A stop ball for a tube for fluid or energy is provided. The stop ball comprises a singular hollow body. The hollow body comprises and is integral with a first opening for the tube and an attachment means for attaching the stop ball to the tube, the attachment means comprising a second opening for the tube. A method for attaching a stop ball according to any one of the preceding embodiments to a tube for fluid or energy is provided. The method comprising inserting the tube through all three openings; pulling the attachment means at least partly out of the hollow body; and clamping the attachment means onto the tube.

A fiber optic retractable cord reel assembly is disclosed. The fiber optic cord reel assembly includes a continuous fiber optic cord with a retractable end enclosed in a shroud and a stationary end exposed from the shroud. The retractable cord reel may have a rotatable ferrule configured to adapt to an expandable coil having various trajectories within the cord reel.

A protractible and retractable mast system for an autonomous mobile robot includes an elongate flexible member including a first lateral end and a second lateral end, and a fastener having a first portion extending along a length of the first lateral end and a second portion extending along a length of the second lateral end. The flexible member is configured to be at least partially coiled within a body of the robot, and a portion of the flexible member is vertically movable away from the body when the flexible member is being uncoiled. The fastener is configured to connect the first lateral end to the second lateral end when the flexible member is being uncoiled, and disconnect the first lateral end from the second lateral end when the flexible member is being coiled.

A portable retractable oxygen tubing reel providing improved portability and mechanical reeling functionality. The portable retractable oxygen tubing reel includes tubing wrapped around an inner circular component stored within an outer storage compartment whereby a handle attached to the inner circular component may be rotated to wind or unwind tubing from the portable retractable oxygen tubing reel. Tubing may then be connected to a medical oxygen storage device at one end and a nasal oxygen cannula positioned near in proximity to a patient's nose for breathing oxygen at the other end.

Unit for winding and unwinding cables of a cable-laying apparatus, comprising a reel to support the cables to be wound or unwound, a support frame configured to keep said reel in a raised position with respect to the ground, and a rotation shaft solid with the reel and associated with a corresponding hydraulic drive unit; the unit also comprises at least a dynamic braking device associated with the rotation shaft and configured to allow, according to a first operating mode, the normal rotation of the shaft and therefore of the reel for winding or unwinding the cables, and to exert on the shaft and therefore on the reel, according to another operating mode, a dynamic braking condition that allows the shaft to rotate in a braked configuration for at least a certain period of time and prevents the instantaneous stoppage of the rotation of the reel.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed of a welding-type system includes a welding-type power supply configured to provide welding-type power. A reel located within a housing of the welding-type power supply. A welding-type cable, the reel configured to wind the welding-type cable to reduce a length of the welding-type cable extending from the housing, and to unwind to increase a length of the welding-type cable extending from the housing at least partially wound around the reel when stored. The welding-type cable includes a first end secured to the reel and electrically connected to the welding-type power supply and a second end configured to provide the welding-type power to at least one welding-type tool.

A vehicle-mounted reel lifting apparatus for rotating the reel to dispense or wind the reelable material. A driven wheel engages the rim of the reel at a plurality of reel lifting arm pivot positions, such as sliding alongside the lifting arm in an axis parallel with the lifting arm. The driven wheel is capable of engaging with the reel at any position of the lifting arm. A linear drive mechanism allows the driven wheel to travel up and down the lifting arm to accommodate various reel sizes. The lifting arm may incorporate an automatic locking slot having a spring-driven locking mechanism. The lifting arms may also be mounted with a mounting bracket having a pattern of slots to enable the lifting arms to be selectively mounted in a narrow configuration or a wide configuration.

This invention is embodied in a body mount and retractable lanyard that enables its user to pull and retract a device perpendicularly from the face of a spool connected to a user. In this way, the body mount enable its user to access hands-free portable power, video and data transfer for public safety personnel and others operating in extreme and challenging environmental conditions.

A surveillance apparatus includes a retractable support member; a housing; a spooling mechanism mounted at the housing, and being rotatable relative to the housing, and being attached to a second end of the retractable support member. The spooling mechanism is operable to rotate in a first direction to convert the retractable support member from a coiled condition to an extended condition and thereby pay-out the support member from the housing, and operable to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first to convert the retractable support member from the extended condition to the coiled condition and thereby retract the support member into the housing. A mount is attached to a first end of the retractable support member; a surveillance device is attached to the mount.

A retractable cord reel assembly comprises a reel rotatably supported within a frame or housing for rotation about an axis; a biasing spring engaged with the reel; and a single unitary electrically conductive cord having a distal end portion affixed to the housing, and a movable proximal end, wherein the cord is wound about the reel in a plurality of contiguous segments. The cord reel comprises separate coaxial cord-take-up and cord-storage compartments, having, in an initial cord configuration, a fixed-length segment of cord wound in a spiral around a hub in the cord-take-up compartment, and a segment comprising helical windings of the cord in the cord-storage compartment. The cord reel assembly described herein can be used in modern electronic data and power transmission applications without the significant losses of signal integrity or power, commonly associated with conventional cord reel assemblies.