GB2053154A

GB2053154A - Hose reel assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2053154A
Application number: GB7924554A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MTM ENG Ltd
Current assignee: MTM ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1979-07-13
Filing date: 1979-07-13
Publication date: 1981-02-04
Also published as: GB2053154B

Abstract

A hose reel assembly for a pair of hydraulic hose lines, 40a, 40b, has a symmetrical configuration in longitudinal cross-section comprising a drum 10 composed of two identical halves 10a, 10b, mounted on an axle shaft 12 carried by a symmetrical U-shaped support bracket 14. The drum halves 10a, 10b, define an inner hub portion 18 connected by a central web portion 22 to an outer rim portion 20 and radially projecting central flange portion 24. The web portion 22 and flange portion 24 provide internally a centrally disposed bias spring housing 30. The hose lines are accommodated one either side of the flange portion 24 and connect to fluid passages 43a, 43b, in the hub portion 22 which communicate through a rotary fluid coupling with a pair of axial fluid passages 42a, 42b in the axle shaft 12 terminating in end connectors 58 permitting an external fluid supply circuit to be connected to either end of the axle shaft. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hose reel assembly This invention relates to hose reel assemblies for taking up and paying out a pair of hydraulic hose lines.

Such assemblies are commonly required for the supply and return of pressurised hydraulic fluid to and from hydraulically operated equipment in installations wherein the equipment is movable relative to a source of the pressurised hydraulic fluid, as for example in fork lift trucks having a vertically movable carriage carrying hydraulically operated equipment.

A number of different constructions of hose reel assemblies for the above purpose are already known, but in general these known constructions have not been as versatile and economical to manufacture as may be desired. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved construction which is relatively easy and economical to manufacture and which can be designed to have a high degree of versatility for the user.

More specifically, the invention provides a hose reel assembly for taking up and paying out a pair of hydraulic hose lines having a spring loaded hose carrier drum rotatably mounted on an axle shaft, said drum and axle shaft serving to conduct hydraulic fluid, through a rotary fluid coupling arrangement, between an external fluid supply circuit and the hose lines of the pair fitted in use to the drum, wherein the drum has a symmetrical configuration in longitudinal cross-section with a centrally disposed bias spring housing.

Advantageously, the drum is made up of two halves fitted together to define an inner drum hub portion, an outer drum rim portion providing a hose seating surface, a central interconnecting web portion and a central flange portion projecting radially outwards of the rim portion and forming a partition dividing the rim portion into two symmetrically disposed sections either side for accommodating separately said hose lines, said web portion and said central flange portion also defining the centrally disposed housing in which is fitted the bias spring means for spring loading the drum.

In preferred embodiments, the axle shaft is provided throughout its length with a pair of axial bores for conducting the hydraulic fluid, said bores terminating at each end in means for establishing connections to the external hydraulic fluid circuit whereby the latter can be connected selectively to either end of the axle shaft.

Also, the support bracket preferably has a symmetrical U-shaped configuration with the side limbs thereof secured to opposite ends of the axle shaft, conveniently by fittings which also serve for establishing the connections to the external hydraulic fluid circuit.

Generally, the inner ends of the hose lines fitted to the assembly will be connected by connectorfittings to outlet or inlet openings on the drum hub portion so as to communicate with internal passages in the latter leading to the rotary fluid coupling arrangement. For each hose line, the drum hub portion is conveniently provided with a pair of laterally spaced openings of which either may be selected for connecting the end of the hose line according to whether a left-hand or right-hand take off is required.

Other advantageous features which may be incorporated will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, presented by way of example, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view of the hose reel assembly of this embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentery cross-sectional view taken along line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Ill-Ill of Figure 1, with certain hose positions omitted; and Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of Figure 1.

The hose reel assembly illustrated in the drawings, which is designed for taking up and paying out a pair of hydraulic hose lines primarily for use with movably mounted hydraulically operated equipment, comprises a main drum structure 10 rotatably mounted on a stationary axle shaft 12 carried by a support bracket 14.

As shown, the drum 10 is made up of two similar mating halves, parts 10a and 1 Ob, which fit together along the central transverse cross-sectional plane of the drum and which are secured by fixing screws 16.

When assembled, these parts 10a and 1 Ob together define an inner drum hub portion 18, an outer drum rim portion 20 providing a hose seating surface 21, a central web portion 22 interconnecting the hub and rim portions, and a central flange portion 24 which projects radially outwards of the rim portion and which can be regarded as an extension of the web portion 22.

The drum 10 is completed by a pair of opposite circular side flange plates 26,26 secured by screws 28 to the rim portion 20, and the central web and flange portions 22 and 24 together define a central hollow housing 30 in which is fitted a flat spiral spring 32 anchored at its outer end to a fixed cross-pin 34 and at its inner end to the axle shaft 12.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the outer end of the spring 32 hooks on to the cross-pin 34 and the inner end of this spring is received in a notch 36 recessed in the axle shaft 12.

So fitted, the spring 32 serves to bias the drum 10 to turn on the axle shaft 12 so as to wind in and take up the pair of hydraulic hose lines, indicated at 40a, 40b, fitted to the drum, these hose lines being reeled on to the rim portion 20 which is effectively partitioned by the central flange portion 24 into two sections that serve to receive and store separately the two lines 40a and 40b.

The axle shaft 12 also serves for conducting hydraulic fluid to and from the hose lines and for this purpose is formed with a pair of axial bores 42a, 42b, extending from end to end, for connection to an external hydraulic fluid supply circuit. These bores 42a, 42b, communicate through radial passages, 43a and 43b respectively, with shallow circumferential grooves 44a and 44b on the peripheral surface of the shaft 12 which register with corresponding deeper circumferential grooves 46a and 46b in the drum hub portion 18.These grooves 46a and 46b in the hub portion in turn each lead through internal passages to a pair of screw-threaded outlet or inlet openings 48a, 48'a, or 48b 48'b, to which the inner ends of the hose lines 40a and 40b can be selectively connected by banjo type union connectors 50, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Sealing rings 49 either side of the grooves 46a and 46b in the hub portions 18 serve to prevent leakage of hydraulic fluid axially along the surface of the axle shaft 12, and it will be understood that this arrangement of the shaft and hub provides in effect a conventional form of rotary fluid coupling.

It will be seen that the rim portion 20 of the drum is apertured at 52 and 52' to permit passage of the inner end portions of the hose lines 40a and 40b without kinking and to give access to the hydraulic fluid outlet and inlet openings of the hub portion. In use, the end of each hose line is connected to a selected one of its respective pair of openings and the other opening of each pair is closed by a screw plug 54. The openings of each pair which are used can of course be changed over by interchanging a union connector 50 and plug 54 as indicated in broken lines in Figure 3, and the one selected for use will in general be determined by whether a left-hand or right-hand take-off is required and by the characteristics of the particular installation concerned.

It will be understood that in all cases the spring 32 is fitted so as to wind-in the hose lines and its arrangement within the housing 30 will therefore depend upon whether the hose line connections are arranged for a left-hand or a right-hand take-off.

It will also be noted that both ends of the axial bores 42a and 42b in the axle shaft 12 terminate in screw connectors 58 for connecting to the external hydraulic fluid circuit. The connections of the latter can therefore be made to either end of the axle shaft depending on whichever is the most convenient, the connectors 58 at the opposite end which is not connected in use being closed by removable screw caps 60 as indicated in Figure 1.

The connectors 58 also serve to fix the axle shaft 10 to the arms 62, 62, of the support bracket 14 which has a symmetrical rectangular U-shaped configuration, as shown.

It will, in fact, be appreciated that the structure of this hose reel assembly as a whole is characterised by general symmetry about median planes, and this feature not only facilitates production and manufacture but improves versatility from the user's point of view since it enhances the possibilsities for mounting and use in different types of installations with different geometrical characteristics, and it is not necessary to provide different left-handed and righthanded models or mounting fittings as has been necessary with many prior art constructions of hose reel assemblies.

Claims

1. A hose reel assembly for taking up and paying out a pair of hydraulic hose lines having a spring loaded hose carrier drum rotatably mounted on an axle shaft, said drum and axle shaft serving to conduct hydraulic fluid, through a rotary fluid coupling arrangement, between an external fluid supply circuit and the hose lines of the pair fitted in use to the drum, wherein the drum has a symmetrical configuration in longitudinal cross-section with a centrally disposed bias spring housing.

2. A hose reel assembly as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the drum is made up of two halves fitted together to define an inner drum hub portion, an outer drum rim portion providing a hose seating surface, a central interconnecting web portion and a central flange portion projecting radially outwards of the rim portion and forming a partition dividing the rim portion into two symmetrically disposed sections either side for accommodating separately said hose lines, said web portion and said central flange portion also defining the centrally disposed housing in which is fitted the bias spring means for spring loading the drum.

3. A hose reel assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the axle shaft is provided throughout its length with a pair of axial bores for conducting the hydraulic fluid, said bores terminating at each end in means for establishing connections to the external hydraulic fluid circuit whereby the latter can be connected selectively to either end of the axle shaft.

4. A hose reel assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the support bracket has a symmetrical U-shaped configuration with the side limbs thereof secured to opposite ends of the axle shaft.

5. A hose reel assembly as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the side limbs of the support bracket are secured to the opposite ends of the axle shaft by fittings which also serve for establishing the connections to the external hydraulic fluid circuit.

6. A hose reel assembly constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A hose reel assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the drum hub portion is provided for each hose line with a pair of laterally spaced connector openings communicating with internal passages leading to the rotary fluid coupling arrangement, either of the openings of each pair being selectable for use in connecting the respective hose line according to whether a left-hand or right-hand take-off is required.

7. A hose reel assembly constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 4 July 1980 Superseded claims All New or amended claims: [See attached sheets 9-11]

1. A hose reel assembly for taking up and paying out a pair of hydraulic hose lines connected to a spring loaded hose carrier and storage drum rotatably mounted on an axle shaft which connects with an external hydraulic fluid supply circuit, said drum and axle shaft being designed to conduct hydraulic fluid, through a rotary fluid coupling arrangement, between said external hydraulic fluid supply circuit and said pair of hose lines which are connected to the drum, wherein the drum has a symmetrical configuration in longitudinal cross-section and is made up of two identical halves fitted together in axial alignment to define an inner drum hub portion mounting on said axle shaft, an outer drum rim portion providing a hose seating surface, a central web portion disposed midway between the ends of the drum and interconnecting said inner drum hub portion and the outer drum rim portion, and a central flange portion also disposed midway between the ends of the drum and projecting radially outwards of the rim portion such as to form a partition dividing the rim portion into two symmetrically disposed sections, one either side, for accommodating separately the two said hose lines, said web portion and said central flange portion also forming internally thereof a hollow chamber defining a centrally disposed housing between the two drum halves in which is fitted and enclosed bias spring means for spring loading the drum.

2. A hose reel assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the axle shaft is provided throughout its length with a pair of axial bores for conducting the hydraulic fluid, said bores terminating at each end in means for establishing connections to the external hydraulic fluid circuit whereby the latter can be connected selectively to either end of the axle shaft.

3. A hose reel assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the axle shaft is carried by a support bracket having a symmetrical U-shaped configuration with the side limbs thereof secured to opposite ends of the axle shaft.

4. A hose reel assembly as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the side limbs of the support bracket are secured to the opposite ends of the axle shaft by fittings which also serve for establishing the connections to the external hydraulic fluid circuit.

5. A hose reel assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the drum hub portion is provided for each hose line with a pair of laterally spaced connector openings communicating with internal passages leading to the rotary fluid coupling arrangement, either of the openings of each pair being selectable for use in connecting the respective hose line according to whether a left-hand or right-hand take-off is required.