Line take-up assembly

Claim 2

In a take-up assembly for flexible line, the combination comprising a journal member, a line connector, including a hub and line-attaching means, mounted for rotation on said journal member, said lineattaching means comprising a pair of line-attaching devices spaced axially on said hub, and line-storing means for collecting and storing line in windings mounted on said line connector for rotation as a unit therewith, said line-storing means being secured to said hub in a region intermediate said axially spaced attaching devices, and having a configuration exposing said line-attaching means for access in a direction extending axially of the hub.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, wherein said line connector further includes an outwardly radiating flange on said hub, and said line-storing means includes means fastened to said flange.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2, wherein said means fastened to said flange includes an opening providing said access.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3, wherein said means fastened to said flange comprises a disc-shaped divider occupying a plane substantially normal to the rotational axis provided said line connector, and said plane extends between said axially spaced attaching devices.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 2, wherein said line-storing means further includes means joined to said means fastened to said flange defining a generally annular line-receiving channel disposed radially outwardly of said line connector.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5, wherein said means defining said line-receiving channel includes an opening enabling a line to extend from said channel to said line-attaching means.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 1, wherein said line connector further includes an outwardly radiating flange, and said line-storing means comprises a pair of axially confronting mirror-image sections disposed in matching relation in said assembly, each section including a central radially disposed web fastened to said flange, a generally cylindrical wall portion joined to and projecting axially toward one side of said web radially outwardly of said line connector, and a rim joined to and radiating from said wall portion and spaced axially from said web.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 7, wherein the webs in said sections are disposed in closely spaced substantially parallel planar relation, and include matching confronting openings in which is disposed said line-attaching means.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 8, which further includes a substantially planar generally circular divider disposed between said sections and including an opening substantially matching the openings in said webs, said divider further including a circumferential marginal portion radiating beyond said wall portions, and together with said wall portiOns and said rims defining a pair of line-receiving channels in said assembly.

Claim 11

In a take-up assembly for flexible hose, the combination comprising a journal member including fluid passage means, a hose connector, also including fluid passage means, mounted for rotation on said journal member, and further including hose-attaching means adapted for attachment to an end of a hose and an outwardly radiating flange, the passage means in said journal member and in said hose connector communicating with each other, whereby the journal member and hose connector together form a rotary fluid coupling in the assembly through which fluid may be supplied to and exhausted from a hose attached to said hose-attaching means, and hose-storing means including means defining a generally annular hose-receiving channel disposed radially outwardly of said hose connector for collecting hose in windings, and means fastened to said flange by which the hose-storing means is mounted on said flange for rotation as a unit therewith, with openings formed therein exposing said hose-attaching means for both generally axial and radial access thereto in said assembly.

Claim 12

In a take-up assembly for flexible hose, the combination comprising a journal member including fluid passage means, a hose connector, also including fluid passage means, mounted for rotation on said journal member, and further including hose-attaching means adapted for attachment to an end of a hose and an outwardly radiating flange, the passage means in said journal member and in said hose connector communicating with each other, whereby the journal member and hose connector together form a rotary fluid coupling in the assembly through which fluid may be supplied to and exhausted from a hose attached to said hose-attaching means, and hose-storing means including means defining a generally annular hose-receiving channel disposed radially outwardly of said hose connector for collecting hose in windings, and means fastened to said flange by which the hose-storing means is mounted on said flange for rotation as a unit therewith, with openings formed therein exposing said hose-attaching means for both generally axial and radial access thereto in said assembly.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10, wherein said means fastened to said flange occupies a generally planar region in said assembly which is disposed substantially normal to the rotational axis provided said hose connector, and said hose-attaching means includes a pair of ports disposed on axially opposite sides of said region.

Claim 14

In a take-up assembly for flexible line, where such assembly includes a journal member, and a reel mounted thereon for rotation, the combination in operative condition comprising an elongated coil spring adapted to act between said journal member and said reel to urge unidirectional rotation of the latter on the former, said spring having a nonangular inner end including an opening, and a catch joined to said journal member and extending through said opening, said catch releasably catching said inner end, with such end extending adjacent and generally tangentially with respect to said journal member, said catch including a notch to prevent escape therefrom of said inner end with movement in parts in the assembly tending to produce relative tangential movement in one direction between said inner end and said journal member, and further including a cam surface to permit such escape with movement in parts in the assembly tending to produce relative tangential movement in the opposite direction between said inner end and said journal member.

Claim 15

In a take-up assembly for flexible line, where such assembly includes a journal member, and a reel mounted thereon for rotation, the combination in operative condition comprising an elongated coil spring adapted to act between said journal member and said reel to urge unidirectional rotation of the latter on the former, said spring having a nonangular inner end including an opening, and a catch joined to said journal member and extending through said opening, said catch releasably catching said inner end, with such end extending adjacent and generally tangentially with respect to said journal member, said catch including a notch to prevent escape therefrom of said inner end with movement in parts in the assembly tending to produce relative tangential movement in one direction between said inner end and said journal member, and further including a cam surface to permit such escape with movement in parts in the assembly tending to produce relative tangential movement in the opposite direction between said inner end and said journal member.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 12, wherein said catch is removably secured to said journal member by a removable band which engages both the catch and the journal member.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 13, wherein said journal member and said catch each includes a groove, and said grooves together define a generally annular channel extending about the axis of said journal member, which channel receives said band.

Claim 18

In a take-up assembly for flexible line, the combination comprising a journal member, a line connector including line-attaching means mounted for rotation on said journal member, line-storing means for collecting and storing line in windings anchored to said line connector for rotation as a unit therewith, including means defining a generally annular line-receiving channel disposed radially outwardly of said line connector and having an opening enabling a line to extend from said line-attaching means to said channel, and a line guide adjacent said opening, and including a line-guiding surface located radially inwardly of said line-receiving channel, over which a line may be trained in a smoothly curving, non-angular manner where such line extends from the line-attaching means to the channel, said guide being pivotally mounted for limited rocking about an axis substantially paralleling the axis about which the line-storing means and line connector are rotatable.

Claim 19

In a take-up assembly for flexible line, the combination comprising a journal member, a line connector including line-attaching means mounted for rotation on said journal member, line-storing means for collecting and storing line in windings anchored to said line connector for rotation as a unit therewith, including means defining a generally annular line-receiving channel disposed radially outwardly of said line connector and having an opening enabling a line to extend from said line-attaching means to said channel, and a line guide adjacent said opening, and including a line-guiding surface located radially inwardly of said line-receiving channel, over which a line may be trained in a smoothly curving, non-angular manner where such line extends from the line-attaching means to the channel, said guide being pivotally mounted for limited rocking about an axis substantially paralleling the axis about which the line-storing means and line connector are rotatable.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 15, wherein said line-guiding surface is convex.