Lawn caddie

Multi-reels axially aligned for holding electrical cable and for holding water hoses. Two reels are for electric wire and two are for water hoses and any one of the reels can be rotated independently of the other reels. A first electric cord wound on one reel is electrically connectible to a second electrical cord wound on the second electrical reel. Likewise, a first water hose wound on the first water reel is connectible to a second water hose wound on the second hose reel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This relates to multi-reels for storing electric cords and garden water 
hoses. 
In caring for lawns, shrubbery and so forth, one nearly always needs to use 
a garden water hose and an electrical cord. These electrical cords and 
water hoses are quite common around most homes in this country. However, 
most people find it troublesome to properly care for their electric cords 
and garden hoses. Many times they are just sort of thrown over in the 
corner of the garden or the garage in a not too neat pile. Other times, 
people go to the trouble to hand roll them. There are even reels which may 
be hand operated or even motor driven upon which to wind a hose. However, 
to my knowledge, none has an assemble upon which both the electrical cord 
and the garden hose can be wound. A search has revealed the following reel 
related U.S. Pat. Nos. 677,993; 2,312,528; 2,573,868; 2,621,870; 
2,625,344; 2,735,717; 4,117,991; and 4,366,933. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This reel assembly has two axially aligned electric cord reels and two 
garden water hose axially aligned reels. One power source is provided and 
means are such that any one or all reels or any number in between can be 
rotated at any one time. A separate brake means is provided for each of 
the reels. Means are also provided for connecting the cord on one electric 
cord reel to the cord on another electric cord reel by using circuit 
boards and contact rings. Motor contacts are also provided for taking off 
power to apply to an electric motor for driving all the reels. 
Means are provided to connect the hose on one garden hose reel to the hose 
on another reel, whether one reel is turning in relation to the other or 
not. Brake means are also provided individually for each reel. All the 
reels are mounted on a frame assembly which has front wheels mounted on 
the frame and a rear fold down handle for pushing the device about. The 
assembly can be stored on its end to take less space in a garage. 
It is thus an object of my invention to provide a multi-reel assembly so 
that there are at least two reels for an electric cord and at least two 
reels for a garden water hose and means to wind or unreel each reel 
independently of the others.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Attention is first directed to FIG. 1 which shows my reel assembly 10 
positioned on a lawn 12 between a utility building 18 and a sprinkler 26. 
There is shown a first and second electrical cord reel 38 and 40 which are 
axially aligned in a first garden water hose reel 42 and a second garden 
water hose reel 44 which are also axially aligned. An electric cord 22 
extends from reels 38 to outlet socket 20 on utility building 18. 
Likewise, garden hose 16 is connected to a water tap 14 on the utility 
building 18 and extends to first garden water hose reel 42. 
Attention is next directed to FIG. 2 which shows the reel assembly without 
the cord and/or hose mounted thereon. The reels are all supported from a 
frame assembly including rear frame assembly 32, bottom frame assembly 34 
and end frame assembly 36. A lower frame assembly 34 is supported by 
wheels 30 at one end and at the rear end by a stand or rod 31. The upper 
end of rear frame assembly 32 is provided with a fold down handle 50. 
Reels 38 and 40 are rotatably mounted on shaft 52. Thus, reel 38, can 
rotate independently of reel 40. Shaft 52 is supported at one end from 
rear frame assembly 32 and at the other end by axle support 54 which is 
supported from bottom frame assembly 34. Axle clamp 56 and wear ring 58 is 
provided on shaft 52 at the rear frame assembly 32 and an axle clamp 60 
and wear ring 62 is provided adjacent the axle support 54. A male electric 
fitting 64 is provided on electric reel 38. 
A first garden hose reel 42 is mounted on a axle 66 supported between reel 
supports 68 and 70 which are each supported from bottom frame assembly 34. 
Second garden hose reel 44 is supported on axle 72 which is supported from 
axle support 71 which in turn is supported by bottom frame assembly 34. 
The other end of axle 72 is supported from end frame assembly 36. 
A drive moror 74 is supported from bottom frame support assembly 34. The 
motor 74 is connected to shaft 76 which supports reel drive gear 78. Axle 
76 is connected through universal joint 80 to drive shaft 82 which is 
connected to reel drive gear or wheel 84. The other end of the shaft of 
the motor 74 is connected to shaft 86 to reel drive gear or wheel 88. Axle 
86 is connected through a universal joint 90 to a second drive shaft 92 
which is connected to drive gear 94. 
There are means for connecting the male plug 64 to the electric cord wound 
on reel 40 and the means includes contact rings, motor contact and circuit 
board generally indicated at 96 and which will be more fully explained in 
regard to FIGS. 9 and 10. Reel 40 also has a female socket outlet 98. 
Likewise, there are means for connecting the hose which will be wound on 
hose reel 42 to the hose to be wound on reel 44. This includes a female 
hose connection 100 on anchor plug 102 of hose reel 42 and a connecting 
conduit inside the axle which connects to a male hose connection 106 which 
is supported by anchor plug 108. This assembly will be shown more clearly 
in FIGS. 6 and 7. There is a brake 110, 112, 114, and 116 respectively for 
reels 38, 40, 42, and 44. There is a handle 118, 120, 122, and 124 for 
each reel and break assembly respectively for reels 38, 40, 42 and 44. 
These will be shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
Attention is next directed to FIGS. 9 and 10 which shows the electrical 
connections between reels 38 and 40. Reels 38 and 40 are supported from 
shaft 52 by bearings 128 and 130 respectively. As shown in FIG. 9, reel 40 
is provided with a circuit board 132 which has contact bars 140, 142 and 
144 at the top and contact bars 146, 148 and 150 at the bottom. Bars 150 
and 144 are connected by electric conduit 152; contact bars 142 and 148 
are connected by electric conduit 154 and contact bars 140 and 146 are 
connected by electric conduit 156. The reel is provided with contact rings 
134, 136 and 138. Each contact bar is shown rivited at the center to the 
circuit board and has contact points at the end thereof for contacting its 
respective contact rings. These contact rings are connectd to outlet plug 
98. The use of contact rings and contact points on a circuit board is well 
known and is not believed any further discussion needs to be had. The 
three contact rings are, of course, one for the positive, one for the 
negative and one for the ground. Each side of the circuit board 132 is 
provided with the contact bars similar to contact bars 140, 142, 144, 146, 
148 and 150 as shown in FIG. 9 so that each reel 38 and 40 is provided 
with such contact bars. The circuit board 132 as shown in FIG. 10 is 
supported from shaft 52 and does not rotate with the reels 38 and 40. The 
contact bars are secured through the reels and rotate therewith. Reel 38 
is provided with contact rings 134A, 136A and 138A which are similar to 
contact rings 134, 136 and 138. These contact rings 134A, 136A and 138A 
are connected to the male electrical socket 64. There are motor contacts 
180, 182 and 184 which are connected to conduits which extends through 
passage 186 to control box 190 which has switch 192 to turn motor 74 off 
and on. 
Attention is next directed to FIGS. 6 and 7 which shows the connection for 
hooking up a hose on hose reel 42 to a second hose on hose reel 44. A 
female connection 100 is provided for attaching to the male end of an 
ordinary garden hose. This connection 100 is in fluid communication with 
the conduit 200 which is rotatably and sealingly connected to a second 
conduit 202 by double O-ring seals 204. Conduit 202 connects to male 
outlet 106. 
Attention is next directed to FIGS. 4 and 5 which illustrates the reel 
drive and brake assembly which is individually supplied for each of the 
reels 38, 40, 42 and 44. This will be described in relation to reel 44 but 
a similar system is supplied for each of the reels. Shown thereon is a 
reel 44 which in FIG. 4 is in a braking position and cannot rotate, 
whereas in FIG. 5 it is in a drive position and the brake has been 
released. Shown thereon is a reel drive gear 94 mounted on shaft 92. An 
idle gear 210 is mounted on pivot 212 on pivot arm 214 which is pivoted 
from frame 34 by pivot 216. A brake shoe 218 is provided at the upper end 
of member 214. The upper end of member 214 is connected to a reel drive 
lever 220. The top of the frame is provided with a frame top 222 which has 
a reel drive lever guide 224 which has a drive control notch 226 and a 
brake control notch 228. When the reel drive lever 220 is in the brake 
control notch 228, brake 218 is in contact with reel 44 and at that time, 
idle gear 210 is out of contact with reel drive gear 94. Therefore, the 
reel 44 is held in a fixed position. When it is desired to drive reel 44, 
all that is necessary to do is to move the reel drive lever 220 from the 
brake control notch to the drive control notch 226 as shown in FIG. 5. At 
this point, the brake shoe 218 has been removed from the reel and idle 
gear 94 is in contact with reel drive gear 94 and with the reel 44. Thus, 
the brake is released and the rotation of the reel drive gear 94 causes 
the reel 44 to be driven. A neutral notch 229 is provided in lever guide 
224. When lever 220 is in this neutral notch, the reel is free to roll by 
hand as the brake is released and idle gear 210 is not in contact with the 
reel. 
The reel assembly which I have just described is designed to minimize the 
workload for the gardener, lawn tender, contractor or anyone who uses and 
stores garden hoses and electrical cords. It may hold up to 400 feet or 
more of garden hose and up to 400 feet or more of electrical cord. Either 
the garden hose or electric cords are stored in a manner on the reel so 
that the user can unwind a few feet or all that is needed and then restore 
them on individual reels with little effort. Gone are the unsightly rolls, 
tangles and common abuse of the lawn and garden equipment. Each of the 
reels are independently driven with hand control levers for safe, easy 
operation. My invention eliminates the word and frustration of a hand 
crank and gives the user a free hand to guide the hoses and cords neatly 
onto the reels. A grip may be provided to secure the tail end of the hoses 
and cords. The brake, which I can set for each reel, keeps the hose and 
cords from becoming loose and tangled. I can also put the reel drive lever 
in a neutral position in a notch 229 to allow any part or all of the hoses 
and cords to be removed as they are needed. A reel assembly can also be 
stored easily in a small place by turning it on its end as shown in FIG. 
8. My reel assembly may be rolled to the job site on the wheels 30 by 
using handle 50. When its to the job site the hose with the female end 100 
may be unrolled from reel 42 after the brake or reel lever 124 is put in 
the neutral position and extended to the nearest water hydrant 14. The 
male end may be extended from the other reel 44 as needed with the lever 
124 in the neutral position. When it has been extended to the extend that 
it wishes the lever 124 can be put in the brake position. At the same time 
the electrical cord with the male connector may be extended from one reel 
to the nearest power outlet 20 and the cord with the female connector from 
reel 40 may be extended as needed. Power is transmitted from the cord on 
one reel to the cord on the other reel. Electrical power is also connected 
to drive motor 74 when switch 192 is turned on. 
When the job is finished, without having to move the reel assembly, the 
water hose may be disconnected from the faucet and all water hoses may be 
placed neatly and easily back on the power driven reels. Once in place, 
the levers 124 for the two water hose reels are placed in the brake 
position and this disengages the reels from the drive shaft. Also at this 
time, all electrical cords may be wound back on the reels except for that 
part of the cord which extends from reel 38 to outlet 20 which is the 
primary power source. The reel assembly may then be moved as closely as 
possible to the power source and the last part of the electrical cord may 
then be power wound onto the reel 38. Then the last brake is set and the 
reel assembly is then ready for storage and is easily accessible for the 
next job. 
While this invention has been described with a certain degree of 
particularity, it is manifest than many changes may be made in the details 
of construction in the arrangement of components without departing from 
the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is understood that the 
invention is not limited to the embodiment set forth herein for purposes 
of exemplification, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claim 
or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element 
thereof is entitled.