Patent ID: 8317120

Claim:
A leash assembly having a leash that can be wound up and unwound for use in guiding animals, comprising: a pulley ( 11 ) arranged on an axle ( 12 ) so that said pulley ( 11 ) can rotate about said axle ( 12 ) within a housing ( 13 , 14 ), said pulley ( 11 ) having a different coefficient of expansion due to moisture than said housing ( 13 , 14 ) such that said pulley ( 11 ), when in a wet state, expands relative to said housing ( 13 , 14 ), said axle ( 12 ) having a thicker section and a thinner section, said thinner section having a smaller diameter relative to said thicker section and a shoulder ( 20 ) is formed where said thinner section transitions into said thicker section; said pulley ( 11 ) having a hub supported on said axle ( 12 ) at two spaced-apart radial bearing locations including a location ( 26 ) on said thicker section of said axle ( 12 ) and a location ( 25 ) on said thinner section of said axle ( 12 ), said pulley ( 11 ) having a projection ( 18 ) that extends in a direction toward said axle ( 12 ), has an inner annular peripheral surface engaging said thinner section of said axle ( 12 ), and extends within a gap ( 19 ) in a circumferential recess defined between said shoulder ( 20 ) of said axle ( 12 ) and an opposed annular flange extending integrally and inward in an axial direction from said housing toward said shoulder ( 20 ) such that said shoulder ( 20 ) and annular flange define opposite peripheral closed ends of said gap ( 19 ) between which said projection ( 18 ) extends to guide said pulley ( 11 ) in an axial direction on said axle ( 12 ) and restrict axial play of said pulley ( 11 ) relative to said housing ( 13 , 14 ), said gap ( 19 ) between said shoulder ( 20 ) and said opposed annular flange of said housing having an axial width such that in a wet state of the pulley ( 11 ) the projection ( 18 ) of the pulley ( 11 ) does not become jammed within the gap ( 19 ) and such that in the dry state of the pulley ( 11 ) axial play between the pulley and the housing is restricted, and when said projection ( 18 ) engages against said opposed annular flange of said housing, a remainder of said pulley ( 11 ) remains spaced in an axial direction from said housing ( 13 , 14 ) in a manner permitting continued rotation of said pulley ( 11 ) about said axle ( 12 ).