Identification of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) residues essential for leukemia inhibitory fact

An apparatus (20) for supporting rotatably a reel (27) of cable so that it may be turned, for example, to render ends of the cable accessible for connectorization, includes a pair of spaced, parallel cradle rolls (30, 31), which in rest positions are in engagement with a support surface of a base plate (51). A reel is moved so that its flanges are supported on a reference surface (43) which extends between the cradle rolls and which is generally coincident with a factory floor surface that is spaced above the base plate. An actuating member (60, 60') associated with each cradle roll is moved from an unoperated position toward its associated cradle roll to cause wedges (69-69) extending from the actuating member and between the cradle roll and the base plate to cam the cradle roll upwardly along inclined surfaces of the wedges and vertical surfaces of bearing blocks (56-56) adjacent one side of each cradle roll in which passive satellite rollers (53-53) are mounted rotatably. The upward movement of the cradle rolls causes them to engage the flanges of the reel so that as the rolls are moved further upwardly, the reel is moved out of engagement with the reference surface and is supported between the rolls. The upward movement is continued until each cradle roll is supported between its associated passive satellite rollers on the one side and active satellite rollers (66-66) on its other side which are mounted rotatably on the actuating member. After the reel is turned by rotating one of the cradle rolls, a return of the actuating members to their unoperated positions permits the cradle rolls to descend until they occupy their rest positions, at which time the reel rests in engagement with the reference surface so that it can be moved from the apparatus.