Abstract:
The invention relates to a simple, economical, and lightweight device for holding, carrying, and unreeling spools of wire when stringing barbed wire fences. The device includes a pair of leg members bent at a lower end thereof to form feet members for supporting the device on a surface, a swivel arm for holding the spool of wire for rotation thereon during unreeling, and an arm member for carrying or transporting the spool of wire. The spool of wire on the device can be held away from the body of the user while avoiding the dangers encountered with the installation and use of barbed wire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The inventor of the present application, George C. Jackson, has previously filed the present invention with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a Provisional Patent, having application No. 60/237,485 dated Oct. 4, 2000. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Nine patents for improvements to wire fencing were granted by the U.S. Patent Office to American inventors, beginning with Michael Kelly in November 1868 and ending with Joseph Glidden Nov. 24, 1874, U.S. Pat. No. 157,124 for barbed wire. Barbed wire not only simplified the work of the rancher and farmer, but it significantly affected political social, and economic practices. 
     Since the invention of barbed wire, there has been a need for an apparatus to handle the unrolling of the wire; as can be seen by the following references to U.S. patents. Wire unreeling devices of the general type described below are well known in the art. When laying a string of wire from a spool, such as barbed wire for a fence line, the ground surface, which must be traversed, is often rough and uneven and the barbed wire itself is often difficult to handle because of its inherently hazardous nature and tendency to uncoil or backlash. Prior art devices, which are intended to overcome the foregoing difficulties, tend to become mechanically complex and somewhat unwieldy and difficult to manipulate. 
     There are numerous dispensers designed to aid in uncoiling and unrolling spooled and rolled materials. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,663 (242/588.2) issued to Slater on Jun. 24, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 424,774 (D34/26) issued to Zarley on May 9, 2000 as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,808 (242/598.3) issued to Klumpjan on Aug. 2, 1994. 
     Other typical patents are: 
     U.S. Pat. No. Des. 328,378 (D34/24) issued to Hargrove on Jul. 28, 1992. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,793 (242/96) issued to Walker on Jul. 6, 1976. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,733 (242/94) issued to Roederer on Jun. 28, 1974. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,807 (242/94) issued to Fortson on Aug. 01, 1972. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,149 (242/94) issued to Graham on Sep. 12, 1967. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,607 (242/86.64) issued to Wiggins on Aug. 13, 1963. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,667 (242/94) issued to Browne on Nov. 21, 1961. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,676 (242/94) issued to Hohner on Dec. 20, 1938. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,089,335 (140/92.2) issued to Brown on Aug. 10, 1937. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,067,765 (242/96) issued to Juranic on Jan. 12, 1937. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,953 (242/90) issued to Sutilef on Feb. 04, 1936. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,648,568 (242/391.1) issued to Stoffel on Nov. 08, 1927. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,341,484 (242/588.2) issued to Starratt on May 25, 1920. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,249,691 (242/588.2) issued to Tillman on Dec. 11, 1917. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 594,977 (242/391) issued to Williams on Dec. 07, 1897. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 589,490 (242/391) issued to Young on Sep. 07, 1897. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 467,499 (242/396.8) issued to Dulin on Jan. 26, 1892. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,663 Inventor: John E. Slater Issued: Jun. 24, 2000: a spooled barbwire dispenser discloses a swivel hook means for grasping a spool of wire being 360 degrees rotatable centrally mounted onto the underside of a rectangular shaped metal plate whereby the plate further has a handle for being grasped by the user with the handle being welded onto the top of the plate. This invention allows the swivel hook to be hooked onto the handle of a reel of wire such as barbed wire, and further allows the reel of wire to be unrolled so that the wire spool is maintained effectively in the horizontal plane as the spool is transported from one work location to the next. 
     U.S. Pat. No. Des. 424,774 issued to Zarley on May 9, 2000 is an ornamental design for a portable wire dispensing reel for barbed wire with wheels and a tongue for mechanical pulling. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,808 issued to Klumpjan on Aug. 2, 1994 is a wire unreeling device supporting a spool of wire in one position to utilize the rims of the spool as wheels and in an inverted position to hold the spool above the ground in a freewheeling manner. 
     U.S. Pat. No. Des. 328,378 issued to Hargrove on Jul. 28, 1992 is an ornamental design for a hand pull barbed wire dispenser mounted on wheels with an attached tongue for manual pulling. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,793 Inventor: David O. Walker Issued: Jul. 6, 1976 is a wire spool holder, specifically adapted for barbed wire and the like, includes freely rotatable spool engaging members and a freely rotatable holding or grasping member connected to the engaging members. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,733 issued to Roederer on Jun. 28, 1974 relates to maneuvering and handling devices and carriers for dual headed reels such as are employed for storing and dispensing barbed wire and has to do with a novelly constructed sectional or knockdown reel and an elongated supporting or handling frame which functions to mount the reel for roll-along use or, alternatively, for supported use on a farming machine. 
     U.S. Pat No. 3,680,807 issued to Fortson on Aug. 01, 1972—a roller assembly for rolling over the ground either by hand or by being pulled by a powered vehicle and includes opposite end large diameter wheel portions and a diametrically reduced center portion rotatable with the wheel portions and upon which a spool of wire is disposed for rotation with and unwinding from the reduced center portion of the roller assembly. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,149 issued to Graham on Sep. 12, 1967 is characterized by an elongated sled-like frame, which can be converted from a sled to a roll-along vehicle by attaching wheels to brackets provided for on the sled. The frame can be dragged along behind a tractor on the wheels or removing the wheels and using the frame as a push-pull type sled. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,607 issued to Wiggins on Aug. 13, 1963 discloses a barbed wire reel holder including a pair of wheels each having an opening there through, a continuous axle extending through the opening in each of the wheels for placing varying widths of rolls of wire. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,667 issued to Browne on Nov. 21, 1961 discloses a device for aiding in the unreeling of wire on a spool comprising a generally u-shaped frame having an elongated handle extending from the u-shaped frame, a transverse hollow member at the free end of the handle forming hand grips and a pair of removable circular wheels fixedly attached to the axle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,676 issued to Hohner on Dec. 20, 1938 is a wire-handling device comprising a substantially u-shaped frame, including a handle and parallel legs on the handle, a transverse axle having one end connected to the free end of one of the legs adapted for insertion through a spool of wire. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,089,335 Inventor: G. L. Brown Issued: Aug. 10, 1937—this United States Patent discloses a method for spooling barbed wire wherein all of the barbs project inwardly and for carrying purposes there is provided a stirrup or carrying frame the cross piece between the two arms serving as a handle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,067,765 Inventor: Walter Juranic Issued; Jan. 12, 1937—this United States Patent discloses a reel holding device which has the reel of material rotatable suspended so as to facilitate the discharge or unreeling of the material and when the device is not in use it may be collapsed to a compact form to occupy a minimum of space in storage. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,953 issued to Sutilef on Feb. 04, 1936 discloses a wire carrying reel comprising a hauling frame comprising a rod or tube which is bent into a u-shape producing a pair of shafts for pulling or pushing the implement using the wheels mounted in the rear end of the frame. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,648,568 issued to Stoffel on Nov. 08, 1927 relates to a winch structure upon which a spool containing barbed wire may be mounted and the rotation of the spool by rolling the structure along the ground will cause the barbed wire to be fed off the spool. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,341,484 Inventor: Harold E. Starratt Issued: May 25, 1920—this United States Patent discloses a single piece of resilient metal bent to form a grip member, a handle member having two straight portions adapted to lie parallel to each other, a pair of oppositely extending arms at the end of said handle portion, jaw members adjustably mounted on the ends of said arms, bearing members carried by said jaws members, means for securing the jaw members in their adjusted positions on the arms, and a keeper adapted to engage the portions of the handle member to draw the bearing members into a predetermined relation to each other. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,249,691 issued to Tillman on Dec. 11, 1917 is a reel for supporting barbed wire during the application of the wire to a fence; providing a reel, which may be readily carried by two workmen. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 594,977 issued to Williams on Dec. 07, 1897 is a wire unwinding device consisting of a u-shaped bail having one end terminated in the form of an eye, a side bar having one end adapted to loosely engage the eye, and the other end arranged to engage the opposite end of said bail. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 589,490 issued to Young on Sep. 07, 1897 discloses a device for distributing fence wire, two side bars having handles at one end and aligned bearings at opposite end allowing for the distributing of up to three rolls of wire at the same time. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 467,499 issued to Dulin on Jan. 26, 1892 discloses a fence wire reel and tightener consisting of a reel adapted to fit loosely on an axle with transporting wheels. 
     While these wire spool dispensers, described by the previously issued patents, may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a light weight apparatus, which can be used by one person to hold and carry a spool of wire, specifically barbed wire, and to dispense said wire while moving from one location to another over all types of terrain such as gullies, rocky ground, smooth ground, between and around trees, through vines, leaves, and other debris; while keeping the roll of wire, specifically barbed wire, from coming into contact with the person or any of the above mentioned encumbrances. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire holder, carrier, and dispenser or unreeler, specifically a barbed wire holder, carrier, and dispenser or unreeler, having a handgrip or handle, which will allow for easy handling of spools of wire, specifically barbed wire, by one person. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for holding a spool or reel of wire, and means for engaging a spool or reel of wire, a method for unreeling the spool or reel of wire without the wire, specifically barbed wire, touching the ground which will prevent trash, leaves, vines, and other debris from becoming entangled in the roll of wire. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a means for the device to stand upright when not in use as well as to provide the means for the device to move easily over the ground surface thus eliminating the need for wheels to be attached to the device thereby preventing debris from becoming entangled in same. 
     Generally, spools of wire are heavy and cumbersome to handle. With respect to barbed wire, the dangers encountered with the installation and uses thereof are well known and self-evident. In manual installations, spools of barbed wire are unwound and erected by, usually, two or more persons. Because of the hazards encountered with the barbs, one person controls and guides the unreeling of the spool while the other person installs the wire. Such two person installations are expensive and time consuming. 
     The present invention provides a device, particularly adapted for barbed wire, which enables the holding, carrying, unreeling, and installation of barbed wire by one person, while avoiding the problems and dangers encountered with the installation and use of barbed wire. 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a wire spool holder, carrier, and unreeler device particularly adapted for use with spools of barbed wire. The device hereof generally comprises a means for engaging a spool of wire, a means for grasping or holding the spool of wire, a means for carrying or transporting the spool of wire, and a means for unreeling the spool of wire. 
     The means for engaging the spool allows the spool of wire to rotate freely, permitting the unreeling of the wire from the spool. The means for engaging is connected to the means for grasping such that a spool of wire engaged therewith can be held away from the body of the user, thus avoiding the dangers encountered with the installation and use of barbed wire. 
     In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention  10 . 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the present invention  10 , taken from FIG. 1 as indicated, showing the present invention  10  with the swivel arm  12  extended. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention  10  in use. Shown is the present invention  10  with a spool of barbed wire  42  on the swivel arm wherein the spool of barbed wire  42  has rotated freely after the strand of barbed wire  44  has been attached to the post, and is in a stationary position for the next course of action by the user  40 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention  10  in use. Shown is the present invention  10  with a spool of barbed wire  42  on the swivel arm wherein the spool of barbed wire  42  is rotating freely after the strand of barbed wire  44  has been attached to the post as the user  40  moves the device from one location to another. This perspective view of the present invention in use clearly shows that the spool of barbed wire  42  is off the ground surface sufficiently to prevent debris from becoming entangled in the spool of barbed wire  42 , as well as showing the user  40  is a safe distance from the spool of barbed wire  42 , thereby decreasing the possibilities for bodily injury to the user. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIG.  1  through FIG. 4 illustrates the present invention  10  being a device for holding, carrying, and unreeling a spool wire, specifically a spool of barbed wire  42 . With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawings. 
       10  present invention 
       12  swivel arm 
       14  “Z” shelf bracket 
       16  cross brace 
       18  support brace(s) 
       20  leg(s) 
       22  hand grip 
       24  swivel lock pin 
       26  swivel shelf 
       28  swivel arm latch pin 
       30  cotter pin 
       32  welding points 
       34  {fraction (7/16)} inch hole for inserting swivel arm latch pin  28  and {fraction (7/16)} inch hole for inserting swivel lock pin  24   
       40  user 
       42  reel of barbed wire 
       44  single strand of barbed wire 
     Turning to FIG. 1, therein is shown a perspective view of the present invention  10 , a wire spool holder, carrier, and unreeler. The present invention  10  comprises two sixty-inch pieces of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing for the two legs  20 ; one thirteen-inch piece of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing for the swivel arm  12 ; one eleven-inch piece of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing for the hand grip  22 ; one eleven-inch piece of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing for the cross brace  16 ; two nine-inch pieces of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing for the two support braces  18 ; one two-inch “Z” shelf bracket  14 ; one three-inch piece of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing for the swivel shelf  26 ; one three-inch latch pin (swivel arm latch pin)  28 ; one two-inch swivel lock pin  24 ; and one one-inch cotter pin  30 . 
     Each of the two sixty-inch pieces of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing is bent seventeen-inches from one end, creating a seventy-five degree angle, to form feet extending at an acute angle from the rest of the legs  20  to support the apparatus on a surface. The two legs  20  are held upright by the bending of the two sixty-inch pieces of galvanized steel hollow tubing to create the seventy-five degree angles on each of the two sixty-inch pieces of galvanized steel hollow tubing. The two legs  20  are held together by an eleven-inch cross brace  16 , which is welded to each of the two legs  20 , twenty-six inches from the top as denoted by welding point  32  on each of the two legs  20 . The eleven-inch hand grip  22  is attached to the top of each of the two legs  20  by welding as denoted by welding points  32  on each of the two legs  20 . Welding a nine-inch support brace  18  onto each of the two legs  20  as denoted by welding points  32  further braces the present invention  10 . 
     The wire spool holder mechanism is created by welding the three-inch piece of ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing fourteen inches from the top of the right leg  20  forming the swivel shelf  26  as shown by welding point  32 ; and by welding the two-inch “Z” shelf bracket  14  fourteen inches from the top onto the left leg  20  as shown by welding point  32 . The means for engaging a reel or spool of wire in the present invention  10  is referred to as the swivel arm  12 . The swivel arm  12  is created by cutting the ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing thirteen-inches in length. Place the ¾ inch square galvanized steel hollow tubing which has been cut into a thirteen-inch length (swivel arm  12 ) onto the top of the swivel shelf  26  and onto the top of the two-inch “Z” shelf bracket  14 . Drill a {fraction (7/16)} inch diameter hole  34  (¼ inch from the end) into the left end of the swivel arm  12  and through the swivel shelf  26 ; also drill a {fraction (7/16)} inch diameter hole  34  (¼ inch from the end) into the right end of the swivel arm  12  and through the two-inch “Z” shelf bracket  14 . The swivel arm  12  is then attached to the present invention  10  by placing the swivel arm  12  onto the swivel shelf  26 , then inserting the two-inch swivel lock pin  24  into the left {fraction (7/16)} inch hole  34  on the swivel arm  12  and through the swivel shelf  26 , and finally inserting a one-inch cotter pin  30  into the two-inch swivel lock pin  24 . The swivel arm  12  is locked in place by placing the swivel arm  12  onto the “Z” shelf bracket  14 , inserting the three-inch swivel arm latch pin  28  into the {fraction (7/16)}-inch diameter hole  34  on the swivel arm  12  and through the {fraction (7/16)}-inch diameter hole  34  previously drilled in the “Z” shelf bracket  14 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, which is an enlarged view of the present invention  10 , taken from FIG. 1 as indicated showing the present invention  10  with the swivel arm  12  extended. 
     In utilizing the present device  10 , and as depicted in FIG. 3, the spool engaging means referred to as the swivel arm  12  embraces a spool or reel of barbed wire  42  (or similar spool of wire). The user  40  then grasps the hand grip  22 . To unwind the reel of barbed wire  42  (or similar spool of wire), the present invention  10  has been pulled forward and away from the post or structure, which the single strand of barbed wire  44  has been attached to. The single strand of barbed wire  44  is unreeled in the direction of the arrow as shown on FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 is another representation of the present invention  10 , the spool engaging means referred to as the swivel arm  12  embraces a spool or reel of barbed wire  42  (or similar spool of wire). As the user  40  grasps the hand grip  22  of the present invention  10  (barbed wire holder, carrier, and unreeler); the present invention  10  tilts forward as the device is pulled forward and away from the post or structure to which the single strand of barbed wire  44  has been attached. This action results in the reel of barbed wire  42  (or similar spool of wire) being unreeled. The single strand of barbed wire  44  is unreeled in the direction of the arrow as shown on FIG.  4 . 
     The present invention  10  can be laid face-down and with the swivel arm  12  extended, the swivel arm  12  can be inserted into the roll of wire without the user ever touching the roll of wire; thus eliminating one of the dangers associated and encountered when working with wire such as barbed wire. After the roll of wire has been inserted onto the swivel arm  12 ; the swivel arm  12  is locked in place by placing the swivel arm  12  onto the “Z” shelf bracket  14  and inserting the three-inch swivel arm latch pin  28  into the {fraction (7/16)}-inch diameter hole  34  in the swivel arm  12  and through the {fraction (7/16)}-inch diameter hole  34  in the “Z” shelf bracket  14 , then locking the three-inch swivel arm latch pin  28  in place. The present invention  10  can then be raised into an upright position by using the hand grip  22 . The present invention  10  will stand upright and ready for use. 
     It is apparent from the preceding that one individual can handle a spool of wire, and particularly barbed wire, without encountering the dangers associated with such wire. The means for holding, carrying, and unreeling permits the user to maintain a safe distance from the barbs while still allowing the wire to be unreeled from the spool.