Patent Application
20090301735
The present invention relates to a fire fighting fluid delivery device and, more particularly, to a nozzle changer for a fire fighting fluid delivery device.
In the field of fire fighting, vehicles are being developed with multiple suppression systems, with each system discharging agents with markedly different physical characteristics. However, these differing agent characteristics result in the need for different nozzles, depending on the agent system in use. Conventional devices for discharging fire fighting fluid delivery devices, such as monitors, typically have one nozzle. Therefore, in systems that use multiple agents with different physical characteristics when a different fluid used, in order to optimize the flow, the flow is stopped and the nozzle replaced on the fighting fluid delivery device or devices. This takes time. When time is critical any delay could result in more damage. Further, some devices are operated remotely, such as remote control monitors, and therefore when a nozzle change-out is required even further delays can be experienced; therefore, more typically multiple monitors are used.
Accordingly, there is a need for a fire fighting fluid delivery device that may be adapted to apply different agents.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a fire fighting fluid delivery device that is adapted to deliver different agents so that a single fire fighting fluid delivery device may be used to supply different discharging agents and, further, different discharging agents with markedly different physical characteristics.
In one form of the invention, a fire fighting fluid delivery device includes a device body with an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet and a remotely controlled nozzle changer that is mounted at the body and which includes at least two nozzles movable.
In another form of the invention, a fire fighting fluid delivery device includes a device body with an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet and a movable member mounted at the body and which is movable between at least two positions relative to the outlet of the body. The movable member includes at least two spaced apart transverse openings, with each of the transverse openings for selectively aligning with the discharge outlet when the movable member is moved between the at least two positions.
In one aspect, the fire fighting fluid delivery device further includes a coupler, such as a threaded coupler, mounted at each of the transverse openings, which are adapted for mounting nozzles to the movable member. In a further aspect, a piston is provided at the outlet, which forms a seal with the device body at the outlet. The movable member is mounted over the piston, and the piston is configured to move and seal around the inlet opening of a respective coupler when the respective coupler is aligned with the outlet and fluid flows through the device body to thereby provide a seal between the respective coupler and the device body.
In yet other aspects, the movable member is mounted generally orthogonal to the discharge outlet. Further, the movable member may be mounted for linear movement across the discharge outlet. Additionally, the movable member may be mounted for horizontal linear movement.
According to yet other aspects, the movable member may include stops for delineating when a respective transverse opening is aligned with the outlet.
Other aspects include an actuator for selectively moving the movable member. For example, the actuator may comprise a cylinder, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, or an electrical actuator.
Further, the actuator may be coupled to a control system to provide remote or automatic control of the position of the movable member so that when different nozzles are mounted to the couplers of the movable member that different nozzles may be provided at the outlet of the fire fighting fluid delivery device.
According to yet another aspect, the fire fluid delivery device includes bearings at the outlet, which support the movable member for movement relative to the outlet.
Accordingly, the fire fighting fluid delivery device of present invention can have its nozzle changed between two or more nozzles remotely or automatically, or even manually, so that it may deliver agents or a different flow shapes with relative ease.
These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the study of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, device body 12 is formed from an elbow pipe section 24, an intermediate U-shaped pipe section 26, and another generally U-shaped pipe section 28, and a second elbow pipe section 29, all in fluid communication with each other and with outlet 22 of body 12 provided at the distal end of elbow pipe section 24. Elbow pipe section 24 and U-shaped pipe section 26 are coupled to U-shaped pipe section 28 through swivel connection 14, which in turn is mounted to a truck, or to a base, by elbow pipe section 29 and swivel connection 16 to thereby form a portable monitor. As understood from the description above and drawings, swivel connection 16 provides a vertical pivot axis of body 12 at the connection to the truck, or base. In this manner, outlet 22 is pivotal about generally horizontal pivot axis 14a and vertical pivot axis 16a.
Formed or otherwise provided at the distal end of elbow pipe section 24 is a mount 30 for receiving a nozzle changer mechanism 42. Nozzle changer mechanism 42 includes a movable frame or member 32, which includes at least two transverse openings 32a and 32b in which a respective pair of couplers 34 and 36 are mounted and which are adapted to selectively align with outlet 22. Couplers 34 and 36 are adapted to receive and have mounted thereon a respective nozzle 38 and 40. Each nozzle 38, 40 may be configured to provide a certain configuration of discharge and/or configured for delivering a selected discharge agent, with the nozzles optionally configured to discharge fluids or agents with different physical characteristic so that monitor 10 may apply different agents and/or discharge agents with different discharge patterns.
As noted above, member 32 is movably supported in mounted member 30. In the illustrated embodiment, member 32 is mounted for lateral, generally horizontal movement with respect to outlet 22; but it should be appreciated that member 32 may be configured for rotary motion or transverse generally vertical movement relative to outlet 22, though with a vertical arrangement, the vertical range of motion of the monitor may be limited. In addition, while only two couplers are illustrated, it should be appreciated that more than two couplers may be provided to provide the ability to mount more than two nozzles at outlet 22.
In order to support member 32 for movement relative to outlet 22, mounting member 30 includes upper and lower linear bearings 44 and 46, which are positioned above and below member 32. In the illustrated embodiment, support member 32 comprises a generally rectangular plate with upper and lower edges 32a and 32b. Accordingly, bearings 44 and 46 are linear bearings and are positioned to support the opposed upper and lower edges of member 32 to thereby support member 32 for lateral, horizontal movement in mounting member 30. As would be understood for a rotary mounting arrangement the support member may be configured as a circular plate or may be configured as a segment of a circle plate, including, for example, a 90 degree section or semicircular plate. In which case the bearings may be configured as arcuate or annular bearings to thereby support the support member for rotational movement about a pivot point offset from the discharge outlet.
As best understood from
Member 32 is configured to have at least two distinct positions, one to the left as viewed in
In order to provide a seal between the outlet 22 and the respective coupler 34, 36 aligned with outlet 22, monitor 10 includes a piston 56. In the illustrated embodiment, piston 56 is mounted in outlet 22, which is located in a bore 22b formed, such as by machining, in outlet 22. When the desired nozzle is aligned with the monitor discharge outlet, the pressure resulting from the application of the suppression system within the monitor flow passage will serve to urge piston 56 toward and against the inlet end of the respective coupler 34, 36 to an engaged state to thereby seal again the respective coupler. For example, suitable piston material may include a polymer, such as an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, or a metal with the piston provided with a separate elastomeric sealing surface affixed to the discharge end of the piston. Similarly, the piston 56 is sealed in bore 22 by an O-ring seal 58, which is located in an annular groove formed to the outer surface of piston 56. When the flow through the monitor is stopped, the piston is not longer urged into its engaged state and instead assumes a disengaged state since the pressure of the fluid flow is not longer applying pressure to the piston. However, it should be understood that a piston may be alternatively mounted exteriorly of the outlet with a portion of the fluid flowing through the monitor redirected through the pipe wall to thereby move the piston when fluid is flowing through the monitor. Alternately, the exteriorly mounted piston may be moved by other actuating means, such as an actuator.
As previously noted, sliding member 32 is moved by actuator 52. In the illustrated embodiment, actuator 52 comprises a cylinder 60, such as a pneumatic cylinder or hydraulic cylinder, which is mounted to transverse portion 30c of upper arm 30a of mounting member 30. The fluid is then delivered to cylinder 60 by conventional tubing from a pump (not shown), which may be mounted to or near the monitor. Its rod end 60a is secured to sliding member 32 by a coupler 62, which is secured, for example, to the distal end of sliding member 32 by a plurality of fasteners 62a. Housing 60b of cylinder 60 is mounted to member 30 at transverse portion 30c by a bracket 53. In this manner, when rod 60a is extended relative to the cylindrical housing 60b of cylinder 60, sliding member 32 is moved to the left as viewed in
Furthermore, as noted, the nozzle changer mechanism of the present invention may incorporate a rotary moving member and a rotary actuator to provide a rotational arrangement in lieu of the linear arrangement described herein. For example, the rotary member may comprise a disk or a disk segment, which is mounted to rotate about a fixed pivot point with the nozzle couplers or attachment members mounted to the disk and with the actuator coupled to the disk or disk segment to move the respective couplers between their respective positions.
While the fire fighting fluid delivery device of the present invention has been described in the context of a remote controlled monitor, a remote controlled monitor is just exemplary and therefore the term fire fighting fluid delivery device is used more broadly to include a variety of different fire fighting fluid delivery devices, including a manually controlled monitor, a fire hose, including a fire hose with a shut-off valve. Further, while the illustrated embodiment illustrates an integrated nozzle changer mechanism, it should be understood that the nozzle changer mechanism may be constructed separately from the fire fighting fluid delivery device and designed to attach an existing fire fighting fluid delivery device using conventional hose threads swivel connections. However, one advantage to having the changer mechanism integrated with the fire fighting fluid delivery device body is that any moment resulting from eccentric or cantilevered loads can be resisted by the fire fighting fluid delivery device assembly, where as with a separate changer assembly additional brackets may be required to maintain the changer in a desired rotational alignment.
As will be understood from the foregoing description, the present invention may be particularly suitable for a fire fighting vehicle that may be equipped with a conventional plain water suppression system and also assist to produce compressed air foam. With this invention, the conversion from a nozzle appropriate for the plain water use to a nozzle appropriate for use with the compressed air foam could be made coincident with the activation of the controls initiated to compress air foam system.
While several forms of the invention have been shown and/or described, other changes and modifications will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow as interpreted under the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61059296 | Jun 2008 | US |
