Coxwells, Inc.

Gerald D Sauder

Andre J Baca

Jeff Knosalla

A take-up reel for winding and storing an elongate hose or electrical cable comprises a reel that is rewound by a torsional spring. A viscous clutch is coupled to the reel by means of a unidirectional clutch, which engages the viscous clutch to the reel to rewind the reward speed, but disengages the viscous clutch from the reel when the hose or cable is being payed-out. This permits the hose or cable to be payed-out without resistance from the viscous clutch. The uni-directional viscous clutch assembly thus allows the hose to be payed-out at any speed while providing the substantial safety benefits of a viscous speed governor during rewind.

Take-up reel with uni-directional speed governed retractor

A take-up reel for winding and storing an elongate hose or electrical cable comprises a reel supported by a stationary support shaft and urged in a first direction by a torsional spring. A viscous clutch assembly comprising multiple disks housed in a chamber filled with a viscous fluid is coupled to the reel to provide a retarding force that is proportional to velocity. The velocity proportional retarding force causes the rewind velocity of the reel to stabilize at a constant velocity. A one-way clutch is provided to decouple the viscous clutch from the reel when the hose or cable is being payed-out thereby permitting the hose or cable to be payed-out without resistance from the viscous clutch. By providing a unidirectional viscous clutch that acts to retard only the take-up velocity of the hose reel, it is possible to provide an apparatus that permits the hose to be payed-out at any speed while providing the substantial safety benefits of a viscous speed governor during take-up.

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Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Gerald D Sauder