Loading and unloading reel carrier truck
View Patent ↗A cable reel carrier device, including at least one pair of work arms that engage a spindle bar in the center of a reel of cable and the like, and the work arms lift the reel on to or off of a truck bed. Where two pairs of work arms are used, the first reel is passed forward from the first pair to the second pair. A safety device engages the spindle bar to prevent inadvertent release of the reels.
1. A cable reel loader device for use with a platform on a vehicle for holding a plurality of reels each having an axial spindle, comprising:
a base on the vehicle having a resting location for each of the plurality of reels including a first rearward resting location and a second forward resting location;
a first work arm pair mounted on the base and having a reel spindle engaging end;
a first double acting hydraulic cylinder pair mounted on the base, the cylinder pair having rams attached directly to the first work arm pair and adapted to move the work arm spindle engaging ends through a first arc between a first position for placing or receiving a reel on the ground and a second position placing the reel at the first rearward resting position on the base;
a pair of lifting columns connected at one end to the base end of the first work arm pair and connected at the other end to the double acting hydraulic cylinder pair to synchronize arc travel of the hydraulic cylinder pair with arc travel of the work arm pair in a proportional arcing travel ratio of one to two, wherein the lifting columns are telescoping columns adapted to extend as the cylinders move the first work arm pair through the middle of the first arc to engage a reel on the ground;
a second work arm pair mounted on the base and having a reel spindle engaging end; and
a second double acting hydraulic cylinder and piston mounted on the base and attached to the second work arm pair, the piston having a spindle engaging end and being positioned to move its spindle engaging end through a second arc between a first position for receiving a reel from the first work arm pair reel spindle engaging end and a second position placing the reel at the second forward resting location on the base.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first arc of the spindle is about 160 degrees with respect to the vehicle platform.
3. The device of claim 1 , which further includes at least one hydraulic jack to stabilize the vehicle during operation of the device.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second work arm pairs are mounted so that one of each pairs engages one end of the spindle and the other of each pairs engages the other end of the spindle.
5. The device of claim 1 , which further includes driving rolls positioned at the first resting location and second resting location to engage a reel at those locations for rotating the reel.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spindle engaging ends of the first and second work arm pairs further include latch means adjustably preventing and permitting removal of the spindle from the spindle engaging ends.