Hose structure

Abstract

A material transporting hose of integral construction having a body of flexible, resilient material which includes a pair of longitudinally reinforced portions disposed on opposite sides of the cross-section of the body. The portions include at least one elongated reinforcing member embedded therein extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose to provide longitudinal strength. The longitudinally reinforced portions have a total combined perimeter which is equal to or less than the total combined perimeter of the remaining portions of the cross-section of the hose body which do not contain longitudinal reinforcing members so that at least one-half of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction for ease of handling. The hose structure is particularly useful for long length, fluid transporting hose used in ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship refueling.

I claim: .[.1. A material transporting hose of integral construction comprising a body of flexible resilient material including at least one ply of reinforcing material extending generally circumferentially thereof to provide reinforcement against radial forces within the hose and an outer cover surrounding said reinforcing material, a pair of circumferentially spaced longitudinally reinforced portions providing primary resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive end loads, said portions surrounded by said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on opposite sides of the cross section thereof, said portions each having at least one elongated stress-resisting reinforcing member embedded therein with said member extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose and capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal tensile stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength, and remaining portions free of said reinforcing members disposed adjacent to said longitudinally reinforced portions on each side thereof with said longitudinally reinforced portions having a total combined perimeter equal to or less than the total combined perimeter of the remaining portions of the cross-section of said body therebetween to provide a hose construction in which at least one-half of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks..]. .[.2. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein said longitudinally reinforced portions include a plurality of said members with substantially an equal number of said members in each portion to provide a balanced symmetrical hose construction..]. .[.3. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said longitudinally reinforced portion comprises at least two parallel layers of said members..]. .[.4. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body comprises a plurality of plies of reinforcing material therein and said members are interposed between any two said plies..]. .[.5. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein said members are reinforcing cords comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of nylon, rayon, polyester, fiber glass and metal..]. .[.6. The hose as claimed in claim 1 wherein said portions are disposed substantially at the neutral axis of said hose..]. .[.7. The hose as claimed in claim 5 wherein said reinforcing material extends in a biased relationship to said cords with said members being comprised of polyester and said reinforcing material 
     
        being comprised of nylon..]. .[.8.  The hose as claimed in claim 6 wherein said hose has a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration and said longitudinally reinforced portions define a total combined arc of 180° or less..]. .[.9. The hose as claimed in claim 8 wherein said longitudinally reinforced portions define a total combined arc of 120° or less..]. .[.10. The hose as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said portion extends in an arc of about 45° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose..]. .[.11. The hose as claimed in claim 9 wherein each said portion extends in an arc of about 30° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose..]. .[.12. A fluid transporting hose of a generally circular cross-sectional configuration having a reinforced body of flexible elastomeric material including an inner tube and an outer cover of elastomeric material and at least one ply of reinforcing material disposed between said tube and cover extending generally circumferentially about said body to provide reinforcement against radial forces within the hose, a pair of spaced longitudinally reinforced strips providing primary resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive end loads, said strips surrounded by said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on diametrically opposite sides of the cross-section thereof, said cover having a substantially uniform thickness with no substantial protuberances therein, said strips including a plurality of elongated stress-resisting reinforcing cords embedded therein and disposed in at least one layer and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose with said cords capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal tensile stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength with the remainder of the cross section of said body being free of said cords, said strips having a total combined circumferential dimension substantially less than the circumferential dimension of the remainder of the cross section of said body to provide an integral hose construction in which a majority of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks..]. .[.13. The hose as claimed in claim 12 wherein said body comprises a plurality of plies of reinforcing material therein and said strips are interposed between any two said plies substantially at the neutral axis of said hose..]. .[.14. The hose as claimed in claim 13 wherein said strips define a total combined arc of 180° or less..]. .[.15. The hose as claimed in claim 14 wherein said strips define a total combined arc of 120° or less..]. .[.16. The hose as claimed in claim 14 wherein each said strip extends in an arc of about 45° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose..]. .[.17. The hose as claimed in claim 16 wherein each said strip extends in an arc of about 30° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose..]. 
     
     
        .Iadd. 8.  A material transporting hose of integral construction comprising a body of flexible resilient elastomeric material having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration, said body including: an inner tube and an outer cover; reinforcing material of a balanced symmetrical construction extending generally circumferentially about said tube and surrounded by said cover to provide reinforcement against radial forces within the hose; and   a pair of circumferentially spaced longitudinally reinforced portions having in cross section a total combined perimeter which is substantially less than the perimeter of the cross section of the body, said portions extending substantially the entire length of the hose thereby providing primary resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive end loads, said portions being surrounded by said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on opposite sides of the cross section thereof between said cover and said tube, said cover having a substantially uniform thickness with no substantial protuberances therein, said portions each including a plurality of elongated stress-resisting reinforcing members with substantially an equal number of said members in each portion to provide a balanced symmetrical hose construction, each said member extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose for substantially the entire length of said hose, and being capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength; and   remaining portions free of said reinforcing members disposed adjacent to said longitudinally reinforced portions on each side thereof with said longitudinally reinforced portions having a total combined perimeter equal to or less than the total combined perimeter of the remaining portions of the cross-section of said body therebetween to provide a hose construction in which at least one-half of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction for enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The hose as claimed in claim 18 wherein each said longitudinally reinforced portion includes at least two parallel layers of said members. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The hose as claimed in claim 18 wherein said reinforcing material includes a plurality of plies and each said member is interposed between any two said plies of reinforcing material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The hose as claimed in claim 18 wherein said members are reinforcing cords comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of nylon, rayon, polyester, fiber glass and metal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The hose as claimed in claim 18 wherein said hose has a neutral axis and wherein said reinforced portions are disposed substantially at the neutral axis of said hose. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.23.  The hose as claimed in claim 22 wherein said reinforcing material is a plurality of cord plies extending in a bias relationship to said reinforcing cords and wherein said reinforcing cords are comprised of polyester and said reinforcing material is comprised of nylon. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The hose as claimed in claim 23 wherein said longitudinally reinforced portions define a total combined arc of 180° or less. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The hose as claimed in claim 24 wherein said longitudinally reinforced portions define a total combined arc of 120° or less. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The hose as claimed in claim 24 wherein each said longitudinally reinforced portion extends in an arc of about 45° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The hose as claimed in claim 25 wherein each said longitudinally reinforced portion extends in an arc of about 30° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose. .Iadd.28. A fluid transporting hose of a generally circular cross-sectional configuration having a reinforced body of flexible elastomeric material, said body including: an inner tube and an outer cover of elastomeric material and a plurality of cord plies of reinforcing material disposed between said tube and cover and extending generally circumferentially about said body to provide reinforcement against radial forces within the hose,   a pair of spaced longitudinally reinforced strips having in cross section a total combined circumferential dimension which is substantially less than the circumferential dimension of the cross section of the body, said strips extending substantially the entire length of said hose thereby providing primary resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive end loads, said strips surrounded by said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on diametrically opposite sides of the cross section thereof, said cover having a substantially uniform thickness with no substantial protuberances therein, said strips including a plurality of elongated stress-resisting reinforcing cords embedded therein and disposed in at least one layer and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose for substantially its entire length, said cords being capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal tensile stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength with the remainder of the cross section of said body disposed adjacent to said strips being free of said cords, said strips having a total combined circumferential dimension substantially less than the circumferential dimension of the remainder of the cross section of said body to provide an integral hose construction in which a majority of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. A fluid transporting hose of a generally circular cross-sectional configuration having a neutral axis a reinforced body of elastomeric material including an inner tube and an outer cover of elastomeric material and at least one ply of reinforcing material disposed between said tube and cover extending generally circumferentially about said body to provide reinforcement against radial forces within the hose, a pair of spaced longitudinally reinforced strips, providing primary resistance to elongation of the hose and constriction of the hose opening caused by excessive end loads, said strips surrounded by said cover so as to be disposed completely within said body on diametrically opposite sides of the cross-section thereof, said cover having a substantially uniform thickness with no substantial protuberances therein, said strips including a plurality of elongated stress-resisting reinforcing cords embedded therein and disposed in at least one layer and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose with said cords capable of withstanding substantial longitudinal tensile stresses applied to the end of the hose to provide the hose with longitudinal strength with the remainder of the cross section of said body being free of said cords, said strips having a total combined circumferential dimension substantially less than the circumferential dimension of the remainder of the cross section of said body to provide an integral hose construction in which a majority of the hose remains flexible in a longitudinal direction thereby enabling the hose to be more easily reeled upon itself and less likely to develop kinks, said body including a plurality of plies of reinforcing material therein and said strips being interposed between any two said plies substantially at the neutral axis of said hose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The hose as claimed in claim 29 wherein said cords of said strips are composed of nylon and said strips define a total combined arc of approximately 180°. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The hose as claimed in claim 29 wherein said cords of said strips are composed of the material selected from at least one of the group consisting of polyester and rayon and said strips define a total combined arc of 180° or less. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The hose as defined in claim 29 wherein each said strip extends in an arc of about 45° or less on each side of the neutral axis of the hose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The hose as claimed in claim 29 wherein each said strip extends in an arc of about 30° or less on each side of the neutral axis of   
     
     
        the hose. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34.  The hose as claimed in claim 29 wherein said cords are composed of the material selected from at least one of the group consisting of fiber glass and steel and said strips define a total combined arc of 20° or less. .Iaddend.