Flexible hose for a flowable material applicator

• US 6,049,658 A
• Filed: 06/17/1997
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crafco Incorporated (Ergon Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Crafco Incorporated (Ergon Incorporated)
• Inventors: Timme, Donald L., Schave, Floyd D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor S.
• Application Number:
  US08/877,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 392/472, 392/466, 392/473, 219/202, 219/420-422, 219/425
• US Class Current: 392/472
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1042 provided with means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material in the supplying means upstream of the applying apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/45 Portable apparatus for preparing, or for preparing and applying to the road, compound liquid binders, e.g. emulsified bitumen, fluxed asphalt applying only E01C19/16
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/40 Heating elements having the shape of rods or tubes H05B3/62, H05B3/68, H05B3/78 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/934 Thermal condition

Abstract

A hot mix applicator having a hose for transporting heated flowable material, preferably hot mix material, that has an outer casing telescoped over a flexible inner conduit. Slidably, telescopically received within the conduit is tubing comprised a single strip of thin metal helically coiled such that adjacent edges engage to form axially compressible tubing which limits bending to resist conduit kinking and crush. The conduit is attached at each end to a fitting assembly with each fitting assembly immovably fixed by an outer collar to the casing for transmitting hose tension through the casing and away from the more fragile conduit. The casing is comprised of a rubber sidewall reinforced with wire for resisting kinking, crushing, and twisting. Preferably, there is a gap between the casing and conduit that helps insulate the conduit. Each fitting assembly preferably includes a swivel fitting at least partially received within the casing to insulate it. To heat flowable material within the tubing, heat element wiring is wrapped in a spiral around the conduit substantially the length of the hose. The collar overlies a bore in the casing through which the heat element wiring enters the hose for preventing the casing from splitting at the bore when it flexes and bends.

Claims

1. A heated flowable material applicator comprising:

a) a source of heated flowable material;

b) a dispenser for dispensing heated flowable material from said source;

c) a hose having one end in fluid flow communication with said source of heated flowable material and its other end in fluid flow communication with said dispenser for permitting the passage of heated flowable material from said source to said dispenser wherein said hose comprises;

1) an elongate tubular and noncorrugated casing extending substantially the axial length of said hose;

2) an elongate flexible conduit received within said casing;

3) a section of axially compressible and axially expandable flexible tubing slidably received within said conduit permitting relative movement therebetween; and

4) a pair of spaced apart fitting assemblies with one of said fitting assemblies operably attached to said conduit adjacent one end of said conduit and the other of said fitting assemblies operably attached to said conduit adjacent the other end of said conduit with said casing immovably fixed at or adjacent one end of said casing to one of said fitting assemblies and said casing immovably fixed at or adjacent the other end of said casing to the other of said fitting assemblies wherein hose tension is transmitted between said fitting assemblies substantially through said casing; and

d) a pump for urging heated flowable material through said hose to said dispenser; and

e) an elongate electric heating element carried by said hose for heating flowable material in said hose.

2. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein there is a loose or sliding fit between said tubing and said conduit for enabling said tubing to move within said conduit relative to said conduit when said hose is bent.

3. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said tubing has an uncompressed length greater than the length of said conduit.

4. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said tubing comprises a single elongate strip of metal helically wound into a generally cylindrical and elongate tube sidewall that 1) is resistant to radially inwardly directed forces tending to crush said tubing for reinforcing said conduit against crush, 2) can be bent in an arc having a radius of curvature of no less than one inch to prevent kinking of said conduit, 3) can axially compress or axially expand for moving relative to said conduit to accommodate bending of said tubing and said conduit substantially simultaneously, and 4) is hollow for permitting flowable material to flow through said tubing.

5. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 4 wherein said elongate metal strip has a 1) a pair of spaced apart edges with one of said edges comprising a flange bent in one direction and the other of said edges comprising a flange bent in another direction, 2) a ridge between said edges for making said tubing stiffer and resistant to crush, 3) a flat portion adjacent said ridge and one of said flanges for enabling said tubing to axially compress and expand, and wherein said strip is shaped to form a plurality of adjacent helical coils with one of said flanges of one of said adjacent coils engaged with the other of said flanges of the other of said adjacent coils.

6. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 5 wherein said metal strip is comprised of aluminum.

7. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said tubing is comprised of helically coiled metal.

8. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 7 wherein said conduit has an inner liner and an outer sleeve of a flexible woven or braided material encasing said liner.

9. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 8 wherein said liner is comprised of tetrafluoroethylene and said sleeve is comprised of nylon.

10. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said casing comprises the exterior of said hose and said casing comprises a rubber sidewall and a helical metal wire embedded in said sidewall wherein said wire extends substantially the axial length of said casing.

11. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 10 wherein said casing comprises a bellowsflex-type hose constructed and arranged to limit the radius of curvature of a bend of said casing to no less than one and one-half inch to preventing kinking.

12. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein each said fitting assembly comprises 1) a swivel fitting having i) a housing received inside said casing for insulating said swivel fitting and ii) a threaded fitting carried by said housing that is constructed and arranged to rotate relative to said housing, and 2) a transition fitting received inside said casing and having i) a nipple at one end fluidtightly received in said conduit and ii) a threaded fitting at its other end threadably engaged with said swivel housing.

13. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 12 further comprising a generally cylindrical collar adjacent each end of said hose crimped around said casing urging said casing against said swivel fitting housing and immovably fixing said casing to said fitting assembly.

14. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 13 wherein said electric heating element is disposed in thermal communication with said conduit for heating said heated flowable material in said conduit and wherein said heating element comprises at least two elongate insulated wires for carrying electrical current with said wires entering said hose adjacent one end of said hose through a bore in said casing wherein one of said collars extends from adjacent the end of said hose axially beyond said casing bore to oppose flexing of said casing adjacent said casing bore to prevent cracking or tearing of said casing at or adjacent said casing bore.

15. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said inner diameter of said casing is larger than the outer diameter of said conduit providing an annular insulating air gap between said casing and said conduit.

16. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said heating element comprises at least two elongate wires for carrying electrical current arranged in a spiral exteriorly of said tubing and interiorly of said casing substantially the length of said conduit.

17. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 16 wherein said electrical current source comprises a three phase current source and said heating element comprises three elongate wires each carrying a phase of electrical current wherein said heating element wires are wrapped in a spiral around said conduit substantially the axial length of said conduit.

18. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 17 further comprising a frame carrying said source of heated flowable material and said pump, and further comprising a source of electrical current electrically connected to said heating element that includes an internal combustion engine carried by said frame mechanically coupled to an alternator that 1) lacks any voltage regulator and 2) lacks any current regulator, said alternator electrically coupled to said heating element.

19. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 18 wherein said source of heated flowable material comprises a kettle of heated hot melt mix and wherein one end of said hose is coupled to said kettle and the other end of said hose is coupled to said dispenser.

20. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 19 wherein said hot melt mix comprises one of bitumen, tar, and asphalt.

36. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 1 wherein said tubing section has an axially uncompressed length that is longer than the length of said conduit.

37. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 36 wherein said tubing section is axially compressed to a length no greater than the length of said conduit when it is received in said conduit.

21. A heated flowable material applicator comprising:

a) a source of heated flowable material;

b) a dispenser for dispensing said heated flowable material;

c) a hose having one end in fluid flow communication with said source of heated flowable material and its other end in fluid flow communication with said dispenser for facilitating passage of said heated flowable material from said source to said dispenser wherein said hose comprises;

1) an elongate tubular flexible and noncorrugated casing extending substantially the axial length of said hose;

2) an elongate flexible tubular conduit received within said casing;

3) a pair of fitting assemblies with one of said fitting assemblies fluidtightly coupled to said conduit at one end of said conduit and the other of said fitting assemblies fluidtightly coupled to said conduit at the other end of said conduit;

4) a section of flexible axially compressible and axially expandable tubing that slidably telescopically cooperates with said conduit such that i) said tubing and said conduit are generally coaxial, and ii) said tubing is slidably movable relative to said conduit; and

5) wherein said casing is immovably fixed at one end to one of said fitting assemblies and is immovably fixed at its other end to the other of said fitting assemblies; and

d) a pump for urging heated flowable material through at least said conduit;

e) a source of electrical current;

f) an electric heating element electrically connected to said current source;

g) wherein said electric heating element

     1) is received between said casing and said conduit and

     2) extends substantially the axial length of said conduit for heating flowable material within said conduit or said tubing.

22. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 21 further comprising a frame carrying said source of heated flowable material, said pump and said source of electrical current, wherein 1) said source of electrical current comprises an internal combustion engine mechanically coupled to a generator, and 2) said elongate heating element comprises at least two wires wrapped in a spiral around said conduit for heating flowable material in said conduit or said tubing.

23. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 22 wherein said generator comprises an automotive alternator generating three phase electric current and said heating element comprises a three phase heating element having at least three wires.

24. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 21 wherein said tubing section comprises a single elongate strip arranged in a helically coiled generally cylindrical and elongate tube sidewall that permits said tubing section to axially compress or axially expand wherein said tubing section is received in said conduit and is movable relative to said conduit to accommodate substantially simultaneous bending of said tubing and said conduit.

25. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 24 wherein said elongate strip comprises 1) a pair of spaced apart edges with one of said edges comprising a first flange angled in one direction and the other of said edges comprising a second flange angled in another direction relative to the first flange, 2) a radially extending lengthwise ridge between said edges for making said tubing stiffer and resistant to crush, 3) a flat disposed between said ridge and at least one of said flanges for enabling said tubing section to axially compress and expand, and wherein when coiled to form said cylindrical tube sidewall said strip is formed into a plurality adjacent helical coils with one of said flanges of one of said adjacent coils engaged with the other of said flanges of the other of said adjacent coils.

26. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 25 wherein said casing comprises a sidewall of a flexible and resilient material having a wire comprised of a material stiffer than said sidewall embedded in said sidewall.

27. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 26 wherein said casing is comprised of a bellowsflex hose.

38. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 21 wherein said tubing section has an axially uncompressed length that is longer than the length of said conduit.

39. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 38 wherein said tubing section is axially compressed to a length no greater than the length of said conduit and is received in said conduit.

50. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 21 wherein said tubing section is corrugated.

28. A heated flowable material applicator comprising:

a) a source of heated flowable material;

b) a dispenser for dispensing heated flowable material from said source;

c) a hose having one end in fluid flow communication with said source of heated flowable material and its other end in fluid flow communication with said dispenser for facilitating passage of said heated flowable material from said source to said dispenser wherein said hose comprises;

1) an elongate tubular flexible casing extending substantially the axial length of said hose;

2) an elongate flexible tubular conduit received within said casing;

3) a pair of fitting assemblies with one of said fitting assemblies fluidtightly coupled to said conduit at one end of said conduit and the other of said fitting assemblies fluidtightly coupled to said conduit at the other end of said conduit;

4) an elongate section of flexible and axially compressible tubing slidably telescopically received within said conduit such that said axially compressible tubing section can move relative to said conduit and wherein said axially compressible tubing section has an uncompressed length that is longer than the length of said conduit; and

5) wherein said casing is fixed at or adjacent one end to one of said fitting assemblies and fixed at or adjacent its other end to the other of said fitting assemblies; and

d) a pump for urging said heated flowable material through one of said tubing section and said conduit to said dispenser.

29. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 28 further comprising a source of electrical current and an elongate heating element comprised of at least two wires for carrying electrical current, wherein the heating element is wrapped in a spiral around said conduit substantially along the length of said tubing for heating flowable material in one of said tubing section and said conduit.

40. The heated flowable material applicator of claim 28 wherein said tubing section is axially compressed to a length no greater than the length of said conduit when it is received in said conduit.

30. A flexible hose for a heated flowable material applicator comprising a tubular casing, a tubular flexible conduit received inside said casing, and a section of axially compressible flexible tubing received inside said conduit, and an electric heating element comprised of at least two elongate wires disposed between said casing and said conduit, and wherein said tubing section is axially longer than said conduit before being received completely inside said conduit and at least a portion of said tubing section is slidably telescopically movable relative to said conduit when received within said conduit.

31. The hose of claim 30 further comprising a pair of fitting assemblies with one of said fitting assemblies attached to one end of said conduit and the other of said fitting assemblies attached to the other end of said conduit wherein said casing is immovably fixed at one end to one of said fitting assemblies and is immovably fixed at its opposite end to the other of said fitting assemblies.

32. The hose of claim 30 wherein said tubing comprises a thin strip of metal formed into a plurality of adjacent coils defining a tube with adjacent edges of adjacent coils engaging each other.

33. A method of making a hose for a heated flowable material applicator comprising:

a) providing a tubular flexible casing, a tubular conduit, a section of flexible metal tubing having a length longer than the conduit, and a pair of fittings, and a heating element comprised of at least two wires;

b) engaging one of the fittings with one end of the conduit;

c) urging the section of tubing slidably telescopically into the conduit and axially compressing the section of tubing until the section of tubing is completely received within the conduit;

d) engaging the other of the fittings with the other end of the conduit; and

e) disposing the heating element wires in contact with the conduit; and

f) urging the conduit slidably telescopically into the casing.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of immovably fixing one end of the casing to one of the fittings and immovably fixing the other end of the casing to the other of the fittings.

35. The method of claim 34 comprising providing a pair of collars and crimping one of the collars to the casing adjacent one end of the casing to immovably fix the casing to one of the fittings and crimping the other of the collars to the casing adjacent its other end to immovably fix the casing to the other of the fittings.

41. A heated flexible hose for a flowable material applicator comprising:

a) a pair of spaced apart fittings, a tubular flexible casing having one end attached to one of said fittings and its other end attached to the other one of said fittings;

b) a tubular flexible conduit received inside said casing having one end in fluid flow communication with one of said fittings and its other end in fluid flow communication with the other one of said fittings;

c) a section of axially compressible flexible and corrugated tubing received inside said casing, said corrugated tubing section slidably telescopically cooperating with said conduit such that

     1) said corrugated tubing section and said conduit are generally coaxial, and

     2) said corrugated tubing section is slidably movable relative to said conduit;

d) wherein said corrugated tubing section has an uncompressed length that is longer than the length of said conduit and said corrugated tubing section is axially compressed to a length less than said uncompressed length when received inside said casing; and

e) wherein a flowable material flows through said conduit.

42. The hose of claim 41 wherein said conduit is comprised of a woven or braided sidewall lined with tetrafluoroethylene and further comprising a heating element in contact with said conduit for heating said flowable material while inside said conduit.

43. The hose of claim 42 wherein corrugated tubing section is received inside said conduit and is axially compressed to a length no greater than the length of said conduit and said flowable material flows through said corrugated tubing section.

44. The hose of claim 43 wherein said corrugated tubing section is formed by helically winding and edgewise binding of a thin metal strip.

45. A flexible hose for a heated flowable material applicator comprising:

a) a pair of spaced apart swivel fitting assemblies with each one of said swivel fitting assemblies comprising a housing having a fitting extending outwardly from one end of said housing and a swivel disposed at the other end of said housing;

b) an inner tubular flexible conduit having

     1) one end operably coupled to one of said fitting assemblies adjacent said swivel of said one of said fitting assemblies and

     2) its other end operably coupled to the other one of said fitting assemblies adjacent said swivel of said the other one of said fitting assemblies;

c) a tubular flexible and noncorrugated outer casing

     1) immovably fixed at or adjacent one end to said housing of one of said fitting assemblies and

     2) immovably fixed at or adjacent its other end to said housing of the other one of said fitting assemblies;

d) a heating element received inside said casing and in contact with said conduit for heating a flowable material disposed inside said conduit;

e) a pair of spaced apart collars with

     1) one of said collars i) disposed around a portion of said swivel for insulating said swivel, and ii) attached to said housing of one of said swivel fitting assemblies, and

     2) the other one of said collars i) disposed around at least a portion of said swivel for insulating said swivel, and ii) attached to said housing of the other one of said swivel fitting assemblies; and

f) wherein

     1) said flexible conduit is disposed inside said outer casing,

     2) said fitting of one of said swivel fittings extends outwardly from the hose,

     3) said fitting of the other one of said swivel fittings extends outwardly from the hose, and

     4) hose tension is transmitted between said swivel fitting assemblies through said casing.

46. The hose of claim 45 wherein said casing is immovably affixed at one end to said housing of one of said swivel fitting assemblies by one of said collars and said casing is immovably affixed at its other end to said housing of the other one of said swivel fitting assemblies.

47. The hose of claim 45 wherein said swivel of one said swivel fitting assemblies is received within said casing and said swivel of the other one of said swivel fitting assemblies is received within said casing.

48. The hose of claim 45 wherein said conduit comprises a woven or braided outer wall and a flexible inner liner.

49. The hose of claim 48 further comprising a section of axially compressible flexible tubing having an uncompressed length longer than the length of said conduit wherein said tubing section is axially compressed and slidably telescopically received inside said conduit.