Method of producing an hydraulic hose having ends of different diameter

Method of producing an hydraulic hose comprising the steps of:

• (a) Extruding an elastomeric material to produce an uncured hydraulic hose having a substantially uniform inside diameter;
• (b) Pulling said uncured hydraulic hose over a mandrel, said mandrel having a substantially cylindrical first end of a first diameter substantially equal to said inside diameter, a substantially cylindrical second end of a second diameter substantially less than said first diameter and a transition section therebetween, said pulling being performed in such a manner as to position said second end of said mandrel at a first end of said hose and said first end of said mandrel remote therefrom;
• (c) Placing around said first end of said uncured hydraulic hose, a shrink tube comprising a radiation cross-linked polyolefin material having a wall thickness of approximately 1.15 millimeters and a shrink ratio of about 3:1 in the presence of heat at a temperature of about 250.degree. F., said shrink tube covering said first end of said uncured hydraulic hose and extending therefrom to a portion of said hose proximate said transition section of said mandrel
• (d) Shrinking said shrink tube against said uncured hydraulic hose by blowing hot air thereover;
• and
• (e) Thereafter molding said hydraulic hose against said mandrel by curing said uncured hydraulic hose while said shrink tube is shrunk thereagainst.

Method of producing an hydraulic hose comprising the steps of:

• (a) extruding an elastomeric hose to produce an uncured hydraulic hose having a substantially uniform inside diameter:
• (b) pushing said uncured hydraulic hose over a mandrel, said mandrel having a substantially cylindrical first section of a first predetermined diameter substantially equal to said inside diameter and a plurality of other sections of progressively decreasing diameters with transition regions therebetween, said pushing being continued until said uncured hydraulic hose spans the length of said mandrel across said first section and said other sections;
• (c) placing a heat responsive first shrink tube about said uncured hydraulic hose in a region thereof which spans said transition regions and said other sections of said mandrel;
• (d) applying heat to said first shrink tube in sufficient amount to cause said first shrink tube to conform to the outside circumference of said uncured hydraulic hose;
• (e) repeating said placing and applying steps for progressively shorter shrink tubes spanning sections of said mandrel having progressively smaller diameters wherein said progressively shorter tubes are placed and applied individually such that each progressively shorter tube conforms snugly to a previously applied tube;
• and
• (f) applying heat to said shrink tubes in sufficient amount to cause said shrink tubes to mold said uncured hydraulic hose against said plurality of other sections and said transition regions, said heat being sufficient to cure said uncured hydraulic hose.