Improvements in Holders for Reels of Twine, Tape, Thread, and the like,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders for Reels of Twine, Tape, Thread, and
the like,
I, HENRY CARDWELL, of 65, Shudehill, Manchester, Rope and Twine Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to holders for reels of twine, tape, thread or the
like unwinding externally, and relates chiefly to the type of holder for which I
obtained Letters Patent No. 1884 on the 27th of January 1896.
66
In the construction of holder for hanging up there is a tendency when the cord
or twine slips off the ends of the reel to get wrapped around the ends of the axle
and scotch" the further movement of the reel, and by mounting the reel on
an axle there is not sufficient drag to prevent the reel over-running itself when
the end of the twine is suddenly pulled.
The object of my present invention is to overcome these drawbacks, and con-
sists, first, in making the ends of the reel axle of a form which allows the twine
or string to slip over or around such ends, and secondly, in causing the reel to rest
upon the cross-piece or base of the holder, instead of the axle.
66
The form of the axle ends is, by preference conical, with curved sides, and
rounded tip or apex "after the manner of an egg, and sufficient space is left.
between the tip and recess in which it runs to allow the string to pass around.
The groove or recess is continued to the bottom of each side of the holder and
the upper face of the cross-piece is formed or provided with a rounded face, with
or without ridges, longitudinal or transverse, and upon such rounded face I allow
the reel to run. In the construction of holder for counter use I provide a cavity
beneath the reel with rounded sides also having ridges, longitudinal or trans-
verse, and cause or allow the reel to lie upon and between such rounded faces or
the said ridges thereon.
To further aid in keeping the reel in proper working order, I provide one, or
both, of the sides of the holders with a slot slightly narrower than the recess into
which the axle ends project, and in such slot I fit an adjustable guard, designed
to lie immediately above the reel, and prevent the reel falling out of the holder,
or of unduly rising out of its place. I may also provide a cross-piece, guide or
runner above the reel for the twine to pass over, or through, and thus give in-
creased facility in drawing it from the reel. In lieu of, or in addition to, the
rigid cross-piece I may employ a runner, or runners, for the reel to run on.
I may combine the before mentioned improvements with other makes of reel
holders, and adapt the conical ended axle to a variety of purposes in connection
with the winding or unwinding of cord, twine or the like, with which it is
desired to make provision for the self-righting of the cord in the manner afore-
said.
Dated this 20th day of December 1808
HENRY CARDWELL.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Holders for Reels of Twine, Tape, Thread, and
the like.
I, HENRY CARDWELL, of 65, Shudehill, Manchester, Rope and Twine Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to holders for reels of twine, tape, thread or the
like which unwind externally and relates chiefly to that type of holder for which I
obtained Letters Patent No. 1884 on the 27th day of January 1896.`
In the construction of holders for hanging up there is a tendency as the cord
or twine unwinds, or is subjected to a sudden jerk, for it to slip off the ends
of the reel and get wrapped around and entangled with the reel axle, and unless
the cord is speedily righted it soon scotches the further movement of the reel,
and when this happens frequently with a reel holder suspended high above the
user's head the trouble and annoyance of righting the twine is very considerable.
A further drawback is that with the reel supported on an axle there is a great
tendency for the reel to over-run itself and thus cause the twine to be all the
oftener entangled with the reel axle than it otherwise would.
My invention has for its object to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks, and con-
sists in making the ends of the reel axle of a form which allows the twine to
readily slip around the extremities of the axle under a pull of the loose end and
thus right itself automatically, and of allowing the reel to rest upon the lower
cross-piece or base of the holder, or a roller fitted thereon (instead of the reel
axle) and thereby afford the desired amount of drag to prevent over-running.
A further feature of my invention is a small adjustable device for limiting
the rise of the reel in its holder under a sudden jerk, or accidental tilting.
To make my invention clear I have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings
and I will now proceed to describe the same with the aid of the figures and letters
of reference marked thereon.
On Sheet One,
Fig. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a reel holder and reel as adapted
for being suspended overhead and constructed in accordance with my invention
and with the holder partly broken away to shew my improvements more clearly.
Fig. 2 illustrates a similar side view of the same holder, and shewing it fitted
to a detachable base for counter-use.
On Sheet Two,
Figs. 3 to
illustrate the action of the reel axle or spindle in releasing the
twine when the latter is inadvertently entangled with, or coiled around such
spindle.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the device aforesaid for limiting the rise of the reel in
the holder.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate my improvements as applied to a holder more especially
made for counter-use and shewing the cavity with rounded and ribbed sides upon
which the reel rests.
(A), (A) designate the two vertical sides and (B), (B) the horizontal cross-
pieces which, joined together, make up the holder as adapted chiefly for over-
head suspension. (C) is the reel which as shewn is of the type which unwinds
externally and (D) the reel axle or spindle. In the opposite inner faces of the
two sides (A), (A) I form grooves or recesses (E) extending almost or entirely to
the lower cross-piece (B). Into such recesses the extremities of the reel axle or

page_text: spindle (D) are designed to take, as illustrated in Fig. 1, gaps (E³) being provided
in each side to allow for their introduction and small swivels (G) being fitted to
the sides to close such gaps after the reel has been inserted.
With the grooves (E) extending to or almost to the lower cross-piece (B*) the
reel (C), instead of being supported as heretofore on its axle or spindle (D), is
supported by the said cross-piece, directly, or indirectly, i.e., by resting upon the
lower cross-piece, or upon a roller (H) immediately above such cross-piece as
illustrated more clearly in Fig. 1, and in consequence of so resting upon the cross-
piece or roller an effective drag is put upon the reel, which prevents over-run-
ning without unduly resisting the natural unwinding of the reel. The ends of
the roller (H) extend, by preference, into recesses (H) as illustrated more clearly
in Fig. 1.
It will be observed from the drawings that instead of the side of the reel
spindle (D) being parallel to the extreme ends of the spindle they taper off and
cause the spindle ends to be of a, by preference, conical formation from a point
immediately within the reel to the extreme tip. The effect of this special forma-
tion of spindle end, in conjunction with its freedom of fit in the recesses (E),
when the twine slips off the reel and gets coiled around the spindle, is to allow
the twine when its free end is pulled forward to immediately slip around the
conical tip or extremity as demonstrated by Figs. 3 to 6 and thus right itself
automatically. In lieu of being conical the spindle ends may be of a semi-oval
or half-round formation.
To guard against the reel falling out of the holder or unduly rising I form a
slot (1) in one (or both) of the sides (A), (A*), and in such slot I place the device
shewn in plan and elevation in Figs. 7 and 8, which is made of spring metal, with
part (J) adapted to fit in the slot (I), and by expanding outwards fix itself in the
slot and hold part (K) immediately over the reel, as shewn in Fig. 1, whilst when
parts (L) are pressed together the device is capable of being adjusted to various
points in the slot as the reel decreases, or a new reel is introduced into the holder.
In Figs. 9 and 10 I shew my improvements as applied to a reel holder as per-
manently adapted for counter-use, a cavity (M) being formed below the reel with
its sides (N) of rounded and ribbed formation and upon which the reel is
designed to rest and obtain the desired drag.
The reel when first placed in the holder is, by preference, supported by the
runners (0), forming part of the holders as heretofore made, and by the cross-
pieces (P) when the reel is on the point of slipping between the runners (0) so
as to prevent the reel jambing.
In this class of holder a reel spindle may be dispensed with.
To guide the twine as it leaves the reel and cause the pull to be from the front
of the reel I provide the wire guide (R) (see Fig. 1) which is removed when the
holder is attached to the counter-base (Q). To give a further drag I may provide
a cross-piece, guide or runner above the reel.
Lastly I may combine my improvements with other makes of reel holders and
adapt the conical ended spindle in a variety of ways for effecting the self-righting
of the twine or other material of a reel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A reel holder comprising parallel sides, recesses in such sides, a reel spindle
with conical extremities loosely fitting into the said recesses, and a reel mounted
on the said spindle and supported by the lower part of the holder, substantially
as herein set forth and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
2. A reel spindle with its extremities of conical, or like formation adapted to
allow the material of the reel to be self-righting when such reel is mounted in a
5 reel holder, substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: 3. A reel holder comprising parallel sides and a lower part or base with two
rounded surfaces upon which the reel is adapted to run substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
4. The adjustable device shewn in Figs. 7 and 8, as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
th: 20th
1000