Apparatus to lay cables, comprising a work unit bearing at least a pair of capstans to support the cables and provided with a safety device cooperating with the pair of capstans; a winding and unwinding unit for the cables, provided with a dynamic braking device cooperating with a reel for winding and unwinding the cables; an adjustment and safety hydraulic circuit in which a work fluid flows and with which the following are associated: a first power transmission unit to transmit power to the work unit and to pump the work fluid toward the safety device and toward said dynamic braking device, a second motorized braking unit of the work unit cooperating with a third command unit of the safety device, and a fourth regulation unit to regulate the winding and unwinding unit comprising at least a motorized counter-traction valve of the winding and unwinding unit and cooperating with said power transmission unit.

Apparatus to lay cables, comprising a work unit bearing at least a pair of capstans to support the cables and provided with a safety device cooperating with the pair of capstans; a winding and unwinding unit for the cables, provided with a dynamic braking device cooperating with a reel for winding and unwinding the cables; an adjustment and safety hydraulic circuit in which a work fluid flows and with which the following are associated: a first power transmission unit to transmit power to the work unit and to pump the work fluid toward the safety device and toward said dynamic braking device, a second motorized braking unit of the work unit cooperating with a third command unit of the safety device, and a fourth regulation unit to regulate the winding and unwinding unit comprising at least a motorized counter-traction valve of the winding and unwinding unit and cooperating with said power transmission unit.

A system includes a drum assembly that includes a support bar having a first end and a second end, and a plurality of drum segments coupled to the support bar. The drum segments are movable between retracted and extended positions, and the drum assembly is configured to be disposed within an interior region of a coil of flexible pipe when the plurality of drum segments are in the retracted position. The system also includes a first containment flange coupled to the drum assembly at the first end, a second containment flange coupled to the drum assembly at the second end, a first coupling device configured to removably couple the first containment flange to the drum assembly, and a second coupling device configured to removably couple the second containment flange to the drum assembly. The first and second containment flanges are configured to contain the flexible pipe.

A kit or set of components, which can be assembled, in a mix-and-match manner, to provide multiple, different despoolers, for different wire spool sizes. One particular kit or set has components to provide three unique despoolers; the kit has a shaft, a tension spring, a first shaft body, a second shaft body having a length different than the length of the first shaft body, and a tension lock. The components provide despoolers that are easy to install and easy to set-up, having a limited number of components, and that are easy to use.

A kit or set of components, which can be assembled, in a mix-and-match manner, to provide multiple, different despoolers, for different wire spool sizes. One particular kit or set has components to provide three unique despoolers; the kit has a shaft, a tension spring, a first shaft body, a second shaft body having a length different than the length of the first shaft body, and a tension lock. The components provide despoolers that are easy to install and easy to set-up, having a limited number of components, and that are easy to use.

A spool unloading device comprising: a spindle; a first bulk spool of material is mounted on the spindle, wherein the spindle is rotatably controlled to dispense the material; a series of pulleys for receiving the unspooled material such that a variable length of the material is stored within the device before exiting the device to an upstream equipment; and a drive mechanism for indexing the unspooled material exiting the spool unloading machine at a controlled rate.

A yarn tensioning device capable of delivering yarn under tension from a spool to a braiding, weaving or knitting machine consisting of a base and a center rod mounted perpendicular to the said base serving to locates the spool while allowing it to pivotally rotate. The device further includes a pawl jointed to the base either via a pin joint or via a flexural hinge and operates in conjunction with a ratchet solidly attached to the spool. The device further includes a compliant yarn guiding means which ensure that yarn reels off at an essentially constant tension. The yarn reel-off tension can be adjusted by modifying the operating length of a stiffening spring using a screw and jam-nut pair, and by limiting the maximum deflection of the compliant yarn guiding means.

Disclosed is a creel including a plurality of creel bobbins, a plurality of guiding tubes located at the lower end of the creel and a plurality of guiding tubes located at the upper end of the creel, wherein each guiding tube is arranged for receiving a wire from an individual creel bobbin, wherein the lower half of the creel bobbins are arranged to feed their wires to the guiding tubes at the upper end of the creel, while the upper half of the creel bobbins are arranged to feed their wires to the guiding tubes at the lower end of the creel.

Disclosed is a creel including a plurality of creel bobbins, a plurality of guiding tubes located at the lower end of the creel and a plurality of guiding tubes located at the upper end of the creel, wherein each guiding tube is arranged for receiving a wire from an individual creel bobbin, wherein the lower half of the creel bobbins are arranged to feed their wires to the guiding tubes at the upper end of the creel, while the upper half of the creel bobbins are arranged to feed their wires to the guiding tubes at the lower end of the creel.

A tensioning device for a wired energy or data transmission path includes a winding drum, a cable guide wire stored on the winding drum, and a spring accumulator. The winding drum is rotatable by an electrical drive for winding and unwinding the cable guide wire. The spring accumulator is operably exerting a resilient tensile force on a wire portion unreeled from the winding drum.