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:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    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. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    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. 
         [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    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. 
         [0007]    Presently, there are several wire dispensers that employ a variety of means to assist an individual during the installation of such wire. One of the most common types of devices for dispensing wire involves placing a tube or some type of cylindrical object through the open core of the reel and then elevating the reel onto some type of support stand for operation. However, this apparatus requires an individual to physically lift the reel off of the ground and place it on the support stand, which make prove a difficult task depending on the weight of the reel. Furthermore, there is a limit to the amount of weight that the support stand could withstand from a reel, thereby prohibiting the use of larger and heavier wire reels. Lastly, some of the wire dispensers are not able accommodate different sizes, which requires multiple apparatus to handle a variety of reels. 
         [0008]    A large number of wire dispensers are known in the art, and in fact are in wide use in the industry. But there exists in the art no portable and adjustable wire dispensers that employ a base platform with a plurality of adjustable rotatable members used to accommodate a range of reel sizes while also eliminating the need to elevate the reel for rotation. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,263 to Storimans discloses a nonmagnetic bulk feeder for feeding electronic components one at a time into a lead forming machine, wherein the feeder comprises a hopper and a chute for loading the components into the hopper. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,060 to Hibbs discloses a retail electrical wire reel caddy that has a steel frame which may be rested upright, wherein the upper portion of the caddy serves as a handle. The back possesses a slightly angled configuration allowing for easy grasping in order to lift from a prone to an upright position. The caddy has a shaft extending forward from a mounting plate located on the back vertical portion of the frame, the frame having a forward extending base portion extending beneath the reel for stability. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,232 to Lambert Jr. discloses a tangle-free wire dispenser for transporting and simultaneously dispensing single and multiple wires in any direction. The wire dispenser comprises a boxlike outer frame, with wheeled legs, a parallel inner shaft, with perpendicular spool holders thereon, and spool tension bars. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,085 to Letoumeau discloses a dispenser for stiff resilient wire such as guy wire. The dispenser comprises a box-shape casing having an upwardly rearward opening diagonal cover and a removable mounted rotating spool therein on three corner-mounted transverse rollers in the casing with one transverse roller in the cover. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,449 to Stutzman et al. discloses an apparatus for storage and subsequent unwinding and reeling of an associated hose for use particularly in recreational vehicle application, wherein a flexible hose is wound about a central drum and is in fluid communication with a central spindle. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,647 to Browning discloses a portable, cable feeding or dispensing device having a base adapted to be placed on and rest firmly on a floor, the ground or other support, wherein stanchions are affixed to the base and extending generally normally there from, and wherein the stanchions contains shoulders that are formed by notches in an edge of each shoulder, and a spool assembly having a hub. 
         [0015]    In summary, investigation of these disclosed devices illustrates that presently, there is no single device known in the art or combination thereof that meets the requirements of a portable and adjustable wire dispenser that utilizes a plurality of adjustable rotatable members situated on a base platform, enabling the use of various sizes of reels on the single apparatus. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    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. 
         [0017]    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. 
         [0018]    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. 
         [0019]    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. 
         [0020]    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. 
         [0021]    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. 
         [0022]    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 
         [0023]    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: 
           [0024]      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. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]      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  equidistantly disposed along the side walls  14 A and  14 B capable of receiving a plurality of rotatable members  18  for retaining a reel  20  of wire. In the preferred 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, such as a bolt or screw, or using any standard method such as welding, or any combination thereof. 
         [0026]    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 . 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 the aperture  16 , 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 pin aperture  16 . 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  and place the rotatable member in another aperture  16 . Preferably, each protruding member  24  is a pin. 
         [0027]    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. 
         [0028]    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  20  simultaneously for use by an individual. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 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 . 
         [0030]    An alternate embodiments 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. 
         [0031]    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