Magnetic chuck for unwinding of wire from a spool

An apparatus for unwinding of wire, comprising:

• a) a spindle disposed on a support frame;
• b) a spool having opposed ends and defining an opening therebetween through which said spindle extends for support of said spool on said spindle, a said end of said spool being metallic and having ribs formed in an end surface thereof for reinforcement of said end of said spool;
• c) a collar disposed about said spindle between said spool and said support frame;
• and
• d) a magnetic chuck disposed about said spindle between said spool and said collar, said magnetic chuck being integral with said collar and having an edge, a portion of which extends between said ribs of said spool into abutting, magnetic engagement with said end surface of said spool between said ribs, said magnetic engagement of said spool between said ribs resisting slippage of said spool in a circumferential direction.

An apparatus for unwinding of wire, comprising:

• a) a spindle disposed in a generally horizontal orientation on a support frame;
• b) a spool having opposed ends and defining an axial opening therebetween through which said spindle extends for rotatable support of said spool on said spindle, a said end of said spool being metallic and having ribs formed in an end surface thereof for reinforcement of said end of said spool;
• c) a brake drum defining an opening through which said spindle extends for disposition thereof on said spindle;
• and
• d) a magnetic chuck defining an opening through which said spindle extends for disposition thereof on said spindle, said magnetic chuck being secured to said brake drum for rotation therewith about an axis of said spindle and having an edge with a discontinuous planar surface substantially orthogonal to an axis of said spindle, said discontinuous surface of said edge extending between said ribs of said spool into abutting, magnetic engagement with a portion of said end surface of said spool disposed between said ribs, said magnetic chuck magnetically coupling said spool to said brake drum for rotation therewith about said spindle axis, said magnetic engagement of said spool between said ribs resisting slippage of said spool in a circumferential direction.

A method for increasing the resistance of a spool to slippage relative to a magnetic chuck during winding and unwinding of wire therefrom, comprising the steps of:

• a) securing the magnetic chuck to a brake drum disposed on a spindle of an unwinding machine;
• b) disposing the spool of wire to be unwound on the spindle, the spool including an end thereof having ribs formed therein for reinforcement of the end of the spool;
• and
• c) coupling the spool to the brake drum through engagement of the magnetic chuck with the end of the spool, the magnetic chuck engaging in magnetic retention the end of the spool between the ribs thereof.