GB2428174A

GB2428174A - Hose reel with plurality of outlets

Info

Publication number: GB2428174A
Application number: GB0513850A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicolino Iaciofano
Original assignee: Hozelock Ltd
Current assignee: Hozelock Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-06
Filing date: 2005-07-06
Publication date: 2007-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2025-07-06
Also published as: GB0513850D0; GB2428174B

Abstract

A hose reel 2 comprising a water inlet portion 21, a plurality of outlet portions for feeding water into a length of outlet hose 3, and at least one storage portion 22 to receive the lengths of hose. Preferably the storage portion is a shaft having a number of drums which can rotate independently of each other around the shaft. Also claimed is a hose reel comprising a water outlet portion and a storage portion, the outlet portion being axially offset from the storage portion; and a two part hose end micro irrigation dripper comprising a connector fixable to the end of a hose and a dripper portion connectable to the connector.

Description

1 2428174 Watering Equipment This invention relates to watering equipment.

In particular it relates to hose reels and similar devices which may be used in a domestic environment. The ideas of the present application are particularly, but not necessarily only relevant to hose irrigation systems which are sometimes referred to as micro irrigation systems.

Existing micro irrigation systems normally require a user to buy a complex selection of components and to cut lengths of hosing to size. Moreover these items have to be joined together to form a permanent or semi-permanent irrigation arrangement. The setting up of such micro irrigation systems is time consuming and can be off-putting for a large proportion of potential consumers of such products.

It would therefore be desirable to provide watering equipment which eases the process of setting up an irrigation system in particular a home irrigation or micro irrigation system.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hose reel comprising a water inlet portion, a plurality of outlet portions each of which outlet portions is for feeding water into a respective length of outlet hose, and at least one hose storage portion arranged to receive the lengths of outlet hose.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a hose reel arrangement comprising a hose reel as defined above and a plurality of outlet hoses each of which is connected to a respective outlet portion.

There may be a plurality of storage portions each of which is arranged to receive a respective length of hose.

The or each storage portion may be arranged to receive a coil of hose. The reel may comprise at least one drum which is arranged to carry hose. In this specification the expression drum is used to refer to a hose carrying member which is arranged to support one or more coils of hose such drums can be of many shapes, sizes and constructions.

The drum may be arranged for rotation relative to a body of the reel. The drum may comprise at least one storage portion. The drum may comprise the plurality of hose storage portions.

In one set of embodiments the drum has a hose receiving portion having a width which is less than two external diameters of the hose it is to carry so that when a coil of hose is carried on the drum each successive turn lays radially outward of the previous turn. This is as opposed to a successive turn laying laterally next to a previous turn.

The reel may comprise a plurality of drums each of which may be arranged for rotation relative to a body of the reel. The drums may be arranged for rotation independently of one another.

The reel may comprise a shaft on which the at least one drum is mounted for rotation. Clutch means may be provided between the shaft and the at least one drum, which clutch means controls rotation of the drum relative to the shaft.

Where there are a plurality of drums the clutch means may be arranged such that each drum can be engaged so as to rotate with the shaft at some times and disengaged so as to rotate relative to the shaft at other times. The clutch means may comprise a plurality of clutch elements, each element controlling the rotation of a corresponding one of the drums relative to the shaft.

The clutch means, or each clutch element may comprise a friction member which under some conditions causes a respective drum to rotate with the shaft and which under other conditions allows the respective drum to rotate relative to the shaft. The clutch means, or each clutch element may comprise at least one 0-ring mounted around the shaft.

The hose reel may comprise a winding actuator for use by a user in winding hose onto the at least one drum of the reel. The hose reel may comprise a one way winding clutch means to ensure that operation of the winding actuator only causes the or each drum to rotate in one predetermined direction. This can help prevent entanglement of the hose which would be caused by in effect trying to wind hose out of the reel.

The hose reel may be arranged so that rotation of the shaft in one direction tends to turn the at least one drum so as to wind hose connected to the at least one drum onto the drum. The one way clutch means may be provided between the winding actuator and the shaft so as to control the effect that operating the actuator has on the shaft.

Where there are a plurality of independently rotatable drums, the hose reel may be arranged so that correct operation of the winding actuator causes the plurality of the drums to rotate, when the respective carried hoses are not fully wound, so as to wind hose onto each drum. The hose reel may further be arranged so that where a respective hose is fully rewound further rotation of the respective drum is avoided by virtue of the respective clutch element allowing relative rotation between the shaft and the drum.

Each hose may comprise a stop member for abutting with a portion of the body of the hose reel when the hose is fully wound on its respective drum.

The hose reel arrangement may be arranged so that when a hose is fully wound and the stop member abuts with the respective portion of the body of the hose reel, further rotation of the drum carrying the hose is substantially prevented.

The body of the hose reel may comprise a casing. The stop member may be arranged to abut a portion of the casing when the respective hose is fully rewound.

Where there are a plurality of independently rotatable drums, the hose reel arrangement may be arranged so that when one length of hose is pulled to unwind it from the respective drum, the respective drum rotates but the other drums tend not to rotate. When this occurs the respective drum tends to rotate relative to the shaft with the respective clutch element allowing this.

The shaft may comprise a water feeding channel for channelling water which enters the inlet portion towards the outlet portions. The shaft may be hollow. The shaft may define at least one opening for allowing water out of the feeding channel.

A pair of 0-rings may be mounted around the shaft, one on either side of the opening. The shaft may define a plurality of openings. At least one respective 0- ring may be provided at a position on the shaft between the adjacent openings. A respective pair of 0-rings may be provided for each opening, one 0-ring in each pair being provided on either side of the respective opening.

The 0-rings may be arranged to provide sealing contact with an inner surface of the drum or a respective one of the drums to provide a water channel path from the water feeding channel in the shaft to the at least one drum.

The outlet portions may be provided on the at least one drum.

In some embodiments there are a plurality of drums each comprising a respective outlet portion, the shaft comprises a plurality of openings, each for feeding water to a respective one of the outlet portions, and 0rings are provided around the shaft at positions between the openings to seal with inner surfaces of respective ones of the drums so as to provide water channel paths from the water feeding channel in the shaft to each of the outlet portions.

It will be seen that the 0-rings can provide a sealing function as well as a friction clutch function.

The shaft may carry the water inlet portion.

Each outlet portion may be axially offset from the corresponding storage portion.

This can help reduce the external diameter of a coil of hose when wound onto its storage portion without over bending or kinking the hose. The storage portion may comprise an annular member on which hose can be wound. The radius of this annular member may be equal to or greater than the radial distance between the axis of the annular member and the radially outermost extremity of the respective outlet portion.

The radius of the annular member may be chosen to correspond to the minimum bend radius sustainable by the hose to be coiled onto the drum.

A convoluted hose path may be provided through which the hose passes before connection to the hose outlet portion. The convoluted path may be a labyrinth path. This can help reduce the risk of the hose being dislodged as the hose is unwound from the reel.

Each length of hose may be provided with an end tool. The end tool may comprise the stop member. The end tool may comprise a connector. The end tool may comprise a watering dripper. The end tool may be a two part end tool with a first part which is fixable to the hose and a second part which is fixable to the first. The first part may act as a connector and the second part may act as a dripper. The connector typically will be arranged so as to be connectable to other components as well as the dripper.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a hose reel which comprises a drum having a water outlet portion which is for feeding water into a respective length of outlet hose, and a hose storage portion arranged to receive the length of outlet hose, wherein the water outlet portion is axially offset from the storage portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a two part hose end micro-irrigation dripper, comprising a connector fixable to the end of a piece of hose and dripper portion connectable to the connector.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a watering system comprising at least two water distributions devices each of which has an inlet portion and a plurality of outlet portions connected to the inlet portion, wherein one of the outlet portions of one of the water distributions devices is connected to the inlet portion of the other water distribution device via a length of hose.

Each water distribution device may comprise a hose reel of the type defined above in relation to the other aspects of the invention.

There may be a plurality of water distribution devices each comprising an inlet portion and a plurality of outlet portions connected to the inlet portion and being arranged in a daisy chain with one of the outlet portions of a first of the water distribution devices being connect via a length of hose to the inlet portion of a second of the water distribution devices and so on.

There may be a plurality of water distribution devices each comprising an inlet portion and a plurality of outlet portions connected to the inlet portion and being arranged in a branched chain with one of the outlet portions of a first of the water distribution devices being connected via a length of hose to the inlet portion of a second of the water distribution devices and another of the outlet portions of the first of the water distribution devices being connected via a length of hose to the inlet portion of a third of the water distribution devices.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 schematically shows a watering system set up with a first arrangement; Figure 2 schematically shows a watering system set up with a second arrangement; Figure 3 shows a hose reel arrangement, of a type which is the same as hose reel arrangements included in the watering systems shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows internal components of the hose reel arrangement of Figure 3, in particular a series of hose receiving drums mounted on a shaft; Figures 5A and 5B respectively show a perspective view and a side view of one of the hose carrying drums shown in Figure 4 without the hose itself being shown; and Figure 6 shows a two- part end tool provided at the end of a coil of hose.

Figures 1 and 2 each schematically show a respective watering system which may be used to set up a micro irrigation system, for example to provide watering to plants in a domestic environment such as a series of pots arranged on a patio.

In each of these cases the watering system comprises a main hose reel arrangement 1 and a plurality of second hose reel arrangements 2. Although not shown in Figures 1 and 2 each of the hose reel arrangements 1, 2 comprises a plurality of length of hose wound onto a respective hose reel.

In the present embodiments the main hose reel arrangement 1 comprises three independent lengths of outlet hose which can be used to provide an independent supply of water to three respective locations.

The main hose reel arrangement 1 comprises an inlet connector 11 to which a supply of water, for example from an outside tap, may be connected for feeding water to the outlet hoses.

In the watering system shown in Figure 1, the connection of such a length of hose to a first of three secondary hose reel arrangements 2 is schematically indicated by a connecting line. In the case of the watering system shown in Figure 2, two of the lengths of outlet hose are schematically shown as being connected to two secondary hose reel arrangements 2 (that is with one outlet hose being connected to one of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 and the other outlet hose being connected to the other secondary hose reel arrangement 2). Of course, the other outlet hoses of the main hose reel arrangement I may similarly be connected to secondary hose reel arrangements, used directly for watering, or be connected to any other suitable device.

As mentioned above, each of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 comprises a plurality of outlet hoses (not shown in Figures 1 and 2) and again these outlet hoses of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 may be used for a variety of purposes. In the watering arrangement shown in Figure 2, the outlet hoses of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 will be used directly for watering, for example, a specific pot. On the other hand, in the watering system shown in Figure 1 the three secondary hose reel arrangements 2 are shown as being daisy chained together. Thus, one of the outlet hoses (indicated by a connector line in Figure 1) of the main hose reel arrangement 1 is connected to an input connector 21 of a first of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 and a first outlet hose (indicated by a connector line in Figure 1) of that first secondary hose reel arrangement is connected to an input connector 21 of a second secondary hose reel arrangement. In turn, one of the outlet hoses (indicated by a connector line in Figure 1) of the second secondary hose reel arrangement is connected to the input connector 21 of a third secondary hose reel arrangement. The other outlet hoses of each of the three secondary hose reel arrangements 2 can then be used to water selected areas, for example, selected pots, hanging baskets and so on.

It will be appreciated that with the watering systems shown in Figures 1 and 2 a single supply of water, for example a single outdoor tap, can be connected to the main hose reel arrangement 1 and through the provision of this main hose reel arrangement 1 and a number of secondary hose reel arrangements 2 a large number of separate sites, for example, separate pots, may be watered.

Furthermore, whilst two specific arrangements have been shown in Figures 1 and 2 there is in effect a limitless number of similar arrangements which may be provided to give a desired irrigation system. The only real effective limit on the arrangement used is that there must, of course, be sufficient water pressure and flow to supply water to the ends of all of the outlet hoses.

As will become more clear with particular reference to the structure and operation of one of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 given below, the present watering systems can be quick and easy to install as well as being tidy and easily re-configurable. The necessary hose is carried on reels, can be easily adjusted in length, and the parts can be snap fitted together.

As mentioned above, more description is given below with regards to one of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2. At this point it should be said that the general structure and functioning of the main hose reel arrangement I can be very similar to that of the secondary hose reel arrangement 2 and in fact in many respects there are few differences in concept, structure, and functioning of the main hose reel arrangement 1 and the secondary hose reel arrangement 2. In the present set of embodiments a main difference is that the main hose reel arrangement 1 is a bigger device capable of housing longer lengths of hose and includes a cranked winding handle 12 to ease the effort of winding in these longer lengths of hose.

Figure 3 shows one of the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 as used in the watering arrangements shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment the hose reel arrangement 2 comprises five lengths of outlet hose 3. It will be noted that a portion of each of these outlet hoses 3 can be seen in Figure 3 although the outlet hoses that are omitted from Figures 1 and 2 for the sake of clarity. The lengths of outlet hose 3 are stored within a generally cylindrical casing 22. Slot like apertures 22a are provided in this cylindrical casing through which the respective lengths of hose 3 can pass from the interior to the exterior of the casing 22. The generally cylindrical casing 22 comprises a central portion 22b in which the hose outlet apertures 22a are formed and two end caps 22c. Each of the end caps 22c has a frustoconical shape with circumferential ribs being provided on the cone like surface.

The water inlet connector 21 of the secondary hose reel arrangement 2 is provided towards the centre of the first of these end caps 22c. The inlet connector 21 is mounted on a shaft 4 which passes through the cylindrical casing 22 along the axis of the casing 22. The end cap 22c which is adjacent to the inlet connector 21 is mounted to the shaft 4 via a one-way clutch arrangement (not shown). This one-way clutch arrangement (not shown) is arranged so that turning the end cap 22c in one direction (anticlockwise when looking down on that end cap 22c with the hose reel arrangement 2 in the orientation shown in Figure 3) causes the shaft 4 to rotate with the end cap 22c where as rotation in the opposite direction of the end cap 22c does not cause a corresponding rotation of the shaft 4. Whilst this end cap 22c is mounted to the shaft 4 via a one-way clutch mechanism it is free to rotate relative to the central portion of the cylindrical casing 22b. On the other hand, the other end cap 22c, which is remote from the inlet connector 21, is not free to rotate relative to the central portion 22b of the casing 22, but rather the shaft 4 is free to rotate relative to that end cap 22c.

This means that the end cap 22c adjacent to the inlet connector 21 may be used as a winding actuator for winding the hoses 3 into the casing as will be described in more detail below. Thus this end cap 22c can perform the same function as the cranked winding handle 12 of the main hose reel arrangement 1.

As can be seen in Figure 4, each of the hoses 3 is stored in a separate independent coil within the casing 22. In particular, a plurality, in this embodiment five, drums 5 are provided for receiving the hose 3. Figures 5A and 5B show one of these drums 5 in more detail and with the coil of hose omitted for the sake of clarity.

Each of the drums 5 is mounted on the shaft 4 in such a way as to allow relative rotation between the drum 5 and the shaft 4 under some circumstances and moreover to allow independent rotation of any one of the drums 5 relative to any one of, or all of, the other drums around the shaft 4 as circumstances dictate.

A simple friction clutch is provided between each of the drums 5 and the shaft 4 which is such that in conditions where friction is not overcome, the drum 5 will rotate with the shaft 4 whereas if friction is overcome, the drum 5 will rotate relative to the shaft 4.

This means for example, that any given length of hose 3 may be pulled out of the casing 22 whilst leaving the other lengths of hose within the casing. When this occurs, the length of hose 3 being pulled will leave the casing 22 causing the respective drum 5 to rotate relative to the shaft 4. Thus, with the drum 5 rotating relative to the shaft 4, the shaft 4 remains substantially stationary and thus none of the other drums 5 rotate.

On the other hand if all of the lengths of hose 3 have been pulled out of the casing 2 and the winding end cap 22c (adjacent to the inlet connector 21) is rotated in the correct direction relative to the remainder of the casing 22, this will cause the shaft 4 to rotate and all of the drums 5 to rotate with the shaft 4 so reeling in the lengths of hose 3.

Each of the lengths of hose 3 is provided with an end tool 31 which will be described in more detail below. At this point, however, it can be noted that when a given length of hose 3 has been fully re-wound, this end tool 31 abuts with the central portion 22b of the cylindrical casing 22 in the region of the respective aperture 22a and this prevents further retraction of the hose 3 into the reel. At this point, the friction between the respective drum 5 and the shaft 4 will be overcome so that the drum 5 can rotate relative to the shaft 4 as the shaft 4 continues to be rotated by a user winding the other hoses 3 back into the casing 22. As each length of hose 3 is fully wound in, its respective drum 5 will start to rotate relative to the shaft 4 and this will continue to occur until the user stops winding the end cap 22c.

Referring now to Figures 5A and 5B in particular, each drum 5 comprises a central annular collar 51 which is arranged to be mounted on the shaft 4 so that the shaft 4 is received in the aperture through this collar. A spigot 51 a is provided on this collar 51 and is arranged to receive the end of the respective outlet hose 3 to be wound on that drum 5. The outlet hose 3 may be pushed over the spigot 51 a during assembly. (Note that it would be equally possible to have a female connector or "spigot" into which the respective outlet hose 3 could be pushed.) This spigot 51 a forms a water outlet portion 4 allowing water out of the drum 5 and into the respective outlet hose 3. Six guiding arms 52 are mounted on the central collar 51. These arms 52 serve to act as side walls defining a space in which the respective outlet hose may be coiled (as can best be seen in Figure 4). Of the six hose guiding arms 52 three are provided towards one side of the collar 51 and three are provided towards the other side of the collar 51 such that the hose storage portion H of the drum 5 is defined between the arms. The width of the hose storage portion H is similar to the external diameter of the hose 3 50 that the hose 3 layers directly on top of itself (see Figure 4). The arms 52 on either side of the hose storage portion H are asymmetrically arranged with respect to one another, that is to say where there is a hose guiding ann 52 on one side of the hose storage portion H there is no hose guiding arm 52 on the other side of the hose storage portion. A hose support member 53 which in this embodiment is in the form of a ring, is provided between the two sets of hose guiding arms 52 so that as hose 3 is coiled onto the drum 5 the inner most layer runs around the hose support member 53. The radius of the hose support member 53 is greater than the radius of the collar 51.

Moreover, the radius of the hose support member 53 (that is relative to the axis of the drum 5) is greater than the radial distance between the axis of the drum 5 and the radially outermost extremity of the spigot 51 a (this is most clearly seen in Figure 5B). However, the radius of the hose support member 53 is nearly equal to the radial distance between the outermost extremity of spigot 51 a and the axis of the drum 5 (again this is most clearly seen in Figure 5B).

It should also be noted that the water outlet portion i.e. the spigot 51 a, is offset axially relative to the hose storage portion H and hence offset axially from the support member 53. The axial offsetting between the spigot 51a and hose storage portion H helps to ensure that the external diameter of the hose coil plus drum 5 is kept to a minimum for a given length of hose 3 whilst at the same time avoiding over bending or kinking of the hose. The diameter of the hose support member 53 may also be chosen with the minimum bend radius of the hose 3 in mind.

Each of the hose guiding arms 52 comprises a generally ioop shaped member such that there is an aperture within the confines of the respective arm 52.

In order to help prevent a length of hose being unintentially detached from its respective spigot 51 a the hose may be wound through one or more of the guiding arms 52 and in particular may be passed through the aperture defined within the confines of one or more of the guiding arms 52 before being passed onto the support member 53. In other alternatives, additional components may be provided to provide a labyrinth path through which the hose 3 must pass between the spigot 51 a and the portion where the coil is formed. Components may also be provided to restrain the end of the hose 3 from moving in a direction radially away from the centre of the drum 5, i.e. in a direction which would allow it to come detached from the spigot 51 a.

In some alternatives rather than guiding arms, a pair of spaced discs may be provided to define the hose storage area. Similarly rather than three guiding arms on each side of the hose storage portion there may be more or less arms. It is preferable, although not essential, for the guiding portions, be they arms, discs or whatever, to also serve a function in helping outlet hose 3 retention as explained above.

As mentioned above, the inlet connector 21 of the secondary hose reel arrangement 2 is mounted to the shaft 4. The shaft 4 comprises a water feeding channel 41 which, in this embodiment, is provided by virtue of the shaft 4 being hollow. The shaft 4 further comprises a plurality of, in this instance five, water outlet openings (not shown) for allowing water to leave the shaft 4 and be fed towards the drums 5. Each one of these openings (not shown) is provided for feeding water to a respective one of the drums 5. A respective pair of 0-rings (not shown) is provided around the circumference of the shaft 4 for each of the openings (not shown). The 0-rings are arranged so that one 0-ring in each pair is on one side of the respective opening whilst the other 0- ring in that pair is on the other side of the respective opening. Furthermore, the dimensions of the shaft 4, 0-rings and the internal diameter of the collar 51 is chosen such that there is sealing contact between the external diameter of each of the 0-rings and the internal curved surface of the respective collar 51. Moreover, the position of each drum 5 on the shaft 4 is such that an opening into the spigot 51 a on the internal surface of the collar 51 is in alignment with the space between the respective pair of 0-rings. This means that, at least roughly speaking, the inlet to the spigot 51 a is axially aligned with the respective opening (not shown) in the shaft 4. Thus each pair of 0-rings provided around the shaft 4, together with the external surface of the shaft 4 itself, and the internal curved surface of the respective drum 5 defines an annular water communication chamber between the respective opening in the shaft 4 and the respective spigot 51 a. Thus, it will be seen that whether a drum 5 is stationary or rotating, there is always a flow path for water from the water feeding channel 41 inside the shaft to each length of outlet hose 3.

The pair of 0-rings (not shown) provided for each drum 5 also serve to provide the simple friction clutch described above which allows selective rotation of the drum 5 relative to the shaft 4 dependent on prevailing conditions. That is to say the drum 5 will rotate with the shaft 4 unless there is a sufficient force being exerted on the drum 5 relative to the shaft 4 to cause the friction provided by the 0-rings (not shown) to be overcome.

Figure 6 shows, in more detail, one of the end tools 31 that is provided on the end of each of the outlet hoses 3. In this embodiment, the end tool31 is a two- part end tool. A first part 31 a is connected to the end of the hose 3 and is arranged to act as a connector which may be connected to the inlet connector 21 of a secondary hose reel arrangement 2 or indeed any other piece of equipment having a suitable complementary connector. The second part 31 a of the two part end tool 31 comprises a dripper which is arranged to be connectable to the connector 31 a. The dripper part 3 lb is arranged so that when connected to connector part 31 a an appropriate water flow out of the dripper 31 b is provided to water the chosen area.

In the present embodiment the connector part 31 a is a male connector which connects to a female receiving portion of the dripper part 31 b. However, it would be equally possible to have a female connector part and a male dripper part. Similarly, the hose 3 can be received onto a male joining part of the connector 31 a or onto a female joining part of the connector portion 31 a.

In alternatives rather than a plurality of drums 5 being provided, in some cases a single drum might be provided which was arranged to receive a plurality of lengths of hose. In at least some such cases, it might be impossible to independently control the winding in or pulling out of lengths of hose, but in some circumstances this limitation could perhaps be tolerated. In yet further alternatives a device may be provided in which there are no drums at all, but rather alternative storage portions are provided for hoses, for example, portions which are not able to rotate relative to a body portion of the hose reel arrangement.

It should be noted that the provision of a two-piece dripper arrangement, i.e. a two-piece end tool, significantly eases the task of installation for the user since the matter of converting the end of a hose from being a connector to a dripper is simply one of putting together the two parts. In the embodiment described above, the connector is arranged to snap fit into the dripper part or into another complementary connector. In other implementations, the connector may be arranged to be a screw fit or bayonet fit or indeed any other suitable form of fit with the dripper part andlor inlet connectors.

Whilst this two-part end tool structure is preferred, in alternative solutions it is possible to provide a one part dripper. In such a case the dripper will be affixed directly to a bare end of hose and thus if that end of hose previously carried a connector this would be cut off or removed before attaching the dripper.

Whilst in the watering system shown in Figure 2, a main hose reel arrangement 1 is shown feeding water to secondary hose reel arrangements 2, other arrangements can be used. For example, a hose reel arrangement of the type being described as a secondary hose reel arrangement 2 in the present description might be connected directly a water source, for example, an outside tap or connected to a simple manifold device. This might be a manifold device which a consumer already has from a previous type of micro irrigation system.

It is also possible to provide free-standing, wall mounted, or floor mounted versions of the hose reel arrangements.

Furthermore, whilst the secondary hose reel arrangements 2 in the present description have been described with five outlet hoses and the main hose reel arrangement 1 has been described with three outlet hoses both these types of device could be provided with different numbers of outlet hoses. Furthermore, differing sizes of both of these types of device could be provided to accommodate different lengths of hose.

In some alternatives rather than a connector 21 arranged to receive a complementary connector being provided as the inlet portion to the hose reel arrangement 1,2, the inlet portion may comprise an adapter which is arranged to directly receive inlet hose. Such an adapter may be screw fitted into an end of the shaft 4 and the hose pushed into a receiving hole in the adapter.

If it is desired to prevent one of the outlet hoses supplying water, that length of hose may be folded back on itself and held in place, so folded, using a clip to block off the water flow path.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A hose reel comprising a water inlet portion, a plurality of

outlet portions each of which outlet portions is for feeding water into a respective length of outlet hose, and at least one hose storage portion arranged to receive the lengths of outlet hose.
2. A hose reel according to claim 1 in which there are a plurality of storage portions each of which is arranged to receive a respective length of hose.
3. A hose reel according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the reel comprises at least one drum which is arranged to carry hose. * S S..
4. A hose reel according to claim 3 in which the drum is arranged for rotation relative to a body of the reel. I.. * 15
5. A hose reel according to claim 3 or claim 4 in which the drum has a hose * .55 receiving portion having a width which is less than two external diameters of the hose it is to carry so that when a coil of hose is carried on the drum each successive turn lays radially outward of the previous turn.
6. A hose reel according to any preceding claim in which the reel comprises a plurality of drums.
7. A hose reel according to claim 6 in which the drums are arranged for rotation independently of one another.
8. A hose reel according to any one of claims 3 to 7 comprising a shaft on which at least one drum is mounted for rotation.
9. A hose reel according to claim 8 in which clutch means are provided between the shaft and the at least one drum, which clutch means controls rotation of the drum relative to the shaft.
10. A hose reel according to claim 9 where there are a plurality of drums on a : : common shaft and the clutch means are arranged such that each drum can be S..

* engaged so as to rotate with the shaft at some times and disengaged so as to rotate relative to the shaft at other times. * *5 * 15

* S
11. A hose reel according to claim 9 or claim 10 in which the clutch means

S Se.

comprises a plurality of clutch elements, each element controlling the rotation of a corresponding one of the drums relative the or a respective shaft.
12. A hose reel according to any one of claims 9 to 11 in which the clutch means, or each clutch element comprises a friction member which under some conditions causes a respective drum to rotate with the respective shaft and which under other conditions allows the respective drum to rotate relative to the respective shaft.
13. A hose reel according to any one of claims 9 to 12 in which the clutch means, or each clutch element comprises at least one 0-ring mounted around the respective shaft.
14. A hose reel according to any preceding claim comprising a winding actuator for use by a user in winding hose onto the at least one drum of the reel.
15. A hose reel according to claim 14 comprising a one way winding clutch means to ensure that operation of the winding actuator only causes the or each drum to rotate in one predetermined direction.
16. A hose reel according to claim 14 or claim 15, when dependent on claim 8 in which the hose reel is arranged so that rotation of the shaft in one direction tends to turn the at least one drum so as to wind hose connected to the at least : 15 one drum onto the drum and the one way clutch means is provided between the *: winding actuator and the shaft so as to control the effect that operating the actuator has on the shaft.
17. A hose reel according to any one of claims 14 to 16 in which there are a plurality of independently rotatable drums, and the hose reel is arranged so that correct operation of the winding actuator causes the plurality of the drums to rotate, when the respective carried hoses are not fully wound, so as to wind hose onto each drum.
18. A hose reel according to claim 17 in which the hose reel is further arranged so that where a respective hose is fully rewound further rotation of the respective drum is avoided by virtue of the respective clutch element allowing relative rotation between the shaft and the drum.
19. A hose reel according to claim 8 or any one of claims 9 to 18 when dependent on claim 8 in which the shaft comprises a water feeding channel for channelling water which enters the inlet portion towards the outlet portions.
20. A hose reel according to claim 19 in which the shaft defines at least one opening for allowing water out of the feeding channel. I.. I..
21. A hose reel according to claim 20 in which a pair of 0-rings are mounted around the shaft, one on either side of the opening. : 15
22. A hose reel according to claim 20 in which the shaft defines a plurality of openings, at least one respective 0-ring being provided at a position on the shaft between the adjacent openings.
23. A hose reel according claim 1 in which there are a plurality of drums each comprising a respective outlet portion, a shaft on which the drums are mounted comprising a plurality of openings, each opening for feeding water to a respective one of the outlet portions, and 0-rings are provided around the shaft at positions between the openings to seal with inner surfaces of respective ones of the drums so as to provide water channel paths from the water feeding channel in the shaft to each of the outlet portions.
24. A hose reel according to any preceding claim in which each outlet portion is axially offset from one of a corresponding plurality of storage portions.
25. A hose reel according to claim 24 in which the storage portion comprises an annular member on which hose can be wound.
26. A hose reel according to claim 25 in which the radius of the annular member is equal to or greater than the radial distance between the axis of the 5, annular member and the radially outermost extremity of the respective outlet I.. is.

portion. e
27. A hose reel arrangement comprising a hose reel according to any *: preceding claim and a plurality of outlet hoses each of which is connected to a a..

respective outlet portion.
28. A hose reel arrangement according to claim 27 in which each hose comprises a stop member for abutting with a portion of the body of the hose reel when the hose is fully wound on its respective drum.
29. A hose reel arrangement according to claim 28 in which the hose reel arrangement is arranged so that when a hose is fully wound and the stop member abuts with the respective portion of the body of the hose reel, further rotation of the drum carrying the hose is substantially prevented.
30. A hose reel arrangement according to any one of claims 27 to 29 in which a convoluted hose path is provided through which the hose passes before connection to the hose outlet portion.
31. A hose reel arrangement according to any one of claims 27 to 30 in which each length of hose is provided with an end tool.
32. A hose reel arrangement according to claim 31 in which the end tool is a two part end tool with a first part which is fixable to the hose and a second part which is fixable to the first.
33. A hose reel comprising a drum having a water outlet portion which is for : feeding water into a respective length of outlet hose, and a hose storage portion arranged to receive the length of outlet hose, wherein the water outlet portion is axially offset from the storage portion.
34. A two part hose end micro-irrigation dripper, comprising a connector fixable to the end of a piece of hose and dripper portion connectable to the connector.
35. A watering system comprising at least two water distributions devices each of which has an inlet portion and a plurality of outlet portions connected to the inlet portion, wherein one of the outlet portions of one of the water distributions devices is connected to the inlet portion of the other water distribution device via a length of hose.
36. A watering system according to claim 35 wherein each water distribution device comprises a hose reel according to any one of claims 1 to 26 and 33 or a hose reel arrangement according to any one of claims 27 to 32.
37. A watering system according to claim 35 or claim 36 in which there are a plurality of water distribution devices each comprising an inlet portion and a plurality of outlet portions connected to the inlet portion and being arranged in a : daisy chain with one of the outlet portions of a first of the water distribution devices being connect via a length of hose to the inlet portion of a second of the water distribution devices and so on.
38. A watering system according to any one of claims 35 to 37 in which there are a plurality of water distribution devices each comprising an inlet portion and a plurality of outlet portions connected to the inlet portion and being arranged in a branched chain with one of the outlet portions of a first of the water distribution devices being connected via a length of hose to the inlet portion of a second of the water distribution devices and another of the outlet portions of the first of the water distribution devices being connected via a length of hose to the inlet portion of a third of the water distribution devices. I.

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