Abstract:
An electrician&#39;s combination tool box and wire caddy provides a support for multiple spools of wire of different size or gauge, and a storage area below the spools for holding articles and tools needed by the electrician during the wiring of a building. The spools are positioned well above the storage area, enabling a user to access articles in the receptacles, even when spools are being handled to pay out wire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to cases, caddies and tool boxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved electrician&#39;s wire caddy and tool box apparatus that affords an electrician who is running wire in an installation the ability to pay out wire of one or more different gauges from a plurality of spools that are mounted at the upper portion of a tool box or case, and having a lower storage area with a plurality of compartments for containing articles to be used by the electrician such as tools, receptacles, switches, wire nuts, switch covers and the like. 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     Electrical installation in buildings occurs in basically two segments. First, the conduit and switch and receptacle boxes are roughed in, locating the routes where the electrical wiring is actually run. At the time the conduit is put in, various boxes for receptacles, switches and the like are located, attached to the conduit and made ready for the mounting of the receptacles and switches. 
     After the conduit is run, and usually before the wallboard is placed on the studs, an electrician returns to pull wire through the conduit and install the various receptacles, switches and other like fittings. 
     The standard wire pulled in circuits of this type is typically No. 12 or gauge 12, typically available on 500 ft. spools. It is not uncommon to pull multiple circuits (i.e. more than one wire) at a single pull. During such a pull, the wire spools should be easily accessible to the electrician, enabling the electrician to pull the wires through the conduit to install the various circuits. 
     Various patents have issued for tool boxes, receptacles, caddies and the like that in some cases support or hold spools. One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,954 issued to Mercer and entitled “Spool Holder”. In the Mercer patent, a spool holder includes a base, a pair of spaced, upwardly extending parallel walls carried by the base, a pair of transversely arranged spaced parallel walls angularly disposed with respect to and joined to the outer side of each of the first pair of walls. Each pair of the parallel walls is adapted to rotatably receive at least one spindle for supporting a spool of yarn or the like and a carrying handle mounted upon and extending between the first mentioned pair of walls. The handle is equipped with guide means for receiving the yarn from the spools. 
     A gift wrapping storage container is disclosed in the Homan U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,833. The apparatus provides a hinged cover container having ribbon spool storage and dispensing dowels in the cover and a divided major container portion for storage of folded paper in one section and cards and ribbon in a smaller section. The inside of the cover is provided with loops of elastic ribbon for securing hardware useful for wrapping. 
     The Cohn U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,769 discloses a wire packaging and handling device for items wound on reels such as wire, and specifically to a packaging and handling device for a reel of wire such that individual lengths of wire may be easily unwound without removing the reel from the device. Steaming crates are known for supporting spools of material such as the Carpenter U.S. Pat. No. 1,752,884, and the Daugert et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,677,385. 
     Patents have also issued for sewing cabinets that have rods for supporting spools of material. Examples of such sewing cabinets include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,858,105 and 2,541,845. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a tool box for an electrician, cable installer or lineman providing both mounting means for the wire-containing spools for paying out wire and storage space for the usual tools, parts and accessories used by the individual installer in the course of installing, routing, or hanging wire or cable. 
     The present invention provides an apparatus that includes side portions, which either by themselves or with additional supports provide a mounting on a shaft or axle for the spools of wire or cable to be installed. Surplus scrap pieces of conduit are normally available on a job site to be utilized as the shaft or axle for supporting the spools. In the course of running the wire or cable, the spool of wire or cable may rotate on the shaft, while being maintained in the central location of the parts and accessories. 
     The enclosed portion of the apparatus provides a storage area that may be fitted with a variety of compartments or receptacles for storage of selected parts and accessories. In differing embodiments of the invention, the dividers for forming the individual compartments may be fixed or moveable, in order to provide different styles of toolboxes meeting the preferences of different electricians. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus provides a closeable cover that can be hinged or otherwise fashioned to the body of the box to prevent inadvertent loss or removal of parts or accessories when the apparatus is unattended, or during transport. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial top of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, showing the storage compartments filled with various articles to be used by an electrician; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective, partially exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the spools removed and with the cover opened to expose the storage compartments; and 
     FIG. 9 is a partial, perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the spools removed for clarity and the cover in a closed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1-9 show generally the preferred embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral  10  in FIG.  6 . Electrician&#39;s wire caddy  10  supports a plurality of spools  26 - 29 , each with a length of wire W that can be payed out for wiring a building or like structure. Caddy  10  also contains tools and articles  41 - 48  that an electrician uses and can access without requiring repositioning or removal of the spools  26 - 29 . 
     Case  10  can be constructed of any structural material such as plastic, wood, aluminum or the like. 
     A supportive base panel  11  or bottom connects with front wall  16 , rear wall  17  and side walls  12 ,  13 . Each side wall  12 ,  13  has a handle  14 ,  15  respectively. End wall  12  has one or more upper flat surfaces  18 . End wall  13  has one or more upper flat surfaces  19 . The upper flat surfaces  18  can include surfaces  18 A,  18 B or  19 A,  19 B as shown in FIG.  4 . In an alternate construction as seen in FIG. 7, all of the upper flat surfaces  18  can be at the same elevational position, such as the plurality of surfaces  18 C shown in FIG.  7 . 
     Each upper flat surface  18 ,  19  has a one or more semicircular shaped recesses  20 ,  21  respectively. Recesses  20 ,  21  are shaped to receive end portions of spool support rods  30  as shown in FIGS. 3-4. In various preferred embodiments, recesses  20 ,  21  are of a diameter and depth to receive standard diameter conduit (e.g., ¾ inch, 1 inch diameter) which, when cut to suitable length, serves as the shaft or support rods  30 . Each recess  20 ,  21  is shaped to closely conform to an end of a rod  30  so that rods  30  are securely held when a user pulls electrical wire W from a spool  26 , 27 , 28 , 29  as indicated schematically by arrows  40  in FIG.  6 . In preferred embodiments, recesses  20 ,  21  are of a diameter and depth to receive rods  30  which are lengths of scrap electrical conduit which is available on a job. 
     Each spool  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  29  can carry multiple and different gauge wire for example. Each spool  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  29  is supported in an elevated position above the receptacles  31 - 35  of storage area  25 , enabling a user to access them notwithstanding the above supported spools  26 - 29 . 
     In FIGS. 2-4 and  6 , some of the recesses  20 ,  21  are placed at higher elevational positions. This construction as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, enables some of the rods  30  to be placed at higher elevational positions so that spools on an upper most rod  30 A (such as spool  26  in FIG. 6) can pay out such as larger gauge wire W (e.g., Romex® cable available from General Wire and Cable, Inc.) above spools such as  28  and  29  that are on a lower rod  30 B. In alternative embodiments, upper most rod may be a larger diameter, as 1″ conduit so as to support a larger, heavier spool  26  of wire thereby providing the electrician the opportunity to run different types of wire out of the case  10 . It is usual that heavy duty insulated cable such as Romex® cable available from General Wire and Cable Company may need to be run during the time that such as 12 and 14 gauge wire. By providing the higher elevational recesses  20 , 21  on surfaces  18 B,  19 B, the heavy duty cable may be supported above and clear of receptacles  31 - 35 . In FIG. 7, the recesses  20  are at the same elevational position, in which embodiment may be adapted for installation of lighter gauge wire. This would be true for both of the end walls  12  and  13  though only wall  12  is shown in FIG. 7 for clarification purposes. This latter embodiment of the invention for applications when lighter gauge wires, particularly signal, communication or instrument wiring is being routed in a building under construction. 
     Storage area  25  is defined by a plurality of baffles including central baffle  36 , rear baffle  37 , and front baffles  38 , 39 . Baffles  36 - 39  may be immovably fixed to each other and on base  11 , or in alternative embodiments may be moveably fixed in case  10  whereby the sides of the receptacles  31 - 35  may be adjusted in size to better accommodate various tools or electrical parts being utilized in an installation. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, a cover  22  forms a closure to each receptacle  31 - 35 . Cover  22  attaches to rear wall  17  with such as hinges  23 . Clasp  24  secures cover  22  in a closed position by fastening cover  22  to front wall  16 . Alternatively, cover  22  may be removably attached to case by such as clasps  24  being disposed in pairs on opposite sides and ends of walls  16 ,  17 . 
     In FIG. 3, reference line  49  designates a plane that is defined by the top surface  50  of cover  22 . A distance D is shown defining the distance between the bottom of a rod  30 A or  30 B and the plane  49  defined by the upper surface  50  of cover  22 . This distance is sufficient to enable a user&#39;s hand to access the various compartments  31 - 35  that contain the various tools and articles  41 - 48  contained therein. In the preferred embodiment, this distance D is preferably between about 4 and 6 inches. In the preferred embodiment, the spools  26 - 29  preferably provide a maximum diameter of about 7 inches, except when such as heavy duty cable is mounted on a spool (e.g.,  26 ). In this latter instance, the spool  26  may be 9 to 10 inches in diameter and need to be mounted so as to clear not only recesses  31 - 35  but also those spools suspended below on surfaces  18 A,  19 A. For a case  10  to accommodate this usage, surfaces  18 B,  19 B are required to be about 15 to 18 inches above base  12 . 
     In FIG. 5, exemplary tools and articles are shown being contained within the various compartments  31 - 35 . These include pliers  41 , crimping tool  42 , screwdriver  43 , electrician&#39;s tape  44 , fasteners box  45 , switch cover  46 , receptacle cover  47  and a plurality of wire nuts  48  of differing sizes. 
     PARTS LIST 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Part Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 10 
                 electrician&#39;s wire caddy 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 base panel 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 side wall 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 side wall 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 handle 
               
               
                   
                 15 
                 handle 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 front wall 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 rear wall 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 18A 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 18B 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 18C 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 19 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 19A 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 19B 
                 upper flat surface 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 recess 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 recess 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 cover 
               
               
                   
                 23 
                 hinge 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 clasp 
               
               
                   
                 25 
                 storage area 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 spool 
               
               
                   
                 27 
                 spool 
               
               
                   
                 28 
                 spool 
               
               
                   
                 29 
                 spool 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 rod 
               
               
                   
                 30A 
                 upper rod 
               
               
                   
                 30B 
                 lower rod 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 compartment 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 compartment 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 compartment 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 compartment 
               
               
                   
                 35 
                 compartment 
               
               
                   
                 36 
                 central baffle 
               
               
                   
                 37 
                 rear baffle 
               
               
                   
                 38 
                 front baffle 
               
               
                   
                 39 
                 front baffle 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 arrow 
               
               
                   
                 41 
                 pliers 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 crimping tool 
               
               
                   
                 43 
                 screwdriver 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 tape 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 fasteners box 
               
               
                   
                 46 
                 switch cover 
               
               
                   
                 47 
                 receptacle cover 
               
               
                   
                 48 
                 wire nut 
               
               
                   
                 49 
                 plane 
               
               
                   
                 D 
                 distance 
               
               
                   
                 W 
                 wire 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.