GB1595335A

GB1595335A - Hose assembly

Info

Publication number: GB1595335A
Application number: GB4135277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Current assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Priority date: 1977-10-05
Filing date: 1977-10-05
Publication date: 1981-08-12
Also published as: NZ188543A; AU4035478A; AU524622B2

Description

(54) HOSE ASSEMBLY (71) We, DUNLOP LIMITED, a British Company of Dunlop House, Ryder Street, St. James's, London SWlY 6PX, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a hose assembly and in particular, though not exclusively, to an assembly of a coupling component and a hose of the crush resistant oil delivery type.

Crush resistant oil delivery hose is often used in offshore applications where it is required in long lengths, and for ease of transport it is often desirable to store a long length of the hose line on a single storage drum.

Since there are practical limitations to the length of the sections in which hose can conveniently be manufactured, it is desirable that the couplings required for the interconnection of successive lengths of hose sections do not inhibit the ready storage of a hose line on a drum, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hose assembly.

According to one aspect of the present invention a hose assembly comprises a hose comprising reinforcing elements embedded in polymeric material and a coupling component comprising an end ring having tubular inner and outer sleeves depending therefrom to define a tubular annular cavity, the reinforcing elements extending beyond said polymeric material at an end of the hose and lying in said tubular annular cavity where they are embedded in a bonding material which provides a bond between said elements and the tubular inner and outer sleeves.

Preferably the bore of the tubular inner sleeve and hose are substantially equal and preferably those parts of the reinforcing elements not embedded in polymeric material are splayed radially outwards to increase the effective bonding surface area of the hose reinforcement layer.

According to another aspect of the present invention a method of ,forming a hose assembly of a coupling component and a hose comprising reinforcing elements which are embedded in polymeric material along a substantial part of the length of the hose but exposed in the region of an end of the hose comprises assembling the hose end and coupling component such that the exposed reinforcing elements are positioned in a tubular annular cavity defined by inner and outer radially spaced concentric sleeves of the coupling component, and injecting a bonding material into the cavity to infiltrate between the reinforcing elements and bond to the elements and coupling component.

In the case of a hose which initially has the reinforcing elements embedded in polymeric material along substantially the whole length of the hose, the polymeric material may be removed, for example by cutting, in the region of an end of the hose to expose the reinforcing elements.

The above and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing which shows in longitudinal section part of a hose assembly in accordance with the present invention.

The hose is a high pressure underwater flexible oil hose land comprises a radially inner armouring layer 10 formed from a pair of helically extending steel wires 11 each of triangular cross-sectional shape and nested together so as to form a substantially smooth surface tubular armouring reinforcement structure.

The armouring layer 10 is surrounded by a layer 12 of oil resisting nitrile rubber which acts as a fluid seal, and this in turn is surrounded by a reinforcement structure comprising layers 13,14 of helically wound wire cord embedded in nitrile rubber Each of the helical wires of layers 13,14 extend in opposite senses and these layers are surrounded by two similar layers 15,16 in which the helical wires also extend in opposite senses. The reinforcement structure of layers 13 to 16 is surrounded in turn by a layer 17 of water resisting neoprene. Although not shown, the layer 17 may be surrounded in turn by an external armouring in the form of a steel strip wound such that successive turns are spaced apart.

Hose of the above described type is described in moredetail in the specification of our co-pending U.K. Patent Application published under Serial No. 2002084.

The hose coupling comprises an annular end ring 18 having depending therefrom and formed integrally therewith a tubular inner sleeve 19. The end ring 18 is formed with a shoulder 20 for abutment by a radially inwardly extending flange portion 21 of a tubular outer sleeve 22 and the inner and outer sleeves are arranged to extend in similar directions from the annular ring 18 to define therebetween a tubular annular cavity 23. The outer sleeve 22 is secured to the end ring 18 by means of bolts 24.

The bore of the inner sleeve 19 is greater than the bore of the ring 18 so as to provide an annular recess to accommodate the fluid sealing layer 12, and the bore of the ring 18 is a little greater than the bore of the hose so as to accommodate the armouring reinforcement structure 10 and assist in ensuring that an assembly of two hose lengths has a smooth bore. An olive coupling 25 is used to interconnect two of the hose coupling components as described below in more detail and this has a bore substantially equal to that of the hose.

In the hose and coupling assembly the tubular inner sleeve 19 is disposed between the fluid sealing layer 1 and the helical wire enirforcement layers 13 to 16. Beyond a position indicated approximately by the line 34 the nitrile rubber of the reinforcement structure has been stripped from the helically extending wires so as to expose the metal surfaces of the wires and enable them to be splayed radially outwards to extend around the outer surface of the inner sleeve 19. The outer surface of the inner sleeve is undulated along its length and binding wires 26 are wound around the radially outer surface of the annular bundle of exposed reinforcind wires to secure them mechanically against the inner sleeve. To assist in providing a grip between the wires and the inner sleeve serrations are formed on those sloping portions of the inner sleeve facing in a direction towards the end ring 18. The serrations may be in the form of a screw thread for ease of manufacture.

To assist in providing a good grip between the outer sleeve 22 and the binding wires 26 and wires of the reinforcing layers 13 to 16 the radially inner surface of the outer sleeve is provided with serrations 27.

The outer sleeve is additionally provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 28 through which resin may be injected into the cavity 23 to fill the interstices between the wires of the reinforcement layers 13 to 16 and the binding wires 26 and also effect a bond between the wires and the metallic surfaces of the inner and outer sleeves. A gland packing 30 and a gland nut 31 at the end of the outer sleeve opposite the end ring 18 restrict the outward flow of the resin material from the cavity 23.

The bore of the inner sleeve is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the lining layer 12 so as to create a space into which resin material may be injected through ports 29.

As illustrated the water resisting neoprene outer layer 17, which has been pared away over the end of the hose to assist in exposing the wires of the reinforcement layers 13 to 16, abuts the gland packing and gland nut to assist in restraining the ingress of sea water or other contaminating fluids into the region of the coupling cavity 23.

To construct a coupling assembly in accordance with the present invention the end of the hose is prepared by removing the water resisting neoprene layer 17 along a part of the length of the hose, and then stripping from the wires of the reinforcement layers 13 to 16 the nitrile rubber in which they are embedded. The reinforcing wires and lining ]ayer 12 are then cut in length to correspond with the length of the cavity 23 and inner recess of the inner sleeve respectively.

The inner sleeve 19 of the coupling component is then inserted between the lining layer and reinforcement layers 13 to 16 and the exposed wires of the reinforcement layers then brought into contact with the inner sleeve by the winding of the binding wires 26 around the outside of the reinforcement layers. The outer sleeve is then secured to the end ring 18 by means of bolts 24, the gland packing 30 and gland nut 31 secured in position, and the coupling component cavity 23 then impregnated under pressure with a resin material such as an epoxy system e.g. CIBA-GEIGY AW134B/HY994, which effects a bond between the wires of the reinforcement layers 13 to 16 and the binding wires 26 and the inner and outer sleeves.

To facilitate interconection of two hose assemblies in accordance with the present invention the end ring 18 is provided with a screw-threaded portion 32 extending axially in a direction opposite to. that of the inner end outer sleeves. In an assembly of two hose lengths having positioned therebetween a sleeve connector 25 pro vided with tapered abutment surfaces, a pair of the portions 32 may be interconnected by a coupling ring 33 provided with left and right-handed threads at each end so as to draw together the two neighbouring portions 32 on relative rotation of the coupling ring.

In the above described embodiment of the invention, the bore of the inner sleeve is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the layer 12 so as to create a space into which resin material may be injected through the ports 29.

The present invention seeks to provide a hose assembly in which the maximum practical area is obtained for effecting a resin bond between reinforcement members of the hose and the surfaces of the hose coupling without requiring the use of a hose coupling of a diameter significantly greater than that of the hose. The invention achieves this by requiring that the polymeric or other material in which the longitudinal reinforcement of the hose is embedded is removed so as to expose the reinforcing elements which may then be bonded directly to the surfaces of the inner and outer sleeves of the coupling as well as the binding wires 26.

The resin material sets hard in the final assembly and the resulting presence of only substantially rigid materials in the tubular annular cavity between the inner and outer sleeves of the hose coupling component ensures that under stressing there is very little movement and therefore very little fatigue of the hose components in this region. This is la particular advantage over hitherto known constructions where polymeric material is present around the reinforcing wires in the coupling component and subject to high loadings which cause it to fatigue relatively readily. A further advantage of removing the polymeric material from the longitudinal reinforcement is that the elements of the reinforcement structure may be separated to permit radial expansion of the reinforcement structure and insertion of an inner sleeve of the coupling between the reinforcement structure and the lining layer and radially innermost armouring layer of the crush resistant type of hose. Accordingly there is no reduction with many hitherto known couplings and furthermore the radial expension of the reinforcement layer assists in increasing the effective area available for effecting a bond with the inner and outer surfaces of the outer and inner sleeves.

Whilst in the described embodiment reference is made specifically to an underwater oil hose it is to be understood that the invention may be applied also to other types of hose such as for example that known as jetting hose for carrying water either in underwater or non-underwater situations.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A hose assembly comprising a hose comprising reinforcing elements embedded in polymeric material and a coupling component comprising an end ring having tubular inner and outer sleeves depending therefrom to define a tubular annular cavity, the reinforcing elements extending beyond said polymeric material at an end of the hose and lying in said tubular annular cavity where they are embedded in a bonding material which provides a bond between said elements and the tubular inner and outer sleeves.

2. A hose assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the tubular inner sleeve has a radially outer surface which undulates in the direction of the length of the hose.

3. A hose assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the bore of the tubular inner sleeve and the bore of the hose are substantially equal.

4. A hose assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein parts of the reinforcing elements not embedded in said polymeric material are splayed radially outwards to surround the tubular inner sleeve.

5. A hose assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the radially outer surface of the tubular inner sleeve is serrated.

6. A hose assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the reinforcing elements are urged against the tubular inner sleeve by means of a binding wire wound around said elements.

7. A hose assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of forming a hose assembly of a coupling component and a hose comprising reinforcing elements which are embedded in polymeric material along a substantial part of the length of the hose but exposed in the region of an end of a hose comprising assembling the hose end and coupling component such that the exposed reinforcing elements are positioned

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. vided with tapered abutment surfaces, a pair of the portions 32 may be interconnected by a coupling ring 33 provided with left and right-handed threads at each end so as to draw together the two neighbouring portions 32 on relative rotation of the coupling ring. In the above described embodiment of the invention, the bore of the inner sleeve is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the layer 12 so as to create a space into which resin material may be injected through the ports 29. The present invention seeks to provide a hose assembly in which the maximum practical area is obtained for effecting a resin bond between reinforcement members of the hose and the surfaces of the hose coupling without requiring the use of a hose coupling of a diameter significantly greater than that of the hose. The invention achieves this by requiring that the polymeric or other material in which the longitudinal reinforcement of the hose is embedded is removed so as to expose the reinforcing elements which may then be bonded directly to the surfaces of the inner and outer sleeves of the coupling as well as the binding wires 26. The resin material sets hard in the final assembly and the resulting presence of only substantially rigid materials in the tubular annular cavity between the inner and outer sleeves of the hose coupling component ensures that under stressing there is very little movement and therefore very little fatigue of the hose components in this region. This is la particular advantage over hitherto known constructions where polymeric material is present around the reinforcing wires in the coupling component and subject to high loadings which cause it to fatigue relatively readily. A further advantage of removing the polymeric material from the longitudinal reinforcement is that the elements of the reinforcement structure may be separated to permit radial expansion of the reinforcement structure and insertion of an inner sleeve of the coupling between the reinforcement structure and the lining layer and radially innermost armouring layer of the crush resistant type of hose. Accordingly there is no reduction with many hitherto known couplings and furthermore the radial expension of the reinforcement layer assists in increasing the effective area available for effecting a bond with the inner and outer surfaces of the outer and inner sleeves. Whilst in the described embodiment reference is made specifically to an underwater oil hose it is to be understood that the invention may be applied also to other types of hose such as for example that known as jetting hose for carrying water either in underwater or non-underwater situations. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A hose assembly comprising a hose comprising reinforcing elements embedded in polymeric material and a coupling component comprising an end ring having tubular inner and outer sleeves depending therefrom to define a tubular annular cavity, the reinforcing elements extending beyond said polymeric material at an end of the hose and lying in said tubular annular cavity where they are embedded in a bonding material which provides a bond between said elements and the tubular inner and outer sleeves.

in a tubular annular cavity defined by inner and outer radially spaced concentric sleeves of the coupling component, and injecting a bonding material into the cavity to infiltrate between the reinforcing elements and bond to the elements and coupling component.

9. A method according to Claim 8 wherein binding wires are wound around the radially outer surface of the exposed reinforcing elements to secure them against the inner sleeve.

10. A hose assembly formed by a method according to Claim 8 or Claim 9.