Method of forming an abrasion resistant hose assembly

Claim 1

A method of forming an abrasion resistant hose assembly comprising the sequential steps of selecting a length of flexible hose having an outer surface, securing metallic hose fittings to each end of said hose, placing said hose in a mold formed to receive a portion of said hose interspacing the ends of the hose and including a plurality of chambers extending circumferentially around said hose in said mold, filling said chambers with a liquid plastic material at a temperature above the melting point of said plastic, allowing said plastic material to harden, and removing said hose from said mold with the solid plastic material forming shaped bumper members on the surface of said hose, each of said bumper members retaining the shape of the chamber in which it was formed and gripping the external surface of said hose with a shrink fit resulting from the thermal contraction of said plastic material around the outer surface of said hose.

Claim 2

A method of forming an abrasion resistant hose assembly comprising the sequential steps of selecting a length of flexible hose having an outer surface, securing metallic hose fittings to each end of said hose, placing said hose in a mold formed to receive a portion of said hose interspacing the ends of the hose and including a plurality of chambers extending circumferentially around said hose in said mold, filling said chambers with a liquid plastic material at a temperature above the melting point of said plastic, allowing said plastic material to harden, and removing said hose from said mold with the solid plastic material forming shaped bumper members on the surface of said hose, each of said bumper members retaining the shape of the chamber in which it was formed and gripping the external surface of said hose with a shrink fit resulting from the thermal contraction of said plastic material around the outer surface of said hose.

Claim 4

A method of forming an abrasion resistant hose assembly comprising first securing metallic end fittings to the ends of a length of flexible hose and then frictionally locking a plurality of bumper members about said hose at spaced locations intermediate the ends thereof, the step of frictionally locking said bumper members about said hose including providing a mold having a plurality of chambers arranged to close circumferentially around said hose at spaced locations interspacing the ends thereof, placing said hose in said mold, filling said chambers with a liquid plastic material which contracts upon solidification, causing said plastic material to solidify and contract to form said bumper members and secure them to said hose solely by the frictional forces developed intermediate the internal surface of said bumper members and the outer surface of said hose upon contraction of said plastic material, and removing said hose with said bumper members frictionally locked thereto from said mold.

Claim 5

A method of forming an abrasion resistant hose assembly comprising first securing metallic end fittings to the ends of a length of flexible hose and then frictionally locking a plurality of bumper members about said hose at spaced locations intermediate the ends thereof, the step of frictionally locking said bumper members about said hose including providing a mold having a plurality of chambers arranged to close circumferentially around said hose at spaced locations interspacing the ends thereof, placing said hose in said mold, filling said chambers with a liquid plastic material which contracts upon solidification, causing said plastic material to solidify and contract to form said bumper members and secure them to said hose solely by the frictional forces developed intermediate the internal surface of said bumper members and the outer surface of said hose upon contraction of said plastic material, and removing said hose with said bumper members frictionally locked thereto from said mold.