The present invention relates generally to a coil/wire organizer and, more specifically, to a stackable apparatus for mounting and feeding rolls of wire or cable and wire on a spool from a turnable and spooling unspooled wire onto the turnable creating a coil of wire either dismountable for storage or spooling and feeding the coil of wire from the turnable.
Various wire organizers have been proposed for the payout of spooled and unspooled wire. While these organizers may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a wire/cable organizer that serves as a turnable dispenser for rolls of wire or cable and wire wound on a spool and feeding spooled wire from the organizer through a wire/cable organizer aperture. Further, it would be desirable to provide a wire/cable organizer serving as an organizer for an indeterminate length of loose or uncoiled wire by mounting a free wire/cable end then rotating the turnable until the wire forms a coil of wire that can be dismounted for storage or the organizer can be used as a spool and feed for the coiled wire.
Many consumable products used by individuals and industry come coiled, such as wire, rope, tubing, and conductors—single conductor cable, multiple conductors cable with or without metal cladding, such as fiber optic cable, coaxial cable and romex cable with packaging extending from a couple of straps holding the coil shape to product wound on a spool.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable turntable for receiving coils of wire or cable and wire or cable on a spool and then paying out the wire. No limitation or distinction is made whether said coiled wire or spool is large, small, heavy, or light although different sizes and forms of the present invention may be better suitable in commerce relative to various respective sizes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable turntable having a base comprising supports fastened to the distal ends of a pair of transverse longitudinal members with a receptacle in the members junction seating a hub with a cavity that supports the freewheeling turnable having a bottom side flange with a post mating with the hub.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of supports comprising structural uprights having a bottom end with a channel forming left and right leg segments with the upright's top end having an opposing shape, left and right channels with a middle leg, so that a plurality of the left and right legs with a slot therebetween and an opposing structural top end allows multiple adjustable turntables to be stacked with each turnable freely rotatable relative to the other turnables in the stack.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide frictional pads fixed to bottom of the left and right leg segments preferably manufactured of a frictional material to prevent movement during use and marring of a floor covering.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to further provide the structural uprights with pivotal flaps comprising spaced apart sidewall mounted flap supports housing bearings receiving top and bottom flap nubs allowing the flaps to pivot from a turntable disengaged position to an engaged position.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide flaps with a tensioning member, such as a spring, latched at one end to the flap and the other to the structural upright aiding in maintaining an outer boundary coil wall while product is moved onto and off of the turnable.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide fasteners and fastener apertures within the organizer uprights and fastener receptacles in the distal ends of the platform's longitudinal members creating the stationary portion of the organizer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a turnable comprising a turntable having a plurality of concentric measurement circles and radial channels each seating a sliding post movable from a substantially center turntable position to a turntable peripheral position with each post having a quarter round shape in cross section allowing the posts to converge into a substantially round spindle configured to receive a spool aperture or selectively moved to a desired outward position for coiled wire.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a stackable adjustable turntable for mounting and feeding rolls of wire or cable and wire on a spool from the turnable and primarily being able to work equally well for either a coil or a spool.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.
In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment) with reference to
The adjustable turntable for coils of wire or cable and wire or cable on a spool 10 comprises turnable 12, hub 36 and base 38. Turnable 12 is a platform for mounting and feeding rolls of wire or cable and wire on a spool from turntable 14 and spooling unspooled wire onto turntable 14 having slidable, length-adjustable posts 20 movable to accommodate the smallest of spools and spaced apart for the larger diameter spools. For this application, stanchions 50 (which may also be referred to merely as uprights) create an outer boundary and are anchored for tensioned pivotal flaps 68 movable by operation of spring 76 between a turnable 12 disengaged position to a turntable 14 product engaged position since by virtue of the turnable 12 freewheeling nature tensioned flaps prevent bird nesting.
The turntable 14 has an upper surface having indicia and, more particularly, a plurality of concentric measurement circles 16 and the upper surface defined contoured radial channels 18 for from which the telescopic (i.e. length adjustable) posts 20 described above may extend. Further, each post 20 may include a base portion 22 correspondingly shaped to slide in a respective channel 18 with the base portion 22 further having a stop 22 to prevent unintended movement of a post 20 once positioned in a desired location.
Each post 20 has a telescopic configuration and functionality that is provided by inner and outer post portions defining apertures. The outer portion is raised to a desired height with an outer aperture positioned to align with an inner aperture with pin 26 inserted to latch the post to the desired height. Turntable 14 further includes a flange 28 fastened to the bottom side with a depending post 30 that, when seated into hub 38, provides freewheeling rotation of the turntable 14.
Base 38 forms the stationary portion of the adjustable turntable 10 and includes a pair of transverse longitudinal support members 40 fixedly attached through fasteners 44 with the conjoined support members 40 defining a bore 42 serving as seat for hub 36.
It should be noted that the physical size of the adjustable turntable for coils of wire or cable and wire or cable on a spool is a function of the lengths of the transverse longitudinal members 40 and height of uprights 50 (i.e. stanchions) and by upgrading components to hardened materials enables industrial use of larger wire/cable spools.
Stanchions (also referred to as uprights) 50, establishing an outer boundary size for coils and spools, are fastened to the distal ends of support members 40 with the uprights 50 and defined feed apertures 58 providing numerous openings that can serve as egress and ingress ports for wire moving from and to the turnable. When stacked coiled or spooled products can be moved from or to a stacked turntable from any of its peripheral stanchion feed apertures 58. In other words, having four uprights 50 enables dispensing product from four directions, as well as decreasing the overall weight of the device.
Uprights 50, by virtue of the frictional padded feet 54, serves as the stationary component enabling attachment of flap 68 components that can apply a peripheral force to the product on turntable 14 aiding in preventing casual movement of the product whether coil or spool and aids in maintaining an outer boundary for coils of wire/cable.
A plurality of flaps 68 are pivotally attached to a respective upright 50 through flap supports 64, each flap including bushings 66 seating flap nubs 70. The flap peripheral force is derived from attaching a tensioning member 76 to the stationary upright tension seat 60 of stationary upright 50 and to pivotal flap tension seat 72 of pivotal flap 68.
The adjustable turntable 10 is designed to be stacked by virtue of uprights 50 having complementary top and bottom ends. Upright 50 bottom end has a central channel forming left side and right side leg segments 52 provided with frictional pads 54 producing the device's frictional component to prevent slipping on a floor surface. Top end of upright 50 has an upstanding leg 56 correspondingly sized to the bottom end central channel with left and right notches correspondingly sized to receive the padded left and right bottom legs.
It should be noted that each base 38 in a stack of adjustable turntables is a stationary component with each of turnable 12 working independently from the other turnables in the stack. As aforementioned, the organizer of the present invention 10 is designed to accept rolls of wire or cable and wire on a spool onto the organizer where the wire feeds out of and/or into the organizer without bird nesting and by virtue of the frictional feet 54, such as rubber, prevents the adjustable turntable for coils of wire or cable and wire or cable on a spools 10 from sliding along a floor surface.
Referring to
Referring to
Base 38 includes the stationary portion of the adjustable turntable 10 comprising a pair of support members 40 each having a longitudinal and linear configuration (and which may also be referred to as longitudinal members) fixedly attached (i.e. “conjoined”) to one another in a transverse or criss-cross arrangement by fasteners 44 (such as screws) with the conjoined support members 40 defining a bore 42 configured for receiving a hub 36, the hub 36 enabling the turntable 14 to rotate. To be clear, the turntable 14 may be coupled to and rest upon the hub 36 of the base 38 and thereby have rotational movement.
Fastened to the distal ends of longitudinal members 40 are uprights 50 (which may also be referred to herein as stanchions 50) used to establish an outside coil boundary, each stanchion 50 defining a plurality of feed apertures 58 and serving as support for flaps 68 and seat 60 for attachment of a tensioning member such as a spring 72. Flap supports 64 are attached to an upright side wall spaced away top and bottom with each providing a receptacle for inserting bushing 66 receiving a respective top and bottom flap nub 70 so that flaps 68 are pivotable. With the attachment of a tensioning member, such as spring 76, to flap tension seat 72 and upright tension seat 60 allows the flaps to exert a force upon the outer boundary of a coil of wire/cable or upon a spool of wire/cable.
Each upright 50 is designed with complementary top and bottom shapes operable to provide stackability. More particularly, an upright 50 includes a bottom end having a central channel forming left side and right side leg segments 52 and having subjacent frictional pads 54 with the top end having a middle leg 56 correspondingly sized as the bottom channel and left and right notches. The notches are also similarly sized as the padded left and right bottom legs making the bottom end of one upright 50 mateable with the top end of another upright, i.e. stackable. It should be noted that each base 38 in a stack of adjustable turntables is a stationary component with each of turnable 12 working independently from the other turnables in the stack. As aforementioned, the organizer of the present invention 10 is designed to accept rolls of wire or cable and wire on a spool onto the organizer where the wire feeds out of and/or or into the organizer without bird nesting and by virtue of the frictional feet, such as rubber, prevents the organizer from sliding along a floor surface.
Referring to
It should be noted that each base 38 in a stack of adjustable turntables 10 is a stationary component with each of turnable 12 working independently from the other turnables in the stack. As aforementioned, the organizer of the present invention 10 is designed to accept rolls of wire or cable and wire on a spool onto the organizer where the wire feeds out of and/or into the organizer without bird nesting and by virtue of the frictional feet 54, such as rubber, prevents the adjustable turntable for coils of wire or cable and wire or cable on a spools 10 from sliding along a floor surface.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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941637 | Jameson | Nov 1909 | A |
1539016 | Mizuno | May 1925 | A |
2300869 | Brandes, Jr. | Nov 1942 | A |
3072358 | Knapp | Jan 1963 | A |
3815842 | Scrogin | Jun 1974 | A |
8672253 | Rothell | Mar 2014 | B2 |
9908738 | Toth | Mar 2018 | B1 |