Apparatus and method for spooling wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9738485-B1
Application number	US-201514659165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2012
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A reel apparatus and method comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and a bearing assembly coupled to the inner and outer flange assemblies. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reel apparatus comprising:
an inner flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly has a first end and a second end;
an outer flange assembly, wherein the outer flange assembly has a first end and a second end;
a locking device removably connected to only one of the first ends or the second ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies;
a bearing assembly coupled to the inner and outer flange assemblies; and
wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking device is not connected to either the first ends or second ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bearing assembly is connected to the outer flange assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the bearing assembly is bolted to the outer flange assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the bearing assembly comprises a stage, the stage is positioned between the inner flange assembly and the outer flange assembly and maintains a separation between the inner flange assembly and the outer flange assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the outer flange assembly comprises a first outer wall and a second outer wall, the first and second outer walls coupled to a first tube.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the inner flange assembly comprises a first inner wall and a second inner wall, the first and second inner walls coupled to a second tube.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the inner flange assembly tube is freely rotatable around the outer flange assembly tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second inner walls have an inner wall diameter, wherein the first and second outer walls have an outer wall diameter, and wherein the inner wall diameter is less than the outer wall diameter.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second outer walls or first and second inner walls are any combination of circular, quadrilateral or triangular.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner flange assembly width is less than the outer flange assembly width.

11. A method of spooling wire, comprising:
spooling wire from a reel assembly; and
wherein the reel assembly comprises an inner flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly has a first end and a second end, an outer flange assembly, wherein the outer flange assembly has a first end and a second end, a locking device removably connected to only one of the first ends or the second ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies, a bearing assembly coupled to the inner and outer flange assemblies, and wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking device is not connected to either the first ends or second ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the outer flange assembly comprises two outer supporting walls.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inner flange assembly comprises two inner supporting walls.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bearing assembly comprises a stage.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the stage is positioned between the inner supporting walls and the adjacent outer supporting walls and maintains a separation between the inner supporting walls and the outer supporting walls.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outer flange assembly comprises a tube coupled to the outer supporting walls.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the inner flange assembly rotates about the tube of the outer flange assembly.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the outer supporting walls and the bearing assembly are fixed together by a long bolt.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outer supporting walls or inner supporting walls are any combination of circular, quadrilateral or triangular.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the bearing assembly is made of one or more of steel, plastic or polyacetal.

Assignees

• Encore Wire Corp

Inventors

• Bigbee Jr William T
• Rhoads John L

Classifications

• B65H75/18

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B65H75/40

  mobile or transportable · CPC title

• B65H49/32 Primary

  Stands or frameworks · CPC title

• B65H75/146 Primary

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

• B65H75/44

  Constructional details · CPC title