Abstract:
A portable, motorized apparatus for winding flexible hoses, lines, cables and the like into spools for storage. The apparatus includes a motor assembly that drives a spool. The apparatus can receive hoses from either side, and can be mounted on a vehicle hitch receiver at different heights to accommodate different operators and terrains.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/466,570, filed on Apr. 29, 2003. The priority of these prior applications is expressly claimed and their disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to hose handling equipment, and in particular to equipment used for rolling and re-stowing hoses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In activities such as firefighting and construction, hoses are deployed to deliver water to a fire or other location remote from the water supply. When the job is completed, or if the hoses must be moved to a new location, it is necessary to rewind the hoses. This is a time consuming and clumsy task when done by hand, as is normally the case. In addition, the handling of hoses, especially wet hoses, is heavy work that can cause strains and sprains, and can also unnecessarily tire the firefighters or workers. In fighting forest fires, the fire crew is often working in remote locations with a limited crew, and can often find it necessary to move quickly to another location for safety or as part of a redeployment. As a result, there is a need for an apparatus that can readily rewind hoses, that is portable, and that can be easily operated by a single operator. 
         [0004]    This invention provides such an apparatus which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0005]    A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown at  10  in  FIGS. 1-4 , and includes a frame  12 , a motor  14 , a gearbox  16  having a horizontal output shaft  18 , a guide roller  20 , a safety frame  22 , and a hitch mount  24 . Safety frame  22  is provided to prevent accidental insertion of hands or equipment into the moving roller or spool. The frame is designed to be compact and partially dissembled to permit easy transport by one or two persons. The guide roller  20  is mounted on a support that is held in place on the frame by a removable pin that can be removed to detach the support and guide roller ( FIG. 2 ). Referring again to  FIG. 2 , safety frame  22  is also removable by removing pin  28 . Motor  14  as shown is an electric motor that is powered either by the vehicle transporting the roller or by a portable generator. The motor in the preferred embodiment is powered by a 12 volt power supply, but can also be powered by a 110 volt power supply in other embodiments. In still other embodiments motor  14  is gasoline or diesel powered. 
         [0006]    The invention is designed to be mountable on the front or rear carrying rack of an ATV, and for this reason the guide roller  20  and the safety frame  22  are removable so that the frame  12  is supportable on an ATV carrying rack. In another embodiment of the invention best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the frame  12  includes a tongue  24  that inserts into a standard square trailer hitch receiver (not shown). By mounting the frame on a hitch in this way the roller can be operated by a single operator and quickly and easily moved with the vehicle. The frame is preferably made of aluminum to minimize the weight of the frame assembly, although any suitable material of construction will suffice. 
         [0007]    Turning to  FIGS. 5-8 , the roller is shown with a hose spool  30  mounted on the motor output shaft. Spool  30  includes a mounting hub  32  that fits onto the output shaft, a backing plate  34  that is mounted on mounting hub  32 , and tines  36  around which the end of the hose is wrapped to initially attach the hose to the roller. The backing plate is provided to ensure that the hose is wound in a flat on the spool. 
         [0008]    In addition to hoses, the invention can be used to wind wires, cables and tubing onto a spool. In some instances it might be necessary or preferable to adjust the size and spacing of the tines and or the spool for the specific application, but this can be readily achieved as necessary. 
         [0009]    Another preferred embodiment of the invention is shown at  40  in  FIG. 9 
       Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the frame  42  includes two receiver hitches  44  and  46  that permit frame  42  to be mounted on the vehicle either horizontally or longitudinally. In addition to being mountable at two different orientations, frame  42  can be mounted in either orientation at three different heights utilizing hitch bar  48 . Referring to  FIGS. 11-13 , hitch bar  48  includes offset portions  50  and  52 . Portion  50  is insertable into either of receiver hitches  44  or  46  at any of three different positions to position portion  52  above, below or at the same height as receiver  44  or  46 . Hitch bar  48  can be mounted in three different orientations as shown in  FIGS. 11-13  to provide three different mounting heights as shown. The variable mounting heights accommodate different operators and also facilitate use of the apparatus when the vehicle is parked on slanted terrain.       
 
         [0011]    In another aspect of this embodiment as best seen in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the apparatus is fitted with removable left and right line guide-guards  54  and  56 . Each is removeable mounted in receivers  55  and  57  and is retained by a removeable pin  58 . Each can be individually mounted and permit the operation of the apparatus to wind hoses or lines from either side of the vehicle without the need to reposition the vehicle. 
         [0012]    In another aspect of the invention, frame  42  includes a tray portion  60  ( FIG. 11 ) that provides a storage location for accessories such as a foot pedal assembly used to operate the motor, or for tools. 
         [0013]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications in arrangement and detail are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. All such modifications comprise part of the invention as if expressly stated herein