DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to cable reels and has particular reference to reels for electrical cables which provide extension leads for appliances such, for example, as vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers and the like.

A typical cable reel assembly comprises a drum adapted to accommodate a length of electrical cable thereon, frame means for supporting said drum and winding means whereby said drum is rotatable with respect to said frame means to permit unwinding and rewinding of the cable accommodated thereon. A cable reel assembly of this type will, hereinafter, be referred to as a cable reel assembly of the kind described. The frame means may comprise a plurality of legs so that the cable reel will be supported with the plane of the circumference of the drum disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface upon which the cable reel assembly stands; the drum may be provided with

a handle on one side thereof to permit manual winding of the cable. The cable may be hard wired into the drum which may be provided at or in one face thereof with an electrical socket outlet for connection of the electrical supply lead of an appliance or appliances. Alternatively, the electrical socket outlet may be accommodated on the frame means and slip means may be provided between the drum and the frame means to maintain an electrical connection between the cable on the drum and the socket outlet as the drum rotates with respect to the frame means.

A disadvantage of a cable reel assembly of the kind described is that when used on a large area, the extremity of the cable is plugged into an electrical outlet socket in a fixed location and the drum is then unwound to its fullest extension, say 40 metres, and an electrical appliance is plugged into the reel assembly at the end thereof. If the appliance is a lawn mower or a floor cleaning machine, then the operational extent of the appliance is determined by the length of the appliance cable from the reel assembly. If one attempts to move outside that range, then the reel assembly is simply dragged across the room and it usually capsizes to lie on its side. In an environment where moisture is present,

this represents an electrical hazard, and for such diverse operations as use with garden appliances and with the cleaning or scrubbing of floors, this is clearly undesirable. Accordingly, there is needed a means of overcoming this disadvantage.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable reel assembly comprising a drum adapted to accommodate a length of electrical cable thereon, characterised by wheel means adapted to render the cable reel assembly capable of translational movement on a surface on which it is supported.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a cable reel assembly of the kind described characterised in that the frame means is provided with wheel means to render the frame means capable of translational movement with respect to the surface upon which it stands.

Thus in one aspect of the present invention, the wheel means may be provided on the frame means. Alternatively the wheel means may be provided on the drum.

The drum may be disposed in a plane such that a circumference thereof has a major projection in the plane of the surface upon which the assembly stands. In a preferred embodiment, the said circumference is disposed in a plane which is in spaced substantially parallel relationship with the surface upon which the assembly stands. In this way, since the major dimension of the assembly is lying in spaced parallel relationship with the surface upon which the assembly stands, the cable reel assembly is inherently stable and incapable of being over-turned further. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention also includes a cable reel assembly wherein said drum is arranged such that said plane of the circumference is disposed substantially vertically with respect to the surface on which the cable reel assembly stands, and the weight of the cable reel assembly is distributed with respect to the wheel base to provide an inherently stable assembly supported on the surface.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention there is provided an arrangement which serves two purposes:-

i) the restriction on the area of mobility is substantially removed since one simply uses the appliance and the cable reel assembly will be capable of following by the virtue of its wheeled action; and

ii) the drum is maintained in its spaced relationship from the surface upon which it moved and is therefore maintained with the essential electrical connections spaced away from the surface upon which the cable reel assembly moves. Thus, any water present on or juxtaposed said surface is maintained at a distance from the electrical connection between the appliance lead and the drum or frame means.

The wheel means may be rollers, wheels or castors, or combinations thereof. In a typical embodiment of the present invention at least three wheel means may be provided; in a further embodi-ment at least one of the wheel means may be braked.

In a different aspect of the invention, the drum may be carried with said plane of the circumference arranged substantially upright by one or more large wheels having a diameter greater than the diameter of the drum; the drum

may be carried between two such large wheels which may be disposed in parallel spaced apart relation, or the drum may be carried on an axle accommodated coaxially in a single hollow wheel.

The frame means itself may be of any convenient size or nature.

In one embodiment, the frame means is of a tripod nature and has a central pivot adapted to accommodate the drum.

In a preferred embodiment, said frame means may comprise two legs and a carrying handle being disposed about the drum. The legs may constitute a stand to locate the drum in a suitable position for winding of the cable. The drum may be provided with a winding handle to facilitate manual winding although mechanical and/or powered winding means may also be employed. The electrical connector may be provided on a surface of the drum and preferably on the upper surface of the drum when the assembly is supported on its wheel means.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention the connecting sockets may be provided on the frame itself and may be electrically connected to the cable on the drum by means of slipping means. The wheel means may be of any convenient size and for use in a garden or building site, the wheel means may be significantly larger to accommodate the more rugged terrain.

The partial or complete braking of one of the points of support on said surface may be desirable to prevent the assembly rolling down inclined surfaces.

In yet a further embodiment of the present invention the wheel means may be inter-changeable for use within different environments. In a still further embodiment of the present invention, a larger wheel means may be adapted to be selectively fitted over a smaller wheel means in order to accommodate a change of operating environment.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying informal drawings of methods of carrying the invention into effect.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a reel assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view from above and one side of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view from one side and above of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a different reel assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 is a side view of the assembly of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side view of another cable reel assembly in accordance with the present invention, wherein the drum is mounted substantially upright with respect to the surface on which the assembly stands.

Figure 8 is a front view of the assembly of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a side view of a cable reel assembly in accordance with the present invention wherein the drum is accommodated in a single hollow wheel.

Figure 10 is a sectional view through the assembly of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a side view of a different cable reel assembly in accordance with the present invention wherein the drum is carried between parallel spaced apart wheels.

Figure 12 is a sectional view through the cable reel assembly of Figure 11.

In Figures 1 and 2, the cable reel assembly comprises a tripod frame 10 having a pair of support legs 11 and 12 formed from a single piece of tube 13. The tube is bent towards its extremities to provide leg portions 14 towards each end thereof and is provided at its mid-point with a further substantial right-angle crush bend 15. The crush bend 15 is welded to a handle portion 20 which is provided with an intermediate frame part 21, a handle part 23

disposed substantially at right angles to intermediate part 21 and an axle portion 24 disposed substantially at right angles to intermediate portion 21 and in substantially spaced parallel relationship therewith, the arrangement being such that handle part 23 and each of legs 11 and 12 together constitute tripod frame ^" 10.

The axle portion 24 of handle portion 20 is adapted to accommodate for rotation thereof a drum 30 which comprises a pair of spaced flanges 31 and a cylindrical hub (32) on which is accommodated a length of electrical cable 47 (see Figures 3 and 4). A first end of the cable 40 is attached to electrical connectors 45 carried on upper flange 31 and the second extremity is connected to electrical plug 46 which is adapted to make electrical connection within a standard wall electrical outlet socket.

The lower extremity of each of legs 14 and handle part 23 is provided with a castor 50, the aixangement being such that the drum is supported with the flanges 31 each disposed in a plane in substantially spaced parallel relationship with the surface upon which the castors 50 stand.

In use the reel assembly will be placed on its side as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and the cable 47 unwound to the desired extent. The plug 46 is inserted in an appropriate wall socket and the appliance will have its cable plugged into the electrical socket 45 carried by the upper flange 31. In use, as the appliance calls for movement of the reel assembly, it will simply roll over the surface on which it stands by virtue of its castors 50, thus negating the need for an operative to keep returning to the reel assembly to move it to a new location to enable an operative to operate a piece of machinery or an appliance in a new location.

After use, the device is grasped by its handle 23 and is replaced upon legs 14 with the longitudinal length of each leg 14 in substantial supporting contact with the surface upon which the device stands. In this attitude the flanges 31 of drum 30 will be erect and substantially perpendicular to said surface. Handle means provided on the underside flange 31 (not shown), can then be operated to effect winding of the cable back on the drum.

The drum 30 ca also be used in a fixed attitude by standing on said legs 11, 12.

In Figure 5, the cable reel assembly comprises a frame 40 which is moulded from a ther osetting structural plastics material. Said frame 41 includes a disc 41 and three circumferentially spaced posts 43 which extend away from one surface of disc 41. The other surface of disc 41 includes three circumferentially spaced castor attachments 42, each of which is disposed juxtaposed a respective post 43.

Each castor attachment 42 carries a castor 50; the frame 40, therefore, will stand on a surface on said castors 50 so that the plane of the circumference of said disc 41 is disposed in parallel spaced apart relation with the plane of the surface.

Said posts 43 and the one surface of said disc 41 together define a cylindrical recess which accommodates a drum 30 having a hub 32 and two parallel spaced apart flanges 31. The drum 30 is carried by said frame 40 in the cylindrical recess so that an outer circular surface of one of flanges 31 rests on the one surface of disc 41, and a cylindrical

edge of each flange 31 is disposed just inside each of the posts 43. The drum 30 is thus carried by frame 40 so that the plane of the circumference of each flange 31 is disposed in parallel spaced apart relation with the surface on which the assembly stands, and the drum 30 is capable of rotation in the cylindrical recess.

Hub 32 is adapted to accommodate a length of electrical cable (not shown) thereon. One end of the cable is hard wired to an electrical outlet socket 45 provided on an outer cylindrical surface of the other flange 31 remote from disc 41, and the other end of said cable carries an electrical plug before connection to a mains supply.

In use, the length of cable on drum 30 is unwound to its full extent by turning the drum in the cylindrical recess, or by removing the drum 30 from the cylindrical recess, unwinding the cable by hand and thereafter replacing the drum on frame 40. Said plug is connected to an electrical power supply, and an appliance is plugged into electrical outlet socket 45. An operator uses the appliance remote from the cable reel assembly, and the castors 50 allow the assembly to move on the surface as the operator moves from one place to another where the appliance is required.

After use, the appliance is unplugged from the electrical connecter socket 45, and the cable may be rewound onto the drum 30 fcy turning the drum in the cylindrical recess, or, again, by removing the drum from the frame 40 and rewinding by hand.

In Figure 7, another cable reel assembly comprises a drum 30 which is carried by a tripod frame 60 similar to the tripod frame shown in Figures 1 to 4. In this example, however, tripod frame 60 comprises a length of tube 63 which is bent at its mid-point 64 between ends 66, 67 to provide a pair of support legs 61 and 62; legs 61 and 62 being disposed substantially at a right-angle one to the other. About half-way between said mid-point 64 and each of said ends 66 and 67, the tube 63 is provided with a further right-angle bend in a plane substantially orthogonal to the bend at mid-point 64 to provide two parallel spaced apart frame parts 68 (see Figure 8); each of said ends 66, 67 carries a castor 50.

Said mid-point 64 is welded to an L-shaped tube 70 comprising an axle portion 74 and an orthogonal leg portion 75. Leg portion 74 extends away from mid-point 64 towards said ends 66, 67 in a direction generally parallel

to each of said frame parts 68, and leg part 75 extends away from mid-point 64 to bisect the right angle between legs 61 and 62 and carries a castor 50 at its extremity 76; the arrangement being such that legs 61, 62 and leg portion 75 together constitute said tripod frame 60.

Axle part 74 carries drum 30 which comprises a cylindrical hub 32 and two parallel spaced apart flanges 31. Axle 74 extends through a central hole formed in drum 30 and is provided at its extremity with a circular disk 78 which serves to retain drum 30 on axle part 74. An outer circular surface of one of flanges 31 is provided with an electrical outlet socket 45 of the kind described above which is hard wired to a length of electrical cable which may be accommodated on hub 32.

In use, the cable reel assembly will stand on a surface on castors 50 such that axle part 74 is oriented substantially horizontally, and the plane of the circumference of said drum 30 is oriented substantially vertically. Drum 30 is provided with a winding handle (not shown) for winding or unwinding manually the cable onto and off from hub 32.

In Figures 9 and 10, a cable reel assembly comprises a wheel 90. Said wheel 90 includes a disc 91 and a peripheral cylindrical wall 92. Disc 91 has a generally cylindrical edge 93, and wall 92 has a diameter just less than the diameter of disc 91 to define a circumferential shoulder 94 juxtaposed disc 91. Wall 92 extends away from disc 91 and terminates in an annular edge 95. Juxtaposed edge 95, wall 92 is stepped radially outwardly level with said cylindrical edge 93, so that the wheel 90 has two parallel spaced apart cylindrical rolling surfaces.

Said disc 91 carries an axle 100 which extends away from disc and is accommodated coaxially in the cylindrical recess defined by said wall 92. Said axle 100 terminates at an end 101 which projects slightly beyond said annular edge 95. Said axle 100 carries a drum 30 comprising a cylindrical hub 32 and two parallel spaced apart circular flanges 31. Axle 100 extends through a hole formed coaxially in hub 32 to allow drum 30 to rotate freely thereon. Said end 101 is provided with a circular disc 102 which serves to retain drum 30 on axle 100. An outer flange 31 of drum 30 projects slightly from the said cylindrical recess and is provided on its outer circular surface which an electrical connector socket 45. Socket 45

is hard wired to a length of electrical cable (not shown) which may be accommodated on hub 32. Said outer circular surface is also provided with a winding handle (not shown) which can be used to turn by hand drum in said cylindrical recess.

In use, wheel 90 will be supported on a surface so that the plane of the circumference of said disc 91 is substantially upright. Wall 92 is sufficiently deep to provide a large enough wheel base between said cylindrical rolling svurfaces 93 and 96 so that the cable reel assembly is substantially stable in the upright position. The cable is unwound from drum 30, and the free end thereof is connected to a power supply. An appliance is connected to electrical output socket 45. When the cable is unwound to its full extent, movement of an operator of the appliance from one place to another may cause the appliance lead to tighten and pull the assembly with respect to the surface. As it is pulled, said wheel 90 rotates with respect to said drum 30 to allow the assembly to move on the surface without capsizing and falling onto its side. After use, the appliance is disconnected from socket 45, and the cable is disconnected from the power supply. The cable

may then be rewound onto drum 30 by turning drum 30 with respect to wheel 90.

In Figures 11 and 12, a cable reel assembly comprises a drum 30 which is carried between two parallel spaced apart wheels 120. Each wheel comprises a generally cylindrical rim 125 and an annulus 121 which is formed on the inner surface of rim 125. Annulus 121 has an inner surface 123 and an outer surface 122, the latter being formed with a generally cylindrical ridge or protrusion 124 intermediate rim 125 and the inner edge of the annulus. Rim 125 has an inwardly directed annular flange 126 which defines an annular slot with said inner surface 123 of annulus 121.

Said wheels 120 are arranged so that said inner surfaces 123 face one another. Said drum 32 comprises a cylindrical hub 32 and two parallel spaced apart circular flanges 31. The periphery of each flange is accommodated within a respective annular slot 127, thereby to permit free rotation of each wheel 120 independently with respect to drum 30 while securing the wheels 120 to the drum 30. In use, the cable reel assembly will be supported on a surface with said wheels 120 disposed substantially vertically. Each rim 125 is sufficiently deep so that the

wheel base of the cable reel assembly renders the assembly inherently stable on said surface. Cable accommodated on drum 32 is unwound to its full extent, and one end is connected to a power supply. The other end of the cable is hard-wired to an electrical output connector 45 carried on one of said flanges 31. As an operator moves from one place to another where the appliance is required, the appliance lead may tighten and pull the cable reel assembly with respect to the surface. The wheels 120 rotate with respect to drum 30 to allow the assembly to move over the surface to follow the movements of the operator. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the independence of wheels 120 allows each to turn through a different angle when the lead pulls the assembly in a sideways direction. Indeed, the cable reel assembly is capable of turning on the spot by rotation of the wheels in opposite directions one from the other.

The advantage of a cable reel assembly in accordance with the present invention, therefore, is two-fold; the electrical connectors are spaced away from the surface upon which the assembly stands, and secondly the assembly is capable of translational movement across the surface upon which it stands to allow an operator a greater

freedom of movement with respect to a fixed power supply as compared with a static reel assembly. The provision of wheels means allows the assembly to move on the surface without damaging either the assembly belt or the surface. It will be appreciated by the man skilled in the art that various buffers can be provided on the assembly so that when used in a domestic environment it offers the --lύnimum of damage to furniture, doors, skirting boards and the like.