Wire cable dispenser

Abstract

A wire cable dispenser has a stand for resting on a supporting surface in the work area with a pair of reels disposed in confronting relation on the stand to receive a cable coil therebetween for dispensing, such reels defining a coil receiving hub, and a wire guide swingable adjacent the coil for feeding the wire cable from the coil.

1 . A cable dispenser for receiving a cable coil and dispensing the same comprising, in combination: 
 a portable stand to rest on a supporting surface in the work area where the cable is being strung and having a horizontal bearing shaft;    a pair of reels each having an outer circular ring and a central hub mounted in confronting relation on the bearing shaft, with spokes extending between the central hub and ring;    the spokes of the reels defining opposite sides of a cable coil containment area with portions of the spokes laterally displaced and interleaved to define a coil receiving hub; and    a wire cable guide swingably supported for rotation about the axis of said bearing shaft with an eye through which the wire cable runs disposed in alignment with said cable coil containment area to prevent entanglement of the cable as it is withdrawn from the cable dispenser.    
   
   
       2 . The invention defined by  claim 1  wherein at least one of said central hubs being shiftable axially on the bearing shaft to vary the width of the containment area to accommodate varying axial lengths of a cable coil within the confinement area.  
   
   
       3 . The invention defined by  claim 2  wherein stops are provided on said bearing shaft to limit separation between the central hubs.  
   
   
       4 . A cable dispenser for receiving a cable coil and dispensing the same comprising, in combination; 
 a portable stand to rest on a supporting surface in the work area where the cable is being strung and having a horizontal bearing shaft;    a pair of reels each having an outer circular ring and a central hub with spokes extending between the central hub and ring;    said central hubs rotatably mounted on the bearing shaft in confronting relation with the rings and spokes being spaced apart to define a cable containment area;    the spokes of the reels having portions shaped to cooperatively define a cable spool receiving hub having a diameter to fit within a cable coil and support the spool for rotation about said bearing shaft; and    a wire cable guide swingably supported for rotation about the axis of said bearing shaft with an eye through which the wire cable runs disposed substantially in alignment with said cable containment area and preventing entanglement of the cable as it is withdrawn from the cable containment area.    
   
   
       5 . A wire cable dispenser comprising, in combination: 
 a portable stand to rest on a supporting surface in the work area and having a bearing shaft;    a pair of reels mounted in confronting relation on the bearing shaft;    said reels having spokes defining a cable-supporting hub for receiving a cable coil, and side walls of a cable containment area; and    a wire guide swingable on the bearing shaft to guide the wire as it is pulled from the dispenser.    
   
   
       6 . The invention of  claim 5  wherein one of said reels beings removable from its confronting relation with the other reel to permit a cable coil to be installed on the cable supporting hub.  
   
   
       7 . The invention of  claim 5  wherein said spokes have portions displaced laterally with the displaced portions of one reel interleaved between similarly displaced portions of the confronting reel forming the cable supporting hub.  
   
   
       8 . A wire cable dispenser comprising, in combination: 
 a portable stand to rest on a supporting surface in the work area;    a cable spool receiving hub mounted on the stand for rotation;    spokes extending radially outwardly from said hub to define a cable spool containment area; and    some of said spokes being removable from said hub to permit installation of a cable coil on the hub; and a wire guide swingable about the stand to guide cable wire as it is pulled from the dispenser.