Abstract:
A dereeler for welding wire capable of dispensing wire from very heavy loaded reels wherein the reel may be rolled upon the reel spool peripheries into the dereeler and manually raised to a reel rotatable position. A carriage upon which the cradles supporting the reel are mounted is supported on a frame by a linkage system wherein pivoting of the carriage between reel loading and unloading positions permits the reel axle to be received within the cradles while the reel spools are supported on the floor, and pivoting of the carriage on the frame lifts the reel axle supported in the cradles from the supporting floor surface permitting rotation of the reel for wire dispensing purposes.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A wire dereeler for dispensing wire coiled upon a reel having circular spool ends characterized by the ability to raise and lower a heavy loaded reel without hoists, ramps or inclines. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Wire is usually handled by winding or coiling the wire upon a reel having circular spool ends. For instance, it is not uncommon to wind arc welding wire upon reels having a loaded weight of 1,000 pounds. Such reels must be handled by operators who position the loaded wire reel in dereeling apparatus which permits the wire to be dispensed by uncoiling the wire from the reel as the wire is consumed during welding. Usually, only a single operator is used to load and unload welding wire dereelers and because of the weight of a loaded reel, it is often necessary to use expensive hoists and the like to load the wire dispensers. 
     Some wire reel dispensers utilize inclined ramps and wedge surfaces upon which the reel, or its axle, is positioned such that rolling of the reel will cause the reel to move up the ramp or wedge to an elevated position from the supporting floor surface permitting the reel to rotate during wire dispensing once the weight of the reel is removed from the reel spool peripheries. The problem with this type of wire dispenser utilizing ramps or inclines is that considerable effort is required to roll a fully loaded reel up a slight incline even though the reel only need be elevated an inch or less to permit reel rotation during dispensing and safety of the operator is a concern. An example of a wire dereeler utilizing ramps is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,945. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a wire dereeler wherein a heavy wire reel supported on reel end spools having circular peripheries may be easily raised by a single operator from a supporting floor surface to an elevated position to permit reel rotation to dispense the wire coiled thereon. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a dereeler for wire wound on a reel having end spools having circular peripheries wherein a single operator may raise a fully wound spool from a supporting floor surface to an elevated reel rotating position without the use of power lifting equipment, ramps, inclines or hoists, and wherein the reel will be locked in its supporting structure during wire dispensing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is particularly suitable for dispensing arc welding wire, but can be used to dispense wire for other purposes. Wire reels may be of varying size and capacity, and larger welding wire reels weighing up to 1,000 pounds when fully wound can be handled by the invention. The reel consists of a central spindle having end spools of a flat configuration having circular peripheries whereby a heavy reel can be rolled across a floor surface upon the spool peripheries by a single operator. A central axial opening extends through the reel spindle and spools for receiving an axle during wire dispensing as later described. 
     The dereeler in accord with the invention includes a frame which may be formed of angle iron components, the sides of the frame being substantially identical whereby the frame sides are separated by a distance which permits a wire reel to be rolled between the frame sides, and the frame sides are interconnected at the rear end of the frame to maintain the spacing of the frame sides and permit control boxes and the like to be attached to the frame. There is no interconnecting structure between the frame sides at the front end of the frame which accepts the wire reel such that the wire reel may be rolled into the frame between its sides without interference. 
     A carriage is pivotally mounted upon the frame and is of a generally U-shaped configuration having a pair of arms interconnected by a base. The arms include outer ends which are pivotally connected to the frame sides, and the arms are spaced from each other by a distance permitting the wire reel to be received therebetween. Accordingly, the wire reel, when rolled between the frame sides, is also positioned between the carriage arms. The carriage includes an operating handle affixed to the carriage base located above the arm outer ends, and substantially spaced from the pivot supporting the carriage on the frame. 
     A cradle is mounted upon each carriage outer end including a semi-circular bearing supporting surface, and prior to the reel being rolled into the frame between the carriage arms, an axle is inserted in the reel axial opening having ends which extend beyond the reel spools. One of the axle ends includes a drive gear affixed thereto, and each axle end includes an anti-friction bearing, such as a ball bearing, whose outer race is received within an arm cradle when the reel is rolled into the frame. 
     A reel driving shaft is rotatably mounted upon the outer end of one of the carriage arms adjacent the associated cradle, and this drive shaft includes a gear which meshes with the reel axle gear when the reel axle is properly positioned within the associated cradle establishing a driving relationship between the carriage arm shaft and the reel. The carriage arm shaft also includes a belt sheave or pulley which is connected by a flexible belt to a transmission mounted upon the base of the carriage powered by a reversible variable speed electric motor. In this manner, the electric motor is in a torque transmitting relationship to the reel for producing reel rotation. 
     Initially, the wire reel will be supported by the floor surface upon which the frame is supported. Once the reel axle bearings are properly located within the carriage arm cradles, the operator grasps the carriage handle and pushes the handle rearwardly toward the frame base. This force applied to the carriage handle pivots the carriage about supporting pivots toward the frame base and, due to the position of the carriage pivots to the cradles, the cradles will raise the reel sufficiently to lift the reel spool peripheries from the supporting floor surface to permit the entire support of the reel to be through the reel axle bearings and carriage cradles. The carriage handle is pushed rearwardly until stops defined on the carriage engage stop surfaces formed on the frame. At this position, the axle of the reel, which defines the center of gravity of the heavy wire reel, will have passed through the vertical projection of the pivots supporting the carriage, and due to the weight of the reel, this over-center relationship of the weight of the reel with respect to the carriage pivots will maintain the reel in its elevated position permitting the reel to be rotated by the motor, transmission, belt, arm mounted shaft, shaft gear, and the axle gear. 
     An axle lock is associated with the carriage cradle upon which the reel drive shaft is supported. This axle lock consists of a lever or latch which is pivotally mounted on the cradle and superimposed over the reel axle bearing adjacent the reel gear during dereeling and this axle lock firmly maintains the reel axle bearing within its cradle insuring proper meshing of the axle gear and drive gear during reel rotation and preventing inadvertent disengagement of the axle from its cradles. The axle lock may be manually operated, but in the preferred embodiment, an axle lock operating link is interposed between the axle lock and the frame so that the axle lock will automatically be positioned in its operative condition when the carriage has been rotated to raise the reel from the floor surface in order to permit reel rotation and the link automatically opens the cradle to receive or release the reel axle bearing. 
     When it is desired to change wire reels, the operator grasps the carriage handle and pulls it forward away from the frame base. This action, initially, requires the reel to be slightly raised until the center of gravity of the reel passes through the vertical projection of the carriage pivots and continued forward movement of the carriage and reel due to the carriage pivotal action will lower the reel until the reel spool outer peripheries engage the floor. This forward movement of the reel will cause the axle lock to pivot to an open position through the actuation of the axle lock by its operating link, and once the spool peripheries engage the floor, the reel can be easily rolled forward disengaging the reel axle bearings from the carriage cradles and the reel removed from between the carriage arms and frame sides. A new fully wound wire reel can then be rolled into the dereeler frame, and the process previously described is repeated. It is to be appreciated that it is only necessary to raise the wire reel less than an inch to remove the reel&#39;s weight from its spools, and the mechanical advantage achieved by the short lever arm between the carriage pivots and the center of the reel axle as compared to the much greater lever arm between the carriage handle and its pivots permits a fully wound reel to be lifted by one operator the necessary height between the loading and unloading positions of the carriage wherein the reel is supported upon the floor, and the wire dispensing or rotating position of the reel wherein the reel is lifted from the floor and its rotation driven under the influence of the electric motor and associated drive components. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The aforementioned objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a wire dereeler in accord with the invention with the components shown in the operative reel rotating wire dereeling or dispensing position, 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the opposite side of the dereeler shown in FIG. 1, the wire being removed from the reel not being shown for purpose of clarity, 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the carriage in the reel loading or unloading position wherein the reel weight is supported upon its spools, 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the opposite side of the dereeler when in the loading or unloading position of FIG. 3, 
     FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of the carriage arm drive outer end illustrating the reel drive structure and the axle lock being in the closed position, 
     FIG. 6 is a detail elevational view of the carriage arm drive outer end and cradle shown in FIG. 5 showing the axle lock in its open position in dotted lines and in its lock position in full lines, 
     FIG. 7 is an elevational view as taken along Section  7 — 7  of FIG. 5, the arm and cradle being shown in phantom lines, 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the reel gear and drive shaft gear as taken along Section  8 — 8  of FIG. 7, and 
     FIG. 9 is a detail elevational view of the reel axle and carriage arm as taken along Section  9 — 9  of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawings, the floor surface upon which the dereeler of the invention is supported is illustrated at  10 . The floor  10  will normally be the regular floor surface of the room or area in which wire dereeling occurs, and as the wire reels are normally rolled about on the floor  10 , the dereeler apparatus described below is mounted upon the same floor surface. 
     A wire dereeler in accord with the invention includes a frame  12  which may be fabricated of angle iron or similar steel components. The frame  12  includes a pair of floor pieces  14  spaced apart a distance several inches greater than the width of a reel from which wire is to be dispensed. Each floor piece  14  supports a frame side  16  whose general configuration will be appreciated from the drawings. The frame sides  16  are interconnected at the rear of the frame by a box frame structure including base columns  18 . Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the frame  12  is formed of a pair of similar sides  16  spaced apart by the base structure  18  a distance greater than the width of the wire reels. 
     A carriage stop  20 , FIGS. 1 and 2, is mounted upon each of the floor pieces  14 , and a carriage pivot post  22  is mounted upon each floor piece  14  extending vertically for pivotally supporting the carriage, as later described. 
     The frame  12  pivotally supports a carriage  24  between frame sides  16  which consists of spaced parallel arms  26  and  28  which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the reel to be dereeled. The outer ends of the arms  26  and  28  are free, and the inner ends of the arms are connected to base columns  30  which extend upwardly, and maintain the spacing between the arms  26  and  28 . The entire carriage  24  is pivotally mounted upon the frame  12  by the carriage pivots  31  interconnecting the carriage pivot posts  22  with the outer end of the carriage arm located directly above. 
     The carriage base columns  30  support a handlebar  32  which extends forwardly and terminates in an upwardly extending handle  34 . The purpose of the handle  34  is to pivot the carriage  24  on the carriage pivots  31 , as later described. 
     The outer end of the carriage arm  26  supports a cradle  36 , while the outer end of the arm  28  supports a cradle  38 . Each of the cradles  36  and  38  includes a partial cylindrical surface  40 , extending upwardly, for receiving a reel axle bearing as later described. The cradle  38  includes a bearing positioner  41  as apparent in FIG.  9 . 
     An axle latch lock  42  is pivotally mounted upon the cradle  36  mounted on carriage arm  26 , and the latch lock  42  includes a partially cylindrical surface  43 , FIG. 3, for cooperating with the associated reel axle bearing as described below. The latch lock  42  is operated by a latch lock link  44 , FIG. 3, which is pivotally supported to the adjacent frame side  16  and the non-pivoted end of the lock  42  so as to be pivotable between the axle open or release and locking positions as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     A transmission  46  is mounted upon the carriage  24  adjacent the base columns  30 , and the transmission  46  includes an output pulley  48  having a herringbone toothed periphery. The transmission  46 , and pulley  48 , are driven by the reversible variable speed electric motor  50  drivingly connected to the transmission. 
     A drive shaft  52  is rotatably mounted upon the outer end of the carriage arm  26 , FIGS. 5 and 7, and the outer end of the drive shaft  52  supports a herringbone toothed pulley  54  which cooperates with the toothed flexible belt  55  interposed between the pulleys  48  and  54 . In this manner, the transmission  46  and motor  50  will rotate the pulley  54 . 
     A spur gear  56  is mounted upon the inner end of the drive shaft  52 , FIG. 7, and as later described, the gear  56  meshes with a gear mounted upon the reel axis when the wire reel is in its dereeling position. 
     The reel axle structure includes hubs  58  which are received within the reel spool openings, and the reel axle  60  extending through the reel hubs  58  extends beyond the reel hubs in both directions. Each end of the reel axle  60  is provided with an antifriction bearing. The portion of the reel axle adjacent the carriage arm  26  includes bearing  62 , while the portion of the reel axle adjacent carriage arm  28  supports bearing  64 . Both of the bearings  62  and  64  include an outer cylindrical race whose diameter corresponds to the cylindrical surfaces  40  defined in the cradles  36  and  38 , and the latch lock surface  43 . As appreciated in FIG. 7, a spur gear  66  is mounted on the reel axle  60  adjacent and inwardly of the ball bearing  62 , and the spur teeth of the gear  66  correspond with the spur teeth of gear  56  whereby these gears will mesh when a reel is fully mounted upon the carriage  24 . 
     In the drawings, a typical reel from which wire, such as welding wire, is dereeled is shown at  68 . Such reels include end spools  70  having circular peripheries  71  and axial openings  72  which receive the reel hubs  58  in a non-rotational manner so that rotation of the reel hubs  58  will also rotate the reel  68 . 
     A fixed double groove pulley  74  is rotatably mounted upon the frame  12  by support  76 , and the pulley  74  is located above the reel and approximately midway between the spools  70 . A movable wire guide pulley  78  is mounted upon the frame  12  by a swing arm  80  which usually includes a potentiometer  82  which is connected to the control for the motor  50  so that as the tension in the dereeled wire changes, the rotation of the reel by the motor can be correspondingly regulated. The pulleys  74  and  78  comprise a known “take up” system used with wire and thread. In FIG. 1, the wire initially removed from the reel is indicated at  84 , and the wire path over the pulleys  74  and  78  is indicated in phantom lines and the wire exits the dereeler at  86 . The wire will be fed at  86  into the wire distribution system, not shown, which may include feeders or straighteners and the wire ultimately arrives at the arc welding location. 
     To load the wire dereeler of the invention, the carriage  24  is pivoted forwardly to its loading or unloading position about the pivots  31  as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Such pivoting of the carriage  24  is produced by the operator grasping the handle  34  and pulling the same forward to tilt the carriage  24  as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this loading or unloading position, the cradles  36  and  38  have moved forwardly and downwardly due to the relationship of the cradles to the carriage pivots  31 . Pivoting of the carriage  24  forwardly causes the latch lock link  44  to pivot the latch lock  42  to the open position shown in FIG. 3, and in phantom lines in FIG.  6  and with the carriage  24  in this loading position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a reel  68  rolling upon its spool peripheries  71  may be rolled into the frame  12  intermediate the frame sides  16  and the carriage arms  26  and  28 . 
     Prior to positioning the reel  68  into the frame  12 , the reel hubs  58  are located within the reel spool&#39;s axial openings  72  and fixed therein, and it will be understood that the reel axle structure is located within the wire reel  68  prior to being loaded into the frame  12 . 
     As the reel  68  is rolled across the floor  10  into the frame  12 , the semi-circular surfaces  40  of the cradles  36  and  38  will receive the reel axle ball bearing outer races  62  and  64 , respectively, due to the cradle shapes. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the dimensions of the cradles  36  and  38  are so related to the carriage pivots  31  and the resultant position of surfaces  40  that the reel may be easily rolled into the frame  12  intermediate the cradles  36  and  38  as shown in FIG. 3 without resistance other than the rolling resistance of the reel. 
     Once the reel  68  is positioned as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the operator grasps the carriage handle  34  and pivots the carriage rearwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Because of the mechanical advantage achieved by the location of the carriage pivots  31  and the handle  34 , it is possible for the operator to lift a 1,000 pound wire reel a vertical distance which will lift the reel spool peripheries from the floor  10  as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such rearward pivoting of the carriage  24  to raise the reel  68  to its rotatable or dereeling position causes the latch lock link  44  to pivot the latch lock  42  to its locked position as shown in FIGS. 1,  5  and  6 . In this locked position, the latch lock  42  engages the upper portion of the reel axle bearing  62  preventing the bearing  62  from disengaging from the cradle  36 . The reel axle bearing  64  will be maintained within the cradle  38  by the weight of the reel and wire. 
     As the reel  68  is rolled into the cradle  36 , the gear  66  mounted upon the reel axle  60  will mesh with the teeth of the gear  56  mounted upon the drive shaft  52 . Accordingly, a driving relationship is automatically established between the motor  50 , transmission  46  and the reel  68  once the reel is properly positioned within the cradles  36  and  38 . 
     When pivoting the carriage  24  rearwardly from the reel loading or unloading position to the reel dereeling position, rearward pivoting movement of the carriage  24  is terminated upon the carriage engaging the stops  20  formed on the frame  12  as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When pivoting the carriage  24  from the loading or unloading position of FIGS. 3 and 4 to the reel rotative position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the center of gravity of the reel  68 , as defined by the axis of the axle  60 , passes through the vertical projection of the carriage pivots  31 . This produces an “over-center” relationship between the reel axle axis and the carriage pivots  31  which locks the carriage in its reel rotative position. The motor  50  and transmission  46  are now capable of rotating the reel  68  and enough wire is dereeled to string the wire over the pulleys  74  and  78  into the wire exiting and distribution system. The wire on the reel  68  may now be removed therefrom as used and consumed, and the reel  68  will be rotated by the motor  50  and transmission  46  through belt  55  and meshing gears  56  and  66  as controlled by the wire requirements. 
     Upon the wire being removed from the reel  68 , a new full reel is required. Accordingly, the operator grasps the carriage handle  34  and tilts the carriage forward to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This tilting of the carriage reverses the previously described movements and the latch lock  42  will automatically open as shown in FIG. 3 under the influence of the lock link  44 . The empty reel, now lowered to the floor  10 , can be easily rolled across the floor  10  from the frame  12 , and a new loaded reel will be rolled into the frame  12 , lifted, and the previous operative cycle repeated. 
     Because a wire dereeler constructed in accord with the invention does not require any vertically inclined ramps or guides, or hoists, a fully loaded reel can be readily safely loaded into the dereeler by a single operator. A dereeler constructed and operated in accord with the inventive concepts is safer than dereelers utilizing inclined guides and ramps, and use of the invention permits a plurality of dereelers to be located in close proximity and serviced by a minimum of operators. 
     It is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.