Abstract:
A process for assembling a coil clad hose includes suspending a spring wire helix between carriages mounted on a rail, rotating one of the ends of the helix to expand the helix, inserting a hose through the expanded helix, contracting the helix onto the hose, installing an end fitting onto each end of the hose, fixing one end of the helix together with the ferrule and the hose at one end of the hose, adjusting a pitch of the helix along the hose to another end of the hose, and fixing the helix and the hose together with the ferrule at the another end of the hose. The apparatus includes a rail, a pair of carriages movably supported on the rail, each of the carriages having a through bore holding a tang clamp bushing therein, and a pair of cable clamp fixtures mounted one at each end of the rail.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/984,992 filed Apr. 28, 2014, entitled Coil Clad Hose Assembly Apparatus And Method, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A high pressure coil wrapped hose is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0220700 in combination with a system for propelling such a coil clad hose. Wrapping a helical coil around a high pressure hose in a manner to preclude slippage of coil turns on the hose when subjected to manipulation forces is not a simple task and presents a number of difficulties. For example, if such a coil clad hose has a coil that is loosely wound about the hose, slippage of the coil on the hose exterior surface can occur when a propelling mechanism engages portions of the coil and tries to push the hose axially against resistance within the piping system into which the hose is disposed. This at best leads to inaccuracies in gauging the position of the distal end of the hose and at worst causes the coil to bunch along the hose and prevent the drive mechanism from pushing the hose at all. The present disclosure addresses this difficulty in a new manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     One exemplary embodiment of a process for assembling a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure includes operations of supporting a metal wire coil helix between two carriages on a rail, expanding the helix, passing a hose into and through the helix, contracting the helix onto the hose, fixing one end of the helix to one end of the hose, adjusting a pitch of each coil turn of the helix on the hose from the one end of the helix to an opposite end of the helix a desired amount, and fixing an opposite end of the helix to an opposite end of the hose. 
     One exemplary process for assembling a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise suspending a spring wire coil helix between two carriages mounted on an axially extending rail, threading a cable through a hose and through the helix suspended between the carriages, rotating one of the ends of the helix to expand the helix, inserting one end of the hose suspended on the cable through the expanded helix, counter rotating the one end of the helix to contract the helix onto the hose, installing an end fitting and a ferrule onto each end of the hose, fixing one end of the helix together with the ferrule and the hose at one end of the hose, adjusting a pitch of the helix along the hose to the other end of the hose, and fixing the helix and the hose together with the ferrule at the other end of the hose. 
     An exemplary process for assembling a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise threading a support member such as a cable through a spring wire coil helix and a hose. The helix is then suspended between two carriages mounted on an axially extending rail and the support member is fastened to a clamp mounted at each end of the rail. One of the ends of the helix is then rotated to expand the helix. One end of the hose suspended on the support member is threaded through the expanded helix. The one end of the helix is then counter-rotated to contract the helix onto the hose. An end fitting and a ferrule is then installed onto each end of the hose and one end of the helix is fixed together with the ferrule and the hose at one end of the hose. A pitch of the helix along the hose to the other end of the hose is then adjusted. Finally, the helix and the hose together with the ferrule at the other end of the hose are fixed in place to complete the assembly. The support member is then unclamped and the assembled coil clad hose is pulled from the support member. 
     An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for assembling such a coil clad hose includes an elongated rigid rail having a first end and a second end. A first end cable clamp is mounted on the first end of the rail. A second end cable clamp is mounted on the second end of the rail. A first movable carriage is mounted on the rail and spaced from the first end of the rail. The first carriage has a first through passage and has a gearbox and a first coil tang bushing mounted around the first through passage. The gearbox connects a drive motor having a drive sprocket engaging corresponding features, such as notches, in the rigid rail. A second movable carriage is mounted on the rail and spaced between the first carriage and the second end of the rail. The second carriage has a second through passage. A cable is removably fastenable to and stretched between the first and second cable clamps such that the cable is arranged to pass through the through passages in the first and second movable carriages. 
     An apparatus for producing a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure preferably includes a first carriage and a second carriage movably supported on an axially extending linear rail preferably having a rectangular cross section. The upper side of the linear rail includes a series of notches or cutouts for receiving a complementary gear of a drive motor attached to the carriage. A pair of cable clamps is mounted to opposite ends of the rail. Each of the carriages includes a through bore carrying a tang clamp bushing. Each tang clamp bushing is configured to receive and hold one end of a spring coil wire helix therein. The cable clamps are configured to hold a cable under tension suspended therebetween passing through each of the bushings and through each of the carriages. 
     The apparatus for assembling a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure preferably includes an elongated rail, a pair of carriages movably supported for translation back and forth on the rail, each of the carriages having a through bore holding a tang claim bushing therein, and a pair of cable clamp fixtures mounted one at each end of the rail. At least one of the carriages is configured to rotate its tang clamp bushing. At least this one carriage further includes a traversing gearbox for translating the carriage along the rail synchronized with rotation of the clamp bushing in order to adjust the pitch of each turn of a spring wire coil wrapped on a length of hose suspended on a cable stretched between the cable clamp fixtures and through the carriages. Other features and advantages of the apparatus for assembling a coil clad hose and method of assembly will become more apparent from a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of an apparatus for assembling a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a separate perspective view of a spring coil helix utilized in the coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a close up view of one end of the spring coil expander in the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the expander shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cable clamp end perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with the coil spring expanded and hose inserted through the expanded coil spring. 
         FIG. 7  is a close-up perspective view of one end of the coil spring on the hose as shown in  FIG. 6  during the trim tang operation. 
         FIG. 8  is a separate perspective view of one end of the coil spring on the hose after a hose trim operation. 
         FIG. 9  is a separate view of the end fitting on the coil spring clad hose after fitting of a swaged ferrule. 
         FIG. 10  is a separate perspective view of the hose end fitting shown in  FIG. 9  after installation of a sleeve. 
         FIG. 11  is a side perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  during coil tightening and pitch adjustment of the coil spring on the hose. 
         FIG. 12  is a close up perspective view of the coil tightening and pitch adjustment device on the apparatus shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a side perspective view of one embodiment of an apparatus  100  for assembling a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure. The apparatus  100  includes an elongated rigid rail  102 , preferably a 4 inch square cross section metal rail. In the figures, the length of the rail and hose elements shown are foreshortened to make the drawing figures more readable. In practice, however, it is to be understood that he hose  132  could be about 75 feet long and the rail utilized on the order of 160 feet long. This rail  102  may be made of aluminum or steel or other metal and is supported from a floor by two or more rail stands  104 . The rail  102  typically is formed in manageable sections  106 , say 10-20 feet long. The sections  106  are joined by a splice  108  inserted into the rail ends and pinned via expansion pins  110  to the abutting mated ends of the rail sections  106 . 
     A suitable wire coil helix  116  utilized in the present disclosure is produced by Schaff International and is made from flattened music wire. This music wire is about 0.060″ thick and 0.170″ wide in cross section. It is formed into a left hand helix of 0.400″ internal diameter and 0.250″ pitch, with the wide face of the wire tangent to the internal diameter. A similarly suitable high pressure hose is Spirstar 5/4 hose or 6/2 hose, which have 0.440″ and 0.450″ outer diameters respectively. Other assemblies of larger and smaller diameters to accommodate various desired fluid flows and pressures are envisioned and are within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Two carriages  112  and  114 , each with a central bore therethrough, are mounted on the rail  102  so as to travel along the rail  102  and to accommodate passage of a length of flat coil spring wire helix  116  through the bores of the carriages  112  and  114 . An exemplary helix  116  is separately shown in  FIG. 2 . Each end of the helix  116  is formed with a tangential end forming a tang  118 . Each of the carriages  112  and  114  includes a tubular tang clamp bushing  124  through which the helix  116  passes. 
     Carriage  112  includes a gearbox  120  driven by a motor  122 . The gearbox  120  drives a hollow output shaft  138  as is best shown in the close up view of carriage  112  in  FIG. 3 . In  FIG. 3 , the tang  118  at a left end of a helix  116  fits within a tang slot  136  in the bushing  124 . The tubular output shaft  138  of the gearbox  120  captures the tang clamp bushing  124  carried by the carriage  112 . The tang  118  is held in the tang slot  136  of the clamp bushing  124  via a clamp bolt  134 . The tang  118  at the opposite end of the helix  116  is similarly fastened in the carriage  114 . The top of the square tube rail  102  has a series of longitudinally spaced lateral notches to form rack teeth  163  therein configured to engage a pinion gear  162  of a traversing gearbox  160  shown and explained in further detail below with reference to  FIGS. 11 and 12 . 
     Wire clamps  126  and  128  are fastened to each end of the rail  102 . These wire clamps  126  and  128  support a support member, preferably a stranded wire cable  130  tensioned therebetween as is shown in  FIG. 1 . Threaded onto the cable  130  prior to tensioning, in sequence, are a hose  132  and the helix  116 . The wire coil helix  116  is passed through the central bore through of each of the carriages  112  and  114 . The ends of the cable  130  are clamped so as to suspend the hose  132  and helix  116  and the cable is tensioned to several hundred pounds force. 
     Each of the carriages  112  and  114  is then moved via rollers  140  along the rail  102 , to a position as shown in  FIG. 1 , to capture the opposite ends of the helix  116  and receive the tangs  118  in the slots  136  in the carriages. The clamp bolts  134  engaging the tangs  118  are then tightened to hold and suspend the helix  116  between the carriages  112  and  114 . 
     Alternatively a helix  116  may first be suspended between carriages  112  and  114  mounted on the rail  102  and fastened to the bushings  124  as above described. Then a cable  130  can be threaded through a predetermined length of hose  132 , and then passed through the carriages  112  and  114  and the suspended helix  116 . The cable  130  can then be passed through and then clamped to wire clamps  126  and  128 . Finally, the cable  130  is tensioned appropriately so as to suspend the hose and helix in substantial coaxial alignment. 
     A close-up view of the rotary drive carriage  112  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The right end of the helix  116  is captured by tang bushing  124  and clamp bolt  134  of the carriage  114  and held in a fixed rotational position on the rail  102  while the carriage  114  is free to roll along the rail  102  via rollers  140 . The rotary drive carriage  112  is also free to roll along the rail  102 . However, the tang bushing  124  holding the left end of the helix  116  is held fixed to the output shaft  138  of the gearbox  120  of the carriage  112  by a key  142  such that the bushing  124  rotates with the output shaft  138 . 
     Referring to the close up view of the left end of the assembly  100  shown in  FIG. 5 , the cable  130  is rigidly tensioned in the cable clamp  126  that is fastened to the left end of the rail  102 . Turning back to  FIG. 4 , when the tang clamp bushings  124  in the carriages  112  and  114  each fasten to one of the tangs  118  to capture the helix securely therebetween, the motor  122  is energized to twist the left end of the helix  116  counterclockwise to expand the helix  116  from its relaxed state to a diameter greater than that of the hose  132  positioned on the cable  130 . When the helix  116  is in a relaxed state, its inside diameter is less than the outer diameter of the hose  132 . When the helix  116  is expanded sufficiently, the hose can be passed through the helix  116  to a position as shown in  FIG. 6 . The motor  122  is then reversed, permitting the helix  116  to contract onto the hose  132 . This contraction is driven by the elastic energy stored in the helix  116  during the expansion operation. 
       FIG. 7  shows an enlarged end view of one of the carriages  112  or  114  with the helix  116  relaxed and compressively wrapped about the hose  132 . Each of the tang locking bolts  134  have been removed and the carriages  112  and  114  moved closer together to expose the tangs  118  at each end of the helix  116 . The tangs  118  are then removed preferably by grinding, being careful not to overheat the ends of the helix  116 . The assembled hose  132  with helix  116  is then removed from the wire  130  held by the apparatus  100 . 
     The hose ends, with temporary compression sleeves  133  seen in  FIGS. 3-7 , are then trimmed off so that a permanent end fitting  144  can be accommodated thereon.  FIG. 8  shows the coil  116  wrapped on the hose with the hose length properly trimmed to length. An end fitting  144  is then installed onto the hose  132  and a ferrule  146  swaged over the end fitting and the end of the hose  132 . This swaged ferrule, shown in  FIG. 9 , has an outer diameter larger than the helix  116  installed on the hose  132 . 
     The end fitting  144  and ferrule  146  are preferably installed onto the hose  132  by the hose manufacturer. By keeping the helix outer diameter, when installed on the hose  132 , smaller than the crimped size of the ferrule  146 , there is no interference of the helix  116  in the crimping die (not shown). 
     There is a tendency for the helix  116  to slide or rotate in relation to the hose  132  during use of the assembled coil clad hose. It is important for the helix  116  to resist relative movement under axial and rotary force applied to the assembled coil clad hose. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a thin metal sleeve  148  is next installed over the ferrule  146  on one end of the assembled hose  132  and over the joint between the helix  116  and the ferrule  146 . This sleeve  148  is then bonded to the helix  116 , the hose  132  and ferrule  146 . A suitable bond is preferably formed by an expansive moisture-activated polyurethane glue such as a Gorilla Glue type product. 
     After bonding and curing one end of the hose in this manner, the assembled hose  150  is inserted back onto the apparatus  100 , through one of the gearboxes  112  and  114  mounted on the rail  102 . The hose assembly  150  is tensioned between the cable clamps  126  and  128  by hose end clamps  152  fastened to pull rods  154  as is shown in  FIG. 11 . A traversing gearbox  160  is then mounted to the carriage  112 . This traversing gearbox includes a pinion gear  162  that engages the rack teeth  163  in the top side of the rail  102 . The rotation of the gearbox  160  is synchronized with the motion of the carriage  112  so as to generate the exact pitch (distance per revolution) desired in the finished coiled hose assembly. In the specific hose assembly previously mentioned, the finished adjusted pitch is 0.266″, which matches the drive sprocket of the drive mechanism described in the hose propelling system mentioned above. 
     A detailed view of this portion of the apparatus  100  shown in  FIG. 11  is shown in  FIG. 12 . The traversing gearbox  160  is fitted with a sprocket  170 , belt  172  and idlers  174  that engage a sprocket  10  on the bushing  124  on the gearbox  120  of the carriage  112 . The bushing  124  is fitted with a sprocket  170  and a split drag nut  164  configured to engage each of the coil turns  166  of the helix  116 . The split drag nut  164  is clamped onto the helix  116  via drag adjustment bolts  168 . The traverse gearbox  160  is operated by motor  122  on gearbox  120  via the interconnecting linkage sprockets  170  to cause the drag nut  164  to rotate around the helix  116  while the pinion  162  causes the drag nut  164  to move axially along the helix  116  to impart the desired spacing or pitch to each turn on the helix  116  on the hose  132 . This results in the coil hose assembly having the exact pitch desired in the finished coil clad hose. 
     As the drag nut  164  is driven in translation and rotation it compresses each turn  166  of the helix  116  further onto the hose  132  thus tightening it onto the hose  132 . Starting at the bonded end and progressing toward the free end of the helix  116 , the slack is thus removed from the helix  116  as it is tightened onto the hose  132 . When the drag nut  164  reaches the free end of the helix  116  on the hose  132 , any excess wire helix is removed if it overlaps the ferrule  146 . 
     At this point the hose end clamp  152  adjacent the drag nut  164  is removed ( FIG. 11 ). This frees up the ferrule  146  on that end of the hose  132 . A second metal sleeve  148  is then slipped over the ferrule  146  and bonded to the hose  132 , the ferrule  146  and the end of the helix  116  to complete the assembly of the finished coil clad hose product. The bonded sleeves at each end thus maintain the tension between the hose  132  and the helix  116  and prevent any relative movement of the ends of the helix  116  on the hose  132 . 
     The hose  132  may have its ends fitted with compression sleeves  133  to reduce the hose diameter at each end. This will permit easy passage of the hose into and though the expanded helix  116  as above described. Such compression sleeves  133  are removed when cutting the assembled helix wrapped hose before installation of the end fittings  144  and ferrules  146 . 
     All such embodiments, changes, alternatives and equivalents in accordance with the features and benefits described herein, are within the scope of the present disclosure. Such changes and alternatives may be introduced without departing from the spirit and broad scope of my invention as defined by the claims below and their equivalents.