Gearless Hose Tracking Assembly For Hose Reel Applications

Abstract

A hose reel guide device including a base, a housing structure, a static shaft, a guide wheel, a tracker body, and a roller assembly. The base includes a static shaft mounted on a housing structure which is capable of pivoting on the base. The guide wheel is adapted to circumferentially engage a portion of the static shaft and also adapted to receive a hose. The guide wheel is configured to oscillate about the static shaft as the guide wheel translates from end to end on the static shaft, when a moving hose passes therethrough. The tracker body is mounted about the guide wheel to cooperatively move along the shaft with the guide wheel and includes a channel adapted to receive a portion of the hose. The roller assembly is positioned offset the axis of rotation of the guide wheel to maintain greater surface contact between the hose and the guide wheel so as to provide less opportunity for the hose to “jump”/skip/flail on the guide wheel and negligible drag on the hose.

1 . A gear-less tracking device comprising:
 a tracking assembly, said tracking assembly including an shaft mounted thereon;   a guide wheel mounted on said shaft;   a tracker body, said tracker body constructed and arranged to have said guide wheel secured within said tracker body, said guide wheel constructed and arranged to oscillate along said static shaft as said guide wheel rotates; and   a roller assembly secured to said tracker body vertically above said guide wheel, said roller spaced from said guide wheel to provide sufficient space for the passage of a hose between said roller assembly and said guide wheel, whereby said roller assembly assists in reeling a hose through said guide wheel and said tracker body and maintains and engages frictional contact between a hose and said guide wheel.   
     
     
         2 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 1 , wherein said roller assembly comprises:
 a pin having a central axis and opposite ends, one end of said pin end being radically inwardly compressible, each end of said pin cooperating with said tracker body to secure said roller assembly to said tracker body; and   a roller having a central bore and an outer surface, said central bore defining a passage, said pin constructed and arranged to extend through said passage.   
     
     
         3 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 2 , wherein said roller includes an outer surface, a plurality of ribs secured to said outer surface of said roller, said ribs extend in a longitudinal direction along said outer surface. 
     
     
         4 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 1 , wherein said tracker body also includes opposing apertures for receipt of said roller assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 4 , wherein one end portion of said pin is compressible whereby said pin can be compressed and passed through said aperture on said tracker body and through said central bore on said roller. 
     
     
         6 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 1 , wherein said guide wheel is annular and includes an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface defining a passage for engaging said shaft, said outer surface includes a plurality of grooves which are constructed and arranged to receive a hose. 
     
     
         7 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 6 , wherein said guide wheel includes two portions removably attached to each other. 
     
     
         8 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 7 , wherein said inner surface of said guide wheel cooperates with a gear follower to move said guide wheel and tracker body back and forth along said shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 8 , wherein said shaft includes a first and a second set of threads on said static shaft, said first and said second set of threads extend in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 6 , wherein said outer surface of said guide wheel includes substantially parallel sidewalls extending outwardly and perpendicularly from and axis of said guide wheel, a height of each said parallel sidewall being sufficient to confine a hose and define a passage for a hose. 
     
     
         11 . The gear-less tracking device according to  claim 1 , wherein said tracking assembly includes at least two connectors constructed and arranged for connection of said gear-less tracking device to hose reel. 
     
     
         12 . The gear-less tracking device of  claim 11 , wherein said tracking assembly is substantially parallel to a hose reel's axis of rotation.