Hose bridge

• US 6,067,681 A
• Filed: 11/18/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kuiken NV
• Original Assignee: Kuiken NV
• Inventors: Zeinstra, Eelco Franciscus, Salomons, Lucas
• Primary Examiner(s): LISEHORA, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US09/195,452
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 14/69.5, 404/15, 104/275, 104/277, 138/106, 138/110, 174/117 F, 174/117 FF
• US Class Current: 14/69.5
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 33/06 Hose or pipe bridges

Abstract

A hose bridge for bridging a hose extending over a surface, for example a fire hose for conveying water for extinguishing purposes, has a passage for the hose and defines a support surface that can rest on the surface. The transverse dimension of the passage in a direction transverse to the support surface is smaller than the nominal diameter of the hose and the circumferential dimension of the passage essentially corresponds to the circumferential dimension of the hose.

Claims

1. Hose bridge for use in bridging a hose having an outer diameter, the hose bridge comprising:

a supporting surface structured and arranged to rest on a substrate; and

a passage extending in a longitudinal direction through said hose bridge for receiving the hose;

said passage having a height transverse to said supporting surface and smaller in magnitude than the outer diameter of the hose, and an interior circumference which is substantially the same size as the outer circumference of the hose when said hose is received within the passage.

2. The hose bridge according to claim 1, wherein the passage has a transverse dimension parallel to the supporting surface and greater than said outer diameter.

3. The hose bridge according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the passage is substantially oval.

4. The hose bridge according to claim 1, wherein the passage is located in a bridge section;

said bridge section having a supporting wall on a first side of the passage directly adjacent to the supporting surface and a bridging wall on an opposing side of the passage;

said supporting wall having a larger contact surface with the hose than does the bridging wall, when said hose is received in the passage.

5. The hose bridge according to claim 4, wherein the supporting wall, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the passage, is longer than the bridging wall.

6. The hose bridge according to claim 5, wherein the supporting wall has opposing ends in the longitudinal direction of the passage, said supporting wall having a descending, nose-shaped protrusion at said opposing ends.

7. The hose bridge according to claim 1, wherein the passage has a first side directly adjacent to the supporting surface and an opposite second side, said first side being longer than the opposite second side.

8. The hose bridge according to claim 1, wherein the bridge is comprised of two shell sections structured and arranged to fit laterally on the hose and to be fixed to one another against the resistance of the hose, said shell sections defining the passage for the hose when fixed to one another.

9. The hose bridge according to claim 8, wherein the shell sections comprise a supporting shell section, which is directly adjacent to the supporting surface, and an opposing bridging shell section.

10. The hose bridge according to claim 8, where in the shell sections each have a supporting shell section half directly adjacent to the supporting surface and an opposing bridging shell section half.

11. The hose bridge according to claim 1, further comprising upward-sloping ramp sections and a central bridge section, said passage being located in said central bridge section.

12. The hose bridge according to claim 11, wherein the ramp sections are detachably coupled to the bridge section.

13. The hose bridge according to claim 12, wherein a pair of ramp sections is connected to every two bridge sections, said bridge sections being positioned a distance apart which corresponds to a track with the road vehicle.

14. The hose bridge according to claim 11, wherein several bridge sections are provided in pairs one after the other in the longitudinal direction.