Patent Publication Number: US-4094473-A

Title: Portable device for supporting a roll of aluminum sheeting for dispensing

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Heretofore, when making one piece drain gutters on the jobsite, the roll of aluminum is placed on the ground and the same, being rolled, usually unrolls itself full length as the sheet is fed through the dies, thus the roll picks up dirt, grass stains and the like and soils the aluminum sheet. 
     The field of invention is a cradle for supporting a roll of aluminum sheeting for use in making on-site gutters whereby the aluminum will be kept clean. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A portable device for holding a roll of aluminum sheeting used for making one piece gutters on a jobsite on a horizontal axis, which allows the roll to rotate therein as the sheet is withdrawn therefrom, including an adjustable plate to maintain several sizes of rolls in the unit, as well as adjustable side guide rollers to retain the roll within the unit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view taken within the circle of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view with the upper plate shown full extended taken substantially on the line 5--5 without the aluminum roll therein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present device comprises a pair of relatively wide, heavy gage aluminum upper and lower plates 10, 12 each bent on a radius and hingedly connected together by a piano hinge 14, with the free edge 16 of the plate 10 being turned outwardly, and upwardly. The free edge 18 of the plate 12 is bent downwardly and anchored by the bolts 20 to the lower base frames 21, 22. 
     The horizontally disposed base frames are spaced apart as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 and preferably constructed of a square steel tubing to lighten the full unit. The side frame members 24, 26 are bolted as at 25, respectively, or otherwise secured at one end to the respective base frame 21, 22. The side frame member 25 extends upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of about 105° terminating in a substantial right angle inward bend 28, with the terminal end again bent upwardly at right angles, as at 30. The frame member 26 is identical to the side frame 24 except the upper end 32 is also bent inwardly and terminates in an upward bend 34. 
     An elongated sleeve or tube 36 is pivotally secured adjacent one end between the right angle members 30, 34 to support an elongated shiftable rod 38. One end 40 of the rod 38 is pivotally supported in the trunions 40 secured to the upper face plate 10. The sleeve 36 is provided with a thumbscrew 42 for positioning the rod as desired, i.e., for adjusting the upper plate 10 towards or away from the lower plate 12. 
     The rear frame members 44, 46 are each secured at one end to the rear of base frames 21, 22, respectively, by bolts 48, 50, or otherwise secured. These rear frames extend upwardly and forwardly at an angle of substantially 60° until they contact the lower face of the upwardly and rearwardly extending member 52 which is an integral part of the upper end of the lower plate 12, all as clearly shown in FIG. 4. A hollow elongated cross bar 54, square in cross section, is anchored to the lower face of member 52 at the transverse marginal end thereof by bolts 56 which extend therethrough, or by any other anchoring means. The free ends of the rear frame members are anchored to the sleeve by bolts 58, 60 or by any other suitable anchoring means. 
     The upper ends of strengthening bars 62, 64 are bent inwardly on a radius towards each side member 24, 26, respectively, and are anchored to the upper portion of the side frame members 24, 26, respectively, by bolts 66 while the lower ends are anchored by common bolts 67, 69 to the rear frame members 44, 46, respectively, and the side frame members 26, 24, respectively. Thus all these frame members are fixedly secured together. 
     A pair of sleeves 68, 70 disposed one on the other are each fixed to the outer or rear face of the lower plate 12 and extend thereacross. Each is provided with a thumbscrew 72 adjacent the right and left hand ends, respectively, of each sleeve, as shown in FIG. 2. Elongated tubes 74, 76 slidably seat in respective sleeves 70, 68 and are each provided at one end thereof with a right angled rod 78, 80, respectively. The rods 78, 80 are fixedly secured at one end in the ends of tubes 74, 76, respectively, while the other end of the rods 78, 80 carry rotatable drums 82, 84, respectively, covered with a soft fabric. 
     Each of the plates 10, 12 has plastic rivets 86 having enlarged heads 88 for ease of pulling the sheet 90 outwardly of the aluminum coil 92. 
     In operation, the coil of aluminum sheeting 92 is placed in the lower plate 12 and the upper plate 10 is lowered to the top of the coil. The setscrew 42 is tightened to retain the coil within the plates 10, 12. As coils of aluminum come in different diameters, it is necessary that the upper plate 10 be capable of shifting downwardly or upwardly as desired and adjusted to any position about hinge 14 and this is the reason for the sleeve 36, rod 38, thumbscrew 42 and pivot 40 mounted to the upper plate 10. 
     After the coil 92 is placed between the plates 10, 12 and centered, the thumbscrews 72 are loosened and the rollers 82, 84 moved inwardly until they each contact one side of the coil, as shown in FIG. 1, and the thumbscrews 72 are again tightened and thus the roll of aluminum is kept from moving laterally and at the same time the pulled sheet moves only in one direction. 
     The device is readily portable and can be carried from one job to another. The aluminum sheet is always kept clean from grass and debris stains. 
     Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.