Locking saddle for mandrel
A saddle device for use with a mandrel is provided. The saddle comprises a bracket to keep a mandrel seated within the saddle facilitating unrolling and rewinding. The saddle of the present invention prevents a mandrel from exiting the saddle when material is wound about or unwound from the mandrel.
The present invention generally relates to a saddle for a mandrel that is used with a storage and dispensing rack; more particularly it relates to a locking saddle that secures a mandrel when a floor covering is wound onto or off of the mandrel; and most particularly it relates to a power driven mandrel.
BACKGROUNDFloor covering racks are well known for storage, display and dispensing purposes. Floor covering is usually stored or displayed in multiple rolls presented on a rack. These material racks are used in a variety of settings. For example, in a gymnasium it is desirable to cover the floor when the floor is used for non-sporting events, such as, dances, dinners, etc. The floor covering material is rolled on mandrels which are present on a rolling rack. Each mandrel rests on spaced apart saddles that are secured to the rack. One known rack of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,435 to Kostigian. When the covering material is put on or removed from the mandrel, the mandrel is subject to jumping out of the saddle. This can lead to personal injury or damage to the floor.
SUMMARYIt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a saddle that locks a mandrel in the saddle. The saddle of the present invention comprises a generally U-shaped body having an open upper portion sufficient for a mandrel to pass through and a lower receiving portion within which the mandrel rests. The U-shaped body further comprises a locking member attached across the open end of the body to define a confined space between it and the lower receiving portion within which the mandrel is free to rotate. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a saddle that allows for easy insertion of the mandrel into the rack. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a saddle that allows for vertically progressive storage, dispensing and display of floor covering rolls.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)Other features and advantages of the invention shall become clearer from the following description of some preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
As is shown in
Preferably, pairs of saddles 5 are used with a rack 100 for holding rolls of material 105 to be displayed, distributed or rewound. The rack 100 comprises a horizontal frame 110 and vertical framing members 120 attached thereto defining vertical frames. The saddles 5 can be permanently attached to the framing members 120 for example, by welding. Alternatively, the saddles may be releasably attached to the framing members 120, by for example by nuts and bolts, pins, etc. The position of the saddles 5 can be raised or lowered to accommodate rolls 105 of various sizes. The saddles 5 supports a mandrel 50 about which material is wound.
As is shown in
The U-shaped body 10, shown in
Still with reference to
A mandrel 50 may be inserted into the saddle directly through the opening between the locking member 20 and rollers 30. Locking member 20 can either be permanently affixed to the saddle's U-shaped body 10 or may be removably fastened. The locking member may be removably fastened to the U-shaped body by fasteners such as bolts, screws, pins, and the like. As is shown in
Alternatively, the locking member 20 may be hinged to allow a portion to be pivoted out of the way allowing access to the lower portion of the saddle. The mandrel 50 may be placed in the saddle 5 through the open upper portion after first removing locking member 20 and securing it to the saddle after the mandrel 50 is seated on rollers 30 within the saddle 5.
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Claims
1. A saddle device for receiving a mandrel about which a material is wound, the device comprising:
- a generally U-shaped body having an open upper portion for a mandrel to pass through and a lower receiving portion within which the mandrel rests; and
- a locking member positioned across the open upper portion of the body to define a confined space between it and the lower receiving portion to confine the mandrel which remains free to rotate.
2. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the U-shaped body extends above the height of the mandrel in the saddle by 50% of the diameter of the mandrel.
3. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the locking member is removably attached across the open upper portion of the U-shaped body.
4. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the locking member is integral with the U-shaped body.
5. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the locking member prevents the mandrel from exiting the saddle when the mandrel is rotated.
6. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the U-shaped body further comprises at least two bearing members, and wherein the mandrel rests on said at least two bearing members.
7. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the locking member further comprises at least one bearing member to contact the mandrel.
8. The saddle device of claim 1, wherein the U-shaped body has uprights that are slightly tapered.
9. A mandrel receiving device comprising:
- a generally U-shaped body having an open upper portion sufficient for a mandrel to pass through and a lower portion within which the mandrel rests; and
- a locking member positioned across the open upper portion of the U-shaped body to define a confined space, between it and the lower receiving portion, within which the mandrel is received.
10. The mandrel receiving device of claim 9, wherein the received mandrel is free to rotate within said receiving device.
11. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the upper portion of the U-shaped body extends above the height of the mandrel in the saddle by 50% of the diameter of the mandrel.
12. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the locking member is removably attached across the open upper portion of the U-shaped body.
13. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the locking member is integral with the U-shaped body.
14. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the locking member prevents the mandrel from exiting the saddle when the mandrel is rotated.
15. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the U-shaped body further comprises at least two bearing members, and wherein the mandrel rests on said at least two bearing members.
16. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the locking member further comprises at least two bearing members to contact the mandrel and reduce its rolling resistance, allowing the mandrel to rotate more freely.
17. The saddle device of claim 9, wherein the U-shaped body has uprights that are slightly tapered.
18. A material retrieval and storage rack comprising:
- a horizontal frame having spaced apart front, back, and side members that define a base area within the frame and ground engagement means;
- framing members attached to the horizontal frame to define at least two spaced apart generally vertical frames;
- at least two generally U-shaped bodies, each body comprising: an open upper portion sufficient for a mandrel to pass through and a lower receiving portion within which the mandrel rests; and a locking member attached across the open portion of the U-shaped body to define a confined space between it and the lower receiving portion within which a mandrel is free to rotate; and
- a mandrel dimensioned to fit within the confined space in the U-shaped body.
19. The material retrieval and storage rack of claim 18, wherein material is wound about the mandrel.
20. The material retrieval and storage rack of claim 18, wherein the at least two U-shaped bodies each further comprise at least two bearing members to contact the mandrel.
21. The material retrieval and storage rack of claim 18, wherein the at least two U-shaped bodies are releaseably attached to the vertical framing members.
22. The material retrieval and storage rack of claim 18, wherein the locking members are releasably attached to the at least two U-shaped bodies.
23. The material retrieval and storage rack of claim 18, wherein the locking members further comprise at least one bearing member to contact the mandrel.
24. A locking saddle for receiving a mandrel about which a material is wound, the locking saddle comprising:
- a generally U-shaped body having an open upper portion through which a mandrel can pass;
- a lower receiving portion which includes bearing member; and
- a movable locking member attached across the open end if the body to define a confined space between it and the bearing members of the lower receiving portion within which the mandrel is free to rotate on the bearing members.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 6, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 6, 2005
Applicant: Humphrys Textile Products, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA)
Inventor: Constantino Valerio (Norristown, PA)
Application Number: 10/819,002