Patent Abstract:
A portable and adjustable reeled wire dispenser having a base platform with first and second side walls extending upwardly from the base platform and a plurality of adjustable rotatable members for accommodating various reel sizes to assist an individual in the installation of electric, cable wire or other material.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/978,027 filed on Oct. 29, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The instant invention relates generally to wire dispensers, and in particular to a portable and adjustable wire dispenser for accommodating various sizes of spools, preferably to assist individuals at construction locations and industrial sites. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    The use of insulated electrical wire is widespread and is available to construction contractors, electricians, hobbyists and homeowners at most hardware stores. The wire is generally obtained from a wholesaler or maker in standard sized coils which are wrapped and held in a coil configuration by ties for transport or handling. The retailer, such as the hardware store, must uncoil the wire to measure and sell desired lengths to a customer. These coils generally have the same inner diameter, but the cross section of the coil may vary, depending on the size of wire. 
         [0006]    The use of wire dispensers for electrical wire, cable or any other material wrapped in a coil configuration is known in the art. These wire dispensers are designed to make the installation of wire an easier and quicker operation. Electricians regularly use large quantities of electrical wire during installation at either commercial or residential locations. In addition, various other technicians and contractors use wire dispensers to assist in the installation of many materials, including cable, copper and rope. 
         [0007]    The instant invention relates to a portable and adjustable wire dispenser that assists an individual during the installation of wire, for example while attempting to install electrical wire. Many devices have been developed to provide some type of assistance to individuals engaged in the installation of wire, especially contractors and electricians who often dispense large quantities of electrical wire. Ultimately, it is the design goal for such an apparatus to provide a wire dispenser that is portable and adjustable to accommodate various sizes of spools and reels, wherein the apparatus utilizes a plurality of rotatable members that allow for a reel to freely rotate when in use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The instant invention, as described further herein, imparts a novel wire, hose, rope, cord dispenser which encompasses the advantages of other wire dispensers, but creates flexibility in the size of reel an individual desires to use based on the adjustability of the rotatable members. The instant invention as illustrated herein, is clearly not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
         [0009]    The primary object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus capable of dispensing wire material, wherein the apparatus contains a plurality of adjustable rotatable members to accommodate varying sizes of reels of wire. 
         [0010]    Another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus capable of dispensing wire material, wherein the apparatus is portable in nature to allow an individual the option to selectively move the apparatus to different locations during the installation of wire material. 
         [0011]    Another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus capable of dispensing wire material, wherein the apparatus eliminates the need for an individual to lift and elevate a reel off the ground and onto a support stand; instead the instant invention allows a reel to simply be placed on a base platform with the adjustable rotatable members. 
         [0012]    Another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus capable of dispensing wire material, wherein the apparatus does not possess a weight limitation regarding different reels since the reels weight is distributed throughout the base platform and rotatable members rather than solely on a support stand. 
         [0013]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the apparatus for dispensing wire material in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understand, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0014]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the portable and adjustable reeled wire dispenser in use having a base platform with a pair side walls and a plurality of adjustable rotatable members, and a plurality of wheels to assist an individual in moving the wire dispenser to different locations and wherein the base platform is hingedly connected to allow for easy transportation by an individual. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the portable and adjustable reeled wire dispenser. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a coiled apparatus  10  having a base platform  12 , wherein first and second side walls  14 A and  14 B extend upwardly from the base platform  12 . Each side wall  14 A and  14 B contains a plurality of apertures  16 A arranged in a first row, and a plurality of apertures  16 B arranged in a second row, wherein the second row of apertures  16 B is located substantially above the first row of apertures  16 A. Furthermore, each row of apertures  16 A and  16 B is equidistantly disposed along the side walls  14 A and  14 B, wherein each aperture  16 A and  16 B is capable of receiving a plurality of rotatable members  18  for retaining a reel  20  of wire. Moreover, each aperture  16 A located in the first row is in substantial alignment with each corresponding aperture  16 B located in the second row, wherein each pair of first and second row apertures  16 A and  16 B are substantially perpendicular to each side wall  14 A and  14 B. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the side walls  14 A and  14 B along with the base platform  12  are constructed from a single piece of material which is appropriately cut and shaped to produce the side walls  14 A and  14 B and the base platform  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the side walls  14 A and  14 B, along with the base platform  12  may be separately constructed and attached together to form the apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , using any type of standard type of fastening compound or device, including but not limited to a bolt or screw, or using any standard method such as welding, or any combination thereof. 
         [0020]    The wire dispenser  10  further comprises a plurality of rotatable members  18  each having a first and second end  22 A and  22 B, wherein the rotatable members  18  support and distribute the weight of the reel  20 . Each end  22 A and  22 B of each rotatable member  18  includes a protruding member  24  extending outwardly, wherein each protruding member  24  is receivable in each corresponding aperture  16 A and  16 B. Each rotatable member  18 , preferably a cylindrical bar, is associated with the first and second side wall  14 A and  14 B for retaining a reel  20  of wire while also allowing the reel  20  to freely rotate to dispense wire. Each rotatable member  18  is attachable to the first and second side walls  14 A and  14 B by placing the first end  22 A of each rotatable member  18  into the first side wall  14 A such that the protruding member  24  couples with either a first or second row aperture  16 A and  16 B, and likewise placing the second end  22 B of each rotatable member  18  into the second side wall  14 B such that the protruding member  24  couples with the corresponding aperture  16 A and  16 B. The placement of each rotatable member  18  depends on the size of the reel  20  being used, and as such, the dispenser  10  accommodates various reel sizes by simply adjusting the placement of the rotatable members  18 . An individual who desires to adjust each rotatable member  18  to accommodate a different sized reel can simply depress protruding member  24  from each aperture  16 A and  16 B and place the rotatable member in another aperture  16 A and  16 B. Preferably, each protruding member  24  is a pin. 
         [0021]    In use, an individual first determines the size of reel  20  necessary for the task at hand, and after this determination is made, an individual adjusts and secures each rotatable member  18  at the appropriate location to ensure proper contact and support with the reel  20 , when an individual places the reel  20  on the wire dispenser  10 . Once each adjustable rotatable member  18  is secured, an individual simply needs to roll the reel onto the rotatable members  18  and can immediately begin to dispense wire. The instant invention eliminates the need to place some type of cylindrical object through the core of the reel  20 , and then elevate the reel onto some type of support stand for use; rather the reel  20  in connection with the instant invention does not have to leave the ground for placement on the wire dispenser  10 . Furthermore, the instant invention is not confined to one size of reel  20  for use because of the plurality of adjustable rotatable members  18  that are not locked into position as in most prior art wire dispensers. 
         [0022]    In use, the plurality of rotatable members  18  is able to freely rotate in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise based on an individual&#39;s use and rotation of the reel  20 . Additionally, multiple reels  20  are placeable on the wire dispenser  10  simultaneously for use by an individual. 
         [0023]    In one preferred embodiment (shown in  FIG. 1 ), the wire dispenser  10  includes three rotatable members  18 , wherein two of the rotatable members are placed in the first row of apertures  16 A at a predetermined distance apart, depending on the size of the reel  20  in use. A third rotatable member  18  is placed in the second row of apertures  16 B substantially above one of the rotatable members  18  located in the first row of apertures  16 A. This configuration allows for an individual to place a reel  20  on the wire dispenser  10  and feed the material contained within the reel  20  underneath the lower-most of the two rotatable members  18  which are disposed one above the other, in order to provide sufficient tension upon the reel  20  to prevent the reel  20  from disengagement with the wire dispenser  10  due to light weigh of the reel  20  through displacement of the material on the reel  20 . 
         [0024]    In alternate embodiments, an individual may vary either the amount or placement of the rotatable members  18  depending on the specific use of the wire dispenser  10  or the specific type or size of the reel  20  in use with the dispenser  10 . Yet in other alternate embodiments, the construction of each side wall  14 A and  14 B may vary in design (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) such that each side wall  14 A and  14 B extends upwardly to accommodate a third rotatable member  18 , wherein each side wall  14 A and  14 B includes approximately half the amount of apertures  16 B in the second row as in the first row. Furthermore, the amount of apertures  16 B located in the second row may vary due to design of each side wall  14 A and  14 B based upon an individual&#39;s preference and specific use of the wire dispenser  10 . 
         [0025]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1  the instant invention permits easy inspection of the reel  20  in use by an individual, such that a visual inspection can be made to determine how much wire is remaining on each reel  20 . Furthermore, when the reel  20  has no material left to dispense, an individual can simply remove the reel  20  without disturbing other reels in use, and easily replace the empty reel  20  with a full reel  20 . 
         [0026]    An alternate embodiment of the instant invention is shown, wherein the wire dispenser  10  contains a plurality of wheels  26  located on the base platform  12  enabling an individual to move the wire dispenser  10  while the reel is located on the dispenser  10  instead of removing the reel and carrying the dispenser  10  to another location for use. Each wheel  26  is attachable to the base platform  12  using any standard fastening means such as a bolt or screw. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment of the instant invention, wherein the wire dispenser  10  includes three rotatable members  18 , and wherein each side wall  14 A and  14 B extends upwardly approximately at the midpoint of each side wall  14 A and  14 B to accommodate a rotatable member  18  in the second row of apertures  16 B. 
         [0028]    While several embodiments of the instant invention have been illustrated by way of example, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the instant invention. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the instant invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1