Abstract: An apparatus for winding or unwinding of a cord-shaped material, e.g., of electrical cables, steel cables, or ropes, on and off a spool. The apparatus has two downwardly pointing arms, the lower ends of which each carry a sleeve for receiving the spool. Since the exchange of particularly heavy weight spools previously was time consuming and physically very strenuous, whereby in addition a great danger of injury exists for service personnel, for the elimination of these disadvantages the invention provides that about a horizontal axis at least one of the sleeve arms is able to be swung up out to over the space assumed by a spool which has been set on the floor, and the apparatus is open on the side of the swingeable-up sleeve arm to an extent facilitating a relative movement of the spool and the apparatus.

Abstract: A device for winding or unwinding of a cord-shaped material on and off a spool, respectively, with a spool support unit comprising two adjustable sleeves and a drive mechanism for rotating the spool, and with the spool support unit being suspended on a carrier. The support unit is mounted on the carrier rotatable out of its operating position by at least 90.degree. around a vertical axis.

Abstract: A compensating storage for cable or the like comprising a group of rollers fixed on a frame and a group of compensating rollers moveable on horizontal rails, the compensating rollers being loaded by a storage tensioning device, whereby the cable is wound around both groups of rollers as a pulley rope. Support rollers for the upper cable strands are arranged between both groups of rollers, the support rollers being moveable on horizontal rails. The support rollers on the one hand lie in the path of movement of the inwardly moving compensating rollers and are able to be pushed together by the latter, and on the other hand are able to be drawn apart from one another by towing members which are connected to the compensating rollers.