Abstract:
A mechanical apparatus for securely holding a hose, even while liquid is flowing through the hose, by creating a frictional force on the hose without kinking or otherwise restricting the flow through the hose. The apparatus includes a tube with a diameter suitably larger than the hose to be used with the apparatus. The tube includes a suitable bend such that the hose must bend as it passes through the tube. The apparatus also includes a bracket allowing the apparatus to be attached to, for example, a bucket or other suitable reservoir.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus for holding a hose and more specifically, for holding a hose in place while a liquid is flowing through the hose by overcoming the reaction force imposed on the hose by the flowing liquid. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Hoses have many uses. For example, a garden hose might typically be used to deliver water from a spigot to a nozzle to water plants. Likewise, such a hose may be used to fill a reservoir such as a bucket or watering trough for livestock. If the delivery rate and pressure of water in the hose is kept low enough, there is generally little need to tend the hose while water flows. For example, one may place the end of the hose in a reservoir and turn on the spigot such that water flows very slowly through the hose. If, however, one wishes to turn on the spigot fully such that maximum flow through the hose is made possible, the reactive force on the hose created by the water flow will cause the hose to fly about, requiring the user to grasp the hose before turning on the water and while the water is flowing. One ordinarily learns early in life the consequence of carelessly turning on an untended hose. Such a situation is depicted in  FIG. 1 . Simply placing the hose  105  into the reservoir  110  and turning on the spigot  115  can result in the hose  105  wildly flailing about with water being projected virtually anywhere other than the reservoir  110 , its intended location. 
         [0005]    The tendency for the hose to act in this manner is due to what is known as Newton&#39;s Third Law of Motion. Newton&#39;s Third Law of Motion is typically stated as: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When water is flowing through a hose, the water pressure and the hose apply a force on the water such that the water is forced to flow in a certain direction as it exits the hose. Likewise, therefore, the water exerts the same force on the hose but in the opposite direction. Since the water is being projected from the end of the hose with a particular force, the same force is being applied to the nozzle of the hose in the opposite direction. Said another way, when the hose applies a force that acts on the water to cause the water to move away from the hose, an opposite force acts on the hose that causes the hose to try and move away from the water. Because a hose is not rigid, the result is an unstable collection of forces acting on the nozzle of the hose and causing such to flail about unpredictably as water is sprayed everywhere. 
         [0006]    In cases where a hose is very large, the rate of water flow very high and/or the delivery pressure is very high, it can be very difficult to hold the hose in place. A typical example of this situation is a fire hose used to fight a fire. In this situation, it may require two, three, or even more firefighters to hold the hose in place so that water may be directed onto the fire. Although most uses of a hose to deliver water or other liquids are less extreme than this example, it will nevertheless be appreciated that there is a need for a device or apparatus that may tend the end of a hose such that the hose is controlled and held in place when liquid flows through the hose thereby eliminating the need for a person to tend the hose. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is depicts a typical situation where a hose is untended and flowing water causes the hose to move about. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts a hose holster according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional view of a hose being used with the hose holster depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  depicts a typical use scenario of the hose holster of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5A  depict a hose holster according to a first alternative embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5B  depict a hose holsters according to a second alternative embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 2  depicts a hose holster  200  according to an embodiment of the invention. The hose holster  200  includes a straight section  210  of pipe coupled to an angled section  215  of pipe. The diameter of the sections  210  and  215  is chosen to accommodate the particular hose that is to be used with the hose holster  200 . That is, and as will be described in more detail below, the hose must be able to fit into a mouth  220  of the angled section  215  of the hose holster  200 , and be able to be pushed down through the hose holster  200  until the hose extends at least past the angled section  215 . Alternatively, it can be extended until it comes out through a tail  225  of the straight section  210 . Although, embodiments of the invention are described herein in terms of “pipe” and “diameter”, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may use tubing or pipe, and that there is no need for the cross section of the tubing or pipe to be circular. The pipe  210  could have, for example, a square or rectangular cross section. Indeed, any shape of pipe cross section may be employed with embodiments of the invention so long as the hose may pass through the interior of the hose holster  200  from the mouth  220  to the tail  225 . The hose holster  200  also includes a clip  205 . The clip  205  allows the hose holster  200  to be placed on a reservoir, or other object, and thereby permit the hose holster  200 , and the hose extending therethrough, to be held in place in or near the reservoir. Although depicted as a clip, it will be understood that other means may be employed to secure the hose holster  200  to a reservoir including any variety of clamp, magnet or hook-and-loop fasteners. 
         [0014]    The mode of operation and importance of the angled section  215  of the hose holster  200  will now be discussed.  FIG. 3  depicts a cross sectional view of the hose holster  200  wherein a hose  105  has been placed into the mouth  220  and pushed down past the angled section  215 . After the water is turned on at the spigot (not shown in  FIG. 3 ) the water begins to flow out of an end  107  of the portion of the hose  105  and is contained by the straight section  210  and channeled downward for exit from the tail  225  of the hose holster  200  and into the bucket, tub or other water reservoir to which the water is intended to be directed. The water  300  is projected out of the hose  105  by a force. The magnitude of force on the water is represented by F w , and the downward pointing arrow shows the direction the force is acting. As was discussed above, a countervailing force F h  acts on the hose  105 . The force F h  acting on the hose is of equal magnitude to that of F w , but acts in the opposite direction. In order for the hose  105  to remain stationary when the force F h  is acting upon it, some other force must be imparted on the hose  105  to counter the force F h . The force that opposes F h  and holds the hose  105  in place is provided by a force, labeled F f  in  FIG. 3 , which comprises a force component resulting from friction between the hose  105  and the interior wall of the angled section  215  and a force component resulting from the movement of the hose being blocked by engagement with the interior wall of the angled section. Said another way, the force F h  acting on the hose pushes the hose upwardly until the hose  105  comes into contact with the angled section  215 . The force F f  counteracts the force F h  acting on the hose  105 , and thereby establishes an equilibrium wherein the hose  105  is stationary while water is flowing out the end  107  of the hose. 
         [0015]      FIG. 4  depicts a typical use scenario of the hose holster  200  of  FIG. 2 . The hose holster  200  is placed on the side of the reservoir  110  using the clip  205  to attach it to a side  112  of the reservoir. The clip  205  must be attached to the reservoir securely enough to resist the force F h  discussed above lest the hose holster be lifted entirely off the reservoir by the hose. In one embodiment, the clip  205  may be a spring clip. In other embodiments, however, the clip  205  may comprise other means of securing the hose holster  200  to the reservoir including: a clamp, a bracket, a magnet or hook-and-loop fasteners. The hose  105  is placed into the mouth  220  of the hose holster  200  and pushed down until past the angled section  215 , thus the water that exists out of the tail  225  is directed downward into the reservoir  110 . The water may then be turned on at the spigot  115  and, as described above, the hose  105  will be held in place without the need for a person to tend to it while the water flows. 
         [0016]    Although the angled section  215  of the hose holster  200  shown in  FIG. 2  takes on approximately a 45 degree angle relative to the straight section  210 , other angles are possible in alternative embodiments of the invention.  FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict hose holsters  500  and  510  according to two example alternative embodiments. The hose holster  500  of  FIG. 5A  features an angled section  505  that is approximately 90 degrees relative to the straight section  210 . Such an embodiment may be useful where the volume and/or pressure of the water flowing through the hose creates a relatively larger force acting on the hose. In that situation, the additional length of the curvature of the angled section  505  will permit additional frictional force to be imparted on the hose and thereby offset the stronger force acting on the hose. 
         [0017]    The hose holster of  FIG. 5B  depicts another embodiment of the invention with an angled section  515 . The angled section  515  in this embodiment is approximately 180 degrees relative to the straight section  210 . Again, such a configuration may prove useful in situations where there are large forces acting on the hose. The cross sectional area of the pipe used to construct the hose holster  510  may need to be somewhat larger for a given size hose than the embodiments discussed above. The larger cross sectional area may be required in order to feed the hose through the hose holster  510  since the frictional forces that hold the hose in place while water is flowing also serve to impede the placement of the hose within the holster. Indeed, it may prove beneficial to use a fish tape, or similar apparatus, to permit the hose to be simultaneously pulled and pushed through the hose holster  510  during installation of the hose. 
         [0018]    Although the foregoing description is made in terms of “water” and a “spigot”, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention will function equally well with hoses carrying some other liquid and even where a spigot, as such, is not used or present. Likewise, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without deviating from the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.