Locking breakdown spool

A breakdown spool comprising:

• a substantially hollow barrel having
• a longitudinal axis,
• a barrel wall surrounding the longitudinal axis and forming an annular winding surface, and
• an insertion section formed on each axial end of the barrel wall, the insertion sections each comprising
• two diametrically opposed flexible tabs formed within the barrel wall, each tab having a base portion and a free end portion, the tabs connected at the base portion to the barrel wall and the end portions having a radially outward projecting cleat thereon, the tabs capable of flexing radially about the base portion, and
• a plurality of insertion clips spaced from one another and from the two tabs;
• and
• a pair of similarly formed flange members, each flange member having
• a support surface,
• a central recess positioned within the support surface, the central recess formed for receiving the insertion section of the barrel, the central recess comprising
• an outer peripheral wall, the peripheral wall having an inside diameter closely dimensioned with an outside diameter of the annular winding surface of the barrel wall,
• a pair of receiving openings formed within the outer peripheral wall, the openings each defining an engagement lip adjacent the support surface, the openings formed for receiving the projecting cleats on the tabs upon introduction of the insertion sections of the barrel into the central recesses of a respective flange, and
• a plurality of receiving clips spaced relative to the pair of openings, the receiving clip spacing corresponding to the spacing of the plurality of insertion clips relative to the flexible tab on the insertion sections of the barrel wall, the receiving clips each formed to axially overlap and engage with a corresponding insertion clip upon alignment of the flexible tab with the first opening and introduction of the insertion section within the receiving channel,
• each of the tabs flexing radially inward upon introduction of the insertion section of one end of the barrel into the receiving channel of one of the flanges, the inward flex of the tabs clearing the cleat over the lip and for movement of the cleat into the aligned opening in the peripheral wall of the central recess and the return of the tabs to a normal position aligned with the barrel wall and moving the cleat into engagement with lip and the opening in the peripheral wall,
• the barrel wall adjacent the insertion clips flexing for movement of the insertion clips into engagement with the corresponding receiving clips, and
• wherein each of the insertion clips and receiving clips each comprise an engagement channel portion formed adjacent thereto, the engagement channel allowing relative rotational movement of the flange about the axis of the barrel after radially inward flexing of the tabs and axial release of the cleat from the lip and the opening, the relative rotational movement releasing the axial overlap and engagement of the respective clips for axial withdrawal of the barrel from the flange.

A breakdown spool comprising:

• a substantially hollow barrel having
• a longitudinal axis,
• a barrel wall surrounding the longitudinal axis and forming an annular winding surface, and
• an insertion section formed on each axial end of the barrel wall;
• a pair of similarly formed flange members, each flange member having
• a support surface,
• a central recess positioned within the support surface, the central recess formed for receiving the insertion section of the barrel, the central recess having an outer peripheral wall, the peripheral wall having an inside diameter closely dimensioned with an outside diameter of the annular winding surface of the barrel wall;
• the insertion sections of the barrel and the central recess of each flange having first and second engagement elements for releasably securing the flanges to the axial ends of the barrel, the first and second engagement elements having different structural forms;
• and
• the insertion sections of the barrel and the central recess of each flange having interconnecting alignment elements to fix the relative position of the axial end of the barrel with respect to the central recess of the flange and to align the respective first and second engagement elements on the insertion section and the peripheral wall around the perimeter of the central recess,
• wherein the first and second engagement elements on one axial end of the barrel and on one flange being engaged upon connection of the alignment elements during axial introduction of the insertion section of the one axial end of the barrel into the central recess of the one flange, and
• wherein the first engagement elements are separately released from the second engagement elements and further release the connection of the alignment elements, and upon release of the first engagement elements the second engagement elements are released by rotation of the flange about the barrel axis with respect to the axial end of the barrel followed by an axial separation of the flange and barrel end.