Abstract:
A garden hose assembly is provided which includes a protective and decorative housing at least partially enclosing a hose reel assembly. The housing is rotatable fully 360 degrees about a supporting post. Water is supplied to the assembly through a connector mounted on the post. Water is conducted in a water supply line concealed entirely within the post and housing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of lawn and garden watering systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The ability to conveniently store and dispense garden watering hoses is important for many home and commercial gardening situations. It is common to find various forms of hose reel assemblies onto which a garden hose may be wound and stored and from which it may be dispensed for use. Typically, such devices are to be mounted onto the side of a structure such as a house or other building. In some cases they are found mounted on stands, either movable or fixed. In such cases, means to pivot the hose reel assembly are provided. 
     Water is commonly supplied to such devices using a water supply hose which often is attached directly to a coupling included in the hose reel assembly In some cases, the water supply hose may be connected to a control valve included as a part of the device. 
     A typical feature of such devices is that they are noticeable, sometimes to the extent of being unsightly in the garden environment. The general form or shape of the units makes them stand out not as a part of the aesthetically-pleasing environment of a garden but rather as a utility. Adding to the unsightliness is the ever present water supply hose draped from the unit. 
     There is a need for a garden water hose assembly that is neat and aesthetically appealing in a garden as well as convenient to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a garden water hose assembly which includes a post to support a hose reel assembly and to provide for rotation of the hose reel assembly about an axis of the post. The post has an interior opening extending through at least a portion thereof. An inlet coupling is disposed on the post for connecting to a water hose which supplies water to the assembly. A water supply line connects to the inlet coupling. A first portion of the water supply line is disposed within the interior opening of the post and extends from the inlet coupling for supplying water to the hose reel assembly. 
     The present invention also comprises a garden hose assembly including a hose reel assembly for storing and dispensing hose and a housing extending at least partially around the hose reel assembly. The garden hose assembly further includes a post. The hose reel assembly and the housing are mounted for rotation about an axis of the post. The housing is ornamental and includes an openable portion that permits assess to the hose reel assembly. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the garden hose assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the garden hose assembly shown with the openable portion opened 
         FIG. 3  is a front sectional view of the garden hose assembly. 
         FIG. 3A  is a fragmentary sectional front view of a portion of the garden hose assembly showing the rotating union and thrust bearing. 
         FIG. 3B  is a fragmentary sectional side view of a portion of the garden hose assembly showing the water hose coupling and a portion of the water supply line. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The garden water hose assembly, generally indicated in the drawings by the numeral  10 , includes a post  20  and a housing  40  rotatably mounted to the post. In one embodiment, post  20  is implanted into the ground as shown in  FIG. 1 . Housing  40  at least partially encloses a hose and reel assembly  60  and is trimmed to provide an aesthetic appearance. In the embodiment shown the appearance provided is that of a bird house. A water supply line  80 , shown in  FIG. 3 , connects to hose reel assembly  60  and extends within the interiors of housing  40  and post  20 . In one embodiment, water hose  12  is connected to provide water to assembly  10 . In other embodiments, water may be supplied to assembly  10  by means other than water hose  12 . 
     Turning now to post  20  and referring specifically to  FIG. 3 , it is appreciated that the post comprises a first portion  22  that is partially enclosed within a second portion  24 . First portion  22  of the post includes an anchor  22 A. In one embodiment anchor  22 A comprises a plate welded to first portion  22  as shown in the drawings. Disposed above anchor  22 A are aligned holes  22 B, the centerlines of which extend transversely across first portion  22  of post  20 . Holes  22 B align with holes  24 B in second portion  24  of post  20 . Connecting pin  23  is inserted through aligned holes  22 B and  24 B to affix second portion  24  of post  20  to first portion  22 . Ground plate  24 A is disposed below holes  24 B, and in one embodiment the ground plate comprises a flange welded about second portion  24  of post  20 . In one embodiment ground plate  24 A is disposed atop the ground and contributes both to the stability of post  20  and the aesthetics of the installation. 
     It is appreciated that a feature of the present invention relates to routing water to hose reel assembly  60  up through the interior of post  20  and the interior of housing  40 . In one embodiment, an inlet coupling  24 C is disposed on second portion  24  of post  20 , and a portion thereof extends into the interior of the second portion. See  FIG. 3B . Slot  22 C in first portion  22  of post  20  extends longitudinally on the first portion and is aligned with inlet coupling  24 C as can be seen in the drawings and in particular in  FIG. 3B . During assembly of post  20 , slot  22 C permits inlet coupling  24 C to clear first portion  22  as second portion  24  is slid over the first portion to form post  20 . In the embodiment shown in the drawings, water hose  12  connects to inlet coupling  24 C to supply water to assembly  10  as can be seen in  FIG. 2 . As mentioned here before, water may be supplied to assembly  10  by means other than a water hose. In such cases, the placement of inlet coupling  24 C may vary from that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Turning now more particularly to the means for conducting water within post  20 , it is appreciated that a first portion  82  of water supply line  80  connects to inlet coupling  24 C as can be seen in  FIG. 3B . First portion  82  of water supply line  80  extends upwardly within the interior  20 A of post  20  and connects to rotating union  84 . In one embodiment first portion  82  of water supply line  80  comprises a PVC pipe. Connections between the PVC pipe and inlet coupling  24 C as well as rotating union  84  may be made by any of various means known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Water may then be conducted from water hose  12 , in one embodiment, through inlet coupling  24 C, along first portion  82  of water supply line, and through rotating union  84 . As will be discussed in more detail hereinafter, a second portion  86  of water supply line  80 , disposed in housing  40 , connects rotating union  84  and hose reel assembly  60  to conduct water to the hose reel assembly. 
     To facilitate 360 degree rotation of housing  40  about post  20 , a thrust bearing  26  is disposed on second portion  24  of post  20 . Thrust bearing  26  may, for example, comprise a roller thrust bearing of common design as shown in  FIG. 3A . Thrust bearing  26  forms an annular ring-like structure having an interior opening  26 A and upper and lower mounting sections  26 B and  26 C. Thrust bearing  26  is mounted to post  20  such that interior opening  26 A of the thrust bearing aligns with interior opening  20 A of the post to provide an opening through which water supply line  80 —rotating union  84  in particular—extends. In one embodiment, rotating union  84  is disposed at least partially within interior opening  26 A of thrust bearing  26 . It is further appreciated that thrust bearing  26  provides for 360 degree rotation about the axis of the bearing while also stably securing together upper and lower mounting sections  26 B and  26 C against axial separation and transverse displacement. 
     As shown in the  FIGS. 3 and 3A , thrust bearing  26  connects post  20  and housing  40 . In particular, lower mounting section  26 C is attached to post  20  while upper mounting section  26 B is attached to housing  40 . Said attachments may take various forms as commonly practiced in mechanism assembly. Bearing  26 , however, provides ample stability to keep housing  40  attached securely to post  20 . A mechanism is provided to lock the housing and prevent it from rotating when such is desired. To facilitate this locking mechanism, to be described in detail hereinafter, locking holes  24 D are disposed in the second portion of the post below thrust bearings  26  as shown in the drawings and in particular in  FIG. 3 . 
     Turning now to a more detailed description of housing  40 , the housing comprises a main body portion  42  and an openable portion  44  connected thereto by hinges  44 A. Hinges  44 A rotatably connect openable portion  44  to main body portion  42 . Openable portion  44  includes a handle  44 B to facilitate opening and closing housing  40 . Sliding catches  44 C connect between openable portion  44  and main body  42  to permit the openable portion to open to more than 90 degrees and as much as 135 degrees, and to be held open. Main body  42  also includes openings  46  to receive and support hose reel assembly  60  as will be described hereinafter. A hose feed opening  42 B is disposed on main body  42  through which garden hose  69  extends. Hose feed opening  42 B is lined with hose feed grommet  42 C to provide a smooth surface against which garden hose  69  slides. 
     Housing  40  may be shaped and trimmed to provide an aesthetic appearance. In one embodiment, the housing is shaped and trimmed as a bird house, for example, as illustrated in the drawings. Openable portion  44  forms a roof-like structure and in one embodiment a chimney-like structure  49  may be added 
     Turning now to particulars regarding connecting housing  40  to post  20 , it is appreciated that the housing is rotatably connected to the post in a manner to allow water supply line  80  to extend from within the post to within the housing. Main body portion  42  includes a water supply opening  42 A disposed generally in the center of a lower portion of the body as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3A . Water supply opening  42 A is aligned with thrust bearing interior opening  26 A. Rotating union  84  extends from interior opening  20 A of post  20  partially into, or towards, water supply opening  42 A. A second portion  86  of water supply line  80  is disposed within the housing and connected to rotating union  84  and hose reel assembly  60  as will be discussed further hereinafter. 
     A locking pin  48  is disposed on the main body to facilitate locking housing  40  to post  20  when rotation of the housing is not desired. Rotation may not be desired, for example, when watering with a garden hose  69  in a limited area. It may also be desirable for aesthetic or safety reasons to lock the housing in a particular orientation when garden water hose assembly  10  is not in use. In one embodiment, locking pin  48  is slidably connected to an underside of the main body  42 . The slidable connection is provided by aligned guide tabs  48 A, each of which includes a hole within which locking pin  48  slides. When locking is desired, housing  40  is rotated to a position in which locking pin  48  aligns with one of the locking holes  24 D disposed on post  20 , and the locking pin is pushed into engagement with the hole. Housing  40  may be subsequently unlocked by retracting locking pin  48  thereby allowing free rotation of the housing. 
     As mentioned here before, hose reel assembly  60  is at least partially enclosed by housing  40  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Hose reel assemblies are common and exist in various forms. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , hose reel assembly  60  comprises a reel  62  and crank arm  62 A. Reel guards  64  are affixed to reel  62  in a spaced apart fashion and bushings  66  provide means to connect the hose reel assembly to openings  46  in housing  40 . A water connector union  68  is disposed at least partially within reel  62 . Water connector union  68  provides a rotatable water path between the union and a hose connector  68 A which is a part thereof, permitting the hose reel  62  to rotate while paying out and reeling in a garden nose. A water control valve  68 B may be included with the hose reel assembly as a part of, or appurtenant to, the water connector union  68 . A garden hose  69  is connected to hose connector  68 A of water connector union  68 . It is appreciated that by turning crank arm  62 , garden hose  69  may be wound onto reel  62 . Further, by pulling garden hose  69  the hose may be de-reeled for use. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , hose reel assembly  60  is supported in housing  40  by attachment of bushings  66  with the housing. The attachment may be of various commonly known means. 
     Also disposed within housing  40  and connected to hose reel assembly  60  is second portion  86  of water supply line  80 , as has been previously mentioned. Second portion  86  of water supply line  80  connects to rotating union  84  thereby completing the assembly of the water supply line. Second portion  86  of the water supply line also connects to water connector union  68  of the hose reel assembly. In one embodiment, second portion  86  may be constructed of PVC pipe and fittings as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.