Switching reel for electrical cable

Claim 1

A reel assembly for a cable comprising in combination: a housing; a reel rotatably mounted on said housing and adapted to receive said cable; first bias means for biasing said reel towards a first state, said cable being substantially wound about said reel in said first state; interconnect means for interconnecting said cable and an external power supply, said interconnect means including a pair of conductive cups secured to said housing and a pair of brush assemblies secured to said reel, each of said conductive cups having a substantially annular ring portion substantially coaxial with said reel, each of said brush assemblies extending substantially radially with respect to said reel and including a brush adapted to wipingly engage one of said ring portions, said conductive cups and said brush assemblies being coupled to said external power supply and said cable, respectively; ratchet means operable in an engaged state for maintaining said reel in at least a second state wherein at least a portion of said cable is freed from said reel and operable in a disengaged state for permitting said reel to be rotated to said first state by said first bias means; and switch means operable in a first switch state for maintaining interconnection of said cable and said external power and operable in a second switch state for interrupting said interconnection of said cable and said external power supply; said switch means including a lever, pivotally mounted on said housing, and a switch, said lever operatively engaging and disengaging said switch whenever said ratchet means is in said engaged state and said disengaged state, respectively, said ratchet means including a ratchet mounted on said reel and a pawl rotatably mounted on said lever.