Apparatus and method for a free-spinning wire dispensing reel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111100-B1
Application number	US-202016823112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 5, 2012
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus and method for dispensing wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for dispensing wire from any surface. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and an external bay. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly and the external bay. The external bay is capable of freely rotation relative to the outer flange assembly and the inner flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is dispensed from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. In yet another embodiment, wire is dispensed from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and an external bay.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for dispensing wire, the apparatus comprising:
an outer flange assembly, wherein the outer flange assembly further comprises two outer walls connected by a pipe;
an inner flange assembly interposed between the two outer walls, wherein the inner flange assembly further comprises at least two inner walls connected by a drum and wherein the radius of the drum is greater than the radius of the pipe, wherein the inner flange assembly can freely rotate relative to the outer flange assembly; and
a removable device for connection with one outer wall and at least one inner wall at a point radially exterior to the drum, wherein the device, when connected for locking of the apparatus, impedes the rotation of the inner flange assembly in relation to the outer flange assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pipe and the drum are connected via a lubrication barrier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pipe and the drum are connected via bearings.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pipe is in direct contact with the drum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner flange assembly is comprised of at least three inner walls connect by a drum, forming multiple wire dispensing bays.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the multiple wire dispensing bays rotate in unison.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein one of the multiple wire dispensing bays rotates independently of other wire dispensing bays.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the removable device further comprises:
a base;
at least one minor peg attached to the base; and
at least one major peg attached to the base, wherein the at least one major peg contacts one outer wall and at least one inner wall of each of the multiple dispensing bays when the removable devices is connected for locking of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one major peg is inserted into an opening in the one outer wall and into an opening in the at least one inner wall of each multiple dispensing bay.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the removable device, when connected for chocking, impedes the rotation of the outer flange assembly while allowing free rotation of the independently rotatable multiple wire dispensing bays.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the removable device for connection with one outer wall and at least one inner wall at a point radially exterior to the drum includes two removable devices for connection with one of the outer walls and at least one inner wall of each of the multiple dispensing bays at a point radially exterior to the drum.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the removable devices, when connected for locking of the apparatus, impedes the rotation of the multiple dispensing bays in relation to the outer flange assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner walls are bolted to the drum.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising inner washers connected to the pipe, wherein the inner washers separate the inner walls from the outer walls.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the removable device for connection with one outer wall and at least one inner wall at a point radially exterior to the drum includes two removable devices for connection with one of the outer walls and at least one inner wall at a point radially exterior to the drum.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , where the first removable device connects to a first outer wall and the second removable device connects to a second outer wall.

17. A wire dispensing system, the system comprising:
an outer flange assembly, wherein the outer flange assembly further comprises two outer walls connected by a pipe;
an inner flange assembly interposed between the two outer walls, wherein the inner flange assembly further comprises at least two inner walls connected by a drum and wherein the radius of the drum is greater than the radius of the pipe, wherein the inner flange assembly can freely rotate relative to the outer flange assembly;
wire coiled around the drum and between the two inner walls; and
a removable device for connection with one outer wall and at least one inner wall at a point radially exterior to the drum, wherein the device, when connected for locking of the apparatus, impedes the rotation of the inner flange assembly in relation to the outer flange assembly.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the inner flange assembly is comprised of at least three inner walls connect by a drum, forming multiple wire dispensing bays and wherein wire is coiled around the drum in each of the multiple wire dispensing bays.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the multiple wire dispensing bays rotate in unison.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein one of the multiple wire dispensing bays rotates independently of other wire dispensing bays.

Assignees

• Encore Wire Corp

Inventors

• Bigbee Jr William T
• Rhoads John L

Classifications

• B65H75/146

  with at least one intermediate flange between the two end flanges · CPC title

• B65H75/44

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B65H75/4428

  acting on the reel or on a reel blocking mechanism · CPC title

• B65H75/18

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B65H75/40

  mobile or transportable · CPC title