DEVICE FOR A REEL ASSEMBLY

A reel assembly is provided. More particularly, it is a reel assembly which includes a supporting frame for the storage and transport of at least one reel .

The storage and transport of reels for cables and pipes of some size are relatively space-demanding because it is impractical to store reels of this kind on top of each other.

As is well known, relatively short reels can be laid on one of their side flanges, whereby several reels can be stacked height ways. For relatively long reels this is not feasible.

Because of the need of space, the storage and transport of reels can be relatively expensive, which applies to the transport of full as well as empty reels.

According to the prior art, it is also necessary to use pro- tective materials, for example in the form of wood materials or thin plates .

Owing to relatively high return costs, reels are often designed to be discarded after use. This constitutes an unnecessary waste of materials.

The invention has for its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art .

The object is achieved through features which are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow.

A reel assembly is provided, including a supporting frame for the storage and transport of at least one reel, the reel as- sembly being characterized by a main reel core, which extends between the end portions of the supporting frame, forming a shaft for at least two side-lying reels.

The main reel core is formed, together with its end flanges, to constitute an independent reel .

An aspect of the reel assembly is that at least one reel is connected to a driving motor or a brake .

The main reel core is provided with at least one removable end flange. The main reel core is given an external diameter which matches the centre opening extending through the reel . In use, when they are not on the main reel core, the reels may be provided with an adapter in the through opening so as to be usable in standard reeling machines.

The end flanges of the main reel radially rest on running wheels located at the end portions of the supporting frame. At least one of the running wheels normally also forms a driving or braking wheel. During unreeling and reeling the reel rotates about its centre axis which is parallel to the centre axis of the running wheels.

The main reel is thereby arranged to be both driven and braked while in the supporting frame, also when the main reel has reels mounted on it.

A further aspect of the reel assembly is that a container is provided with a track for running the supporting frame in and out, the supporting frame resting, when in the container,

against the track principally in the entire length of the supporting frame, see the particular part of the description.

A further aspect of the reel assembly is that a wheel which is at the end portion of the supporting frame facing into the 5 container, called the first end portion in the particular part of the description, and which is arranged to roll on the track, is positioned outside the track when the supporting frame is placed inside the container.

Yet another aspect of the reel assembly is that the support-o ing frame is formed to be stacked with other supporting frames in the container when the supporting frames are empty. With advantage, the supporting frames may be held in place by means of stays/locks forming part of the structure of the supporting frame . s Yet another aspect of the reel assembly is that the supporting frame is provided with movable driving and braking wheels which are arranged to rest against the outer periphery of the end flange of the corresponding reel. Thus, the reels are arranged to be rotated independently of each other. o The reel assembly provided enables vertical stacking of reels, for example during ship transport, when it is placed in a container. Lifting operations are considerably simplified, as standardized container- lifting equipment can be used and the products that are on the reels are relatively well5 protected against damage and other influence.

The supporting frame with reels is also well suited for, for example, road and rail transport without a container.

In what follows is described an example of a preferred embodiment which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, ino which:

Figure 1 shows a supporting frame with a main reel which is being moved into a container;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the supporting frame with the main reel;

Figure 3 shows a side view of the supporting frame in which several reels are placed on the reel core of the main reel; and

Figure 4 shows a section of the supporting frame and a running track in the container.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 indicates a supporting frame comprising a first end portion 2 and a second end portion 4, the end portions 2, 4 being tied together by means of side beams 6. The side beams 6 are preferably formed as lattice work structures.

A main reel 8 extends between the end portions 2, 4 and comprises a reel core 10 and two end flanges 12. The end flanges 12 rest on running wheels 14 located at the end portions 2, 4, at least one of the running wheels 14 at either end portion 2, 4 being connected to a driving gear, not shown. The main reel 8 and running wheels 14 have parallel rotary axes.

The supporting frame 1, which fits complementarily into a container 16, is provided with two wheels 18 at its first end portion 2. The wheels 18, which are formed as rollers to distribute the load better, each run on a respective track 20 during the movement of the supporting frame 1 in the container 16. The track 20 is constituted by a metal rail and builds up above the floor 22 of the container 16 as much as the wheels 18 project down, see figure 4.

At its end portion facing into the container 16, the track 20

is formed with a ramp 24. When the supporting frame 1 has been moved into the container 16, the wheel 18 is at the lower portion of the ramp 24, whereby the supporting frame 1 rests on the track 20. With advantage, the supporting frame 1 5 may be provided with a coating, not shown, on its contact surface 26 facing the track 20, to prevent the supporting frame 1 from sliding in the container 16 during transport.

In figure 3, three reels 28 have been moved onto the reel core 10 of the main reel 8. A driving and/or braking wheel 30o for each of the reels 28 is mounted on one of the side beams 6, the driving and braking wheels 30 resting radially, in a biased manner, against the end flanges 32 of the reels 28.

When the reels 28 are to be placed on the reel core 10, one of the end flanges 12 is removed, after which the reel cores 10 is moved in through the through openings 34 of the reels 28. After the one end flange 12 has been fitted back onto the reel core 10, the main reel 8 with the reels 28 may, if the reel core 10 was placed outside the supporting frame 1 during the moving-in operation, be lifted into the supporting frameo 1, in which the end flanges 12 will rest on the running wheels 14 in the respective end portions 2 , 4 of the reel frame 1.

The reels 28 are thus arranged to be driven or braked individually by means of the driving and braking wheel 30 during5 the unreeling and reeling of, for example, a pipe 36.

When the supporting frame 1 is to be placed in the container 16, the second end portion 4 is lifted up somewhat, for example by means of a forklift truck. The wheels 18 in the first end portion 2 are rolled onto the track 20 and further intoo the container 16, see figure 1.

Just before the supporting frame 1 arrives in its inner posi-

tion in the container 16, the wheels 18 roll down the ramp 24 from the track 20.

As the second end portion 4 is now lowered, the supporting frame 1 rests steadily on the track 20 principally in the en- tire length of the supporting frame 1.