US 5,897,073 AGranted

Reel handler

OwnerArthur K. McVaughinventor

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Abstract

A reel handler including at least one reel arm for engaging a reel is mounted on a frame. A moving device moves the reel arm to raise and lower the engaged reel, and a hydraulic motor for rotating the reel is contained within the end of the reel arm. The hydraulic motor includes a crank shaft operable to rotate the reel when the crank shaft is rotated. Preferably, two spaced reel arms are pivotally mounted on a transverse, telescoping support cylinder that allows the reel arms to be spaced at varying distances to accommodate reels of various sizes. At least two cylinder and piston assemblies are attached to the crank shaft for rotation of the crank shaft upon movement of each piston between a minimum and maximum point of travel in the cylinders. The two cylinders are offset with respect to each other such that each piston reaches its said minimum and maximum points of travel while the other is offset from its own said minimum point of travel. A valve assembly, driven by the crank shaft, provides hydraulic fluid to the cylinders under pressure to sequentially move each piston between its said minimum and maximum points of travel by providing hydraulic fluid under pressure on each piston in the desired direction of piston travel while evacuating hydraulic fluid under lesser pressure from the other side of the piston in its cylinder.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A reel handler device for use with a reel having an axis of rotation, said device comprising:

a frame;
a pair of reel arms each having a first end for engaging a reel at one end of each of said arms along said reel axis of rotation and a second end;
first and second sleeve means for supporting said reel arms about a pivot axis for arcuately moving a reel attached to said first ends of said reel arms, said sleeve means each being attached to a respective one of said reel arms at said second ends;
lifting means mounted on said frame for mounting said reel arms on said frame and for moving said reel arms about said pivot axis to thereby raise and lower said reel;
telescoping means positioning both of said sleeve means about said pivot axis at said second end of each of said reel arms and for moving said sleeve means along an axis coincident with said pivot axis to provide for lateral movement of said reel arms in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said reel;
a hydraulic motor for rotating said reel, said hydraulic motor mounted in at least one of said reel arms such that the width of said device is not increased by the presence of said motor, said motor being adapted to move with said arm when said arm is moved to raise and lower said reel, said hydraulic motor comprising;
a crank shaft mounted in said reel arm and operable to rotate said reel when said crank shaft is rotated;
at least two cylinder and piston assemblies attached to said crank shaft for rotation of said crank shaft upon movement of each said piston between minimum and maximum points of travel in said cylinders to thereby impart motion to said crank shaft, said at least two cylinders being offset with respect to each other such that each piston reaches said respective maximum point of travel while the other is proximate a respective mid-point of travel;
and
valve means for providing hydraulic fluid to said cylinders under pressure to sequentially move each said piston between said minimum and maximum points of travel by providing hydraulic fluid under pressure on each said piston in the direction of piston travel while evacuating hydraulic fluid under lesser pressure from the other side of the piston in said cylinder.

7 more elements

A reel handler device, comprising:

a frame;
a pair of reel arms each having a first end for engaging a reel at one end of each of said arms along said reel axis of rotation and a second end;
first and second sleeve means for supporting said reel arms about a pivot axis for arcuately moving a reel attached to said first ends of said reel arms, said sleeve means each being attached to a respective one of said reel arms at said second ends;
lifting means mounted on said frame for mounting said reel arms on said frame and for moving said reel arms about said pivot axis to thereby raise and lower said reel;
telescoping means positioning both of said sleeve means about said pivot axis at said second end of each of said reel arms and for moving said sleeve means along an axis coincident with said pivot axis to provide for lateral movement of said reel arms in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said reel;
a hydraulic motor for rotating said reel, said hydraulic motor mounted in at least one of said reel arms such that the width of said device is not increased by the presence of said motor, said motor being adapted to move with said arm when said arm is moved to raise and lower said reel, said hydraulic motor comprising:
a crank shaft mounted in said reel arm and operable to rotate said reel when said crank shaft is rotated;
at least two cylinder and piston assemblies attached to said crank shaft for rotation of said crank shaft upon movement of each said piston between minimum and maximum points of travel in said cylinders to thereby impart motion to said crank shaft, said at least two cylinders being offset with respect to each other by about 90.degree. of rotation of said crank shaft such that each piston reaches said respective minimum point of travel while the other is at a respective maximum point of mechanical advantage;
and
valve means for providing hydraulic fluid to said cylinders under pressure to sequentially move each said piston between said minimum and maximum points of travel by providing hydraulic fluid under pressure on one face of each of said pistons to move said pistons in the desired direction of piston travel while evacuating hydraulic fluid under lesser pressure from the opposite face of said piston in said cylinder.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/854,615Filed 12 May 1997 · continuation in part
Priority: 5 Aug 1996
Granted: 27 Apr 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B60P 3/035
Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects: for transporting reel units
B65H 49/32
Package-supporting devices: stands or frameworks
B65H 54/54
Arrangements for rotating packages: arrangements for supporting cores or formers at winding stations; Securing cores or formers to driving members
B65H 59/381
By regulating speed of driving mechanism of unwinding, paying-out, forwarding, winding, or depositing devices, e.g. automatically in response to…:…