Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02491432 2004-12-30
WO 2004/097121 PCT/US2004/013393
PORTABLE HOSE ROLLER
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. provisional patent
application serial No. 60/466,570, filed on April 29, 2003. The priority of
these
prior applications is expressly claimed and their disclosures are hereby
incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE aNV ELATION
This invention relates to hose handling equipment, and in partibular to
equipment used for rolling and re-stowing hoses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
(n activities such as firefighting and construction, hoses are deployed to
deliver water to a fire or other location remote from the water supply. When
the
job is completed, or if the hoses must be moved to a new location, it is
necessary to rewind the hoses. This is a time consuming and clumsy task
when done by hand, as is normally the case. In addition, the handling of
hoses, especially wet hoses, is heavy work that can cause strains and sprains,
and can also unnecessarily tire the firefighters or workers. In fighting
forest
fires, the fire crew is often working in remote locations with a limited crew,
and
can often find it necessary to move quickly to another location for safety or
as
part of a redeployment. As a result, there is a need for an apparatus that can
readily rewind hoses, that is portable, and that can be easily operated by a
single operator.
This invention provides such an apparatus which will be described in
detail with reference to the accompanying figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown at 10 in Fig.'s 1- 4,
and includes a frame 12, a motor 14, a gearbox 16 having a horizontal output
shaft 18, a guide roller 20, a safety frame 22, and a hitch mount 24. Safety
frame 2Z is provided to prevent accidental insertion of hands or equipment
into
the moving roller or spool. The frame is designed to be compact and partially
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2
dissembled to permit easy transport by one or two persons. The guide roller 20
is mounted on a support that is held in place on the frame by a removable pin
that can be removed to detach fihe support and guide roller Fig. 2). Referring
again to Fig. 2, safety frame 22 is also removable by removing pin 28. Motor
14 as shown is an electric motor that is powered either by the vehicle
transporting the roller or by a portable generator. The motor in the preferred
embodiment is powered by a 12 volt power supply, but can also be powered by
a 110 volt power supply in other embodiments. In still other embodiments
motor 14 is gasoline or diesel powered.
The invention is designed to be mountable on the front or rear carrying
rack of an ATV, and for this reason the guide roller 20 and the safety frame
22
are removable so that the frame 12 is supportable on an ATV carrying rack. In
another embodiment of the invention best seen in Fig.'s 4 and 5, the frame 12
includes a tongue 24 that inserts into a standard square trailer hitch
receiver
knot shown). By mounting the frame on a hitch in this way the roller can be
operated by a single operator and quickly and easily moved with the vehicle.
The frame is preferably made of aluminum to minimize the weight of the frame
assembly, although any suitable material of consfiruction will suffice.
Turning to Fig.'s 5-8, the roller is shown with a hose spool 30 mounted
on the motor output shaft. Spool 30 includes a mounting hub 32 that fits onto
the output shaft, a backing plate 34 that is mounted on mounting hub 32, and
tines 36 around which the end of the hose is wrapped to initially attach the
hose
to the roller. The backing plate is provided to ensure that the hose is wound
in
a flat on the spool.
In addition to hoses, the invention can be used to wind wires, cables and
tubing onto a spool: In some instances it might be necessary or~ preferable to
adjust the size and spacing of the tines and or the spool for the specific
application, but this can be readily achieved as necessary.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention is shown at 40 in Fig.'s 9
. Referring to Fig.'s 9 and 10, the frame 42 includes two receiver hitches 44
and 46 that permit frame 42 to be mounted on the vehicle either horizontally
or
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longitudinally. In addition to being mountable at two different orientations,
frame 42 can be mounted in either orientation at three different heights
utilizing
hitch bar 48. Referring to Fig.'s 11-13, hitch bar 48 includes offset portions
50
and 52. Portion 50 is insertable into either of receiver hitches 44 or 46 at
any of
three different positions to position portion 52 above, below or at the same
height as receiver 44 or 46. Hitch bar 48 can be mounted in three different
orientations as shown in Fig.'s 11-13 to provide three different mounting
heights as shown. The variable mounting heights accommodate different
operators and also facilitate use of the apparatus when the vehicle is parked
on
slanted terrain.
In another aspect of this embodiment as best seen in Fig's 14 and 15,
the apparatus is fitted with removable left and right line guide-guards 54 and
56. Each is removeable mounted in receivers 55 and 57 and is retained by a
removeable pin 58. Each can be individually mounted and permit the operafiion
of the apparatus to wind hoses or lines from either side of the vehicle
without
the need tc~ reposition the vehicle.
In another aspect of the invention, frame 42 includes a tray portion 60
(Fig. 11 ) that provides a storage location for accessories such as a foot
pedal
assembly used to operate the motor, or for tools. .
Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications in
arrangement and detail are possible without departing from the scope of the
invention. All such modifications comprise part of the invention as if
expressly
stated herein_
