Base and spool for managing hose

Abstract

The present invention includes devices, systems and methods of managing, storing, deploying, or retrieving lay-flat hose using a base and a spool attachable to the base. Preferably, the base and spool are moveable by a vehicle. The base includes a mechanism for lifting and transporting by the vehicle. Similarly, the spool includes a mechanism for lifting and transporting by the vehicle. The spool is attachable to the base. The base or vehicle may provide motive force to spin a reel of the spool. A hose guide assembly is preferably included. A hose tensioning device may also be included with the base, spool or reel. A level wind device may also be utilized.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a base with including at least one lift point, at least one reel lockdown, a drive wheel assembly and a hose guide assembly including at least one hose roller and at least one pair of guide rollers.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one lift point includes at least one tine guide or at least one base lift hook. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the base further comprises at least one mating hook. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further comprising a spool with at least one lift point, wherein the at least one lift point is a reel lift hook. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein at least one of hose rollers on a base is a force roller. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the at least one of the force rollers is a tube with an interior surface having at least one fin protruding from the interior surface of the tube with a flowable material within the tube. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the at least one fin is directed to the center point of the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  where in the base further comprises one or more of a level wind device or at least one pair of wheels. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a spool with at least one lift point, wherein the at least one lift point is a tine guide or a reel lift hook. 
     
     
         10 . A method of managing hose, comprising:
 mounting a spool, including a reel, onto a base either by setting the spool in the base or by lifting the spool with the base, wherein the base comprises a hose guide assembly;   moving the base and spool combination with a vehicle generally in a direction perpendicular with an axis of rotation of the reel; and   rotating a hub of the reel to deploy hose from the reel or retrieve hose onto the reel while the moving step is occurring.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the hose is a lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein a drive wheel assembly provides the motive force to rotate the hub. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the base further comprising a hose tensioning device including at least one force roller. 
     
     
         14 . A hose tensioning device, comprising:
 a tube at least temporarily sealed to prevent leakage of a flowable material,   wherein a plurality of fins are attached to the interior surface of the tube, provided that the fins do not contact each other,   wherein the tube is held so that the axis of rotation of the tube is roughly parallel to the axis of rotation of the hub of a reel that may be loaded or unloaded with a hose.   
     
     
         15 . The hose tensioning device of  claim 14  wherein the flowable material occupies less than about half of the interior volume of the tube. 
     
     
         16 . The hose tensioning device of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of tubes at least temporarily sealed to prevent leakage of a flowable material. 
     
     
         17 . The hose tensioning device of  claim 14  further comprising one or more hose roller, one or more guide rollers, a level wind device, or combinations thereof.