Parallel conductor spool with multiple independent bays
AssigneeSouthwire Company
InventorsTimothy M. Andrea, Mark Dixon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A parallel conductor spool can support multiple independently rotating bays. The parallel conductor spool may be used to hold and pay-out materials. The parallel conductor spool can support independent rotation of the bays at differing rates to provide for paying-out conductors of varying sizes at different speeds. The parallel conductor spool may be modular and expandable to support various configurations. The parallel conductor spool may be formed of disposable or recyclable materials to reduce the cost and logistical complexity of returning the spool. The bays within the parallel conductor spool can be configured to accommodate changes in product size, type, lengths, and the number of items on, or bays within, the spool.
Claims20
A spooling system, comprising:
- a reel comprising two end flanges fixed to and rotatable with a central hub disposed between and along a central axis of the two end flanges;
- at least two rotatable bays disposed along the central hub between the two end flanges;
- and
- spacers disposed between the at least two rotatable bays.
A method for spooling, comprising:
- providing a reel comprising two end flanges fixed to and rotatable with a central hub disposed between and along a central axis of the two end flanges;
- positioning multiple independently rotating bays over the central hub and between the two end flanges of the reel;
- inserting a locking bar through at least one of the two end flanges of the reel and the multiple independently rotating bays to lock the multiple independently rotating bays to temporarily prevent independent rotation of the multiple independently rotating bays;
- and
- after inserting the locking bar, rotating the two end flanges and the central hub of the reel to rotate the multiple independently rotating bays to take-up conductors onto at least one of the multiple independently rotating bays.
A parallel conductor spool, the parallel conductor spool comprising:
- a reel comprising two end flanges fixed to and rotatable with a central hub disposed between and along a central axis of the two end flanges;
- and
- at least two rotatable bays, each of the at least two rotatable bays comprising two flanges fixed to a hub disposed between and along a central axis of the two flanges, wherein the hub of each of the at least two rotatable bays is disposed over the central hub of the reel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.