Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
305 words
A rigid spool used to supply a strand of material having a hub, said hub having a bearing means for rotatably mounting said spool, a periphery and a cylindrical winding of a strand of material, in which the improvement comprises: an internal annular groove located within said periphery of said spool, said groove extending around the axis of said hub and opening inwardly towards the axis of said hub, said cylindrical winding of said strand of material being located within said groove and extending around the axis of said hub, said winding being spaced from said hub, guide means for guiding said strand of material from the interior of said winding so that said strand may pass outwardly of said spool, at least part of said guide means being located in communication with said annular space and being spaced inwardly towards the axis of said hub from said winding, said guide means including an annular wall located so as to extend around the axis of said hub, said wall being exposed to the interior of said annular space and being spaced from said winding towards the axis of said hub, said guide means also defining an annular opening from said space at an end of said wall, said annular opening extending completely around said axis of said hub, resilient seal means positioned so as to normally cover and close off said annular groove and said annular opening, said seal means being capable of being temporarily displaced by said strand as said strand passes said guide means so as to permit said strand to be removed from said spool while isolating the interior of said spool from the exterior of said spool, said strand extending from the interior of said winding around said hub and outwardly and substantially tangentially from said spool past said seal means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
305 words
A rigid spool used to supply a strand of material having a hub, said hub having a bearing means for rotatably mounting said spool, a periphery and a cylindrical winding of a strand of material, in which the improvement comprises: an internal annular groove located within said periphery of said spool, said groove extending around the axis of said hub and opening inwardly towards the axis of said hub, said cylindrical winding of said strand of material being located within said groove and extending around the axis of said hub, said winding being spaced from said hub, guide means for guiding said strand of material from the interior of said winding so that said strand may pass outwardly of said spool, at least part of said guide means being located in communication with said annular space and being spaced inwardly towards the axis of said hub from said winding, said guide means including an annular wall located so as to extend around the axis of said hub, said wall being exposed to the interior of said annular space and being spaced from said winding towards the axis of said hub, said guide means also defining an annular opening from said space at an end of said wall, said annular opening extending completely around said axis of said hub, resilient seal means positioned so as to normally cover and close off said annular groove and said annular opening, said seal means being capable of being temporarily displaced by said strand as said strand passes said guide means so as to permit said strand to be removed from said spool while isolating the interior of said spool from the exterior of said spool, said strand extending from the interior of said winding around said hub and outwardly and substantially tangentially from said spool past said seal means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A spool as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said seal means comprises a resilient disc mounted on said hub and extending over and covering said annular opening and having a peripheral lip engaging said periphery.