GB2255015A

GB2255015A - Fire extinguisher valve and siphon assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2255015A
Application number: GB9205542A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Henry Confrey
Original assignee: MOTORFIRE PROTECTION Ltd
Current assignee: MOTORFIRE PROTECTION Ltd
Priority date: 1991-03-14
Filing date: 1992-03-13
Publication date: 1992-10-28
Also published as: GB9205542D0

Abstract

A valve and syphon tube assembly 14 for a fire extinguisher is disclosed and claimed. The assembly comprises a valve assembly 17 comprising a conduit 18 and a valve 28 actuable to open and close the conduit. A syphon tube 16 is connected at one end thereof to one end of the conduit 18 so that the tube 16 is swivelable relative to a central longitudinal axis of the conduit. <IMAGE>

Description

FIRE EXTINGUISHER INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND THIS invention relates to fire fighting apparatus-.

More particularly, it relates to fire extinguishers.

Known transportable fire extinguishers comprise a reservoir for a fire-inhibiting substance, such as water or a suitable powder, a valve assembly with nozzle at one end of the reservoir and a syphon tube rigidly connected to the valve assembly and extending towards the bottom of the reservoir.

When the extinguisher is held upright, the syphon tube extends to below the surface of the fire-inhibiting substance and the extinguisher can be used to extinguish a fire by actuating an actuator thereby opening the valve to allow the substance to be propelled through the nozzle. However, if this extinguisher is held or mounted on its side, the syphon tube may not extend to underneath the level of the substance and the apparatus will thus not be effective.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION: It is an object of the present invention to provide a fire extinguisher with which the applicant believes the aforementioned disadvantages will at least be alleviated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: According to the invention there is provided a valve and syphon tube assembly for a fire extinguisher, the assembly comprising: - a valve assembly comprising a conduit and a valve actuable to open and close the conduit; and - a syphon tube connected at one end thereof to one end of the conduit, at least part of the syphon tube being pivotable relative to a central axis of the conduit.

Thus, in use, when mounted in a fire extinguisher reservoir, the syphon tube under the influence of its own mass, pivots relative to the valve assembly as the orientation of the reservoir is changed so that the other and open end of the tube always extends downwardly to remain under the level of a fire inhibiting substance in the reservoir.

A fire extinguisher comprising a valve and syphon tube assembly according to the invention is thus particularly suitable to be mounted permanently in a vehicle. Should the vehicle overturn and land on its sides or roof, the open end of the syphon tube will remain underneath the level of the fire inhibiting substance so that the extinguisher will remain effective, regardless of the orientation of the vehicle.

The syphon tube may be rigid and pivotably connected to the valve assembly.

The syphon tube may comprise an annular collar towards the one end thereof, said one end of the syphon tube being received in the conduit and said conduit may have an annular inwardly extending lip formation towards its one end which collectively with the collar on the syphon tube allow the syphon tube to swivel relative to the conduit, but prevent the tube from slipping out of the conduit.

In another embodiment the syphon tube comprises at least a first and a second tubular element, at least one of said elements being pivotable relative to the other.

The first element of the syohon tube may be rigidly connected to the one end of the conduit and the second element of the syphon tube may be pivotable relative to the first element.

The second element is preferably connected to the first element by a swivel coupling.

The swivel coupling may comprise a tubular member connected at its one end to the other end of the first tubular element and having an inwardly extending annular lip formation towards its other end. The second tubular element may have an annular collar towards its one end, the one end of the second tubular element being received in said tubular member to extend beyond the other end of the tubular member.

In another emoodilnent the swivel coupling comprises a tubular coupling member having annular collars towards both ends thereof, each of the tubular elements having a tubular member at adjacent ends thereof and said tubular members having inwardly extending annular lips towards their adjacent ends, the tubular coupling member being received in the said tubular members so that the annular collars and annular lips collectively allow the second tubular element to swivel relative to the first tubular element.

The conduit may be made of any suitable material such as brass, aluminium or polypropylene. The syphon tube is preferably made of polypropylene.

The other end of the conduit may terminate in a head formation of the valve assembly wherein the valve is provided.

The head formation is preferably externally threaded so that it may be screwed into an internally threaded socket defined in a reservoir of a fire extinguisher.

The invention also extends to a fire extinguisher comprising a reservoir and a valve and syphon tube assembly as defined herebefore.

6 OF THE ATTACHED DIAGRAMS: The invention will now further be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein: figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a fire extinguisher according to the invention; figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a first embodiment of a valve and syphon tube assembly of the apparatus in figure 1, illustrating how the syphon tube is secured to the valve assembly; figure 3 is a side view of the extinguisher in figure 1 , partially broken away; figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an engine compartment of a vehicle wherein the fire extinguisher of figure 1 is mounted; figure 5 is a view similar to that of figure 1 of an extinguisher according to the invention with two extension conduits and associated nozzles; figure 5 is a view, partially in section, of a syphon tube of a second embodiment of the valve and syphon tube assembly according to the invention; and figure 7 is a similar view of a syphon tube of a third embodiment of the valve and syphon tube assembly according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DIAGRAMS: A fire extinguisher according to the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 in figures 1 and 3 to 5.

The extinguisher comprises a reservoir 12 and a valve and syphon tube assembly 14 mounted on the reservoir 12. The valve and syphon tube assembly 14 comprises a syphon tube 16 connected to a valve assembly 17 to be swivel able relative thereto and to extend towards a bottom 12.1 of the reservoir.

As best shown in figure 2, the valve assembly 17 comprises a conduit 18 made of brass and defining a first relatively narrower bore 18.1 for a major part thereof and a relatively larger bore 18.2 towards one end thereof. The conduit 18 has a circular inwardly extending lip formation 20 at the one end thereof.

The tube 15 is swivelable te: ative to a central longitudinal axis of conduit 18.

Syphon tube 16 made of polypropylene comprises a body 16.1 having a relatively larger outside diameter and a neck portion 16.2 having a relatively smaller outside diameter towards one end thereof. The syphon tube 16 has a collar formation 16.3 at the one end thereof.

The said one end of syphon tube 15 is received in the region of conduit 18 defining the larger bore 18.2.

The diameter of bore 18.2 is slightly larger than that of collar formation 16.3 so that tube 16 can swivel relative to the conduit, while lip formation 18 and collar 16.3 prevent the tube 16 from slipping out of conduit 18.

As shown in- figure 2, threaded conduit 18 is screwed into a stepped, threaded socket 22 defined in a top region of reservoir 12. Conduit 18 is formed integrally with a head formation 24.

In head formation 24 and towards the other end of conduit 18, there is provided a valve seat 26. A valve closure member 28, which is mounted on a stem 30 extending upwardly beyond the upper end of the head formation 24, is normally biased by a spring 32 against the seat 26 to close the conduit. Spring 32 s mounted between the closure member 23 and an annular shoulder formation 34 intermediate the ends of the conduit 18.

In head formation 24, there is defined a cavity 36 communicating with nozzle 38.

As shown in figure 3, when the extinguisher 10 is held or mounted on a side thereof, syphon tube 16 swivels towards a then bottom side wall 12.1 of the reservoir, so that its open end 16.4 remains below the level 40 of a fire-inhibiting substance 42.

As shown in figure 3, the valve assembly 14 further comprises an actuator 44 for actuating stem 30 to displace closure member 28 away from seat 26, thereby to open conduit 18. The actuator 44 comprises a stationary handle 44.1 and a second member 14.2 hinged to the handle 44.1 at 44.3 for pivotal movement relative thereto. An upper, free end of stem 30 abuts against member 44.2, so that when the latter is urged towards member 44.1, the stem 30 is displaced in an axial direction causing closure member 28 to move against its bias, away from seat 26.

A safety pin (not shown) may be provided in hole 44.4 between members 44.1 and 44.2 to prevent inadvertent actuation of member 44.2.

A typical application of the extinguisher 10 according to the invention is shown in figure 4.

There, extinguisher 10 is shown mounted laterally in an engine compartment 46 of a motor vehicle 48. As shown, upwardly and downwardly extending extension conduits 50 and 52 are connected to head formation 24 of extinguisher 10. At the ends of these conduits there are provided associated nozzles 54 and 56.

These extension conduits and associated nozzles are shown in more detail in figure 5.

As shown in figures 4 and 5, a cable 58 is provided to extend from nember i4.2 to an actuation ever 60 mounted on the outside of the vehicle. Another cable 62 is provided between cable 58 and an actuation lever 64 inside the passenger compartment 66 of the vehicle.

In use and -as shown in figures 2 and 3, the pivotal syphon tube 16 extends to below the level 40 of the fire-inhibiting substance 42 inside reservoir 12.

Should a fire commence in the engine compartment, actuator 44 may be actuated by either lever 60 outside passenger compartment 66 or the lever 64 inside the passenger compartment 66.

Even in the event of the vehicle having overturned, the inlet 16.4 of pivotal syphon tube 16 will still remain below the level 40 of the substance 42, so that upon actuation of actuator 44 as hereabove described, the extinguisher will still be effective.

In figures 5 and 7 there are shown syphon tubes for two other embodiments of the valve and syphon tube assembly according to the invention.

The syphon tube 116 in figure 6 comprises first and second tubular elements 118 and 120 interconnected by a swivel coupling 122. First tubular element 118 is rigidly connected to the conduit (not shown) of the valve and syphon tube assembly (also not shown).

Collar 124 on second member 120 and inwardly extending lip formation 126 on tubular member 128 collectively ensure that the second element 120 is swivel able relative to the first element, but that the second element does not slip out of the first element.

Tube 216 shown in figure 7 comprises first and second tubular elements 218 and 220 interconnected by a swivel coupling 222. First tubular element 218 is rigidly connected to the conduit (not shown) of the valve and syphon'tube assembly (also not shown).

A tubular coupling member 224- with opposed collars 226 is received in tubular members 228 and 230.

Annular inwardly extending lips 232 and collars 226 collectively ensure that the second element 220 is swivelable relative to the first element.

Claims

1. A valve and syphon tube assembly for a fire extinguisher comprising: - a valve assembly comprising a conduit and a valve actuable to open and close the conduit; and - a syphon tube connected at one end thereof to one end of the conduit, at least part of the syphon tube being pivotable relative to a central axis of the conduit.

2. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the syphon tube is rigid and pivotably connected to the valve assembly.

3. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the syphon tube comprises an annular collar towards the one end thereof, the one end of the syphon tube being received in the conduit, the conduit having an annular inwardly extending lip formation towards its one end which collectively with the collar on the syphon tube allow the syphon tube to swivel relative Xs Xhe conduit, but prevent the tube from slipping out of the conduit.

4. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the syphon tube comprises at least a first and a second tubular element, at least one of the elements being pivotable relative to the other.

5. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 4 therein the first element of the syphon tube is rigidly connected to the one end of the conduit and wherein the second element of the syphon tube is pivotable relative to the first element.

6. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second element is connected to the first element by a swivel coupling.

7. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the swivel coupling comprises a tubular member connected at its one end to the other end of the first tubular element and having an inwardly extending annular lip formation towards its other end, the second tubular element having an annular collar towards its one end, the one end of the second tubular element being received in said tubular member to-oxtlnd beyond the other end of the tubular member.

8. A valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the swivel coupling comprises a tubular coupling member having annular collars towards both ends thereof, each of the tubular elements having a tubular member at adjacent ends thereof and -said- tubular members having inwardly extending annular lips towards their adjacent ends, the tubular coupling member being received in the said tubular members so that the annular collars and annular lips collectively allow the second tubular element to swivel relative to the first tubular element.

9. A fire extinguisher comprising a valve and syphon tube assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A valve and syphon tube assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.

11. A fire - extinguisher substantially as herein described with reference to the accompany diagrams.