GB2147270A - Portable group for hydric connection, particularly for cars, caravans, coaches, crafts, balconies and small gardens - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable winding device includes a fixed casing 1 and a rotating drum 2, which define an annular inner cavity 25 communicating with the outside through inner and outer holes 29, 9 at the center and the periphery of the winding device. A flexible pipe 26 is wound in the inner cavity 25 in such a way that an inner water-receiving end 30 may be passed through the inner hole 29 and an outer water-delivery end 27 may be passed through the outer hole 9. The flexible pipe is formed by one part of circular section 51 near the inner end 30 and by another part of flattened oval section 52 near the outer end 27. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Portable group for hydric connection, particularly for cars, caravans, coaches, crafts, balconies and small gardens The present invention relates to a portable group for hydric connection, particularly for cars, caravans, coaches, crafts, balconies and small gardens.

In the Italian utility model application No. 21519 B/83 filed on April 13, 1983, in the name of the same Applicant of the present invention there is described a portable winding device for flexible pipe, which does not require the complete extraction of the pipe during the use.

This is due to the particular shape of the winding device, which is substantially composed by a fixed casing and a rotating drum defining an inner annular cavity, in which the flexible pipe is housed and wound and which communicates with the outside through a first and a second hole respectively provided at the center and at the periphery of the winding device for the passage of respective ends of the pipe.

Of course, the passage of the water through the flexible pipe when it is still partially wound in the winding device is allowed only when the pipe is of circular section. A flat section, more favourable as regards the bulk, in fact would not be suitable for said purpose.

For this reason in the above mentioned utility model application the winding device is shown in combination with a flexible pipe of circular section, with which it forms a portable group able to satisfy any needs of hydric connection with readiness and capacity.

Starting from such state of the art, it has now been thought that the qualities of a reduced bulk could be added to the qualities of the portable group described in the above mentioned patent application, by using a flexible pipe that, instead of being completely of circular section, is formed by a part of circular section near its inner end and a part of flattened oval section near its outer end.

It can be easily understood that in such a way, while the outer part of flattened oval section of the flexible pipe allows a considerable bulk reduction (or a corresponding increase of the length of the available pipe), on the other hand without creating obstacles to the water flow, obviously because destined for being extracted from the winding device the inner part of circular section of the same pipe continues to perform functions of hydric connection even remaining, if desired, partially or totally housed in the winding device. There are thus combined two advantages without supporting any disadvantage.

An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated for better clarity in the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a portable group according to the invention in transversal section with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating drum, along line I-I of Figure 2; Figure 2 shows said portable group in axial section along line Il-Il of Figure 1.

In the drawings, there is illustrated a portable winding device with flexible pipe which is substantially composed by a fixed casing 1 and a rotating drum 2, both in moulded plastic material.

The casing 1 has a plane annular part 3, provided with holes and slots 4, which connects a projecting central part 5 to a circular peripheral wall 6 disposed perpendicularly to the annular part 3 (Figure 2). With the above mentioned peripheral wall there form a single block (Figure 1) a gripping handle 7, of trapezoid shape, an extraction mouth 8, tangentially facing outwards and communicating with the inside of the casing 1 through an opening 9, a rib 10 with stiffening functions for the mouth 8 and finally a rib 11 able to define support planes for the casing 1 in combination with the mouth 8 and the handle 7.Of the above mentioned support planes, defined on adjacent sides of the casing 1, the first one is destined for the real stable rest on the ground or other analogous surface and for such object makes use of turns orfeet 12,13 and 14 of the mouth 8 and of the same rib 11, while the second one is destined for the approaching to a vertical wall and for such object it is provided with slots 15 for the hanging of the casing 1 to suitable suspension means.

The drum 2 presents in its turn, at suitable distance from the corresponding plane annular part 3 of the casing 1, a plane annular part 16 provided with circumferentially spaced holes 17, which part 16 is connected by a perpendicular circular wall 18 to a recessed central part 19, which receives the corresponding projecting central part 5 of the casing 1 (Figure 2). To the above mentioned annular part 16 there corresponds, near the annular part 3 of the casing 1, a similar plane annular part 20 (also provided with circumferentially spaced holes 21) of a plate or closing counter-flange 22 provided with a turned central portion 23 releasably snaply connected at 24 to the circular wall 18 of the drum 2 (Figure 2).

The above mentioned annular parts of the drum 2 and of the plate 22, together with the peripheral wall 6 of the casing 1, thus form an annular inner cavity 25, in which there can be inserted and wound a flexible pipe 26 which has a first inner part 51 of circular section and a second outer part 52 of flattened oval section (Figure 2). The above mentioned annular cavity communicates with the outside through the above mentioned opening 9, which serves for the extraction of the outer or distributing end 27 of the pipe 26, and also communicates with the space 28 defined inside the circular wall 18 of the drum 2 through an opening 29 of the same wall (Figure 1), which serves for the passage of the inner or receiving end 30 of the pipe 26 (normally housed in the above mentioned space).

The casing 1 and the drum 2 are rotatably connected to each other, at the respective central parts 5 and 19 with interposed friction washer 31, by means of a hollow axial pin 32 which also operates as a pipe fitting. More precisely, the hollow pin 32 is formed by two male connection elements 33 and 34, the first one of which passes through aligned central holes 35 and 36 of the two coupled parts 5 and 19 and the second one is screwed on the first one on the opposite side (Figure 2), a sliding bush 37 being interposed between the male element 33 and the recessed part 19 of the drum 2 and a gasket 38 being interposed between the two male elements 33 and 34.As schematically illustrated in Figure 2, the male element 33 is destined for the connection of the receiving end 30 of the flexible pipe 26, while the male element 34 is destined for the connection of a flexible pipe 39 for the connection to a water supply 40.

On the plate annular part 16 ofthe rotating drum 2 there is finally applied a small knob 41, which serves for the manual rotation of the same drum.

In normal rest conditions, the portable winding device illustrated in the drawings is destined for containing the flexible pipe 26, with the receiving end 30 of this latter (opportunely provided with female fitting 41, as shown) housed in the spaced 28.

In such conditions the winding device will preferably be connected to a support hook by means of the handle 7. The pipe 26 could have been charged in different ways, for example, by separating the casing 1 from the drum 2 after separation of the two connection elements 33 and 34 and by provisionally removing the plate 22.

At the moment of the use, once situated the winding device in the most suitable position (put on the ground or hooked at a wall through the slots 15), there is carried out the hydraulic connection of the male fitting 34 to the water supply 40 through a flexible pipe 39 and that of the receiving end 30 of the pipe 26 to the male fitting 33, such as illustrated in Figure 2. At that point, by applying a tensile stress to the distributing end of the pipe 26 (in its turn provided with a female fitting 42) and making use of the rotation of the drum 2, one can take out from the winding device through the mouth 8 the desired length of the pipe 26, leaving the exceeding part of circular section still wound in the housing 25 of the winding device. In Figure 2, the arrows F illustrate the passage of the water from the water supply 40 to the fitting 32 and then through the flexible pipe 26. If desired, the pipe 39 can lack and the receiving end 30 of the pipe 26 can be directly connected to the water supply 40.

At the end of the use the previously removed pipe length is reinserted in the winding device, by suitable rotating the drum 2 by means of the knob 41. The flattened part 52 of the pipe 26 allows then a considerable bulk reduction or, alternatively, a cor responding increase of the length of the available pipe.

Claims (12)

1. Portable group for hydric connection, particu larly for cars, caravans, coaches, crafts, balconies and small gardens, comprising a portable winding device formed by a fixed casing and a rotating drum defining an annular inner cavity communicating with the outside through a first and a second hole respectively provided at the center and the periphery of said winding device, and a flexible pipe housed and wound in said cavity with an inner end near said first hole and an outer end near said second hole, characterized in that said flexible pipe is realized in two parts of different section, a first part near said inner end being of circular section and a second part near said outer end being of flattened oval section.

2. Portable group according to claim 1, characterized in that said casing and said drum are joined each other and rotatably connected by means of a central hollow pin shaped as a pipe fitting and suitable for the connection, on one hand, to said inner end of the pipe and, on the other hand, to a connecting pipe for connection to a water supply.

3. Portable group according to claim 2, characterized in that said casing comprises a plane annular part, a projecting central part and a circular peripheral wall disposed perpendicularly to said annular part and said drum comprises in its turn a plane annular part placed parallelyto said plane annular part of said casing at distance from it, a perpendicular circular wall substantially parallel to said peripheral wall of said casing at distance from it and a recessed central part which receives said projecting central part of said casing and is rotatably fixed to it by means of said hollow central pin.

4. Portable group according to claim 3, characterized in that to said drum is releasablycoupled a closure plate including a plane annular part placed parallellyto said plane annular part of the drum far from it and near said plane annular part of the casing.

5. Portable group according to claim 3, characterized in that said first opening is obtained in said circular wall of the drum and said second opening is obtained in said circular peripheral wall of the casing.

6. Portable winding device according to claim 3, characterized in that said casing is shaped so as to provide a plane side for the steady support of the winding device on the ground or similar surface.

7. Portable winding device according to claim 3, characterized in that said gripping and hanging means comprise a handle integral with said peripheral wall of the casing.

8. Portable winding device according to claim 7, characterized in that said gripping and hanging means also comprise hanging slots obtained on another plane side of said casing.

9. Portable winding device according to claim 3, characterized in that aid hollow central pin is formed by two opposed fitting elements passing through aligned holes of said central parts of the casing and of the drum and screwed one on the other.

10. Portable winding device according to claim 3, characterized in that to said plane annular part of the drum is fixed a knob for the manual rotation of the drum.

11. A portable group for hydric connection constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12. A portable winding device constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.