Retracting device with hose guide for retracting a hose, vehicle provided therewith and method therefor

Abstract

A retracting device, vehicle provided therewith and method for retracting a hose. The retracting device includes a frame, a retraction drive connected to the frame for retracting the hose, a coupling configured to couple the frame to a container, and a displacement drive configured to displace the frame relative to the container such that the retracted hose can be placed in the container. The retracting device further includes a hose guide configured to guide the hose for retraction to the retraction drive, and the hose guide is displaceable in operative connection to the frame.

Claims

1. A retracting device for retracting a hose, the device comprising: a frame; a retraction drive connected to the frame, the retraction drive for retracting the hose; a coupling configured to couple the frame to a container, and a displacement drive configured to displace the frame relative to the container such that the retracted hose can be placed in the container; and a hose guide configured to guide the hose for retraction via the retraction drive, wherein the hose guide is displaceable in operative connection to the frame; wherein the frame is further provided with a lifting system configured to move the frame between a transport position and a retracting position.

2. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame is provided with a guide for displacing the retraction drive relative to the frame.

3. The retracting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the frame is further provided with a lifting system configured to move the frame between a transport position and a retracting position.

4. The retracting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lifting system comprises a scissor mechanism.

5. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting system comprises a scissor mechanism.

6. The retracting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coupling comprises a locking pawl.

7. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises a toothing.

8. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises a locking pawl.

9. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hose guide is fixedly connected to the frame.

10. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism for rotating the retraction drive relative to the frame.

11. The retracting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retraction drive comprises: a drive roller; and a pressing element configured to retract the hose in co-action with the drive roller.

12. A vehicle provided with a retracting device as claimed in claim 1, and a container configured to store the retracted hose.

13. A The vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the container comprises a guide for displacing the frame using the displacement drive.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the frame is further provided with a lifting system configured to move the frame between a transport position and a retracting position.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lifting system comprises a scissor mechanism.

16. A method for retracting a hose, comprising: providing at least one of a retracting device, and vehicle as claimed in claim 1; and retracting the hose with the retracting device.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising moving the retracting device from a transport position to a retracting position.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising carrying a start of the hose for retraction into the retracting device prior to moving the retracting device to a complete retracting position.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising moving the retracting device relative to the container during retraction of the hose such that a predetermined folding pattern is followed, along which the hose is carried into the container.

Description

(1) Further advantages, features and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1A-C show views of a vehicle provided with the retracting device according to the invention;

(3) FIGS. 2A-B show views of the retracting device with container of FIG. 1; and

(4) FIGS. 3A-B show details of the coupling applied in the retracting device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(5) Vehicle 2 (FIGS. 1A-C) moves over a ground surface from which a hose (not shown) has to be picked up. Vehicle 2 is provided with cab 4 in which a driver can sit down and from which vehicle 2 can be steered. In the shown embodiment vehicle 2 is further provided with retracting device 6 and container 8. Container 8 is formed by two long side walls 10, rear wall 12 and front wall 14. Further provided in the shown embodiment is separating wall 16 with which first compartment 18 and second compartment 20 are provided in container 8.

(6) In the shown embodiment retraction drive 22 is placed on lifting mechanism 24 close to front wall 14. In the shown embodiment lifting mechanism 24 is embodied as a scissor mechanism and placed on housing 26, in which components of the drive for retracting device 6 can for instance be placed. Further provided in the shown embodiment is support 30. Lifting mechanism 24 is provided with fixed rotation shaft 32 on a first side and guide 34 on a second side. The scissor mechanism of lifting mechanism 24 is further provided with pivot shaft 36 around which the individual arms of the scissor mechanism are movable. The upper side of lifting mechanism 24 is provided with fixed rotation shaft 38, wherein a guide 40 is provided on the other side. The scissor mechanism of lifting system 24 is realized in effective manner with this set-up. It will be apparent that other designs according to the invention are also possible.

(7) In the shown embodiment movement of lifting system 24 is made possible using lifting cylinder 42. Retraction drive 22 is rotatable relative to frame 46 via rotation shaft 44. Retraction drive 22 is further movable relative to frame 46 in transverse direction of container 8 via guides 48. Hose guide 50 is fixedly connected to frame 46 using rotation shaft 52. During use hose guide 50 is rotated to a position of use using cylinder 54. It will be apparent that a different drive for movement of hose guide 50 is also possible. Further provided on or close to the upper side of container 8 in longitudinal direction at side walls 10 are one or more guides 58 over which frame 46 is displaceable.

(8) Frame 46 is further provided with rail 60 as part of coupling 62 (FIGS. 3A-B). Further provided in the shown embodiment is pawl 64 with pawl drive 66, whereby in position of use pawl 64 is carried into closure 68 arranged on container 8.

(9) In the shown embodiment retraction drive 22 is provided with drive roller 70, a number of pressing rollers 72 and control cylinder 74. A hose can be retracted hereby.

(10) In a transport position (FIG. 2A) lifting system 24 is in a lowermost position. In the shown embodiment retraction drive 22 has herein a straight orientation for the purpose, among others, of saving space. When the retracting process is started up, lifting system 24 is carried upward over a short distance and retraction drive 22 is preferably moved to a side of vehicle 2. In this position a hose can be carried into retraction drive 22. Lifting system 24 is then moved further upward, after which guide rails 60 of lifting system 24 and guide rails 58 on side walls 10 of container 8 are operatively coupled using coupling 62. Frame 46 is further displaceable over container 8 using a gear drive. In this position hose guide 50 is extended by rotation around rotation shaft 52 using cylinder 54, and co-displaces with frame 46 relative to container 8. During use retraction drive 22 is rotated around the rotation shaft so as to enable an optimal guiding. If desired, this rotation is dynamic and is adjusted during use to the current position relative to container 8.

(11) Frame 46 with hose guide 50 moves relative to container 8 during retraction of a hose. In a currently preferred embodiment the speed of frame 46 and hose guide 50 remains as constant as possible relative to a ground surface in order to thereby also keep the pick-up speed of the hose constant. The speed of vehicle 2 is preferably adjusted for this purpose to the movement of frame 46 with guide 50. This is for instance performed by the driver of vehicle 2, who is optionally monitoring the position of the hose during the retracting process between ground surface and retraction drive 22, optionally aided by sensors such as a camera. In another embodiment the speed of vehicle 2 is automatically adjusted by performing an automatic speed correction as a result of the movement of frame 46 and hose guide 50 relative to container 8.

(12) The present invention is by no means limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof. The rights sought are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged.