Extendable Crosslay Hose Bed for Fire Truck Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crosslay hose beds on fire trucks are cumbersome to load and access due to their high mounting, which complicates the stacking and retrieval of fire hoses, often requiring users to access upper decks and consume valuable space.
Innovation Solution
An extendable crosslay hose bed with a moveable tray that can be powered to extend and retract, allowing for easier access and loading of fire hoses from a lower position, incorporating telescoping waterways and valves for fluid management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the crosslay hose bed is mounted high on the truck, then the hose can be accessed from either side and space is conserved, but it becomes difficult and cumbersome to load and retrieve hoses
Solution Approach 1:
The hose bed is designed to be moveable between a retracted position (stored within the truck body) and an extended position (projecting laterally from the truck). This dynamic configuration allows the hose bed to be accessible from ground level when extended, eliminating the need for high mounting while maintaining space efficiency when retracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose bed integrates with the truck body structure, nesting within the available space when not in use. The moveable tray and support frame are designed to fold or retract into the truck's existing structural envelope, conserving space while providing external access when needed.
2Ease of operation
If a standing platform is added to access the crosslay hose bed, then hose loading becomes easier, but valuable space on the truck is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The hose bed projects laterally from the truck body on a moveable support frame, allowing users to access it from ground level without requiring a standing platform. The lateral extension provides ergonomic access while the moveable design retracts to minimize space occupation when not in use.
3Area of stationary object
If the crosslay hose bed is mounted over the pump or control area, then space is conserved, but access to the hose bed becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hose bed is designed to extend laterally from the truck body, positioning it away from the pump and control areas when in use. The moveable support frame allows the hose bed to project outward, providing clear access while maintaining compact integration with the truck's underlying systems when retracted.
Data Source
AI summary
A firefighting or rescue apparatus includes an extendable crosslay hose bed which facilitates access to the crosslay bed for loading and pulling flexible fire hose. The bed is mounted to a frame, generally behind the cab of the apparatus, which can be a fire truck. The bed includes a moveable tray extending laterally, across a width of the truck. The tray can be oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the truck as well. The tray and/or an optional underlying support frame can be coupled to a power unit adapted to extend and retract the support frame and moveable tray from stored position to a deployed position. A control can be in communication with the power unit and operable by a user to control movement of the tray from the stored position to the deployed position.