Improvements in the Method of and Means for Cleansing Fire Hose and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1898--Accepted, 11th June; 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Cleansing Fire Hose
and the like.
I, MATTHEW CASSIDY, of 10, Derby Avenue, Seedley, Pendleton, in the County
of Lancaster, retired from business, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:
My said invention relates to improvements in the method of and means for
cleansing hose, and is particularly applicable to the cleansing of fire engine
delivery hose.
As is well known such hose after doing duty is frequently in a very filthy con-
dition, and it is customary to cleanse the same manually by means of scrubbing, a
crude and tedious business.
According to my invention I provide means whereby the hose may be cleansed
mechanically, thus materially reducing the labour and cleansing the hose in a
more efficient manner.
In an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention I provide a tank
of convenient size preferably mounted on wheels or runners to render it more
portable.
Upon a shaft revolving in bearings in the sides of the tank I mount a turbine
or water motor. Any suitable form of turbine may be used but I prefer to use a
turbine formed as a disc and carrying a number of pockets or compartments. At
one end of the tank I mount in adjustable bearings a pair of taking in rollers the
surfaces of which are preferably covered with rubber or other resilient material.
The other end of the tank is provided with two revolving scrubbing brushes.
The shaft upon which the turbine is mounted is provided with a spur wheel by
which motion is transmitted through suitable gearing to the taking in rollers and
revolving scrubbing brushes. The turbine is driven by means of a jet of water
directed into the compartments from whence it flows into the interior of the tank.
Thus the water used to drive the turbine is afterwards utilized to scrub or
cleanse the hose. An overflow pipe is provided within the tank to maintain the
water at a constant level. The hose to be treated is led between the revolving
taking in rollers and from thence between the revolving scrubbing brushes by
which it is effectually cleansed. If considered desirable a pair of squeezing rollers
may also be employed to discharge excess of moisture from the hose as it leaves
the tank. The length of the taking in rollers and scrubbing brushes and the
method of mounting the same within the tank is so arranged as to permit of the
passage of the couplings round the ends of the rollers and brushes, as the hose
is introduced at and withdrawn from the ends of the rollers and brushes.
Where power can be utilised the turbine would of course be dispensed with and

page_text: motion communicated to the taking in rollers and brushes by means of belts and
pullies or other suitable driving means.
1004
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Cleansing Fire Hose
and the like.
I, MATTHEW CASSIDY, of 16, Derby Avenue, Seedley, Pendleton, in the County
of Lancaster, retired from business, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings:
My said invention relates to improvements in the method of and means for
cleansing hose, and is particularly applicable to the cleansing of fire engine
delivery hose.
1
As is well known such hose after doing duty is frequently in a very filthy con-
dition, and it is customary to cleanse the same manually by means of scrubbing, a
crude and tedious business.
According to my invention I provide means whereby the hose may be cleansed
mechanically, thus materially reducing the labour and cleansing the hose in a
more efficient manner.
The accompanying sheet of drawings to which I will now refer more clearly
illustrates my invention.
In the said drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation.
Fig. 3 is a plan and
Fig. 4 is a side view of part of the apparatus with a portion of the turbine casing
removed.
Fig. 5, indicates a modified method of mounting the turbine.
In an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention I provide a tank A
of metal, wood or other suitable material of convenient size preferably mounted on
wheels or runners a to render it more portable.
Upon a shaft 6 revolving in bearings in the sides of the tank A I mount a
turbine or water motor B. Any suitable form of turbine may be used but I prefer
to use a turbine formed as a disc c and carrying a number of pockets or compart-
ments d. At one end of the tank A I mount, to revolve upon spindles secured to
the tank, a pair of metallic sleeves or rollers e e¹.
The tank A. is provided with two revolving scrubbing brushes C C mounted in
bearings formed in or attached to the sides of the tank. The scrubbing brushes CC
are driven from the turbine B in the following manner.
Upon the shaft b upon which the turbine is mounted I secure a spur pinion f.
The pinion f grears with an intermediate or carrying wheel g which revolves
The axes of the scrubbing
upon a stud g' secured to the side of the tank A.'
brushes C C are provided with spur wheels h h gearing with each other the spur
wheel receiving motion from the intermediate wheel as clearly shown in the
drawings. The scrubbing brushes C C are thus driven upon their axes in opposite
directions.

page_text: Beyond the scrubbing brushes at the other end of the tank A I mount a pair
of squeezing bowls ii carried in bearings in brackets j, j¹ secured to the tank A.
The upper squeezing bowl is carried in sliding bearings.
Springs are placed between the sliding bearing blocks and discs / carried
on the end of screwed spindles . By operating the screwed spindles by means
of the handles 12 any suitable degree of elastic or yielding pressure may be imparted
to the squeezing bowls i i.
The axes of the squeezing bowls ii are provided with spur wheels 2223 mesh-
ing with each other and receiving motion through a pinion 23 which is in gear
with the intermediate wheel g.
The turbine B is driven by a jet of water from the nozzle m directed into the
pockets or compartments d as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. The nozzle 'm is con-
nected by means of a suitable pipe or length of tubing (not shown) to the hydraulic
main in any convenient manner.
The jet of water from the nozzle m can be regulated by the tap m¹. As shown
more clearly in Figs. 2 and 4 the casing of the turbine is in communication by
suitable apertures with the interior of the tank A and as the buckets d
revolve the water directed into them by the nozzle m is emptied into the
tan A. In Fig. 4 a portion of the turbine casing is removed to
show more clearly the arrangement. Thus it will be seen that the water used
in driving the turbine is afterwards utilized to scrub or cleanse the hose.
overflow pipe is or may be used to maintain a constant water level within the tank.
As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3 the length of the scrubbing
brushes and squeezing bowls and the method of mounting them in the tank is so
arranged as to permit of the passage of the couplings round the ends of the
brushes and rollers as the hose is introduced and withdrawn from the brushes and
rollers.
An
The action of my improved apparatus is as follows. A jet of water having been
directed into the turbine B the gearing sets in motion the scrubbing brushes CC
and squeezing bowls i i.
The hose D is passed into the tank A over the roller e and under the roller e¹ to
the scrubbing brushes C C.
The coupling of the length of hose D is passed round the ends of the scrubbing
brushes C C the scrubbing brushes being moistened by the water within the tank
and acting on and cleansing the hose. From the scrubbing brushes the hose is con-
ducted between the squeezing bowls ii, the squeezing bowls acting to express
moisture from the hose and return it to the tank.
The length of hose is now drawn through the apparatus by the nip of the squeez-
ing bowls ii. The coupling on the other end of the hose is looped to the cord o
which is fastened to a ring p which is capable of sliding upon a rail q secured to
the tank as shown in the plan view Fig. 3.
As the coupling approaches the scrubbing brushes C C the ring p to which it
is secured by the cord o pulls it against the rail.
As the hose is further drawn through the apparatus the ring p sliding on the
rail q pulls the coupling round the ends of the scrubbing brushes. The coupling
is then detached from the cord and passed round the ends of the squeezing
bowls ii and the cleansing of the length of hose is completed. Instead of a
cordo the ring p might be provided with a spring or adjustable clip to grip the
coupling.
The tank is provided with a valve r operated by means of a screws by means
of which the tank can be readily emptied of water, or the valve may be so adjusted
as to maintain a constant water level during the working of the apparatus.
In Fig. 5 I indicate a modification in the method of mounting the turbine B.
In this case the turbine and jet are mounted within the tank and the casing
may be dispensed with if desired.
The turbine B is driven by a jet of water from the nozzle m as before, the water
afterwards falling into an inclined trough t, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, from

page_text: which it is taken by a suitable pipe. The tank in this case is filled with water to
the requisite level before the scrubbing operation commences. Where the inter-
nally disposed turbine is enclosed in a casing, provision might be made to allow
a certain quantity of the water to escape into the tank, through a passage in such
casing, so as to maintain a constant level in the tank.
Where power can be utilised the turbine would of course be dispensed with and
motion communicated to the squeezing bowls and brushes by means of belts and
pullies or other suitable driving means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1) The improved apparatus for cleansing fire hose and the like constructed
arranged and acting in the manner and substantially as described and shown.
2) As means for cleansing fire hose a turbine secured to a tank and driven by
means of a jet of water from the hydraulic main or other suitable source of supply
in combination with revolving scrubbing brushes and squeezing bowls receiving
motion from the turbine through gearing and arranged and acting in the manner
and substantially as described and illustrated.
Bateų
Mis on day or may
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.