U.S. patent number RE32,508 [Application Number 06/278,019] was granted by the patent office on 1987-09-22 for hose structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Invention is credited to Robert H. Feucht.
United States Patent |
RE32,508 |
Feucht |
September 22, 1987 |
Hose structure
Abstract
A material transporting hose of integral construction having a
body of flexible, resilient material which includes a pair of
longitudinally reinforced portions disposed on opposite sides of
the cross-section of the body. The portions include at least one
elongated reinforcing member embedded therein extending generally
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose to provide
longitudinal strength. The longitudinally reinforced portions have
a total combined perimeter which is equal to or less than the total
combined perimeter of the remaining portions of the cross-section
of the hose body which do not contain longitudinal reinforcing
members so that at least one-half of the hose remains flexible in a
longitudinal direction for ease of handling. The hose structure is
particularly useful for long length, fluid transporting hose used
in ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship refueling.
Inventors: |
Feucht; Robert H. (Akron,
OH) |
Assignee: |
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company (Akron, OH)
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Family
ID: |
23063356 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/278,019 |
Filed: |
June 29, 1981 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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016680 |
Apr 25, 1979 |
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Reissue of: |
276629 |
Jul 31, 1972 |
03856052 |
Dec 24, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
138/119; 138/124;
138/125; 138/126; 138/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L
11/083 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16L
11/08 (20060101); F16L 011/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;138/119,124-139,153,172
;141/388 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1417987 |
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Oct 1965 |
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FR |
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813647 |
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May 1959 |
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GB |
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1127863 |
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Sep 1968 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Bryant, III; James E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Yaist; R. P.
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 016,680, filed
Apr. 25, 1979, now abandoned. .Iaddend.
Claims
I claim: .[.1. A material transporting hose of integral
construction comprising a body of flexible resilient material
including at least one ply of reinforcing material extending
generally circumferentially thereof to provide reinforcement
against radial forces within the hose and an outer cover
surrounding said reinforcing material, a pair of circumferentially
spaced longitudinally reinforced portions providing primary
resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose
opening caused by excessive end loads, said portions surrounded by
said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on
opposite sides of the cross section thereof, said portions each
having at least one elongated stress-resisting reinforcing member
embedded therein with said member extending generally parallel to
the longitudinal axis of the hose and capable of withstanding
substantial longitudinal tensile stresses applied to the end of the
hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength, and remaining
portions free of said reinforcing members disposed adjacent to said
longitudinally reinforced portions on each side thereof with said
longitudinally reinforced portions having a total combined
perimeter equal to or less than the total combined perimeter of the
remaining portions of the cross-section of said body therebetween
to provide a hose construction in which at least one-half of the
hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling
the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to
develop kinks..]. .[.2. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
longitudinally reinforced portions include a plurality of said
members with substantially an equal number of said members in each
portion to provide a balanced symmetrical hose construction..].
.[.3. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said
longitudinally reinforced portion comprises at least two parallel
layers of said members..]. .[.4. The hose as claimed in claim 1
wherein said body comprises a plurality of plies of reinforcing
material therein and said members are interposed between any two
said plies..]. .[.5. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
members are reinforcing cords comprised of at least one material
selected from the group consisting of nylon, rayon, polyester,
fiber glass and metal..]. .[.6. The hose as claimed in claim 1
wherein said portions are disposed substantially at the neutral
axis of said hose..]. .[.7. The hose as claimed in claim 5 wherein
said reinforcing material extends in a biased relationship to said
cords with said members being comprised of polyester and said
reinforcing material
being comprised of nylon..]. .[.8. The hose as claimed in claim 6
wherein said hose has a substantially circular cross-sectional
configuration and said longitudinally reinforced portions define a
total combined arc of 180.degree. or less..]. .[.9. The hose as
claimed in claim 8 wherein said longitudinally reinforced portions
define a total combined arc of 120.degree. or less..]. .[.10. The
hose as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said portion extends in an
arc of about 45.degree. or less on each side of the neutral axis of
the hose..]. .[.11. The hose as claimed in claim 9 wherein each
said portion extends in an arc of about 30.degree. or less on each
side of the neutral axis of the hose..]. .[.12. A fluid
transporting hose of a generally circular cross-sectional
configuration having a reinforced body of flexible elastomeric
material including an inner tube and an outer cover of elastomeric
material and at least one ply of reinforcing material disposed
between said tube and cover extending generally circumferentially
about said body to provide reinforcement against radial forces
within the hose, a pair of spaced longitudinally reinforced strips
providing primary resistance to elongation of the hose and
constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive end loads,
said strips surrounded by said cover so as to be disposed
completely within said body on diametrically opposite sides of the
cross-section thereof, said cover having a substantially uniform
thickness with no substantial protuberances therein, said strips
including a plurality of elongated stress-resisting reinforcing
cords embedded therein and disposed in at least one layer and
extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose
with said cords capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal
tensile stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose
with longitudinal strength with the remainder of the cross section
of said body being free of said cords, said strips having a total
combined circumferential dimension substantially less than the
circumferential dimension of the remainder of the cross section of
said body to provide an integral hose construction in which a
majority of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction
thereby enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and
less likely to develop kinks..]. .[.13. The hose as claimed in
claim 12 wherein said body comprises a plurality of plies of
reinforcing material therein and said strips are interposed between
any two said plies substantially at the neutral axis of said
hose..]. .[.14. The hose as claimed in claim 13 wherein said strips
define a total combined arc of 180.degree. or less..]. .[.15. The
hose as claimed in claim 14 wherein said strips define a total
combined arc of 120.degree. or less..]. .[.16. The hose as claimed
in claim 14 wherein each said strip extends in an arc of about
45.degree. or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose..].
.[.17. The hose as claimed in claim 16 wherein each said strip
extends in an arc of about 30.degree. or less on each side of the
neutral axis of the hose..].
.Iadd. 8. A material transporting hose of integral construction
comprising a body of flexible resilient elastomeric material having
a generally circular cross-sectional configuration, said body
including:
an inner tube and an outer cover; reinforcing material of a
balanced symmetrical construction extending generally
circumferentially about said tube and surrounded by said cover to
provide reinforcement against radial forces within the hose;
and
a pair of circumferentially spaced longitudinally reinforced
portions having in cross section a total combined perimeter which
is substantially less than the perimeter of the cross section of
the body, said portions extending substantially the entire length
of the hose thereby providing primary resistance to elongation of
the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive
end loads, said portions being surrounded by said cover so as to be
disposed completely within said body on opposite sides of the cross
section thereof between said cover and said tube, said cover having
a substantially uniform thickness with no substantial protuberances
therein, said portions each including a plurality of elongated
stress-resisting reinforcing members with substantially an equal
number of said members in each portion to provide a balanced
symmetrical hose construction, each said member extending generally
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose for substantially the
entire length of said hose, and being capable of withstanding
substantial longitudinal stresses applied to the end of the hose to
provide the hose with longitudinal strength; and
remaining portions free of said reinforcing members disposed
adjacent to said longitudinally reinforced portions on each side
thereof with said longitudinally reinforced portions having a total
combined perimeter equal to or less than the total combined
perimeter of the remaining portions of the cross-section of said
body therebetween to provide a hose construction in which at least
one-half of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction
for enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less
likely to develop kinks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The hose as claimed in
claim 18 wherein each said longitudinally reinforced portion
includes at least two parallel layers of said members. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.20. The hose as claimed in claim 18 wherein said reinforcing
material includes a plurality of plies and each said member is
interposed between any two said plies of reinforcing material.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The hose as claimed in claim 18 wherein said
members are reinforcing cords comprised of at least one material
selected from the group consisting of nylon, rayon, polyester,
fiber glass and metal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The hose as claimed in
claim 18 wherein said hose has a neutral axis and wherein said
reinforced portions are disposed substantially at the neutral axis
of said hose. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.23. The hose as claimed in claim 22 wherein said reinforcing
material is a plurality of cord plies extending in a bias
relationship to said reinforcing cords and wherein said reinforcing
cords are comprised of polyester and said reinforcing material is
comprised of nylon. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The hose as claimed in
claim 23 wherein said longitudinally reinforced portions define a
total combined arc of 180.degree. or less. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The
hose as claimed in claim 24 wherein said longitudinally reinforced
portions define a total combined arc of 120.degree. or less.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The hose as claimed in claim 24 wherein each
said longitudinally reinforced portion extends in an arc of about
45.degree. or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The hose as claimed in claim 25 wherein each
said longitudinally reinforced portion extends in an arc of about
30.degree. or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose.
.Iadd.28. A fluid transporting hose of a generally circular
cross-sectional configuration having a reinforced body of flexible
elastomeric material, said body including:
an inner tube and an outer cover of elastomeric material and a
plurality of cord plies of reinforcing material disposed between
said tube and cover and extending generally circumferentially about
said body to provide reinforcement against radial forces within the
hose,
a pair of spaced longitudinally reinforced strips having in cross
section a total combined circumferential dimension which is
substantially less than the circumferential dimension of the cross
section of the body, said strips extending substantially the entire
length of said hose thereby providing primary resistance to
elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused
by excessive end loads, said strips surrounded by said cover so as
to be disposed completely within said body on diametrically
opposite sides of the cross section thereof, said cover having a
substantially uniform thickness with no substantial protuberances
therein, said strips including a plurality of elongated
stress-resisting reinforcing cords embedded therein and disposed in
at least one layer and extending generally parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the hose for substantially its entire length,
said cords being capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal
tensile stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose
with longitudinal strength with the remainder of the cross section
of said body disposed adjacent to said strips being free of said
cords, said strips having a total combined circumferential
dimension substantially less than the circumferential dimension of
the remainder of the cross section of said body to provide an
integral hose construction in which a majority of the hose remains
flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to
be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.29. A fluid transporting hose of a generally
circular cross-sectional configuration having a neutral axis a
reinforced body of elastomeric material including an inner tube and
an outer cover of elastomeric material and at least one ply of
reinforcing material disposed between said tube and cover extending
generally circumferentially about said body to provide
reinforcement against radial forces within the hose, a pair of
spaced longitudinally reinforced strips, providing primary
resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose
opening caused by excessive end loads, said strips surrounded by
said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on
diametrically opposite sides of the cross-section thereof, said
cover having a substantially uniform thickness with no substantial
protuberances therein, said strips including a plurality of
elongated stress-resisting reinforcing cords embedded therein and
disposed in at least one layer and extending generally parallel to
the longitudinal axis of the hose with said cords capable of
withstanding substantial longitudinal tensile stresses applied to
the end of the hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength
with the remainder of the cross section of said body being free of
said cords, said strips having a total combined circumferential
dimension substantially less than the circumferential dimension of
the remainder of the cross section of said body to provide an
integral hose construction in which a majority of the hose remains
flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to
be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks,
said body including a plurality of plies of reinforcing material
therein and said strips being interposed between any two said plies
substantially at the neutral axis of said hose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30.
The hose as claimed in claim 29 wherein said cords of said strips
are composed of nylon and said strips define a total combined arc
of approximately 180.degree.. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The hose as
claimed in claim 29 wherein said cords of said strips are composed
of the material selected from at least one of the group consisting
of polyester and rayon and said strips define a total combined arc
of 180.degree. or less. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The hose as defined in
claim 29 wherein each said strip extends in an arc of about
45.degree. or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The hose as claimed in claim 29 wherein each
said strip extends in an arc of about 30.degree. or less on each
side of the neutral axis of
the hose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The hose as claimed in claim 29
wherein said cords are composed of the material selected from at
least one of the group consisting of fiber glass and steel and said
strips define a total combined arc of 20.degree. or less. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a flexible, material transporting hose
and more particularly to an improved structure for such hose. This
invention specifically relates to long length, fluid transporting
hose for ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship refueling.
In supplying fuel to or receiving fuel from ships or other vessels,
it has been customary to use long lengths of coupled hose strung
between the ship and the shore or between ships. In order to
prevent excessive tension at the ends of the hose lines, separate
steel cables running parallel to the hose and connected thereto by
means of eyelets on the couplings have been used to protect the
hose from these tension forces. This procedure, however, is
cumbersome and dangerous since two separate reels must be used, one
for the hose and one for the cable. Furthermore, the cable often
chafes the hose in deployment causing premature failure of the hose
to occur. In other forms of refueling where the hose is deployed
behind the stern of a moving ship the drag on the hose line due to
friction causes the hose to elongate with the inside dimensions of
the hose being significantly reduced. This results in the
constriction of the hose opening thereby reducing the quantity of
fuel flowing through the hose.
Because of the high stresses to which the hose is subjected, it has
heretofore often been the practice in the construction of refueling
hose to use a spiral-shaped, wire reinforcement within the hose.
However, this hose structure tends to deform or kink when subjected
to tension or tensile forces and the repeated bending forces caused
by waves due to rough seas. In the prior art, Kuwabara U.S. Pat.
No. 3,613,736 discloses a hose end structure of stranded wire
reinforcement extending along the axial direction of the hose and
disposed around its entire circumference. Although this structure
increases the strength of the hose end, it is not suitable for the
entire hose length since the hose will not be sufficiently flexible
for reeling upon itself. For this reason, a hose construction of
this type is not suitable for light or medium duty refueling hose,
for example having an inside diameter of 6 or 7 inches.
The foregoing disadvantages have been overcome by the hose
structure of the present invention which will be hereinafter
described.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
material-transporting hose having longitudinal strength and
stability but yet being flexible in the longitudinal direction so
that it may be easily reeled upon itself and less likely to deform
or develop kinks.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid
transporting hose such as a refueling hose which will not require a
separate cable running parallel to the hose in order to protect the
hose from excessive end loads but which is flexible enough to be
easily reeled upon itself.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a refueling
hose which will not elongate unduly during use causing excessive
constriction of the hose opening but which will remain sufficiently
flexible so that it may be easily reeled upon itself.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a system for
transporting fuel in which an improved refueling hose structure is
used that is capable of withstanding longitudinal tensile stresses
while still remaining capable of bending in one plane in order to
be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to deform or
develop kinks.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent
hereinafter as the description thereof proceeds, the novel
features, arrangements and combinations being clearly pointed out
in the specification as well as the claims thereunto appended.
It has been found that the foregoing objects and advantages are
accomplished by a material-transporting hose of integral
construction comprising a body of flexible resilient material, a
pair of longitudinally reinforced portions disposed on opposite
sides of the cross section of the body with each portion having at
least one elongated reinforcing member embedded therein extending
generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose to provide
the hose with longitudinal strength, and remaining portions free of
the reinforcing members disposed adjacent to the longitudinally
reinforced portions on each side thereof. The longitudinally
reinforced portions have a total combined perimeter equal to or
less than the total combined perimeter of the remaining portions of
the cross section of the body therebetween to provide a hose
construction in which at least one-half of the hose remains
flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to
be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop
kinks.
The foregoing objects and advantages are also accomplished by the
use of a fluid transporting hose of a generally circular
cross-sectional configuration having a body of flexible elastomeric
material and a pair of longitudinally reinforced strips disposed on
diametrically opposite sides of the cross section of the body. The
strips include a plurality of elongated reinforcing cords embedded
therein and disposed in at least one layer extending generally
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose to provide the hose
with longitudinal strength thereby resisting undue constriction of
the hose opening. The remainder of the cross section of the body is
free of the reinforcing cords. The strips have a total combined
width or circumferential dimension substantially less than the
width or circumferential dimension of the remainder of the cross
section of the body to provide an integral hose construction in
which a majority of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal
direction thereby enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon
itself and less likely to develop kinks.
The above objects and advantages are also accomplished in a system
for refueling ships or supplying fuel from ships to facilities
located on shore or to another ship including the combination of a
plurality of refueling hose, means for coupling the hose together
in an end-to-end relationship and means for reeling the coupled
hose before and after use wherein each hose comprises the structure
of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a fragementary side elevational view showing the hose of
this invention as deployed in ship-to-shore or ship-to-ship
refueling procedures;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the hose of FIG. 1 with parts broken away
to more clearly show the invention;
FIG. 4 is a modification of the invention shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the hose of FIG. 1 in a reeled
condition prior to or after use in a refueling system; and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIG.
5.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
In FIG. 1, a portion of a refueling system 1 is shown in which the
material-transporting hose 2 of this invention may be used. A
plurality of hose segments are connected together in an end-to-end
relationship by means of couplings 3 to form a hose line and the
hose 2 is often deposited into a body of water and floats on the
water to reach its destination with one end of the hose line
connected to a source of fuel (not shown), for example located
aboard a ship S. The fuel, such as petroleum based oil, is then
capable of being transported either from ship-to-shore or
ship-to-ship.
The hose structure is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hose 2 in
this instance is a fuel-transporting hose having a generally
circular cross-sectional configuration with an inside diameter of
about 6 inches. It is to be understood that the circular
configuration is only illustrative and the hose may be of other
cross-sectional configurations such as elliptical or rectangular.
The hose includes a body 4 of flexible resilient material
preferably comprised of a fabric-reinforced elastomer such as
natural or synthetic rubber or the like. The body 4 ordinarily
includes an inner tube 5 and an outer cover 6 of elastomeric
material. Since the hose is meant primarily for use in salt water,
it is preferred that the elastomeric material of the tube 5 and
cover 6 be suitable for exposure to this type environment. For
example, the tube 5 of the hose 2 may be composed of compounded
nitrile rubber and the cover 6 may be composed of compounded blends
of nitrile rubber and polyvinyl chloride.
The body 4 further includes a pair of longitudinally reinforced
portions or strips 7 and 7' disposed on diametrically opposite
sides of the cross section of the body 4. .Iadd.As shown
particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, each portion 7 and 7' has a total
combined perimeter or cross sectional dimension which is
substantially less than the perimeter of the cross section of the
body 4. .Iaddend.Each portion 7 and 7' has at least one elongated
reinforcing member 8 embedded therein extending generally parallel
to the longitudinal axis of the hose to provide the hose .Iadd.for
substantially its entire length .Iaddend.with longitudinal
strength. .Iadd.As shown in FIG. 3, the portions 7 and 7'
containing the reinforcing members 8 extend substantially the
entire length of the hose 2 and thereby provide the primary
resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose
opening caused by excessive end loads. .Iaddend.The reinforcing
members 8 are preferably in the form of a plurality of reinforcing
cords of materials conventionally used for reinforcing elastomeric
hose or conduits. Accordingly, the cords 8 are comprised of at
least one material selected from the group consisting of nylon,
rayon, polyester, fiber glass and metal. The cords 8 may be laid in
place in the hose body 4 individually or may be incorporated
therein in the form of a strip of textile or wire cord fabric as
shown in FIG. 2. It is preferred that an equal number of cord
members 8 be disposed in each portion 7 and 7' to provide a
balanced symmetrical hose construction. The cords may be
incorporated into the portions 7 and 7' in a single layer of
individual parallel cords or be included within two or more layers
if desired. For example, FIG. 4 shows a modification of the
invention in which the hose body 9 includes diametrically opposite
longitudinally reinforced portions 10 and 10' with each portion
comprised of two parallel layers 11 and 12 of reinforcing members
13 to provide added longitudinal strength for the hose structure
14.
The hose body 4 also includes remaining portions 15 and 15' free of
the reinforcing members 8 disposed adjacent to the longitudinally
reinforced portions on each side thereof. The longitudinally
reinforced portions 7 and 7' have a total combined circumferential
dimension or perimeter equal to or less than the total combined
perimeter of the remaining portions 15 and 15' of the cross section
of the hose body 4 therebetween to provide a hose construction in
which at least one-half of the hose 2 remains flexible in a
longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose 2 to be more
easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks.
As shown in FIG. 2, the portions 7 and 7' are disposed
substantially at the neutral axis N of the hose. For the purposes
of this invention, the term "neutral axis" designates that part of
the cross section of the hose which is neither in tension nor
compression when the hose is being deployed in use or is in a
reeled condition. For example, when the hose 2 is floating in a
body of water, the exact location of the neutral axis will vary;
however, for purposes of illustration, in FIG. 2 the neutral axis N
is shown aligned vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis
of the hose. When the hose 2 is in a reeled condition as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6, the hose should be positioned so that the neutral
axis N of the hose is substantially horizontally aligned for ease
of reeling.
In the case of a hose of circular cross-sectional configuration,
the longitudinally reinforced portions 7 and 7' should define a
total combined arc A+A' of 180.degree. or less. If the total
combined arc of the portions 7 and 7' exceeds 180.degree., the hose
will be of insufficient flexibility in a longitudinal direction to
allow for easy coiling or reeling and distortion or kinking is more
likely to develop. In this regard, it is preferred that each
portion 7 and 7' extend in an arc a and a' respectively of about
45.degree. or less on either side of the neutral axis N of the
hose. It is even more preferred that the reinforced portions 7 and
7' define a total combined arc A+A' of 120.degree. or less and that
each portion 7 and 7' extend in an arc a and a' respectively of
about 30.degree. or less on each side of the neutral axis N of the
hose. The particular arc defined by the longitudinally reinforced
portions will depend to a large extent on the type of material of
which the reinforcing cords are made. For example, a highly
stretchable material such as nylon may necessitate a total combined
arc length of near the maximum 180.degree.. On the other hand, a
material such as polyester or rayon may necessitate a total
combined arc length of less than 120.degree.. With material such as
fiber glass or steel, the total combined arc length will be
substantially less, for instance as low as 20.degree. or less.
The hose 2 also preferably includes a plurality of plies of
reinforcing material made of textile fabric which extends generally
circumferentially about the body 4 of the hose to provide necessary
reinforcement against radial forces within the hose. The plies may
be square woven or in cord form and are customarily spirally
wrapped around the inner tube 5 of the hose. The longitudinal
members or cords 8 may be disposed either above or below the
reinforcing plies but are preferably interposed between any two
plies of the reinforcing plies. For example, the hose body may
include four cord plies 16, 17, 18 and 19 of reinforcement
extending in a biased relationship to the cord members 8 with the
cord members being interposed between the cord plies 17 and 18 as
shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. .Iadd.The reinforcing material has
some elements disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis
of the hose which is opposite in direction to the first mentioned
oblique angle. As illustrated, the cord ply elements of plies 16
and 17 are disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of
hose 2 which is opposite in direction to the oblique angle of the
cord ply elements of plies 18 and 19. .Iaddend.It has been found
that a very satisfactory hose structure results with the use of
nylon reinforcing cord plies and polyester cord members. The cord
members may have a diameter of 0.050 of an inch and the reinforcing
cord plies may have a thickness or diameter of 0.038 of an inch.
Each portion 7 and 7' containing the cord members 8 may have a
length or perimeter of about 2 inches resulting in a combined
perimeter of about 4 inches and assuming an inside hose diameter of
about 6 inches and a wall or body thickness of 0.440 of an inch,
the portions 15 and 15' between the portions 7 and 7' respectively
will each have a width or circumferential dimension of about 8
inches and a combined length or perimeter of about 16 inches. In
this case, the portions 7 and 7' extend in an arc a and a'
respectively of about 18.degree. on each side of the neutral axis N
of the hose 2 thereby defining a total combined arc A+A' of
72.degree.. It is readily apparent that since the longitudinal
reinforcing cords 8 are incorporated within a portion 7 and 7' of
the cross section of the body 4 having a total combined width or
circumferential dimension which is substantially less than the
total combined width or circumferential dimension of the remainder
of the cross section of the body 4 that a hose construction is
provided in which a majority of the hose 2 remains flexible in a
longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to be more readily
reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks.
The utility of the invention is further illustrated with reference
to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings which shows the hose 2 either
prior to or after use in its reeled condition on a reel 20. In this
case as previously mentioned, the neutral axis of the hose is
disposed generally horizontally with the flexible portions 15 and
15' of the hose 2 in a generally flattened condition to enable the
hose to be more easily reeled upon itself.
In manufacturing the hose of this invention, conventional building
techniques may be used which are well known in the art. For
example, the various hose components may be assembled on a building
mandrel and then vulcanized in any suitable manner such as by means
of steam to form an integral composite hose structure.
It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present
invention provides a hose structure for use in conveying or
transporting materials which has sufficient longitudinal strength
to withstand significant tension or tensile forces and to resist
undue constriction of the hose opening but remains sufficiently
flexible in a longitudinal direction to enable the hose to be
easily reeled upon itself and less likely to distort or develop
kinks. The hose of the present invention may be used not only for
the purpose illustrated as a refueling hose, but may also be used
in many other applications in which the above-named features are
desirable. For example, the hose of the present invention may be
used for transporting solid or semi-solid material such as
cement.
While certain representative embodiments and details have been
shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and
modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit
or scope of the invention.
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