Patent Publication Number: US-9884214-B1

Title: Hose winding device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/406,413, filed on Oct. 11, 2016. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to storage for hoses, such as fire hoses and the like, and particularly to a hose winding device for winding fire hoses and removing remaining liquid from within. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The manual winding of hoses, such as fire hoses and the like, is often a tedious and non-ergonomic operation. With fire hoses in particular, prior to the manual winding operation, the firefighter must first drain the water from the hose and then stretch out the fire hose in a linear manner. The firefighter then manually winds the hose into a convolute roll, often resting on his or her hands and knees. 
     Such winding of fire hoses is performed routinely by firefighting personnel. For example, after a fire fighting operation, each length of fire hose must be wound up at the scene of the fire for the return trip to the fire station. At the station, the hose must be unrolled and placed on drying racks and then wound up again for storage. In some areas, safety regulations require that all fire hoses be unwound and inspected at regular intervals, thus requiring the fire hose to then be rewound again for storage. 
     Although a wide variety of devices exist for the winding of hoses, cables and the like, such devices are typically ineffective for use with fire hoses. Thus, a hose winding device solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The hose winding device is a portable device for winding hoses, such as fire hoses and the like, which also removes any remaining liquid from within as the hose is being wound, as well as flattening the hose for ease of winding. The hose winding device includes a pair of substantially U-shaped frame members, each having a closed upper end and an open lower end, and a base. The base is adapted for positioning on a support surface, such as the ground or the like, and the open lower ends of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members are secured thereto. 
     An axle is rotatably mounted to, and extends between, the closed upper ends of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members. At least one set of first and second rollers is mounted to, and extends between, the closed upper ends of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members. The first roller has a pair of opposed ends respectively rotatably secured to the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members. The second roller has a first end pivotally secured to one of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members and a second end releasably secured to other one of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members. The first roller is vertically spaced apart from the second roller such that a hose to be wound about the axle is squeezed between the first and second rollers to remove the remaining liquid from therein. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a hose winding device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1  with the crank shown in a stored position. 
         FIG. 4  is an environmental, perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing the hose being retained on the crank by the retainer. 
         FIG. 5A  is a partial perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing a slidable locking bar for retaining the crank on the device frame. 
         FIG. 5B  is a partial perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing the slidable locking bar with the hook pivoted up parallel to the shaft of the crank. 
         FIG. 5C  is a partial perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing the slidable locking bar in an unlocked position. 
         FIG. 6A  is a partial perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing the upper wringer roller pivoted upward to allow insertion of the hose coupler through the wringer rollers. 
         FIG. 6B  is a partial perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing the upper wringer roller in a locked position. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of the hose winding device of  FIG. 1 , showing one of the vertical guide rollers pivoted away from its mounting arm. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The hose winding device has an open rectangular parallelepiped skeleton or box-shaped frame made of tubular members. The upper cross members at opposite ends of the frame include a lower wringer roller mounted on a shaft fixed to opposite sides of the frame and an upper wringer roller spaced above the lower wringer roller, the upper roller being mounted on a shaft pivotally attached to one side of the frame and releasably latched to the opposite side of the frame so that the upper roller may be pivoted upward to pass the coupler of a fire hose through the wringer rollers. The wringer rollers compress and flatten the fire hose as it is cranked through the wringer rollers, thereby removing any water left inside the hose, much like a wringer clothes washing machine. A pair of spaced apart, vertical guide rollers are mounted closely behind the wringer rollers, the four rollers being configured similar to a winch&#39;s roller fairlead, permitting the hose to be smoothly wound on the device without first straightening the hose. The guide rollers at one end of the frame may be more widely spaced apart than the guide rollers at the opposite end so that the device can be used to wind fire hoses of different diameter. A hand crank is removably mounted to opposite sides of the frame halfway between opposite ends of the frame. The crank has a hose coupler retainer extending parallel to the crank&#39;s axle. After the hose has been wound on the crank&#39;s axle, the crank may be removed from the frame and the crank may be slipped off the hose so that the wound hose may be stored for its next use, while the device may be used to wind another hose. 
     In more detail, referring to  FIG. 1 , the hose winding device  10  is a portable device for winding hoses, such as exemplary fire hose H, and which also removes any remaining liquid from within as the hose H is being wound, as well as flattening the hose H for ease of winding and storage. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hose winding device  10  may include a pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12 , each having a closed upper end  14  and an open lower end  16 , and a base  18 . The base  18  is adapted for positioning on a support surface, such as the ground or the like, and the open lower ends  16  of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  are secured thereto, as shown. It should be understood that the overall frame structure of hose winding device  10 , including the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  and the substantially rectangular base  18 , is shown for exemplary purposes only, and that the overall configuration and relative dimensions thereof may vary. 
     A hand crank  22  having an axle  20  is rotatably mounted to, and extends between, the closed upper ends  14  of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  about halfway between opposing ends of the frame. As best seen in  FIG. 2 , a pair of mounting lugs  24  are respectively secured to the closed upper ends  14  of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  for releasably receiving and supporting the axle  20 . It should be understood that the mounting lugs  24  are shown for exemplary purposes only, and may have any desired overall configuration and relative dimensions. Preferably, each mounting lug  24  has a fork  28  defined therein for receiving a respective end of the crank axle  20 , as shown, allowing the ends of axle  20  to rotate freely therein. 
     A crank handle  22  is mounted on one end of axle  20  for selectively driving rotation thereof. As shown in  FIG. 1 , driven rotation of axle  20  is used to wind the hose H. As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the axle  20  is removable, thus allowing it to be removed from mounting brackets  24  for easier transport and storage of the hose winding device  10 . Preferably, as best seen in  FIG. 3 , a receptacle  70  is provided for removably receiving the axle  20  when axle  20  is removed from the pair of mounting brackets  24 . The receptacle  70  is shown as being substantially cylindrical, with a lower end mounted on base  18  and an upper end supported by a support bar  80 , although it should be understood that the receptacle  70  may have any suitable overall configuration and relative dimensions, and may be positioned in any desired location on or near the frame of the hose winding device  10 . Further, as best seen in  FIG. 3 , the crank axle  20  may have at least one rotational guide member  82  (e.g., a disk having an annular recess defined in its rim) for secure mounting within the fork  28  of at least one of the mounting lugs  24 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , a coupler retaining bar  26  is mounted on the crank axle  20  for releasably securing a coupler N (e.g., a coupler for securing the hose to a fire hydrant or the water tank of a tanker fire truck) of the hose H between the retaining bar  26  and the axle  20 . The retaining bar  26  has an open-ended elongate portion extending parallel to the crank axle  20  and a bent portion having an end rigidly fixed to the crank axle to offset the elongate portion. Further, as shown in  FIGS. 2, 5A, 5B and 5C , a pair of slidable locking bars  30  are preferably respectively slidably mounted in a sleeve  31  of the pair of mounting lugs  24  for releasably locking the ends of axle  20  within the respective forks  28  of the pair of mounting lugs  24 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 2 , at least one pair of lower and upper wringer rollers  32 ,  34  is mounted to, and extends between, the closed upper ends  14  of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12 . The lower wringer roller  32  has a pair of opposed ends  36 ,  38  respectively rotatably secured to the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12 . As shown in  FIG. 6A , the upper wringer roller  34  has a first end  40  pivotally attached to one of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  and a second end  42  releasably secured to other one of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the free end  42  of upper wringer roller  34  is preferably received by a saddle bracket  45  fixed to the corresponding frame member  12  and selectively locked therein by a latch  44  pivotally mounted on the frame member  12 . It should be understood that the saddle bracket  45  and latch  44  are shown for exemplary purposes only, and that the free end  42  of second roller  34  may be releasably secured to the corresponding frame member  12  by any suitable type of selectively lockable fastener. 
     As shown, the lower wringer roller  32  is vertically spaced apart from the upper wringer roller  34  such that the hose H to be wound about the crank axle  20  is squeezed between the lower and upper wringer rollers  32 ,  34 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , to remove the remaining liquid from within the hose H and to flatten the hose H. Preferably, as shown, a second set of first and second rollers  32 ′,  34 ′ is mounted on the opposite end of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  and positioned substantially symmetrically with the first set of first and second rollers  32 ,  34 , and operating in an identical manner. This allows the hose winding device  10  to be used from either end without the need for turning the device  10  or unnecessarily manipulating the hose H. 
     Additionally, as best seen in  FIG. 2 , at least one pair of vertical guide rollers  50 ,  52  are respectively mounted to the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  adjacent the wringer rollers  32 ,  34  and  32 ′,  34 ′. As shown, the at least one pair of side rollers  50 ,  52  are horizontally spaced apart from one another for guiding the hose H to be wound about the axle  20 . A pair of C-shaped brackets  54 ,  56  is mounted on the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12  for supporting the guide rollers  50 ,  52 . 
       FIG. 7  shows one guide roller  50  mounted on its bracket  54 , although it should be understood that guide roller  52  operates in a similar manner with respect to its bracket  56 . As shown, the guide roller  50  has an upper end  62  and a lower end  64 . The lower end  64  of the guide roller  50  is pivotally attached to the bottom arm  60  of the C-shaped bracket  54 , and the upper end  62  is releasably secured to the upper arm  58  of the C-shaped bracket  54 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the upper end  62  of the guide roller  50  is preferably received by a retainer  66  secured to the upper arm  58  of the C-shaped bracket  54  and selectively locked therein by a pivotal latch  68 . It should be understood that retainer  66  and latch  68  are shown for exemplary purposes only, and that the upper end  62  of the guide roller  50  may be releasably secured to the upper arm  58  of the C-shaped bracket  54  by any suitable type of selectively lockable fastener. The pivoting of the guide roller  50  permits the coupler end of the hose H to be placed between the vertical guide rollers  50 ,  52  before winding. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pair of guide rollers  50 ,  52  are spaced apart, depending on the width of the fire hose H, and provide a guide for maintaining the hose H in an aligned positioned with the center of the crank axle  20 . Preferably, as shown, a second pair of guide rollers  50 ′,  52 ′ are mounted on the opposite end of the pair of substantially U-shaped frame members  12 , positioned substantially symmetrically with the first pair of guide rollers  50 ,  52 , and operating in an identical manner. The guide rollers  50 ,  52  may be spaced wider apart than the guide rollers  50 ′,  52 ′ so that the device may be used to wind fire hoses of different diameter, depending on which end is used to wind the hose. This also allows the hose winding device  10  to be used from either end without the need for turning the device  10  or unnecessarily manipulating the hose H. On each side, the wringer rollers and the guide rollers are configured substantially similar to a winch&#39;s roller fairlead, permitting the hose to be smoothly cranked and centered on the crank axle  20 , even if the hose has not been straightened before winding. 
     In use, the upper wringer roller  34  or  34 ′ is unlatched and pivoted upward while drawing the hose H over the lower wringer roller  32  or  32 ′ and hooking the hose coupler N behind the coupler retainer bar  26 , pivoting the guide roller  50  open to insert the coupler end of the hose between the vertical guide rollers  50 ,  52  before winding and then latching the guide roller  50 . The upper wringer roller  34  or  34 ′ is then pivoted downward and latched in the saddle bracket  45  to secure the hose H between the wringer rollers  32 ,  34  or  32 ′,  34 ′. The crank is then manually rotated using the crank handle  22  to wind the hose H on the crank axle  20 . When the hose H is fully wound, the locking bars  30  are rotated and slid across the lugs  24  to release the crank, permitting the crank to be detached from the frame with the hose H wound thereon. Since the coupler retainer bar is attached to the crank axle  20  at one end but open at the other end, the hose H can be slid off the crank and the crank can be stored in the receptacle  70  or mounted on the frame to wind another fire hose H. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.