Power reel retriever

An apparatus to carry a reel, said reel having a drum portion having a relatively small diameter and retaining flange members having a relatively larger diameter affixed to either end of said drum portion, said apparatus adapted to retrieve and pay out cable from said reel, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a base frame having a forward end and a rear end, and longitudinal and transverse axes,
• b. a reel lifting and carrying device mounted to said base frame, said device being adapted to vertically lift said reel from a first lower position to a second upper operative position,
• c. a movable secondary frame operatively connected to said base frame and adapted for movement from a forward disengaged position to a rearward engaged position along said longitudinal axis of said base frame,
• d. a reel drive mechanism, comprising transversely spaced drive elements having rotating friction drive surfaces adapted and positioned to frictionally engage said reel to cause said reel to rotate, said drive elements being mounted to said secondary frame,
• e. actuating means adapted to move said secondary frame from said disengaged position to said engaged position where said drive surfaces engage said reel,
• f. said reel lifting and carrying device further comprising:
• 1. a pair of vertically oriented slideway members mounted to said base frame and spaced laterally from one another so as to be able to receive therebetween said reel,
• 2. a pair of lifting members mounted one to each of said slideway members for vertical movement relative to said slideway members, each of said lifting members having a related reel engaging means, and
• 3. power means to move said lifting members vertically relative to said slideway members to lift said reel to said second upper operative position,
• whereby, upon actuation of said actuating means, said secondary frame is moved rearwardly, such that said drive elements engage said reel, with said drive elements being adapted to provide effective driving engagement with said reel under loaded or unloaded reel conditions.

An apparatus to carry a reel, said reel having a drum portion having a relatively small diameter and retaining flange members having a relatively larger diameter affixed to either end of said drum portion, said apparatus adapted to retrive and pay out cable from said reel, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a base frame having a forward end and a rear end, and longitudinal and transverse axes,
• b. a reel lifting and carrying device mounted to said base frame, said device being adapted to vertically lift said reel from a first lower position to a second upper operative position,
• c. a movable secondary frame operatively connected to said base frame and adapted for movement from a forward disengaged position to a rearward engaged position along said longitudinal axis of said base frame,
• d. a reel drive mechanism, comprising transversely spaced drive elements having rotating friction drive surfaces adapted and positioned to frictionally engage said reel to cause said reel to rotate, said drive elements being mounted to said secondary frame,
• e. actuating means adapted to move said secondary frame from said disengaged position to said engaged position where said drive surfaces engage said reel,
• whereby, upon actuation of said actuating means, said secondary frame is moved rearwardly, such that said drive elements engage said reel, with said drive elements being adapted to provide effective driving engagement with said reel under loaded or unloaded reel conditions,
• said reel lifting and carrying device further comprising:
• a. a pair of vertically oriented slideway members fixedly mounted to said base frame,
• b. a pair of vertically oriented lifting members, each mounted for vertical movement to a related slideway member between lower and upper positions, each of said lifting members comprising:
• 1. vertically oriented wall means defining a vertically aligned open area,
• 2. a plurality of vertically spaced plate members mounted in said vertically aligned area to separate said vertically aligned area into a plurality of vertically spaced recesses, each adapted to receive an end portion of a reel holding member,
• 3. a gate member connected to said lifting member and movable between open and closed positions to permit engagement of a reel holding member in a selected recess, and retention of said reel holding member when said gate member is in its closed position,
• c. a pair of hydraulic jacks, mounted one to each of said lifting members to move said lifting members between their lower and upper positions,
• whereby upon positioning of a reel with holding members between said lifting members, the holding members of the reel can be received in related recesses, the gate closed, and the hydraulic jack actuated to raise said lifting members and move said reel to its upper operative position.

An apparatus to carry a reel, said reel having a drum portion having a relatively small diameter and retaining flange members having a relatively larger diameter affixed to either end of said drum portion, said apparatus adapted to retrieve and pay out cable from said reel, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a base frame having a forward end and a rear end, and longitudinal and transverse axes,
• b. a second reel supporting frame mounted to said base frame
• c. a reel lifting and carrying device mounted to said second frame, said device being adapted to vertically lift said reel from a first lower position to a second upper operative position,
• d. a movable third frame operatively connected to said base frame and adapted for movement from a forward disengaged position to a rearward engaged position along said longitudinal axis of said base frame,
• e. a reel drive mechanism, comprising transversely spaced drive elements having rotating friction drive surfaces adapted and positioned to frictionally engage said reel to cause said reel to rotate, said drive elements being mounted to said third frame,
• f. actuating means adapted to move said third frame from said disengaged position to said engaged position where said drive surfaces engage said reel,
• g. said reel lifting and carrying device being mounted to said second frame, such that movement of said lifting and carrying device is vertical relative to both said second and third frames, whereby, upon actuation of said actuating means, said third frame is moved rearwardly, such that said drive elements engage said reel, and said reel can be moved independently of movement of said third frame, with said drive elements being adapted to provide effective driving engagement with said reel under loaded or unloaded reel conditions.