Quick change height adjustment mechanism for a reel stand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840392-B2
Application number	US-201615177592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A quick change height adjustment mechanism allows a reel stand to accommodate differently sized storage spools. The mechanism includes a plate, a locking pin and a pivot pin. The plate forms a cavity into which a post is seated and has at least one space which receive a spindle of the spool. The locking pin extends from the plate and into the cavity. The locking pin is vertically spaced from, and positioned on a first side of, a centerline of the plate. The pivot pin is attached to the plate, is vertically spaced from, and positioned on a second, opposite side of, the centerline. The pivot and locking pins are positioned on opposite sides of the post. In use, the plate can be pivoted relative to the post around pivot pin to engage or disengage the locking pin with holes in the post.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reel stand comprising:
a plate having a base wall and a pair of side walls extending from the base wall, the base wall and side walls defining a cavity, at least one of the side walls having a space at least partially surrounded by the sidewall, the space capable of receiving a spindle of an associated reel therethrough, and a horizontal centerline defined between opposite ends of the plate;
an upright post having a side wall, the side wall of the post having at least two spaced apart locking pin supports disposed thereon, the post being seated within the cavity;
a locking pin extending from the plate and into the cavity, the locking pin being proximate to the post and capable of engagement with the locking pin supports, the locking pin being vertically spaced from the centerline and positioned on a first side of the centerline; and
a pivot pin attached to the plate, wherein the plate is capable of pivoting relative to the post around the pivot pin, the pivot pin being vertically spaced from the centerline and from the base plate and positioned on a second, opposite side of the centerline, the pivot pin being positioned on an opposite side of the post from the locking pin.

2. The reel stand of claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin is below the centerline and the locking pin is above the centerline.

3. The reel stand of claim 2 , wherein the space and the pivot pin are located on the same side of the post.

4. The reel stand of claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin is above the centerline and the locking pin is below the centerline.

5. The reel stand of claim 4 , wherein the space and the locking pin are located on the same side of the post.

6. The reel stand of claim 1 , wherein the space and the pivot pin are located on the same side of the post.

7. The reel stand of claim 1 , wherein the space and the locking pin are located on the same side of the post.

8. A reel stand comprising:
a plate having a base wall and a pair of side walls extending from the base wall, the base wall and side walls defining a cavity, at least one of the side walls having a space at least partially surrounded by the sidewall, the space capable of receiving a spindle of an associated reel therethrough, and a horizontal centerline defined between opposite ends of the plate;
an upright post having a side wall, the side wall of the post having at least two spaced apart holes therein, the post being seated within the cavity;
a locking pin extending from the base wall and into the cavity, the locking pin being proximate to the post and capable of engagement with the holes in the side wall of the post, the locking pin being vertically spaced from the centerline and positioned on a first side of the centerline; and
a pivot pin attached to the side walls of the plate, wherein the plate is capable of pivoting relative to the post around the pivot pin, the pivot pin being vertically spaced from the centerline and from the base plate and positioned on a second, opposite side of the centerline, the pivot pin being positioned on an opposite side of the post from the locking pin.

9. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the pivot pin is below the centerline and the locking pin is above the centerline.

10. The reel stand of claim 9 , wherein the space and the pivot pin are located on the same side of the post.

11. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the pivot pin is above the centerline and the locking pin is below the centerline.

12. The reel stand of claim 11 , wherein the space and the locking pin are located on the same side of the post.

13. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the space and the pivot pin are located on the same side of the post.

14. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the space and the locking pin are located on the same side of the post.

15. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the holes are formed as through holes.

16. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the holes are formed as recesses.

17. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the space is at least partially surrounded by the respective side wall of the plate.

18. The reel stand of claim 8 , further comprising at least one roller mounted between the pair of side walls of the plate and rotatable relative to the pair of side walls of the plate, the at least one roller overlapping the space.

19. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the post comprises two telescoping tubes.

20. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the locking pin is integrally formed with the base wall.

21. The reel stand of claim 8 , wherein the locking pin is fastened to the base wall.

22. The reel stand of claim 8 in combination with a second reel stand.

23. The reel stand of claim 8 in combination with a second reel stand and a storage spool.

Assignees

• Greenlee Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Fenske John

Classifications

• B65H49/32 Primary

  Stands or frameworks · CPC title

• F16M2200/028

  by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections · CPC title

• B65H49/325

  Arrangements or adaptations for supporting the shafts, e.g. saddle type shaft bearings · CPC title

• F16M11/24

  changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, {e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each other}(F16M11/42 takes precedence) · CPC title