Spool-supporting pallet and method of use

A spool-supporting pallet for supporting a spool for holding windable material wherein the spool includes an elongated barrel having two opposite ends and about which the material is wound and from which the material can be unwound, said pallet comprising:

• an elongated frame having two opposite ends, two opposite sides which extend between the two opposite ends of the frame, and a longitudinal axis which extends through and is substantially perpendicular to each of the opposite sides of the frame, the frame including a support surface within which the spool can be cradled for support so that when cradled within the frame, the spool is arranged so that the barrel of the spool is oriented substantially horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame, and wherein the support surface includes a pair of cradle-defining parallel struts upon which the spool is positionable wherein the longitudinal axis of the frame is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each of the struts so that when the spool is cradled within the support surface, the longitudinal axis of the frame is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spool and the longitudinal axis of the spool is parallel to the struts;
• a cooperating member which is mounted upon the frame adjacent one side thereof and inboard of the pair of cradle-defining struts, and wherein the cooperating member is cooperable with the barrel of the spool at one of the two opposite ends of the barrel so that when the spool is cradled upon the support surface as aforesaid and the cooperating member is positioned in cooperating relationship with one of the two opposite ends of the barrel of the spool, the barrel of the spool is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame and said one barrel end is in condition to be lifted from the support surface with the cooperating member;
• and
• a jack assembly which is interposed between the cooperating member and the frame for raising the cooperating member with respect to the frame so that after positioning the cooperating member in cooperating relationship with one end of the barrel of the spool cradled upon the support surface as aforesaid, said one end of the spool can be lifted from the support surface of the frame by way of the jack assembly.