Wire spool repair device and method of using same

Abstract

The present invention advantageously provides a wire spool repair device for a damaged wire spool having a central cylindrical portion with an axial bore and inner cylinder surface and a pair of opposing end plates attached thereto, the repair device including: an end plate, an attachment mechanism disposed on said end plate, a plurality of gripping fingers pivotally attached to said attachment mechanism and operative between retracted and attachment positions, and wherein insertion of said attachment mechanism into the axial bore of a wire spool and pivoting of said plurality of gripping fingers to the attachment position causes said plurality of gripping fingers to move into contacting relationship with the inner cylinder surface of the wire spool thereby attaching the repair device to the wire spool.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to repair devices for wire spools, and more specifically, to wire spool repair devices having a replacement end plate with an integrated wire spool attachment mechanism.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The terms wire and cable are used to refer to any computer or electrical wire or cable. Wires and cables may be sold in discrete or bulk lengths. When sold in discrete lengths, an excess of wire or cable typically exists for any particular job, and this excess wire or cable can quickly become an expensive, unsightly and inconvenient mess. To remedy this problem, wire or cable is also sold in bulk, which is typically sold on a spool and can be expensive. Although expensive, wire sold on spools prevents the waste associated with discrete lengths of wire.[0003]A typical wire spool has a central cylindrical portion, about which a length of wire is wound and carried. The cylindrical portion has an axial bore and opposing axial ends....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]It is a feature of the present invention that the repair device includes an attachment mechanism with gripping fingers being pivotally operable between retracted and attachment positions and thereby allow for repeated use of the repair device.

Problems solved by technology

When sold in discrete lengths, an excess of wire or cable typically exists for any particular job, and this excess wire or cable can quickly become an expensive, unsightly and inconvenient mess.

To remedy this problem, wire or cable is also sold in bulk, which is typically sold on a spool and can be expensive.

Due to the wear and tear of everyday use of wire spools on racks in the field, the spools tend to fail and become damaged and unusable.

More specifically, often times one of the end plates retaining the wire on the spool will crack or break off.

When this happens the spool becomes very cumbersome to work with and the wire is difficult to unload from the spool.

To manage this problem, broken wire spools are typically disposed of and the remaining wire on that spool is wasted, which is a highly undesirable business expense.

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