Abstract:
A novel tubular rubber-like non-corrosive sheath, which may be wound on a reel of a mobile sewer cleaning and inspection machine for entry into a sewer line, which encapsulates or joins together a length of jet hose and a length of television cable for a television camera. The invention also includes a novel skid mounting a television camera at the end of a sheath, which carries a television camera, and which in arranged in a position to permit fluid exiting the jet hose to propel the skid in a sewer line.

Description:
PRIORITY INFORMATION  
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/368,054, filed Mar. 27, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to a sheath for integrating sewer hose and television (TV) cable lines for sewer cleaning and inspection, and is more particularly directed to such a sheath which can encapsulate both a jet hose and a TV camera cable useful in detecting a blockage, and cleaning a clogged sewer from a mobile truck or trailer sewer cleaning machine.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    Mobile truck and trailer sewer cleaning machines have become popular for use by municipalities and others. These machines include pumping mechanism connecting a fluid supply for delivering water and other fluids under jet pressure through one or more hoses wound on a reel. The hose may be wound onto or unwound from the reel to thread the hose into or withdraw it from a sewer line. This hose may have, connected to its remote end, a variety of cutting implements useful in clearing clogged sewer lines. It has also become important to provide means for viewing the interior of the sewer line as the jet hose travels through it. The viewing means is typically a TV camera carried by a skid on the remote end of the hose line, and a cable which may be extended into the sewer line as the hose is advanced. These actions are preferably managed from a control panel on the sewer cleaning machine. Typical jet sewer cleaning machines usable in these procedures are shown in O&#39;Brien et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,648, Prange U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,302, and Schmidt Jr. et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,686.  
           [0004]    The TV camera in such an operation is often used to locate trouble in the sewer line, such as a clogged location or a broken and misaligned sewer pipe. Usually, the hose is used to force the camera carrier through the sewer line by fluid jet pressure. Sometimes, in doing so, it is necessary to cleanse the sewer line of caked mud or vegetation in order to view a suspected trouble spot. The jet fluid hose and the TV cable are usually introduced into the sewer line in tandem. In conventional systems, the TV cable and the jet hose are usually separate and are fed into the sewer separately—but sometime side by side. In such a maneuver, the operator must be particularly careful not to tangle the TV cable and jet hose lines, which are payed out remote from the operator&#39;s location and are very difficult to untangle. The effort to untangle them may result in substantial risk to the equipment and personnel when such a tangle of the cable and hose lines occurs. Usually, this effort in feeding the jet hose and TV cable lines requires substantial skill on the part of the operator who must synchronize the entries and movements of the lines. To minimize such a problem, the operator may feed the TV cable and the jet hose lines into the sewer separately and to a selected point, one line at a time. Such an action may at least double the time required to locate and cleanse a clogged area, particularly where the sewer line is uneven or clogged with debris or vegetation.  
           [0005]    In the prior art, others have attempted to secure the TV camera to an end of the jet hose line. For example, see Van Norman U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,738 and McLeod et at U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,600. However, in these arrangements, there still is the probability that the TV cable line and the jet hose line will be snagged on a root or broken pipe, or turn relative to one another and thus create a tangle of the lines which is difficult to remove. Others have tried to join the TV cable line and the jet hose line within a metallic coil spring arrangement, as in Irwin U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,159. However, such springs have been found inadequately flexible and too stiff to make all the necessary turns in a sewer line. Accordingly, they require a beefed up mechanism including a special swivel assembly or the like to drive and manipulate them. Additionally, if a coil of such a spring becomes hung up in the sewer line or broken out, there is a danger that the jet hose or the TV cable line or camera will be damaged, and become inoperable. There is also the danger that the coil spring will not pay out smoothly, and may hang up on its feed mechanism, or that the metallic line will become corroded, oxidized or inoperable. There may also be a problem where the metallic coil spring is conductive, and has the capacity to damage or short out the cable line if it contacts an open circuit.  
           [0006]    Normally, when the TV cable and jet hose lines are separate, they terminate at the machine separately, too. Thus, the operator is often required to view two control areas, one for the TV cable monitor and another for the jet hose, sometimes requiring added personnel to adequately supervise the inspection and cleansing jobs, and increasing the cost of the cleaning and inspection job. Additionally, in cold or stormy weather, the operator faces an uncomfortable task of threading out or winding in the line for a longer time under difficult circumstances.  
         SUMMARY, OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides a rubber-like, non-corrosive, non-metallic, smooth-skin sheath, which may be integral with and encapsulates both the jet hose and TV cable lines. In an embodiment, such a sheath is fabricated from tough, flexible rubber or plastic polymers, to protect both the jet hose and TV cable lines, and to keep them separated. The sheath, with the jet hose and TV cable lines enclosed therein, is wound on a typical reel of a sewer jet cleaning machine. At the hub of the reel, there may be exit connections for both the TV cable and jet hose lines. The termination of the TV cable line will connect to a TV monitor and controls, and the termination of the jet hose line will connect to a fluid supply and pump unit for delivering fluid through that line under pressure. In another embodiment, the sheath is coated with a silicone material to make it slick to slide easily in the sewer line, so the sheath can travel through the sewer line under the least possible resistance. The forward end of the jet hose line may have connected to it a root cutter or other tool, which may be manipulated by water pressure or other means. The forward end of the TV cable will be connected to a TV camera, usually fit with a lamp. These implements may be connected conventionally to the jet hose and TV cable line, respectively.  
           [0008]    The sheath can have many cross-sectional configurations, including circle, oval, square, etc. In one embodiment, the sheath has a cross section which is wider than it is high, has chamfered edges, and is biased to roll on the reel, so that it will pay out without damage to the TV cable or jet hose lines, and will lay flat on the sewer line and properly wind up, without hanging up in the sewer or on the reel. Also, the sheath is solid and dense, to protect the enclosed lines. Because of the juxtaposition of the lines, the control panel may contain controls for the jet hose and the TV cable, thus controlling pay-out, fluid pressure, reel operation, and other operations for the jet hose, as well as viewing of the monitor necessary to see the interior and condition of the sewer line.  
           [0009]    Where it is desirable to provide a jet hose line separate from the sheathed integrated jet hose and TV cable lines, in order to provide another jet cleaning source, which may be of another size (to accommodate a larger or smaller sewer line), or to cleanse the line in advance of or after TV surveillance of the sewer line, another hose reel and hose can be mounted on the same reel axle and separately controlled.  
           [0010]    The arrangement of the sheath in the present invention also permits connection of the TV camera to the TV cable line other than at the end of the jet hose, by merely connecting to the TV cable line at an intermediate point with conventional connection members. Thus, the TV camera does not necessarily have to pay-out at the same point as the jet stream is delivered in the sewer line.  
           [0011]    Additionally, if the sheath become cut or damaged, it can be inserted into a repair fixture, where rubber-like polymer material can be poured into the fixture to bind the sheath, and set up to repair the sheath. Such a fixture will have the configuration of the sheath exterior. Many conventional plastic polymers can be used in making such a repair, for example polyurethane or other conventional cold curing polymers.  
           [0012]    This invention provides a sheath for integrating sewer hose and TV cable of the character described herein. It also provides a unitary sewer hose and TV cable. One embodiment provides a sheath for integrating sewer hose and TV cable which is dense and flexible. Another embodiment provides a sheath for integrating sewer hose and TV cable which has a cross-section wider than it is high, and is adapted for unwinding on a hose reel of a mobile sewer cleaning machine to enter a sewer line, and for winding on the hose reel for removing it from the sewer line. A further embodiment provides a sheathed integrated sewer hose and TV cable arrangement which can accommodate one or more additional hose lines on the same or a related reel axle. A further embodiment provides a smooth skin non-corrosive, non-conductive rubber-like sheath which can integrally encapsulate a jet hose and TV cable for the purposes described herein. Another embodiment provides a sheath integrating jet hose and TV cable lines which is easy to repair without disassembling the sheath and lines from the reel or machine. Another embodiment provides a sheathed integrated sewer hose and TV cable arrangement which is easy, inexpensive, efficient and effective to manufacture, and which is simple and efficient and expedient in use.  
           [0013]    These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as this description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical mobile trailer sewer cleaning machine having a sheathed integrated jet hose and TV cable lines and controls.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a reel upon which is wound a sheathed integrated jet hose and TV cable lines embodying the invention, and control panels for the jet hose and TV cable lines.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a longitudinal view of a length of the sheathed integrated jet hose and TV cable lines, partially broken away in section.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sheathed integrated jet hose and TV cable lines taken on line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exiting line of TV cable terminating at a reel hub and entering and connected to a TV monitor assembly.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative arrangement of the mobile trailer sewer cleaning machine having two reels, one of which may have a hose carrying a TV camera and the other used for providing pressurize water for cleaning the sewer.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a skid carrying a TV camera and connected to the novel hose sheath embodying the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]    The invention is described by the following illustrations. It should be recognized that variations based on the inventive features disclosed herein are within the skill of the ordinary artisan, and that the scope of the invention should not be limited by the examples. To properly determine the scope of the invention, an interested party should consider the claims herein, and any equivalent thereof. In addition, all citations herein are incorporated by reference.  
         [0022]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a typical jet hose sewer cleaning machine consists of a trailer body  10  on which may be mounted a reel  11  carried by a frame  12  having wound thereon a length of a tubular structure or line comprising an outer sheath  13  which encapsulates a fluid jet hose  33  and TV cable  34 . The reel frame  12  may be carried by a telescoping platform  14 , and may include a jet hose control panel  15 , having instruments such as an ignition switch  16 , choke  17 , throttle  18 , tachometer  19 , oil pressure gauge, voltmeter, water temperature gauge, circuit breaker, and possibly other instruments. Another control panel  24 , which may also be mounted on the reel frame  12 , is provided for the TV cable and monitor, which may comprise TV and monitor switches  25  and  26 , respectively, and a TV monitor screen  27 , as well as conventional TV controls  28 , all of which are available for viewing by a single operator located at the control panels. This reel-frame assembly  11 - 12  of the trailer  10  may have control handles  29  and  30  for the jet hose and TV cable mechanism, respectively. A fluid line  31  enters the interior of the trailer  10  connecting the jet hose through a high pressure pump to a source of fluid (not shown).  
         [0023]    When in operation, the trailer  10 , with its warning beacon  32  operating, is positioned over a sewer manhole M and the reel  11  is rotated in the frame  12  to thread the sheath  13  into the manhole of a sewer S and into a selected one of several sewer lines L. Should the operator wish to use a stream of fluid from the hose jet or operate the TV camera, he may do so, using the features of the invention hereinafter described.  
         [0024]    The sheath  13  wound on the reel contains integrally therein a length of heavy duty jet hose  33  and a TV cable  34  line. In an embodiment, this sheath  13  is fabricated from heavy, dense rubber-like plastic and may be coated with a silicone material to make it slick. In another embodiment, the sheath  13  is oriented so that its width  35  is greater than its height  36 , thus making it biased to a flat position in the sewer line L. In a preferred embodiment, the sheath  13  has chamfered edges  37 , so that it will not hang up on obstacles, such as a broken sewer pipe or tree root or other obstacle, in the sewer line L. A conventional TV camera  60  (see FIG. 7) is connected to the end of the TV cable line  34  at the end of the sheath  13 , or at any point along its length, by merely cutting the wall of the sheath to gain access to the TV cable.  
         [0025]    The reel  11  may be constructed with movable side plates  38   a  and  38   b , or there may be more than one reel mounted on the frame, such as additional reel  42  (see FIG. 6), so that they may be in position to accommodate more than one length of hose, perhaps of different sizes, or another sheath  13 . In FIG. 2 the reel plates  38   a  and  38   b  may be spaced apart to accept a length of jet sewer cleaning hose (not shown). These plates  38  connect to a reel hub  39  (FIG. 5), though which connections may be made to the fluid lines (not shown) or to a TV monitor  27  which may be mounted on the control panel  24  or elsewhere on the machine. The TV cable line  34  may exit the reel hub  39  and terminate in the control panel  24 , as shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0026]    As shown in FIG. 6, an alternative trailer  40  may include the novel sheath  13  and its associated reel  11  previously described in association with a typical water hose  41  and its associated reel  42 , in situations where it is desired to deliver a large volume of jet pressured water to the target sewer or if sewer cleaning is to proceed without monitoring by a described TV camera arrangement.  
         [0027]    An embodiment with a TV camera skid  50  is shown in FIG. 7. A preferred embodiment of this skid  50  has multiple wheels  51  which span the sewer line, making it easy to maneuver the TV camera  60  through the sewer line. This TV camera  60  is supported on a frame  52 , which carries the wheels  51 , and has a tube  53  for mounting the TV camera. The frame  52  also has connections for receiving the fluid line  33  and the TV cable line  34  when they exit the sheath adjacent the TV camera  60 . Jet fluid exiting from the fluid line  33  propels the skid  50  forward in the sewer line.  
         [0028]    Should the sheath  13  be damaged from cuts, wear or otherwise, it can be repaired by merely placing the damaged areas within a fixture approximating the exterior width and height dimensions of the sheath and pouring a liquid polymer into the fixture to set up and bind with the damaged sheath, thus making the sheath useful again.  
         [0029]    The sheath may consist of a length of jet hose  33  and a length of television cable  34  appropriately joined together by fusing or other means so that they may be wound and unwound from and upon rotation of a single rotationable reel  11 , as to prevent the lengths from being tangled with one another during their entry and manipulation into and removal from a sewer line.  
         [0030]    While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in considerable detail, it should be understood that the structural elements of the invention may be varied, and it is not desired that the invention should be limited to the exact structure described.