Abstract:
The caddy for spooled materials facilitates the removal and installation of spools of coiled materials (wire, cable, rope, cord, chain, etc.) within the device, while positively retaining the spools as material is withdrawn. The caddy includes a pair of opposed lateral frame members having a series of fixed crossmembers therebetween, which define a spool retaining cradle therein. A pivotally mounted arm extends from each frame member adjacent the first or rear fixed crossmember, with a spool retaining crossmember connecting the distal ends of the arms. When the movable crossmember is raised, sufficient room is provided between the first fixed crossmember and movable crossmember to allow a spool to be placed within or removed from the caddy. However, when the movable crossmember is lowered, the space between the first fixed crossmember and movable crossmember is reduced to less than the diameter of the spool, thereby securing the spool in place.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/740,628, filed Nov. 30, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to devices for storing, holding and dispensing various articles. More specifically, the present invention is a caddy or stand for holding one or more spools or reels of coiled or spooled material (e.g., electrical wire, cord, cable, etc.) thereon, and dispensing the material as required.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Workers in many fields have need to deploy and install relatively long lengths of coiled material, e.g., electrical wiring, cables, ropes and chains, etc. Such materials are customarily provided on spools or reels, and unwound from the spool or reel as needed. As a result, various devices have been developed in the past for holding such spools in place as wire, cord, cable, chain, etc. is pulled from the spool. Most such devices employ an axle, which passes through the hollow core of the spool or reel, with the spool rotating about the axle as the material is dispensed from the reel. This retention principle has the advantage of positively retaining the spools on the carrier or caddy by means of the axle passing through the center of the spool.  
         [0006]     However, such devices are not without their problems. One problem that is universal to such devices is the need to remove the axle from the carrier in order to remove and replace a spool or reel thereon. If the carrier is relatively wide and capable of carrying multiple spools on a single axle, the removal and replacement process may be even more complex due to the need to remove one or more spools from the axle in order to access a central spool requiring removal or replacement. Moreover, such devices allow the spool to revolve freely upon the axle, with little braking effect as the elongate material is pulled from the spool. This can lead to the spool continuing to rotate after the worker has drawn all of the material needed, resulting in a tangle of cord, wire, etc.  
         [0007]     Some spool and reel holders have been developed that support the outer circumference of the spool, thus obviating the problem of the axle through the spool or reel. A common problem with such devices is the lack of positive retention of the reel or spool within the holder. Spools carrying relatively lightweight and/or stiff materials can be pulled from the holder when a worker pulls a length of material from the spool.  
         [0008]     As a result, some spool holders have been developed that include a positionable crossmember, which bears against the spool to retain the spool positively within the holder when material is drawn from the spool. Most such devices utilize rectilinear crossmembers having their ends captured in slots in the side walls of the holder, rather than swinging or pivoting the crossmember clear of the spool for installing and removing a spool from the holder. Such a configuration also requires springs to urge the crossmember against the edge of the spool, in order to retain the spool positively within the holder. Of this class of device, only a single holder is known to the present inventor, which pivots the retaining crossmember arcuately upon a pair of arms. The geometry of this device also requires a spring(s) to hold the crossmember in place in order to retain a spool(s) within the holder.  
         [0009]     Thus, a caddy for spooled materials solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The caddy for spooled materials provides for ease of removal and replacement of spools or reels of spooled materials therein (e.g., wire, rope, cord, cable, chain, etc.), while also positively retaining the spools or reels within the caddy. The geometry of the caddy for spooled materials results in greater retaining force upon the spools or reels held in the device, with greater tensile force upon the material being drawn from a spool.  
         [0011]     The device essentially comprises a pair of parallel frame members with a series of three fixed crossmembers extending therebetween. The fixed crossmembers define a spool holding cradle, with the width of the device being adaptable to hold one or more spools of material side by side, as desired. A pivotally mounted arm extends from each side of the cradle, with the distal ends of the arms having a spool-retaining crossmember therebetween. The spool-retaining crossmember is positioned to the opposite side of the cradle from the pivot points for the arms. When the crossmember is raised, sufficient room is provided between the first or rear fixed crossmember and the movable crossmember to allow a spool of material to be placed within or removed from the caddy. However, when the crossmember is lowered, the space between the first fixed crossmember and the movable crossmember is reduced to less than the diameter of the spool, thereby securing the spool in place. The material on the spool is routed over the top of the lowered movable crossmember, thereby urging the crossmember downward to retain the spool even more securely when tension is applied to the material being withdrawn from the spool. Various embodiments are disclosed herein, including holders for single and multiple rows of spools, handles and wheels to facilitate transport particularly of larger multiple spool configurations, etc.  
         [0012]     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a caddy for spooled materials according to the present invention, showing various features thereof.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the caddy for spooled materials according to the present invention, showing the installation and removal of a spool therefrom and the operation of the spool retaining apparatus.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a caddy for spooled materials according to the present invention, including a plurality of spool holder rows. 
     
    
       [0016]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     The present invention comprises various embodiments of a caddy for spooled materials, such as spools of wire, cable, rope, cord, chain, etc., as desired. The caddy may be constructed to have a single spool-containing row of one or more spools, or multiple rows, as desired. The configuration of the caddy for spooled materials allows spools of coiled material to be placed in the device through a spool insertion and removal area provided when the spool retaining crossmember is raised, with the arm automatically reducing the area to smaller than the diameter of the spool when the crossmember is lowered to retain a spool(s) within the caddy.  
         [0018]      FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, respectively, provide perspective and side elevation views of a first embodiment of the present caddy for spooled materials  10 , with the caddy  10  having only a single lateral spool-containing row. The caddy  10  includes laterally opposed and spaced apart longitudinal first and second frame members  12   a  and  12   b , respectively, with each frame member further having a first or forward end  14   a ,  14   b , respectively, and an opposite second or rearward end  16   a ,  16   b , respectively. The forward and rearward ends  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a , and  16   b  may comprise downwardly turned legs, if so desired, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It should be noted that the term “forward” in the present disclosure refers to the direction of dispensing of coiled materials from any spool(s) contained within the present caddy  10 , with the term “rearward” referring to the opposite direction.  
         [0019]     A first or front crossmember  18  is rigidly and immovably affixed between the two frame members  12   a  and  12   b , with a substantially parallel second or rear crossmember  20  also being rigidly and immovably affixed between the two frame members. The front and rear crossmembers  18  and  20  are spaced apart longitudinally from one another and define a spool plane P therebetween (shown in  FIG. 2 ), with the spool plane P being coplanar with the frame members  12   a  and  12   b  and lying generally through, or close to, the axial center and maximum diametric width of a spool of material S placed within the device  10 . The span or distance between the two crossmembers  18  and  20  also defines a spool retaining span R therebetween, with the span R being at least the same as, or slightly greater than, the diameter D of a conventional spool of material S placed therein.  
         [0020]     A central crossmember  22  is also rigidly and immovably affixed between the two longitudinal frame members  12   a  and  12   b , generally between and substantially parallel to the forward and rearward crossmembers  18  and  20 . However, the central crossmember  22  is displaced below the spool plane P, with the three crossmembers  18 ,  20 , and  22  defining a spool cradle  24  therein for locating and containing one or more spools S therein. The central crossmember  22  is carried between first and second depending central crossmember attachment flanges  26   a  and  26   b , which extend from the respective frame members  12   a ,  12   b  between the forward and rearward crossmembers  18  and  20 .  
         [0021]     The rearward and central crossmembers  20  and  22  may also include a series of roller sleeves installed concentrically thereon, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The roller sleeves facilitate rotation of the spools S within the cradle or caddy, by rolling or rotating with the rims of the spools as they rotate within the caddy as material is dispensed. The roller sleeves of the rearward crossmember  20  are designated as rollers  21   a ,  21   b , and  21   c , while the roller sleeves of the central crossmember  22  are designated as  23   a ,  23   b , and  23   c . It will be seen that each roller sleeve has a length corresponding to the length of the spool S that rides upon that sleeve, with the number of sleeves on each crossmember  20  and  22  corresponding to the number of spools S that may be carried or held by the caddy. Thus, each spool S rotates or rolls within the caddy upon its own separate roller sleeve pair, independently of the other spools, in order that the other spools will not rotate simultaneously with the material dispensing spool as material is drawn therefrom.  
         [0022]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the rollers are installed only upon the rear and central crossmembers  20  and  22 . This is because as material is pulled from the spool(s) S. the spool(s) are urged upwardly and to the rear, thereby placing more force on the rear and central crossmembers  20  and  22  than upon the forward crossmember  18 . However, it will be seen that additional roller sleeves (not shown) may be installed upon the forward crossmember  18 , if so desired. It should also be noted that while such roller sleeves are not shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 3  (discussed further below), such sleeves may be installed upon the various crossmembers of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , if so desired.  
         [0023]     First and second elongate spool retaining arms  28   a  and  28   b , respectively, extend from the respective frame members  12   a ,  12   b  rearwardly of the rear crossmember  20 , i.e., between the crossmember  20  and the rearward ends  16   a ,  16   b  of the frame members. The retaining arms  28   a ,  28   b  each have a frame attachment end  30   a ,  30   b , respectively, pivotally secured to the respective frame member by a pivot  32   a ,  32   b . The distal ends  34   a ,  34   b  include a spool-retaining arm crossmember  36  extending therebetween, with the lengths  38  of the arms  28   a ,  28   b  between their pivots  32   a ,  32   b  and the crossmember  36  being at least slightly greater than the spool retaining span R between the front and rear crossmembers  18  and  20  and the diameter D of a conventional spool S. The spool-retaining arm crossmember  36  may include a roller or sleeve  40  therearound (shown in broken lines in  FIG. 2 ) to facilitate the deployment of a length of material passing thereover from a spool contained within the device.  
         [0024]     It will be noted that as the two spool-retaining arms  28   a ,  28   b  are pivotally secured to their respective frame members  12   a ,  12   b  at points  32   a ,  32   b  behind the rear crossmember  20 , that the span between the rear crossmember  20  and the distal spool-retaining arm crossmember  36  will vary with the position of the two arms  28   a ,  28   b  and their crossmember  36 .  FIG. 2  shows this clearly. In  FIG. 2 , the raised position of the two arms (shown by the arm  28   b  in broken lines) provides a span equal to the length  38  of the arms between their pivot points  32   a ,  32   b  and their opposite distal spool-retaining crossmember  36 , with this length or span  38  being at least slightly larger than the diameter D of a conventional spool S to be placed within the caddy  10 . However, when the arms  28   a ,  28   b  are lowered to their spool retaining position (shown by the single arm  28   b  in solid lines in  FIG. 2 ), the span  44  between the rear fixed crossmember  20  and the distal spool-retaining crossmember  36  is reduced somewhat as the crossmember  36  approaches the two frame members  12   a ,  12   b , due to the rearward displacement of the arm pivot points  32   a ,  32   b  relative to the location of the rear crossmember  20 . This reduced span  44  is somewhat less than the diameter D of a spool S or the spool retaining span R between the forward and rearward fixed crossmembers  18  and  20 . Thus, a spool S having a conventional diameter D is securely retained within the caddy  10  when it is placed within the spool cradle area  24  and the spool-retaining crossmember  36  is lowered.  
         [0025]     The caddy  10  is used generally as shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. The two spool-retaining arms  28   a ,  28   b  and their spool-retaining crossmember  36  are raised to increase the span  38  to allow a spool S to be inserted between the fixed rear crossmember  20  and the spool-retaining crossmember  36 , and into the spool retaining cradle area  24  of the caddy  10 . The elongate material (e.g., wire, cable, rope, cord, etc.) coiled on the spool S is passed over the top of the spool-retaining crossmember; there is no need to thread the end of the material through an eyelet or any other form of passage to install a spool of material in the caddy  10 . Thus, if, e.g., a wiring project has begun and the dispensed end of the wire extending from the spool S is already installed, the spool S may still be placed within the caddy  10  without need to cut the wire in order to feed the end through some opening or passage in the caddy  10 . When tension is applied to the wire or other elongate material extending from a spool S installed within the caddy  10 , the material applies a forward and downward pressure on the spool-retaining crossmember  36 , thus resulting in greater retention of the spool(s) S within the caddy  10 .  
         [0026]     Preferably, the downward movement of the arms  28   a ,  28   b  and their spool-retaining crossmember  36  (and roller or sleeve  40 , if provided) is limited in order to avoid bearing against the edge(s) of the spool(s) S contained within the caddy  10  in order to avoid excessive binding and friction upon the edge(s) of the spool(s). Such limit may be provided by a lateral stop  46   a ,  46   b  extending outwardly from the respective frame members  12   a ,  12   b . The arms  28   a ,  28   b  encounter the respective stops  46   a    46   b  just before the retaining arm crossmember  36  (or its surrounding roller or sleeve  40 ) contacts the edge of the spool(s) S, leaving a clearance gap  48  between the spool(s) and the crossmember  36 . This allows the spool(s) S to rotate reasonably freely within the caddy  10 , while still positioning the crossmember  36  sufficiently low as to retain the spool(s) S securely within the caddy  10 . Depending upon the relative geometry of the fixed rear crossmember  20 , the arm pivots  32   a  and  32   b , and the length or span  38  of the arms  28   a  and  28   b , the stops  46   a ,  46   b  may be provided by outward extensions of the fixed rear crossmember  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , or may alternatively be installed elsewhere on the two frame members  12   a ,  12   b.    
         [0027]      FIG. 3  provides a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present caddy for spooled materials, designated as caddy  110 . The caddy  110  is essentially a multiple row configuration of the single row caddy configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and described above. The caddy  110  includes a pair of opposed elongate frame members  112   a  and  112   b , with depending front legs  114   a ,  114   b  and opposite rear legs  116   a ,  116   b . However, rather than having only a single fixed front crossmember, rear crossmember, and central crossmember, the caddy  110  includes a series of front crossmembers  118   a ,  118   b , and  118   c , a corresponding series of rear crossmembers  120   a ,  120   b , and  120   c , and a corresponding series of central crossmembers  122   a ,  122   b , and  122   c . The central crossmembers  122   a  through  122   c  are supported between opposed flanges  126   a  through  126   f , which depend from the two frame members  112   a  and  112   b . Alternatively, a single elongate central crossmember support flange could be installed upon each frame member, rather than using a series of separate flanges, as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0028]     A corresponding series of spool retaining arms  128   a  through  128   f  is pivotally secured to the two frame members  112   a  and  112   b , and serve the same function as the arms  28   a ,  28   b  for the single row embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The arms  128   a  through  128   f  are pivotally secured to a series of three pivot rods  132   a  through  132   c , with the rods  132   a  through  132   c  being installed somewhat rearwardly of the respective rear fixed crossmembers  120   a  through  120   c . Each pair of arms  128   a ,  128   b ;  128   c ,  128   d ; and  128   e ,  128   f , have a spool retaining crossmember  136   a  through  136   c , respectively, extending therebetween.  
         [0029]     Each row of the multiple row spool caddy  110  will be seen to function essentially identically to the single row caddy  10  embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with each row functioning independently of the others. Additional features, such as the arm stops  46   a ,  46   b  shown in  FIG. 1 , and/or the crossmember roller or sleeve  40  shown in  FIG. 2 , may be applied to the multiple spool row configuration  110  of  FIG. 3 , as desired.  
         [0030]     The spool caddy  110  of  FIG. 3  is adapted for the simultaneous carriage of numerous spools of material. As these spools may weigh several pounds when fully loaded (depending upon the material thereon), it will be seen that the caddy  110  may have considerable mass when carrying a full load of filled spools of e.g., wire, metal cable, chain, etc. Accordingly, some means to facilitate the transport of the caddy  110  may be provided, as desired. In  FIG. 3 , a handlebar  150  is shown as an optional installation in broken lines, extending upwardly from the rearward ends  116   a ,  116   b  of the two frame members  112   a ,  112   b  and extending there across. Further ease of transport may be provided by the installation of first and second wheels, respectively  152   a  and  152   b , upon the lower ends of the respective forward legs  114   a ,  114   b  of the caddy  110 . This arrangement of the handlebar  150  at the rearward end of the device keeps the forward end open for deployment of wire or other material from the spool(s) secured upon the caddy  110 . Alternatively, the handle  150  and wheels  152   a ,  152   b  could be exchanged from end to end, if so desired, and other handle configurations may be provided as, desired. Alternatively, a fixed handle and/or wheels could be provided for the single spool row embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , if so desired.  
         [0031]     In conclusion, the caddy for spooled materials, in its various embodiments, greatly facilitates the work involved in the carriage, deployment, and installation of electrical wiring, cable, rope and cord, and various other elongate coiled or rolled materials carried on spools. The elimination of the central axle through the carrier or caddy greatly simplifies the placement and removal of spools of material into and from the caddy, yet there is no need to route the wire (or other elongate material) through a guide, opening, or other passage in the caddy. The wire or other material is merely passed over the top of the retaining arm crossmember, with tension on the wire or elongate material also applying downward pressure on the crossmember to retain the spool(s) securely therein without need of further complications such as springs and other fasteners and retainers. The caddy is adaptable to expansion, as shown by the multiple row embodiment of FIG.  3 , with wheels, a handlebar(s), etc. further facilitating use of the device. Accordingly, the present caddy for spooled materials will prove to be a most popular accessory for electricians and all others who have occasion to work with spooled materials.  
         [0032]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.