Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for propelling a coil clad hose through a passage through a housing. A first driven pair of bull gears sandwiching a rotatable drive sprocket is rotatably fixed to a first rotatable axle in the housing orthogonal to the passage. A second pair of bull gears sandwiching a second drive sprocket are all rotatably fastened to a second axle in the housing parallel to the first axle. The second pair of bull gears mesh with the first pair of spaced bull gears. Teeth on the drive sprockets engage part of the coil clad hose when the fluid hose is inserted into the passage. A slip clutch between the pairs of spaced bull gears and the drive sprocket on each of the axles adjusts frictional grip on the coil when one of the bull gears is driven to propel the hose through the passage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    The present disclosure is directed to manipulation of flexible conduit, tubing and hoses. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatus for extension and retraction of flexible conduit such as a helical coil clad high pressure hose. 
         [0002]    During water blast cleaning operations in fluid conduits such as a piping system, heat exchanger tubing, or sewer systems, high pressure hoses are often difficult to manipulate over distances. Various power driven mechanisms have been developed to address such difficulties. One such mechanism is disclosed in my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/723,410, filed Mar. 12, 2010 and published as US Patent Publication No. 2011/0220700, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    The present disclosure directly addresses such needs. An apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure for propelling a coil clad hose that includes a first driven pair of bull gears sandwiching a rotatable drive sprocket rotatably fixed to a first axle in a frame. The frame may be an open or closed protective housing. In an embodiment in which the coil clad hose passes through a passage through the frame or housing, this first axle is oriented orthogonal to and spaced from the passage through the housing. A second pair of bull gears sandwiching a second drive sprocket is rotatably fastened to a second axle parallel to the first axle in the housing. The second pair of bull gears mesh with the first pair of spaced bull gears. Both axles are aligned orthogonal to and spaced on opposite sides, and equidistant from, the passage through the housing. Teeth on the drive sprockets engage part of the coil clad fluid hose when the fluid hose is inserted into the passage. A slip clutch between the pairs of spaced bull gears and the drive sprocket on each of the axles adjusts frictional grip on the coil when one of the bull gears is driven to propel the hose through the passage. This clutch primarily limits the force transmitted through the sprocket teeth to the coil of the coil clad hose like a rack (the coil clad hose) and pinion (the sprocket) arrangement. This arrangement can also protect the coil clad hose from buckling in case of encountering an obstacle or obstruction. This arrangement also allows the two sprockets to share the load transmitted to the hose equally and thus also to be synchronized. 
         [0004]    In one aspect, a coil clad hose feed/propelling apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a hollow housing having a pinion drive gear rotatably supported in the housing and the housing may include a through passage for receiving and passing a coil clad portion of a tubular body therethrough. Mounted in the housing is a first pair of spaced bull gears fixed to a first axle rotatably supported in a first portion of the hollow housing and oriented orthogonal to the through passage. One of the first pair of bull gears is engaged with the pinion drive gear. Also mounted in the housing is a second pair of spaced bull gears rotatably fastened to a second axle parallel to and spaced from the first axle. This second pair of spaced bull gears meshes with the first pair of spaced bull gears. A first drive sprocket is rotatably supported on the first axle and sandwiched between the first pair of bull gears. The first axle is spaced from the passage through the housing such that the first drive sprocket can engage part of the coil clad portion of the tubular body inserted into the passage. A second drive sprocket is rotatably supported on the second axle and sandwiched between the second pair of bull gears, and the second axle is spaced from the passage through the housing such that the second drive sprocket can engage another part of the coil clad portion of the tubular body inserted into the passage. A slip clutch is provided between the pairs of spaced bull gears and the drive sprockets on each of the axles. 
         [0005]    Preferably the housing includes a first part supporting the first axle and a second part supporting the second axle, wherein the first and second parts of the housing together define the through passage for receiving the tubular body therethrough. The slip clutch has a first pair of slip clutch discs on the first axle sandwiching the first sprocket therebetween and a second pair of slip clutch discs on the second axle sandwiching the second sprocket therebetween. Alternatively slip clutch discs may be omitted in some applications and the gear and sprocket faces utilized directly as the slip clutch. The slip clutch may include one or more wave springs between the first drive sprocket and the first bull gear. The slip clutch may include wave springs on each of the first and second axles between the first and second drive sprockets and the first and second bull gears. 
         [0006]    The first and second drive sprockets are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the coil clad portion of a tubular body inserted into the passage so that teeth on the sprockets engage diametrically opposite portions of the coil clad portion of the tubular body. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure is an apparatus that includes a hollow housing having two separable parts defining a through passage between the parts of the housing for receiving therethrough a coil clad portion of a fluid hose. A first pair of spaced bull gears is rotatably fixed to a first axle rotatably supported orthogonally to and spaced from the through passage in a first part of the hollow housing. Preferably one of the first pair of bull gears is engaged with a pinion drive gear. A second pair of spaced bull gears is rotatably fastened to a second axle in the second part of the housing parallel to and spaced from the first axle and orthogonal to and spaced from the through passage. This second pair of spaced bull gears is positioned to mesh with the first pair of spaced bull gears when the separable parts of the housing are joined. 
         [0008]    A first drive sprocket is rotatably supported on the first axle and sandwiched between the first pair of bull gears. The first axle is spaced from the passage through the housing such that the first drive sprocket can engage part of the coil clad portion of the fluid hose inserted into the passage. A second drive sprocket is rotatably supported on the second axle and sandwiched between the second pair of bull gears. The second axle is spaced from the passage through the housing such that the second drive sprocket can engage another part of the coil clad portion of the fluid hose inserted into the passage. 
         [0009]    A drive mechanism for use with the present apparatus my include a liquid or pneumatic fluid motor or an electric motor. Such a motor preferably includes a pinion gear extending into the housing that engages one of the two first bull gears. In one embodiment the drive mechanism is supported by the housing and the pinion gear is rotatably supported in the first part of the housing. 
         [0010]    This embodiment of the apparatus also has at least one slip clutch between the pairs of spaced bull gears and the drive sprockets on each of the axles. Preferably the first pair of bull gears are keyed to the first axle so that they rotate with the axle. The first drive sprocket is not keyed to the first axle. It is free to rotate on the first axle. Preferably the slip clutch comprises a first pair of slip clutch discs on the first axle sandwiching the first sprocket therebetween. A second pair of slip clutch discs may be provided on the second axle sandwiching the second sprocket therebetween. In one embodiment the slip clutch may include one or more wave spring between the first drive sprocket and the first bull gear. The slip clutch may also include wave springs on each of the first and second axles between the first and second drive sprockets and the first and second bull gears. 
         [0011]    In accordance with the present disclosure an embodiment of an apparatus for propelling a hose includes a hollow housing having a through passage for receiving a coil clad portion of a fluid hose. The apparatus includes a first pair of spaced bull gears rotatably fixed to a first axle rotatably supported orthogonal to and spaced from the through passage in a first part of the hollow housing. A second pair of spaced bull gears is rotatably fastened to a second axle in a second part of the housing parallel to and spaced from the first axle and spaced from the through passage, wherein the second pair of spaced bull gears is positioned to mesh with the first pair of spaced bull gears. A first drive sprocket is rotatably supported on the first axle and sandwiched between the pair of rotatably fixed bull gears. The first axle is spaced from the passage through the housing such that the first drive sprocket can engage part of the coil clad portion of the fluid hose when the fluid hose is inserted into the passage. A second drive sprocket is rotatably supported on the second axle and sandwiched between the second pair of bull gears, wherein the second axle is spaced from the passage through the housing such that the second drive sprocket can engage another part of the coil clad portion of the fluid hose inserted into the passage. The apparatus also includes a slip clutch between the pairs of spaced bull gears and the drive sprockets on each of the axles. 
         [0012]    Further features, advantages and characteristics of the embodiments of this disclosure will be apparent from reading the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an external perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an assembled drive apparatus for linearly moving a coil clad hose in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a separate exploded perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the internals of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with the housing removed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the upper driven portion of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective exploded view of an alternative embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    A perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an apparatus  100  for propelling a coil clad hose  102  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The apparatus  100  includes a hollow two piece housing  104  to which is attached a fluid drive motor  106 . In this embodiment, the housing  104  is in four pieces. Housing  104  has an upper hollow box section  108  and a lower hollow box section  110  which are vertically bolted together with threaded bolts (not shown). 
         [0019]    Each of upper and lower box sections  108  and  110  has a left half box segment  112  and  114  and a right half box segment  116  and  118  which are bolted together by horizontal housing bolts (not shown for clarity). When assembled, the housing  104  forms a rectangular box around a central passage  120  passing through the inside four corners of the box segments  112 ,  114 ,  116 , and  118 . 
         [0020]    An exploded view of the apparatus  100  showing the operable internal parts of the apparatus  100  is shown in  FIG. 2 . An assembled perspective view of the operable internal parts of the apparatus  100  with the housing  104  removed is shown in perspective in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0021]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the internal parts of the upper housing section  108  are shown in an exploded fashion. A first pair of bull gears  122  and  124  are keyed onto a first axle  130  for rotation with axle  130 . These two bull gears  122  and  124  may move axially on the axle  130 , but are rotatably fixed such that they rotate with the axle  130 . Between these two bull gears  122  and  124  is a rotatable upper sprocket  126 . Between the sprocket  126  and each of the bull gears  122  and  124  is a slip clutch disc  128 . Thus the upper sprocket  126  is sandwiched between the bull gears  122  and  124  and each slip clutch disc  128  is sandwiched by the upper sprocket  126  and one of the bull gears  122  or  124 . The sprocket  126  is free to rotate on the axle  130 . On the other side of each of the bull gears  122  and  124  is a thrust washer  132  and a bearing  134  press/friction fit into each of the housing segment  112  or  116  that supports the axle  130  in the upper housing section  108 . 
         [0022]    The axle  130  may have a bolt head on one end or both ends may be threaded. As is shown in  FIG. 1 , both ends of axle  130  are threaded. Thus mounted on the axle  130 , from one end to the other, is first an adjustment nut  140 , a bearing  134 , a thrust washer  132 , a first bull gear  122 , a slip clutch  128 , a drive sprocket  126 , a slip clutch  128 , another first bull gear  124 , a thrust washer  132 , another bearing  134 , and an adjustment nut  140 . 
         [0023]    Each of the slip clutches  128  may be a single or double friction disc set or may comprise a set of one or more wave springs depending on the friction required to transmit torque from the bull gears  122  and  124  to the freely rotatable drive sprocket  126  so that it rotates with the bull gears  122  and  124 . This torque is adjusted by tightening or loosening the adjustment nuts  140  on the threaded ends of the axle  130  which squeeze the components together to increase the frictional force on the sprocket  126 . 
         [0024]    Each of the bull gears  122  and  124  has spur gear teeth that can mesh with a driven pinion gear  142  that is fastened to an end of a driven shaft from the drive motor  106 . In the embodiments illustrated, the pinion gear  142  is housed within section  112  of the housing  104 . It is to be understood that this pinion gear  142  could be mounted to any one of the sections  112 ,  114 ,  116  or  118 . 
         [0025]    A second set of bull gears  150  and  152  are rotatably mounted on another axle  154  in the lower housing section  110  in a similar manner except that bull gears  150  and  152  need not be rotatably fixed to the axle  154  as in the upper section  108  above described. The assembly on the lower axle  154  is best seen in  FIG. 3 . The assembly includes a second pair of bull gears  150  and  152  rotatably mounted on axle  154  and sandwiching a second drive sprocket  156  that is also rotatably mounted on axle  154 . A set of 2 slip clutches  128  sandwich the second drive sprocket  156 . Again, each of the slip clutches  128  may be made up of one or more friction discs or wave springs to provide sufficient frictional torque such that the drive sprocket rotates together with the bull gears  150  and  152  but if the torque required to drive the coil clad hose is great, the sprockets  128  and  156  can slip so as not to damage the coil clad hose being propelled through the passage  120 . Again, the friction applied by the slip clutches  128  is adjusted by tightening or loosening the nuts  140  as necessary to achieve proper applied force to the coil clad hose. 
         [0026]    Since the coil clad hose  102  has a helical coil wrapped around the hose, the teeth  158  on each of the drive sprockets  126  and  156  are canted and hollow curved at an angle complementary to the pitch of the coil  160  wrapped around the hose  162  as is shown in  FIG. 4 . The curvature and cant of the teeth/grooves in the sprockets  156  and  126  match the helix of the wire coil  160 . The distance between the sprockets  126  and  156  is determined by the location and spacing between the axles  130  and  154 . In an embodiment having separable upper and lower housing sections  108  and  110 , dimensional variations in the coil clad hose may be accommodated by spacing the sections  108  and  110  apart appropriately. Alternatively different sized housings may be provided with different passage to axle spacings provided for each different size coil clad hose. 
         [0027]    Another embodiment of an apparatus  200  is shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 5 . This embodiment  200  is identical to that shown in  FIGS. 1-4  except for the structure of the slip clutches between the bull gears and drive sprockets. In this embodiment  200 , the drive sprocket  226  is rotatably mounted on a bushing  228  which is, in turn, rotatably mounted on the upper shaft  130 . The drive sprocket  226  has a circumferential groove  230  on both opposite faces of the drive sprocket  226  each for receiving an O-ring  232  therein. Each bull gear  222  and  224  rotatably fixed on the axle  130  via keys  204  has a complementary circumferential groove  206  in its inside face for receiving the O-ring  232  adjacent the drive sprocket  226 . A set of wave springs  240  is sandwiched between the bull gear  222  and the sprocket  226  and bounded by the O-ring  232 . Another set of wave springs  240  is sandwiched between the bull gear  224  and the sprocket  226  and bounded by the other O-ring  232 . Grease is contained within the cavity formed by the sprocket  226 , bushing  228 , the O-rings  232  and the bull gear  222 . Similarly, grease is contained within the wave spring space between the sprocket  226 , bushing  228 , O-ring  232  and bull gear  224 . 
         [0028]    The lower set of bull gears  250  and  252  sandwiching sprocket  256  on shaft  154  are similarly configured except that the bull gears  250  and  252  are not rotatably fixed on the axle  154 . As above, the sprocket  256  is mounted on a bushing  228  and has a circumferential groove  260  on both opposite faces of the drive sprocket  256  each for receiving an O-ring  232  therein. Each bull gear  250  and  252  is rotatably mounted on the axle  154  and each has a complementary circumferential groove  206  in its inside face for receiving the O-ring  232  adjacent the drive sprocket  226 . A set of wave springs  240  is sandwiched between the bull gear  250  and the sprocket  256  and bounded by the O-ring  232 . Another set of wave springs  240  is sandwiched between the bull gear  252  and the sprocket  256  and bounded by the other O-ring  232 . Grease is contained within the cavity formed by the sprocket  226 , bushing  228 , the O-rings  232  and the bull gear  250 . Similarly, grease is contained within the wave spring space between the sprocket  226 , bushing  228 , O-ring  232  and the bull gears  252 . 
         [0029]    It is to be understood that various changes can be made to the apparatuses  100  and  200  in accordance with the present disclosure. The coil clad hose may have a helical coil pitch different than that shown in the Figures. For example, the coil clad hose may have a spaced apart pitch similar to that shown in my prior application Ser. No. 12/723,410. 
         [0030]    For example, the housing  104  may be hinged between sections  108  and  110  so as to provide a clamshell type enclosure around a coil clad hose to be propelled. The coil clad hose may have a different spacing between the helical coil wraps than as illustrated in the figures. Thus any helix structure around a hose, cable or other conduit may be gripped by an appropriately configured drive sprocket set  126  and  156  in an alternative embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         [0031]    All such 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.