Abstract:
A liquid conveying hose with an integral valve mounted on the end connector thereof. The valve allows the user to control the volume of the liquid at the end of the hose even though distant from the supply. The flow of liquid can be turned on or off or reduced to any volume therebetween.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a liquid conveying hose, such as a garden hose, having means for controlling flow of the liquid therethrough.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art Statement  
           [0004]    Most water hoses, such as used for watering yards and gardens, or for washing an auto, control the amount of water, or turn the water flow on and off, by first using a faucet or spigot attached to the water supply. Secondarily, a nozzle may be attached to the male coupling of the hose either to control the type of spray emanating from the hose, or to turn off the water from the hose. It is also known to provide a support member for the hose which incorporates a valve, faucet or spigot, such as shown in the patents to Gilpin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,031,176; Lakey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,916; and Potter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,667.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention provides another approach to the user&#39;s control of the water carried through his hose. This is accomplished by placing a valve directly on the male end connector of the hose, where a spray nozzle would ordinarily be connected. This valve could then be selectively used to permit the water to flow (once the faucet at the hose supply is turned on), to turn the water flow off, or to position the valve for controlling the amount of water which can flow. This has several advantages over existing systems; it enables the gardener to control water flow when he is holding the hose far from the water supply faucet without having to return to the faucet; and eliminates that need for a conventional nozzle for controlling the water supply. Thus the user can directly control the supply if he wishes to use the hose without a nozzle, or he can use different types of nozzles which have no controls. For example, he can use a fan-shaped sprayer or a jet-type nozzle of the types in common usage. The valve may be of any suitable type, such as a ball valve (globe valve), needle valve, poppet valve, or the like. In ordinary use, the user will turn the valve off and turn on the faucet at the source of supply, carry the hose to the place where he wishes to use it, such as a flower bed or an auto, then use the valve to allow flow of water in the desired volume.  
           [0006]    It is a principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide a liquid conveying hose with an integral valve.  
           [0007]    It is a further object to provide such valve in an end connector.  
           [0008]    It is another object to use such valve control the flow of the liquid without the need to return to the control device at the source of supply.  
           [0009]    These and other objects will become apparent in the following description of the drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a hose assembly having a novel valve arrangement.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is an end view of the assembly.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2, showing the valve in the “on” position.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the valve in the “off” position.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 showing the valve in an intermediate position.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    FIGS.  1  to  6  illustrate a hose assembly  11  comprising a typical garden hose  12  made of a polymeric material such as rubber or plastic, having a coupling  13  made of metal such as brass or steel. The coupling has a cylindrical hollow main body  14  which has one end portion  15  having male or external threads  16  adapted to engage a standard controllable hose nozzle or other types of hose nozzles which are not separately controlled, having female or internal threads. The other end of the coupling has a hollow ferrule  17  which fits into the inner diameter of the hose  12  and is secured by crimping a collar  18  around the exterior of the hose. A rectangular bass  19  is integral with one segment of the coupling.  
         [0017]    The control of water flow is accomplished by the use of a valve  20  which is integral with the coupling. The salient portion of the valve is a control ball or sphere  21  which is mounted within the inner surface  22  of the coupling and is longitudinally aligned with the bass  19 . The outer radius of the ball is approximately equal to the inner surface  22  so that a seal is accomplished therebetween. An opening  23 , parallel to the longitudinal plane of the coupling, extends through the ball. As seen in FIGS.  1  to  4 , the opening is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hose assembly to permit maximum flow of the liquid (“on” position). In FIG. 5, the opening is positioned at right angles, or 90 degrees, to the axis so that the liquid is prevented from flowing (“off” position). In FIG. 6, the opening is partially opened so that flow is partially restricted.  
         [0018]    The control ball as manually actuated by means of a valve handle  24  that is integral with a generally trapezoidal plate  25  having an outwardly extending projection  26 . The plate is mounted on a shaft  27  having a circular cross-section that is connected at its inner end  28  to the portion of the ball which is aligned with the boss  19 , and projects outwardly through an opening  29  of the boss and terminates beyond the boss in an outer end  30 . The portion  31  of the shaft is retained within the boss opening. The end  30  is generally circular in cross-section but has flat surfaces  32  which fit within an opening  33  in the plate, having similar flat surfaces  34  to provide a lateral locking grip. The plate is secured in a radial direction by means of a screw  35  which projects inwardly through an opening  36  in the plate projection  26 , as well as through the opening  33  in the plate, and into the outer portion of the bass opening  29 , which is suitably threaded to receive the screw. At opposite ends of the plate are integral tangs  37  and  38  which project inwardly and are adjacent the vertical surfaces  39  and  40  of the boss, these tangs acting as straps when the handle and plate are rotated. Tang  37  prevents the handle from being further rotated when the “open” position of the valve is desired, after the handle is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, thus preserving the open position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 , so that the handle will not accidentally go around again to a “closed” position. When the handle is rotated in a clockwise direction to create the “closed” position of FIG. 4, the tang  38  prevents the handle from exceeding that position so that the handle will not go around again toward the “open” position. As noted above, the handle may be rotated to any desired clockwise or counter-clockwise position to obtain reduced flows of liquid, such as shown in FIG. S.  
         [0019]    It should be understood that the specific valve handle  24  and plate  25  could be replaced by other handles to accomplish the same purpose. For example, a wheel-shaped member, such as found on most garden faucets, could be used in much the same manner. Also, completely different types of valves may be used to accomplish the same results. For example, a needle valve, of the type used in standard hose nozzles; screw valves; or poppet valves may be used. Also, other forms of construction may be used as being within the scope of the invention.