Swiveling hose reel

Abstract

A hose reel assembly that includes a hose support assembly and a pivot assembly. The pivot assembly has a first component and a second component. The first component and the second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation. The pivot assembly first component is disposed on the hose support assembly and the pivot assembly second component is disposed on the base assembly. Thus, the hose support assembly is rotatably coupled to the base assembly and structured to rotate about a vertical axis.

1 . A hose reel assembly comprising: 
 a hose support assembly structured to support a hose;    a pivot assembly having a bottom plate with a first component and a base assembly with a second component;    said pivot assembly bottom plate coupled to said hose support assembly;    said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation; and    whereby said hose support assembly is rotatably coupled to said base assembly and structured to rotate about a vertical axis.    
     
     
         2 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said bottom plate has an upper side and a lower side;    said pivot assembly first component is disposed on said bottom plate lower side and is a generally torus-shaped race having a width;    said base assembly includes a base plate having an upper surface;    said pivot assembly second component is disposed on said base plate upper surface and is a torus-shaped track extending from said base plate upper surface, said track having a width; and    said track sized to have a width that is smaller than said race width whereby said track is disposed within said race.    
     
     
         3 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said pivot assembly includes a friction reduction device structured to reduce the friction between said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component.  
     
     
         4 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said track includes an outer surface;    said race includes an inner surface;    said friction reduction device includes a plurality of fixed bearings extending upwardly from said track outer surface, said fixed bearings each having a contact surface; and    wherein said race inner surface engages said fixed bearing contact surfaces.    
     
     
         5 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said friction reduction device further includes grease disposed on said track outer surface; and    wherein said fixed bearings act as a grease trap.    
     
     
         6 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said fixed bearings are radial ribs having a length that is less than the width of the track outer surface.  
     
     
         7 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said track includes a pair of sides extending generally perpendicular to and downwardly from said track outer surface; and    said ribs extend alternately from opposing track sides toward the center of said track outer surface.    
     
     
         8 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said hose support assembly includes a housing assembly and a basket assembly;    said basket assembly having a generally cylindrical, elongated barrel; and    said basket assembly barrel is coupled to said housing assembly with the barrel axis of rotation extending generally perpendicular to said hose support assembly axis of rotation.    
     
     
         9 . A hose reel assembly comprising: 
 a hose support assembly structured to support a hose;    a pivot assembly having a bottom plate, a first component, a base assembly and a second component;    said pivot assembly bottom plate coupled to said hose support assembly and having a lower side;    said base assembly having a base plate with an upper surface;    said first component being a torus-shaped race disposed on said bottom plate lower side;    said second component being a torus-shaped track disposed on, and extending upwardly from, said base plate upper surface;    said track structured to be disposed within said race; and    said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation.    
     
     
         10 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said pivot assembly includes a friction reduction device structured to reduce the friction between said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component.  
     
     
         11 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said track includes an outer surface;    said race includes an inner surface;    said friction reduction device includes a plurality of fixed bearings extending upwardly from said track outer surface, said fixed bearings each having a contact surface; and    wherein said race inner surface engages said fixed bearing contact surfaces.    
     
     
         12 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said friction reduction device further includes grease disposed on said track outer surface; and    wherein said fixed bearings act as a grease trap.    
     
     
         13 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said fixed bearings are radial ribs having a length that is less than the width of the track outer surface.  
     
     
         14 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said track includes a pair of sides extending generally perpendicular to and downwardly from said track outer surface; and    said ribs extend alternately from opposing track sides toward the center of said track outer surface.    
     
     
         15 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 said pivot assembly includes a linking device;    said linking device having a first component disposed on said hose support assembly and a second component disposed on said the base assembly; and    said linking device structured to maintain said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component in a rotational relationship.    
     
     
         16 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said linking device first component includes a plurality of flexible tabs each said tab having a generally perpendicular latch, said latches extending generally perpendicular to said axis of rotation;    said linking device second component includes a latch surface extending generally perpendicular to said axis of rotation;    wherein, when said hose support assembly is disposed on said base assembly, each said latch is structured to extend over said latch surface; and    wherein when said hose support assembly is lifted from said base assembly, each said latch engages said latch surface.    
     
     
         17 . A hose reel assembly comprising: 
 a hose support assembly structured to support a hose;    a pivot assembly having a bottom plate, a first component, a base assembly and a second component;    said pivot assembly bottom plate coupled to said hose support assembly and having a lower side;    said base assembly having a base plate with an upper surface;    said first component being a torus-shaped race disposed on said bottom plate lower side;    said second component being a torus-shaped track disposed on, and extending upwardly from, said base plate upper surface;    said track structured to be disposed within said race;    said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation;    said race having an inner surface;    said track having an outer surface;    said pivot assembly having a friction reduction device structured to reduce the friction between said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component; and    said friction reduction device including a grease trap.    
     
     
         18 . The hose reel assembly of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said friction reduction device includes a plurality of fixed bearings extending upwardly from said track outer surface, said fixed bearings each having a contact surface; and    wherein said race inner surface engages said fixed bearing contact surfaces and wherein said bearings are to resist, but not prevent, the rotational movement of said grease around said track.    
     
     
         19 . A pivot assembly structured to allow for the rotational movement of a hose support assembly, said pivot assembly comprising: 
 a bottom plate with a first component and a base assembly with a second component;    said pivot assembly bottom plate structured to be removably fixedly coupled to the hose support assembly; and    said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation.    
     
     
         20 . The pivot assembly of  claim 21 , wherein: 
 said bottom plate has an upper side and a lower side;    said pivot assembly first component is disposed on said bottom plate lower side and is a generally torus-shaped race having a width;    said base assembly includes a base plate having an upper surface;    said pivot assembly second component is disposed on said base plate upper surface and is a torus-shaped track extending from said base plate upper surface, said track having a width; and    said track sized to have a width that is smaller than said race width whereby said track is disposed within said race.    
     
     
         21 . The pivot assembly of  claim 22 , wherein said pivot assembly includes a friction reduction device structured to reduce the friction between said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component.  
     
     
         22 . The pivot assembly of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said track includes an outer surface;    said race includes an inner surface;    said friction reduction device includes a plurality of fixed bearings extending upwardly from said track outer surface, said fixed bearings each having a contact surface; and    wherein said race inner surface engages said fixed bearing contact surfaces.    
     
     
         23 . The pivot assembly of  claim 24 , wherein: 
 said friction reduction device further includes grease disposed on said track outer surface; and    wherein said fixed bearings act as a grease trap.    
     
     
         24 . The pivot assembly of  claim 25 , wherein said fixed bearings are radial ribs having a length that is less than the width of the track outer surface.  
     
     
         25 . The pivot assembly of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 said track includes a pair of sides extending generally perpendicular to and downwardly from said track outer surface; and    said ribs extend alternately from opposing track sides toward the center of said track outer surface.    
     
     
         26 . The pivot assembly of  claim 21  wherein: 
 said pivot assembly bottom plate is a generally planar member having an upper side and a lower side; and    said bottom plate planar member having a coupling device structured to removably fixedly couple said bottom plate to said hose support assembly.    
     
     
         27 . The pivot assembly of  claim 28  wherein said hose support assembly has a housing assembly, said housing assembly having a plurality of feet, at least one foot having a first horizontal surface and another foot having a second horizontal surface, said pivot assembly further comprising: 
 said bottom plate planar member coupling device includes at least one horizontal tab extending from one side of said planar member in a plane generally parallel to said bottom plate planar member upper side and includes at one resilient locking tab;    said horizontal tab structured to engage said first horizontal surface; and    said at one resilient locking tab structured to engage said second horizontal surface.    
     
     
         28 . A pivot assembly structured to allow for the rotational movement of a hose support assembly, said pivot assembly comprising: 
 a bottom plate with a first component and a base assembly with a second component;    said pivot assembly bottom plate structured to be removably fixedly coupled to the hose support assembly;    said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation;    said base assembly having a base plate with an upper surface;    said first component being a torus-shaped race disposed on said bottom plate lower side;    said second component being a torus-shaped track disposed on, and extending upwardly from, said base plate upper surface;    said track structured to be disposed within said race;    said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component structured to be rotatably coupled together with a generally vertical axis of rotation;    said race having an inner surface;    said track having an outer surface;    said pivot assembly having a friction reduction device structured to reduce the friction between said pivot assembly first component and said pivot assembly second component; and    said friction reduction device including a grease trap.