Fluid handling – With casing – support – protector or static constructional... – With hose storage or retrieval means
Reissue Patent
1999-12-16
2001-11-13
Chambers, A. Michael (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
With casing, support, protector or static constructional...
With hose storage or retrieval means
C137S580000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037442
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to hose carts and more particularly to hose carts of the portable type.
Portable hose carts have been commercially available for many years. Early portable hose cart designs utilized hose reels for receiving a coiled length of hose mounted within metal tubular frames. The metal frames were supported on wheels allowing them to be moved manually. Examples of these early portable hose carts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,137,939, 2,512,756, and 2,488,425.
In recent years, frames and components made of molded plastic have been utilized to replace the metal frames and components of the earlier portable hose carts. Most plastic frames must be packaged unassembled and sent to retailers. Thus, the responsibility for assembly falls on either the retailer or the consumer. Examples of portable hose carts constructed of molded plastic are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,981, 5,056,553, and 5,007,598.
It is also known in the prior art to construct stackable portable hose carts that can be shipped and merchandised fully assembled. The sale of fully assembled portable hose cart obviates some problems associated with unassembled hose carts. For example, stackable hose carts reduce the inventory space occupied by an assembled hose cart. Also, consumers do not have to assemble a hose cart that is merchandised fully assembled.
One prior art reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,391, discloses a hose cart that is capable of being shipped fully assembled. This reference teaches the use of a folding handle and a hose reel with oblong end flanges to permit stacking of multiple units. The irregular shape of a hose reel with oblong end flanges, however, makes it difficult to roll or unroll a length of hose. Lateral movement of the hose when unrolling it can cause the hose to extend over the shorter side of the oblong end flange. The hose can then become entangled with the higher side of the end flange as the hose reel rotates. This situation does not occur with circular end flanges because the edge of the flange is the same distance from the hose reel surface at any given point. The oblong end flanges, however, are vital to the '391 hose cart because the cart will not stack upon other such hose carts without the oblong end flanges.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a portable hose cart capable of stacking and nesting, yet having circular hose reel end flanges, thus obviating the problems of the prior art.
The present invention is a portable hose cart assembly comprising a supporting frame structure and a hose reel structure. The supporting frame structure is constructed and arranged to be nested on top of a similar supporting frame structure. The supporting frame structure is also constructed and arranged such that a similar supporting frame structure can nest on top of the supporting frame structure.
The hose reel structure has a surface for receiving a length of hose thereon. Circular end flanges are fixed to the end of the hose reel structure. The circular end flanges have a larger diameter than the hose reel structure surface. The hose reel structure is rotatably mounted within the supporting frame structure such that a portion of the circular end flanges are above the highest point of the supporting frame structure.
The portable hose cart assembly also comprises a handle structure and wheel structures. The handle structure connects to the supporting frame structure such that the handle structure can be moved from a stacking position, extending generally downwardly coextensive with respect to the supporting frame structure, to an operating position, extending upwardly from the supporting frame structure so that a hand grip portion is disposed above the circular end flanges. Also, the handle structure has a locking mechanism constructed and arranged to secure the handle structure in the operating position. The wheel structures connect to the supporting frame structure and are constructed and arranged to enable the portable hose cart assembly to be rolled manually by exerting force on the hand grip portion of the handle structure in the operating position.
These structures are constructed and arranged to allow a similar portable hose cart assembly to be stacked in a nesting arrangement on top of the portable hose cart assembly with the handle structure in the stacking position and the supporting frame structure of the portable hose cart assembly in a nesting relation with the supporting frame structure of the similar hose cart assembly. When the portable hose cart assemblies are stacked, the circular end flanges of the portable cart assembly are closely spaced below the circular end flanges of the similar portable hose cart assembly.
These structures provide upwardly facing supporting surfaces constructed and arranged to support a similar portable hose cart assembly stacked in a nesting arrangement on top of the portable hose cart assembly. In addition, these structures also provide downwardly facing stacking surfaces. The downwardly facing stacking surfaces are constructed and arranged to engage the supporting surfaces of a similar portable hose cart assembly when the portable hose cart assembly is stacked on top of the similar portable hose cart assembly with the handle thereof in a stacking position. Thus, the objective of providing a portable hose cart assembly capable of stacking and nesting, yet having circular hose reel end flanges, has been achieved.
Many of the patents relating to hose carts demonstrate the desirability of providing a tray structure on the cart to carry items related to gardening and lawn care including, but not limited to, such items as gloves, hose nozzles, weed killer, pesticide, and tools for digging. Two such prior art patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,046,520 and 4,777,976. The '520 patent discloses a tray structure pivotally mounted within the handle. A tray structure located above the hose reel with a pivoting lid is taught in the '976 patent.
The carts disclosed in these patents are incapable of being stacked and all of the stackable carts heretofor proposed have not provided tray structures. Surprisingly, applicant has found that it is possible to incorporate a sizable tray structure on a stackable cart by positioning the tray structure in the lower portion of the hose cart. Applicant has also found that such placement presents advantages over the placement of the tray structure in the upper portion of the hose cart.
Placing a substantial amount of weight in the upper portion of the hose cart decreases the stability of the hose cart by raising its center of gravity. Because of this, tray structures located in the upper portion of the hose cart are unable to bear much weight. Another problem is that tray structures located above the hose reel tend to interfere with access to the hose and with the rolling and unrolling of the hose. Also, because the tray structure taught in the '520 patent is mounted on the handle, the dimensions of the tray structure are limited by the size and strength of the handle. Consequently, while the tray structure mounting of the present invention is shown as being preferably provided in a stackable hose cart, in its broadest aspect, the invention contemplates the placement of the tray structure in non-stackable hose carts as well.
Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a cart having a tray structure which achieves the advantages indicated above. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective is achieved by providing a portable hose cart assembly comprising a handle and frame structure and a hose reel structure. The hose reel structure has a surface for receiving a length of hose thereon. End flanges are fixed to the ends of the hose reel. Wheel structures connect to the handle and frame structure and are constructed and arranged to enable the portable hose cart assembly to be rolled manually. The present invention also has a tray structure located lower than the end flanges. The tray structure has a bottom wall with
Bennett Eric D.
Brooker Steven F.
Planthaber Rudy F.
Spear Kenneth J.
Ames True Temper Inc.
Chambers A. Michael
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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