Hose support for waste disposal systems

Apparatus is described herein for supporting a length of hose extending from an outlet such as the waste disposal outlet of a recreational vehicle to a disposal inlet. The apparatus includes a trough-like support which may be in sections supported by vertical members removably clamped to bottom end edge portions of the trough-like support in an inclined position from the outlet to the inlet. The vertical members are designed with horizontal U-shaped clamping portions positioned with the end edges of the trough-like support clamped between the legs of the "U".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an improved means for supporting waste 
disposal hose positioned between a disposal outlet and the inlet of a 
waste collecting means, and particularly to a novel support means adapted 
to support hose in an inclined position to facilitate drainage and at the 
same time support such hose above the ground surface or otherwise to avoid 
abrasion and/or contamination thereof. It relates more particularly to a 
means for providing such support composed of segments which can be easily 
assembled and disassembled at the point of use. It is especially suitable 
for providing support and protection to flexible hose, either straight or 
corrugated, such as used for the dumping or disposal of waste products 
from disposal tanks such as are commonly used in recreational vehicles or 
RV's as they are generally known. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 4712755 of which applicant is a co-inventor, the 
conventional practice in using discharge hose temporarily attached to 
waste storage containers of RV's, for example, and the problems associated 
therewith are discussed in detail. Such problems are related to at least 
in part to the flexible nature of the hose used which is frequently of 
convoluted or corrugated construction. As described and claimed in that 
patent, the hose is supported while connected to the outlet of the RV's 
waste storage system by means of a pair of connected rails detachably 
interlocked and suitably extensible and supported from beneath at a given 
point by means of a slidable bracket. 
It has been found that appropriate support and drainage for such a rail 
system can be provided in a simple and easily assembled and disassembled 
manner by certain improvements and modifications such as described below. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Applicant has found that a hose supporting means in the form of a U-shaped 
channel which partically encloses the hose, dimensioned to conform to the 
diameter as well as the length of the hose can be supported at each end by 
means of separate vertical supporting members attachable at each bottom 
end edge of the channel, which is formed with a flat bottom surface and 
raised side walls. Such vertical supporting members are preferably of 
different lengths so that a longer member may be attached at the end 
adjacent to the RV disposal outlet and a shorter member atttached to the 
end adjacent to the hose outlet to impart a slope to the hose support and 
assure proper drainage. While the hose support channel may be provided in 
a single section, it is generally preferable to make such channel in the 
form of two or more slidably interlocking members which are therefore 
extensible to a desired length and which are also separable into short 
sections for convenient storage. A simple form of interlocking means is by 
turning in or crimping the parallel upper edges of one section to allow a 
second section with straight edges to be slidably inserted and supported 
over and within the first section in engagement with the side walls and in 
turned edges thereof. These channels are generally formed of galvanized 
sheet steel of suitable gauge but other materials such as rigid plastic or 
aluminum sheet may be used. 
In order to provide raised support for these channels applicant has 
designed members of suitable length provided at one end with a bent-over 
segment in the form of a horizontal "U" with its legs closely spaced apart 
sufficiently to frictionally engage the bottom and edges of the channel to 
raise it from the ground surface. One form of such support is provided 
with a pair of legs one or both of which may be hinged to be spread apart 
to provide a V-support and another form in which the support is formed in 
one piece with the described horizontal "U" shaped segment formed at one 
end. 
In practice it has been found desirable to position the hose support 
channels in raised position at the RV disposal outlet and supported at a 
lower level adjacent to the hose outlet to assure proper drainage. 
The trough-like hose support described herein may be formed with sloping 
rather than straight sides and shaped to provide lateral as well as bottom 
support for the hose to retain it in proper position, for example, as 
shown in FIG. 4 of Pat. No. 4712755 referred to above. In a typical 
installation the channel or trough may be in two sections of 22 gauge 
galvanized iron each section being 36" in length while the vertical 
supports may be about 7-8" in height for the longer support and about 3-4" 
in height for the shorter support. The vertical supports are formed of 
heavier gauge galvanized iron or steel or aluminum suitable for bending to 
the desired configuration. Of course, other lengths may be selected to 
provide the degree of support and inclines required for any given 
installation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, the assembly of the present invention is shown 
associated with a conventional RV 10 wherein a hose 11 is supported on a 
channel or troughlike member 12 which in turn is supported at each end in 
an inclined position by means of legs or supports 13 and 14 which are 
described in greater detail below. 
While channel 12 is illustrated as a unitary member, it is generally 
preferable that it be in the form of at least two interconnected segments 
for convenience in storage. As shown the hose is connected at its raised 
end to the waste outlet of the RV and at its lower end to the inlet of a 
waste disposal pit. 
FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail a form of trough-like support in two 
sections 12a and 12b. 
As shown the channel members are formed with flat bottom surfaces 12c and 
12d to which leg supports 13 and 14 are respectively attached as discussed 
further below. The two channel sections are designed to be slidably joined 
by sliding side walls 16 of 12b within corresponding side walls of 12a and 
with the intergaging portions of 16 retained by the turned in upper edges 
15 of section 12a. Of course, instead of forming the channel member in two 
or more sections, it can be provided in a single section where its length 
is not a deterrent. 
In FIGS. 3 and 4 is illustrated one form of leg support which is easily 
affixed and removed and which is designed to clip over the end of the flat 
bottom portion of the channel. As shown the unit 13 is formed with a pair 
of leg members 17 and 18 riveted by means of rivets 19 and 20 to a clip or 
clamping member formed by bending a strip of sheet metal into a horizontal 
U shape with upper and lower legs 21 and 22 defining a slot or opening 23 
spaced to conform closely to the thickness of the flat bottom portion of 
channel 12, i.e. 12c or 12d of FIG. 2. In a preferred form leg member 17 
is hinged so that it can be folded against 18 by making rivet 19 loose 
enough to function as a shaft while rivet 20 can be tight to prevent leg 
member 18 from rotating. When it is desired to attach the vertical support 
13 legs 17 and 18 are spread apart and U-shaped clamp 21-22 is pressed 
over the end of the bottom edge 12c as shown in FIG. 4, of channel 12a, 
for example, where the length of 13 is selected so as to elevate the 
channel and hose at the RV waste outlet. The purpose of being able to 
spread legs 17 and 18 apart to form an inverted V-type support is to 
provide greater lateral stability when in use. As shown in FIG. 2 leg 
support 13 is in position with the upper lip 21 positioned over the edge 
of 12c. 
In FIG. 5 a leg support 14 is shown in the form of a sheet metal member 
with one end beat to form a horizontal U-shaped portion with upper and 
lower lips 25 and 26 defining a slot 24 dimensioned to closely conform to 
the diameter of the bottom surface of the channel member. This will 
provide a leg having a desired length 27 such that it can be used, for 
example, at the lower end of the channel adjacent to the waste disposal 
inlet. On the other hand this unit may be formed to be of greater length 
and can be utilized as well at the upper end of the channel support in 
place of the hinged leg unit shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.