Abstract:
An improved winding apparatus for winding hoses and similar hose shaped items such those used in the firefighting industry. The apparatus includes a framework and a two piece retainer device in connection with the frame. The retainer include a first and second arcuate shaped pieces adapted for securing the hose to the winding means. Optional mechanical means for driving the device are described. Rollers, left and right guide means and a squeegee comprise a three part guide element for the apparatus which aids in the reeling of the hose.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to the field of winding and reeling and in particular to an improved winding apparatus adaptable for wheeled transport to and from work sites as well as being able to be motorized for heavier duty applications. The framework has a pair of wheels or rollers and winding device known as the retainer in the main section of the frame and this is for reeling in the hose. There is a three part guide means located near the bottom of the apparatus for guiding the left and right as well as up and down movement of the hose as well as knocking off debris, rocks, etc. off of the hose.  
         [0002]     The device can be powered by hand by use of a hand crank and a set of gears adapted for a powered driving means, such as a battery or gas powered engine, that can crank the gears and thence drive the retainer in order to wind the hose upon the retainer. The battery could be for example, a 12 volt dc battery.  
         [0003]     It is thought that the apparatus would be useful in many applications including winding heavy duty hoses such as those used for fire fighting, sewage treatment and off shore waste recovery operations. Such hoses may be as long as 500′ in many applications and some hose may reach even greater heights.  
         [0004]     It is an object of the invention to provide a means for winding heavy duty hoses and able to guide the hose onto a reeling means for an easier operation that can be manual powered or motorized.  
         [0005]     Another object is to provide a guide means in connection with the reeling means in order to perform steps of knocking off debris, guiding left/right and up down movements of the hose as it is being reeled.  
         [0006]     Another object is to provide a portable winding apparatus that may be readily transported into and out of rough terrain such as wooded or sandy areas and having wheels and a construction like that of a dolly.  
         [0007]     It is an object of the invention to provide a means for winding heavy duty hoses that can be adapted to fit various sized diameters of hose and can be used to store hoses after they have been reeled upon the device.  
         [0008]     Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art once the invention is shown and described. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  overall construction of the apparatus;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  perspective view of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  overall view of the retainer.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  detail of retainer;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  cross section of spacers;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  Detail of a guide;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  side view of rollers, guide and squeegee;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  front view of plates. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     The overall construction of the winding and reeling apparatus is shown in  FIG. 1 . There are preferably two upright sidewalls  10  are in connection with a rigid base  9  and a back wall  11 . The back wall should connected to the sidewalls on at least one edge and both back and side panels should be in connection to several edges of the base. The base is flat and designed to rest upon the ground or floor in the event that wheels are not in use (see further description below). The walls provide a framework and support for the various working parts of the apparatus.  
         [0018]     This framework may be constructed of metal or wood or other sturdy materials. The apparatus may be used in this configuration without wheels, or wheels may be added to the frame. For example, a handcart may be attached to the framework by means of bolts or other means and the handcart can then be used to transport the apparatus to wherever place it is desired. Such heavy-duty hoses that find use with the invention may be used in rugged terrain such as forests and so a wheeled transporting means is desirable. It is preferred that the device be used in its wheeled configuration when heavy-duty applications such as winding hoses is desired. The sidewalls  10  may be constructed with hinges ( 62 , see  FIG. 1 ) on them in order to that they maybe folded back and rest against the back wall. This is an option, but is thought that would be a preferred option.  
         [0019]     A full scale version of the apparatus would be designed so that it can win in large section so fheavy-duty hose such as a fire hose or a hose used in sewage treatment. Such hoses are typically 150-200 feet in length although longer hose are alos in use and can be used with the invention described herein. Other hoses thought to find use with the invention may be environmental control hoses, used to clean up oil spills and hoses used in municiplal sewage treatment plants. Such hoses can run to lengths of thousands of feet and very often the task of winking the hose is done manually, i.e. by hand power.  
         [0020]     Refer to  FIG. 1 , there is in connection with one wall of the apparatus a rank  6  and a gear mechanism (shown as  4  and  5  in  FIG. 2 ) that is used to drive the retainer means s 24 . The gears may be connected to one another by a chain  8  or similar means for imparting rotary motion from the gear  5  to the drive gear  4 . The crank mechanism can be either used as a hand powered device or a power driven crank. For manual use, the drive gear  5  would be used in connection with a handle  6  that is used to turn this gear.  
         [0021]     The manual cranking version can be used for heavy duty application such as a 150-200′ hose. A motorized version of the device could also be used for similar heavy duty applications and may find use in winding up even heavier hoses that may be of 300-500′ and could weight on the order of several hundred pounds. Such a motorized mechanism would be used in close proximity to the apparatus and is connected to the drive gear so as to reel in large heavy-duty hose and the like. Such a motorized device could be attached directly to the frame of the apparatus or simply used alongside it.  
         [0000]     Details of the Retainer.  
         [0022]     The retainer can be used to reel in both “lay flat hoses,” such as fire hose and items that retain a circular cross section when not in use such as rope or garden hose. When used without the spacers  18  the retainer is used for lay flat hoses, this is the embodiment essentially shown in  FIG. 3 . When used with the two semi-circular shaped spacers  18 , such as in  FIG. 4 , the retainer will roll up items of circular cross section.  
         [0023]     Cross section of the spacers is shown in  FIG. 5 , there is a square shaped eyelet  92  on the inside of each that allows the spacer to be fit over the square shaped extension  24  of the retainer.  
         [0024]     The larger gear  4  is in connection to the retainer  24 . The retainer acts as a connecting point for one end of the hose, cable or whatever item is being would (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). One end of the item is brought into close connection with the retainer. The two pieces of the retainer  16 / 24  slide, or telescope, within one another and thus can accommodate hoses of various thickness. The two pieces are slid against one another so as to form a close fit around the hose.  
         [0025]     The two pieces may be locked into place by means of a thumbscrew apparatus (shown as  52 ) or other means that would allow the two pieces to move with respect to one another and which would allow these two pieces to be held in that position in relation to one another. In this manner, the two parts of the retainer can be fitted around the various size cables. This would be at the start of the winding process so that the hose will remain in close connection to the winding apparatus as it is being reeled. The two parts of the retainer means are tightly joined to one another and this will secure that end of the hose so that it can be reeled in by motion of the crank as it turns the retainer.  
         [0026]     The detail of the retainer is shown in  FIG. 3 . Each of those pieces  16 / 24  has a pair of extending prongs that form a concave or arc shaped section. This may be like the shape of the letter “u” (the “u” is turned on its side) piece  16  is of even shallower depth. Each concave section is isn turn, rigidly connected to a pair of parallel straight pieces. The straight sections are at either end of the concave sections. The straight sections should be constructed so that they may be slide or otherwise moved in relation to one another.  
         [0027]     For example, the straight sections of each piece may be made so that they telescope within one another, number  16  goes into number  24 . The straight sections could be formed like a pipe or similar such device so that they would then telescope or slide with respect to one another. In the case of telescoping sections, the straight sections should therefor have one set of larger diameter than the other and be hollow so as to allow the other leg to slide within it. Piece  24  is thus long enough to extend over piece  16  and all the way to the plate  23  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0028]     It is not necessary that the telescoping sections be used since any construction that allows the two sections to slide with respect to the other would therefor be acceptable. For instance, there could be a track that is in connection with the straight sections so that they can move with respect to one another.  
         [0029]     Thumbscrews or similar such devices are preferably used in connection with the retainer pieces, so that these pieces can be locked into place and held in rigid manner so that one end of the hose can be secured to the retainer as it is being reeled in. That is to say, plate  22  is placed over the bracket  63 . There is a rectangular shaped opening  87  in the middle of the plates ( 22  or  23 ) in order to provide for this, see  FIG. 8 . The plate is then secured to th bracket with bolts, etc. See bolt holes  80  in  FIG. 8 . These bolt holes near the center of the plate and above and below th rectangular opening, show the position for the bolts to secure plate  22  to the angle bracket  63 . Note additional hose  85  near the periphery of the plate are used to secure the bundle of hose after it has been wrapped. This is down by using string or rope that is looped through holes  85  and around the bundle of the hose.  
         [0030]     Retainer piece  16  is placed inside plate  23 , again see the aperture in the middle of this plate in  FIG. 8 . Extension  24  will slide over  16  so that the end of  24  will slide past plate  23  where it will be engaged by thumbscrew  52  in  FIG. 4 . The same connection is used without the spacers, that is to say, the thumbscrew, plate and extension arrangement is used both with and without spacers.  
         [0031]     The sleeve inserts  18  are used in connection with the two pieces (see  FIG. 4 ). Each is semicircular in shape and has a square shaped eyelet inside in order to be supported on the extending piece  24 . The sleeve inserts are of shape and sized adapted to support hoses, rope, etc. of circular cross section. The inserts will hold the two plates  22  and  23  apart from one another at a various pre-determined distance so that these plates may be rigidly fixed at a pre-determined size for a certain amount of hose. Thus the inserts will provide a support surface on the inside of the middle of the core of rope or hose that is being formed by the reeling.  
         [0032]     After th hose has been reeled it is necessary to remove this bundle (the coil of hose) from the retainer. The thumbscrews  52  are loosened and the user would pull on the retainer  16  in  FIG. 4 . The reel plate  23  will now easily slide off of no.  16  since it was held by the pressure from the back of  16  vis a vis the spacers, when the thumbscrew is loosened,  16  comes off of  24  and there is no longer and pressure to hold the plate  23 . (similar situation holds the plate when spacers are not used). Removing the plate  23  will reveal spacers  18  on the inside of the formed, the two sleeve inserts or spacers  18  will now fall into the middle of the core since there is no longer anything to urge them against the inside of the coil of hose, rope, etc. After clearing  24 , the spacers are easily removed in this manner.  
         [0033]     After all applicable work is done by the reeling process, you would remove the bracket  63  along the plate  22  by loosening on the bolts. The six pieces that comprise the reel can now be stowed for use later.  
         [0034]     Three Part Guide System.  
         [0035]     There is a three part guide mans near the bottom of the framework, see  FIG. 1 . There is a set of rollers  34 / 36 ; squeegee  40  and left and right guides ( 32  and  33 ) that work more or less in connection with one another in order to guide the hose onto the retainer  24  and knock off rocks, etc. that may interfere with this process. The side view  FIG. 7  shows the relationship among these members.  72  shows the hose as it is being payed through this part of the system. Note that the squeegee  40  is under the roller  36  and should be about as long as that roller.  
         [0036]     The squeegee  40  is located on the base so that it will contact the bottom of the hose as it is being wound. It is preferred that the squeegee be approximately 2″ wide and 7″ long and perhaps ¼″ thick. Such dimensions are merely preferred and should not limit the scope of this aspect of the device. The squeegee may be attached between the base  32  and roller supports  48 . The squeegee should be composed of rubber or similar substance and its purpose is to knock dirt, rocks, etc. off of the hose as it is being reeled in. Rocks in connection with the hose may cause holes to be put in the hose in the event that the hose is reeled up with the rocks still in among the hose.  
         [0037]     There should be at least two guides, known as left and right guides ( 32  and  33 ) positioned on the frame so that they will be on each side of the hose as it is being reeled in. The guides should be adjustable in nature so that they can be set at a position to accommodate hoses of various thickness. A support  46  with slots  50  can be used for this purpose. A thumbscrew can be used in connection with the slot in order to provide a sufficient adjustment means for most applications. The adjustment would be of left and right direction so the guides can be adjusted for larger or smaller diameters of hose.  
         [0038]     The guides would be positioned and then locked into place via the thumbscrews or other similar means. The purpose of the guides is to keep the hose from moving left or right as it is being reeled. One guide and support is show in detail in  FIG. 7 . The guide would preferably be of circular cross section although other shapes are possible. Both left and right guides are of similar or same construction, they do not have a “handedness” to them.  
         [0039]     There are rollers s 34  and  36  near the bottom of the frame and positioned so that one will be above and one will be below the incoming hose (again see  FIG. 7 ). The rollers are held by supports  48  (not shown in  FIG. 7  in the interest of clarity) that may simply be angled pieces of metal or other sturdy material. The rollers  34  and  36 , are used to squeeze the incoming hose  72  as it is turned upon the retainer and the pressure of the rollers will force water out of the hose as it is being reeled in. The relative position of the rollers and their spacing vis a vis one another should be determined by the type of hose being would and other considerations which may e determined by trial and error. Water in the hose will make the reeling process more difficult and the hose will not roll up as well hence the use of rollers. The rollers maybe constructed so that they are adjustable in position and accommodate hoses of different thicknesses. The rollers may also be detachable from the frame in order to substitute a different set of rollers should that be necessary.  
         [0040]     The squeegee or abrading means  40  may be attached to the frame in a triangular relation with the rollers  34 / 36  as seen in  FIG. 7 . The squeegee should be co-planar with one roller and beneath the other roller in this embodiment. This feature is very useful since water left over in the hose after the job has been done can effect any large scale industrial reeling process since the water will impart additional bulkiness and weight to the hose and this, in turn, will increase the size and weight of the hose after it has been would upon the retainer. Thus, having rollers to squeeze water out of the hose as it is reeled in will greatly enhance the reeling process.  
         [0041]     As the hose is being reeled in, the hose will be guided through the rollers of the squeegee and dirt, etc. will come off. The squeegee is comprised of two rollers that can freely turn and therefore they will rub and interact with the incoming hose. For heavy duty applications, where it is desired that the device can be rolled or pushed into the woods, for example, then the squeegee section of the device will have to be attached to the side walls at a point further up the walls so that the device may be transported over broken ground without logs, rock, etc. impinging on the squeegee as the device is carted over such ground. There should be a gap between the rollers of a size that is able to accommodate whatever item is being wound upon the apparatus.  
         [0042]     Variations, Options, Refinements, etc.  
         [0043]     For heavy-duty applications, the crank can be connected to a motorized means such as a hydraulic powered drive or a heavy-duty batter operated source of power can be used to turn the cranking section of the device automatically. Obviously, such machine assisted reeling and winding would have it greatest utility in reeling heavy equipment such as heavy hoses, used in fire fighting, industrial clear up, sewage treatment, etc. An engine of this sort can be used alongside the apparatus or such an engine may be actually attached to the apparatus. The motorized machine would be used to provide motion to the crank and thus impart heavy torque force to the winding sections of the apparatus.  
         [0044]     In a similar manner, the apparatus may be attached to a wheeled handcart or similar wheeled device in order to allow the apparatus to reel in hoses, on site. This could perhaps be out in the woods where there are rocks, and logs son the ground and this would impact on the mobility of the device. Again, it is thought that this type of operation would be for a heavy-duty application such as reeling in fire hoses from a fire out in the woods. With that in mind, there are bolt holes provided along the side walls of the apparatus in order to allow the apparatus to be bolted to a wheeled cart in order that that the apparatus can have added mobility. The squeegee roller sub system described above would be of great usefulness in such applications.  
         [0045]     Optionally, wheels may be added to the base in order to make the apparatus function in a manner similar to a wheeled handcart; ie. the wheels would be near the bottom edge of the apparatus so the device can be pivoted and wheeled into place. IN addition to this pari of wheels or rollers on the bottom of the apparatus, the invention might have a third wheel that is deployalbe from say for example, back wall the frame. This third wheel may be retractable and fold up into the back of the apparatus when not in use. It is useful to be able to pivot the apparatus upward by means of the third wheel so as to provide greater clearance in the front of the device so that the hose can travel over the front of the apparatus.  
         [0046]      48  in  FIG. 1  shows the angle brackets and rollers ( 34 / 36  in  FIG. 1 ). The sidewall  10  may also be of hinged construction (see hinges  62  in  FIG. 1 ) so as to permit this wall to fold flush against the back wall  11  or against one another as the case may be. There is an aperture  65  cut in the back wall to permit the nub of the shaft  90  to fit into this aperture when the sidewall is folded against the back wall, see  FIG. 1 . The side wall  10  will then b able to rest flush against the back wall  11 .  
         [0047]     The nub  90  is a part of the retainer construction shown in  FIG. 1  and this part of the retainer would remain once the retainer  24  is removed.  
         [0048]     The base may fold against the side or back wall in the same manner by using means to promote hinging or folding action. With that in mind, the base may be constructed in two parts with hinges along the line  66  in  FIG. 1 . The line depicts the two parts of the bottom wall that may have a hinge along the line, in order to permit a part of the base to fold back upon itself, see  FIG. 1 .  
         [0049]     A holder or shelf  42  (see  FIG. 1 ) maybe used in connection with the top of the apparatus. The holder is used to store one or more rolled up hoses after they have been reeled in. The holder maybe comprised a shelf or similar type of unit that is held in connection with the toip of the frame work by a chain or a similar means that will allow the shelf to be deployed downward when it is desired to store the item on the shelf and so that it can be folded upward when it is no longer needed.  
         [0050]     As stated above, in the event that the apparatus is enhanced with the use of a wheeled attachment it is believed that the squeegee section would have to be elevated in relation to the bottom sides of the sidewalls of the apparatus. Thus it would be attached to the walls of the apparatus at a point higher up along the walls than that shown in the drawings. This is so as to leave a proper amount of clearance between the bottom of the device and the ground that the apparatus is being hauled over in the event that the apparatus is hauled over rocks, logs, etc.  
         [0051]     For less heavy duty applications, a hand crank may be used on the apparatus. The device could be downsized for lighter application such as those used in routine household application such a device may be used to wind things like garden hoses, yarn, twine, string, rope, etc. The device would obviously be made on a smaller scale than the larger scale device that is designed to be reel in heavy duty hoses.  
         [0052]     Lighter applications, such as using the apparatus in a domestic setting to wing string an such would not require powerful machinery in order to drive the crank and the gears. A manual device, i.e. where the crank is powered by hand, would be sufficient for these applications. Hence, the powered assist for the crank would only be used as the occasion warranted it.