Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Coil holder or support – Randomly oriented coil holder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-05
2001-05-22
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Coil holder or support
Randomly oriented coil holder
C242S419000, C242S566000, C242S588300, C047S046000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234420
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for dispensing string. In particular, the present invention relates to a device and a method for dispensing string between stakes to support vegetable plants dispersed between the stakes.
2. Disclosure of Related Art
Vegetable plants, such as tomato plants, require external support to maintain the continuous upward growth of the plants. When the plants produce vegetables, the increased weight of the vegetables may urge the plants closer to the ground. Further, when plants bend over so the vegetables contact the ground, the vegetables and even the plants become more susceptible to decay due to ground moisture and damage from insects. It is well known to support vegetable plants using stakes dispersed along a row of the plants. When utilizing stakes, string may be tied between the stakes on each side of the vegetable plants to support the plants. Further, a device for dispensing string between the stakes is known.
The known device for dispensing string utilizes a solid pole, a detached string container, and a ball of string disposed within the string container. The pole includes a tip member having a hole extending therethrough, and a plurality of brackets disposed longitudinally along the pole. Each of the brackets has an eyelet for string to be fed therethrough. String from the ball of string is fed from the string container through the brackets on the pole and further through the hole in the tip member. The device is utilized by tying the string which exits the hole in the tip member to a first stake. The device is further utilized by dispensing string between adjacent stakes and by encircling successive stakes with string by moving the tip member in a circular pattern around each successive stake. However, the known string feeding device suffers from several drawbacks. First, the string being fed from the known device may become entangled within the string container since the ball of string tumbles freely within the container. Second, because the known device feeds string through the plurality of brackets on the outside of the pole, the string may become entangled with plants that come into contact with the string extending along the pole. Third, the string may become entangled around the tip member when the tip member is moved in a circular pattern around the stakes. Once the string becomes entangled, a workman must untangle the string before dispensing any further string.
There is thus a need for a string feeding device that minimizes and/or eliminates string entanglement within a string container, along the exterior of the device, and at the dispensing end of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a device and a method for dispensing string between stakes in a field or a garden.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for dispensing string between stakes that minimizes string entanglement at the dispensing end of the device.
A string feeding device for dispensing string in accordance with the present invention includes a string container being disposed about a longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending tube attached thereto. The string container may be configured to allow string to be fed from the center of the spool of string held within the string container. The tube has a first end and a second end with the first end being fixedly attached to the string container. Further, the tube includes a first hole extending through a side of the tube. String is fed from the string container through the first hole in the side of the tube and is further fed through an interior of the tube to thereby exit the second end of the tube.
A method of dispensing string between first and second stakes to support plants in accordance with the present invention includes the step of providing a string container disposed about a longitudinal axis. The method further includes the step of providing a generally longitudinally extending tube fixedly attached to the string container. The tube includes a first hole extending through a side of the tube. The method further includes the step of providing a spool of string disposed within the string container. The method further includes the step of feeding string from the spool of string through the first hole extending through the tube. The method further includes the step of feeding the string through the interior of the tube to thereby exit a first end of the tube. The method further includes the step of tying the string to the first stake. The method still further includes the step of dispensing the string between the first and second stakes on a first side of the plants. Finally, the method includes the step of wrapping the string around the second stake.
One advantage of the string feeding device in accordance with the present invention is that potential string entanglement is greatly reduced. More specifically, string entanglement within the string container is reduced because the string is fed from the center of the spool of string. Another advantage of the present invention is that string entanglement along the exterior of the device with plants and other objects is reduced since the string is fed primarily through the interior of the tube rather than being fed along the exterior of the tube.
These and other features, objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings illustrating features of this invention by way of example.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1040740 (1912-10-01), Niswonger
patent: 1626545 (1927-04-01), March
patent: 3333786 (1967-08-01), Mitchell
patent: 4945674 (1990-08-01), Alexandrian et al.
patent: 5799438 (1998-09-01), Rodgers
Swafford Wayne
Vetne Erik S.
Dykema Gossett PLLC
Nguyen John Q.
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