Abstract:
A device for the dispensing of drip system tubing for commercial installers of such irrigation systems. The device has a lower base upon which is centrally disposed a spaced bearing housing with a bearing therein for rotation of an upper base. The upper base has a reel optionally removably mounted thereto, for receipt of a coil of drip system line. The device may include grab handles for carrying it from location to location. It may also include a handle for aiding in the rotation of the upper base relative to the lower base for the dispensing of the drip line tubing. An optional counter for measuring the amount of drip line dispensed may also be included.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device for the distribution of irrigation drip line for use below ground or above ground for plant irrigation systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Drip systems today are becoming more and more popular due to increased costs of residential water and because drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to the individual plants and not just to zones or areas where plants are growing. By direct delivery to individual plants water costs can be reduced. 
     The coils of drip tubing for commercial installation come in 500 to 1000 foot lengths. Like any other coiled product, if not placed on a reel, the drip line product is subject to kinking and entanglement. Plus, the weight of such large (500/1000 foot) reels, or even 100 foot reels for home use is more than the average person cares to relocate a plurality of times. Therefore there has developed a need for an easy to use low-cost drip tubing dispenser, especially for commercial users, that is members of the installment industry. 
     Accordingly, it is a first object to provide a dispenser, preferably with interchangeable reels for various lengths of tubing. 
     It is a second object to provide a drip line dispenser that is easy to carry. 
     It is a third object to provide a drip line dispenser that permits controllable metering of drip line tubing. 
     It is a fourth object to provide a drip line dispenser that is low in cost. 
     A fifth object is to provide a drip tubing dispensing device that can be operated by one worker. 
     Thus, there is to be described herein a drip tubing dispenser having a lower base upon which is disposed a bearing housing that supports a rotatable upper base. The upper base has a fixed or removably interchangeable reel thereon for receiving the drip line coil. The reel includes a handle mounted on the top thereof for easy one person metering. A counter can also be employed. 
     Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features, properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the dispenser of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the first portion of this invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1, showing the top surface of the lower base. 
     FIG. 4 is a close-up diagrammatic view of part of this invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper base portion of this invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an unassembled perspective view of the reel portion of this invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the reel portion of this invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a partial closeup side elevational view of the apparatus of this invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a handle portion for rotation of the reel. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the device of this invention ready for use. 
     FIG. 11 depicts a variant for the upper base configuration. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a counter means employable as part of this invention. 
     FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view that illustrates the attachment of an interchangeable reel. 
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A horizontal oriented dispenser for drip line tubing which has a fixed lower base with an upstanding bearing housing mounted thereon, and an upper base capable of rotation with respect to the lower base, is also mounted to the bearing housing. A reel for holding a coil of drip line tubing is disposed on the upper base. 
     Optional accessories include a handle mounted on the top of the reel to aide in rotation and a pair of fixed grab bars disposed on the lower or fixed base for carrying the device. A metering means may also be included. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In FIG. 1 the device  10  of this invention is seen sitting in a typical working environment grass  67 . More often than not, the device will be employed while sitting only in raw dirt such as  66 . 
     Device  10 , comprises five (5) main sections, which are the lower base  11 , upper base  12 , reel  13 , handle portion  14 , and the rotation means  15  all of which will be discussed. 
     In FIG. 2 there is seen the first portion of the first embodiment; namely, the lower base  11 . Base  11  in this embodiment is generally octagonal and has eight outer base pieces of square tubing sections  21 A- 21 H inclusive connected end to end. Disposed inwardly from the center point of each base section-denoted CP but only at two locations for ease of understanding, are a series of eight elongated square tubing sections, usually ½″ in cross section. These radii  23 A- 23 H are all equal in length and extend from the various  21  outer base pieces to a center plate  25 . The radii are each welded or braised to their respective base sections and to the center plate  25 . All of the base pieces are connected in like manner, i.e., by welding or braising, all in the same horizontal plane, to the underside of the center plate  25 , designated  25 B as being the bottom of the center plate  25 . Thus the center plate  25  is disposed above the radii when in an in use position, with all the radii and the outer base pieces being disposed at the ground level in a horizontal disposition. 
     In FIG. 3, the top plan view of the lower base, the center plate&#39;s top surface,  25 T is seen overlying the upper face of the square tubing radii  23 A- 23 H. Disposed on the center plate&#39;s face  25 T, is bearing housing  27  which is one of the components of the rotation means  15  shown in FIG.  1 . See also FIG.  8 . FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing part of the lower base; namely, base sections  24 A,  24 B,  24 C,  24 D,  24 G and  24 H, with radius  24 A extending inwardly from base section  23 A. Disposed upon center platform  25 T is bearing housing  27 , more about which will be recited infra. A part of upper base  12 —shown in its entirety in FIG.  5  and fully discussed infra—is seen welded or otherwise attached to the bearing cylinder  27 . For ease and simplicity only radii  23 B,  23 C,  23 G and  23 H are depicted. For additional parts relationship understanding, see FIG.  8 . 
     Just as with the lower base, here too for the upper base, the radii  26 A- 26 H are welded, bolted or otherwise attached at equiangular separations between two upper center plates  26 T and  26 B. Two plates,  26 T and  26 B are used for both strength and appearance, since there is no issue of the base needing to maintain a level disposition, since it is spaced up from the ground. 
     In FIG. 5 we see the upper base  12  similarly configured to lower base  11 , though it need not be. Upper base  12  is also constructed of preferably square ½″ tubing and may be of the same or different diameter as the lower base. In FIG. 1, the upper base is of greater cross section than the lower base. Four optional grab bars  40  for manually rotating the upper base are shown attached to the upper base at different locations around the periphery. These grab bars  40  can also be used to stop the rotation of the upper base should the user snatch onto one of them during a period of rotation. 
     Whereas in FIG. 8, the top plate  26 T and bottom plate  26 B are disposed over and beneath the radii respectively. Here in FIG. 5, center plates  26 T and B are not separately employed. In this variant, the welding of all of the proximal ends of the radii together negates the need for the plates. The distal ends of the radii are welded or otherwise attached to the respective center points of each base section  22 A-H. Contrast this to the spaced inner termini as per FIG.  8 . 
     In FIG. 6 the reel upon which the tubing is placed is seen in perspective, while in FIG. 7 parts of the reel  29  upon which, the 100, 500 or 1,000 foot coil of drip line tubing is placed are seen in top plan. Each leg of the reel  31  is formed in the shape of an inverted L and has a vertical portion positioned at an angle slightly greater than 90 degrees relative to the horizontal portion  31 B to which  31 A is attached at a preferably slightly rounded interface. 
     Each of these inverted Ls  31  is evenly spaced apart from the adjacent ones. Eight are shown here, though as few as four at 90 degrees or three at 120 degrees apart may be employed, while six or eight reel sections  31  provides a more stable reel. 
     All of the reel sections as shown in FIG. 6 are connected at their distal ends greater than 90 degrees to the upper base as shown here and in FIG.  1 . The proximal ends of all of the inverted L sections are welded to each other and to the optional hub  33  upon which is a handle means mounted as by welding. 
     Reference is also made to FIG. 9 which depicts a portion of the structure shown in FIG.  6 . The handle means includes a pair of spaced flanges  35 , each of which has a central throughbore  36 . Both bores  36  are aligned to receive a pin  38  shown in FIG. 9 to pivotally mount handle  37  thereon. An optional rubber cover  39  similar to a bicycle handle bar grip may be disposed upon handle  37 . Handle  37  is used to quickly turn the reel  29 . 
     In FIG. 7, which is a top plan view of the reel portion of this invention, only the spaced flanges for the handle and not the actual handle are seen for clarity. Each of the segment radii has been designated one of  24 A- 24 H. While 8 segments are shown, due to the fact that an octagon is an easy configuration to assemble,  6  or  10  segments are also envisioned to be within the scope of the invention. 
     The discussion now turns to FIG. 8 wherein bearing housing  27  is shown in cutaway, with the balance of the view as an elevational view, to permit viewing of the bearing  28  therein. Note that only two of the radii of both the upper radii,  24 A and  24 E and the  23 A and  23 E of the lower base are shown in FIG.  8 . Both center plates  26 , namely  26 B and  26 T as shown in FIG. 1 are shown here as well. 
     In FIG. 8, lower base radii are seen spaced slightly apart, but in a welded position to the lower base plate  25 . Disposed on the upper surface thereof,  25 T is a cylindrical tube  30  of an elevation that can vary as may be desired, but with an elevation of four [4] inches providing good results. This tube  30  is welded or otherwise attached to the bearing housing  27  at its upper end and the top surface  25 T of the lower base plate on its lower end. The housing is a cup-like segment having an acute side wall, and a flat bottom and is open at the top. 
     Disposed within the bearing housing  27  are a pair of hubs  33  disposed over a smaller hub  33 ′, each having a plurality of ball bearings  34  therein. Such multi bearing hubs are well known in the art and are found in moving casters. The balls of the larger upper rotate against the surface of an optional galvanized cover plate  42 , while the lower set of bearings rotate on the interior bottom wall of the housing  27 . 
     A bolt or rivet holds the two hubs together for rotation relative to each other. 
     Cover plate  42  is welded or otherwise attached on one face to the bearing housing to close it off, and is attached in like manner on its other face to the upper base&#39;s bottom plate  26 B. 
     It can be seen that the bottom plate  26 B may also be employed directly to seal off the bearing housing, if so desired. 
     As can be seen here in FIG. 8, a sandwich is formed between the two top plates  25 T and  25 B with the series of radii welded between them. The slight space shown between radii  24 A and  24 E, allows for adequate heat expansion. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional coil  60  of drip tubing disposed upon the reel  13  and resting upon the upper base  11 . Only lower base  11  is partially visible. 
     In FIG. 11 an alternate configuration for the device is seen and designated  100 . In this alternate version, there is a lower base  111  that is round instead of octagonal and an upper base  112  that is also round. Optional carry handles  43  spaced 180 degrees apart are seen. All other elements are the same as in FIG.  1  and need not be discussed further. 
     In FIG. 12 an optional counter mechanism of a conventional construction is shown, and is designated  50 . The counter  50  includes a housing  51  which can be attached as by welding to device  10 . The counter mechanism includes a pair of spaced rollers  52  at least on which is mechanically connected to a gear system not seen, which gear system is also connected to digital read out  53 . As the tubing  60  is pulled through the two spaced rollers, the tubing frictionally engages the rollers such that they rotate to thereby move the gear connected counter readout to tell how much tubing has moved through the rollers. Such counter mechanisms are well known for the measurement of wire. 
     It is seen that I have devised a horizontally oriented dispenser for drip line tubing. This horizontal dispenser has a reel that holds a coil of drip tubing and which coil is easily placed on and off such a reel. By providing grab bars on the upper base, the unit can be easily loaded and unloaded from a vehicle, as needed, even by one person. 
     While the reels contemplated for this device are intended to be sized for a specific length of tubing such as 500 or 1,000 feet linearly, for commercial purposes, it is also within the scope of the invention to employ interchangeable replaceable reels each sized to accommodate a specific length of coil of tubing. 
     Reference is thus made to FIG. 13 which depicts such a construction diagrammaticaly Here reel member  31 A,—the only one partially shown since all reel member  31 A-H would be mounted in like manner,—is instead of being welded in place is merely bolted into its location. Here, a pair of spaced L flanges  45  that are positioned in an opposed spaced position, with the spacing just equal to the size of the square tubing employed in the reel are disposed upon the top surface of each upper base radius such as  24 A. Each flange member has a bolt hole  46  for receiving bolt  47  when such bolt is placed through bolt hole  46  in the flange  45  and through bolt hole  49  in the respective reel arm. Bolt  47  is retained by the tightening of nut  48 . 
     Rotation of the handle  37  allows a large amount of tubing to be dispensed quickly, and if necessary to be wound back should excess have been unwound over the amount needed. 
     The end of the tubing coil  60  can also be tied on to a grab bar to ensure maintenance of the coil during periods of transportation both in the field and in a vehicle. 
     Thus the upper base rotates relative to the lower base due to the presence of the bearing in the bearing housing. A person pulls on the end of the coil  60  of drip line to dispense the needed, amount. The larger lower base stays in place as the drip line uncoils. 
     To rewind, just counter-rotate the handle. 
     While the device of this invention is made of steel and/or other metals, and is assembled by welding or brazing, no reason is seen why this device cannot be made of a strong plastic just as easily, or even a combination of plastic and metal. 
     The grab bars may have a rubber coating or a rubber overlay thereon, as may the handle for more convenient use in cold weather. 
     It is also to be seen that while the intent of this invention is to serve as an device to dispense drip irrigation line, there may be instances where extremely long lengths of garden hose need be dispensed as well. No reason is seen why this device would not serve that purpose as well. 
     Since certain charges may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.