Restraint for flexible conduits

A device used to restrain the flying or whipping of hoses that are accidentally detached while under pressure. The device is formed of a cable halter having slip knot type snares at each of the extremities for engagement about the hoses at a position on both sides of the expected place of separation, a pair of springs forcing the snares to close, so as to obtain a tight engagement with the hoses, and a safety fastener adapted to lock together the hose connectors. The safety fastener is connected to the cable halter by means of a secondary cable, which encircles the hoses to keep the halter cable close to the hoses.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a device used to restrain the flying or whipping 
of flexible conduits when becoming detached while under pressure. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
In the order to provide the safer working conditions now required, a number 
of devices have been developed to restrain the flying or whipping of a 
flexible conduit. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,692 
dated Jan. 14, 1975, to Waterman, and comprises a double-strand cable 
halter forming end loops that are engageable about the conduit on both 
sides of the quick disconnect connector. In such an arrangement, one end 
loop often slips off a conduit section when the latter separates, for 
instance, at one of the connector halves, because the end loops are not 
held tight enough around the conduit sections. Also, the cable halter is 
only held to the conduit at its extremities and its loose intermediate 
portion can cause an accident if someone gets caught therein and trips. 
Finally, a separate locking device must be used to lock the two halves of 
the quick disconnect connector. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore the main object of the invention to provide a halter cable 
with slip knot type snares which will positively and firmly tighten around 
the conduit sections upon their separation. 
It is another object of the invention to provide means to secure the halter 
cable to the conduit at an intermediate point in between its extremities. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a safety fastener 
attached to the halter cable and engaging the quick disconnect connector 
halves to lock the same together. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a less expensive 
security device to restrain the flying or whipping of a flexible conduit. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A safety device for use in conjunction with separable flow conduits 
comprising a single strand of material having a non-variable size end loop 
at each of its extremities, the end loops freely sliding about the strand 
of material to form opposite variable size main loops for engagement about 
the flow conduit at a position on both sides of an expected place of 
separation of the conduit and resilient means acting on the end loops to 
reduce the opening of the main loops and to allow their installation on 
conduits of various sizes. 
Preferably, a safety fastener is attached to the halter cable by a branch 
cable; the fastener serves to lock together the two halves of the quick 
disconnect connector, while the branch cable can be wound around the 
conduit to keep the halter cable close thereto in an out-of-the-way 
position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in FIG. 2, the restraint of the invention is formed of a stranded 
wire 1 ended at both extremities by non-variable size end loops 2 and 3, 
which are respectively closed by means of cable clamps 4 and 5. 
The end loops 2 and 3 are freely sliding about the wire 1 to form variable 
size main loops 6 and 7. 
A pair of compression springs 8 and 9, having a diameter substantially 
larger than the diameter of the wire 1, surround the wire 1 in between the 
main loops 6 and 7 and exert a closing force on the latter. 
The springs 8 and 9 abut against the loops 2 and 3 with the interposition 
of rings 10 and 11 and are separated from each other by means of a central 
ring 12 to which is fastened a safety fastener 13 by means of a branch 
wire 14. The rings 10, 11, and 12 are all free to slide about the wire 1. 
The branch wire 14 comprises non-variable size loops 15 and 16 at its 
extremities; the loops are respectively closed by the cable clamps 17 and 
18 and are respectively engaging the safety fastener 13 and the central 
ring 12. 
FIG. 2 illustrates two hose sections 19 and 20 about to be secured together 
by means of a quick disconnect connector 21. 
The main loops 6 and 7 engage about the hose or flexible conduit sections 
19 and 20 beyond complementary connector halves 22 and 23 of the quick 
disconnect connector 21, the main loops 6 and 7 being automatically 
initially tightened because of the force exerted by the springs 8 and 9. 
The connector halves 22 and 23 respectively conventionally comprise a pair 
of hook-shaped arms 24 and 25 engaging with corresponding facing flanges 
26 and 27. Holes 28 and 29 are pierced on each facing flange 22 and 23 and 
come in register when the two connector halves are relatively rotated to 
connected position and, thus holes 28, 29 can receive the safety fastener 
13, as shown in FIG. 3. 
The branch wire 14 is coiled around the conduit and the halter cable 1 
before inserting safety fastener 13 through holes 28, 29. In such an 
arrangement, the security is increased because the cable 1 is not loose on 
the ground intermediate its ends and, therefore, cannot cause tripping of 
a person walking nearby. The branch wire 14 and safety fastener can also 
be used to secure the conduit to a structure. 
In most cases, hose failure occurs at the joint between a flexible hose 
section 19 or 20 and its rigid connector half 23 or 22. Upon such 
occurrence, the associated main loops 7 or 6 will not slip off the hose 
section, because it will immediately become tightened on the hose section 
independently of the action of springs 8 and 9, the tightening force 
increasing with the tension exerted by the portion of the cable 1 between 
the main loops 6 and 7. 
A double-flanged sleeve (not shown) is preferably inserted within each end 
loop 2 and 3 with the end loop tightened on the sleeve by clamp 4, 5 
between the two flanges of the sleeve. The latter slidably surrounds wire 
1 in order to reduce friction and thus increase the tightening effect of 
the main loops on the hose sections 19, 20. This sleeve can be made of 
metal, plastic, such as nylon, or even of wood. This sleeve will also 
increase the useful life of the safety device. 
For certain applications, the branch wire 14 can be eliminated and the 
fastener 13 directly attached to central ring 12. This induces the user to 
position the two main loops at the proper places on the hose sections well 
beyond the respective connector halves 22 and 23.