Clamping mechanism PET plastic recycling machine

Filament Spool with Integrated Quick-Release Clip for PET Recycler

Why this was made:
While working with an off-the-shelf machine that recycles PET bottles into 3D printing filament, I found the stock cable/rope tensioning and fastening system quite inconvenient and counterintuitive. To simplify the workflow and get rid of the constant hassle when resetting the spool, I decided to completely redesign this assembly.

Instead of starting from scratch, I took a widely known, community-favorite spool design and modified it by integrating my own custom clamping and mounting system. Now, this custom part replaces the stock mechanism entirely and mounts directly onto the existing machine. The integrated quick-release lever allows you to secure or remove the filament strand in just a few seconds, vastly improving usability during continuous recycling.

A small disclaimer:
Of course, someone might have already come up with a similar solution before me. However, I deliberately didn't look for existing alternatives and haven't encountered any online; I engineered this modification from the ground up to solve my own specific workflow issues. So please, don't judge too harshly if this looks like something you've seen before — this project was created purely as a personal hands-on experience to fix a concrete problem.

Future plans and brainstorming:
This is not the final version of the project. I plan to actively refine, upgrade, and rework this mechanism to make it as flawless and universal as possible.

Your feedback is highly valuable to me, so I kindly ask you to share your ideas! What do you think is missing here? What could be improved in terms of kinematics, tolerance, or overall ergonomics? Please drop your thoughts in the comments — I will definitely try to implement the best suggestions in upcoming revisions.

Message to the community:
I hope you find this modification helpful and that it makes your filament-making experience much smoother! If you download the files and give it a try on your setup, please let me know how it performs. Share any difficulties or nuances you run into during printing, assembly, or operation — your feedback will help me make the next version even better.
video of the model assembly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LpR6YwHsz8
Also, my page with the model is on another site. - https://makerworld.com/ru/models/3233196-pet-recycler-clamping-mechanism
My mechanism for this device- https://makerworld.com/ru/models/99205-compact-pet-filament-machine#profileId-2152663