Mount for hose reel

A connection between a hose reel and an anchoring support, with an L-shaped mounting bracket attached to the anchoring support, the L-shaped mounting bracket having an extension flange and a mounting flange disposed at an angle to the extension flange with the mounting flange being connected to the anchoring support, and the frame attached to the mounting bracket with the frame supporting the hose reel in a manner that allows the hose reel to rotate with respect to the frame.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to hose reels, and more particularly to frames and brackets for mounting hose reels on objects.

Hose reels are commonly used to consolidate fluid-carrying hoses. The fluid can be a liquid or gas or the hose could be a conduit for carrying an electric charge. Hoses take up less space when wound on a reel or spool, and are more easily deployed and stored. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,154,324, 6,978,960, and 7,150,425 teach hose reels and the contents of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

The main component of a hose reel is the spool on which the hose is wound. The spool typically includes a generally cylindrical hub with first and second side walls at the ends of the hub extending outwardly therefrom to create an annular retaining area for the hose. The spool can include a mount for the hose. An inlet end of the hose attaches to a fluid exit connector on the mount. The mount also has a fluid inlet connector for receiving a fluid source attachment. The hose is partially anchored to the spool by the fluid exit connector on the mount. One or more additional mechanisms, if needed, can be used to anchor the hose to the spool so that as the spool spins in the retraction direction for the hose, the hose is wound onto the spool. The spool can also have a mechanism in the form of a torsion spring or a counter-weight to make it easier to wind the hose on the reel. The spool can also have a ratcheting latch assembly to prevent the hose reel from retracting the hose when the hose is in use. These latch assemblies typically include a rotating toothed ratchet on the spool that can engage and disengage with a fixed pawl that does not rotate with the spool.

Typically, the spool is attached to a frame in a manner that allows the spool to rotate with respect to the frame. The frame can be portable and be designed to be held in place during use by a number of different mechanisms. For example, the user could place the frame on the ground and then press their weight down on the frame in order to create enough friction force to hold the frame and spool in place while an extended hose is wound back onto the frame. Alternatively, the frame can be anchored to another member that is unlikely to move while the hose is wound onto or unwound from the spool of the hose reel.

The frame may attach to one or both sides of the spool. The frame needs to be able to support the weight of a hose containing liquid wound on the spool as well as withstand the strains that come from winding and unwinding the hose from the spool.

Hose reels are often used with a guide that directs the spooling of the hose onto the spool. The guide restricts the angles at which the hose approaches the spool. This helps to make sure the hose coils properly on the spool. The guide is usually fixed with respect to the spool during the winding and unwinding operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting bracket and a frame for connecting a hose reel to an anchoring support such as a tool box.

The mounting bracket and frame are constructed so that the frame can hang downwardly from the extension flange of the mounting bracket or the frame can extend upwardly from the extension flange of the mounting bracket.

The mounting bracket and frame are constructed so that the frame interfaces with the mounting bracket at multiple locations so as to create a stable connection between the mounting bracket and the frame.

The mounting bracket and frame are constructed so that the frame can receive a portion of the mounting bracket in a slot.

The mounting bracket and frame are constructed so that one frame can work with a number of differently shaped mounting brackets.

The frame is constructed so that a guide can be attached at either end of the frame. This allows for different mounting orientations of the frame with respect to the anchoring support.

In one embodiment of the invention, the mounting bracket is provided with a long, downwardly extending mounting flange so that the hose reel can be located remotely from the anchoring fasteners and low down on a rolling tool box so as to avoid causing the tool box to tip over.

It is also an object of the invention to provide mounting brackets, a frame and a decorative plate of unique configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown inFIGS. 1A and 5, a hose reel1is attached to a frame2which is formed to connect to a mounting bracket3. The mounting bracket3is attached to an anchoring support4. The hose reel1consists of a spool5onto which a hose6is wound. The spool has a first side wall7and a second side wall8. The spool5includes a mount9for the hose. The mount9has a fluid inlet connector10for the mount9. As shown inFIG. 5there is a fluid source11in the form of a hose that supplies fluid to the mount9and the hose6when connected to the fluid inlet connector10.

As shown inFIGS. 1B and 1C, a guide12can be attached to the frame2. The frame2and the mounting bracket3are preferably formed from cold-formed sheet steel cut from a blank and bent into their final forms.

As shown inFIG. 1A, the mounting bracket3has a mounting flange13that is attached to the anchoring support4and an extension flange14that is connected to the mounting flange and disposed at an angle thereto. This angle is preferably an orthogonal angle. The extension flange14as shown inFIG. 1Bis received by a connection slot15in the frame2. Mounting fasteners16shown inFIGS. 1B and 1Cconnect the frame2to the extension flange14. Guide fasteners17connect the guide12to the frame2. As shown inFIG. 1C, a decorative plate18is attached to the guide12with plate fasteners19. As shown inFIG. 2, openings20in the anchoring support4receive threaded anchoring fasteners21to attach the mounting bracket3to the anchoring support4.

As shown inFIG. 2, the L-shaped mounting bracket3attached to the anchoring support4, has an extension flange14and a mounting flange13disposed at an angle to the extension flange14with the mounting flange13being connected to the anchoring support4. The frame2is attached to the mounting bracket3. The frame supports the hose reel1in a manner that allows the hose reel1to rotate with respect to the frame2.

As shown inFIGS. 6 and 8, the frame2is channel-shaped, having a substantially planar base22with first and second opposed, parallel edges23and24, and first and second arms25and26extending from the base22in the same direction, the first arm25being connected to the base22at the first edge23and the second arm26being connected to the base22at the second edge24. The first arm25is formed with a substantially planar first arm proximal portion27that is connected to the base22and a substantially planar first arm distal portion28that is substantially parallel to the substantially planar first arm proximal portion27, and a first arm inclined connection portion29connects the first arm proximal portion27to the first arm distal portion28, with the first arm inclined connection portion29being disposed at an angle to the first arm proximal portion27and the first arm distal portion28.

As shown inFIG. 8, the first arm distal portion28is disposed outwardly from the base22of the frame2in relation to the first arm proximal portion27. Preferably, the first arm proximal portion27in a direction extending orthogonally from the base22has a longer longitudinal extent than the first arm distal portion28. As shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the first arm proximal portion27in a direction extending parallel with the first edge23has a portion that is wider than the first arm distal portion28.

As shown inFIGS. 6, 8 and 9, the second arm26is formed with a substantially planar second arm proximal portion30that is connected to the base22and a substantially planar second arm distal portion31that is substantially parallel to the substantially planar second arm proximal portion30, and an inclined second arm connection portion32connects the second arm proximal portion30to the second arm distal portion31, with the second arm inclined connection portion32being disposed at an angle to the second arm proximal portion30and the second arm distal portion31. As shown inFIG. 8, the second arm distal portion31is disposed inwardly from the base22of the frame2in relation to the second arm proximal portion30. Preferably, the second arm proximal portion30in a direction extending orthogonally from the base22has a shorter longitudinal extent than the second arm distal portion31. As shown inFIG. 9, the second arm proximal portion30in a direction extending parallel with the second edge34has a portion that is wider than the a portion of the second arm distal portion31.

As shown inFIGS. 1B, 3, 4 and 5, the frame2receives the extension flange14of the mounting bracket3in a slot14in the frame2. Preferably, the slot14in the frame2extends along the second edge24and is formed in a portion of the second arm26.

As shown inFIGS. 1A and 4, preferably the second arm26is formed with a substantially planar second arm proximal portion30that is connected to the base22at the second edge24, and the longitudinal extent of the second arm proximal portion30along the second edge24is substantially equal to the longitudinal extent of the base22along the second edge24. Also preferably, the mounting flange13of the mounting bracket3substantially interfaces with a portion of the second arm proximal portion30and the longitudinal extent of the mounting flange13in parallel with the second edge24of the base22is substantially equal to the longitudinal extent of the second arm proximal portion30along the second edge24. As shown inFIG. 4, the second arm proximal portion30is formed with one or more access openings33that align with anchoring openings34in the mounting flange13of the mounting bracket3.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 1C, preferably the extension flange14of the mounting bracket3substantially interfaces with a portion of the base22of the frame2. Also, preferably the base22of the frame2is connected to the extension flange14of the mounting bracket3with mounting fasteners16.

As shown inFIGS. 1B and 1C, a guide12is attached to the frame2, the guide12has an opening35that receives the hose6that is attached to the hose reel1. The guide12attached to the frame2has an outer surface36disposed away from the hose reel1and a decorative plate18is attached to the outer surface36of the guide12.

As shown inFIG. 3, the anchoring support4is a tool box that that is supported by casters37at its base.

As shown inFIGS. 17 and 23A and 23B, the mounting flange13of the mounting bracket3in certain embodiments can have extension legs38that engage extension shoulders39attached to the anchoring support4.

As shown inFIGS. 5, 1A and 1C, the base22of the frame2is connected to the extension flange14of the mounting bracket3with mounting fasteners16that have threaded shanks and are threaded into mounting openings38on the extension flange14of the mounting bracket3. The mounting openings38are preferably circular and do not need to be initially threaded. The mounting fasteners16can cut threads in the extension flange14. The mounting fasteners16are inserted through slotted openings39in the base22. The slotted openings22allow for easier alignment of the mounting fasteners16with the mounting openings38.

As shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B, the extension flange14is formed with angled lateral edges40that make it easier to insert the extension flange14into the connection slot15. The guide12is provided with rollers41to protect the hose6as it travels through the opening35in the guide.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 2, the anchoring openings34in the mounting flange13can be a variety of shapes. The anchoring openings shown inFIG. 2are circular and elongated slots. The elongated slots allow for slight differences in tolerances.

FIG. 5shows a hexagonal-head spool fastener42connecting the hose reel to the second arm distal portion31. The inlet end of the hose6is shown extending out of the first side wall7of the spool5. The inlet end of the hose6connects to the mount9for the hose. An opening is usually provided in the first side wall7of the spool5to allow the hose6extend out of the spool5to connect to the mount9.

As shown inFIG. 42, the mounting bracket3can be provided with a long, downwardly extending tab43on the mounting flange13so that the hose reel1can be located remotely from the anchoring fasteners21and low down on a rolling tool box so as to avoid causing the tool box to tip over.