Patent ID: 7270291

Claim:
A spool for shortening the length of a cord and optionally tensioning it at the same time, the spool comprising a reel formation in the form of an elongated generally straight shank having a length of from about 10 to about 50 times the diameter of the shank and around which the cord can be wound to shorten its effective length, the shank having a transverse retainer formation at each of its ends for operatively preventing the cord that is wound onto the reel from unwinding therefrom, a keeper formation at one end of the shank for cooperation with a cord to maintain said end in association with the cord whilst the shank is rotated to wind cord onto the shank by rotation thereof and a torque transmitting formation at the other end of the shank whereby the reel can be rotated about its own axis wherein the transverse retainer formations are adapted operatively to prevent the wound cord from unraveling from the elongated shank at least whilst the cord is held under tension and the axis of the shank extends in the same general direction as that in which the cord extends.