Device for assisting the manoeuvres of at least one pipe

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for assisting the manoeuvres of a pipe, comprising a frame (2) having at least one cradle (20) which has an inner shape with a circular concavity (21), and displacement means (3), characterized in that the concavity (21) of the cradle extends along a circular of an angle beyond 180°.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for assisting in the operation of at least one pipe.

[0002] The invention will be described more particularly with regard to the operation of a fire hose in operations, without however being limited to it, and applies to any hose operation which must be pressurized.

[0003] During fires, firefighters move to a given point, defined from the command post, usually.

[0004] Once the fire truck is in position, the hoses are unrolled from their respective supports by the crew. The appropriate nozzle is then attached to the free end so that the firefighter can use it to dispense water, with or without additives, in the pattern determined by the type of nozzle.

[0005] The required length of hose is deployed, estimated by the operator based on the circumstances.

[0006] To give you an idea, the diameter of these hoses ranges from 45 to 110 mm in typical applications. These hoses are made of a flexible material so they can be rolled flat for storage and can be maneuvered around obstacles, conforming to the terrain. They are constructed from a complex, reinforced fabric to withstand high working pressure, temperature variations, and fire resistance.

[0007] The other end of the pipe is intended to be connected to a pressurized water supply outlet, generated in a known way by a pump mounted and driven by the truck's engine or by auxiliary means or from a fire hydrant of a high-pressure network if one exists nearby.

[0008] The hose is then ready to be used.

[0009] As soon as pressurization begins, the flexible hose takes its round shape under the effect of the radial pressure exerted inside it. This pressure is maintained by the back pressure exerted by the nozzle's outlet, which has a smaller cross-section than the hose.

[0010] Due to the high pressure, the flexible hose becomes much more rigid and more difficult to maneuver, especially as the length of hose deployed increases.

[0011] The difficulties in maneuvering are related to the stiffness of the pipe once under pressure on the one hand, but also and especially to the weight of the pipe on the other.

[0012] Weight has two consequences: it confers a significant intrinsic weight, making lifting difficult, and it exerts significant pressure on the ground due to the weight, thus generating high friction forces.

[0013] It is observed that when the ground has many natural obstacles such as bushes and other pebbles, branches, etc., in the forest or rubble in urban areas, the efforts to be made are significant, requiring either serious efforts from the servant, sometimes beyond his limits, or several servants.

[0014] In either case, this is not satisfactory because, in the first case, the servant becomes fatigued to the detriment of the efforts needed for the continuation of operations, or in the second case, personnel are mobilized to the detriment of other functions.

[0015] It should also be noted that in certain types of operations, such as in the oil or chemical sectors, equipment may be separated by very long distances. Therefore, assistance with pulling such hoses becomes necessary. This is especially true as the hose diameter increases significantly, far exceeding what is used in typical urban operations.

[0016] Pipe handling assistance devices / mobile pipe-carrying devices are already known, as they significantly reduce the effort required to maneuver a pipe. Such devices include a cradle designed to accommodate approximately half the cross-section of a pipe in its central section, and equipped with clamping means to hold and secure the pipe within the cradle. The cradle itself is equipped with rolling means for moving the device. However, these devices often feature clamping means that are complex to implement and not quick to operate.

[0017] Document FR3075147A1 describes, for example, a device for assisting the maneuvers of a fire hose in operations, comprising a chassis, means of movement and means of clamping on a fire hose.

[0018] The invention therefore aims to provide a device that does not present the aforementioned drawbacks, while remaining safe. Advantageously, the device must also be easily maneuverable on all types of terrain, and able to carry several hoses if necessary.

[0019] The invention relates to a device for assisting the maneuvers of a fire hose in operation, comprising a frame having an upper face, at least one cradle whose opening is at the level of the upper face, and two opposed compact wings which are on either side of the cradle, and on which are fixed means of movement, the cradle having an internal shape with circular concavity and the frame having a main axis perpendicular to the thickness of the frame and perpendicular to the direction of a hose intended to be installed in the cradle.According to the invention, the concavity of the cradle extends along an arc of a circle with an angle beyond 180° and the means of movement are removable and comprise two free wheels rotating around the main axis and mounted on two half-shafts attached respectively to the two opposite wings, the wheels are fixed by ball pins, each pin passing through a hub of a wheel and being inserted into a lateral bore of a wing of the chassis.

[0020] According to the invention, the pipe maneuvering assistance device comprises a frame with at least one cradle having an internal shape with circular concavity, and means of movement, and is characterized in that the concavity of the cradle extends along an arc of a circle with an angle beyond 180°.

[0021] The cradle has two free ends (curved due to the extension of the semicircle) that protrude towards the inside of the cradle. The distance between the two free ends is less than the diameter of the pipe intended to be housed in the cradle.

[0022] According to a preferred characteristic, the concavity of the cradle extends along a circular arc with an angle of approximately 240°.

[0023] According to one feature, the chassis includes several cradles arranged adjacently on a horizontal plane in the device's operating position, so as to support several pipes side by side.

[0024] In one embodiment, the device comprises several frames, each with at least one cradle, and the frames are joined laterally (perpendicular to the direction of the pipes to be supported) and assembled by removable fastening means which preferably include, on the one hand, a connecting pin linking two frames, and on the other hand, two locking ball pins passing through the frames and the connecting pin orthogonally to the latter. This has the advantage of allowing real-time adjustments on-site to provide the user with a device with the appropriate number of cradles for the operation. Furthermore, the removable fastening with ball pins results in extremely advantageous simplicity and speed of deployment in emergency situations.Furthermore, the ball pins provide a fastening that is not at all awkward when used with gloves, greatly facilitating the use of the device in the field by firefighters.

[0025] The device may include clamping means for locking the pipe in position within its cradle, in particular clamping means comprising a flange and a locking system cooperating with the frame and preferably formed by a ball pin. However, these clamping means do not constitute primary retention means for the pipe within the cradle, as this primary retention is achieved by the shape of the cradle itself, which holds the cradle in position. These clamping means are primarily intended to keep the pipe in place when it is no longer under pressure.

[0026] According to another characteristic, the rolling means are fixed to the two opposite ends of the chassis in planes transverse to the main axis of the chassis (axis perpendicular to the thickness of the chassis and perpendicular to the direction of a carried pipe), raise the chassis and have a height greater than the height of the chassis.

[0027] Preferably, the rolling means are removable. In this case, the rolling means consist of two wheels fixed to each end of the frame, and the device of the invention includes removable fastening means, preferably ball pins, each ball pin cooperating with the hub of a wheel and a lateral bore of the frame. Removable fastening by ball pins provides simplicity and speed of implementation. Furthermore, the removable nature of the wheels allows several frames to be joined and assembled to achieve the desired number of cradles, and then the wheels to be reattached to the end frames.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, the rolling means are holonomic wheels with tangential rollers.

[0029] The device can be motorized, in particular it includes a brushless motor.

[0030] The present invention is now described by means of purely illustrative and in no way limiting examples of the scope of the invention, and from the accompanying illustrations, in which: [ Fig. 1 ] represents a perspective view of an example embodiment of the device of the invention for assisting in the operation of a pipe. Fig. 2 ] represents a front view of the device of the figure 1 . [ Fig. 3a ] represents a perspective view of a variant of the device of the figure 1 showing additional means of restraint. Fig. 3b ] is a front view of the chassis of the device figure 3a , part of which is shown in cross-section. Fig. 3c ] is a perspective view of the chassis of the device figure 3a . [ Fig. 4 ] illustrates a front view of a variant of the chassis with two cradles. Fig. 5 ] is a variant of the device with four cradles. Fig. 6 ] shows a front view of an assistance device of the invention carrying a pipe, the device having a variant shape for the lower part of the chassis (which does not bring about any functional modification), compared to the chassis of the figures 1 And 3a . [ Fig. 7 ] shows a device according to the invention with a double cradle supporting two pipes. Fig. 8 [ ] is a perspective top view showing the removable attachment of a wheel to the chassis of the device of the invention. Fig. 9 ] is an exploded perspective view showing a variant implementation of the device by assembling several chassis.

[0031] The device 1 of the invention for assisting in the handling of a pipe, illustrated in the figures, is intended to support and maneuver at least one pipe when it is under pressure and being manipulated, particularly at one of its ends furthest from the device. figure 6 shows the operating device 1 carrying a pipe 10, while the device of figures 7 And 9 is designed to carry two pipes 10 and 11.

[0032] In relation to the figures, the maneuvering assistance device 1 comprises a chassis 2, at least one cradle 20, means of movement 3, and possibly means of clamping 4 (variant of the figure 3a ) designed to lock the pipe in position within the cradle. In the variants of figures 4 et 5 , chassis 2 includes several cradles 20A to 20D.

[0033] According to the invention, each cradle 20 or 20A to 20D is configured, as will be seen later, to clamp and lock the pipe in position when it is under pressure without the need for clamping means. Thus, even if the device is positioned so that the cradle is facing downwards while the pipe is housed and therefore held in the cradle, the pipe will not fall due to gravity. The cradle is adapted by its shape to hold the pipe in place without requiring additional retaining means. If clamping means 4 are added, they actually serve to lock the pipe in the clamped position and prevent the pipe from being pulled out of its cradle when the pipe is no longer under pressure and its diameter has therefore decreased, thus no longer guaranteeing its clamping in the cradle.

[0034] Chassis 2 is made of a fire-resistant material, or at least one resistant to the intense heat of a fire. For example, it is metallic, such as aluminum.

[0035] The frame 2 has a longitudinal axis XX' which is transverse to the thickness of said frame and to the longitudinal direction of the pipe intended to be installed in a cradle. The longitudinal axis XX' corresponds to, or is slightly greater than, the axis at which the means of movement 3 are fixed.

[0036] The chassis 2 has an upper face 2', at least one cradle 20 whose opening is at the level of the upper face, and two opposed compact wings 2A and 2B which are on either side of the cradle, and on which the means of movement 3 are fixed.

[0037] The chassis 2 includes a cradle 20, or several adjacent cradles 20A to 20D arranged in alignment with the longitudinal axis X-X' of the chassis.

[0038] Each cradle 20 to 20D, designed to hold a pipe, forms a circularly concave housing 21 with an opening facing upwards when the device is in place and ready for use. According to the invention, the circular concavity 21 extends along an arc of a circle with an angle greater than 180°, preferably on the order of 240°. Thus, the cradle comprises a lower semicircle 22, extending into two opposing arc-shaped extensions 23 and 24, and terminating in two opposing free ends 25 and 26.

[0039] The semicircle 22 of the cradle presents its diameter which is coincident with the axis X-X'.

[0040] The free ends 25 and 26 of the cradle are located above and at a distance from the longitudinal axis X-X'. They are each preferably located at approximately 30° to the diameter (axis X-X') of the semicircle 22. The free ends 25 and 26 form two parts turned towards each other, projecting from the orthogonal planes P and P' which are tangent to the arc of the cradle, at the endpoints of the diameter of the lower semicircle 22. The free ends 25 and 26 project slightly from the planes P and P' due to the angle of the arcs of the circles 23 and 24, which is only 30°, but sufficient to slightly close the opening of the cradle.

[0041] The cradle's volume is designed to accommodate the pressurized hose without any play. The diameter of the cradle's volume is equal to the hose's diameter. The cradle's diameter includes a diameter at the semicircle 22, which is designed to house the hose by forcing it through the opening to the bottom 21 of the cradle. This operation is performed by the user using elastic pressure on the hose. The localized deformation occurs at the hose to bridge the gap between the two curved ends 25 and 26, this gap being less than the diameter of the semicircle 22 and therefore less than the hose's diameter.

[0042] Therefore, in the installed position of a pipe ( figures 6 And 7), the pipe is pushed slightly into the cradle, its lower part resting on the bottom 21 of the semicircle 22, the extension parts 23 and 24 with their respective curved ends 25, 26 covering the pipe by more than half of its circumference, thus holding the pipe in place.

[0043] The cradle intended to come into contact with the pipe may include a non-slip and / or protective coating. This coating prevents damage to the pipe and prevents it from slipping.

[0044] A cradle will be manufactured according to the diameter of the pipe it is intended to hold. The diameter of the cradle's semicircle will be determined by the diameters of pipes available on the market, for example, but not limited to, 45 mm, 70 mm, and 110 mm. Specifically, a cradle can have a diameter ranging from 10 mm to 300 mm.

[0045] When the frame has several adjacent cradles, the cradles may have the same capacity for pipes of the same diameter, or the cradles may have different capacities to accommodate different pipe diameters.

[0046] On the figure 3a , are illustrated clamping means 4 for locking the pipe in position and further securing the device. As a preferred example, the clamping means comprise a flange 40, one end of which 41 is fixed rigidly to the frame 2 on the upper face 2' of the frame at the level of one of the wings 2A, and the other end 42 is removable and cooperates by locking with the upper face 2' of the frame on the other side of the cradle, at the level of the other wing 2B.

[0047] The flange 40 is, for example, a metal cable. The flange 40 spans the cradle opening substantially in the X-X' direction, and preferably includes a concave shape relative to the cradle, designed to fit the upper part of the pipe that will protrude from the cradle opening. The flange may also be provided with a coating on the part of the flange in contact with the pipe, so as to prevent any damage to the pipe by friction.

[0048] The terminal end 42 of the flange includes an element forming part of, or attached to, a locking system 43. The locking system 43 is intended to lock the flange 40. The locking system 43 is preferably a ball pin. The ball pin 43 is suitable for cooperating with a vertical passage 44 ( figure 3b ) arranged within the thickness of the wing 2B perpendicular to the axis X-X', from the upper face 2' of the chassis and opening into a hollow space 2C the same thickness as the wing. The balls of the ball spindle come against the wall of the hollow space 2C, which locks the ball spindle in position and secures the flange 40.

[0049] In the illustrated example ( figure 3c Points 42' and 44', intended for attaching the flange 40 to the upper part 2' of the frame via the locking system 43, are diagonally symmetrical. This provides clamping of the pipe in a diagonal direction relative to the pipe axis.

[0050] The means of movement 3 are here implemented in the form of at least two wheels, in this case two wheels 30 and 31, one on either side of the wings of the chassis 2, free to rotate around the transverse axis X-X', in this case mounted on two half-shafts attached respectively to the two opposing wings 2A and 2B. It should be noted that the diameter of each wheel is greater than the diameter of the pipe intended to be supported with ground clearance, in order to avoid friction of the pipe on the ground but also to limit friction of the chassis cradle on the ground.

[0051] The wheels are mounted symmetrically, allowing the device to be turned over without any problems. If the pipe twists and the device tips over, the wheels are back in contact with the ground and the device can continue moving.

[0052] The wheels are preferably removable. Regarding the figures 3a , 3c , 8 And 9, the wheels 3 are preferably fixed by ball pins 3', each pin 3' passing through the hub of a wheel 3 and being inserted into a lateral bore 2D of a wing 2A, respectively 2B, of the chassis to open into the hollow space 2C of the wing of the chassis, the balls 3" of the pin coming against the wall of the hollow space, thus locking the fixing of the pin 3'.

[0053] The wheels are fire-resistant and / or at least resistant to intense heat. These wheels can be made of reinforced rubber, or even metallic, such as aluminum, to benefit from the inherent lightness of the material.

[0054] In a preferred example of means of locomotion 3 and as illustrated, the wheels are holonomic wheels with tangential rollers.

[0055] Advantageously, the device of the invention can be motorized, and include an electric motor of the brushless type, preferably installed in a wheel, so as to facilitate the driving of the device and therefore of the pipe when the pipe is pulled.

[0056] There figure 9 This illustrates a further variant of a chassis with two cradles. Here, the chassis is not manufactured with a fixed number of cradles, but rather is an assembly of several single-cradle chassis (although each chassis could include multiple cradles). This variant has the advantage of allowing the user to customize the desired number of cradles on-site—in this case, two—by assembling several single-cradle chassis adjacently along the XX' axis and attaching a wheel 3 to each of the distal ends.

[0057] In this embodiment, the maneuvering assistance device 1 includes removable fastening means 5 for assembling two chassis 2 side by side. The removable fastening means 5 include a pin 50 adapted to engage in the lateral bores 2D of the chassis wings (normally used for engaging the ball pins 3' for wheel mounting 3), and, as a locking means, preferably two ball pins 51 and 52 intended to engage in holes 2E of the chassis wings (also visible on the figure 3c ) and to cooperate across axis 50.

[0058] The use of the pipe handling assistance device 1 is now described.

[0059] After unrolling a pipe, connecting said pipe to a source of pressurized fluid, and once the pipe has been pressurized by said fluid to give it its service conformation, the user can position maneuvering assistance devices 1 according to the present invention, regularly, along the length of said pipe.

[0060] To do this, the user slides the frame 2 under the pipe to position the pipe directly over the frame cradle after spreading the flange, if present. They then apply firm vertical pressure to the pipe to pass through the narrowing between the two protruding / curved ends 25 and 26, and push the pipe into the cradle. The pipe is now securely in place and won't accidentally come out of the cradle.

[0061] Alternatively, the pipe may have been arranged in the cradle before being pressurized. As soon as it is pressurized, it is locked in place.

[0062] For safety, to anticipate the pipe remaining in the cradle when it is no longer under pressure, the user can lock the pipe in position by placing the flange 40 and locking it via the locking system 43.

Claims

1. Device for assisting with the maneuvering of a fire hose during operations, comprising a frame (2) having an upper face (2'), at least one cradle (20), the opening of which opens out at the upper face (2'), and two opposite, compact flanges (2A,2B) which are on either side of the cradle (20) and to which movement means (3) are fastened, the cradle (20) having an internal shape with a circular concavity (21) and the frame (2) having a main axis (XX') perpendicular to the thickness of the frame and perpendicular to the direction of a hose to be installed in the cradle (20), characterized in that the concavity (21) of the cradle extends along a circular arc with an angle greater than 180° and the movement means (3) are removable and comprise two wheels (30,31) free to rotate about the main axis (XX') and mounted on two half-shafts each rigidly connected to one of the two opposite flanges (2A,2B), and the wheels (30,31) are fastened by ball pins (3'), each pin (3') passing through a hub of a wheel (30,31) and being inserted into a lateral bore (2D) in a flange (2A,2B) of the frame (2).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cradle (20) has two free ends (25, 26) which project toward the inside of the cradle (20).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cradle (20) has a lower semicircle (22) of fixed diameter which is extended by two opposite extension portions (23, 24) in the shape of a circular arc, terminating in two opposite free ends (25, 26), said free ends (25, 26) projecting from two respective planes orthogonal to the diameter of the semicircle (22) and tangent to the end points of said diameter.

4. Device according to either one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the separation distance between the two free ends (25, 26) is smaller than the diameter of the hose to be accommodated in the cradle (20).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the concavity (21) of the cradle (20) extends along a circular arc with an angle of the order of 240°.

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (2) has a plurality of cradles arranged adjacent to one another in a horizontal plane in the use position of the device.

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement means (3) are removable and are fastened to the frame (2) by removable fastening means, preferably fastened by ball pins (3').

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement means (3) are holonomic wheels with tangential rollers.

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is motor-driven, in particular has a brushless motor.

10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a plurality of frames (2) each having at least one cradle, the frames (2) abutting one another laterally and being joined by removable fastening means (5) which preferably comprise a connecting pin (50) connecting two frames, and two locking ball pins (51, 52) passing through the frames (2) orthogonally to the connecting pin (50).

11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has strapping means (4) for locking the hose in position in its cradle (20), in particular the strapping means (4) having a strap (40) and a locking system (43) engaging with the frame (2) and preferably in the form of a ball pin.

12. Use of a device according to any one of the preceding claims in assisting with the maneuvering of at least one fire hose in operations, said at least one hose being fastened in said at least one cradle (20).

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