The Fire Hose Auto-Roller is a device designed to automatically drain and roll fire hoses as large as 5 inches in diameter. The device will roll the hose into a form called a “donut”, which can then be stored on racks in the firestation. At a firefighting scene, these donuts are used to gather the hose so that it can be manually folded into the truck again (called “laying out”) for quick unfolding (called “flaking”). Additional objectives include the inclusion of mobility to carry the donut and brushes to clean the hose as it is being rolled into a donut.

The project was initiated by two UNT ASME officers and MEEN juniors, Jarod Haskins and Andrew Jarrett. David James is another UNT ASME officer, and so he learned about and became involved with the project. This senior design team soon took over all responsibilities in the project. This project will build good rapport between UNT and the City of Denton, as the final product will be donated to the Denton Fire Department in service to the city.

An aluminum frame will house motorized mechanical components. The aluminum frame will be hinged in one corner so that the whole device can swing open and release the donut. There will be stabilizing legs to prevent the large torque exerted on the hose from flipping the device forward. The hose will pass through a pair of stiff brushes as it is rolled, cleaning the outer surface. As the hose is rolled, excess water and air must be squeezed out, which will be accomplished by a pair of rollers mounted in the frame. The device will be battery-powered and will be able to be charged at the fire station or by the outlets on fire trucks. In the event of battery failure, the device can be powered from an outlet or manually cranked.