Abstract:
A device for winding a flattened firefighting hose which has a T-bar of a handle and an abutted and welded shaft normally disposed to the handle. The shaft on its second end is recessed into a junction box on the opposite end of the shaft from the handle and welded into position. The junction box has a pair of preferably recessed spaced prongs emanating from the opposite face of the junction box. These prongs are also spaced apart and are of equal length. Stainless steel construction is preferred. All members are perfectly formed of round tubing though square tubing may be utilized and in either case should be preferably about ¾″ in diameter.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention pertains to a device to be used by one fireman to rewind a previously extended fire hose that is empty of water. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ofttimes one will walk or drive by a firehouse and observe a long extended fire hose, often one-hundred feet or more, being curled around itself into a spiral. A fireman or trainee is stooped over pulling and coiling the empty hose around itself such that it can thus be relocated onto a truck or stowed in the firehouse for storage. Not only is this effort tedious, but it is uncomfortable due to the continued bent over position required to carry this out. Since fire trucks often carry as much as 2,000 feet of hose in 100 to 200 foot lengths, the rewind job is not one that firefighters look forward to. Applicant, who has an employment history with several fire agencies, believed that there had to be a better way to achieve the desired result. The result is this invention. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features, properties, and the selection of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The device of this invention is a T-bar formed of a handle and shaft, the shaft being connected to a junction box from which emanates a pair of spaced prongs directed away from the handle of the T-bar. The structure is preferably formed of stainless steel. 
     Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the fire hose winder of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective closeup view of a portion of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the apparatus of this invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the variant of this invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a closeup cutaway view of a feature of the variant of this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In FIG. 1 there is shown a T-bar section  12  having a handle  11  welded at its midpoint to a first end of an elongated shaft  13  at weld point  15 . Handle  11  is preferably stainless steel tubing about 18″ in length and ¾″ in diameter. Other diameters within the range ½″ 1¼″ are also contemplated for use in the manufacture of the T-bar. The length could be reduced to about 15″ or extended out as may be desired. 
     Shaft  13  of the T-bar is as noted is made of stainless steel as well. The shaft should be of the same diameter as member  11 . The shaft.  13  and the handle as well, can be made within the range of ½″ to 1¼″ in diameter. 
     The second end of the shaft  13 , which is the lower end not connected to the handle, is disposed preferably within abore  14  of the upper surface of junction box  19 . Bore  14  should be about ½″ directed inwardly. Junction box  19  is also preferably made of stainless steel and is sized to be preferably about 1½″ high by about 2¾″ wide. The junction box may be made bigger or smaller consistent with the diameter of the shaft and the prongs adopted. Junction box  19  is preferably cylindrical in configuration. A butt welded joining of the shaft to the junction box is also contemplated by this invention. 
     As seen in FIG. 3, the shaft  13  extends inwardly about ½″ into the proximal, first face of junction box  19  into the bore  14 . The portion disposed within bore  14  is designated  13 H for the hidden portion. It is welded into a fixed position at weld point  16 . 
     A pair of spaced prongs  21 ,  23  are disposed approximately ½″ into the opposed distal, second surface or face of junction box  19  into bores  22  and  24  respectively. The hidden portions of these two prongs are designated  21 H and  23 H respectively. The two prongs are friction fit into their respective bores and welded into a fixed position as shown by weld points  27  and  28 . These prongs are seen to be directed away from the handle  11  in a parallel alignment to the shaft. The spacing between the prongs may vary from about ⅜″ to ⅝″ in cross section, and are preferably ½″ wide when used with a junction box 2¾″ wide{ the direction normal to the extension of the shaft} 
     Reference is made to FIG. 2, the top plan view. Since the T-bar  12  preferably uses the same stock for both the handle  11  and shaft  13 , the shaft  13  is not seen-in this view. Also, the junction of the shaft to the handle is butt welded to a fixed 90° position. Obviously, for the sake of balance, the shaft is disposed at the midpoint of the handle, as witness, the location of the junction box  19  in this view. 
     Prior to discussing the use and operation of the device, the variant aspect shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is to be discussed. Applicant has concluded that the optimal total elevation for this device is about 36¾″ inches. This is calculated based on 6″ elevation for the prongs of which ½″ is recessed; a height of  1½″ for the junction box; a length of  30″ for the shaft of which ½″ is recessed and ¾″ for the outside diameter of the handle. It is seen that ¾+29½+6+½, {this last being the amount of junction box not containing the top and bottom inserts} equals 36¾. This elevation is equal to the height of the belt buckle of today&#39;s average American male. By choosing this total elevation, operation is conducted by the user at a waist high location for most men. As may be desired, the amount of inches for the total elevation can be made smaller for the typical American female or males and females of other countries by changing the shaft length. 
     Since the device is the height set forth above, it is intended for on truck storage or on wall storage at a fire station rather than being carried as part of a backpack. 
     It has been found, however, that there are times when a collapsible version of this device is desired for in-field use. Thus, applicant conceived of having a unit  50  shown in FIG. 5 where the shaft is made in two parts,  53  and  55 . Here,  53  the upper inner tube telescopes, that is, it nests into  55  the lower outer tube. 
     FIG. 6 is a closeup cutaway view which illustrates the junction of the upper tubular shaft  53  to lower tubular shaft  55 . The mechanism utilized is a detented V-spring  58 , seen here in FIG.  6 . It has a spring steel V-shaped center section  59  attached to a pair of opposed button-like detents  60 , one at each end of each arm of the V. The detents are seen to pass through a pair of aligned apertures in each of the upper and lower shafts  53 ,  55 . The spaced aligned opposed openings in the upper shaft, are designated  61 , while the two spaced aligned opposed openings in the lower shaft are designated  62 . 
     Such telescoping mechanisms are well known and are readily available in the marketplace. They are used on such devices as tripods, extendable canes and crutches, among other items. 
     When the detents are pushed in, they clear out from the spaced bores of the outer tube. This permits the lower outer tube  55  to receive the inner tube which moves downwardly therein. 
     Preferably, the tubes  53  and  55  are such that they are approximately equal in length to thereby significantly shorten the stowed portion length of the device  50  from about 36¾″ to about 18 inches. The lower outer tube of the shaft  55  can be made ¾″ in cross section while the inner tube would be of a slightly smaller cross section such as ⅝. 
     Construction 
     The device  10  of this invention and its variant  50  are potentially subject to heavy handling and high wear and tear. Therefore, to prolong their useful life, applicant prefers the use of stainless steel tubing for its construction. Tubing is lighter in weight than rod stock. The T-bar, junction box, and spaced prongs are all made of stainless type-304, preferably the prongs and the junction box are made of stainless steel stainless type-304, as well for uniformity. The two prongs were recessed and then welded and not just butt welded to enable the spaced prongs to endure high torque, in the neighborhood of 292 pounds of torque from the rotation of the flattened water hose. The shaft is seen to be inserted into the junction box and Tigwelded thereto for strength and the same torque reason. 
     Since the handle to shaft junction is not subject to high torque, a butt welded junction is sufficient. 
     The question of the placement of grips on the handle was also considered but rejected. It was believed that overlaid rubber grips would wear out and perhaps do so at an uneven rate. To avoid the necessity of replacement, they were eliminated. This was deemed to be a satisfactory approach, because in cold weather firefighters would be wearing gloves and would be unaffected by the cold metal. Unless left lying in the sun for an extended period of time during warm weather, the T-bar should not get so hot that it cannot be handled by a firefighter. 
     Use and Operation 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which shows the pullout hose  29  wrapped around the device  10  (though it could just as easily be device  50  extended). Most often, the empty fire hose is folded in half along the length thereof by bringing the female connector end up toward the male connector end  30 . At a point just behind (within a few inches) of the male connector end  30 , the two spaced prongs are placed over the width of the hose  29 , which hose has been placed in a generally vertical orientation. Unlike garden hoses, which at all times remain retain their circular cross section, empty fire hoses assume a flattened configuration due to a different construction. The operator rotates the shaft clockwise (or counterclockwise) and curls the folded over hose around itself to form a coil. The operation can be carried out in a standing position in about four minutes per 100 feet. The procedure to wind a hose not folded in half would be the same with the male connector kept at the middle of the curled hose during the course of the operation but extending out in an upward direction from the coil for easy access. In contrast, in order to wind a hose manually, the person must assume a bent over position for perhaps double the four minutes in time, or more to do the job for a 100-foot hose. 
     It is seen that I have created a unique, heavy-duty tool that fulfills a long existing need, namely, a tool to quickly and easily rewind fire hoses. 
     Since certain changes may be made in the aforementioned device without departing from the description and as shown in the accompanying drawings the discussion shall be interpreted as being illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense.