U.S. patent application number 13/516970 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for hose reel rewind speed control.
This patent application is currently assigned to Spray Nozzle Engineering Pty Limited. The applicant listed for this patent is Sean Morgan, Stuart Morgan. Invention is credited to Sean Morgan, Stuart Morgan.
Application Number | 20140117136 13/516970 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44166648 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140117136 |
Kind Code |
A2 |
Morgan; Sean ; et
al. |
May 1, 2014 |
Hose Reel Rewind Speed Control
Abstract
The invention is a centrifugal brake device that is a speed
control means for spring motor hose and cable reels. This brake
device is mounted to a shaft of a hub associated with the reel,
such that the device controls the reel rotation speed.
Inventors: |
Morgan; Sean; (Mentone,
AU) ; Morgan; Stuart; (Moorabbin, AU) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Morgan; Sean
Morgan; Stuart |
Mentone
Mentone |
|
AU
AU |
|
|
Assignee: |
Spray Nozzle Engineering Pty
Limited
Moorabbin
VI
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20120298784 A1 |
November 29, 2012 |
|
|
Family ID: |
44166648 |
Appl. No.: |
13/516970 |
Filed: |
December 17, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
December 17, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AU2010/001696 PCKC 00 |
371 Date: |
June 18, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/381.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2701/33 20130101;
B65H 75/4447 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/381.5 |
International
Class: |
B65H 75/30 20060101
B65H075/30; B65H 59/38 20060101 B65H059/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 17, 2009 |
AU |
2009906131 |
Dec 17, 2010 |
AU |
PCT/AU2010/001696 |
Claims
1. A centrifugal brake device being a rewind speed control means
for spring motor hose and cable reels, said brake device being
mounted to a hub shaft of the reel such that the centrifugal brake
device controls the reel rotation speed, wherein the centrifugal
brake device comprises a drum that provides the stator by which a
rotating disc rotor is coupled in line with the reel hub shaft and
contained within the drum; wherein the centrifugal brake device is
in the form of a brake cartridge device mounted to the reel whereby
the centrifugal brake device is able to be retrofitted to the reel;
and wherein mounted, on the disc rotor, is at least one brake shoe
that moves reciprocally and linearly relative to the rotor disc
along one or more locators on a face of the rotor disc.
2. (canceled)
3. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
disc rotor is provided on at least one face thereof with at least
one pair of shoes diagonally opposed to one another and adapted to
move radially upon rotation of the rotor disc.
4. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a
plurality of shoe pairs are provided on the rotor disc.
5. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
shoes have an outer circumference provided with a friction
material.
6. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a
rotational force is applied to the disc via the rotation of the
reel spool causing the shoes to move radially outward from the
center of the disc to apply an ever-increasing force upon an inner
surface of the stator drum to slow the reel to a more acceptable
rewind speed.
7. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the
shoes slidably move along locators on the disc face.
8. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
plurality of brake cartridge devices are used in association with a
reel and spring rewind motor.
9. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 8, wherein each
brake cartridge device has a hub adapted to engage with subsequent
brake cartridge device.
10. The centrifugal brake device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
reel comprises a spring motor in the form of a spring motor
cartridge and the drum of the centrifugal brake device is a single
drum assembly having similar dimensions as the cartridge that
accommodates the spring motor.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.371 of International Patent Application PCT/AU2010/001696,
filed Dec. 17, 2010, designating the United States of America and
published in English as International Patent Publication WO
2011/072337 A1 on Jun. 23, 2011, which claims the benefit under
Article 8 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty and under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to Australian Patent Application Serial No.
2009906131, filed Dec. 17, 2009.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates to the area of reels for storing
tubing of various types, including hoses and electrical cables and
the like, and, in particular, to hose reels for all hose
applications. This disclosure relates to an automatic hose and
cable storage device that is provided with a rewind speed control
means.
BACKGROUND
[0003] While the disclosure described herein relates in general to
reels for storing all types of tubing for convenience sake, it will
be discussed herein in terms of its application to hose reels.
[0004] Traditional mechanical hose reels, even for industrial
applications, provided direct hand-cranked systems with bearings to
assist in the rewind. These systems provided spools for housing the
hose mounted on a frame supported between two axial bearing
assemblies with a crank means located at one end.
[0005] To further assist in the rewinding procedure, hoses are
frequently wound on spring-loaded reels, the arrangement being that
the hose, when it is to be used, is drawn out from the reel against
the action of a spring and fixed at any given length by a locking
means of some type.
[0006] When the reel is to be rewound, the locking means is
released and the spring acts to rotate the reel and rewind the
hose.
[0007] Spring motor reels have also commonly been used in garages
and other work shop environments, particularly in mining and heavy
industry maintenance applications.
[0008] Once the reel is fully rewound, the spring will almost be in
a relaxed state except for the smallest amount of tension to simply
keep the hose fully wound to a stop point at the cable end.
[0009] There is an associated problem, however, in that the
controlled rewind speed of the hose or cable is dependent on the
operator maintaining control of the hose end and allowing for slow
rewind of the hose by applying a resistance to the rewind process
by keeping hold of the hose itself.
[0010] If the hose is accidentally released by the operator while
still being mostly unwound, then it will rewind of its own accord
in a most violent and rapid manner. It is in these circumstances
that serious personal injury can occur to personnel near the reel
or that damage can occur to the reel apparatus or other items in
the vicinity of the reel and hose.
[0011] As a result, various attempts have been made to provide
speed control devices for use in association with such reels.
[0012] Most of these are concerned with a viscous type device for
speed control or use an air motor or hydraulic motor in a reverse
fashion by applying a restriction to the outlet of these devices
then, by coupling them to the rotary spool of the reel by some
sprocket or gearing method, allowing either a controlled
compression of a fluid or air, a controlled metering of fluid or
air through an air motor or hydraulic motor, making it work in
reverse as a vane compressor or a pump, whereby the resistance to
flow at higher metered restricted flow volumes generated by the
higher rotational speeds is translated to greater rotational
resistance at these higher speeds in order to slow the rotation
speed of the spool to a normalized speed.
[0013] These methods are expensive and complex and require
maintenance and fine tuning, thus working against the original
low-cost concept of the spring motor reel itself.
DISCLOSURE
[0014] Provided is an improved spring motor reel that avoids the
limitations that the conventional reel designs described above have
with respect to rewind spring control. In particular, provided is
an improved braking system for a spring motor reel.
[0015] The disclosure is a rewind speed control means for spring
motor hose and cable reels, which means utilizes a centrifugal
brake device to control the reel rotation speed.
[0016] It is preferred that the reel concerned is a hose reel.
[0017] It is further preferred that the disclosure utilize a drum
having generally the same dimensions as the spring motor
itself.
[0018] It may also be preferred that the disclosure be provided as
an integral unit being incorporated within one single drum assembly
dimensioned to accommodate the speed control device along with the
spring motor itself.
[0019] It is further preferred that the drum provide the stator,
whereby a rotating disc rotor is coupled in line with the spring
arbour and hub shaft and is contained within the drum stator.
[0020] It is preferred that the rotating disc or rotor be provided
with at least one weighted shoe.
[0021] It is further preferred that the rotating disc or rotor be
provided with a plurality of weighted shoes.
[0022] It is preferred that these shoes be provided in pairs
diagonally opposed.
[0023] It is further preferred that these shoes be provided with a
friction material bonded to their outer circumference.
[0024] The number of shoes is not restricted in this disclosure and
the number of shoes and their required weight is governed by the
spring motor torque provided for as standard.
[0025] It may also be preferred that springs be included to counter
the normal gravitational forces if required, although this is not
an essential feature of the disclosure.
[0026] It is preferred that when a rotational force is applied to
this disc via the rotation of the reel spool, the shoes do not
impede the normal low speed rotation of the device; however, once
the speed begins to increase, the shoes are adapted to move
radially outward from the center to apply an ever-increasing force
upon the stator drum inner surface to slow the reel to a more
acceptable rewind speed.
[0027] In order that the disclosure may be more readily understood,
described herein, by way of non-limiting example, is a specific
embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 shows an exploded diagram of the reel of the
disclosure showing the assembly with either one wide brake
cartridge or two narrow cartridges;
[0029] FIG. 2 shows an end view of the disclosed device using (a)
one wide brake cartridge, (b) two narrow brake cartridges, and (c)
one narrow brake cartridge only; and
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a brake cartridge with shoes adapted to move
radially.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Provided is a simple centrifugal braking device 20, 20a-20c,
for use with spring motor hose reel assemblies.
[0032] The braking cartridge is a centrifugal braking device 20,
which acts as a rewind speed control means for spring motor hose
and cable reels 6 of the type shown in FIG. 1. The braking device
20 is mounted on a hub shaft 15 via a hub bearing 16. The hub shaft
15 is associated with the reel 6 such that the braking device 20
controls the reel 6 rotational speed. The centrifugal braking
device 20 comprises a drum 30 that comprises a stator 30 by which a
rotating disc 50 is coupled to a brake device shaft 55, which is in
line with the reel hub shaft 15 and is contained within the drum
30.
[0033] The embodiment of the disclosure as shown in FIG. 1 utilizes
one or two braking cartridges 20a, 20b, each having a drum 30,
preferably of similar dimensions to a coaxially mounted spring
cartridge 5 for ease of integration should a unitary spring
cartridge and brake cartridge assembly be required.
[0034] However, an embodiment comprising a unitary spring cartridge
and brake cartridge assembly is not as preferred as the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1 as the latter is able to be retrofitted to existing
spring motor hose reel assemblies, such as a hose reel assembly 6
shown in FIG. 1 comprising the standard hose reel components of a
support 7 for a hub shaft 15 and level winder 8, and spool 9
rotatably mounted on the hub shaft 15 via a bearing 16 mounted to
the support 7. A plurality of brake devices 20a-20b may be used in
association with the reel 6 and spring rewind motor 5. Each braking
cartridge 20 has a hub shaft 55 adapted to engage with subsequent
braking cartridges 20a-20c.
[0035] The drum 30 provides the stator 30 by which a rotating disc
rotor 50 is coupled in line with a spring arbour and the hub shaft
15 and contained within the drum 30. Each braking cartridge 20 has
a hub 55 adapted to engage with subsequent braking cartridges
20a-20c.
[0036] While this method of attachment is shown in this preferred
embodiment, any preferred means could be used. For example, the
braking cartridge 20 and spring cartridges 5 could be mounted on a
single hub shaft.
[0037] By this means, as shown in FIG. 2a, a plurality of
relatively narrow braking cartridges 60 may be used as opposed to a
single wide cartridge 20 as shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 2a-2c show
examples of these, each from an end view. The precise number of
braking cartridges 20 used is not restricted in the disclosure and
it is a simple matter to vary these.
[0038] The disc 50 of the braking cartridge 20 (and 60) is provided
with a plurality of weighted shoes 80 in pairs, which are
diagonally opposed, as shown in FIG. 1. The outer circumference 85
of shoes 80 may be provided with a friction material.
[0039] The friction material may be bonded or may otherwise form a
surface on their outer circumference 85.
[0040] FIG. 1 shows the second braking cartridge 20b in which the
rotor disc 50 is provided on at least one face thereof with at
least one of the pairs of shoes 80 diagonally opposed to one
another and adapted to move radially upon rotation of the rotor
disc 50. As shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the braking device 20a
where one diagonally opposed pair of shoes 80a, 80b is shown, a
plurality of shoe 80 pairs may be provided on the rotor disc
50.
[0041] The number of shoes 80 and their required weight is governed
by the spring motor torque combination provided for as standard and
is not restricted in the disclosure. Springs may or may not be
included to counter the normal gravitational forces if
required.
[0042] A rotational force may be applied to the rotor disc 50 via
the rotation of the reel spool 9 causing the shoes 80 to move
radially outward from the center of the rotor disc 50. This may
apply an ever-increasing force upon an inner surface 95 of the
stator drum 30 to slow the reel spool 9 to a more acceptable rewind
speed.
[0043] Accordingly, when once at first a rotational force is
applied to the disc 50 via the rotation of the reel spool 9, the
shoes 80 do not impede the normal low-speed rotation of the device
9. Once the speed begins to increase, however, the centrifugal
force due to the rotation, coupled with the mass of the shoes 80,
causes the shoes 80 to move radially outward relative to the center
of the disc 50. This radial movement of the shoes 80 is along
sliding locators 90 formed on the rotor disc 50 face and located in
shoe apertures 92. The friction material of outer circumference 85
of shoes 80 to make contact with the inside rim 95 of the stator
drum 30 to slow the reel spool 9 to a more acceptable rewind
speed.
[0044] By this means, the shoes 80 apply an ever-increasing force
on the face of the inside rim 95 of the drum 30 to slow the
rotation of the reel spool 9 to a more controlled and acceptable
rewind speed.
[0045] The precise means whereby the shoes 80 are attached to the
disc 50 and move radially is not restricted in the disclosure.
[0046] The braking device 20 of the disclosure can be either
retrofitted to existing spring motor rewind hose reel systems 6 or
can form part of a new reel design.
[0047] Due to the fact that the type of centrifugal speed governors
that are readily available require a relatively high rotational
speed to function, and that typically the rotational speed of the
hose reel spool 9 can be described as relatively very slow, despite
the fact that such very slow speeds might still pose a high risk to
operators of the reel 6, then the centrifugal brake device 20 has
been specially developed to function at the very low rotational
speeds of the reel 6 and this, in itself, makes the braking device
20 of the disclosure unique in relation to hose reel braking.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2a-2c, the drum 30 may be a single drum
assembly 60 dimensioned to accommodate a spring motor as well as a
rotor disc.
[0049] While we have described herein one specific embodiment of
the disclosure, it is envisaged that other embodiments of the
disclosure will exhibit any number and combination of the features
previously described and it is to be understood that variations and
modifications of this can be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *