AU753294B2 - Universal hose reel stand - Google Patents

Description

p, (1.

2 Universal hose reel stand Introduction The present invention relates to the field of garden equipment and in particular, the invention provides a universal hose reel stand for the mounting of a garden hose reel.

Background of the Invention Household hoses are commonly stored on hose reels which allow orderly storage and relative ease of use. One disadvantage of such hose reels is that if not anchored, they are unstable while the hose is being pulled from the reel, but when the reel is secured as for example by attachment to a wall or fence, operation becomes inflexible in that it is difficult to pull the hose from the reel in directions other than that substantially in the plane of the reel, which is fixed.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a hose reel stand including a substantially upright support member arranged to be securely mounted to a rigid body, a carrier pivotably mounted on the support member and hose reel attachment means located on the carrier and arranged to securely attach a hose reel to the carrier.

In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means includes an upper bracket arranged to support an upper hose reel frame member and a lower bracket arranged to engage a lower hose reel frame member. The preferred embodiment is arranged to carry a hose reel having horizontal upper and lower frame members that are located substantially in a vertical plane at one 25 side of the hose reel assembly.

Preferably, the upper and lower mounting brackets are horizontally extending angle members arranged to engage the respective reel frame members, the upper bracket being preferably fixed and the lower bracket being preferably carried on a movable mounting member arranged to provide 30 vertical location adjustment to accept different hose reel frame dimensions.

The movable member is preferably a tube section sized to slide over the upright support member and including a threaded hole arranged to receive a clamping screw to locate the mounting member on the upright support ****member.

Brief Description of the Preferred Embodiments Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention with a hose reel shown mounted thereon; Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention without a hose reel attached; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Figure 1, without the hose reel shown; Figure 4 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a plan and side elevation of an upright support member used in both the Figure 1 and Figure 2 embodiments; Figure 6 is a plan and side elevation of a sliding lower hose reel mounting bracket used in the Figure 1 and Figure 2 embodiments; Figure 7 is a plan and side elevation of a base member used in the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 8 is a plan and side elevation of a base member used in the embodiment of Figure 2.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1, a hose reel assembly 10 including a reel 11 and a frame 12 having an upper horizontal frame member 13 and a lower horizontal frame member 14, is mounted on a hose reel stand 15 (see also Figure 3) including a base member 19 supporting an upright member 16 :....carrying mounting brackets 17, 18.

25 The base member 19 (refer also to Figure 7) includes an upright post 21 extending from a mounting plate 22 having four attachment holes 23. An upright support member 16 sits over the upright post 21 and is pivotable thereon. The upright support member (refer also to Figure 5) includes a square section member 25, open at its lower end and closed at its upper end S. 30 such that the member 25 fits over the post 21 of the base member 19 and is pivotable thereon. The support member 16, may be locked against pivoting by screwing down a clamping screw 26, passing through a threaded hole in the member 25, and clamping it against the post 21.

The upper support bracket 17 is a horizontal upward opening length of angle attached to the top of the upright member 25 and arranged to support an upper horizontal member 14 of the hose reel assembly The lower support bracket 18 (refer also to Figure 6) is carried on a square section tubular slide 27, arranged to fit over the support member and including a clamping screw 28 passing through a threaded hole in the slide 27 and arranged to clamp the slide 27 to the support member The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that the base member 20 (see also Figure 4) includes a curved post 24 which replaces the straight upright post 21. This arrangement allows the mounting plate 22 to be mounted on a vertical wall while still allowing the upper portion of the post 24 and the support member 16 to extend vertically.

In use, the hose reel is mounted on the support member by springing the upper and lower horizontal members 13, 14 of the hose reel over the mounting brackets 17, 18 and locating the horizontal members in the mutually outwardly facing brackets 17, 18 with the hose reel suspended from the upper bracket 17.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive: oo.* ee See

Claims (4)

1. A hose reel stand comprising a substantially upright support member arranged to be securely mounted to a rigid body, a carrier pivotably mounted on the support member and hose reel attachment means located on the carrier and arranged to securely and releasably attach a hose reel to the carrier, wherein the attachment means is arranged to carry a portable hose reel having horizontal upper and lower frame members that are located substantially in a vertical plane at one side of the hose reel assembly, the attachment means comprising an upper bracket arranged to support an upper hose reel frame member and a lower bracket arranged to engage a lower hose reel frame member.

2. The hose reel stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment the upper and lower mounting brackets are horizontally extending angle members arranged to engage the respective reel frame members.

3. The hose reel stand as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper bracket is fixed and the lower bracket is carried on a movable mounting member arranged to provide vertical location adjustment to accept different hose reel frame dimensions.

14. The hose reel stand as claimed in claim 3, wherein the movable member is a tube section sized to slide over the upright support member and includes a threaded hole arranged to receive a clamping screw to locate the mounting member on the upright support member. 5. The hose reel stand substantially as hereinbefore described, with *...*reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this seventh day of August 2002 STEPHEN J HARTSHORN Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO