Hose reels are cylindrical devices around which any variety of hoses can be either mechanically or manually wound. Also known as automatic hose reels, various types of mechanical means of winding or unwinding the hosing from the reel include electric, spring and pneumatic power. In terms of manually-powered hose reels, most feature a side-mounted handle for winding and unwinding purposes.
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The main function of a hose reel is to keep the hosing neat and kink free in both times of use and inactivity. Some additional benefits to the use of hose reels include preventing safety hazards to employees and customers that arise from hoses that are simply lying on the ground as well as increasing the longevity of the hose. In addition to hose reels, reel manufacturers also design and fabricate solutions for electric cables, cords and ropes as well as air hose reels, cable reels, water hose reels, medical cord reels, extension reels, cable carriers and even fire hose reels, which are high pressure hose reels made for hoses that spray water, air or heavy liquids. Some applications and industries that hose reels and other reel types are frequently utilized in include: construction, in order to maintain the power cords used for various types of non-cordless power tools; medical, for various essential hospital equipment such as crash carts; and industrial manufacturing, for use in the powering of various types of automation equipment.
Hose reels are manufactured to meet the specific requirements of a variety of applications. For instance, for residential applications, there are smaller versions of hose reels available that are able to house small diameter and lighter hosing such as the average garden hose. For larger diameter hoses, such as fire department and construction hoses, the hose reels will need to be built much larger and out of much more rigid materials in order to support the extra length and weight of the tubing. Another type of large diameter hose would be used in industrial manufacturing applications, in which industrial reels are used to wind the hosing as well as cords and cables used for arc and gas welding, air and hydraulic tools, industrial lighting and more. In addition, there are hose reels that are solely utilized for the transportation, while other types of hose reels can be used for both storage and transportation applications. Still, there are types of hose reels that allow the use of the hose while it is still wound up and others, known as retractable hose reels, which allow for self-contained, automatic retrieval of the unwound hosing. One of the main benefits shared by all of these different types of hose reels is that they provide easy access and storing efficiency, which is what draws the consumers towards them.
There are many different design options for hose reels. One of the major variations in design that a hose reel can have is different retraction options. Different retraction options for hose reels include manual, electric, hydraulic, spring and pneumatic. For a manual hose reel, there is no automatic retraction mechanism, in its place there is a hand-turned crank. For electric, hydraulic and pneumatically-powered hose reels there is a motor that is used to power the automatic retraction mechanism. Spring-powered hose reels, however, work through different means and instead have an internal spring that is utilized in order to retract the hosing. When it comes to spring hose reels, the spring motor is often hermetically sealed in order to completely isolate it from both dirt and moisture. No matter the type of retraction option, the majority of these hose reel types come with a latching mechanism that is used to assure positive extension stop and ease of retraction at any length. Another design option for hose reels is the type of material used to construct the reel itself. Some applications require the use of a specific type of material, such as medical cord reels require the use of a sanitary grade materials such as 304L stainless steel, whereas other types of hose reels, such as industrial reels, simply require the use of a heavy-duty and corrosion-resistant type of metal, which could include various grades of steel, stainless steel and even aluminum.
There are many different aspects of the application to take into consideration before the purchase of a hose reel. For instance, what is the type of medium that the hosing housed by the reel is being used to convey. For air, such as required by pneumatic tools, it is important to figure out what pounds per square inch (psi) the hose must be able to handle. In addition to air, the hosing used to conveyor oil, grease and various lubricants also requires foreknowledge of the specific range of psi. For applications that may require more torque, it is important the take into consideration the inner diameter (ID) of the hosing, since applications requiring a lot of torque will require hosing with a large ID. For cord reels, factors such as type of cable, cable length, number of conductors and cable wire size should all be taken into consideration. In addition to choosing the incorrect hose reel for the application, there are a number of other reasons why hose reels may fail. For example, if a spring hose reel is not properly hermetically sealed and is thus exposed to the atmosphere, the internal spring will eventually rust and break. Also, incorrect material choice for parts may cause failure, such as latching mechanisms that are constructed from either thin sheet metal or cast aluminum.
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Hose Reels and
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Hose Reel Types
Hose Reel Terms
- Also referred to as a "hose" or "bumper" stop,
it is used to govern retraction length. When accessories such as drills
and air guns are installed on hose reels, ball stops are frequently required.
- A simple L-shaped
object, which has one arm fixed to a vertical surface, such as a wall.
The other arm projects in a horizontal direction and is often used to
support hose reels.
- A device placed over a section of hosing that allows traffic
to pass over without damaging the hose.
- The fabric, cord and/or metal reinforcing section of
a hose, which is different from the tube or cover.
- The diameter of the inside of the reel.
- A fitting that
is attached to the end of a hose in order to connect two hose lines together
or to connect the hose to an appliance, nozzle, discharge valve, fire
hydrant, etc.
- The outermost part of the hose that protects the hose reinforcement
from physical and environmental abuse.
- A square hose guide.
- A piece that usually projects from the side of the
hose reel. Its purpose is to guide the hosing encased inside of it in
a straight line, allowing for easier, less tangled hose retrieval.
- The distance measured from where the hose is positioned
to the centerline of the spool.
- A base that allows a hose reel to turn in different
directions.
- The maximum pressure capacity of hosing or cord.
For air and water hoses, it is given in pounds per square inch (psi);
for electrical cables and power cords, it is given in voltage (V).
- A device used to hold hose reel spools in place at particular
points of payout.
- The maximum length of hosing, typically expressed
in feet, that a reel is designed to efficiently house.
- The central part of the hose that gives it its
strength. The hose working pressure depends on the type and amount of
reinforcement used in the hose construction.
- Hose that remains on the reel when the rest is completely
unwound.
- The device upon which the hosing or wiring is wound.
It rotates with the swivel, which in turn loads and unloads the hose.
- A supported pivot that allows the hose reel to rotate
in a horizontal plane, enabling the winding and unwinding motions. The
swivel also transfers gas/fluid from a fixed source to a rotating source.
- A part that keeps spool flanges connected rigidly to
the drum.