Hose drive systems, vehicles, and related methods
AssigneeAlamo Group Inc.
InventorSteven W. Craig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle (e.g., a material collection vehicle) may include a hose (e.g., a suction hose), a drive assembly, and a telescopically extendable boom assembly. The hose drive assembly may include a plurality of roller subassemblies adjustably mounted so that the roller subassemblies may be moved to a first position during extension of the hose and moved to a second position during retraction of the hose. The telescopically extendable boom assembly may include a conduit assembly and a support assembly. The conduit assembly and the support assembly may be operably secured together so that telescopic extension of the support assembly drives extension of the conduit assembly. The support assembly may include a drive system including an extension chain and a retraction chain.
Claims28
A vehicle including an extendable and retractable hose, the vehicle comprising:
- a hose;
- and
- a hose drive assembly configured for driving extension and retraction of the hose, the hose drive assembly comprising:
- a plurality of roller subassemblies, at least one of the plurality of roller subassemblies comprising a powered roller, said powered roller being adjustably mounted so that it is movable to a first position during extension of the hose and movable to a second position during retraction of the hose;
- wherein said powered roller is configured to engage the hose so as to rotate the hose in a direction with the powered roller in said first position and to rotate the hose in the same direction with the powered roller in said second position.
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7-11. (canceled)
13-18. (canceled)
A vehicle comprising:
- a boom assembly comprising a conduit assembly including a hose, the conduit assembly being secured to a telescopically extendable and retractable support assembly;
- and
- a hose drive assembly coupled to the conduit assembly and configured for driving extension and retraction of said hose, the hose drive assembly comprising:
- a support plate;
- and
- a plurality of roller subassemblies mounted to the support plate, each of the plurality of roller subassemblies comprising:
- a bracket connecting the respective roller subassembly to said support plate, the bracket including a shaped opening;
- a pivot connected to the bracket;
- and
- a powered roller connected to a drive shaft of a motor, the powered roller being adjustably mounted to said bracket via said shaped opening and pivotably mounted to said pivot.
26-33. (canceled)
A vehicle comprising:
- a hose including a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a hose drive assembly configured for driving extension and retraction of the hose, the hose drive assembly comprising:
- a plurality of roller subassemblies, at least one of the plurality of roller subassemblies comprising a powered roller, said powered roller including a normal axis forming either of an acute angle or an obtuse angle with a normal of the longitudinal axis of said hose;
- wherein the powered roller is configured for applying a force on the hose so as to rotate the hose in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction when viewed from a front side of the hose drive assembly.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.