Abstract: A steel cord is disclosed for use in reinforcing rubber products, especially automobile tires. In order to provide desirable rubber penetrability and break-resistance, three to six material wires are intertwisted into a steel cord having an elliptically shaped cross section having a ratio of its major diameter to its minor diameter of between 1.1 and 2.2. The cord is formed such that its material wires substantially contact each other near the ends of the major axis of the ellipse and are separated from each other near the end of the minor axis. The cord of the invention is normally formed such that a ratio the twist pitch to the material wire diameter is in the range of 30-80. However, if a high elongation of more than 5% is necessary, such can be imparted by intertwisting material wires such that the ratio of the twist pitch to the material wire diameter is in the range of 10-28.

Abstract: A reel for winding metal wire of the type having a hollow winding drum and flanges of sheet metal each having an inward cylindrical central bulge in the center thereof and extending into a respective end of the winding drum. The The reel is improved by providing a reinforcing ring at each end of the winding drum and having an L-shaped cross-section with a radial section and an axial section, the ring being at the junction between the winding drum and the respective flange, the radial section being welded to an inwardly facing face of the flange by a plurality of welds at intervals spaced circumferentially around the reel, and the axial section being on the winding drum with the end of said winding drum being on bulge, or being on the bulge with the end of the winding drum on the axial section, and being welded to thending drum and thelge by a further plurality of welds at intervals spaced around the circumference of the winding drum and the bulge.