Apparatus for making a wire reinforced flexible hose

Claim 1

A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING AN ELASTIC TUBE HAVING A SMOOTH INNER AND A SPIRALLY GROOVED OUTER SURFACE AND BEING REINFORCED BY A WIRE COIL, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL MANDREL ROTATABLY SUPPORTED AT ONE END AND FREE AT ITS OTHER END, SAID MANDREL BEING SECURED AGAINST AXIAL DISPLACEMENT, SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERABLE MEANS FOR WINDING A REINFORCING WIRE ABOUT THE MANDREL AND MEANS FOR WRAPPING A PLIABLE PROFILED TAPE ABOUT WIRE COILS FORMED ON THE MANDREL, SAID WIRE WINDING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED ROLLER HAVING A ROTATIONAL AXIS DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE IN REFERENCE TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE MANDREL FOR CONTINUALLY FEEDING REINFORCING WIRE TO THE MANDREL AT THE SUPPORTED END THEREOF TO FORM SUCCESSIVE COIL WINDINGS ON THE MANDREL, AND SAID TAPE WRAPPING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF PERIPHERALLY PROFILED ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOUT AXES PARALLEL TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE MANDREL, SAID ROLLERS OF SAID PAIR BEING AXIALLY STAGGERED AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED IN REFERENCE TO THE MANDREL FOR CONTINUALLY FEEDING PREFORMED PROFILED TAPE TO THE MANDREL AND WRAPPING SAID TAPE ABOUT THE WIRE COILS FORMED ON THE MANDREL, SAID WRAPPED COILS CONSTITUTING FINISHED TUBE PORTIONS AND BEING FREED FROM THE MANDREL UPON REACHING THE FREE END THEREOF, AND A STATIONARILY MOUNTED BENDING DEVICE ADJACENT TO THE SUPPORTED END OF THE MANDREL, SAID BENDING DEVICE INCLUDING A BENDING PORTION INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE WIRE FEEDING ROLLER AND THE MANDREL TO BEND THE WIRE TO A CYLINDRICAL CURVATURE HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE MANDREL.

Claim 2

A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING AN ELASTIC TUBE HAVING A SMOOTH INNER AND A SPIRALLY GROOVED OUTER SURFACE AND BEING REINFORCED BY A WIRE COIL, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL MANDREL ROTATABLY SUPPORTED AT ONE END AND FREE AT ITS OTHER END, SAID MANDREL BEING SECURED AGAINST AXIAL DISPLACEMENT, SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERABLE MEANS FOR WINDING A REINFORCING WIRE ABOUT THE MANDREL AND MEANS FOR WRAPPING A PLIABLE PROFILED TAPE ABOUT WIRE COILS FORMED ON THE MANDREL, SAID WIRE WINDING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED ROLLER HAVING A ROTATIONAL AXIS DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE IN REFERENCE TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE MANDREL FOR CONTINUALLY FEEDING REINFORCING WIRE TO THE MANDREL AT THE SUPPORTED END THEREOF TO FORM SUCCESSIVE COIL WINDINGS ON THE MANDREL, AND SAID TAPE WRAPPING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF PERIPHERALLY PROFILED ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOUT AXES PARALLEL TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE MANDREL, SAID ROLLERS OF SAID PAIR BEING AXIALLY STAGGERED AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED IN REFERENCE TO THE MANDREL FOR CONTINUALLY FEEDING PREFORMED PROFILED TAPE TO THE MANDREL AND WRAPPING SAID TAPE ABOUT THE WIRE COILS FORMED ON THE MANDREL, SAID WRAPPED COILS CONSTITUTING FINISHED TUBE PORTIONS AND BEING FREED FROM THE MANDREL UPON REACHING THE FREE END THEREOF, AND A STATIONARILY MOUNTED BENDING DEVICE ADJACENT TO THE SUPPORTED END OF THE MANDREL, SAID BENDING DEVICE INCLUDING A BENDING PORTION INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE WIRE FEEDING ROLLER AND THE MANDREL TO BEND THE WIRE TO A CYLINDRICAL CURVATURE HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE MANDREL.