Hand held cable reel

Abstract

A hand held cable reel ( 1 ) includes a central cable receiving core ( 3 ) mounted between a pair of disc like end flanges ( 5, 7 ), each disc like end flange ( 5, 7 ) having a handle ( 9, 11 ) mounted on the outermost surface of the flange, the handles being radially offset from the central axis of the cable receiving core ( 3 ) and circumferentially offset relative to each other. The handles ( 9, 11 ) are substantially c-shaped having a body portion ( 13 ) and a pair of inwardly depending arms ( 15, 17 ), the free end of each of the arms facing inwardly towards the flange ( 5, 7 ) upon which it is mounted. A pair of operating flanges ( 161, 163 ) freely rotatable with respect to the end flanges may also be provided.

1 . A hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) comprising a central cable receiving core ( 3 ) mounted between a pair of disc like end flanges ( 5 , 7 ), each disc like end flange ( 5 , 7 ) having a handle ( 9 , 11 ) mounted on the outermost surface of the flange, the handles being radially offset from the central axis of the cable receiving core ( 3 ) and circumferentially offset relative to each other, wherein
 each handle ( 9 ,  11 ) further comprises a substantially c-shaped grip portion ( 12 ) having a body portion ( 13 ) bridging a pair of inwardly depending arms ( 15 , 17 ), the free end of each of the arms ( 15 , 17 ) facing the flange upon which it is mounted, each ( 9 , 11 ) handle being rotatably mounted on it's respective flange.   
     
     
         2 . The hand held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1  in which each of the handles ( 9 , 11 ) further comprises a base portion ( 21 ), the base portion ( 21 ) being connected to the free ends of each of the arms of the grip portion ( 12 ) so that the grip portion ( 12 ) and the base portion ( 21 ) are arranged to form a loop for reception of at least one finger of an operator therethrough, the base portion ( 21 ) in turn being rotatably mounted on the flange. 
     
     
         3 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the grip portion  23  further comprises an elongate connector bar  49  and a C-shaped grip bar connected at its free ends to the connector bar, the base portion  21  further comprises a pair of connector bar receivers  53  for engagement with the connector bar, the connector bar has a sleeved, spring loaded end  55 , and a spigot  59  on the other end  57  for cooperation with one of a pair of spigot receiving grooves  61   a ,  61   b , in the connector bar receiver of the base portion. 
     
     
         4 . A hand held cable reel ( 1 ) of the type comprising a central cable receiving core ( 3 ) mounted between a pair of disc like end flanges ( 5 , 7 ), a handle ( 9 ) mounted on the outermost surface of one of the disc like end flanges ( 5 , 7 ) radially offset from the central axis of the core, characterised in that there is provided a central bore ( 121 ) extending substantially along the length of the central cable receiving core ( 3 ) accessible through a hole in the other disc like end flange ( 5 , 7 ) and there is further provided a rotatably mounted handle ( 123 ) located at the bottom of the central bore. 
     
     
         5 . The hand held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 4  in which at least one of the handles ( 9 ,  123 ) further comprises a base portion ( 21 ) rotatably mounted on the cable reel and a grip portion ( 23 ) mounted on the base portion ( 21 ), the base portion ( 21 ) and the grip portion ( 23 ) being arranged to form a loop for reception of at least one finger of an operator therethrough. 
     
     
         6 . The hand held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 4  in which the rotatably mounted handle ( 123 ) located at the bottom of the central bore further comprises a base portion rotatably mounted on the bottom of the central bore and a grip portion mounted on the base portion arranged to form a loop for reception of the fingers of an operator therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The hand held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 6  in which the base portion ( 191 ) of the handle ( 123 ) located at the bottom of the central bore ( 121 ) further comprises an outwardly projecting cylindrical lip ( 195 ) substantially surrounding the base portion ( 191 ) and extending orthogonally therefrom so that the hand of the operator may be placed on the handle with the lip ( 195 ) substantially surrounding the hand of the operator to prevent injury to the hand of the operator on rotation of the handle ( 123 ). 
     
     
         8 . The hand held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 7  in which the outwardly projecting lip ( 195 ) further comprises at its outermost end a protective flange ( 197 ) extending substantially orthogonal to the lip ( 195 ) and which lies along in close proximity to portion of the external face of the disc like end flange. 
     
     
         9 . The hand held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the base portion ( 21 ) has a cylindrical receiving member ( 331 ) that is snap fitted onto a boss ( 333 ) on the flange ( 5 ), wherein the base portion includes a cylindrical receiving member  331  with an inwardly facing annular clip ( 335 ) that is urged outwards as the cylindrical portion moves over an outwardly projecting lip  337  on the boss ( 333 ), and as the clip ( 335 ) moves beyond the clip ( 335 ), the clip is resiliently deformed back to a rest configuration thereby securing the handle to the flange ( 5 ), in this way the handle ( 9 ) will be provided flush with the flange ( 5 ). 
     
     
         10 . A hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) of the type comprising a cable receiving core ( 3 )
 mounted between a pair of disc like end flanges ( 5 , 7 ) wherein the hand held cable reel further comprises a pair of disc like operating flanges ( 161 ,  163 ) substantially coplanar with and having a greater diameter than the disc like end flanges ( 5 ,  7 ), the disc like end flanges ( 5 , 7 ) and operating flanges ( 161 , 163 ) being freely rotatable with respect to each other.   
     
     
         11 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 10  in which the operating flanges ( 161 ,  163 ) are mounted external the end flanges ( 5 , 7 ) relative the cable receiving core ( 3 ). 
     
     
         12 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 11  in which the cable receiving core ( 3 ) is substantially hollow and the pair of operating flanges ( 161 , 163 ) are connected together by way of a central elongate strut ( 169 ) passing through the hollow cable receiving core ( 3 ) and connected to one of the operating flanges ( 161 , 163 ) at one of its ends and the other of the operating flanges ( 161 , 163 ) at its other end. 
     
     
         13 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 12  in which the central elongate strut ( 169 ) is telescopic so that the pair of outer flanges may move towards and away from each other. 
     
     
         14 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 13  in which there is provide a locking mechanism to hold the two operating flanges in position relative to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 14  in which the locking mechanism is a bayonet fitting. 
     
     
         16 . The hand-held cable reel ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 10  in which there is further provided an additional locking mechanism to releasably secure the operating flanges ( 161 , 163 ) and the end flanges ( 5 , 7 ) in position relative to each other.