This invention pertains to reels used for the storage of flexible hoses and more particularly, to a hose reel enclosure having wheels pivotally mounted on a front portion of the enclosure and a spike or rod attached to a central or rear portion of the enclosure. The spike or rod can be driven into the ground. The hose reel enclosure can pivot about the stake or rod.
Portable hose reel dispensers for storage and dispensing of flexible water hoses, such as garden and air hoses, have gained wide public acceptance. While the construction of hose reels is quite varied, such reels are primarily constructed of molded plastic components having a centrally disposed retractable spool for reeling in and playing out of the flexible hose and a frame for supporting the spool. Recently there has been recognized a need for aesthetically pleasing hose reel storage devices. This need has been satisfied by the development of an enclosure for a hose mounted on a reel. These hose reel enclosures are located adjacent a water spigot and hide the unsightly garden hose from view.
Usually there are only a few water spigots positioned along the outside perimeter of the house. In order to provide water to all the portions of the yard which require watering, the garden hose must be extended in all directions from the spigot from one side thereof to the complete opposite side thereof. This presents a problem when the garden hose is stored in a hose reel enclosure. A garden hose is more readily played-out from and rewound back onto the reel when the garden hose extends substantially perpendicularly from the front panel than when it extends at a substantial angle to the front panel.
What is needed in the art is an enclosed hose reel capable of playing-out and rewinding a garden hose in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the front panel of the enclosure. The enclosure should be capable of permitting a hose to be played-out from and rewound onto a reel without placing undue sideways strain on the hose reel. The enclosure should be able to adapt to the hose being moved across the yard and changing angles with respect to the front panel of the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,291 discloses an enclosed hose reel for use with a flexible hose. The hose reel includes a spool around which a flexible hose is wound. The spool is configured for storage, take up and pay out of the hose. The top, front, rear and side panels are formed into aesthetically pleasing shapes. These panels are assembled together forming an enclosure which hides the hose and hose reel from a person's view. Whenever someone wants to use the hose, they raise the top of the enclosure thereby gaining access to the hose. When the hose is in use it can extend out of the enclosure through the opening 54 in the top portion of the front panel of the enclosure. This allows a person to use the portion of the hose which is outside of the enclosure while the remainder of the hose remains neatly stored with in the enclosure on the spool. The enclosure must be lifted off of the ground if someone wishes to turn the front of the enclosure so as to permit easier access to the hose.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,687 discloses an enclosed hose reel for use with an associated flexible hose. The hose is stored on an enclosed reel from which it can be played out for use or wound up upon for storage when not in use. A battery powered electric motor is used to rewind the hose onto the reel for storage. The hose reel enclosure includes a top, front, rear, left and right side panels. The enclosure also has an open base. Again, the entire enclosure must be lifted off of the ground if someone wishes to turn the front of the enclosure so as to permit easier access to the hose.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,499 discloses an enclosed hose reel which includes a hose wound upon a reel mounted on a wall. An aesthetically pleasing cover 20 is hingedly connected to the wall to cover the hose when it is not in use. The cover must be completely removed prior to using the hose. The hose reel is mounted on a wall of a building and cannot be readily relocated.
These patents fail to teach or disclose a base assembly which can be attached to a hose reel enclosure in accordance with the present invention. What is lacking in the art is a hose reel enclosure which is can be pivoted about an axis so that the hose may be dispensed in various horizontal directions without tipping over the enclosure. Also, when the hose is wound back onto the reel the pivoting base prevents the hose from rolling up onto one side of the reel leaving the other side empty and placing an undue strain on one side of the hose reel.
Among the several aspects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of a base assembly, including wheels, which is attached to the bottom of a hose reel enclosure. This enables the enclosure to pivot about a vertical axis. This pivotal movement of the hose reel enclosure permits a hose to be withdrawn from and wound back onto the hose reel in the enclosure while remaining substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hose reel. This also enables a hose to be taken up evenly onto the hose reel and played out from the hose reel without tipping over the hose reel enclosure.
In one embodiment, a base assembly is attached to the bottom of a hose reel enclosure. Two wheels are mounted at one end portion of the assembly and a stake is positioned in a member mounted between the end portions of on the base assembly. The stake is driven into the ground below the hose reel enclosure. The wheels enable the hose reel enclosure to be pivoted along the ground about the stake to enable a hose to be evenly taken up onto the hose reel and played out from the hose reel without tipping the hose reel enclosure over. In another embodiment, the wheels and stake are mounted directly onto the hose reel enclosure.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to provide a base assembly which permits a hose reel enclosure to pivot about a point.
It is a further objective of the instant invention to allow a hose reel enclosure to move so as to allow a hose to be taken up and played out without upsetting the hose reel enclosure.
It is yet another objective of the instant invention to provide a base assembly that can be readily attached to a hose reel enclosure without the use of tools.
It is a still further objective of the invention to provide an assembly for a hose reel enclosure which includes a rod like member attachable to a hose reel enclosure and insertable into the ground about which the hose reel enclosure can pivot.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with any accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. Any drawings contained herein constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred, albeit not limiting, embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
Referring now to
The present invention permits the enclosure to pivot about a vertical axis and thus allows the hose to remain in a center portion of the slot 14, as the hose is played out. This prevents the hose from moving to one end of the slot and exerting a force against an end of the slot 14 which would result in the enclosure tipping over. The hose enclosure is able to pivot about a vertical axis which is positioned along a centerline of the hose enclosure separating the right half from the left half, as illustrated in
In a first embodiment of the present invention a base assembly 16 is mounted to a lower portion of a hose reel enclosure 10 as illustrated in
A mounting assembly 30 is provided for connecting the stake, rod or securing element to the support frame 18. The mounting assembly is preferably located in the central portion 24 of the mounting assembly, but could also be located in other areas. In the embodiment illustrated in
Wheels 22 are attached to the end portions of extension members 26 as illustrated in
The support frame 18 is attached to the lower portion of the hose reel enclosure with clips 40 in the embodiment illustrated in
The element 20 about which the hose reel enclosure pivots is illustrated as a stake in a preferred embodiment (
Another embodiment is illustrated in
All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein.
One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/219,055, filed on Sep. 1, 2005 and entitled Rotary Table For Enclosed Hose Reel, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11219055 | Sep 2005 | US |
Child | 11673921 | Feb 2007 | US |