Patent ID: 7922114

Claim:
An expanding-mandrel winder ( 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ) for a reel ( 1 ) equipped with at least one mandrel ( 20 ) attached to a frame ( 30 ), the mandrel ( 20 ) comprising at least three equidistant jaws ( 21 ) moving between a loading position in which the at least three jaws ( 21 ) are contracted and a use position in which the at least three jaws ( 21 ) are expanded and maintain the reel ( 1 ) on a generally horizontal axle, the winder comprises an engaging means ( 60 ) for automatically expanding the at least three jaws ( 21 ) under a weight of the reel ( 1 ) and clamping an interior diameter of the reel ( 1 ), placing the mandrel ( 20 ) in the use position; a clamping force exerted by the at least three jaws ( 21 ) on the interior diameter of the reel ( 1 ) is proportional to the weight of the reel; an expansion device ( 40 ) is connected to the at least three jaws ( 21 ) of the mandrel ( 20 ) and the engaging means comprises a guide device ( 60 ) for guiding the mandrel ( 20 ) between at least the loading position and the use position, the guide device ( 60 ) is connected to the expansion device ( 40 ) for automatically expanding the at least three jaws ( 21 ) simultaneously with the displacement of the mandrel ( 20 ) under the weight of the reel ( 1 ); and the expansion device ( 40 ) comprises a pull rod ( 41 ) connected to the at least three jaws ( 21 ) by a variable shape mechanism, and the pull rod ( 41 ) sliding within a rotational axle (A) of the mandrel ( 20 ) to displace the at least three jaws ( 21 ) between the loading position and an unloading position.