Abstract: A plastic spool for receiving, storing and dispensing wire and cable is formed of multiple pieces. A preferred design is assembled in two halves, each having a tube portion and a flange portion. The tube portions have stepped, mating diameters. The tube portion of one half is stepped on the inside diameter and the tube portion of the other half is stepped on the outside diameter to match. Preferably two stepped diameters are used, besides the principal inside and outside diameters which are virtually identical for each tube portion. The spool includes ribbed flanges for strength and minimum resin use. For toughness, an olefinic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene is used for molding. The spool may be assembled in three pieces, a tube and a pair of flanges. In any embodiment, the halves or pieces are bonded together, preferably by spin welding, hot plate welding, ultrasonic welding or induction welding. In some embodiments, the pieces may be fastened mechanically.

Abstract: A reel, alternately called a spool, may be manufactured in a fully assembled, single, homogeneously molded piece. Processes may include injection molding, blow molding, and other suitable molding processes adapted to polymeric resins. The apparatus and method are well adapted to manufacturing processes using olefinic resins, such as polypropylene and polyethylene. The resulting reel or spool may serve as a take-up reel for receiving, storing, transporting, and dispensing stranded materials wound thereon. The barrel may fit within a cylindrical envelope extending between hub portions of flanges disposed at opposite ends. An arbor hole extends along the longitudinal axis of rotation for supporting the reel. Flanges extend radially from the barrel, substantially orthogonally thereto, on a smooth, inside face of each flange. Flanges may be tapered, ribbed, and so forth in order to obtain proper stiffness with minimum weight, while still remaining moldable in a single process not requiring post-molding assembly.

Abstract: Cabling machine for fine strands, in which the strands feed from cans that are arranged in a circle about the axis of a rotary table, each can taking part in one rotation about its axis for each rotation of the table.

Abstract: An apparatus having the dual capability both as a transporting and storage apparatus and a dereeling apparatus for wire wound on a spool. The apparatus comprises a container having an annular rib on its lower inner surface which engages a groove disposed in the bottom flange of the spool received therein to secure the spool against radial and axial movement during normal use. The cover for the container is movable between a closed position and a dereeling position wherein the cover top surface is disposed above the spool upper flange a predetermined distance. The cover has upper and lower detents for removably securing it in its closed and dereeling positions, respectively, on the container. The container bottom has a hole therein and the cover has a locating boss disposed on its top surface in axial alignment with the bottom hole so that the locating boss is receivable within the arbor-receiving hole of a spool in a like apparatus stacked thereon.