Patent ID: 8826973

Claim:
A spool assembly for rotatably coupling high power laser transmission cables for use in advancing boreholes, comprising: a. a base; b. a spool, the spool supported by the base through a load bearing bearing; c. hollow tubing having a first end and a second end; d. the hollow tubing comprising a means for transmitting a high power laser beam; e. the spool comprising an axle around which the coiled tubing is wound, the axle supported by the load bearing bearing; f. a first non-rotating optical connector for optically connecting a laser beam source to the axle; g. a rotatable optical connector optically associated with the first optical connector; whereby a laser beam is capable of being transmitted from the first optical connector to the rotatable optical connector; and, h. a rotating optical connector optically associated with the rotatable optical connector; optically associated with the transmitting means; and, mechanically associated with the axle; i. whereby the spool is capable of transmitting a laser beam from the first optical connector through the rotatable optical connector and into the transmitting means during winding and unwinding of the tubing on the spool while maintaining sufficient power to advance a borehole.