Apparatus and method for spooling wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9815658-B1
Application number	US-201514837813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2012
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for spooling wire including an inner flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly includes a first inner supporting wall and a second inner supporting wall, wherein the first inner supporting wall includes an inner locking hole. The apparatus including an outer flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly, and wherein the outer flange assembly includes a first outer supporting wall and a second outer supporting wall, wherein the first outer supporting wall includes an outer locking hole. The apparatus also including a locking plug for insertion into the inner and outer locking holes, wherein the inner flange assembly cannot freely rotate relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking plug is inserted into the inner and outer locking holes and wherein the locking plug, when inserted, extends between only one outer supporting wall and the adjacent inner supporting wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for spooling wire 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 the first ends of 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 the first ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends of the inner flange assembly are coupled to a first tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first and second ends of the outer flange assembly are coupled to a second tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the inner flange assembly rotates about the outer flange assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first tube rotates about the second tube.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends of the outer or inner flange assemblies are any combination of circular, quadrilateral or triangular.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends of the inner flange assembly are smaller than the first and second ends of the outer flange assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inner flange assembly fits within the outer flange assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends of the inner flange assembly are substantially the same size and the first and second ends of the outer flange assembly are substantially the same size.

10. 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, and a locking device removably connected to only the first ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies, wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking device is not connected to the first ends of the inner and outer flange assemblies.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second ends of the inner flange assembly are coupled to a first tube.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second ends of the outer flange assembly are coupled to a second tube.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inner flange assembly rotates about the outer flange assembly.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first tube rotates about the second tube.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein first and second ends of the outer or inner flange assemblies are any combination of circular, quadrilateral or triangular.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second ends of the inner flange assembly are smaller than the first and second ends of the outer flange assembly.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the inner flange assembly fits within the outer flange assembly.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and second ends of the inner flange assembly are substantially the same size and the first and second ends of the outer flange assembly are substantially the same size.

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

• B65H75/18

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B65H49/324 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• B65H2701/36

  Wires · CPC title

• B65H49/32 Primary

  Stands or frameworks · CPC title