ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 15 -- United States Patent no. 12,600,596, issued on April 14.

"Multi-function system for handling fiber optic cable reels at an installation site and method of using same" was invented by Kenneth Franklin Carpenter Jr. (Lincolnton, N.C.), Michael Davis Richardson (Charlotte, N.C.), Joshua Thomas Smith (Mooresville, N.C.) and Charles Gregory Stroup Jr. (Lincolnton, N.C.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A multi-function handling system for use with a fiber optic cable reel at an installation site includes a base body and a roller assembly connected to the base body to support the fiber optic cable reel of the base body. The base body includes a connection interface for eng...