Felling Trailers (Sauk Centre, Minnesota) announced that its Utility Cable Reel “R” series model lines has undergone significant design modifications to increase operator safety and ease of use.
The new reel design with the auto-locking system was recently debuted to the utility/telecom industry at the Utility Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.
The R series product line offers payload capacities ranging from 1,740 lbs. to 13,520 lbs. All models have the capability to load up to a 120” diameter reel.
The company said the most significant update to the new model design is its auto-locking reel bar system, which eliminates the use of pins and brackets; the system now employs a locking plate system.
For enhanced operator and transport safety, the auto-locking reel bar system's locking plates automatically open when lowering the reel to the ground for unloading.
Locking plates automatically close
As the reel is loaded and raised, the locking plates automatically close to contain the reel bar. Once the reel is raised to transport position, spring-loaded pins automatically lock the slides into place.
When the pins lock, they provide visual validation to the operator that the reel is properly locked for transport. A green marker on the spring-loaded pins is only visible when the reel bar is properly secured.
The green indicators can be viewed from the rear-view mirrors of the tow vehicle, "making transporting conduit, fiber-optic cable, innerduct and many other reel-mounted materials a safe and secure experience for any operator," as stated by Felling Trailers.
The new R series design was released into production in Fall 2022 and will reach full production by the first quarter of 2023.
Felling’s R series continues to offer a broad selection of solid and reliable options and features to ensure the trailer is built to the spec that utilities/municipalities need for their applications.
“These are quality-built trailers that provide the versatility and functionality that utility workers need for transporting, deploying, and retrieving material," commented Felling Trailers Utility & Telecom product specialist Mark Rapp.
