IT202000009523A1 - TEST DEVICE OF A FIRE HOSE - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of a patent application for Industrial Invention entitled:

?Fire hose test device?

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present found ? relating to a fire hose test device.

In particular, it refers to a device for testing the pressure seal of a hose.

STATE OF THE ART

The well-known fire hoses (for example of the UNI 45 type) are subject to periodic tightness tests as established, for example, by the UNI EN 71/3 and UNI 10779 standards.

Does the legislation require that periodically, for example on an annual basis, each hose is tested at a pressure of the water mains, to check for any defects or leaks due to age? or to other causes (improper use, mistreatment, etc.).

Most of the fire hoses are installed in industrial or residential complexes, and are stored rolled up in special compartments from which they are quickly accessible in case of need.

According to the prior art, the annual test is carried out by taking each hose from its housing, unrolling it completely on a surface, capping one end and and pressurizing through the? other extremity? the entire hose.

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The operation? by itself simple enough. However, it presents considerable logistical complications mainly due to the length of the hoses (which can range, for example, from 15 to 30 meters).

As evident, the operation is not ? advantageously executable ?remotely? then taking the hose to transport it to a place suitable for testing (for example a covered shed), as the building would remain unguarded for the time necessary for testing, with the consequent risk linked to the absence of the hoses to be tested, in the event of a fire .

The test operation must therefore preferably be carried out on site.

? it is therefore necessary to make available on site a shed, a square, a road, a sidewalk or in any case a suitable place to completely unroll the hose before pressurizing it. The operation is therefore carried out, most of the time, outdoors, being therefore subject to constraints relating to atmospheric conditions.

Furthermore, a suitable place for unrolling the hose is not always available, especially in urban contexts where ?work spaces? they are limited. Think, for example, of checking the hoses of a condominium in a large city. In these cases, the hose is normally simply unrolled on the sidewalk in front of the building, with a consequent risk also for pedestrians or passing vehicles. Remember that the hose, during the pressurization which takes place with air or nitrogen, can? explode causing serious damage or considerable inconvenience.

Even if it were possible to find a suitable place locally? re-roll the hose? a rather difficult operation.

It, usually after being folded on s? itself in order to bring the two ends? free, it is wrapped starting from the folded part by means of special manual rollers which, drawing to itself? the hose to wrap it up, they ?slide it? on the surface on which ? expanse

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(for example a square or a sidewalk with asphalt). ? it is clear that the operation can? create abrasions on the lining of the hose and in the long run pu? lead to premature ruptures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Purpose of the present invention ? that of providing a test device for a fire hose, which overcomes the technical drawbacks of known procedures and methodologies.

Another purpose of the invention ? that of providing a device which substantially makes the hose test less dependent on atmospheric conditions.

Still another object of the present invention ? that of providing a device which allows the space required for a hose test to be considerably reduced.

Not the last aim of the present invention ? that of providing a device that minimizes the wear of the hose linked to test operations.

This and other purposes are achieved by a device made according to the technical teachings of the appended claims.

Advantageously the invention ? transportable to carry out ?on site? tests.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages of the innovation will become evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive form of the device, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which:

figure 1 ? a perspective view of the device of the present invention in an initial phase in which ? a wrapped hose is arranged inside it;

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figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of figure 1 during a test phase of the hose;

figure 3 ? a top view, with some parts removed, of a first wall of the device of figure 1;

figure 4 ? a top view of the device of figure 1, without the hose;

figure 5 ? a side view of the device of figure 4; And

figure 6 ? an exploded view of the device of figure 2, but without the hose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the cited figures, a fire hose test device indicated as a whole with the reference number 1 is shown.

The device 1 for testing a fire hose 10 (which is not part of the invention) comprises a first wall 2 and a second wall 3 facing and spaced apart from each other.

The first and second walls can be substantially parallel and circular, disc-shaped.

The second wall 3 (which can be seen in the upper part of figure 1) comprises at least one opening 4 for accessing a compartment 12 defined between said first 2 and second wall 3.

Opening 4 ? which can be closed by a hatch 5, to position a hose 10 in the compartment 12.

The hatch 5 can? be hinged (in 87) to a fixed part of the second wall 3, and pu? provide at least one locking member 21 of the door 5 in the closed position (for example one or more bolts).

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The opening 4 preferentially assumes a circular shape, with an indicative diameter of 0.5 metres.

The first wall 2 comprises a discoidal element 2A at least partially facing said opening 4. But as can be seen in figure 4, the discoidal element 2A has a larger diameter than that of the opening, and is? approximately 1 metre.

The entire first wall 2 instead pu? have a diameter of around 1.2 meters.

Yes ? calculated that this diameter ? optimal for managing hose tests from 15 to 25 metres, making the device 1 easy to handle and transport (for example inside a small van).

The discoidal element 2A ? rotating around an axis A, and supports near? of said axis A, but offset with respect to the latter, a first 7A and a second centering element 7B, which substantially extend from the disc-shaped element.

A possible configuration of the solution? visible in figure 6. Substantially the first and second centering element 7A, 7B are fixed to a plate 6 (for example circular in shape) and pass through two special holes 80 of the disc-shaped element, extending from it towards the opening 4 .

Plate 6 can be fixed (for example by means of through screws) in its own holes, to the disc-shaped element.

The plate 6 (and consequently the disc-shaped element) can rest on a thrust bearing 82 housed in a suitable hole in a base 2B which forms the first wall 2 with the disc-shaped element.

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As can be seen again in figure 6, the base 2B can? predict a plurality? of seats S made, each housing a sphere S1 on which the disc-shaped element 2A slides rotatably. In this way the rotation of the disc-shaped element 2A is achieved. free around axis A.

The configuration described above ? to be preferred in the case of horizontal use (on a flat surface, with axis A vertical) as the balls S1 work in support of the disc-shaped element 2A.

When instead the device? configured for vertical use (therefore with horizontal A axis) ? possible to provide a central rotation pin increased with a plate 7A pi? wide and a bearing 82 thrust more? big.

Basically, a ?vertical? of the device only a few peripheral spheres S1 and a central support system (plate 7A, bearing 82 etc.) "reinforced", all configured to support the rotation of the disc-shaped element 2A around a horizontal axis, are sufficient.

Advantageously, the disc-shaped element 2A ? housed in a lowered seat 83 obtained in the base 2B, so that when the disc-shaped element 2A is housed in the seat 83, its surface of the latter is perfectly aligned with the remaining exposed (annular) surface 84 of the base, so as to form a leveled plane of the second wall 2, facing the compartment 12.

The first 7A and the second 7B centering element have the purpose of centralizing a hose 10 on the disc-shaped element, and furthermore they can be part of actuation means 8 in rotation of the disc-shaped element 2A.

Said actuation means 8 can also comprise a handle which couples with said first 7A and second 7B centering element for manual rotation of the disc-shaped element 2A.

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Obviously the actuation means 8 can also be more? sophisticated, providing for example a motor (for example electric) kinematically coupled to the disc-shaped element, which controls its rotation in a commanded manner (always around the A axis), or a manual kinematic system (for example a reducer) capable of reducing force necessary for the rotation itself also through the crank 8.

In this solution, hatch 5 can? comprises a hole 5A configured to allow said handle 8 to pass when ? coupled to the centering elements 7A, 7B, so that? is it possible to activate the rotation of the disc-shaped element even when the hatch 5 ? closed.

To complete the description, it should be noted that the device comprises pressurization means 11 which can be associated with the hose 10 (or rather with its open ends) thus to be able to pressurize it.

Advantageously, the pressurization means comprise a manometer for reading the pressure at which ? subjected the hose, of the connection joints configured to mate tightly to standard attacks present at the extremities? 10A and 10B of the hose, and valve means V configured to pressurize also independently, one, the other or both ends? of the hose.

Always in the figure 6 you can? note that the compartment 12 between the two walls 2, 3 can? be delimited at least partially by a perimeter element 13 interrupted at a side access 14 to the compartment 12.

The perimeter element can? be, for example, a thin full-height circular steel sheet (of compartment 12) for safety reasons.

Access 14 ? configured to allow a passage to the extremities? 10A, 10B of the hose 10 at least when it ? located in compartment 12.

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The second wall 3 pu? include a window 16 configured for the positioning of the ends? 10A, 10B when the hose 10 ? located in compartment 12.

Furthermore, the second wall 3 pu? comprise a rigid frame 18 (for example in aluminum or other suitable metal) equipped with windows and associated with a transparent element 19 (for example in polycarbonate) preferably facing the compartment 12.

Advantageously, the surface facing the compartment 12 of the second wall 3? flat and, even when the hatch 5 ? closed, the surface facing the room 12 ? without steps or reliefs, resulting perfectly flat.

To complete the description, it should be noted that the first and second walls can be mutually assembled by means of spacers D, possibly sandwiched between the first and second walls by means of screws 89 and butterfly nuts 88 (or nuts).

Can you? note that the structure described makes the device completely removable thanks to the screw and interlocking jointing systems and this facilitates its cleaning, maintenance and replacement of any damaged elements.

How does the invention work? basically the following.

Preliminarily a hose 10 to be tested, and in a still wound configuration, is positioned in the compartment 12 through the opening 4.

C?? to say that the hoses are conventionally wrapped according to a particular technique. Specifically to wrap a hose it pu? come completely extended and folded back on s? itself in order to bring the two ends? free (suitably equipped with quick connectors to the water mains and for example to a lance) almost overlapping.

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Subsequently, the hose is wound in a spiral to suffer from the opposite side to that where the ends are located, where ? essentially created a? handle where the tube bends by 180?.

The hose wound up in this way is positioned in the compartment 12, taking care to fit the loop on a centering element 7A, and positioning it with respect to the other centering element so that the two parts of the pipe which form the loop, in a section close to the handle itself, are mutually superimposed and rest on the second centering element 7B according to the winding direction of the hose.

The extremities? of the hose are then positioned in correspondence with the access 14, advantageously exploiting the window 16 obtained in the second wall 3.

The door 5 is then advantageously closed, locked (for example with one or more bolts) for safety and the handle 8 is positioned so as to couple with the centering elements 7A, 7B.

The extremities? of the hose are associated with the pressurization means 11, for example by means of quick couplings.

In this configuration the device ? ready for use.

Pressurized fluid (for example air, nitrogen, etc.) is fed through the V valve(s), preferably to only one of the two ends? of the hose 10.

Yes ? surprisingly verified that feed the pressurized fluid at the only end? inside of the hose (with respect to the direction of rotation) is particularly effective.

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The supply of pressurized fluid causes the gradual swelling of the hose 10 which, almost automatically, even by exploiting the rotation of the disc-shaped element 6A, ?unrolls? swelling.

The unrolling? eventually ?helped? by a manual rotation (by means of the handle 8, in the direction of unwinding) of the disc-shaped element on which the hose 10 rests.

Basically you start to enter the fluid preferably in one of the two ends?, while the other will be? closed, and the tender hose? to expand in coils more and more? swollen by rotating with the disc-shaped element 2A, possibly aided by the manual rotation of the handle 8, until the pressure of the fluid introduced reaches, without losses, the value established for the leak test.

Once the pressurization is completed, possibly also through the? other extremity? of the hose, it is completely inflated and the increase in its radial dimension extends it, occupying part of the compartment 12 as clearly visible in figure 2, while still remaining substantially "rolled up".

Obviously the ?unrolling? (starting from the starting position) of the hose not ? total inside the compartment 12, but ? what is enough to compensate for the increase in diameter due to the swelling of the same.

Once the final configuration has been reached (fig.2), bring the hose to the desired pressure and leave it in place for a pre-established time, to check for any leaks.

In these conditions, the test of the hose is more? safer than the leak test performed in the traditional way (therefore with the hose completely unrolled and resting on the floor), since device 1 is able to withstand any damage caused by a possible burst of the hose, thus repairing? the operator.

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Once the check is complete, the hose is depressurized and the ends? of the same left free to expel the residual fluid.

Then by acting on the crank 8 in the rolling direction, the hose is re-rolled to once again reach the final, compact and empty rolling position.

Also in this operation the presence of the disc-shaped element is extremely advantageous for effective rewinding.

Furthermore, the winding inside the device prevents the hose from rubbing on the ground which occurs after the conventional tests, thus better preserving the integrity of the hose. of the hose 10 itself.

The wrapped hose 10 can? then be extracted from the compartment 12 (by opening the hatch 5) and repositioned in the appropriate containers (for example on the wall, or in the appropriate compartments of a fire brigade truck), already? rolled up.

Yes ? demonstrated how the illustrated device makes it possible to pressurize fire hoses in an extremely limited space (compared to the known tests, which provide for total unrolling along the length of the hose).

The device 1, given its substantially compact dimensions, can be comfortably housed in a road van.

Inside the van it can? be in a vertical position (for example fixed vertically to a wall or to shelves in the load compartment of the van) where it is fully operational.

If supported by a frame hinged on one side, device 1 can be free to rotate to the desired position of use, which can? also be inside the van (if the height allows it) for work protected from the elements.

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Or the device 1 pu? be positioned horizontally on the floor of the van or in a sliding ?drawer? below a counter-bed of the van itself.

Device 1 can? be installed under the floor on the sliding guides that allow its use in the vicinity? of the rear opening. The installation of a roll-up awning would allow it to be used even in rainy conditions.

Or still the device pu? be equipped with wheels for quick movement.

Nothing prevents the installation of the device even at the testers' own premises.

The present found ? also relating to a test method of a hose 10 through the device of one or more? of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of pressurizing the rolled up hose 10 arranged in the compartment 12 through only one of the two ends? and assist in at least partial unrolling of the hose 10 by rotating the disc-shaped element 2A, releasing pressure from the hose and rewinding the hose by rotating the disc-shaped element 2A in the opposite direction to that used to unroll the hose.

Yes ? therefore, given that the device 1 considerably reduces the testing times thus allowing? to carry out more tests, in the unit? of time considered (for example a working day of a maintenance technician). This increase in productivity? (compared to traditional tests) translates into a greater economic profit and a reduction in the amortization times of the cost of the device.

Furthermore, the invention reduces maintenance costs (for users) why? the test preserves the state of conservation of the hoses that last longer? and consequently it becomes possible to purchase quality hoses? more high quality and coming from environmentally friendly supply chains.

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Last but not least, the device has no contraindications compared to the traditional leak test, because? it does not require periodic maintenance, but only one-off cleaning, made easier by the possibility? of its complete disassembly, without the aid of any particular tool and in a simple and intuitive way.

Various embodiments of the innovation have been described, but others could be devised by exploiting the same innovative concept.

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Claims (10)

1. Device (1) for testing an anti-fire hose (10), comprising a first wall (2) and a second wall (3) mutually facing and spaced apart, the second wall (3) comprising at least one opening (4 ) for access to a compartment (12) defined between said first (2) and second wall (3), the opening (4) being closable by a hatch (5), the first wall (2) comprising a disc-shaped element (2A ) at least partially facing said opening (4) and rotating around an axis (A), from the discoidal element (2A) extending near the? of said axis (A), but offset with respect to the latter, a first (7A) and a second centering element (7B), actuation means (8) in rotation of the disc-shaped element (2A) and pressurization means ( 11) that can be associated with the hose (10), so that the rolled up hose can be positioned through the opening (4) on the first (7A) and second centering element (7B), associated with the pressurization means (11) and pressurized in so as to inflate and unroll at least partially while remaining in a semi-wrapped configuration, to test its pressure seal, and subsequently depressurized and rewound by means of a rotation of the disc-shaped element (2A) obtained by means of said actuation means (8). 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said actuation means (8) comprise a handle which couples with said first (7A) and second centering element (7B) for a manual rotation of the disc-shaped element (2A). 3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the hatch (5) comprises a hole (5A) configured to allow the passage of said handle (8) when ? coupled to the centering elements (7A, 7B). 4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the disc-shaped element (2A) is? associated with at least one bearing which makes it rotate with respect to a base (2B) of the first wall (2). 5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one ball bearing comprises a plurality of of seats (S) made in the base (2B), each housing a sphere (S1) on which the disc-shaped element (2A) slides rotatably. 6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the compartment (12) is delimited at least partially by a perimeter element (13) interrupted in correspondence with an access (14) lateral to the compartment (12), the access (14) being configured to allow a passage at the extremities? (10A, 10B) of the hose (10) at least when it ? positioned in the compartment (12). 7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the second wall (3) comprises a window (16) configured for positioning the ends? (10A, 10B) when the hose (10) ? located in compartment 12. 8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the second wall (3) comprises a rigid frame (18) provided with windows and associated with a transparent element (19) preferably facing the compartment (12). 9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the door (5) is hinged to a fixed part of the second wall (3), and provides at least one locking member (21) of the door (5) in the closed position. 10. Test method of a hose (10) through the device of one or more? of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of pressurizing the rolled up hose (10) arranged in the compartment (12) through only one of the two ends? and help the at least partial unwinding of the hose (10) by rotating the disc-shaped element (2A), release pressure from the hose and rewind the ? hose by rotating the disc-shaped element (2A) in the opposite direction to that used to unroll the hose.