Automation Industries, Inc.

George T Dunn, Jr

Thomas A Kutnyak

Alcide W Choiniere

Chester L Guiles

A hose-to-wall fitting for attachment to one end of a current-carrying flexible hose to enable such hose to be connected through a wall-mounted current-carrying inlet valve to both (1) a source of vacuum and (2) dual sources of electrical power, e.g., a high-voltage source for powering a motor or the like, and a low-voltage source for powering a control circuit or the like through a switch built into the handle/wand fitting attached to the other end of the hose. The high-voltage male contacts of the hose-to-wall fitting can be reversed to enable use with the types of inlet valves which incorporate only the connections to the source of vacuum and to the low voltage source, or only the connection to the source of vacuum, the high-voltage connection being made in either case through a short electrical cord to a conventional electrical outlet.

Universal high/low voltage hose-to-wall fitting for current-carrying

A current-carrying flexible hose having at least two parallel helical support wires, inner and outer plastic strips wrapped helically about the support wires, and at least one pair of helical electrical conductors disposed on opposite sides of one of the support wires and slidably positioned between the inner and outer plastic strips. Each of the helical electrical conductors comprises a conductive element and a plastic dielectric coating disposed around the conductive element. The plastic dielectric coatings are not bonded to the inner and outer plastic strips so that they may slide therebetween.

Current-carrying flexible hose

A preformed radiator hose and a method of manufacturing such a hose are disclosed herein. A long length of an uncured hose is first fabricated by alternately wrapping layers of an uncured elastomer and fiber reinforcements around a straight mandrel. The uncured hose is then removed from the straight mandrel and cut into shorter segments. Each of these segments is then placed on a contoured mandrel having a shape corresponding to the intended configuration of the final hose and cured by heating. Although the fully cured hose does have a permanent shape, because of the unique arrangement of the reinforcements, etc., it has sufficient deformability to be easily slipped off the mandrel.

Reinforced formed hose

The hose assembly, preferably for use as a flexible hose for a vacuum cleaner or the like, includes a pair of side by side electrical conductors helically wound integrally within the hose. Each conductor is doubly insulated. A tubular coupling cuff is screwed onto one end of the hose for coupling the hose to other equipment. The cuff is molded with a recessed area on the inner diameter thereof. Wire connectors between conductors in the hose and wires in an electrical wiring harness are mounted in a strain relief molded onto the harness and mounted in the recess so that when the harness is pulled, the wires thereof will not become disconnected from the conductors of the current carrying hose.

Current carrying hose assembly

Method of making a formed hose

A flexible vacuum cleaner hose is provided with a simple and inexpensive end fitting for use with various vacuum cleaner accessories and attachments. The hose is a corrugated plastic, i.e., it has annular rings or corrugations formed therein. Each section of hose has a predetermined length with a suitable cuff on each end thereof. Each of the cuffs includes a snap lock. The end fitting is a one piece molded member having a locking seat and a tapered end section or a threaded end section. The tapered section is adapted to be forced into the cuff so as to spread the snap lock on the cuff. The snap lock rides over the end section and drops into the locking seat formed therebehind. This is effective to lock the end fitting on the hose while allowing it to remain free to rotate inside the cuff.

Snap-in swivel end fitting

A machine for and a method of forming a continuous tubing of flexible material, said tubing being wound in helical fashion and having interlocking edge portions. The machine includes a pair of spaced askew related rollers about which a strip of flexible material is wound, one of the rollers having a plurality of annular fins spaced apart the width of the strip of flexible material to partially receive the strip between portions of adjacent fins. The other of said rollers may have a single annular fin. Guide means contact external surfaces of edge interlocking portions of the wound strip. Both of said rollers are driven at the same speed. In the method of forming such a flexible continuous tube the improvement comprises positively engaging internal surfaces of turns of the strip being wound for advancing the strip in one direction and positively engaging external surfaces of a portion of at least one turn of the strip being wound for guiding the strip on the pair of rollers.

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Abbeville, SC, United States of America

George T Dunn, Jr