US2704556A - Flexible plastic tubing - Google Patents

Description

March 22, M B BUSH FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBING Filed Oct. 23, 1952 United States Patent FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBING Matthew B. Blish, Oak Park, Ill.

Application October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,433

1 Claim. (Cl. 138-56) The main object of this invention is to provide a flexible plastic tubing with means associated therewith for sustaining sufl'icient support to retain predetermined curves upon bending the plastic tubing and to support the tubing against inward collapse thereby providing unrestricted passage through the curved tubing.

Another object of the invention is to provide tubing of this type which enables objects fixed to one or both ends of the tubing to be quickly and easily adjusted to desired positions and so retained for more eflicient operation when incorporated in certain parts of articles of everyday use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tubing having these qualities that is simple and practical in construction, reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in certain novel structures and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, in which like parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view (partly broken away) of a section of flexible plastic tubing.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view (partly broken away) of a section of flexible plastic tubing showing a modification of the device.

Fig. 3 is an elevational side view showing a section of the device incorporated in use with a spray unit.

Fig. 4 is an elevational side view showing a section of the device incorporated in use with a flashlight.

Referring to the drawings, and first particularly to the now preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the metallic strips are of non-resilient proper ties and are embedded within the circumambient tubing walls 11 encompassing the bore of the tubing at uniformly spaced intervals and disposed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tubing 12 so that when the tubing is bent into a curve the portion of the wall on the concave side is supported upon a fixed radius by at least one of the metallic strips on that side of the tube and the others of the strips supporting the portion of the tubing wall on the convex side of the curve upon a relatively larger fixed radius, thus the tubing wall is supported against inward collapse providing unrestricted passage through the curved tubing.

The inside section 11a as shown in the modification in Fig. 2 is molded with indentations 13 in its outside surface to correspond with one-half the thickness of the metallic strips 10. The outside section 11b having indentations 14 in its inside surface at intervals corresponding with indentations 13 and adapted to receive one-half the thickness of the metallic strips. A bonding agent film is coated over the outside surface of the inner section; the metallic strips are placed within the indentations 13; the outer section is then telescoped over the inner section and metallic strips so that indentations in the outer section receive the remaining one-half thickness of the metallic strips.

Fig. 3 shows one adaptation of the tubing in actual use. The tubing 12 connects the spray unit 15 and the flange 16 which is fixed over the mouth of the water faucet 17. Upon bending the tubing, the spray unit is directed to a desired curve and is there retained for efiicient use of the spray.

Another adaptation of the tubing is shown in Fig. 4. The flashlight case 18 and reflector 19 are connected with a section of tubing 12, which when bent, directs the reflector to a desired curve for more convenient use of the flashlight.

From the foregoing descriptions it will be understood that the invention provides a new and eflicient means for using flexible plastic tubing in a manner which enables the tubing to be conveniently directed to and retained at predetermined curves.

While only two applications of the tubing are shown and described, it will be understood that the device is applicable to other purposes to rigidly retain a flexible plastic tubing at predetermined curves for the more convenient and eflicient conveyance of chemicals, liquid foodstufis, air ventilation ducts and the like.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is therefore deemed unnecessary.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the same principal combinations and functional relationships of elements are involved in the preferred form shown in Fig. 1 and the modification shown in Fig. 2, as in a broad sense, bendable metallic strips having non-resilient properties and of sufficient rigidity to support the flexible plastic tubing for retention at predetermined curves are embedded between the bore of the plastic material and its outside surface.

The term plastic used herein relates to non-metallic substances having flexible properties and capable of being formed or molded.

It is to be further understood that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment and modification the invention is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention and from the exact shapes shown without affecting the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A flexible tubing comprising a plastic wall encompassing a bore within the tubing, a plurality of flexible metallic strips having non-resilient properties extending longitudinally of the tubing and embedded within the wall, each said strip being normally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bore of the tubing and said strips being disposed at close and uniformly spaced intervals so that when the tubing is bent into a curve the portion of the wall on the concave side of the curve is supported upon a fixed radius by at least one of the strips embedded on that side of the tube, others of the strips supporting the portion of the tubing wall on the convex side of the curve upon a relatively larger fixed radius, whereby the tubing wall is supported against inward collapse thereby providing unrestricted passage through the curved tubing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 28,647 Butler June 12, 1860 182,485 Saul Sept. 19, 1876 480,749 Stanley Aug. 16, 1892 625,917 Arnold May 30, 1899 1,626,533 Hergershausen Apr. 26, 1927 2,530,105 Wallace Nov. 14, 1950 2,619,125 Eickmeyer et a1 Nov. 25, 1952 2,648,720 Alexander Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 447,816 Great Britain May 21, 1936

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