GB2389042A - Fire fighting installation - Google Patents

Abstract

A fire fighting installation for a building comprises a network of distribution pipes 3-5 leading to vented pipes 6 whereby water can be pumped to selected floors. The distribution pipes may lead from valves 1 located below grids 2 at street level; alternatively, they may be supplied from the rising main and operated from the stairwells. Grids may be provided on all floors to enable excess water to escape to ground level.

Description

TITLE High Rise am low rise Fire Fighting System This invention relates to

a HighriseandLow rise fire fighting system Many conventional fire fighting sprinkler systems installed in High rise and low rise buildings contain a fire until the fire crew bring the fire under control But if the fire starts to engulf the building then the sprinkler system is not much use According to the present invention On arrival at the scene of a fire the fire crew would remove the fire grids at street level The fire engine water pump or the pump in the main building would then be connected to the valves Each valve would be numbered according to which floor it serves Say for instance that the fire was on the seventieth floor the fire crew would open the valve marked 70 water would be sent to that floor under pressure bringing down the suspended ceilings the fire crew would be effectively fighting the fire from the street level and could completely flood the targeted floor and if necessary the floors immediately above and below thereby containing the fire without the need for the fire-fighting personnel to enter the building Occupants of the building on He upper floors could then be rescued without endangering their lives or the lives of the rescuers

( The concept is intended to serve as a means whereby a fire on an upper floor of a high-rise office or low-rise building could be effectively controlled without the need for fire-fighting personnel to enter the building and thus put their lives at risk The concept entails the placement beneath street level of a number of valves that would be accessed when needed by easily removed metal gods These valves would be connected to a network of solid pipes fitted externally internally or both to the sides of a building If for example a building has 110 floors then there would be a corresponding number of solid pipes branching out on each floor On every floor there would be a number of solid pipes situated above the suspended ceilings at 6m intervals Connected to these would be vented pipes placed at 3m intervals and capable of releasing gallons of water per second under pressure Suspended below the vented piping is the conventional sprinkler system The High rise and low r. ise fire fighting system pipe work remains dry but the sprinkler system is filled with water If there was a fire on say the seventieth floor the sprinkler system would engage and the High rise and low rise fire fighting system would remain inactive However if the fire could not be contained by the sprinkler system grew out of control and began to engulf the building The high rise and low rise fire fighting system could be deployed The fire crew would connect the pumps and water would be sent under pressure to the targeted floor from street level This then would flood that floor and would thus enable the fire-ffghung crew to bring the fire under control before they enter the building The system could be adapted to use fire- fighting chemicals and gas also pu.nped under pressure instead of water The high rise and low rise fire fighting system could be fitted to existing buildings and piped from the main water pipe already installed in most tower blocks The high rise and low rise fire fighting system could be operated from the stairwells at every floor level and so the fire crews would not have to enter the burning rooms but could evenly disperse water to the point of the fire The building could be vented at exit points on all floors with grids to allow excess water to escape back down to ground level via the pipe work and to then be re- circulated or it could simply flow out of the building into the main drains The stairwells could also be piped by the same method linked to each floor with the stairs being designed in such a way that the top or bottom Treadwell is higher at one point so that the water would not cascade down the stair-well but would be directed out of vents at each level

( The invention is further described by means of example, but not in any limitation sense with references to the accompany drawings; of which; Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a vented pipe for fire fighting in accordance With this invention Figure is a cross sectional view of a network of solid and vented pipes situated Above the suspended ceiling in accordance with this invention Figure 3 shows a cross section through a high rise and low rise building fitted With a fire fighting system in accordance with the present invention a Number of valves I would be installed at street level these valves would Be connected to a network of solid pipes 3 arranged to send water gas Or chemicals up Me side of a building externally internally or both 4 On every floor there would be a number of solid pipes 5 -situated above Suspended ceilings at six metre intervals connected to these are vented Pipes 6 placed at three metre intervals capable of releasing litres of water Per second under pressure suspended below the vented piping is the Conventional sprinkler system 7 the fire fighting system is operated by The fire crew connecting the pumps 8 and under pressure the water Gas or chemicals could be sent to any floor

Claims (1)

1. ( CLAIMS.

   1 A High Rise and Low Rise fire fighting system capable of fighting fires on Any floor no matter how big the building in floor size or building height Dispersing water chemicals or gas evenly at the point of fire operated from Street level or within the building 2 A High Rise and Low Rise fire fighting system as claimed in claim I Comprising a number of valves placed at street level connected to a Network of pipes 3 A High Rise and Low Rise fire fighting system as claimed In 1 or 2 Including a networl: of vented pipes connected directly to a network Of solid pipes 4 A High Rise and Low Rise fire fighting system as claimed in I or 2 Or works by operating valves at street level 5 A High Rise and Low Rise fire fighting system as claimed in I or 2 3 or 4 worlds by operating valves on all floors 6 A High Rise and Low Rise fire fighting system as claimed in or 2 3 or 4 and 5 dispersing water chemicals or gas from street level