Power cable spooling/unspooling device

Device for spooling and unspooling a power cable or the like upon relative displacement of two areas connected to each other by the cable or the like, said device comprising:

• a support disposed in one of said areas,
• a drum mounted to rotate about a first axis relative to the support and adapted to receive the cable or the like,
• drive means for rotating the drum about the first axis in a direction to spool the cable or the like and in a direction to unspool the cable or the like by applying traction to the cable between said areas, said drive means comprising an electric drive motor carried by the support and having a rotary output shaft and a kinematic linkage between the drive motor output shaft and the drum so as to associate with the spooling and unspooling directions respective directions of rotation of the drive motor output shaft, and
• control means for said drive means comprising means for supplying electrical power to the drive motor, wherein:
• the drive motor is of the asynchronous type, its electrical power supply means being alternating current supply means and its output shaft is in permanent slip-free engagement with the drum through the intermediary of the kinematic linkage,
• the control means are adapted to cause the drive motor to be supplied with power by the means for supplying it with electrical power so as to rotate its output shaft either in a direction corresponding the spooling direction or in a direction corresponding to the unspooling direction or to interrupt the supply of power to the drive motor and comprise variable frequency control means responsive to the cable tension to control the supply of power to the drive motor to maintain said tension at an approximately constant value on spooling and on unspooling the cable or the like, and
• means are provided to exert calibrated unidirectional braking on the output shaft of the drive motor in the direction corresponding to the unspooling direction.