein. A handle 24 is integrally formed on one end of the bar 20 and extends upwardly therefrom. A post 25 is secured to the upper end of the bar 20 and has a guide eye 26 formed in its upper end.

A circular disk 27 is rigidly secured to a hub 28 journalled on the shaft 14. A set-screw 29 extends through the hub 28 for engagement with the shaft 14 to provide a friction braking action to prevent free running of the plate 27 on the shaft 14. The plate 27 engages against the rollers 23 on the bar 20 to assist in supporting the plate 27. A plurality of bores 30 are formed in the plate 30 along radiuses thereof in outwardly spaced relation. A plurality of posts 31 are releaseably mounted in the bores 30 by means of wing nuts 32 for reasons to be assigned.

A pair of arms 33, 34 are welded together in perpendicularly extending relation to each other and are welded to a hub 35 positioned centrally thereon. A set-screw 36 extends through the hub 35 to engage the shaft 14 as can be seen in FIG. 2. The arms 33, 34 each have a plurality of spaced apart bores 37 formed therein overlying the bores 30 and aligned therewith. The posts 31 are adapted to extend upwardly through the bores 37 as can be seen in FIG. 1.

In the use and operation of the invention the arms 33, 34 are first removed from the shaft 14 by loosening the set-screw 36 and sliding the hub 35 upwardly until a flat slot 38 therein can be slid over the flat portion 18 on the handle 17 to permit it to be completely removed. The posts 31 are then positioned so as to fit the core of a coil of wire indicated generally at W and the coil of wire is positioned on the plate 27 with the free end thereof extending outwardly through the guide eye 26. The arms 33, 34 are then reapplied to the shaft 14 and moved downwardly thereon until it is in contact with the coil of wire W with the post 31 extending upwardly through the bores 37. The set-screw 36 is then tightened to the required degree and the invention is ready for use. The electrician can place the reel 10 from place to place by means of a handle 17 and as he uses wire therefrom the plate 27 and arms 33, 34 rotate to permit the wire to be removed from the coil W. When it is desired to wind a length of the unwound wire back onto the coil W it can be done by grasping the handle 24 and rotating the bar 20 and eye 26 around the reel plate 27, by means of posts 31.

Upon completion of the unwinding operation and complete removal of the wire from the reel 10 another coil of wire is mounted thereon as described above.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A portable reel for unwinding coils of material comprising an upright shaft having an upper end, a base rigidly secured to such shaft for supporting such shaft in upright position, a handle secured to the upper end of said shaft, a bar mounted for rotation on said shaft and having a handle secured to one end thereof, an upstanding post secured to the other end of said bar and having a guide eye integrally formed on the upper end thereof, a disk journalled on said shaft, a plurality of posts adjustably secured to said disk and extending upwardly therefrom, and means for engaging over said shaft and said posts for engaging the upper surface of a coil of wire mounted on said disk.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 including anti-friction support rollers on said bar engaging the underside of said disk.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disk includes a hub secured to said disk at the center thereof and brake means in said hub for engaging said shaft to prevent free running of said disk on said shaft.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for engaging the upper surface of a coil of wire supported on said disk comprises a pair of crossed arms rigidly secured together and a hub secured to the center of said crossed arms and engaging over said shaft.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein a plurality of apertures formed in said crossed arms receive said posts entending upwardly therethrough.