Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPOOL ASSEMBLY FOR PINTLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a spool assembly for use in storing
and handling a wire which is preferably but not necessarily a pintle.
b) Brief descr~tion of the prior art
In the paper making industry, it is of common practice to use fabric
belts that are made of sections connected to each other to form an endless
loop. Such belts carry the wet fibrous sheets that are prepared from the
processed pulp. It is also of common practice to connect the adjacent ends
of the belt sections by means of seams made by passing a cable known in
the trade as a « pintle » through a tubular passage formed by intermeshed
loops of fabric yarns projecting at the ends of the adjacent sections when
the same are interfitted and held together. Usually, the pintle consists of a
mono- or multi-filament yarn whose leading end is attached to a stiff guiding
wire made of metal, which acts as a needle to facilitate insertion of the yarn
2 0 into the passage formed by the loops.
Further information regarding the use of pintles to connect fabric belt
sections, can be found to the preambles of U.S. patent Nos. 4,842,212 to
ASTEN GROUP, INC. and 5,033,618 to ALBANY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Of course, it is necessary that the pintle be stored and made available
in such a manner as to make its use and installation as fast and easy as
possible, especially in the case of replacement of used or damaged sections
of the belt of a paper making machine, which must be made in a very fast
manner on the premises.
Spool assemblies for pintles have already been devised to meet the
3 o above mentioned requirement. In this connection, reference can be made
again to the above mentioned patents, which are both directed to such
assemblies. Reference can also be made to U.S. patent No. 5,280,861 in
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the name of LIPPERT PINTLEPIN MFG. INC. which discloses a spool
assembly comprising one or two cylindrical spools in which pintles can be
wound. The spool assembly disclosed in this patent also comprises one or
two cylindrical spool-receiving members each having a cylindrical peripheral
wall, a flange preferably in the form of a ring projecting radially inwardly
from one of the edges of the peripheral wall to hold one of the spools, a
plurality of hooks integral to and projecting from the other edge of the
peripheral wall at given intervals, and an opening provided in the peripheral
wall to allow the pintle wound in the groove of the spool to be pulled out.
1o The spool assembly disclosed in the patent further comprises a flat,
preferably ring-shaped circular cover having an external diameter that can
be engaged by the hooks and held tight by these hooks against the other
edge of the spool receiving member, to form therewith a casing in which
each spool is freely mounted. A stopper is devised to be snapped onto the
casing formed by each spool receiving member and the corresponding cover,
in order to rigidly hold any portion of the pintle projecting outwardly from
the casing through the opening and thus to prevent said pintle from winding
back into the corresponding spool-receiving member when such is not
wanted.
2 o Even if the structural components of the spool assembly disclosed in
this U.S. patent No. 5,280,861 are easy to assemble and use, it has now
been found a simpler and more efficient way to design and assemble
together the structural components of a spool assembly. It has also been
found a better and more efficient way of controlling the exit of the pintle
when it is pulled out.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a spool
assembly for wires, cables, pintles and the like, which is very simple in
structure and very handy to use.
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More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a spool
assembly comprising only two basic components, namely a spool and a
spool receiving member incorporating a brake and, optionally, a set of
stoppers as parts of its structure.
The spool assembly according to the invention basically comprises:
-a spool of given outer diameter and thickness on which the wire to
be stored can be wound, said spool being annular in shape and devised to
define a radially outwardly opened rim of U-shaped cross-section in which
the wire can be wound, said rim having a bottom wall in the form of an
1o annular ring and two side walls in the form of flat rings that project
radially
outwardly from both sides of the annular ring at least one of said side walls
having an outer edge with teeth formed in it, said teeth being equally
spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in a same direction; and
-a spool-receiving member made of one single piece, said spool
receiving member comprising:
--a spool-receiving area comprising a surrounding wall having an inner
diameter and a width selected to match with the outer diameter and
thickness of the spool, and a ring-shaped wall that projects radially
inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall to provide a support
2 o and thus to retain the spool;
--a set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks projecting from the
ring-shaped wall, said hooks being sized, positioned an oriented to
catch the spool and freely retain it within the spool-receiving area;
--a handle integral to the spool-receiving area;
--a brake integral to the spool-receiving area, said bake comprising a
flexible arm portion that is part of the surrounding wall of the spool-
receiving area, a ring sized to be engaged by one finger of a user, and
at least one tooth projecting below the ring towards the periphery of
the spool, said at least one tooth being shaped, sized and oriented in
3 o a direction opposite to the said direction so as to engage the teeth of
the one side wall of the spool and thus prevent the spool from being
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rotated in the said reaction unless the handle is lifted up thanks to the
flexibility of its arm portion; and
--an outlet provided in the surrounding wall of the spool-
receiving area to allow the wire wound on the spool to exit from the
spool-receiving member.
As can be appreciated, the spool assembly according to he invention
is very simple in structure and assembly in addition of being versatile in
use.
Preferably, each of the structural components of the spool assembly
according to the invention is made of plastic material, such as polycarbonate
or polypropylene.
The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon
reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment
thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded rear perspective view of a spool assembly
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing its two basic
structural components, viz. the spool and the spool-receiving member;
2 o Figures 2 and 3 are rear and front perspective views, respectively, of
the spool-receiving member of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the upper portion of
the spool assembly shown in Figure 1, with the spool and the spool-
receiving member illustrated in assembled position;
Figure 5 is an enlarged front perspective view in partial cross-section
of the upper portion of the spool assembly shown in Figure 1, with the
spool and the spool-receiving member illustrated in assembled position;
Figure 6 is a view similar to the one shown in Figure 5 but taken from
a different angle, said Figure showing details of the stoppers that are parts
of the spool-receiving member; and
Figures 7 and 8 are front perspective views of the upper portion of
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the spool assembly shown in the preceding Figures, when used to unwind
the pintle (Figure 7) and to rewind the same (Figure 8).
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
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The spool assembly 1 according to the preferred embodiment of the
invention shown in the accompanying drawings, is intended to be used for
storing and handling a wire or cable, such as a pintle 3 (see Figures 5, 7 and
8).
As shown in Figure 1, the spool assembly 1 comprises two basic
components each of which is preferably made of plastic material. These
components are:
- a spool 1 1 on which the pintle 3 to be stored can be wound; and
- a spool-receiving member 31 for receiving and holding the spool
11.
As is shown in Figures 1 and 5, the spool 1 1 is annular in shape and
devised to define a radially outwardly opened rim 13 of U-shaped cross-
section in which the pintle 3 can be wound. The rim 13 has a bottom wall
2 o in the form of an annular ring and two side walls 17,19 in the form of
flat
rings that project radially outwardly from both sides of the annular ring. As
can be seen, the side walls 17,19 have substantially the same outer
diameter. One of the side walls, viz. the one numbered 19, has an outer
edge with teeth 21 formed in it. The teeth 21 formed in this outer edge are
equally spaced-apart, identical in size and all oriented in the same direction
"A". The utility of these teeth 21 will be explained hereinafter. The spool
1 1 also comprises a stem 23 integral to and projecting externally from the
side wall 19. Once again, the utility of this stem 23 will be explained
hereinafter.
As is better shown in Figures 2 and 3, the spool-receiving member 31
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is made of one single piece. It comprises a spool-receiving area 33, a handle
35, a brake 37 and an optional set of stoppers 39,41.
The spool-receiving area 33 comprises a surrounding wall 43 whose
inner diameter and width are selected to "match" with the outer diameter
and thickness of the spool 1 1. It also comprises a ring-shaped wall 45 that
projects radially inwardly from one side of the surrounding wall 43 to
provide a support and thus to retain the spool 1 1 when the same is inserted
into the spool-receiving area with its toothed side wall 19 in contact with
the wall 45 (see Figure 1 ). A set of circumferentially spaced-apart hooks 47,
to 47' project upwardly from the wall 45. These hooks are sized, positioned
and oriented to "catch" the outer edge of the other side wall 17 of the spool
in order to freely retain the same within the spool-receiving area 33. The
expression "to freely retain" as used hereinabove means to hold and retain
the spool 1 1 within the area 45 while allowing it to be rotated coaxially
therewith either by pulling the pintle 3 out of the spool or by manually
imparting a rotation to the spool via the stem 23.
As is shown, each hook 47,47' is provided with a reinforcing flange
49. In the illustrated embodiment, there are four hooks and two of them
(those numbered 47') have their flanges 49 positioned in such a manner as
2o not to infer with their flexibility, thereby making it possible to easily
"snap"
the spool 1 1 within the spool-receiving area 43 and to detach it from the
same whenever wanted. The holes that are shown adjacent to each hook
on the accompanying drawings, are just there for molding purpose.
As is also shown, other reinforcing flanges 51 may advantageously
be provided onto the inner and outer edges of the ring-shaped wall 45 both
in and out of the spool-receiving area 33.
The handle 35 is integral to the spool-receiving area 33. As is shown,
it is in the form of a loop and has a U-shaped cross-section with a bottom
wall 53 integral to and extending in the same plane as the ring-shaped wall
3 o 45 and a pair of opposite side walls 55 integral to and extending in line
with
the surrounding wall 43.
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The brake 37 is also integral to the spool-receiving area 33. It is
located within the loop formed by the handle to allow the user to trigger it
with one finger when holding the assembly (see Figure 8). As is shown, the
brake 37 comprises a flexible arm portion 57 that is part of, and actually
"completes" the surrounding wall 43 of the spool-receiving area 33 at the
level of the handle 35. It also comprises a ring 59 sized to be engaged by
one of the fingers of the person handling the spool assembly 1 by the
handle 35 (see Figure 8). It further comprises at least one and preferably
two teeth 61 projecting below the ring 59 towards the periphery of the
to spool 1 1. More specifically, the teeth 61 are shaped, sized and oriented
in
a direction opposite to the arrow "A" so as to engage the teeth 21 of the
side wall 19 of the spool 11 and thus to prevent the spool from being
rotated in the direction "A" unless the handle 37 is lifted up thanks to the
flexibility of the arm portion 57. In practice, this allows the pintle 3 to be
freely unwound as is shown in Figure 7 while preventing it from
inadvertently moving back into the spool assembly 1 due to a back pressure
that would rotate the spool in the direction "A". This also permits to hold
the spool 1 and to prevent it from rotating when not in use. If, however,
one wants to rewind part of the unwound pintle 3, he or she may lift up the
2 o brake 37 as is shown in Figure 8 and then rotate the spool 1 by means of
its stem 23 to rewind the pintle. Opposite beads 62 may advantageously be
provided on the adjacent portion of the handle 35 and flexible arm portion
57 to limit the motion of the brake when it is lifted up.
Of course, an outlet 63 must be provided in the surrounding wall of
the spool-receiving area 33 to allow the pintle 3 wound on the spool to exit
from the spool-receiving member 31. Preferably, this outlet 63 is located in
a portion of the member 31 adjacent to the handle 35. Preferably also, a
substantially flat supporting surface 65 external to the spool receiving area
33, is provided as part of the structure of the spool-receiving member 31
3 o just "behind" the outlet 63. Its purpose is to support and guide the
pintle
exiting from the outlet 63, as is better shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8.
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Adjacent to the supporting surface 65 is a supporting wall 67 that is
also an integral part of the spool-receiving member 31. As is shown, this
supporting wall 67 is, for obvious design reason, preferably triangular in
shape and extends in a radial plane, thereby making this wall 67 parallel to
the side walls 17, 19 of the spool 1 1 and to the ring shaped wall 45 of the
spool-receiving area 33.
The wall 67 supports the stoppers 39, 41. As is better shown in
Figure 6, the first stopper 39 consists of a slotted rod that is integral to
and
projects perpendicularly from the wall 67 at a short distance away from
to both the outlet 63 and supporting surface 65. This slotted rod is devised
to
receive a rubber peg 69 having a radially projecting tongue 71 which, when
the peg is inserted into the rod 39, comes into contact with and bears
against the supporting surface 65 and thus pinches the portion of the pintle
3 that may extend on it.
The second stopper 41 also consists of a rod that is integral to and
projects perpendicularly from the wall 67 at a short distance away from
both the first stopper 39 and the supporting surface 65. This rod is devised
to receive a rubber cap 73 having radially projecting flanges 75 on part of
its side. Once again, when the cap is fitted onto the rod 41 and properly
2 o rotated, its flanges come into contact with the supporting surface 65 and
pinch the pintle 3, thereby locking it in position.
As can be appreciated, the use of one or two stoppers is just
optional. However, the main advantage of using such stoppers is that they
give to the user of the spool assembly 1 the possibility to lock the end of
the pintle 3 and prevent it from moving in any direction.
The spool assembly 1 that has just been described is very simple yet
efficient in structure. It comprises only two structural components (to which
the rubber peg 69 and cap 73 must be added) that are of very simple
structure and easy to mold and assemble. It works as well as, not to say
3 o better than, the existing assemblies and has the same advantages. It also
has the ability to prevent unwanted backward rotation of the spool.
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Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the preferred
embodiment described hereinabove and shown in the drawings without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
