Cable reel

Claim 2

In a cable reel assembly of the type in which an electrical conduit is wound upon an elongated drum located between cable retaining flanges and which is rotatably supported by a stationary support, the improvement comprising: drum retaining means having a stationary portion which is releasably secured to such a stationary support and having a rotatable portion which is releasably secured to said drum adjacent an axial end thereof and adjacent said stationary support, first and second connector means carried within said drum; said first connector means being adapted to connect to conductors of such an electrical conduit; said second connector means being carried by said rotatable portion of said retaining means and being electrically detachable engagable with said first connector means; said first and second connector means, said rotatable portion of said retaining means and said drum being in rotatable synchronism with each other and rotatable with respect to said stationary support and said stationary portion.

Claim 3

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein said second connector means is adapted to connect to load side conductor means.

Claim 4

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 2 wherein said load side conductor means includes: a stationary slip ring shaft carried within said drum and supported by said stationary portion of said drum retaining means; a plurality of stationary electrically conductive slip rings carried by said shaft and adapted to connect to stationary load conductors; a plurality of rotating electrically conductive slip rings in rotating engagement with respective ones of said stationary slip rings and adapted to connect to said second connector means by means of rotating conductors extending therebetween; and said rotating conductors and said rotating slip rings being in rotatable synchronism with said drum.

Claim 5

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein said first connector means is supported within said drum intermediate the axial ends thereof.

Claim 6

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 4 wherein said first connector means is releasably supported within said drum.

Claim 7

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 1 additionally including insulating means to isolate said first and second contact means from electrical engagement with said drum.

Claim 8

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein said drum member comprises a plurality of coaxially aligned generally annular portions releasably secured together at respective axially abutting sections thereof.

Claim 9

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 7 wherein the outer diameters of said annular portions are equal and the electrical conduit is wound about the outer peripheries thereof.

Claim 10

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 7 wherein said plurality of annular portions is two and includes a first and second annular portion; said first portion having an outer diameter thereof less than the inner diameter of said second annular portion and being coaxially received within said second annular portion; and the electrical conduit being wound about the outer periphery of said second portion only.

Claim 11

A cable reel assembly for a mobile unit powered by a trailing electrical conduit comprising; an elongated generally cylindrical drum member, a support member for rotatably supporting said drum member; said drum member having coaxial hollow drum portions axially movable relative to each other and releasably secured together with respective radial surfaces in abutting relationship for supporting such an electrical conduit on a peripheral surface of said drum member, a plurality of electrical connector means supported by said drum portions respectively, certain of said electrical connector means supported by one drum portion being electrically disconnected from certain other of said electrical connector means supported by another of said drum portions upon axial movement of sAid one drum portion away from said another drum portion and electrically connected when said drum portions are in said abutting relationship, and means for electrically connecting said certain electrical connector means to the conductors of such a conduit, and means for connecting said other electrical connector means to means adapted to be connected to a load conductor means of such a unit.

Claim 12

A cable reel assembly for a mobile unit powered by a trailing electrical conduit comprising; an elongated generally cylindrical drum member, a support member for rotatably supporting said drum member; said drum member having coaxial hollow drum portions axially movable relative to each other and releasably secured together with respective radial surfaces in abutting relationship for supporting such an electrical conduit on a peripheral surface of said drum member, a plurality of electrical connector means supported by said drum portions respectively, certain of said electrical connector means supported by one drum portion being electrically disconnected from certain other of said electrical connector means supported by another of said drum portions upon axial movement of sAid one drum portion away from said another drum portion and electrically connected when said drum portions are in said abutting relationship, and means for electrically connecting said certain electrical connector means to the conductors of such a conduit, and means for connecting said other electrical connector means to means adapted to be connected to a load conductor means of such a unit.

Claim 13

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 10 wherein the outer diameters of said drum portions are equal and the electrical conduit is wound about the outer peripheries thereof.

Claim 14

A cable reel assembly as specified in claim 10 wherein the number of said drum portions is two and said another portion has an outer diameter thereof less than the inner diameter of said one drum portion and is coaxially received within said one drum portion; and the electrical conduit is wound about the outer periphery of said one drum portion only.