Apparatus and method for coiling a fire hose

An apparatus for coiling a fire hose, the apparatus comprising:

• a base:
• a main support extending generally vertically and having upper and lower opposed ends, wherein said lower end is attached to said base;
• a hose reel having an axle, said axle rotatable mounted to said upper end of said main support and having an axle distal end;
• a crank having first and second opposed ends, wherein said first end is coupled to said axle distal end and said second end is configured to be gripped by a user for rotating said crank;
• a retainer to couple the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end opposite said proximal end;
• a hub attached to said upper end of said main support and configured to rotatably receive said axle;
• and
• wherein said hub is mounted at an angle relative to a generally horizontal plane to facilitate generally uniform rolling of the hose.

An apparatus for coiling a fire hose, the apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a main support extending generally vertically and having upper and lower opposed ends, wherein said lower end is attached to said base;
• a hose reel having an axle, said axle rotatably mounted to said upper end of said main support and having an axle distal end;
• a crank having first and second opposed ends, wherein said first end is coupled to said axle distal end and said second end is configured to be gripped by a user for rotating said crank;
• a retainer to couple the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end opposite said proximal end;
• wherein the fire hose has a hose coupling end including a rim defining a first diameter, and said pair of elongated rods are spaced a perpendicular distance less than the first diameter so as to prevent the hose coupling end from sliping out between the rods in a direction transverse to the length of said elongated rods;
• wherein said hose reel includes a hoop having a second diameter, and a cross support having (a) a lend generally equal to the second diameter and (2) opposed ends attached to said hoop;
• wherein said axle is attached to said cross support and extends generally perpendicularly to said cross support;
• and
• a second cross support having (1) a length generally equal to the second diameter, (2) opposed ends attached to said hoop, and (3) a pair of holes formed therein, each hole being configured to receive a corresponding one of said rod distal ends.

An apparatus for coiling a fire hose, the apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a main support extending generally vertically and having upper and lower opposed ends, wherein said lower end is attached to said base;
• a hose reel having an axle, said axle rotatably mounted to said upper end of said main support and having an axle distal end;
• a crank having first and second opposed ends, wherein said first end is coupled to said axle distal end and said second end is configured to be gripped by a user for rotating said crank;
• a retainer to couple the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end opposite said proximal end;
• wherein the fire hose has a hose coupling end including a rim defining a first diameter, and said pair of elongated rods are spaced a perpendicular distance less than the first diameter so as to prevent the hose coupling end from slipping out between the rods in a direction transverse to the length of said elongated rods;
• and
• a catcher attached to said main support below said hose reel and extending generally horizontally relative to said main support, wherein said catcher supports the fire hose once the hose has been coiled and said retainer is decoupled from said hose reel.

An apparatus for coiling a fire hose, the apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a hose reel rotatably coupled to said support at an angle relative to a generally horizontal plane, said hose reel including (1) a rim defining a diameter, (2) a cross support having a length generally equal to the diameter and having opposed ends attached to said rim, and (3) an axle coupled to said cross support and having an axle distal end;
• a retainer to couple the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each elongated rod having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end opposite said proximal end;
• and
• wherein the fire hose has a hose end including a rim defining a diameter, and said pair of elongated rods are spaced a perpendicular distance less than the diameter so as to prevent the hose coupling end from slipping out between the rods in a direction transverse to the length of said elongated rods.

An apparatus for coiling a fire hose, the apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a hose reel rotatably coupled to said support said hose reel including (1) a rim defining a diameter, (2) a cross support having a length generally equal to the diameter and having opposed ends attached to said rim, and (3) an axle coupled to said cross support and having an axle distal end;
• a crank coupled to said hose reel to rotate said hose reel;
• a retainer to couple the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each elongated rod having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end opposite said proximal end;
• a catcher attached to said support and extending generally horizontally, wherein said catcher supports the fire hose after the hose has been coiled and said retainer is decoupled from said hose reel;
• and
• wherein the fire hose has a hose end including a rim defining a diameter, and said pair of elongated rods are spaced a perpendicular distance less than the diameter so as to prevent the hose coupling end from slipping out between the rods in a direction transverse to the length of said elongated rods.

A method of coiling a fire hose, the method comprising the steps of:

• (1) using a fire hose coiling apparatus comprised of,
• a main support extending generally vertically and having lower and upper opposed ends;
• a hose reel having (1) an axle, wherein said axle is rotatably mounted to said upper end of said main support at an angle and has an axle distal end, and (2) a cross member including a center and a pair of spaced openings generally mutually spaced from the center;
• a crank having first and second opposed ends, wherein said first end is releasably coupled to said axle distal end and said second end is configured to be gripped by a user for rotating said crank;
• a retainer to couple a hose coupling end of the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end, opposite said proximal end, configured to be received by one of said pair of spaced openings;
• and
• wherein said pair of elongated rods are spaced a perpendicular distance less than the width of the hose end of the fire hose to prevent the hose end from slipping out between the rods in a direction transverse to the length of said elongated rods;
• (2) placing at least a portion of the fire hose between said pair of elongated rods;
• (3) inserting said rod distal ends of said pair of elongated rods of said retainer into said pair of spaced openings;
• (4) rotating said crank so as to cause the fire hose to coil to create a coiled fire hose;
• and
• (5) removing said retainer from said pair of spaced openings so as to cause the coiled fire hose to drop onto a catcher.

An apparatus for coiling a fire hose, the apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a hose reel rotatably coupled to said support at an angle, said hose reel including (1) a rim defining a diameter, (2) a cross support having a length generally equal to the diameter and having opposed ends attached to said rim, and (3) an axle coupled to said cross support and having an axle distal end;
• and
• a retainer to couple the fire hose to said hose reel, said retainer including a handle and a pair of elongated rods each elongated rod having a proximal end attached to said handle and a rod distal end opposite said proximal end.