GB2032045A - Reinforcing element for hoses and bellows and hoses and bellows provided with such elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A reinforcing element for hoses and bellows comprises a ring 1 of hollow profiled material and a ring 3 of a cross section corresponding to the hollow material, the hose material 2 being clamped between both rings. Guiding eyes 4 for ropes 5 may be incorporated as part of ring 1. Various cross sections of rings 1 and 3 are disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A reinforcing element for hoses and bellows, and hoses and bellows provided with such elements The invention relates to rigidifying or reinforcing elements for hoses and bellows, as well as to hoses and bellows which are provided with such elements.

It is known to provide hoses and bellows with annular reinforcing elements. Several constructions are known to attach these rings in or to the hose material. For instance, the rings may be composed of an inner and an outer ring of strip material, which are interconnected by means of bolts and nuts through a perforation in the hose material. The drawback of this construction is that the hose material in the vicinity of the bolts and nuts is locally subjected to substantial pressure between the two rings. Furthermore, the application of said construction is rather time consuming, while also the fact that the hose material is perforated for the purpose of the application of the bolts, may be inconvenient.

A different method of applying reinforcing rings is the attachment of the rings in stitching seams in the hose material. If use is made of rubber as hose material, then the reinforcing rings can also be vulcanized into the material. Both constructions, however, are elaborate and hence expensive.

The invention now consists in that the rigidifying or reinforcing elements are formed from rings of hollow, profiled material, wherein rings of a cross section corresponding to the hollow profile are clamped, while the hose material is clamped between both rings. The invention concerns moreover hoses and bellows of flexible material provided with such rigidifying or reinforcing elements.

It will be clear that the hollow profiled ring may be disposed either at the outside or at the inside of the hose. For the sake of simplicity, however, the invention is described in the following in case the hollow profiled ring is disposed at the outside, and the clamping ring fitting therein at the inside of the hose or bellows. The profiled ring is then called the outer ring, the clamping ring fitted therein the inner ring.

In its simplest form the material of which the hollow outer ring is made has the cross section of a circle segment wherein the hose material is clamped with a clamping ring of cylindrical cross section. Other forms of the section and of the clamping ring, however, are likewise possible, e.g.

a square or rectangular section.

The hollow outer ring may have a section that extends in cross section through more than 1 800 so that the inner ring with the hose material is entirely embraced by the outer ring. In such case the eventual profiling of the outer ring may be applied after the application of the inner ring to the inside of the hose against the originally slightly profiled outer ring (i.e. profiled in cross section through less than 1800).

The hollow outer ring or profile ring may be advantageously made of perforated strip steel. The advantages thereof are the easy deformability of said material when making and applying the rings, so that the ring fits better about the construction to be clamped, thus obtaining a better grip of the ring on the hose material.

For securing the outer ring, various constructions are possible, e.g. by providing the ring with two radially extending lips which are interconnected through bolts and nuts. Another possibility is the so-called egg box closure, whereby both ends of the outer ring are secured to each other.

A further possibility is to effect a connection by inter-connecting the ends of the clamping strip through material deformation with or without intermediary of an auxiliary part.

Various constructions are possible also for the application of the inner ring. According to a preferred embodiment the inner ring is endless.

According to another embodiment, the ring is open and fitted with a conical point fitting into said recess, and which during the application of the inner ring is snapped therein.

The invention is of particular importance for loading bellows that are used during the shipping of bulk goods. In particular for open and closed trucks, tank lorries, vessels and containers.

Other possible applications of the invention are apparatus for removing powdery solids from a gas flow, and apparatus for compensating the expansion or contraction of lines. For so-called dust removing filters use is made of hoses of filtering cloth provided with reinforcing rings, said gas flow moving from the outside to the inside and the dust being collected at the outside of the hoses. For these applications, use is made, besides of cylindrical hoses, likewise of hoses having a cross section of oval or rounded rectangular shape.

A particular advantage of the invention is that when the hose material is worn out, it is easy to replace a part of the hose. In such case the worn out part is removed and replaced by a new part overlapping the still usable parts of the old hose, and attached in the place of overlapping with profile rings and clamping rings.

A substantial advantage of the invention is that, contrary to stitching it is not strictly necessary to perforate the hose to be clamped so that the density of the hose is not effected and not inducing crack formation.

When utilizing the invention for loading bellows for bulk shipping, it is possible to attach guiding eyes at the outwardly projecting folds of the bellows. Said guiding eyes, upon extension or shortening of the bellows, move along the guiding ropes or guiding rods applied along the bellows.

If use is made for the profile ring of perforated steel sections, the perforations may be employed for application of the guiding eyes, viz. by clamping bolts having a forged-on head between the profile ring and the hose material, and by screwing eye nuts onto said bolts, at the side facing away from the profile ring.

Loading bellows may also be designed as double-walled bellows, whereby either the inner bellows or the outer bellows, or both bellows are provided with reinforcing rings of profile material with clamping rings fitting therein.

With such double-walled bellows, the inner rings of the outer bellows are affixed through rods to the outer rings of the inner bellows.

It is also possible to fit the loading bellows with telescopic inner pipes.

The invention is likewise suitable for so-called cascad hoses wherein the cross section in set places is partly interrupted by obliquely disposed partitions which, over a part of the circumference, e.g. 1800, are clamped alternately at the one and at the other side of the hose between the rings.

These hoses are used for absorbing the fall during the loading of materials that are liable to fracture or attrition, such as ceramic filler elements for chemical process industry.

The invention will now be explained, by means of some Figures, illustrating different embodiments thereof.

Figs. 1-4 show four different embodiments of the hollow profiled ring and the clamping ring fitting therein. In these Figures the hollow profiled ring is indicated by 1, the hose material by 2, and the clamping ring by 3.

It will be clear that the axis of the hose or bellows may be disposed both at the right hand side and at the left hand side of the parts shown.

In the first case, i.e. when the axis is disposed at the right hand side of the parts shown, the ring 1 is the outer ring and the ring 3 the inner ring. The clamping ring 3 in Figs. 1 and 2 has a circular cross section, while in Fig. 3 a rectangular clamping ring is applied. Fig. 4 finally shows the construction wherein the clamping ring, at the side of the hose material, has a hollow profile, and fitting into the hollow profile of the ring 1.

Fig. 5 shows a possible construction for the attachment of the inner ring. The ring is fitted with a conical recess 20 and at the other side with a conical point 21 which fits into said recess, and being adapted to be snapped therein upon attachment of the ring.

Fig. 6 shows a single bellows construction, provided with guiding eyes and guiding ropes. This Figure also shows the profiled ring by 1, the hose material by 2 and the clamping ring by 3. At the rings 1, guiding eyes 4 are applied in some places along the circumference through which extend the guiding ropes 5 which are disposed along the bellows. Upon extension or shortening of the bellows, the eyes 4 move along said ropes.

Fig. 7 is a detail drawing wherein the profile ring 1, the hose material 2, the clamping ring 3, the guiding eyes 4 and the guiding ropes 5 are shown in cross section.

Fig. 7A shows a construction wherein use is made for the profile rings of perforated strip steel, and of guiding eyes screwed onto bolts applied through the perforation. This Figure shows the bolts 4a with forged-on flat head which is clamped between the profile ring 1 and the hose material 2. The eye nuts 4b may be screwed onto said bolts at the side facing away from the profile ring 1. In order to prevent deformation of the profile ring, it is possible to apply between the profile ring and the eye nut 4b a saddle member 4c which at the one side (the inner side) follows the shape of the profile ring, and at the other side is planar.

Fig. 8 finally is a top view of the detail shown in Fig. 7 seen from the direction VIlI-VIlI.

Figs. 9, 10 and 1 1 show a composite bellows construction, comprising an inner bellows and an outer bellows which both are provided with profile rings and clamping rings according to the invention. The parts of the outer bellows have the same reference numerals as the corresponding parts in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. For the inner bellows the profile ring is indicated by 9, the hose material by 10 and the inner clamping ring by 1 As shown in the Figures, the clamping ring 3 is provided with a rod 6 and the profile ring 9 with a rod 8, which two rods are interconnected through a nut and a bolt 7.

Fig. 12 relates to a clamping ring for a cascade hose. It shows one of the partitions 12 through which the hose is pinched off over half the cross section.

Fig. 13 shows a cross section according to the invention, wherein use is made of the possibility to replace a part of the hose material by new material. The worn out part of the hose material 2 is cut off at 22. Overlapping with the hose material 2 there has been applied a new part 13, against which abuts the profiled ring 1. At the inside of the old hose material 2 there is disposed the clamping ring 3 which clamps the two parts of the hose against the outer ring 1.

Figs. 14, 15 and 16 show different horizontal cross sections of the hoses or bellows according to the invention. Fig. 14 shows a single cylindrical hose or bellows. Fig. 15 shows an elliptical shape and Fig. 16 a bellows or hose having a rectangular cross section with rounded corners. The latter shape is particularly important for hoses of filtering cloth in so-called removing filters.

Fig. 17 shows an embodiment for the connection of the ends of a diagrammatically indicated profile ring 1. Said ring has a divided design and adjacent the ends thereof there are disposed connector portions 23, resp. 24 bent over at right angles. Said connector portions are engaged by a bolt/nut construction 25, clamping the ring 1. It is observed that the connector portions 23, resp. 24 may also be bent over ends of the ring 1.

Fig. 1 8 shows another embodiment for the connection of the ends of a ring 1. On the one end at 26 there is pivotally mounted a so-called egg closure 27. A part of said "egg closure" is indicated at 28. The end thereof extends at 29 behind a stop at the other end of the ring 1. By pressing the portion 28 down, the ring 1 is secured under tensile stress.

In Fig. 19 the one end of the ring 1 is provided with an opening 30, while the other end 31 of the ring, extends through the opening 30 and thereby securing the hollow profiled ring 1 on the clamping ring 3, as clearly appears from Fig. 20, which shows this connection right-angled relatively to Fig.19.

Fig. 21 shows diagrammatically a variant embodiment for a hose or bellows in accordance with the invention, wherein the clamping ring 3 forms part of a conical metal cup 32 of wearresistant material. Said wear-resistant cups 32, in superimposed relationship, form a wear-resistant covering of the rubber hose 2, so that this construction is particularly suitable for the passage of substantial wear producing substances and materials. At 33 is shown how in compressed condition the cups 32 rest on each other, with therebetween the folds of the bellows 2. The attachment of the wear-resistant cups is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 22, wherein the clamping ring 3 is formed by a bent over upper edge of a cup 32.

Fig. 23 shows a variant of the embodiment according to Fig. 22, wherein the outer upper edge 32 of wear-resistant cup 32 is provided at the exterior with a hollow semi-circular recess 34. The bellows material 2 is secured in said recess by means of a profile ring 1 circular in cross section.

Said profile ring may again be clamped in different manners around the edge 3 of the wear-resistant cup 32.

Fig. 24 shows a particular application of the present bellows embodiment with reinforcing elements. Comparable parts are represented with the same reference numerals as in Fig. 9 and in the other Figures. The centerline 35 of the double bellows construction shown extends slightly inclined, whereby at the left-hand side at 36 an entry funnel is connected to the inner bellows 10.

Loose material 37 is supplied via said funnel. The bellows 10 in this application is at least partly of porous material. At 38 there is disposed a supply for a pneumatic transport medium such as air. At a given over-pressure said air enters at 39 via the porous bellows 10 within said bellows, so that the material 37 in said bellows is fluidised and can thus be conveniently transported.

It is observed that when reference is made in the above to hoses and bellows, these include any hollow, deformable construction, whereby a reinforcing element may serve for reinforcing the construction in question. Said construction need not necessarily have a round cross section. Hoses and bellows also include a bucket, a container, a reservoir and the like.

Claims (9)

1. A reinforcing element for hoses or bellows, characterized in that it comprises a ring of hollow profiled material wherein a ring of a cross section corresponding to the hollow material is clamped, and wherein the hose material is clamped between both rings.

2. A hose or bellows comprising flexible material with reinforcing elements, characterized in that use is made as reinforcing element of the construction according to claim 1.

3. A hose or bellows according to claim 2, characterized in that the hollow profiled rings are disposed at the outside, and the rings fitting therein at the inside of the hose or bellows.

4. A bellows according to claim 2 and 3, characterized in that there are applied along the bellows a plurality of guiding ropes or rods over which are adapted to move, upon shortening or extension of the bellows, guiding eyes attached to the outwardly projecting folds.

5. A bellows according to claim 2-4, characterized in that is comprises an inner bellows and an outer bellows which are interconnected by means of rods which on the one end are attached to the inner ring of the outer bellows and on the other end to the outer ring of the inner bellows.

6. An apparatus for removing powdery solids from a gas flow, characterized in that a bellows according to claims 2-5 is disposed therein.

7. An apparatus for compensating the expansion or contraction of lines, characterized in that a bellows according to claims 2-5 is disposed therein.

8. A bellows suitable as conveyor for powdery material according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner bellows is provided with a supply funnel for loose material and to the space between inner and outer bellows there is applied a connection for the supply of a pneumatic medium, while at least part of the material of the inner bellows is porous.

9. A bellows according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that the inner ring of each reinforcing element for the bellows is an end edge of a conical cup or funnel in such a way that the adjoining funnels form a wear-resistant covering.