Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~a~ri59
HO~E WINDING APPARATU5 ~D ME~HOD
BA~KGROUND OF ~E INVENTION
The invention relates to a hose winding apparatus
and method, particularly adapted for winding relative light
weight hoses, for example as usecl in forest fire fightin~.
Hoses are used for many applications, from
relatively light duty applications such as wa~ering the
garden using hoses having about one half inch diameter
bores, to heavy duty applications for industrial fire
fighting applications as used by mechanised municipal fire
fighters, which hoses are typically of two to three inches
in diameter. Commonly, light duty hoses are fabricated
from a relatively stiff plastic which does not flatten
easily, and winding up long lengths of such hose for
storage or transportation purposes correspondingly requires
relatively large reels. The heavy duty industrial fire
fighting hoses are fabricated from a woven or braided
material, which can be flattened for winding and storage.
However, a hose of this type is relatively heavy, and only
short lengths can be handled by one person, which are
unwound and connected together as needed.
The present invention is particularly adapted for
medium duty hoses, which are commonly made from woven or
braided fabric and thus can be flattened, and have a bore
of approximately one half inch ~o one inch. Such hoses are
commonly used for wilderness forest fire fighting, where
long lengths of hoses are required to be carried manually
by persons on foot. Such hoses must be relatively light,
and yet sufficiently strong to withstand rough usage and
relatively high pressure for delivery to remote locations.
Th~ hoses are commonly provided in lengths of between 50
and 100 feet, with threaded couplings at opposite ends for
interconnecting to form long lengths of hose, which one
commonly several hundred feet long, and sometimes over a
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thousand feet long.
Commonly, after fighting a fire, the forest is
littered with thousands of feet ~f interconnecte~ hoses,
which require retrieval, draining, and rew;nding for
removal for future use. The retrieval of the thousands of
feet of hoses is time consuming, and commonly the resulting
coils are poorly wound due to the haste which is necessary
to reduce labour costs. If the hoses are to be removed by
helicopter, due to space and weight restrictions in
helicopters, it is necessary that the hoses be drained and
wound as tightly as possible, and do not unwind when stored
in the helicopter.
Many devices for winding and storing hoses have
been devised, but none of these would be ideally suited for
winding and storing medium duty hoses as used in forest
fire fighting as discussed above. Devices that are
designed to be attached to a structure, for example the
side of a house, are not sufficiently portable for the
intended use. Also, in many devices, the reel is used for
storage, i.e. when the hose has been wound onto the reel,
that reel is now fully utilized, and cannot be used to wind
any other hoses. One such device is found in U.S. Patent
4,586,676 issued to Johnson et al, which discloses a garden
hose storage apparatus in which a hose is wound onto a
reel, after ~irst passing through hose guide means. When
a long length of hose has been wound onto the Johnson reel,
the reel is full and the hose cannot be removed therefrom
without unwinding, and thus additional hoses cannot be
wound thereon. Furthermore, this reel is for a relatively
stiff garden hose which does not flatten appreciably as it
is woundO
U.S. Patent 4,306,688 issued to Hechler IV,
discloses a relatively compact hose reel assembly for
winding and storing hoses which can be flattened. The hose
passes through hose guides prior to being wound on the
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reel, but when the reel contains the hose, the assembly
cannot then be used to wind other hoses.
U.S. Patent 4,732,345 issued to Golden, discloses
a hose reel which permits hoses to be reeled in sections
and removed from the apparatus in the rolled condition for
storage, testing, etc. This is for use with hoses which
can be flattened, as for example fire hoses or for more
rigid types of hoses. This device appears to be a
relatively heavy duty apparatus which is mounted on a stand
and the wound hose is retained between hose guide plates
removably attached to a rotatable sleeve.
U.S. Patent 4,251,038 issued to Gename, discloses
~5 a portable hose reel winding apparatus which is used for
winding hoses which can be flattened prior to winding on
the reel. The hose is wound onto a reel having a pair of
integral side faces which retain the wound-up hose
therebetween, the wound-up coil and reel being remova~le
from the winding apparatus. While this provides some
advantages to the present invention, each length of a hose
to be wound would require a separate reel for winding and
storage thereon, which would be awkward for use in a forest
fire situation due to the large number of sections of hose
that are used in such operations, and the corresponding
large number of separate reels.
From the above it can be seen that there is no
easily portable apparatus known to the inventor which
facilitates winding a long length of flexible hose into a
tight coil, which can then be removed as a tight coil from
the apparatus, permitting re~use of the apparatus.
SUMMARY OF ~E INV~N~ION
The invention reduces some of the difficulties
and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a hose
ri~ ~ 9
winding apparatus and method which permi~s a length of hose
to be flattened and wound to form a tightly wound-up hose
coil. The hose coil can then be removed from the apparatus
and maintained in a tightly wound state using only a
resilient band, for example, a heavy duty rubber band.
After removing the coil from the apparatus, the apparatus
is then free to wind other lenyths of hose. The apparatus
is relatively lightweight, and permits rapid attachment of
one end of a length of hose prior to winding, and also
lo strips the hose, i.e. it squeezes air or water from the
hose, and aligns the hose prior to winding to ensure that
the hose is flattened and in a tightly wound state when
removed from the apparatus.
A hose winding apparatus according to the
invention comprises first and second portions, latching
means and a coil removal means. The first portion has a
body, a first handle for holding the body, and first reel
journalling means. The second portion has a reel portion,
a second handle cooperating with the reel portion and
second reel journalling means complementary to the first
reel journalling means for journalling the reel portions
for rotation about a reel axis to wind the hose thereon.
The journalling means also permits easy axial separation of
the first and second portions along the reel axis. The
latching means are for releasably latching together the
first and second reel journalling means to permit relative
rotation therebetween without inadvertent separation of the
first and second portions. The coil removal means is for
permitting a wound-up coil of hose to be removed from the
apparatus. The apparatus further comprises a hose
preparing means for preparing, in sequence, adjacent
portions of the hose for winding onto the reel, prior to
winding the hose onto the reel, the hose preparing means
cooperating with the first portion. The apparatus also
comprises a hose end retaining me~ns for releasably
retaining an end of the hose on the reel, the hose end
retaining means cooperating with the second portion. The
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apparatus further comprises a wound hose coil retaining
means for retaining the hose coil in a wound-up state when
released from the apparatus. The wound hose retaining
means comprises a resilient band having a size to fit
across opposite locations of the reel portion, the reel
portion being a generally flat plate with a circular rim
centred on the reel axis, the rim having a pair of
generally diametrically spaced recesses to receive the
resilient band therein.Q
A method of removing and retaining tightly
wound-up a coil of hose from a reel according to the
invention includes the steps of:
fitting a resilient band to extend across
generally opposite locations of a reel portion,
winding the hose onto the reel portion to form a
hose coil of tightly wound-up hose having
opposite first and second faces, the first face
being adjacent a first length of the band,
drawing and stretching a second length of the
band from the reel, and positioning the second
length closely against second face of the hose
coil, and generally diametrically opposite sides
of the coil are retained tightly by the band,
drawing the wound-up hose coil from the reel
portion along an axis of rotation o~ the reel
portion, the hose coil being retained wound-up by
the stretched resilient band.
The method is further characterized by,
3S subsequent to winding the hose onto the reel, e~posing the
second face of the wound-up hose to receive the second
leng~h of the band.
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A detailed disclosure following, related to
drawings, describes preferred method and apparatus
according to the invention, which is capable of expression
in method and apparatus other than those particularly
described and illustrated.
DEBCRI~ION OF T~E DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows an operator winding a length of hose
into a coil using an apparatus according to
the invention,
Figure 2 is a perspective of the apparatus from one
side thereof,
Figure 3 is a perspective of the apparatus from an
opposite side thereof,
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective showing two main
portions of the apparatus separated, which
is necessary to insert or remove a hose
therefrom, with a rubber band attached to
one portion thereof,
25 Figure 5 is a simplified cross-section of an
apparatus, the section being taken on a
diametrical plane of a reel portion of the
apparatus, and along a center line of a
guide portion of the apparatus,
Figure 6 is a simplified longitudinal section through
a guide portion of the apparatus showing a
portion of the hose being stripped or
squeezed prior to winding onto the reel,
~igure 7 shows hose end retaining means to retain an
inner portion of the hose on the reel,
Figure 8 is a perspective showing a wound-up hose on
the reel prior to separation therefrom,
Figure 9 is a perspective glenerally similar to Figure
8, in which a resilient band is shown being
stretched and positioned to retain the hose
in a wound-up state, after separation of
portions of the apparatus,
10 Figure 10 shows a wound-up coil retained by the band.
DBTAILED DI~CL08URE
Fiqures 1 throuqh 4
In Figure 1, an operator 10 is holding a reel
apparatus 12 according to the invention to wind in a length
of hose 14, the hose having a hose coupling 15 at an outer
end thereof. A similar but opposite hose coupling at an
inner end of the hose is releasably connected to the
apparatus 12, as will be described with reference to
Figures 6 and 7. Left and right hands 17 and 18 of the
operator grip first and second handles 21 and 22
respectively for reeling in the hose 14.
Referring mainly to Figures 2 through 4, the
apparatus 12 comprises a first portion 25 having a body 26,
the first handle 21, and a spindle 30 of a first reel
journalling means 27, seen in Figure 4. The apparatus also
comprises a second portion 28 having a reel portion 29, the
second handle 22 journalled to the reel portion, and a
column 32 of a second reel journalling means 31. The
column 32 has an opening 34 to freely journal the spindle
30 therein and an outer end 36 adapted to contact the body
26 when assembled. Thus, the second reel journalling means
is complementary to ~he first reel journalling means and is
for journalling the reel porti~n 29 for rotation about a
reel axis 33 with respect to the body 26. The journalling
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means also permits easy axial separation of the first and
second portions along the reel axis. The apparatus further
comprises a latching means 35 (Figure 2) for releasably
latching ~ogether the first ancl second reel journalling
means to permit selective rotation therebetween without
inadvertent separation of the first and second portions, as
will be described with reference to Figure 5.
The reel portion 29 comprises a single generally
flat reel plate 37 with a circular rim 38 centred on the
reel axis 33, the rim having a pair of generally
diametrically spaced recesses 40 and ~1 (Figure 3), to
retain a rubber band 42 (Figure ~) for specific purposes as
will be described with reference to Figures 8 through 10.
The plate has parallel inner and outer faces 43 and 44, the
inner face being provided with a pair of band guiding marks
46 and 47 which extend from a position closely adjacent the
center of the reel, i.e. the column 32, to the recesses 40
and 41 respectively for guiding location of the band 42 as
will be described.
As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the body 26 has a
guide arm 50 extending radially therefrom a distance
greater than radius of the reel portion. The first handle
21 extends in a first direction from the body 26 and the
guide arm 50, as shown by an arrow 52. The handle has a
root portion 54 disposed about the reel axis 33, and a grip
portion 56 disposed at right angles thereto, so as to form
a generally T-shaped handle. The grip portion 56 is most
conveniently gripped by the hand with the first and second
fingers on one side of the root portion, and the third and
fourth fingers on the opposite side, the thumb passing
around the grip portion to fully enclose it. This manner
of gripping enables an operator to hold the first portion
25 easily and firmly, and to apply torque to the reel
through the second handle 22 as will be described. An
easily applied but firm grip is particularly important, as
many operators will be wearing heavy work gloves for using
2 ~ ~ ~ rl ~ 9
g
this device.
A hose guide means 60 extends from an outer end
of the guide arm in a second direction, shown as arrow 62,
which is opposite to the first direction of the arrow 52
with respect to the body 26. The hose yuide means
comprises a pair of spaced apart guide members 64 and 65,
the guide members extending from the arm as shown and
providing a pair of oppositely disposed guide surfaces 67
and 6~ respectively, as best seen in Figure 6. The guide
surfaces face each other and define a guide slot 69
therebetween, the slot ~9 being generally parallel to the
reel axis 33 to serve to align and strip the hose for
winding onto the reel. A guide retaining bar 70 extends
between outer ends of the guide member 64 and 65 and, as
will be described, is releasably attached thereto.
The reel portion 29 has a hose end retaining
means 71 comprising the col~lmn 32 of the second reel
journa~ling means, and a flat plate like projection 75.
Both the column and the projection 75 extend from the inner
face 43 of the plate 37 towards the body 26 when assembled.
The column 32 has a flat surface 73 disposed oppositely to,
and parallel to, a flat inner surface 76 of the pro~ection
75. The surface 76 is spaced from the flat surface 73 by
a spacing 78 (also in Figure 7) to receive an inner
coupling at the inner end of the hose, as will be described
in greater detail with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The
oppositely facing surfaces 73 and 76 of the column 32 and
projection 75 serve as the hose end retaining means 71 for
releasably retaining a coupling provided adjacent an end of
the hose. It can be seen that the hose end retaining means
71 cooperates with the second portion and provides an
anchor for an inner end of the hos~ to permit the hose to
be wound tightl~ upon the reel. The hose end retaining
means thus comprises an inner portion, namely the column
32, and an outer portion, namely the projection 7~, which
have oppositely disposed faces spaced apart to receive the
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hose coupli~g therebetween. It is noted that the hose end
retaining means 71 extends from the inner face 43 of the
reel portion 29 in the first direction per the arrow 52,
whereas the second handle 22 extends from the outer face 44
of the reel portion in the second direction, namely in
direction of the arrow 62 as seen in Figure 2.
Fiqure 5
The column 32 has a length 81 which defines space
between the inner face 43 of the reel portion 29 and the
end 36 of the column. When the apparatus is assembled as
shown in Figure 5, the outer end 36 contacts an inner face
of the first portion ~5 and controls minimum separation
between the first portion and the reel portion to provide
a space to receive the hose as will be described. Thus the
~olumn 32 serves a spacing means to space the reel plate 29
axially from the body 26 sufficiently to receive the wound
up hose therebetween. It can be seen that the spacing
means extend axially from the plate to the spacer outer
end, namely the end 36, which contacts the body, and thus
the length 81 is somewhat larger than flattened width of
the hose, shown in broken outline at 14.1.
The latching means 35 for retaining the first and
second portions together will now be described. The
latching means of the first portion comprises the spindle
30 having an inner end 83 securely retained in the body
portion 26, and an outer end having a conical portion 85
and a recessed annular g~oove 87 spaced inwardly from the
conical portion. The latching means of the second portion
includes a latching member 39 having a trigger 90 at an
outer end for gripping by the finger, and a detent portion
92 at an inner end. The detent portion has a width
sufficient to be received in the groove 85 of the spindle,
and a spring 94 urges the latching member 89 radially
inwardly to force the detent portion into the groove. A
cap member 96 fits over the latching member and the conical
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portion ~S to reduce ingress of dirt, and to ensure
~enerally radial movement of the latching member 89 in
dire~tion of a double headed arrow 38 which is
perpendicular to the a~is 33 and along a radius of the
plate 37.
Fiqures 5, 6 and 7
As seen in Figure 7, the length of hose 14 has an
inner.coupling 100 which i5 retained in the hose end
retaining means 71 ~y passing axially between the surf~ces
73 and 76 of the column 32 and the projection 75 which
extend from the reel portion 25. The column 32 and
projection 35 are shown in broken outline in Figure 6 only
to provide reference for the spindle 30 and the body 26.
The surfaces 73 and 76 of the end retaining means 71 are
generally parallel to each other, and each face is disposed
generally tangentially to a respective surface of
revolution centred on the reel axis, the surfaces of
revolution not being shown. In Figure 7, the guiding marks
46 and 47 on the inner face 43 extend generally
perpendicularly with respect to a main axis of the coupling
loo, so that the band 42 passes transversely across the
coupling as will be described.
Referring to Figure 6, the guide surfaces 67 and
68 of the guide members 64 and 65 of the hose guide means
60 are generally cylindrical to provide a gradual squeezing
affect to the hose as it passes in direction of an arrow
102 onto the reel. Water and air are stripped or squeezed
from the hose prior to passing around the inner hose
coupling 100, the projection 75 and the column 32. The
guide retaining bar 70 is hinged to the guide member 6~ and
is shown in broken outline in an extended position 70.1.
This position permits the hose 14 to be passed laterally
into the slot 69 between the guide surfaces prior to
winding the hose onto the reel, or for removing the hose
from the reel when winding is complete. Thus, the guide
2a~B7~i~
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retaining means is for releasably retaining the hose
between the hose guide means and cooperates with the hose
guide means to permit insertion and removal of the hose
from between the guide surfaces. The guide retaining means
thus comprises a hinged arm, namely the bar 70, having an
inner end hinged to the member 6~, and an outer end
releasably and resiliently engageable with the remaining
guide member 65. As seen in Figure 5, the bar 70 is hinged
with a hinge pin 104 which is encircled by a spring 105, to
resiliently latch the bar 70 with respect to the member 65
using a complementary detent and recess, not shown.
OPERATION
To initiate winding of a loose length of hose 14,
the rubber band 42 is passed over the reel portion 29 so
that outer looped portions of the band are retained in the
recesses 40 and ~1 in the periphery, and an intermediate or
first length 114 passes along the guiding marks 46 and 47
across the inner face 43 and closely adjacent the column
32, as seen in Figures 4 and 8. The inner coupling 100 of
the hose is then fitted between the flat surface 73 of the
column 32, and the oppositely facing inner surface 76 of
the projection 75, as seen in Figure 6. As seen in Figure
5, the spindle 30 is then pushed into the opening 34 of the
column 32, and the conical portion 85 at the outer end
forces the latching member 89 radially outwardly to permit
the spindle to pass completely into the opening 34,
whereupon the latching member then snaps radially inwardly
so that the detent portion 92 is engaged in the groove 85.
This locates the first and second portions together, and
permits relative rotation therebetween without inadvertent
separation. The guide retaininy bar 70 is then swung about
the guide member 64 to be out of engagement with the
adjacent guide member 65, and a short length of hose
adjacent the inner coupling 75 then passes laterally into
the guide slot 69, as best seen in Figure 6. The guide
retaining bar 70 is then swung back to engage the guide
2 ~ rl ~ ~
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member 65 to retain the hose in the guide slot. The
apparatus is now ready for winding in the length of hose.
As seen in Figure 1, the operator grips the first
handle 21 in his left hand 17, and rotates the reel portion
by gripping the second handle 22 with the right hand 18,
until the outer coupling 15 is drawn tightly against the
guide means 60. During this process, to ena~le the hose to
be flattened, any water or air in the hose is stripped or
squeezed from the hose by the guide means 60 to pass
outwardly through the outer coupling 15. As the hose
passes through the guide means 60, it is aligned so as to
be flattened to a plane generally parallel with the axis
33. Thus it can be seen that the guide means 60 serves as
a hose preparing means for preparing in sequence adjacent
portions of the hose for winding onto the reel, prior to
winding the hose onto the reel. When the outer coupling 15
touches the guide means 60, the operator continues to
rotate the reel portion 29 to sequentially tighten the hose
about the inner coupling 100 and the end retaining means
71, and to further squeeze liquid and air from the hose.
When a strong resistance to further rotation is felt, the
operator stops rotating the handle 22 and swings open the
retaining bar 70 to permit a portion of the hose adjacent
the outer coupling 15 to be withdrawn from the retaining
means. The hose is now in a tightly wound coil 109, which
condition is shown in Figure 8, just prior to withdrawal of
the hose from the guide means.
The latching means 35 is then released to permit
the portions 25 and 28 to separate easily along the axis
33, as shown in Figure 9, by moving the first portion 25 in
a direction of the arrow 52 away from the second portion
2~. The tightly wound coil 109 on the reel has opposite
35 first and second faces 110 and 112 respectively. The first
face 110 of the reel is against a first length 114 of the
band 42, and is also against the inner face 43 of the reel
portion 29, and the second face 112 is now exposed.
2 ~
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The operator then draws and stretches a second
length ~16 of the band from the outer face ~4 of the reel
portion so that the second length moves in accordance with
an arrow 118, through an intermedlate position 116.1, until
it lies against the second face 112 of the wound-up reel,
as shown in broken outline at 11l6.~ in Figure 9. In this
position, it can be seen that the band embraces and lies
closely against the generally flat first and second faces
llo and 112 of the coil 120, and across generally
lo diametrically opposite cylindrical sides of the coil 120
and ~21 which are held tightly by the band. The lengths
114 and 116 of the band pass on opposite sides of the inner
coupling loO and thus assist in locating the coupling
within the coil. The operator then draws the tightly wound
coil 109, together with the inner coupling 10~, axially
from the reel along the column 32, and the reel is retained
wound by the stretched band 42 passing across the first and
second faces and the sides 120 and 121 of the reel as seen
in Figure 10.
It can be seen that the use of a reel portion
having the single reel plate 37 to receive the hose wound
thereagainst and the spacer means, i.e. the column 30, to
space the plate axially from the body to receive the wound
coil serves as a coil removal means for permitting the
wound-up coil of hose 109 to be removed from the reel
portion without unwinding the coil.
When the hose is in the tightly wound coil 109,
and is completely separated from the hose winding apparatus
10, it can be carried in an operator's pocket or pack. The
coil is packed in a tight form from which it would be
unlikely to inadvertently separate into a disorganized
tangle as in the prior art. Clearly, many such tightly
wound hoses could be stored in this manner, and if
necessary additional resilient bands could be provided to
pass at different angles to each other around the coil so
as to provide a compact ~ackage. Thus, the hose is
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maintained tightly wound by a hose retaining means which
comprises a resilient or rubber band 42 having a size to
fit across opposite locations on the reel portion. This
contrasts with some prior art wound coil retaining means
which comprises an adjustable strap or belt which passes
peripherally around the cylindrical circumference of the
wound hose, as opposed to passing diametrically across the
parallel faces of a wound hose. Clearly, the means of
fitting the band across the coil of wound hose is
relatively fast and simple, and with practice can be
performed while wearing heavy work gloves.
This method of retaining a wound-up hose after
removal from the reel is considered of major importance and
simplifies fitting a rubber or resilient band to extend
diametrically across generally opposite locations of the
reel portion prior to winding the hose. To summarize the
method, the hose is wound onto the reel portion to form a
hose coil of tightly wound-up hose having opposite first
and second faces, the first face being against the first
length of the band, and the second face being exposed when
the reel portion is separated from the body. After the
said separation, the band is drawn as described to fully
enclose the wound-up coil independently of the remaining
portion of the apparatus, so as to permit re-use of the
apparatus to wind up other lengths of hose, which would
only require additional rubber bands.
Thus, only one winding apparatus is required for
each operator, and one or more resilient bands are required
for each length of hose. The apparatus is compact and
lightweight and thus ~acilitates use in rugged forested
terrain where it must be carried. Furthermore, to separate
the coil of wound-up hose from the apparatus, the apparatus
separates into only two portions with no loose fasteners,
which otherwise would likely be lost easily in rough
terrain. Clearly, if this device were to be enlarged to
accept larger diameter hoses, it would become heavier and
206
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may thæ.n require a stand to support it when the hose is
being wound. Whi'e this might lose the original advantage
of portability, the advantage of providing a l.ightly wound
hose separate from the apparatus would be retained.
