US2894701A - Collapsible core spool mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1959 .1, P. LOOP 2,894,701

COLLAPSIBLE com: SPOOL MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1955 I -s Sheets-Sheet 1 F1 9n 1 6o INVENTOR. JAMES P. LOOP MZ/LMJ/MM ATTORNEY$ July 14, 1959 J. P. LOOP 2,894, 0

COLLAPSIBLE CORE SPOOL MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1955 :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. l JAMES P. LOOP r 1 BY mmm' wim ATTORNEYS July 14, 1959 J. LOOP 7 2,894,701

COLLAPSIBLE CORE SPOOL MECHANISM Fi ed April 15. 1955 s Sheets-Sheet ,5

s! 1 7O 6Ia 49a 49 i 4' 59 30 5o I 6 5 46 5 37 54 s 5 66 67 i 57 7 42 56 63 1 6 l 530 4 a2 40 I9 6 69 INVENTOR.

JAMES P. LOOP,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,894,701 Patented July 14, 1959 2,894,701 COLLAPSIBLE CORE SPOOL MECHANISM Application April 15, 1955, Serial No. 501,646

9 Claims. (Cl. 242-7Z.1)

This invention relates to apparatus for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like, and more particularly to improvements in expansible and collapsible-core spool mechanisms of the general kind disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 501,537, filed concurrently herewith.

In the copending application just referred to there is shown and claimed a new spool structure comprised of two principal assemblies or spool halves, each of which is separately mounted for rotation about a common axis and wherein each includes a spool end having thereon an expansible and collapsible longitudinal fractional portion of a radially segmented cylindrical spool core. The mounting of the two spool halves is such that they may be moved relatively in an axial direction toward each other to a closed position wherein a coil of wire or the like may be wound upon or unwound from the complete core provided by the abutting core portions, and away from each other in an axial direction to an open position wherein the two core portions are separated to permit easy removal of a coil from the spool, or easy application of a coil thereto if coils are being unwound. Movement of the two spool halves into the closed position brings the opposed ends of the segments of the two core portions together to provide a completely assembled core, and at the same time the structure is such that the mutual engagement of the ends of the segments of the two core portions during the closing operation causes the segments to be moved axially upon tapered seats to displace the segments radially outwardly, thereby increasing the diameter of the core. Movement of the two spool halves from the closed position to the open position, on the other hand, permits the segments of the two core portions to collapse radially inwardly on their tapered seats to free the core portions within any coil that may be Wound thereon. Movement of the two spool halves from the closed to the open position furthermore forcefully withdraws one of the core portions from the coil and leaves the coil loosely hanging on the remaining core portion, from which it may easily be removed in an axial direction without further disassembly of the spool.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a spool of the kind just described, improved structure providing tapered seats about which the segmented core portions are disposed and upon which the segments are arranged to ride in an axial direction for expansive and retractive movement when the spool halves are moved into and out of their closed position. Another object of the invention is to provide on the spool halvesradially extending end flanges having tapered seats formed on their inner faces for the segments. Still another object of the invention is to provide .imprvoed means for retaining the segments of each core portion about their respective seats, while still permitting axial movement of the segments upon the seats with consequent radial expansion and contraction of the core portions. Another important object of the invention is to provide improved means for guiding theindividualsegments of' the core portions axially upon their respective tapered seats to avoid binding between the segments and avoid binding of the segments upon the seats, and also to prevent rotation of the segmented core portions about the seats. Yet another important object of the invention is to provide in the spool mechanism means for limiting the axial move ment of the core segments on their respective seats and also providing interdrive connecting means between the two spool halves, whereby the two spool halves may be rotated as a unitary assembly when they are in their closed position.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof embodied in a coil winding machine for wire and the like, taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the front of the coil winding machine, the spool mechanism of the present invention being shown thereon in its closed position, with two core portions or core-halves of the spool abutting each other and in an expanded condition ready to receive wire thereon to form a coil between the flanges of the spool;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of the machine showing the spool mechanism in its open position wherein the two core portions or corehalves are completely separated from each other and are in a radially collapsed condition;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged axial sectional view taken through the closed spool mechanism substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 5, the two core-halves being shown in their radially expanded condition with a portion of a coil of wire wrapped around the expanded and abutted corehalves;

Fig. 4 is an axial fragmentary sectional view showing the condition of the parts of the spool assembly as opening movement thereof is begun, the two core-halves being shown in their collapsed condition to release their grip on the interior of the coil of wire thereon;

Fig. 5 is an end view on :a smaller scale, of one of the halves of the spool assembly taken along the line 55 in Fig. 3, certain portions being broken away for clearness of illustration; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the expansible and collapsible-core spool mechanism of the present invention is shown mounted on the top of a box-like upright base arranged to rest on a floor, the base having front and rear walls 10 and 11 and an end wall 12. An electric motor 13 is mounted within the base in any suitable manner and has a drive shaft 14 that extends outwardly through an opening 15 in the end wall 12. The shaft has a pulley l6 thereon for receiving a plurality of V-belts 17 which extend upwardly about another pulley 18 mounted upon the outer end of a shaft 19. The shaft 19 is rotatably mounted in a pair of bearings 20 located in spaced apart position on a built-up block 21 anchored in any suitable fashion on a top 22 provided on the right-hand side of the base of the machine. The central portion of the upper part of the base may be recessed as at 23 to provide clearance for the spool assembly about to be described, and the left-hand top portion of the base is provided with a top plate 24 upon which there is welded or otherwise secureda pair of parallel, laterally spaced, upstanding rail members 25, only one of the rail members being seen in the drawings. Each of these rail members is provided with a pair of vertically spaced, horizontally and inwardly projecting retaining rails 26 and 27. A movable carriage 28 is supported by the rail members 25 for movement toward and away from the shaft 19, the carriage 28 being provided on its opposite sides with rollers 29 which ride between the horizontal rails 26 and 27 of the two rail members 25.

A U-shaped bracket 30 having two downwardly extending side flanges or legs 31 (only one of which is seen in the drawings) is disposed in a straddling manner across the outsides of the two rail members 25, with the flanges 31 of the bracket disposed alongside the outer vertical surfaces of the rail members and spaced out- Wardly therefrom where they are pivotally received on a pair of laterally projecting pins 52 that are anchored to the respective rail members. The U-shaped bracket is provided with a hand operated lever 33 by which the bracket may be pivoted about the pins 32 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower ends of a pair of diagonally upwardly extending links 34- are pivotally mounted upon the inner faces of the flanges 31 of the bracket 3% as by pins 35, the links extending upwardly along the opposite sides of the carriage 28 where their upper ends are pivotally secured to the carriage by pins 36. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the bracket 34) and the links 34 serve to advance and retract the carriage 28 on the rail members 25 when the bracket 38 is pivoted by means of the handle 33. Raising of the handle 33 from the position shown in Fig. l pivots the bracket 38 counter-clockwise, causing the pivot pins 35 to be carried in the same direction to move the links 34 to the left and thereby cause the carriage 28 to be moved in the direction of the arrow 37 (Fig. l) to the retracted position shown in Fig. 2. Returning movement of the handle 33, on the other hand, pivots the bracket 38 in a clockwise direction to advance the carriage 28 toward the shaft 19 in the direction of the arrow 38 (Fig. 2). At the extremity of this advancing movement of the carriage 28, it will be noted that the pivot pins 35 pass through an overcenter position (located along a straight line between the pins 32 and 36) to lock the carriage 28 in its advanced position.

The carriage 28 has mounted thereon a pair of spaced bearings 39 which rotatably carry a second shaft 48 that is located in axial alignment with the shaft 19, the shaft 49, like the shaft 19, being retained in its bearings in any well known manner so as to prevent axial movement of the shaft with respect to its bearings.

A spool end flange 41 is fixed upon the inner end of the shaft 19 and has an annular, axially projecting ringlike formation 42 formed integrally upon its inner face. The circular inner wall 43 of this ring-like formation 42 is cylindrical in shape and terminates in a vertical planar face at the axial end of the formation. The outer peripheral surface of the ring-like formation, on the other hand, is conical in shape to provide a conical seating surface 45 thereon, the flange 41 being provided with an annular recess 46 in its inner face 47 about the base of the conical seat. A radially segmented core-half 48 is disposed about the conical seat 45 on the flange 41, the core-half being comprised of a plurality of arcuate Core segments 49, the outer peripheral surfaces of which collectiveiy provide the outer cylindrical surface of the corehalf. The core segments are roughly triangular in their axial cross-sectional shape as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the outer end a"; of each core segment adjacent the flange being of a size and shape conforming to the annular recess 4 in the flange so as to be received therein. Each of the core segments has an inner surface 51 thereon shaped to correspond with and to ride upon the conical seating surface 45 on the ring-like formation 42, the inner lower edge of each segment being notched so as to cooperate with and be received over the outer peripheral portion of a segment retaining ring 52 that is secured upon the planar face 44 of the ring-like formation 42 as by a plurality of bolts 53, the heads 53a of which are recessed in suitable openings provided in the retaining ring. The peripheral portion of the retaining ring 52 extends radially outwardly of the inner or small end of the conical seating surface 45, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the notched portion of the segments 49 resting against the peripheral portion of the ring 52, with their inner ends overhanging the ring, when the segments are in their collapsed or radially retracted positions seen in Fig. 4.

Another spool end flange 54, identical to the flange 41, is fixed upon the shaft for rotation therewith. This flange is also provided on its inner face with an axially extending annular ring-like formation 56 having a cone-shaped outer seating surface 57 formed thereon which terminates at its outer end in a planar face 58. At the base of the conical surface 57 an annular recess 5% is provided in the inner face 55 of the flange 54 like the corresponding recess 46 in the flange 41. Another cylindrical radially segmented core-half 68 is disposed about the conical seating surface 57 and, like the corehalf 48, it is comprised of a plurality of arcuate segments 61 that are identical to the segments of the core-half 48. The segments 61 of the core-half 68 are axially retained on the conical seating surface 57 by another retaining ring 62 secured upon the inner face 58 of the ring-like formation 56 as by a plurality of bolts 63 having their heads 63a recessed in the retaining ring.

In the drawings, the end flanges 41 and 54 and their respective core- halves 48 and 68 are shown in their closed positions in Figs. 1 and 3 and in their open positions in Figs. 2 and 4. To move the assemblies from the open position to the closed position the handle 33 is moved in a clockwise direction to pivot the U-shap'ed bracket 30 in the same direction about the pivot pins 32 to advance the carriage 28, and the flange 54 carried thereby, toward the flange 41. As the two assemblies meet, the free inner ends of the core segments 61 engage the corresponding inner ends of the core segments 49, these ends of the segments overhanging their respective retaining rings 62 and 52 when the two spool portions are in their open position. Further movement of the carriage 28 toward the closed position creates pressure between these inner ends of the segments of the two core-halves, causing the segments to be moved axially upon their respective conical seats toward their adjacent flanges 41 and 54, thereby expanding the two core-halves radially. As the carriage 28 reaches the fully closed position, the pivot pins 35 at the lower ends of the links 34 pass through their over-center position to lock the carriage in the closed position. At the same time, the outer ends of the segments 49 and 61 of the two core-halves may seat respectively in the bottoms of the annular recesses 46 and 5'9, as shown in Fig. 3. When this condition has been reached, the segments of the two corehalves are in their fully expanded condition, with the two flanges 41 and 54 locked in the closed position and ready to receive wire therebetween so as to build a coil on the two abutting corehalves.

The undersurface of each of the arcuate core segments 49 and 61 is provided with a longitudinal keyslot 65 within which there is slidably arranged a substantially rectangular block-like key head 66. Each key head is retained in position on the conical seating surfaces 45 and 57 by a downwardly extending cylindrical post 67 fixed on its underside, each post being loosely received in a suitable opening 68 provided in the conical seating surface. These key heads guide each of the segments 49 and 61 in an axial direction on their respective conical seating surfaces 45 and 57, thereby avoiding any binding of the segments upon their seating surfaces and between each other when the segments are moved from their open, radially retracted positions to their closed radially expanded positions. These key heads also prevent rotation of the two composite core-halves 48 and an on the respective conical seats 45 and S7.

The pressure between the inner ends of the segments 4-9 and 61 of the two core-halves 48 and as is maintained while the two assemblies are in their closed position, thereby producing a certain amount of friction between semblies.

the two assemblies tending to cause them to be rotated as a single unit when the shaft 19 is rotatably driven by the motor 13. If desired, all of the friction needed to produce unitary rotation of the two assemblies may be provided by the abutting core segments. However, in the preferred form of the spool, interdrive connecting means are provided between the two segment retaining rings 52 and 62, as will be explained below.

When a coil of the desired size has been wound upon the two abutting core-halves between the flanges 41 and 54, rotation of the assembly is discontinued and the wire leading thereto is preferably cut. The convolutions of the coil may then be bound together by transverse tying wires or the like while the coil is still on the assembled spool. For this purpose the two flanges 41 and 54 are provided with a plurality of radial slots 69 which extend inwardly from the peripheries of the two flanges to points opposite the outer ends of certain of the segments 49 and 61 of two core-halves. The segments at these locations are provided with longitudinally aligned grooves 70 which permit the transverse tying wires for the coil to be passed through the radial slots 69 in the flanges and under the coil, thereby permitting the tying wires to be bound around the coil while it is on the closed spool mechanism.

When the coil has been bound as just described, the lever 33 is lifted from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby pivoting the U-shaped bracket in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot pins 32. This movement unlocks the carriage 28 and retracts the same in the direction of the arrow 37 (Figs. 1 and .4) to separate the two spool as- As shown in Fig. 4, this separating movement permits the segments 49 and 61 of the two core-halves to slide axially on their respective seating surfaces 45 and 57 to their radially retracted positions, thereby releasing the pressure previously exerted by them upon the inner convoluti'ons of the tightly wrapped coil of wire. This, in effect, releases the coil from the two core-halves. Further retracting movement of the carriage 28 tends to pull the coil axially from the core-half 48 and it also forcefully withdraws the core-half 60 from the coil, leaving the coil free of the spool mechanism.

From the foregoing description, and particularly from Figs. 3 and 4, it will be noted that the segment retaining rings 52 and 62 respectively limit the axial movement -of the core segments Y49 and 61 in axial directions away from their adjacent end flanges 41 and 54. At the same time, because of the notches in the segments that cooperate with the retaining rings, and because of the overhang of the segments with respect to the peripheral portions of the rings when the two spool halves are in their open position, the rings do not interfere with the closing movement of the spool halves and do not obstruct the abutting of the inner ends of one set of core segments with the corresponding ends of the other set.

In the preferred form of the spool assembly, an Allenhead screw 80 (Figs. 3 and 4) is threaded into the retaining ring 62 and into its underlying ring-like formation 56, and a similar screw 81 (Fig. 5) is threaded into the retaining ring 52 and into its underlying ring-like formation 42. The heads of these screws extend outwardly from the forward faces of the respective retaining rings and are received in openings provided therefor in the opposite retaining ring when the two spool assemblies are in their closed position, the opening 82 in the ring 52 being clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 for receiving the head of the screw80. The screw and opening in each retaining ring are preferably 180 apart so that when the opening'82 in the retaining ring 52 is aligned with the head of the screw 80, the corresponding opening in the ring 62 is also aligned with the head of the screw 81. As the two spool halves are moved toward their closed position, the flange 54 may be grasped in the hand to rotate the left-hand spool-halffwhen necessary, to align the heads of the screws '80 and 81 with the respective screw receiving openings. As the spool halves are moved into the fully closed position, the heads of the screws are received by the openings, thus establishing an interdrive connection between the two retaining rings of the two spool halves, with the heads of the screws and 81 serving as driving pins, whereby power applied to the shaft 19 will cause the two spool halves to be driven as an integral unit.

It will also be seen in Figs. 3 and 4 that the outermost ends of the segments 49 and 61 at all times respectively reside within the annular recesses746 and 59 provided in the inner faces of the flanges 41 and 54 about the bases of the conical seats 45 and 57. In the closed position of the spool halves (Fig. 3) these ends are received well within the annular recesses and, as previously stated, may actually seat on the bottoms thereof. In the open position of the spool halves, however, these outermost ends of the segments 49 and 61 extend only slightly within the annular recesses, but sufficiently to prevent the outer ends from being moved radially away from the conical seats upon which the segments ride. This cooperation of the outer ends of the segments with the annular recesses, together with the fact that the vertical faces 49a and 61a (Figs. 3 and 4) of the notched portions of the segments are adapted respectively to engage the inner faces of the peripheral portions of the segment retaining rings 52 and 62, loosely retains the segments on the seats and prevents dislodgement of the segments therefrom.

The two core- halves 48 and 60 are shown in the drawings and described above as being of identical construction with their segments being of identical size and shape. This is the preferred construction because of the simplicity it offers and the ease with which the parts may be interchanged. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the two core-halves and their respective segments may be of different axial lengths. Thus, the terms core-half and core-halves employed in the appended claims are intended to mean core portions that are not necessarily of the same axial length. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention, although it has been described above as being embodied in a machine for winding coils, may also be employed as a mandrel for supporting coils while they are being unwound. For example, the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be converted to this use simply by substituting a suitable over-run brake for the motor 13 and the drive belts 17. With this substitution in its installation, the spool mechanism of the present invention may provide an ideal self-centering mandrel from which coils with proper inner diameters may be unwound. These suggestions and the foregoing description have been given for clearness of understanding only,

and no unnecessary limitations should be implied therefrom, for it will be apparent that various other changes and variations may be made in the spool mechanism'and in the manner in which it is used, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

A I claim:

1. An expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like comprising, a pair of individually mounted axially aligned rotatable spool ends, an axially extending tapered seat on the inner side of each of said spool ends, a pair of separate substantially cylindrical core-halves disposed respectively about said seats, each core-half being comprised of a plurality of core segments having seat contacting surfaces on the underside thereof slida'ble on the tapered surface of that seat about which the core-half is disposed, each of said seat contacting surfaces of said faces of said seats under said segments, key members on the outer ends of said pins slidably received in said keyways for individually guiding said segments in an axial direction on said seats, said segments being displaced radially when moved axially on said seats and the presence of said segments on said seats being the sole means for retaining said pins in said openings, means for moving said spool ends relatively toward each other in an axial direction to bring the ends of the segments of one of said core-halves forcefully against the corresponding ends of the segments of the other corehalf, thereby moving the segments of both of said core-halves axially upon said seats and displacing said segments radially to increase the diameters of said core-halves, and means independent of said keys for retaining said segments on said seats and for limiting the extent of the axial movement of said segments on said seats.

2. In an expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for winding and unwinding coils of wire and the like, the combination comprising, a rotatable spool end having an axially extending tapered seat thereon, a substantially cylindrical core assembly disposed about said seat, said core assembly being comprised of a plurality of core segments having seat contacting surfaces on the underside thereof slidable on the tapered surface of said seat, each of said seat contacting surfaces of said segments having a longitudinally extending keyway therein, a plurality of radially extending pins loosely contained in openings provided therefor in the tapered surface of said seat, key members on the outer ends of said pins slidably disposed in said keyways for individually guiding said segments in an axial direction on said seat, said segments being displaced radially when moved axially on said seat, thereby causing expansion and contraction of said core assembly, and means independent of said keys for retaining said segments on said seat, the presence of said segments on said seat serving to retain said pins in said openings.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said spool end includes a radially extending flange and said seat is integrally formed thereon.

4. An expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like comprising, a pair of individually mounted axially aligned rotatable spool ends, an axially extending seat member on the inner side of each of said spool ends, said seat members having tapered side surfaces providing a pair of axially tapered seats, an interdrive connecting means on the free end of each of said seat members, a pair of separate substantially cylindrical core-halves disposed respectively about said seats, each core-half being comprised of a plurality of core segments slidable on the tapered surface of that seat about which the core-half is disposed, said segments being displaced radially on said seats when moved wially thereon, key means cooperatively arranged between each of said segments and its respective seat for guiding said segments in an axial direction on said seats, and means for moving said spool ends re atively toward each other to bring said interdrive connecting means into driving contact with each other and to bring the ends of the segments of one of said core-halves forcefully against the corresponding ends of the segments of the other core-half, thereby providing an assembled spool rotatable as a single unit and at the same time moving the segments of both of said corehalves axially upon said seats to displace said segments radially to increase the diameters of said core-halves.

5. An expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like comprising, a pair of individually mounted axially aligned rotatable spool ends, an axially extending seat member on. the inner side of each of said spool ends, said seat members having tapered side surfaces providing a pair of axially tapered s ats, an interdrive connecting means on the free end of each of said seat members, a pair of separate substantially cylindrical core-halves disposed respectively about said seats, each core-half being comprised of a plurality of core segments slidable on the tapered surface of that seat about which the core-half is disposed, said segments being displaced radially on said seats when moved axially thereon, and means for moving said spool ends relatively toward each other to bring said interdrive connecting. means into driving contact with each other and to bring the ends of the segments of one of said core-halves forcefully against the corresponding ends of the segments of the other core-half, thereby providing an assembled spool rotatable as a single unit and at the same time moving the segments of both of said core-halves axially upon said seats to displace said segments radially to increase the diameters of said core-halves.

6. An expansible and collapsi'ble spool mechanism for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like comprising, a pair of spaced apart separate spool ends including radially extending flanges mounted for rotation about a common axis, an axially extending frusto-conical seat member on the inner side of each of said spool ends, a pair of separate substantially cylindrical core-halves disposed respectively about said seat members, each corehalf being comprised of a plurality of core segments slidable on the tapered side surface of that seat member about which the core-half is disposed, said segments being displaced radially outwardly when moved axially on their respective seat members toward their adjacent flange, a plate on the free end of each of said seat members, each of said plates having a pin receiving opening therein and said plates having peripheral portions engaged by said segments to limit the axial movement thereof away from their respective flanges, a drive pin extending from each of said plates adapted to be received in the pin receiving opening in the other of said plates, and means for moving said spool ends relatively toward each other to introduce said drive pins into said pin receiving openings to establish interdrive connection between said plates, and to bring the ends of the segments of one of said corehalves forcefully against the corresponding ends of the segments of the other core-half, thereby providing an assembled spool rotatable as a single unit and at the same time moving the segments of both of said corehalves axially toward their adjacent flanges to displace said segments radially outwardly to increase the diameters of said core-halves.

7. An expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like com prising, a pair of spaced apart separate spool ends including radially extending flanges mounted for rotation about a common axis, an axially extending frusto-conical seat member on the inner side of each of said spool ends, a pair of separate substantially cylindrical core-halves disposed respectively about said seat members, each core-half being comprised of a plurality of core segments slidable on the tapered side surface of that seat member about which the core-half is disposed, said segments being displaced radially outwardly when moved axially on their respective seat members toward their adjacent flange, means on said flanges overhanging the outer ends of said segments for retaining said ends of said segments about said seat members, a plate on the free end of each of said seat members, each of said plates having a pin receiving opening therein and said plates having peripheral portions engaged by said segments to limit the axial movement thereof away from their respective flanges, a drive pin extending from each of said plates adapted to be received in the pin receiving opening in the other of said plates, and means for moving said spool ends relatively toward each other to introduce said drive pins into said pin receiving openings to establish interdrive connection between said plates, and to bring the ends of the segments of one of said core-halves forcefully against the corresponding ends of the segments of the other core-half, thereby providing an assembled spool rotatable as a single unit and at the same time moving the segments of both of said core-halves axially toward their adjacent flanges to displace said segments radially outwardly to increase the diameters of said core-halves.

8. An expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for winding or unwinding coils of wire and the like cornprising, a pair of spaced apart separatespool ends including radially extending flanges mounted for rotation about a common axis, an axially extending frusto-conical seat member on the inner side of each of said flanges, a pair of separate substantially cylindrical core-halves disposed respectively about said seat members, each core-half being comprised of a plurality of arcuate core segments having seat contacting surfaces thereon slidable n the tapered side surface of that seat member about which the core-half is disposed, each of said seat contacting surfaces of said segments having a longitudinally extending keyway therein, a plurality of keys on said tapered side surfaces of said seat members slidably received in said keyways for individually guiding said segments in an axial direction on said seat members, said segments being displaced radially outwardly when moved axially on their respective seat members toward their adjacent flange, means on said flanges overhanging the outer ends of said segments for retaining said ends of said segments about said seat members, a plate fixed upon the free end of each of said seat members, each of said plates having a pin receiving opening therein and said plates having peripheral portions engaged by said segments to limit the axial movement thereof away from their respective flanges, a drive pin extending from each of said plates adapted to be received in the pin receiving opening in the other of said plates, and means for moving said spool ends relatively toward each other to introduce said drive pins into said pin receiving openings to establish interdrive connection between said plates, and to bring the ends of the segments of one of said core-halves forcefully against the corresponding ends of the segments of the other core-half, thereby providing an assembled spool rotatable as a single unit and at the same time moving the segments of both of said corehalves axially toward their adjacent flanges to displace said segments radially outwardly to increase the diameters of said core-halves.

9. In an expansible and collapsible spool mechanism for Winding and unwinding coils of wire or the like, the combination comprising, a radially extending flange mounted for rotation about an axis, an axially extending frusto-conical seat member on one side of said flange, a radially expansible cylindrical core disposed about said seat member, said core being comprised of a plurality of individual arcuate core segments arranged for sliding movement on the conical surface of said seat member in an axial direction only, whereby movement of said segments on said seat member axially toward said flange will cause said segments to be displaced radially outwardly and movement of said segments in the opposite axial direction will permit said segments to be displaced radially inwardly, means on said flange overhanging the ends of the segments that are next adjacent said flange, said means providing an annular recess about the base portion of said seat member for loosely containing said ends of said segments, and a radially projecting ring on the outer end of said seat member adapted to be engaged by the opposite ends of said segments, said recess and said ring cooperating with each other to provide the sole means for retaining said segments in position about said seat member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,756 Leahy Sept. 2, 1890 1,167,721 Scott Jan. 11, 1916 2,298,759 Fouse Oct. 13, 1942 2,481,000 Brunner Sept. 6, 1949 2,591,730 Sendzimir Apr. 8, 1952

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