Patent Application
20090315322
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a quick disconnect connector useful for connecting a fire engine to a fire hydrant.
2. Related Background Art
Brush fires are common throughout the southwestern United States as well as many other parts of the world. Often driven by strong desert winds these fires can consume thousands of acres of brush and destroy homes and other buildings in there paths. Winds in Santa Ana conditions in portions of Southern California can often reach 50 mile per hour and even higher in gusts. The shifting direction of these winds, especially on a local scale can result in unpredictable and rapidly changing direction for the driven fires. These winds drive the fires at such velocity that fire fighters are often in danger of being overrun by the fire they are on the ground to fight. The fires are fought with aerial drops of water and fire retardant, earth moving equipment and other mechanized means. However the primary weapon against these fires is still the firefighting crew on the ground using hand tools to create firebreaks and conventional fire pumper engines and water to dowse the blaze. The priority is often to provide sufficient water on the fire or on homes in the path of the fire. These wildfires are not confined to remote forests or scrubland. Fires regularly erupt in populated areas. In these cases the availability of fire hydrants as a supply of water can be a great aid and lifesaver for the fire fighting crew. Otherwise the water supply of the ground crew is limited to what can be carried in the tank of a fire engine, typically 500 gallons. However, even when available the fire hydrants are not always used. The fire fighting crew must be ready to evacuate an area if the fire shifts or is simply overwhelmingly large and fast moving. The evacuation of an area must often be done very quickly. There is often not time to disconnect fire hoses from supply hydrants. This evacuation safety requirement often precludes connecting to a hydrant supply even when they are available. The time required to return to the hydrant, turn off the flow and disconnect the hose at least from the engine may be too long and cost lives. Safety procedures to ensure the safety of the fire fighting crew dictated by the restrictions of heretofore available equipment mean that fires are often fought just with the water that can be carried on the fire engine even when a hydrant supply is available. A means is needed to easily and rapidly connect and just as importantly disconnect a fire hose connection between a hydrant and a fire engine water supply inlet.
There have been improvements that address connections to a fire hydrant or to a fire engine but do not provide a solution to the problem of rapid disconnect without returning to the hydrant to stop the flow. The connection of a fire hose to a hydrant is facilitated by quick connect fittings such as the Storz fitting described in U.S. Pat. No. 489,107. However this fitting allows just a rapid mechanical connection of the hose to the hydrant but does not address the issue of water flow. A Storz or similar fitting can also rapidly connect and disconnect from the fire engine. However the hose cannot be connected or disconnected to the hydrant with the hydrant turned on. Disconnecting the hose at the engine with the hose under pressure is not possible with current equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,027 similarly addresses he issue of rapidly connecting a hose to a fire hydrant. This invention also does not address the issue of rapidly disconnecting the hose. Other inventions such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,131 address aspects of connections to the fire hose but again do not solve the problem of rapidly disconnecting a hose from a fire engine. There is a need for a rapid hose connection that can be easily and rapidly attached to and detached from a fire engine without the requirement of returning to the hydrant to turn off the flow.
The invention comprises a quick connect fitting adapted at one end to fit to the standard connection on a fire engine water supply inlet and adapted at the other end to fit the standard connections of a fire hose. Typically the fire hose connection is a 4-inch connection and the fire engine connection is also a 4-inch connection, but these do not represent any size constraint on the invention. Other size connections for different hose and fire engine fittings can equally well be practiced under the invention. The quick connect portion of the fitting consists of a coupler such as that marketed under the brand name of PT Coupling Company of Enid Oklahoma, USA. The quick coupling consists of both a quick disconnect link that may be connected and disconnected with flow stopped when disconnected and an integral gate valve to turn off the supply when making connections. The gate valve is used in those situations where the size of the hose and fittings and the supply pressure preclude making or breaking connections under supply pressure with forces capable of being applied by hand.
Operation of the system includes attachment of a quick connect fitting with adapter to the fire engine water supply inlet fittings. A fire hose is attached to the hydrant using normal fittings known to those skilled in the art. The distal end of the fire hose is fit with an adapter that is then attached to the quick connect fitting consisting of the fitting and gate valve. The valve is in the closed position and the fitting is mated with the quick connect fitting and adapter on the fire engine inlet. The water supply at the hydrant is then turned on and the gate valve is opened. Water flows from the hydrant through the fitting into the engine manifold, storage and pumping system. Disconnecting the system in an emergency such as being quickly overrun by a wildfire requires simply shutting the valve and popping off the quick connect fitting. The hose may then be left under pressure and temporarily abandoned as the engine drives away from danger. Disconnection is rapid because there is no need to leave the immediate vicinity of the engine, no need to go to the hydrant and stop the flow and relieve the pressure prior to disconnecting the hose at the engine.
The novel features characteristic of the invention are set forth in the claims. The invention itself however as we all as the preferred mode of use, and further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the following drawings. Same features are numbered consistently throughout.
A connector and method of use that allows rapid connection, and in some cases more importantly, disconnection of a fire hose supply line between a hydrant and a fire engine is described. The connector allows rapid connection for quick set up and in an emergency may be disconnected from the engine to allow it to drive away without the need to return to the hydrant to shut off the supply or drain the fire hose.
Referring to
In another embodiment shown in
Another embodiment includes the method of using a quick connect hose fitting to a fire engine. Referring to
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein, within the scope of the appended claims.
A fire engine hose connector system and a method for using the system are reported. The system allows for rapid connection between the fire hose and the fire engine, and more importantly the system enables even more rapid disconnection. The fire engine and fire fighting personnel may make a rapid escape form an overtaking wildfire. The ability to rapidly disconnect and escape from the fire scene allows the fire engine and personnel to access hydrant supplies that would otherwise not be available due to safety procedures that preclude connection when the long disconnect time requirements of prior art connectors place the escape of the fire engine and personnel at risk in a rapidly moving fire.
