Abstract:
A handcart for unrolling wire is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, one leg of the handcart is hinged to permit a roll of wire to be loaded or unloaded onto a horizontal spindle on the cart without lifting the roll. The axles of the wheels of the cart are offset from the spindle such that tipping the cart lifts the roll of wire from the surface on which it is resting and permits the wire to payout from the roll as the cart is rolled across the ground.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     none  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to tools for the installation of wire. More particularly, it relates to devices for unrolling wire (e.g., barbed wire) in the field.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Wire, be it electrical wire or fence wire, is commonly supplied in the form of rolls which may be wound on a reel or drum. If the wire is of sufficient stiffness, it may hold the roll shape without being wound on a reel or drum. To avoid twisting the wire, it should be unwound from the reel or drum (as opposed to being spiraled off one end of the roll).  
         [0006]     Most reels and drums have a central, axial opening through which a rod or shaft may be placed to allow the reel or drum to rotate freely. Perhaps the most simple wire dispenser is a dowel inserted through the center of the roll. Holding the dowel on either side of the roll while walking backwards allows the wire to pay out as the roll unwinds. Heavier rolls of wire may be unwound by two people, one on either side of the roll supporting the respective ends of a shaft inserted through the roll, reel or drum. Still heavier rolls may be carried on motorized vehicles—a common method being a shaft resting on the side walls of a pickup truck&#39;s bed.  
         [0007]     Barbed wire is commonly manufactured in rolls 80 rods (1320 feet) in length, 70-90 lbs per roll depending on the gauge, number of strands, type and number of barbs. The rolls are typically wound on a wire frame having radial arms at either end for containing the roll (as shown in phantom in the drawing figures). Since it is both heavy and sharp, it is highly desirable to utilize a dispensing device of some sort when stringing barb wire.  
         [0008]     One method of the prior art for the paying out of fencing wire and barbed wire is the wire spinner. An old plough disk can be used as a type of spinner by welding a piece of 25 mm water pipe into the centre of the disk with the disks edge resting on the ground. The reel of wire may be slipped onto the pipe and paying out the wire becomes a one person operation. However, if the spinner is stationary, the wire must be dragged across the ground. To move the spinner, a conveyance of some sort is required. An alternative to this is to slip the handle of a shovel through the eye of the reel and have two fencers then walk the barbed wire along the fence line having tied off one end.  
         [0009]     Wire unrollers are available for mounting on the back of an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Such devices are said to permit one to quickly or slowly release a spool of wire when building fences. An adjustable drag brake prevents free wheeling. Hydraulically-powered wire winders are available for Cat. I, Cat. II or Cat. III tractor hitches. It is said that wire may be unwound from the device by putting the hydraulic control lever in the “float” position while the tractor is driven across the ground. The circulation of hydraulic fluid through the motor provides sufficient resistance to keep the reel from overspinning. However, such devices are relatively expensive and additional clearance along the fence line is needed to accommodate the vehicle. What is needed is a wire dispenser that can be loaded and operated by one person and is simple, reliable and easy to manufacture. The present invention solves this problem.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     A spool or roll of wire is held on a horizontal shaft or spindle mounted on a handcart. The shaft or spindle is offset from the wheel axle such that tipping the cart forward raises the spool off the ground and permits the wire to payout from the roll.  
         [0011]     In one preferred embodiment, a portion of the frame of the handcart supporting the spindle is hinged to move between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the frame can slide onto a roll of wire resting on the ground or other such surface. Once in position over the roll of wire, the frame may be closed thereby securing the roll of wire to the cart.  
         [0012]     In an alternative embodiment, the horizontal shaft or spindle is removable. With the shaft removed, the cart may be positioned over a roll of wire resting on the ground. The shaft may then be inserted through the roll of wire and secured to the frame of the handcart. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlargement of latching mechanism employed in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an enlargement of the hinge mechanism employed in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the open or loading position.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  in the open or loading position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the spindle and wheel assembly of the cart shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the wheel and spindle assembly of an alternative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view of the spindle-to-frame attachment used in the embodiment of  FIG. 7  taken along line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     The invention may be best understood by reference to the drawing figures wherein two preferred embodiments are illustrated.  
         [0022]     The first preferred embodiment is shown in perspective in  FIG. 1 . Carrier  10  may comprise a welded steel tubular frame to which handle  12  is attached. The frame may include a fixed portion  14  and a moveable or hinged portion  16 .  
         [0023]     Carrier  10  has a transverse shaft or spindle  30  for holding a roll of wire  34  which may be barbed wire  32  for fencing. The wire is supplied on wire reel  36  which has a central, transverse opening through which shaft  30  may be passed. Other wire may be supplied on drums or spools which may also be used with the present invention.  
         [0024]     Carrier  10  is also equipped with wheels  38  on axles  40  supported in axle brackets  42 . The wheels  38  are preferably aligned, one with the other, in a coaxial arrangement. The axis of aligned wheel axes  40  is offset from the axis of spindle  30  such that tipping carrier  10  forward on wheels  38  lifts spindle  30 , raising roll  34  and allowing wire  32  to payout from roll  34  as carrier  10  is moved across the ground, floor, or other such generally horizontal surface. Carrier  10  may be either pushed or pulled depending on which side of roll  34  it is desired to have wire  32  payout. Most commonly, carrier  10  will be pulled by the user and wire roll  34  will be mounted such that wire  32  pays out from the bottom of roll  34 .  
         [0025]     Carrier  10  may be equipped with bushings  24 , 26  each having flange  28  which act to center roll  34  on shaft  30  and prevent roll  34  or reel  36  from contacting frame  14  or axle bracket  42  as it revolves on spindle  30 .  
         [0026]     When the user desires to stop, he or she may move handle  12  to an approximately vertical position such that the bottom of roll  34  or reel  36  contacts the ground or floor. Carrier  10  is then in a stable position, resting on wheels  38  and wire roll  34  or reel  36 , as the case may be. Conversely, if it is desired to pull wire from roll  34  with cart  10  stationary, handle  12  may be lowered to the ground or floor, thereby raising spindle  30  and roll  34  such that the roll  34  may rotate freely on shaft  30 . In this configuration cart  10  is resting on wheels  38  and handle  12 .  
         [0027]     The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes a hinged or moveable frame section  16  which facilitates loading and unloading wire roll  34 . Frame hinge  18  is shown in detail in  FIG. 3 . Fixed frame section  14  and moveable frame section  16  are joined by frame hinge  18  which may comprise two opposing, spaced-apart plates. Bolt  50  having unthreaded portion  51  may be passed through aligned holes in the opposing plates and a hole proximate the end of moveable frame section  16 . Bolt  50  may be secured with nut  52  which may be a lock nut. Unthreaded portion  51  acts as a bearing surface for frame section  16 . Bolt  50  may be tightened to provide the desired amount of friction between frame member  16  and hinge  18 . It may be desired to have sufficient friction to hold frame member  16  in the open position when under the influence of its own weight.  
         [0028]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show carrier  10  in the open or loading position (with the closed position shown in phantom in  FIG. 4 ). Frame locking rod  22  is held out of the way by rod retainer  54  which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a U-shaped section welded to fixed frame section  14 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , wire roll  34  is held on reel  36  having diameter D. Hinged frame member  16  is moved outward sufficiently to provide clearance C between flange  28  and the ground or floor on which reel  36  rests such that distance C is greater than diameter D. In this condition, cart  10  may be slid sideways such that spindle  30  is inserted through the center of roll  34  and/or a central aperture in reel  36 . Frame member  16  may then be moved to the closed position and locked in place by securing locking rod  22  in lock bracket  44 .  
         [0029]     Moveable frame member  16  may be held in the closed position by frame locking rod  22  which pivots in hole  23  through fixed frame member  14  on one end and is releaseably secured by frame lock  20  on the opposing end. Frame lock  20  is shown in detail in  FIG. 20  and may comprise lock bracket  44  having slot  45  arranged such that when locking rod  22  swings downward it enters slot  45 . The end of rod  22  may have a threaded portion to which backing nut  46  and wing nut  48  may be attached. Locking rod  22  may be secured by tightening lock bracket  44  between wing nut  48  and backing nut  46 . The alignment of frame member  16  with frame member  14  may be adjusted by moving backing nut  46  along the threaded portion of rod  22 .  
         [0030]     As may be best seen in  FIG. 6 , one end of spindle  30  may be secured in bushing  26  with spindle bolt  56 . Bushing  26  and spindle bolt  56  are on fixed frame member  14 . The opposing end of spindle  30  is in sliding engagement with bushing  24  on hinged frame member  16 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the central opening in bushing  24  must be large enough to accommodate spindle free end  58  as bushing  24  moves in an arc when frame section  16  pivots on bolt  50  in hinge  18 . To further assist in aligning spindle free end  58  with bushing  24  during the closing process, it may be advantageous to allow spindle  30  to pivot on spindle bolt  56  within the confines of bushing  26 .  
         [0031]     An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In this embodiment, frame  114  is fixed—i.e., unhinged—and may comprise cross member  115  for additional rigidity.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , it may be seen that spindle shaft  130  is adapted for sliding engagement in spindle support brackets  164  which may comprise bushings  124  and  126  and flanges  128 . Each spindle bracket  164  may comprise hole  165  having an internal diameter slightly larger than the diameter of spindle  130  so as to permit spindle  130  to slide through hole  165 . Spindle  130  may include threaded stud  160  on each end. Washer  161  has an outside diameter larger than the diameter of hole  165  such that when nut  162  is screwed onto threaded stud  160  over washer  161 , spindle  130  is secured in spindle bracket  164  and prevented from sliding in the direction toward the center of the cart. The left side and right side of spindle  130  being similarly secured prevents spindle  130  from sliding in either direction and locks it within frame  114 .  
         [0033]     The embodiment of  FIGS. 7 and 8  may be used by removing one each of nut  162  and washer  161  and then sliding shaft  130  out of the frame. Cart  10  may then be rolled to or lifted over a roll of wire and positioned such that the axis of bushing  124  is in line with the axis of the wire roll. Shaft  130  may then be re-inserted, passing it from the outside of spindle bracket  164  through hole  165  and secured with nut  162  and washer  161 .  
         [0034]     One disadvantage of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  is that tools may be required to tighten and/or loosen nut  162 . In yet other embodiments, nut  162  may be replaced with a knurled knob, wing nut, or similar fastening device that can be operated solely by hand.  
         [0035]     In yet other embodiments, handle  12  may be replaced with a hitch to permit cart  10  to be pulled by a vehicle.  
         [0036]     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.