EP3868446A1 - Device for distributing liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for liquid distribution is proposed, comprising a nozzle (1) that can be rotated or pivoted about a vertical axis (A) and an inlet (2), the inlet (2) being provided with a connection (4) for liquid-tight coupling with a fire hose is, and the nozzle (1) is set up to expel the water supplied via the connection (4). Provided is a support arrangement connected to the inlet (2) and comprising a first support area (11A) and a second support area (11B), the position of the axis (A), the position of the first support area (11A) and the position of the second support area (11B) is a triangular arrangement and a free space (F) for partially enclosing a tree trunk.

Description

The invention relates to a device for liquid distribution, which comprises a nozzle that can be rotated or pivoted about a vertical axis and an inlet, the inlet being provided with a connection for liquid-tight coupling to a fire hose, and the nozzle being designed to be connected via the connection expel added water.

A device for liquid distribution in the form of a sprinkling machine is a widely used means in agriculture and horticulture for the efficient irrigation of larger open areas. Here, water is pressurized by a pump and conveyed to the actual irrigation machine via a hose, whereby the water exits through a nozzle. The generated water jet is periodically broken by a deflection lever. On the one hand, the rather compact water jet is distributed over the area to be irrigated for complete distribution, on the other hand, the throwing direction of the nozzle is also swept back and forth over a segment of a circle by a mechanism of the water jet hitting the deflection lever. changes.

To extinguish a fire in a forest, conventional extinguishing systems in the form of common extinguishing nozzles and now also nozzle hoses, known from the EP 1 773 501 B, used. An extinguishing nozzle is connected to a pressurized water source by a fire hose, whereby the extinguishing nozzle is manually aimed at the source of the fire. The nozzle hoses consist of classic fire hoses, with a large number of nozzles on their outside through which the water can escape. As a result, wetting takes place over a large area along the nozzle hose.

The object of the present invention is to use structural measures to further develop a device known from agricultural use for distributing liquid so that it can be used for fighting fires in wooded areas.

To achieve the object a device is proposed for the distribution of liquid with the above-mentioned features, which comprises an inlet connected to the support arrangement of a first support portion and a second support portion, wherein in a Plan view, the position of the axis, the position of the first support area and the position of the second support area together form a triangular arrangement, and there is a free space between the support areas. So that this free space offers the space to accommodate the trunk of a tree, the free space extends not only over the immediate height of the support areas, but also, parallel to the vertical axis, over the entire height of the device.

With the device according to the invention for distributing liquids, an extinguishing device which is optimized in terms of its extinguishing performance per area and is nevertheless simple is made possible. The device for liquid distribution is designed to be attached to a tree trunk, at least partially enclosing it. In particular with an increased installation height or when the device is positioned on a slope, the achievable wetting range also increases.

In other words, the device is designed to be arranged on trees on a slope, the device being oriented downhill. This arrangement has the advantage that the trees standing lower on the slope are wetted like rain by the device, which is attached to a tree standing higher on the slope. As a result, the surrounding wooded area is almost completely wetted, as the number of tree trunks crossing the water jet is significantly reduced or completely eliminated due to the hillside location.

The support arrangement firmly connected to the inlet is preferably designed as a bracket with two bracket arms, the support areas being located on the bracket arms, and the bracket arms being designed so that they each encompass a partial circumference of a tree trunk. In other words, the bracket comprises two bracket arms, both bracket arms, on which the support areas are located, being fastened at one end to the inlet. The support areas form the contact surface of the device on the tree trunk, the support areas extending, for example, in the axial direction or in the circumferential direction to the tree trunk. They form the free space between them in which the respective partial cross-section of the vertical tree trunk is recorded. You can consist of elongated pipe, profile or sheet metal elements and z. B. have a length of 30 cm.

The inlet is preferably designed in the form of a T-piece, the T-piece comprising a flow connection to the nozzle and two connections for the form-fitting reception of a fire hose. In particular, the connections are couplings for fire hoses in the form of quickly lockable bayonet couplings. It is therefore possible to use a large number of devices for liquid distribution, depending on the available standing pump output, connected in series. This arrangement offers the advantage over the use of an extinguishing nozzle or a nozzle hose that an enlarged area can be wetted by the devices without the need for personnel. In particular, the device can also be a long-term installation in order to preventively counteract the risk of forest fires. Furthermore, by attaching the devices to tree trunks, both the device and the fire hoses can be moved to a greater height in order to avoid theoretical damage from embers or open fires. As a result, the devices can only be activated after a fire has broken out, since immediate damage is initially reduced by the potentially great mounting height.

Optionally, the device can also be provided with only one inlet, which is arranged at only one connection. Or the other connection can be closed with a plug.

A shut-off valve is preferably arranged between the nozzle and the inlet. The valve represents a simple possibility in a network of such devices in the event of a fire to activate only the devices adjacent to the fire and to deactivate devices in a safe area. As a result, an increased water pressure builds up for the activated device, and water can also be saved. In the case of a long-term installation of an extinguishing system with a large number of devices, the valve enables the decentralized activation of a device on site if a local source of fire is encountered.

The nozzle is preferably designed in such a way that part of the water sprayed out wets the area below and in the immediate vicinity of the device. In other words, the nozzle is designed not only to emit only a water jet, but to wet an entire area that is located under the water jet.

The nozzle preferably comprises a deflecting lever, the deflecting lever being arranged on a resilient hinge on the nozzle, the deflecting lever being set up to periodically break the water jet and thereby realign the nozzle. The nozzle is therefore set up to continuously change its position along a vertical axis and thus to wet the area surrounding it in a circular manner.

The bracket is preferably C-shaped in plan view. At the free ends of the two bracket arms, a connecting element is arranged in each case, to which a further element can be fastened, which connects the free ends to one another. In other words, the bracket is designed so that this surrounds the tree trunk horizontally like a clamp and comes to rest with its inner surface on the tree trunk. The bracket with its two bracket arms preferably consists of a curved square profile, the contact surface between the square profile and the tree trunk outer surface being dimensioned so that if the device is braced on the tree trunk, no damage to the bark of the tree trunk occurs.

The element is designed to brace the bracket around the tree trunk and to enable the device to be fixedly attached to the tree trunk, the element being in the flow of force via the connecting elements with the bracket. The connecting elements can be tabs or eyelets, other common types of connection also being possible. In particular, the element is a metal clamp which can vary its horizontal extension length by means of a screw connection. The element can also be a tension belt with which the bracket can also be clamped in place on the tree trunk.

The bracket preferably consists of two curved bracket arms striving away from each other, the bracket arms preferably being partly formed from arm sections of reduced cross-section, the arm sections with reduced cross-section being designed to increase the flexibility of the section. In other words, the bracket is designed in such a way that it at least partially has a certain flexibility in order to be able to adapt it to tree trunk diameters that deviate from the ideal. It can therefore expand in the case of a larger tree trunk diameter or be drawn together by the second element in order also to enable the device to be securely seated on thin tree trunk diameters. The reduced cross-sections are, for example, cutouts in the material or tapering of the bracket arms.

Alternatively, the bracket can be partially hollow, the bracket being provided with small openings, the hollow bracket being connected to the inlet and being adapted to receive water, the openings being adapted to wet the immediate area around the tree trunk . This results in the advantage that the area immediately around the tree trunk, or the tree trunk itself, is also continuously wetted in order to protect both the tree and the device as far as possible against inflammation.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer Vorrichtung zur Flüssigkeitsverteilung,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittansicht des Querschnitts der Vorrichtung zur Flüssigkeitsverteilung,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Schnittansicht des Querschnitts der Vorrichtung zur Flüssigkeitsverteilung, gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform, und

Fig. 4

dieselbe Seitenansicht wie Fig. 1, hier allerdings einschließlich der Wiedergabe eines Baumstamms, an dem die Vorrichtung befestigbar ist.

Further measures improving the invention are explained in more detail below together with the description of two preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures. It shows

Fig. 1

a schematic side view of a device for liquid distribution,

Fig. 2

a schematic sectional view of the cross section of the device for liquid distribution,

Fig. 3

a schematic sectional view of the cross section of the device for liquid distribution, according to a second embodiment, and

Fig. 4

same side view as Fig. 1 , but here including the reproduction of a tree trunk to which the device can be attached.

the Figure 1 shows a side view of the device according to the invention for liquid distribution, the device comprising a nozzle 1 that can be rotated or pivoted about a vertical axis A and an inlet 2 arranged on the axis A, the inlet 2 being a pipe which leads water to the nozzle 1 and which is provided, among other things, with a connection 4 for a liquid-tight coupling with a fire hose. The nozzle 1 is set up to deliver the water supplied via connection 4 and inlet 2 as a water jet S ( Fig. 4 ) to eject.

A support arrangement is firmly connected to the inlet 2 and consists of a first support area 11A and a second support area 11B. In the plan view, the position of the axis A, the position of the first support area 11A and the position of the second support area 11B together form a triangular arrangement, with a free space F between the support areas 11A, 11B, which is open facing away from the axis A and so on Provides space to pick up a tree trunk. Specifically, the support arrangement is designed in the form of a bracket 3 which is C-shaped in plan view and on whose two bracket arms 11 the support areas 11A, 11B are located on the inside. The bracket arms 11 are designed to each encompass a partial circumference of a tree trunk. So that the free space F offers space to accommodate the trunk of a tree, the free space F extends not only over the immediate height of the support areas 11A, 11B, but also, parallel to the vertical axis A, over the entire height of the device.

The nozzle 1 also comprises a deflection lever 9, the deflection lever 9 being arranged on a resilient hinge 10 on the nozzle 1. The deflection lever 9 is set up to periodically break the water jet and, in doing so, the nozzle 1 by rotating it anew to align, wherein the deflection lever 9 is designed so that part of the jetted water wets the area under and in the immediate vicinity of the device.

Furthermore, a manually operable valve 5 is arranged between the nozzle 1 and the inlet 2, the valve 5 being set up to connect or disconnect the nozzle 1 to the inlet 2 in order to enable or interrupt a water inlet.

The inlet 2 is designed overall as a T-piece and can thus accommodate a connection for the nozzle at the top and two opposite connections 4 for the connection of fire hoses at the bottom, with one connection 4 as an inlet and the other, remote connection 4 as an outlet serves.

In the Figure 2 a plan view of the device for liquid distribution is shown, the bracket 3 is C-shaped in the plan view and a connecting element 6 is arranged at the ends of the bracket arms 11, on which a further element 7 can be fastened to connect both ends together associate. In particular, the bracket 3 comprises two curved bracket arms 11. The bracket arms 11 of the bracket 3 are monolithic, and the bracket arms can also be arranged individually. In the case of individual bracket arms, these can be connected to one another, for example, by a hinge in the area of the inlet, which enables the bracket arms to be folded together, which consequently results in a volume reduction that is more favorable for transport.

The bracket 3 is designed orthogonally to the tubular inlet 2 extending on the vertical axis A, a central section of the bracket 3 preferably partially surrounding the inlet 2. In order to fix the bracket 3 on the circumferential surface of the inlet 2, the central section of the bracket 3 is braced around the inlet 2 by a screw 15 with the nut 14 unscrewed. In order not to impair the water-carrying inlet 2 by the tension, the screw-nut connection 14, 15 of the bracket 3 is restricted by a support sleeve 16 located therebetween and arranged coaxially on the screw 15.

At the ends of the bracket arms 11 a connecting element 6 is formed, with a further element 7 being attached to the connecting elements 6, which connects both ends to one another, for. B. a webbing, which is looped around the back of the tree trunk.

In Figures 1 and 2 the bracket arms 11 can be seen in each case, the bracket arms 11 being designed with arm sections of reduced cross-section 12, these being designed to increase the flexibility of the arm section. In other words, the bracket arms 11 are provided with a recess over part of their length, the reduced cross section 12 also being able to be formed by tapering the bracket arms both in height and in its width.

Figure 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the cross section of the device for liquid distribution, according to a second embodiment, wherein the bracket 3 is at least partially hollow and is provided with small openings 13. In particular, the hollow bracket 3 is connected to the inlet 2 and is set up to receive water, the openings 13 being set up to wet the immediate vicinity of the tree trunk.

List of reference symbols

1

jet

2

Intake

3

hanger

4th

connection

5

Valve

6th

Connecting element

7th

element

8th

Pivot bearing

9

Deflection lever

10

hinge

11

Bracket arm

11A

first support area

11B

second support area

12th

Arm section with reduced cross-section

13th

opening

14th

mother

15th

screw

16

Support sleeve

A.

axis

F.

free space

S.

Water jet

Claims (11)

Device for liquid distribution, comprising a nozzle (1) which can be rotated or pivoted about a vertical axis (A) and an inlet (2), the inlet (2) being provided with a connection (4) for liquid-tight coupling to a fire hose, and the nozzle (1) is set up to expel the water supplied via the connection (4), characterized by a support arrangement connected to the inlet (2) and comprising a first support area (11A) and a second support area (11B), wherein in a plan view the position of the axis (A), the position of the first support area (11A) and the position of the second support area (11B) together form a triangular arrangement, and there is a free space (F) between the support areas (11A, 11B). Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the free space (F) additionally extends, parallel to the vertical axis (A), over the entire height of the device. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the design of the support arrangement as a bracket (3) with two bracket arms (11) on which the support areas (11A, 11B) are located, the bracket arms (11) each having a partial circumference to embrace a tree trunk. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet (2) is designed in the form of a T-piece and receives a flow connection to the nozzle (1) and two preferably facing away connections (4) for fire hoses. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a shut-off valve (5) is arranged between the nozzle (1) and the inlet (2). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nozzle (1) is designed in such a way that part of the sprayed water wets the area below and in the immediate vicinity of the device. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that a connecting element (6) is arranged at each of the free ends of the bracket arms (11), to which a further element (7) can be attached in order to connect the free ends of the bracket arms (11) to one another . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nozzle comprises a deflecting lever (9), the deflecting lever (9) being arranged on a resilient hinge (10) on the nozzle (1), the deflecting lever (9) being set up for this is to periodically break the water jet and realign the nozzle (1) by rotating it. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the bracket (3) consists of two curved bracket arms (11). Device according to Claim 9, characterized in that the bracket arms (11) are designed with arm sections of reduced cross-section (12), these being designed to increase the flexibility of the arm section. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the bracket (3) is at least partially hollow, the bracket (3) being provided with small openings (13), the hollow bracket (3) being connected to the inlet and being set up for this purpose is to take up water, the openings (13) being adapted to wet the immediate vicinity around the tree trunk.

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