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US 9,004,392 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for spooling wire
AssigneeEncore Wire Corporation
InventorsWilliam T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for spooling wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for spooling wire from any surface. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.
Claims14
An apparatus for spooling wire comprising:
- an inner flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly includes a first inner supporting wall and a second inner supporting wall, wherein the first and second inner supporting walls include an inner locking hole;
- an outer flange assembly,
- wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly, and wherein the outer flange assembly includes a first outer supporting wall and a second outer supporting wall, wherein the first and second outer supporting walls include an outer locking hole;
- and
- a locking plug for insertion into the inner and outer locking holes, wherein the inner flange assembly cannot freely rotate relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking plug is inserted into the inner and outer locking holes and wherein the locking plug, when inserted, extends between only one outer supporting wall and the adjacent inner supporting wall.
2 more elements
A method of spooling wire, comprising:
- spooling wire from a reel assembly;
- and
- wherein the reel assembly comprises an inner flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly includes a first inner supporting wall and a second inner supporting wall, wherein the first and second inner supporting walls include an inner locking hole, an outer flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly, and wherein the outer flange assembly includes a first outer supporting wall and a second outer supporting wall, wherein the first and second outer supporting walls include an outer locking hole, and a locking plug for insertion into the inner and outer locking holes, wherein the inner flange assembly cannot freely rotate relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking plug is inserted into the inner and outer locking holes and wherein the locking plug, when inserted, extends between only one outer supporting wall and the adjacent inner supporting wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.