Rack for holding spools

A rack (10) for holding spools (24) comprising:

• (a) a frame (12) having side pieces (18) having a rear surface (20), and a back (22) attached to the rear surface (20) and substantially closing the space between the side pieces (18);
• (b) a plurality of substantially horizontal, vertically arrayed shelf means (14) for supporting a plurality of spools (24) in stable, end-to-end relation, each shelf means (14) extending between and supported by the side pieces (18) and spaced forwardly from the rear surface (20), the space extending from the rear surface (20) forwardly to the most rearwardly projecting part of the shelf means (14) and any spools (24) held thereon forming a spool passage (27) that extends upwardly behind all the shelf means (14), the spool passage (27) being sufficiently deep at any given level to allow any spool (24) stored at and above that level to freely move downwardly through the spool passage (27), the clearance above each shelf means (14) being at least as great as the diameter of the largest spool (24) to be supported thereby;
• and
• (c) a collection tray (16) supported by the frame (12), extending forwardly from the rear surface (20) underneath the shelf means (14) for a selected distance and having a floor (28) inclined downwardly and extending forwardly from the back surface (20), the clearance between the floor (28) and the lowermost shelf means (14) being at least as great as the diameter of the largest spool (24) to be held in the rack (10), so that a spool (24) supported by a shelf means (14) may be thrust backwardly off the shelf means (14) to fall through the spool passage (27) to land on the floor (28) of the collection tray (16) and roll and slide forwardly on the floor (28), whereon it may be grasped at its sides and removed from the rack (10).