Fire Hose Advancer & Kink Preventer
Design of a firefighting hose device that grips, advances, and uses a shuttle mechanism to prevent kinking.
Must work with both 45mm and 64mm ID Heavy-Duty Layflat Type 3 Fire Hose
Grips and advances water-filled hoses in the intended direction
Moves back and forth along the hose to straighten out kinks
Installation and removal must be possible by two semi-trained firefighters within 5 minutes
Constraints
Design Working
Rover Design
Two-module chassis with a pivot mechanism for unpowered automatic steering
Battery housing with water-resistant and heat-protective features for wildfire conditions
Gripper Design
Concave arm design with grooved rubber for secure gripping of 45 mm and 64 mm hoses with lead screw mechanism tightening
Shuttle Design
Three modules: two unpowered with concave rollers for alignment, and one powered for propulsion
Adjustable roller gap for easy hose mounting/dismounting
