Reel base assembly

Abstract

A base assembly for a reel, such as a hose reel, including two cooperating base components joined to one another and supporting a spool assembly. The base components may be identical to one another, and each include a base portion and an upright portion disposed 90° with respect to one another and formed monolithically from a single piece of material such as steel. The base components further include rigidifying structures such as gussets, edge bends, and reinforcement ribs or channels to rigidify the base components against vibration and impact stresses. Each of the base portions includes a connection plate and an offset connection flange, wherein the connection flanges overlap and are secured to respective connection plates when the upright components are mated and secured to one another with one upright component disposed at an orientation rotated 180° with respect to the other. The base assembly may be attached to a surface, such as a floor, wall, or other surface via suitable fasteners, and the connections between the upright components are substantially isolated from vibration and impact stresses imposed upon on the base assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the connection between base components may be varied to provide modularity to the base assembly. In this embodiment, the base assembly may be configured to support spool assemblies of various dimensions.

1 . A base assembly for a reel, comprising: 
 a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion monolithically formed from a single piece of material, said base portions secured to one another in at least one location disposed between said upright portions; and    each said base component further including at least one fastener-receiving mount structure by which said base component is securable to a surface.    
     
     
         2 . The base assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said pair of base components are identical, one of said base components oriented at an angle of 180° with respect to the other of said base components.  
     
     
         3 . The base assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said base portions includes a connection plate and a connection flange, said connection flange disposed in an offset relationship with respect to said connection plate, said connection flanges overlapping said connection plates when said base components are secured to one another.  
     
     
         4 . The base assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said connection plate and said connection flange includes at least one first hole, said first holes disposed along a first line, and each of said connection plate and said connection flange further includes at least one second hole, said second holes disposed along a second line laterally spaced with respect to said first line, whereby said first and second sets of holes are respectively alignable with one another to vary the width of said base assembly.  
     
     
         5 . The base assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said base components includes at least one gusset monolithically formed between said base portion and said upright portion thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The base assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said upright portions further includes at least one reinforcement structural component selected from the group consisting of edge bends, ribs, and channels.  
     
     
         7 . The base assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said mount structure comprises: 
 at least one closed hole in each said base component; and    at least one open slot in each said base component.    
     
     
         8 . A base assembly for a reel, comprising: 
 a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion;    first and second sets of holes in each of said base portions, said first sets of holes alignable with one another to define a first width of said base assembly and said second sets of holes alignable with one another to define a second width of said base assembly; and    each said base component further including at least one fastener-receiving mount structure by which said base component is securable to a surface.    
     
     
         9 . The base assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said pair of base components are identical, one of said base components oriented at an angle of  1800  with respect to the other of said base components.  
     
     
         10 . The base assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said base portion and upright portion of each of said base components are monolithically formed from a single piece of material.  
     
     
         11 . The base assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of said base portions includes a connection plate and a connection flange, said connection flange disposed in an offset relationship with respect to said connection plate, said connection flanges overlapping said connection plates when said base components are secured to one another.  
     
     
         12 . The base assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said mount structure comprises: 
 at least one closed hole in each said base component; and    at least one open slot in each said base component.    
     
     
         13 . A base assembly for a reel, comprising: 
 a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion;    means for selectively connecting said base portions to one another in either of first or second positions to define first and second widths, respectively, of said base assembly; and    means for mounting said base components to a surface.    
     
     
         14 . The base assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said means for selectively connecting said base portions to one another comprises first and second sets of holes in each of said base portions of said base components, said first sets of holes alignable with one another to define a first width of said base assembly and said second sets of holes alignable with one another to define a second width of said base assembly.  
     
     
         15 . The base assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said means for mounting said base components to a surface comprises a combination of holes and slots in said base portions of said base components.  
     
     
         16 . The base assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said pair of base components are identical, one of said base components oriented at an angle of  1800  with respect to the other of said base components.  
     
     
         17 . The base assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said base portion and upright portion of each of said base components are monolithically formed from a single piece of material.