Cable dispensing device with means for lifting and conveying reel and method

A cable dispensing apparatus for dispensing a cable from payout reels having differing diameters and transferring said cable to a take-up reel, said cable dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a backside and an oppositely disposed front side, said front side facing said take-up reel;
• a pair of arms extending rearwardly from said backside of said frame, each arm of said pair of arms having support means for rotatably supporting said payout reel, said pair of arms being pivotably attached to said frame so as to provide pivotal movement of said payout reel relative to said frame for accommodating payout reels of differing diameters;
• means for traversing each said support means along a respective arm of said pair of arms in a direction toward or away from said frame;
• and
• positioning means for moving said pair of arms toward and away from each other so as to accommodate payout reels of differing widths;
• whereby said payout reel is rotatably supported by said support means adjacent said frame, said payout reel being displaceable relative to said frame by said means for traversing so as to position said payout reel a predetermined distance from said frame.

A method for dispensing cable from a payout reel, said method comprising the steps of:

• positioning said payout reel between a pair of pivotal support arms extending from one side of a non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus having a fixed operator platform located at an opposite side;
• moving said pair of pivotal support arm until each arm of said pair of pivotal support arms is adjacent a respective side of said payout reel;
• rotatably engaging said payout reel with linearly movable support means mounted to each arm of said pair of pivotal support arms;
• lifting said payout reel with said pair of pivotal support arms to a predetermined height;
• upwardly rotating said pair of pivotal support arms relative to said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus;
• sensing the rotational position of said pivotal support arms;
• automatically moving, based on said sensed rotational position, said payout reel along said linearly movable support means toward said fixed operator platform to position said payout reel a predetermined distance from said fixed operator platform;
• and
• dispensing said cable from said payout reel by rotating said payout reel and directing said cable to said opposite side of said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus such that an operator standing on said fixed operator platform can direct said dispensed cable onto a take-up reel located along said opposite side of said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus.

A method for dispensing cable from a payout reel, said method comprising the steps of:

• positioning said payout reel adjacent one side of a non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus having a fixed operator platform at an opposite side and a pair of pivotal support arms mounted on said one side between said payout reel and said fixed operator platform;
• positioning said payout reel between said pair of pivotal support arms;
• securing said payout reel to a linearly movable support means positioned on said pair of pivotal support arms and straddling said payout reel on said one side of said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus;
• first moving said payout reel along said linearly movable support means toward said fixed operator platform to position said payout reel a predetermined distance from said fixed operator platform;
• dispensing said cable from said payout reel by rotating said payout reel and directing said cable to said opposite side of said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus such that an operator standing on said fixed operator platform can direct said dispensed cable onto a take-up reel located along said opposite side of said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus;
• upwardly rotating said pair of pivotal support arms relative to said non-mobile cable dispensing apparatus to support said payout reel after said securing step;
• second moving said pair of arms to rotatably engage said linearly movable support means with said payout reel after said steps of positioning said payout reel between said pair of pivotal supports arms;
• and
• initializing said second moving step automatically after said upwardly rotating step.