You may be surprised to know that your piping system, the connectors between different parts of your car engine, and the workings of your scuba diving equipment all have one thing in common: the hose.
By definition, a hose is a flexible, hollow tube designed to carry liquids from one location to another. Hoses are actually called pipes, though nomenclature generally refers to hoses as flexible tubes, whereas pipes are inflexible tubes. Both are generally called ‘tubing’.
Hose design is made based on application and performance; for instance, a hose designed to transport wastewater may be in a different shape and size than a radiator hose for your car. Common factors influencing design include size, pressure rating, length, straight hose, coil-hose, or chemical compatibility.
Hoses may be made out of different material. This corresponds to usage and what liquid is being transported between different containers. A hose transporting a fairly toxic liquid might be different than a hose transporting water, as with your garden hose. Common types of material for a hose include:
- Nylon
- Polyurethane
- PVC
- Natural or synthetic rubbers
- Teflon
Hoses have as many applications as there are needs to move liquid from place to place An easy application of a hose is the garden hose, which is used to move water from a building to a lawn, garden, or other outside area. A fire hose, which like a garden hose, moves water, but this time uses water to fight fires.
Metal or plastic hoses move water around a building, the same way air ducts do for air. And in chemistry or medicine, “tubes” are used to move liquid and gases around for scientific procedures or experiments.
Then there are hoses for automotive needs. For those uneducated in the workings of an automotive engine, hoses have many applications moving liquid from place to place. There are hoses in the brake system, if the automotive has vacuum brakes (these use air as a signal to brake); and there are hoses to move fluid around for use in cooling, lubrication, and hydraulics.
Because hoses are used in the workings of an automotive engine (and other applications like plumbing or wastewater management), hoses are equipped with a specific tools to help with possible liquid leaks. This is because the ends of the hose are the weakest points (assuming the hose is a good quality hose) and can leak liquid.
These specific tools are called clamps.
The hose clamp is a device or tool used to attach and seal a hose onto a fitting, often called a barb or a nipple. There are many types available, though the most common hose clamp types are the screw clamp, the spring clamp, and the wire clamp.
The screw clamp consists of a galvanized or stainless steel band where a screw thread pattern has been cut or pressed. The idea behind the attachment of the screw clamp is fairly simple. One end of the band contains a screw. The clamp is put around the hose or tube to be connected. When the screw is turned, it acts as a worm drive and tightens the band to the material.
The spring clamp acts like three interlocking parts. There is a middle ring with jut protruding from one side, with a top ring and a bottom ring that have juts protruding at a different angle. When fitting on the clamp, the spring clamp is loosened by pulling the juts further apart. When tightening, the rings on the clamp are moved together, which tightens it.
The wire clamp is one of the simpler kinds of clamps. In the case of a wire clamp, a thick piece of wire is wrapped around the hose in a U-shape, then wrapped through one side as if overlapping. Then the excess wire is cut off.
There are many different applications for hose clamps. There is the aircraft hoseclamp, the automotive hose clamps, aviation clamps, black hose clamps, and embossed clamps, among others.
When it comes to material, it’s possible to get different material types for hose clamps. One material that is used often for hose clamps is stainless steel, often called stainless steel clamps. Stainless steel clamps have the likelihood of durable performance compared to other clamp material. Stainless steel clamps have strength. Stainless steel clamps have power as well.