초록 ▼

A safety enclosure for a powered reel apparatus for use with an associated elongated flexible member. The reel is carried by and enclosed within the enclosure and is rotatable by a electric motor. The enclosure has left and right wall panels, front and rear wall panels extending between the left and

A safety enclosure for a powered reel apparatus for use with an associated elongated flexible member. The reel is carried by and enclosed within the enclosure and is rotatable by a electric motor. The enclosure has left and right wall panels, front and rear wall panels extending between the left and right wall panels, and a cover. When one of the panels is in an open position, the motor is operationally locked out, and when one of the panels is rotated into a closed position, the motor is operable.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A safety enclosure for a powered reel apparatus for use with an associated elongated flexible member comprising:a reel having a hub defining an axis of rotation and a pair of flanges at opposing ends of said hub and perpendicular to said axis of rotation; an enclosure having left and right side w

1. A safety enclosure for a powered reel apparatus for use with an associated elongated flexible member comprising:a reel having a hub defining an axis of rotation and a pair of flanges at opposing ends of said hub and perpendicular to said axis of rotation; an enclosure having left and right side wall panels, front and rear wall panels extending between said left and right side wall panels, and a cover panel, said enclosure being constructed and arranged to receive said reel, said reel being rotatably mounted within said enclosure; at least one electric motor constructed and arranged to cooperate with said reel to provide selective power assisted rotational movement of said reel in relation to said enclosure; a control assembly constructed and arranged to electrically connect and disconnect said at least one electric motor to and from an electrical power source, wherein operation of said control assembly in a first mode connects said electrical power source to said electric motor to cause rotation of said reel in relation to said enclosure for powered take-up or pay out of said flexible elongate member, wherein operation of said control assembly in a second mode disconnects said electrical power source from said at least one electric motor; at least one safety interlock means constructed and arranged to cooperate with said control assembly and said enclosure to prevent electrical connection between said electrical power source and said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position, thereby preventing power assisted operation of said reel. 2. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1 wherein, said at least one safety interlock means includes at least one switch means for monitoring said enclosure panels and disconnecting said electrical power source from said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position.3. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 2 wherein, said switch means includes at least one electrical switch, wherein said at least one electrical switch is constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position.4. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 3 wherein, said switch means includes at least one mechanically actuated electrical switch, wherein said at least one mechanically actuated electrical switch is constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position.5. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 3 wherein, said switch means includes at least one mercury switch, wherein said at least one mercury switch is constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position.6. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 3 wherein, said switch means includes at least one proximity switch, wherein said at least one proximity switch is constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position.7. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 3 wherein, said switch means includes at least one optical switch, wherein said at least one optical switch is constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said at least one electric motor when at least one of said enclosure panels are in an open position.8. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1 wherein, wherein said enclosure cover includes a pair of hinges for mounting said cover to said enclosure for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position, wherein said closed position permits powered operation of said reel, wherein said open position locks out powered operation of said reel.9. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 8, wherein each said hinge includes a pocket formed in a respective side wall panel and a pin associated and cooperative with each said pocket, each said pocket configured to permit rotational movement of said pins for upward rotational movement of said cover.10. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 9, wherein said cover includes a depending lip and wherein said pins are formed as cylindrical elements extending from said depending lip, axially aligned with one another.11. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cover includes a releasable latch means for releasably holding said cover in a closed position.12. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 11, wherein said releasable latch means includes at least one catch, said at least one catch extending outwardly from said depending lip and cooperating with at least one detent, said at least one detent constructed and arranged to cooperate with said catch and incorporated into said side panels;wherein said cover is opened by lifting the front portion of said cover upwardly, urging said catches past said detents. 13. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control assembly includes at least one foot operated switch, wherein at least one of said side wall panels include a foot pedal housing extending inwardly into said side wall panel for housing said foot operated switch, wherein selective operation of said foot operated switch electrically connects said at least one electric motor to said electrical power source for powered take-up of said flexible elongate member, wherein said foot pedal housing is constructed and arranged to protect said foot operated switch from inadvertent operation.14. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said enclosure includes an opening therein configured for take-up and pay-out of said flexible elongate member when said cover is in the closed position.15. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said front wall panel includes a cut-out portion at about a top edge thereof adjacent a junction with said cover when said cover is in the closed position, said cut-out configured for traversing a portion of said flexible hose therethrough to take-up and pay-out said hose with said cover in the closed position.16. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said left and right side panels each include elongated sockets formed therein, said sockets extending along the front and back edges thereof and integral with said panels, wherein said front and rear panels include elongated contoured posts extending outwardly from ends thereof and integral therewith, the posts being adapted to insert into the sockets for securing to the left and right panels.17. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said left and right side panels each include at least one rubber pad fixedly secured to a bottom surface of each of said left and right side wall panels for engaging a surface to resist skidding of said safety enclosure device during operation.18. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said front panel of said enclosure includes an elongated cut-out portion at about a bottom edge thereof extending upwardly, said cut-out configured for accommodating a drawer, said drawer configured to open in a pivotal fashion.19. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 18, wherein said drawer is constructed and arranged to include sides and a rear wall to prevent inadvertent reaching into said enclosure during operation of said reel.20. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said rear wall panel further includes at least one recessed anchoring aperture, said at least one recessed anchoring aperture configured and arranged to anchor said enclosure to a surface or a suitable structure, whereby unwanted movement of said enclosure is prevented.21. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 20, wherein said rear wall panel contains two said recessed anchoring apertures.22. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hose winding apparatus further includes a level-wind comprising:a double helix lead screw, said double helix lead screw substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said reel axis of rotation and suitably supported and journaled in said left and said right side wall panels; a guide rod substantially parallel to said reel axis of rotation, suitably supported by said left and said right side wall panels; a carriage, said carriage constructed and arranged to cooperate with said double helix lead screw and said guide rod; and a hose guide gear-train, said gear train constructed and arranged to transfer rotary motion from said reel to said double helix lead-screw; wherein said carriage reciprocates back and forth across said lead screw and said guide rod when said reel is rotated to uniformly and smoothly wrap said flexible elongate member on said reel for a compact storage configuration. 23. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 22, wherein said carriage includes a follower assembly, said follower assembly constructed and arranged to cooperatively engage said lead-screw.24. The safety enclosure in accordance with claim 23, wherein said follower assembly is manually disengageable from said lead-screw and manually re-engageable to said lead-screw, wherein said flexible elongate member can be manually pulled from said reel without reciprocation of said level-wind and said level-wind is repositionable and re-engageable to said lead-screw.