Lift truck with line take-up unit

Claim 1

A takeup unit for flexible line comprising a reel including a first and a second shroud disposed opposite and axially spaced from each other, and a hub having a chamber within it extending between the shrouds about which such line is collected in windings; a helical spring assembly concentric with the reel mounted against the axially outer side of said first shroud for urging rotation of the reel; a journal member having passage means therein, said journal member extending axially through the reel and the spring assembly mounting the reel with the reel relatively rotatable with respect to said journal member; said shrouds being separable sections in the reel and the reel further including detachable fastener means joining the shrouds and hub together and constructed to permit removal of the second shroud without disrupting the spring assembly; said hub having an opening in the side thereof enabling line to be extended from the outside of the hub into said chamber; and a line connector disposed within said chamber and journaled on said journal member; said line connector having passage means therein connecting with said passage means in the journal member; said second shroud including a portion that bounds a side of said opening in the hub which portion upon removal of the second shroud is displaced relative to other boundaries of said opening whereby the opening has an open side permitting placement of a line for the purpose of connecting it to said line connector by shifting of such line laterally through said open side to a position extending through the opening.