Caddy for spooled materials

Abstract

The caddy for spooled materials facilitates the removal and installation of spools of coiled materials (wire, cable, rope, cord, chain, etc.) within the device, while positively retaining the spools as material is withdrawn. The caddy includes a pair of opposed lateral frame members having a series of fixed crossmembers therebetween, which define a spool retaining cradle therein. A pivotally mounted arm extends from each frame member adjacent the first or rear fixed crossmember, with a spool retaining crossmember connecting the distal ends of the arms. When the movable crossmember is raised, sufficient room is provided between the first fixed crossmember and movable crossmember to allow a spool to be placed within or removed from the caddy. However, when the movable crossmember is lowered, the space between the first fixed crossmember and movable crossmember is reduced to less than the diameter of the spool, thereby securing the spool in place.

1 . A caddy for spooled materials, comprising: 
 a longitudinal first frame member having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end;    a longitudinal second frame member having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end, the second frame member being spaced laterally opposite the first frame member;    at least one front crossmember and at least one rear crossmember immovably affixed between the first frame member and the second frame member, each of the crossmembers being spaced longitudinally from one another and defining a generally diametric spool plane and spool retaining span therebetween;    at least one central crossmember immovably affixed between the frame members between the front crossmember and the rear crossmember and displaced below the spool plane, the corresponding front, rear, and central crossmembers defining a spool cradle therein;    at least one elongate first spool-retaining arm pivotally attached to the first frame member rearwardly of the corresponding rear crossmember;    at least one elongate second spool-retaining arm pivotally attached to the second frame member rearwardly of the corresponding rear crossmember, each of the spool-retaining arms having a frame attachment end and a distal end opposite the frame attachment end, and having a length greater than the spool retaining span of the front and rear crossmembers; and    a spool-retaining arm crossmember extending between the distal end of the corresponding first and second spool-retaining arms, each of the spool-retaining arm crossmembers and the corresponding rear crossmember defining a variable span therebetween;    whereby each variable span defines a width greater than a spool diameter for passage of a spool therethrough when the corresponding spool-retaining arm crossmember is raised, and defines a width narrower than the spool diameter for retention of a spool within the corresponding spool cradle when the corresponding said spool retaining arm crossmember is lowered.    
   
   
       2 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said at least one front crossmember comprises a plurality of front crossmembers;    said at least one rear crossmember comprises a plurality of rear crossmembers;    said at least one central crossmember comprises a plurality of central crossmembers;    said at least one first spool-retaining arm comprises a plurality of first spool-retaining arms;    said at least one second spool-retaining arm comprises a plurality of second spool-retaining arms; and    said at least one spool-retaining arm crossmember comprises a plurality of spool-retaining arm crossmembers.    
   
   
       3 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 1 , further including: 
 a first central crossmember attachment flange depending from said first frame member; and    a second central crossmember attachment flange depending from said second frame member, each of the central crossmembers extending between said first central crossmember attachment flange and said second central crossmember attachment flange.    
   
   
       4 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 1 , further including: 
 at least one first spool-retaining arm stop extending from said first frame member; and    at least one second spool-retaining arm stop extending from said second frame member.    
   
   
       5 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 1 , further including a roller disposed about said spool-retaining arm crossmember.  
   
   
       6 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 1 , further including: 
 a first wheel depending from the forward end of said first frame member; and    a second wheel depending from the forward end of said second frame member.    
   
   
       7 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 1 , further including a handle extending upwardly from the rearward end of said first frame member and said second frame member.  
   
   
       8 . A caddy for spooled materials, comprising: 
 a longitudinal first frame member having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end;    a longitudinal second frame member having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end, the second frame member being spaced laterally opposite said first frame member;    a plurality of front and rear crossmembers immovably affixed between the first and second frame members, each of the corresponding front and rear crossmembers being spaced longitudinally from one another and defining a generally diametric spool plane and spool retaining span therebetween;    a plurality of central crossmembers immovably affixed between the frame members between the corresponding front and rear crossmembers and displaced below the spool plane, each of the front, rear, and central crossmembers defining a spool cradle therein;    a plurality of elongate first spool-retaining arms pivotally attached to the first frame member rearwardly of the corresponding rear crossmember;    a plurality of elongate second spool-retaining arms pivotally attached to the second frame member rearwardly of the corresponding rear crossmember, each of the spool-retaining arms having a frame attachment end and a distal end opposite the frame attachment end, and having a length greater than the spool retaining span of each of the corresponding front and rear crossmembers; and    a spool-retaining arm crossmember extending between the distal end of the corresponding first and second spool-retaining arms, each of the spool-retaining arm crossmembers and the corresponding rear crossmember defining a variable span therebetween;    whereby each variable span defines a width greater than a spool diameter for passage of a spool therethrough when the corresponding one of the spool-retaining arm crossmembers is raised, and further defines a width narrower than the spool diameter for retention of a spool within the corresponding spool cradle when the corresponding one of the spool-retaining arm crossmembers is lowered.    
   
   
       9 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 8 , further including: 
 a first central crossmember attachment flange depending from said first frame member; and    a second central crossmember attachment flange depending from said second frame member, the central crossmembers extending between the first central crossmember attachment flange and the second central crossmember attachment flange.    
   
   
       10 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 8 , further including: 
 a plurality of first spool-retaining arm stops extending from said first frame member; and    a plurality of second spool-retaining arm stops extending from said second frame member.    
   
   
       11 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 8 , further including a roller disposed about each of said spool-retaining arm crossmembers.  
   
   
       12 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 8 , further including: 
 a first wheel depending from the forward end of said first frame member; and    a second wheel depending from the forward end of said second frame member.    
   
   
       13 . The caddy for spooled materials according to  claim 8 , further including a handle extending upwardly from the rearward end of said first frame member and said second frame member.  
   
   
       14 . A caddy for spooled materials in combination with at least one spool of material, the combination comprising: 
 a longitudinal first frame member having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end;    a longitudinal second frame member having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end, the second frame member being spaced laterally opposite said first frame member;    at least one front crossmember and at least one rear crossmember immovably affixed between the first and second frame members, each of the crossmembers being spaced longitudinally from one another and defining a generally diametric spool plane and spool retaining span therebetween;    at least one central crossmember immovably affixed between each of the frame members between the corresponding front and rear crossmembers and displaced below the spool plane, each of the front, rear, and corresponding central crossmembers defining a spool cradle therein;    at least one elongate first spool-retaining arm pivotally attached to the first frame member rearwardly of the corresponding rear crossmember;    at least one elongate second spool-retaining arm pivotally attached to the second frame member rearwardly of the corresponding rear crossmember, each of the spool-retaining arms having a frame attachment end and a distal end opposite the frame attachment end, and having a length greater than the spool retaining span of the front and rear crossmembers;    a spool-retaining arm crossmember extending between the distal end of the corresponding first and second spool retaining arm, each of the spool-retaining arm crossmembers and the rear crossmember defining a variable span therebetween; and    at least one spool of elongate material, the spool having a diameter;    whereby each of the variable spans define a width greater than the spool diameter for passage of the at least one spool therethrough when the corresponding spool retaining arm crossmember is raised, and further defines a width narrower than the spool diameter for retention of the at least one spool within the corresponding spool cradle when the corresponding spool-retaining arm crossmember is lowered.    
   
   
       15 . The caddy for spooled materials combination according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 said at least one front crossmember comprises a plurality of front crossmembers;    said at least one rear crossmember comprises a plurality of rear crossmembers;    said at least one central crossmember comprises a plurality of central crossmembers;    said at least one first spool-retaining arm comprises a plurality of first spool-retaining arms;    said at least one second spool-retaining arm comprises a plurality of second spool-retaining arms; and    said at least one spool-retaining arm crossmember comprises a plurality of spool-retaining arm crossmembers.    
   
   
       16 . The caddy for spooled materials combination according to  claim 14 , further including: 
 a first central crossmember attachment flange depending from said first frame member; and    a second central crossmember attachment flange depending from said second frame member, each of the central crossmembers extending between the first and second central crossmember attachment flanges.    
   
   
       17 . The caddy for spooled materials combination according to  claim 14 , further including: 
 at least one first spool-retaining arm stop extending from said first frame member; and    at least one second spool-retaining arm stop extending from said second frame member.    
   
   
       18 . The caddy for spooled materials combination according to  claim 14 , further including a roller disposed about said spool-retaining arm crossmember.  
   
   
       19 . The caddy for spooled materials combination according to  claim 14 , further including: 
 a first wheel depending from the forward end of said first frame member; and    a second wheel depending from the forward end of said second frame member.    
   
   
       20 . The caddy for spooled materials combination according to  claim 14 , further including a handle extending upwardly from the rearward end of said first frame member and said second frame member.