Hose reel rewind speed control

Abstract

The invention is a centrifugal brake device that is a speed control means for spring motor hose and cable reels. This brake device is mounted to a shaft of a hub associated with the reel, such that the device controls the reel rotation speed.

Claims

1. A spring motor reel comprising: a spring motor cartridge for rewinding the spring motor reel, and a hub shaft upon which are mounted multiple brake cartridges in association with the spring motor cartridge, wherein each brake cartridge comprises: a centrifugal braking device comprising brake shoes provided on a rotor disc, the brake shoes adapted to move radially outwards on the rotor disc as the rotor disc rotates under action of the spring motor cartridge whereby the brake shoes may engage against an inner rim of the brake cartridge to slow rotation of the spring motor reel, and a hub extending from each brake cartridge adapted to engage with a subsequent brake cartridge.

2. The spring motor reel of claim 1, wherein each of the brake cartridges has dimensions approximating those of the spring motor cartridge.

3. The spring motor reel of claim 2, wherein the rotor disc has locators adapted to move radially upon rotation of the the disc rotor.

4. The spring motor reel of claim 1, wherein the rotor disc has locators adapted to move radially upon rotation of the the disc rotor.

5. The spring motor reel of claim 4, wherein each of the brake cartridges has dimensions approximating those of the spring motor cartridge.

6. The spring motor reel of claim 1, wherein the brake shoes are provided with a friction material bonded or otherwise forming a surface on the brake shoes' outer circumference.

7. The spring motor reel of claim 1, wherein the brake shoes are provided in one or more diagonally opposed pairs in each of the brake cartridges.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A shows an exploded diagram of the reel of the disclosure showing the assembly with one narrow brake cartridge;

(2) FIG. 1B shows a diagram of the wide brake cartridge;

(3) FIG. 1C shows a diagram of another narrow brake cartridge;

(4) FIGS. 2A-2C show an end view of the disclosed device using (FIG. 2A) one wide brake cartridge, (FIG. 2B) two narrow brake cartridges, and (FIG. 2C) one narrow brake cartridge only; and

(5) FIG. 3 shows a brake cartridge with shoes adapted to move radially.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Provided is a simple centrifugal braking device 20, 20a-20c, for use with spring motor hose reel assemblies.

(7) The braking cartridge is a centrifugal braking device 20, which acts as a rewind speed control means for spring motor hose and cable reels 6 of the type shown in FIG. 1A. The braking device 20 is mounted on a hub shaft 15 via a hub bearing 16. The hub shaft 15 is associated with the reel 6 such that the braking device 20 controls the reel 6 rotational speed. The centrifugal braking device 20 comprises a drum 30 that comprises a stator 30 by which a rotating disc 50 is coupled to a brake device shaft 55, which is in line with the reel hub shaft 15 and is contained within the drum 30.

(8) The embodiment of the disclosure as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C utilize one or two braking cartridges 20a, 20b, each having a drum 30, preferably of similar dimensions to a coaxially mounted spring cartridge 5 for ease of integration should a unitary spring cartridge and brake cartridge assembly be required.

(9) However, an embodiment comprising a unitary spring cartridge and brake cartridge assembly is not as preferred as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A-1C as the latter is able to be retrofitted to existing spring motor hose reel assemblies, such as a hose reel assembly 6 shown in FIG. 1A comprising the standard hose reel components of a support 7 for a hub shaft 15 and level winder 8, and spool 9 rotatably mounted on the hub shaft 15 via a bearing 16 mounted to the support 7. A plurality of brake devices 20a-20b may be used in association with the reel 6 and spring rewind motor 5. Each braking cartridge 20 has a hub shaft 55 adapted to engage with subsequent braking cartridges 20a-20c.

(10) The drum 30 provides the stator 30 by which a rotating disc rotor 50 is coupled in line with a spring arbour and the hub shaft 15 and contained within the drum 30. Each braking cartridge 20 has a hub 55 adapted to engage with subsequent braking cartridges 20a-20c.

(11) While this method of attachment is shown in this preferred embodiment, any preferred means could be used. For example, the braking cartridge 20 and spring cartridges 5 could be mounted on a single hub shaft.

(12) By this means, as shown in FIG. 2A, a plurality of relatively narrow braking cartridges 60 may be used as opposed to a single wide cartridge 20c as shown in FIG. 1B. FIGS. 2A-2C show examples of these, each from an end view. The precise number of braking cartridges 20 used is not restricted in the disclosure and it is a simple matter to vary these.

(13) The disc 50 of the braking cartridge 20 (and 60) is provided with a plurality of weighted shoes 80 in pairs, which are diagonally opposed, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. The outer circumference 85 of shoes 80 may be provided with a friction material.

(14) The friction material may be bonded or may otherwise form a surface on their outer circumference 85.

(15) FIG. 1C shows the second braking cartridge 20b in which the rotor disc 50 is provided on at least one face thereof with at least one of the pairs of shoes 80 diagonally opposed to one another and adapted to move radially upon rotation of the rotor disc 50. As shown in FIG. 1A with respect to the braking device 20a where one diagonally opposed pair of shoes 80a, 80b is shown, a plurality of shoe 80 pairs may be provided on the rotor disc 50.

(16) The number of shoes 80 and their required weight is governed by the spring motor torque combination provided for as standard and is not restricted in the disclosure. Springs may or may not be included to counter the normal gravitational forces if required.

(17) A rotational force may be applied to the rotor disc 50 via the rotation of the reel spool 9 causing the shoes 80 to move radially outward from the center of the rotor disc 50. This may apply an ever-increasing force upon an inner surface 95 of the stator drum 30 to slow the reel spool 9 to a more acceptable rewind speed.

(18) Accordingly, when once at first a rotational force is applied to the disc 50 via the rotation of the reel spool 9, the shoes 80 do not impede the normal low-speed rotation of the device 9. Once the speed begins to increase, however, the centrifugal force due to the rotation, coupled with the mass of the shoes 80, causes the shoes 80 to move radially outward relative to the center of the disc 50. This radial movement of the shoes 80 is along sliding locators 90 formed on the rotor disc 50 face and located in shoe apertures 92. The friction material of outer circumference 85 of shoes 80 to make contact with the inside rim 95 of the stator drum 30 to slow the reel spool 9 to a more acceptable rewind speed.

(19) By this means, the shoes 80 apply an ever-increasing force on the face of the inside rim 95 of the drum 30 to slow the rotation of the reel spool 9 to a more controlled and acceptable rewind speed.

(20) The precise means whereby the shoes 80 are attached to the disc 50 and move radially is not restricted in the disclosure.

(21) The braking device 20 of the disclosure can be either retrofitted to existing spring motor rewind hose reel systems 6 or can form part of a new reel design.

(22) Due to the fact that the type of centrifugal speed governors that are readily available require a relatively high rotational speed to function, and that typically the rotational speed of the hose reel spool 9 can be described as relatively very slow, despite the fact that such very slow speeds might still pose a high risk to operators of the reel 6, then the centrifugal brake device 20 has been specially developed to function at the very low rotational speeds of the reel 6 and this, in itself, makes the braking device 20 of the disclosure unique in relation to hose reel braking.

(23) As shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, the drum 30 may be a single drum assembly 60 dimensioned to accommodate a spring motor as well as a rotor disc.

(24) While we have described herein one specific embodiment of the disclosure, it is envisaged that other embodiments of the disclosure will exhibit any number and combination of the features previously described and it is to be understood that variations and modifications of this can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.