Sliding lock for break-down spool

Abstract

A locking system for a spool comprising a barrel, a flange, and a sliding lock. The sliding lock has at least one rail that slidably engages with at least one barrel detent and at least one flange detent to prevent rotation of the flange on the barrel. The sliding lock comprises at least one arm with at least one catch. The at least one catch can be removably locked into at least one recess on the flange.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spool locking system comprising:
 a barrel comprising a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein at least the first longitudinal end comprises at least one barrel detent;   a first flange removably affixable to the first longitudinal end of the barrel, wherein the first flange comprises at least one receiving location for a sliding lock, the receiving location comprising:   at least one flange detent aligned with the at least one barrel detent; and   at least one sidewall having at least one recessed portion;   a sliding lock comprising:   a body portion;   at least one rail disposed on the sliding lock configured to engage with the at least one flange detent and the at least one barrel detent, wherein at least one sidewall of the at least one barrel detent is angled to direct the at least one rail into alignment; and   at least one flexible arm having a catch configured to engage the recessed portion.   
     
     
         2 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the spool is an industrial spool. 
     
     
         3 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second flange removably affixable to the second longitudinal end of the barrel. 
     
     
         4 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion comprises a proximate end, a distal end, two sides, an outer surface and an inner surface. 
     
     
         5 . The spool locking system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one rail is disposed on the inner surface of the body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The spool locking system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one flexible arm initiates near the proximate end of the body portion and extends adjacent to one of the sides of the body portion toward the distal end of the body portion. 
     
     
         7 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , comprising two flange detents aligned with two barrel detents to form two parallel tracks. 
     
     
         8 . The spool locking system of  claim 7 , comprising at least two rails disposed on the sliding lock, wherein each rail is slidable in a respective track. 
     
     
         9 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the flange comprises at least two concentric flange detents. 
     
     
         10 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible arm is biased toward an initial extended position and can be compressed into a compressed position by applying pressure to the arm. 
     
     
         11 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , comprising two flexible arms, each arm having a catch, and two sidewalls each having a recessed portion. 
     
     
         12 . The spool locking system of  claim 11 , wherein a width between apexes of the catches is greater than a distance between the sidewalls at locations radially outward of the recessed portions. 
     
     
         13 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding lock has a locked position wherein the at least one rail is positioned within the at least one barrel detent and the catch is positioned within the recessed portion. 
     
     
         14 . The spool locking system of  claim 13 , wherein the sliding lock has an unlocked position wherein the at least one rail is not positioned within the at least one barrel detent and the catch is not positioned within the recessed portion. 
     
     
         15 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the catch comprises a generally triangular feature having an angled portion and a flattened base portion. 
     
     
         16 . The spool locking system of  claim 15 , wherein the angled portion allows movement of the sliding lock in a first direction and the flattened base portion restricts movement in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         17 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding lock further comprises a lip extending from a proximate end of the body portion, the lip configured to engage with the flange within the receiving location. 
     
     
         18 . The spool locking system of  claim 17 , wherein the lip is configured to slide under an edge of an offset portion of the flange. 
     
     
         19 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding lock further comprises a retaining portion extending from a distal end of the body portion, the retaining portion configured to snap-fit onto a portion of a rib of the flange. 
     
     
         20 . The spool locking system of  claim 19 , wherein the retaining portion comprises two retaining members biased to a first position and flexible into a second position to move past a post on the flange. 
     
     
         21 . A method for locking a spool comprising:
 providing the spool locking system of  claim 1 ;   removably affixing the first flange to the first longitudinal end of the barrel;   aligning the at least one barrel detent with the at least one flange detent;   slidably engaging the at least one rail with the aligned detents; and   sliding the sliding lock into a locked position wherein the catch engages the recessed portion.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising sliding the sliding lock into an unlocked position by applying pressure to compress the at least one flexible arm and moving the catch out of engagement with the recessed portion. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of slidably engaging comprises directing the at least one rail into alignment using the angled sidewall of the at least one barrel detent. 
     
     
         24 . The spool locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the first flange comprises a storage location for the sliding lock separate from the receiving location. 
     
     
         25 . The spool locking system of  claim 24 , wherein the storage location comprises retaining hooks configured to engage the catch when the sliding lock is stored.