Patent ID: 7530520

Claim:
An apparatus for winding wire about a reel axis of a reel, the apparatus comprising: a spindle support having an annular bearing surface along a first axis; a spindle arm received in said bearing surface and rotatable about said first axis; a reel support directly coupled to said spindle arm for rotation therewith relative to said spindle support, said reel support including a reel engagement surface for supporting the reel with the reel axis substantially parallel to said first axis; an elongate drive tube defining a bore and having first and second ends said bore associated with said spindle arm, said bore configured to receive a drive member for rotating said spindle arm and said reel support; wherein said reel comprises an elongate channel defined by an end wall and first and second opposed sidewalls extending from said wall; and said first end of said drive tube received within said channel between said first and second sidewalls; said second end of said drive tube extending outwardly from said channel and contacting and directly fixed to said spindle arm.