US3146967A - Hose reel - Google Patents

Description

5. BOWMAN Sept. 1, 1964 HOSE REEL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 2, 1959 SPENCER BOWMAN 011mm, mum,- Dummy ATTORNEYS Sept. 1, 1964 s. BOWMAN HOSE REEL Original Filed April 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

SPENCER BOWMAN 01mm Normally ATTORNEYS 3,146,967 HOSE REEL Spencer Bowman, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Original application Apr. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 803,597, now Patent No. 3,021,015, dated Feb. 13, 1962. Divided and this application Dec. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 156,747 3 Claims. (Cl. 242107.1)

This invention relates generally, as indicated, to a hose reel and more particularly to a novel hose reel to keep taut the flexible hoses that are connected to extensible cylinder parts. This application is a division of application Serial No. 803,597, filed April 2, 1959, now Patent No. 3,021,015 entitled Outriggers for Power Shovels, Cranes, or the Like.

In such parent application, there is disclosed a unique and improved outrigger for power shovels, cranes, or the like wherein power-operated outrigger beam are moved out by hydraulic motors to an extended working position wherein the ends of curved outrigger beams engage the ground laterally of the crane or the like more firmly supporting the same. The curved beam outriggers are provided in a beam box or housing which has combination beam guide and locking shoes that, in addition to guiding the extension and retraction movements of the beams, serve to lock the beams at any partly or fully extended position Without need of employing the conventional locking pins or without reliance on the hydraulic actuating system to maintain the beams in the desired extended position. The curved beam outrigger also doubles as a jacking means for quickly lifting the carrier of such crane or the like from the ground for tire or wheel changes or for lifting the wheels from soft spots in the ground whereby planks or the like may be inserted under the wheels.

The operation of the outrigger may be provided from the drivers cab and/or from the crane cab, and preferably, the hydraulic power for operation of the outrigger is derived from the same source that supplies the carrier power steering mechanism. The outrigger beams are actuated by unique double-acting telescopic hydraulic cylinders, which form the subject matter of copending divisional application, Serial No. 156,748 entitled Motor, filed even date herewith now abandoned. These doubleacting telescopic cylinders achieve full power extension and retraction of the curved beams of the outrigger.

With the employment of such double-acting telescopic hydraulic cylinders, it becomes a problem to maintain taut the flexible hoses connected to the extensible cylinder parts thereof.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a hose reel assembly which will keep tensioned the flexible hose connected to the extensible cylinder parts.

It is another main object to provide a hose reel assembly which will keep taut the flexible hoses connected to such extensible cylinder parts without the employment of any sealed swivel joints between the hydraulic supply lines and the respective flexible hoses.

It is another object to provide a hose reel assembly of a simplified construction made of relatively few inexpensive parts.

A further object is the provision of a hose reel assembly of a simplified durable construction which will maintain the double-acting telescopic hydraulic cylinders operative in the most rugged operating conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related 3,14%,967 Faterrted Sept. 1, 1964 ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a motor crane having two sets of curved beam outriggers installed transversely respectively at the rear and between the front and rear axles of the carrier frame, the curved beams thereof being shown in fully retracted positions with the floats folded up to constitute the closures for the open-ended outrigger boxes, each box containing a pair of curved beams disposed in side-by-side relation for extension transversely from the opposite sides of the carrier frame;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of one of the outriggers (the rear one in FIG. 1), such view being partly in cross-section, to show in detail the operating and supporting mechanism for one of the two curved beams therein;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view as viewed from the top of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are cross-section Views taken substantially along the lines 44, and 55 of FIG. 2 and line 66 of PEG. 4, respectively;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged central longitudinal cross-section view of a preferred form of double-acting telescopic hydraulic cylinder with which the present invention may be employed for actuating the outrigger beam secured to one end thereof;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view showing the instant outriggers adjusted for working in crowded quarters;

FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view similar to FIG. 8 except showing the instant outriggers as used in leveling the crane, shovel or like machine on sloping or irregular ground; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view similar to FIG. 6 taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 4 showing the tape and tension unit.

It will be understood that the crane, the outriggers employed therewith, and the telescopic hydraulic cylinder employed for actuating such outriggers serve as an illustration of the use to which the hose reel of the present invention may be applied.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and first, to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a motor crane 1 comprising a frame 2 provided with front and rear axles 3 and 4 upon which front and rear wheels 5 and 6 are mounted. Adjacent the front end of the frame 1 there is mounted the drivers cab 7 and on an intermediate portion of the frame 1, usually above or forward of the rear axles 4, is a turntable 8 on which the crane assembly is mounted for turning about a vertical axis. Said crane assembly, includes a boom 9 and a crane cab 10 in which the crane operator manipulates the controls (not shown) and cables 11 for swinging the boom 9 about the turntable axis and for raising and lowering the boom 0 about the boom pivot 12.

The carrier frame 2. also has mounted transversely therebeneath, between the front and rear axles 3 and 4 and to the rear of the rear axles 4, the respective outrigger assemblies 14 and 15. As known in the art, outriggers are provided on equipment of this nature so that heavy loads handled by the boom 9 on either side of the crane 1 may be safely handled without danger of tipping. Outriggers also relieve the springs, axles, and tires of added load to which they would be otherwise subjected.

In the ensuing description and drawings reference is made particularly to the outrigger assembly 15 which is u mounted at the rear end of the carrier frame 2 and it is to be understood that the other outrigger assembly 14 which is mounted between the front and rear axles 3 and 4 is of the same general construction as the assembly 15.

It should also be noted that dual controls are preferably provided so that the Outriggers 14 and 15 may be manipulated as through the rear window of the drivers cab 7 or from within the crane cab 10, and although any source of fluid pressure may be employed, it is preferred to utilize the same fluid pressure system that is employed for the power steering mechanism, since that pressure system is not used at the same time that the outriggers 14 and 15 are manipulated.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the outrigger box or housing 16, is of generally rectangular cross-section providing two compartments 17 and 18 to accommodate the respective curved beams 19 therein in side-by-side relation. One end of each beam 19 has float 21 pivotally mounted thereon by means of the pin 23, the floats 21 being automatically swung up responsive to retraction of the beams 19 to constitute closures for the open-ended housing 16 (see FIG. 1 and left side of FIG. 2). The housing 16 has the lugs 24 and 25 by which it is detachably pinned to the carrier frame 2.

As shown in the drawings, each beam 19 is of longitudinally curved form of say, about 16 radius and is of hollow rectangular cross-section. Each float 21 is provided with two sets of vertically spaced holes so that it may be vertically positioned on pin 23 with respect to beam 19 to best suit the ground conditions at the site where the outriggers are to be used.

The housing 16 is provided with two sets of friction shoes 26 and 27 therewithin, one set for each beam 19. The shoes 26 are mounted to engage the bottom sides of the respective beams 19 and shoes 27 are mounted to engage the top sides of the respective beams 19, such zones of engagement being spaced apart lengthwise of the beams 19. These shoes 26 and 27 by reason of their spacing and angular relation serve not only as beam guides, but, also as wedge locks to immovably support the beams 19 in any extended position without any reliance whatever on the hydraulic system or without requiring the use of the conventional locking pins 28 that are adapted to be inserted through the holes 29 formed in the beams 19 with their ends engaging the ends of housing 16. Thus, upward ground reaction at the float pivots 23 will be ineffective to cause inward collapsing movement of the beams 19. It is through these guide and locking shoes 26 and 27 also that a force multiplication of about 2:1, for example, is obtained, that is, for each two feet of horizontal extension of the beams 19, the floats 21 move down about one foot.

Each beam 19 is extended from and retracted into the housing 16 by means of a telescopic double-acting hydraulic cylinder 30 which is pinned at 31 to housing 16 and at 32 to beam 19 so as to extend generally horizontally and lengthwise of the respective compartment 17 or 18.

The construction of such double-acting telescopic hydraulic assembly 30 is shown in detail in FIG. 7. As there shown, the main cylinder 34 is provided with ports 35 and 36 at its ends adapted alternately to be communicated with a fluid pressure supply line (not shown) and with a fluid reservoir (not shown) via a conventional four-way valve located in the crane cab or in the drivers cab 7, or in both places, as previously mentioned.

Reciprocable in said main cylinder 34 is an annular piston 37 which, as shown, has a tubular piston rod constituting a secondary cylinder 38 for the piston 39, the latter having a piston rod 40 linked by pin 32 to beam 19. The piston rod 40 is slidably sealed in the end cap 41 which is mounted at the outer end of the aforesaid secondary cylinder 38, said end cap being provided with a port 42 to which a flexible hose 43 is adapted to be connected and which flexible hose will, through the flexible hose 45 of the aforesaid four-way valve, be alternately communicated with a fluid pressure source and with a fluid reservoir depending upon whether the cylinder assembly 30 is being retracted or extended respectively. The other flexible hose 46 also leads to the four-way valve to serve as a pressure line or return line as the case may be.

Accordingly, where an outrigger beam 19 is to be moved out and down to carrier supporting position, the four-way valve will be actuated so that fluid under pressure in the hose 46 enters the port of the main cylinder 34 by way of line 47 and fluid is displaced from the cylinder chambers 48 and 49 to the fluid reservoir by way of the port 42, and hoses 43 and 45 of the port 36, line 50 and hose 45, respectively. Such fluid under pressure will actuate the annular or hollow piston 37, until it engages the end cap 51, whereupon the beam 19 will be further extended by movement of the piston 39 in the secondary cylinder 38. In this way, the beam 19 will be moved outwardly and downwardly simultaneously until the float 21 thereof engages the ground, and preferably, the areas of the pistons 37 and 39 and the magnitude of the fluid pressure will be sufficient to raise the carrier wheels from the ground if that be desired for leveling or for changing the tires or Wheels, or for lifting the wheels out of soft spots in the ground.

On the other hand, when it is desired to retract the beam 19, the four-way valve will be actuated so that the fluid under pressure will be admitted into the ports 36 and 42 and the fluid in the cylinder chamber 52 will be displaced back to the reservoir through the port 35 of the main cylinder 34. Preferably, the cross-section areas of the cylinder chambers 48 and 49 are substantially equal whereby the overall force exerted by the cylinder assembly 30 is equivalent to that of a conventional four inch diameter double-acting piston-cylinder assembly but, in the present case, the main cylinder 34 will be approximately of six inch diameter while the secondary cylinder will be of about four inch diameter. The telescopic arrangement herein makes possible about a five foot range between the fully retracted position and the fully extended position of the cylinder assembly 30, while yet the center to center distance between the cylinder 34 and the piston rod eyes will be about three and one-half feet or less.

Referring back to FIGS. 2 to 6, the reference numerals and 45 are the flexible lines leading from the control valve in the drivers cab 7 and/ or crane cab 10, one line 46 being connected as by means of an S-bend 53 to the cylinder port 35 and the other line 45, aside from its connection with hose 43, being connected by a similar S-bend 54 to the line which leads along the outside of the main cylinder 34 to the port 36 thereof.

The line 45 that leads to the port 42 via hose 43 includes a helically coiled flexible portion 56 disposed inside the drum 57 of the hose reel 58 which radially clears the tubular reel supporting shaft 59, the end of the portion 56 being connected to the inner portion of a double elbow fitting 69. The hose 43 is connected at one end to the outer portion of the elbow 60 (FIG. 6) and is wrapped helically about the drum 57 with its other end connected to an elbow 61 or like fitting provided at the port 42 of the secondary cylinder end cap 41. Also connected to the drum 57 of the hose reel 58 is one end of a flexible steel tape 62 or the like, which has its other end connected within a tension unit 63 which may be similar, for example, to a conventional sash balance. Reference may be had to the patent to Foster No. 2,873,472 for a disclosure of an exemplary spring sash balance. Thus, when the telescopic cylinder assembly 30 is extended, the hose reel 58 will be turned in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, and the tape 62 will be wound around the drum 57 under the tension imposed by the tension unit 63. This keeps the section of the hose 43 between the reel 58 and the secondary cylinder 38 taut. Now, when the cylinder assembly 30 is retracted, the tension unit 63 acting on the tape 62 will turn the reel 58 in a clockwise direction thereby winding hose 43 on the drum 57 and taking up slack in the portion of the hose 43 between the secondary cylinder 38 and the reel 58. When the hose reel 58 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the portion 56 of the hose inside the reel will be Wound up to a smaller helix but still clear of the center shaft 59. On the other hand, when the hose reel 58 rotates in a clockwise direction, the portion of the hose 43 on the exterior will be helically coiled thereaoout while the portion 56 of the hose inside the reel will expand in diameter but yet not tight against the inside of the drum 57. With such hose reel 53, it is, therefore, not necessary to provide any rotary, sealed swivel joints or the like, since one end of the portion 56 is secured to the inside portion of the elbow 60 and the other end of the hose is secured to a T or like fitting 64 fixedly mounted in the outrigger housing 16.

In any case, by reason of the provision of the doubleacting telescopic hydraulic cylinder assembly 30, it is possible to exert large forces endwise or lengthwise, of the curved beam 19 to move the float 21 thereof into and out of ground-engaging position.

The versatility of the outriggers is illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 8 and 9. In FIG. 8, there is shown the operating position of the outriggers 14 and 15 in connection with crowded quarters as, for example, a building wall W located close to one side of the carrier frame 2. In that case, the floats 21 on that side of the carrier are adjusted to their upper position as shown so that a block B or the like, may be inserted under each float between the crane 1 and the Wall W. In FIG. 9, there is shown the operating position of the outriggers 14 and 15 on sloping ground and again, the floats 21 at the right are each adjusted to the upper position and each outrigger beam 19 is actuated to the extent necessary to level the crane 1 or other equipment. For purposes of leveling, the crane 1 is provided with a bubble level (not shown) and by thus leveling the equipment there is a substantial saving in swing clutch wear and tear since uphill swinging of the boom 9 is eliminated, such leveling also relieving long booms 9 of hazardous side loadings. Also, one or both sides of the carrier may be lifted from the ground to provide for quick jacking up of the Wheels for tire changes, or for lifting the wheels out of soft spots in the ground. Because there are two longitudinally spaced beams 19 on each side, the crane 1 may also be leveled fore and aft.

As previously mentioned, the series of holes 29 in each outrigger beam 19 are intended for reception of a locking pin 28 which has its ends projecting beyond the sides of the beam 19 to engage the adjacent end of the housing 1.6. However, by reason of the novel wedge locks 26 and 27, the outrigger beams 19 are rendered self-locking in any extended position and, therefore, the locking pins 23 are not necessary at all except as reassurance to workmen who, by reason of union regulations or fear complexes are not inclined to work near equipment that they believe to be locked only by the hydraulic system. ,However, it has been demonstrated that the hydraulic lines herein may be completely severed and the pins 28 pulled without any danger of collapsing of the outrigger beams 19 from their extended ground-engaging positions.

By way of illustrative example, it has been found that the present Outriggers 14 and 15 can be set up very quickly. Actually the four outrigger beams 19 herein shown can be fully extended to working position within a matter of a little over one minute, namely, seventy-six seconds. Of course, each outrigger beam 19 may be controlled independently to adjust to varying ground conditions and as, for example, some floats 21 may be adjusted to their lower positions to engage on downwardly sloping 6 ground or to engage in hollows or ditches in the ground, and floats 21 may be adjusted to their upper positions to engage upwardly sloping ground or on bumps or rises in the ground. For highway travel, the outrigger beams 19 are fully retracted and the floats 21 automatically fold back flush against the ends of the boxes 16 for maximum road clearance, as best shown in FIG. 1. However, for frequent on-the-job moves, the beams 19 need only be retracted until the floats 21 have about eight inches of road clearance, and such retraction takes only a matter of twenty seconds, whereupon the machine may be moved to the next position whereupon in another twenty seconds, the beams 19 are reset to start productive work. Thus, the total time is just forty seconds plus the travel time for each move-up of the machine.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A reel assembly for power transmission lines comprising a shaft, a rotatably supported drum mounted on said shaft, a first length of flexible line having one end connected to said drum and being coiled around the outside of said drum and leading to a movable motor, a second length of flexible line connected to said one end of said first length of line coiled Within said drum radially clear of said shaft and leading to a source of power or the like, the paying out of said first length of line tightening the coil of said second length of line inside said drum to a position yet still radially clear of said shaft, and a flexible steel tape having one end connected to said drum, said tape being wrapped about said drum with the other end being connected to a tension unit, said tape being wrapped on said drum in a direction opposite to that which said first length of flexible line is wrapped on said drum whereby the paying out of said first length of line will be resisted by said tension unit.

2. A reel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second lengths of line are connected to each other and to said drum by a double elbow fitting.

3. A hose reel for a hydraulic telescopic cylinder assembly of an outrigger or the like comprising an outrigger housing, a drum rotatably supported on the wall of said housing, a first length of flexible hose having one end connected to said drum and being coiled around the outside of said drum and leading to a movable component of said assembly, a second length of flexible hose having one end connected to said one end of said first length of hose and coiled in said drum with the other end of said second length of hose connected to a fitting fixedly mounted in said Wall within said drum and adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure, said second length of flexible hose being alternately Wound up and unwound to form a coil of smaller diameter and larger diameter responsive to rotation of said reel in opposite directions, and a flexible steel tape having one end con nected to said drum and wrapped about said drum in a direction opposite to that of said first length of flexible hose and having the opposite end of said tape connected to a tensioning unit to resist paying out of said first length of flexible hose from said drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,446,410 Bennett et al. Feb. 20, 1923 1,868,409 Crispen July 19, 1932 1,994,481 Levin Mar. 19, 1935

Claims (1)

1. A REEL ASSEMBLY FOR POWER TRANSMISSION LINES COMPRISING A SHAFT, A ROTATABLY SUPPORTED DRUM MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, A FIRST LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE LINE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID DRUM AND BEING COILED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF SAID DRUM AND LEADING TO A MOVABLE MOTOR, A SECOND LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE LINE CONNECTED TO SAID ONE END OF SAID FIRST LENGTH OF LINE COILED WITHIN SAID DRUM RADIALLY CLEAR OF SAID SHAFT AND LEADING TO A SOURCE OF POWER OR THE LIKE, THE PAYING OUT OF SAID FIRST LENGTH OF LINE TIGHTENING THE COIL OF SAID SECOND LENGTH OF LINE INSIDE SAID DRUM TO A POSITION YET STILL RADIALLY CLEAR OF SAID SHAFT, AND A FLEXIBLE STEEL TAPE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID DRUM, SAID TAPE BEING WRAPPED ABOUT SAID DRUM WITH THE OTHER END BEING CONNECTED TO A TENSION UNIT, SAID TAPE BEING WRAPPED ON SAID DRUM IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THAT WHICH SAID FIRST LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE LINE IS WRAPPED ON SAID DRUM WHEREBY THE PAYING OUT OF SAID FIRST LENGTH OF LINE WILL BE RESISTED BY SAID TENSION UNIT.

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