SE1650501A1

SE1650501A1 - Fire-fighting lance

Info

Publication number: SE1650501A1
Application number: SE1650501A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Cristanini Adolfo
Original assignee: Cristanini Spa
Priority date: 2016-04-13
Filing date: 2016-04-13
Publication date: 2017-10-14
Also published as: NL2018684A; FR3050118B1; NL2018684B1; GB201704815D0; SE539812C2; GB2549396B; DE202017102090U1; GB2549396A; FR3050118A1

Abstract

11 ABSTRACTA fire-fighting lance comprising a handle (2) with an inlet (3) for a pressurized fluid; at leastone first duct (18); a second supply duct (8) superimposed on the first duct (18) that includesa misting nozzle (9); a first diverting valve (10) having an inlet (11) and a first and a secondoutlet (12, 13) respectively connected to the first and to the second duct (18, 8); firstselecting means (14) acting upon the first diverting valve (10) to convey the pressurized fluidselectively and alternatively towards the first outlet (12) or towards the second outlet (13); athird supply duct (5) coaxial with the first supply duct (18) and inner thereto; and secondselecting means (19) to alternatively and selectively convey the fluid flowing from the firstoutlet (12) of the first diverting valve (10) towards the first supply duct (18) or towards thethird supply duct (5). The first supply duct (18) comprises a first spraying nozzle (24') to spraya jet with a relatively high dispersion, the third supply duct (5) includes a second sprayingnozzle (21') to spray a jet with a reduced dispersion. The lance (1) further comprises acylindrical slider (40) configured so as to intercept the jet flowing from the first duct (18) to modify the width thereof.

Description

FIRE-FIGHTING LANCEField ofapplicationThe present invention is generally applicable to the technical field of fire-fightingsystems and equipment, and it particularly relates to a fire-fighting lance for the supply andpointing of a liquid flow on flames.

Background ofthe invention Numerous embodiments of fire-fighting lances are known. ln particular, the patentCN201939919 whose owner is Shaanxi Yinhe Fire Fighting Technology and Equipment Co. Ltddescribes a lance having a handle, a controlling lever acting upon an inner valve for theselective supply of a flow of water to be directed on the fire, an inlet of pressurized waterand a duct with an opening for the exit of the flow of water. The duct is provided with anozzle to spray the water, placed near the opening for the exit of the duct.

An evident drawback of the known solution is the fact that a single duct with a singlenozzle for the supply, even if it is adjustable, it may not be suitable for different types offires. I\/|oreover, even during the extinguishment of the fire thereof the optimal conditions ofwater supply may vary rapidly during the extinguishment . Therefore, a further drawback ofthe known solution is the fact that it does not allow a fast and safe adjustment of the flow ofwater.

A further drawback of the known solutions lies in the fact of not comprising an outletnozzle of the water designed to obtain a misting and a dispersion of the optimized dropletsof water.

Another drawback of the known solutions lies in the fact of not allowing to generatea jet of sprayed water with finely dispersed droplets and subsequently to generate in an easymanner a jet of not misted water.

From documents EP1930083, FR2930167 and FR2741540 further fire-fighting lancesare known.

I\/|oreover, such known solutions provide lances hardly movable and not suitable forthe use in narrow spaces.

Summary of the invention Object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing a lance that allows to supply different types of jets of liquid to extinguish a fire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lance that allows to select the type offlows supplied during the use thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lance that allows an optimum mistingand dispersion of the particles of the liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lance that allows to adjust in an easymanner, besides the type of jet of the liquid, even the longitudinal flow range and theamplitude of the supplied jet of fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lance that may be used in narrow and/or restricted spaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lance that may be used by anoperator using only one hand.

These objects, as well as others that will appear more clear hereinafter, are fulfilledby a lance according to claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined according to the appendedclaims.

Brief description of the drawings Further features and advantages of the invention will appear more evident byreading the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a fire-fighting lance according to the invention, shown by way of non-limiting example with thehelp of the annexed drawings, wherein: FlGs. la and 1b are a perspective view of a lance according to the invention in twodifferent operating phases; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lance of FIG. 1; FlGs. 3a, 4a and 5 are a partially sectioned view of a lance according to the inventionin different operating positions; FlGs. 3b and 4b are an enlarged view of certain details, respectively, of FIG. 3a andFIG. 4a; FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail of the lance of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a further detail of the lance of FIG. 1.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments With reference to the above mentioned figures, it is described a fire-fighting lance,generally indicated with the reference number 1, for the supply of a jet of fluid on the flamesto be extinguished. The lance 1 comprises a handle 2 for the grabbing by the user and aninlet line 3 of the pressurized fluid that may be supplied by a suitable supply hose, not shownin the drawings. The lance 1 may include a coupling 4 placed near the handle 2 to connectthe supply hose.

Furthermore, the lance 1 comprises at least one first duct 18 defining a firstlongitudinal axis L for the supply of the jet of fluid and a main valve 6 to selectively put theinlet line 3 in fluid communication with the first supply duct 18. The main valve 6 may beactuated by a first controlling lever 7 placed near the handle 2, so as the user may easilygrab the handle 2 with one hand and with the hand thereof activate the first controllinglever 7 when he wants to release the jet of fluid.

I\/|oreover, the lance 1 comprises at least one second supply duct 8 having a mistingnozzle 9 and a first diverting valve 10 to suitably divert the flow rates of fluid directedtowards the first and the second supply duct 18, 8. The second supply duct 8 is configured togenerate a jet of finely dispersed droplets and it defines a second longitudinal axis L', thatmay be substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis L.

Suitably, the two supply ducts 18 and 8 may be superimposed therebetween.

The first diverting valve 10 comprises an inlet section 11 fluidly connected to themain valve 6 and two outlet sections 12, 13 connected respectively to the first and to thesecond duct 18, 8. First selecting means 14 are provided to convey the flow rate of the fluidthrough the outlet sections 12, 13 towards the first or the second supply duct 18, 8. Thanksto this arrangement, the first diverting valve 10 is placed fluidly downstream with respect tothe main valve 6 so as to receive the flow of fluid when the latter is open, and upstream withrespect to the first and to the second supply duct 18, 8 so as to convey in the latter the flowrate coming from the main valve 6.

As shown in the annexed drawings, the first selecting means 14 may comprise a slider16 housed in a threaded seat 15 of the first diverting valve 10 so as to selectively obstructthe outlet sections 12, 13. The displacement of the slider 16 allows to divert the flow of fluidtowards the first and the second supply duct 18, 8. ln particular, the user acting upon the first selecting means 14, may completely obstruct the flow of fluid towards the first duct 18 and divert it towards the second duct 8. Conversely, the user always acting upon the firstselecting means 14, may completely obstruct the flow of fluid towards the second duct 8 anddivert it towards the first duct 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first selecting means 14 may comprise a controlling knob 17fastened on the slider 16, so as the user may easily move the slider 16.

The lance 1 may comprise a third supply duct 5 coaxial with the first duct 18 andinner thereto. I\/Ioreover, second selecting means 19 may be provided interposed betweenthe first diverting valve 10 and the first and third supply duct 18, 5 to put the latteralternatively in fluid communication with the first outlet section 12 of the first divertingvalve 10. In this way, the second selecting means 19 direct alternatively and selectively theflow of fluid flowing from the section 12 of the first diverting valve 10 towards the first orthe third supply duct 18, 5.

The second selecting means 19 may include a second controlling lever 20 rotatablebetween a first working position wherein the outlet section 12 of the first diverting valve 10is in fluid communication with the first duct 18, shown in FIG. 4a, and a second workingposition wherein the outlet section 12 of the first diverting valve 10 is in fluidcommunication with the third duct 5, shown in FIG. 3a.

The first supply duct 18 may be coaxial to the third supply duct 5 and it may have asubstantially annular transverse section, while the third supply duct 5 may be inner to thefirst supply duct 18 and it may have a substantially circular transverse section.

Suitably, the first supply duct 18 may comprise a first spraying nozzle 24' that, asshown in FIG. 6, comprises a plurality of holes 26 to increase the turbulence of thepressurized fluid and to spray a jet with a relatively high dispersion flowing from the firstsupply duct 18.

On the other hand, the third supply duct 5 may include a second spraying nozzle 21'to spray a jet with a reduced dispersion flowing from the third supply duct 5.

Suitably, the first spraying nozzle 24' may encompass the second spraying nozzle 21'.

The lance 1 may comprise a single central hole 23 placed substantially along the firstlongitudinal axis L in correspondence to the ends of the first and third duct 18, 5.

Possibly, the lance 1 may comprise an outlet end member 21 placed in correspondence to the free longitudinal end 22 of the third supply duct 5 and provided with the single central hole 5.

On the other hand, the spraying nozzle 24' may further comprise an annular element24 placed in correspondence to the terminal end 25 of the first supply duct 18 andperipherally provided with longitudinal holes 26, the latter being in fluid communicationwith the single central hole 23.

In this way, the fluid that flows from the first supply duct 18 enters in the longitudinalholes 26, that are transversely misaligned with respect to the first longitudinal axis L, andsubsequently it converges towards the central hole 23 that, instead, is substantially alignedwith the first longitudinal axis L.

This particular configuration determines an increase of the turbulence and it allowsto generate a jet of fluid with a relatively high transverse dispersion when the flow of fluidpasses through the first supply duct 18, that is, when the controlling lever 20 is in the secondworking position shown in FlGs. 4a and 5.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the first duct 18 may have a variablelength. In particular, the latter may include a cylindrical slider 40 substantially coaxial withthe first duct 18 susceptible to intercept the flow flowing therefrom.

In particular, the cylindrical slider 40 may slide on the first duct 18 between a firstworking position wherein the lance 1 has a minimum length LUmin (FIG. 1b) and a secondworking position wherein the lance 1 has a maximum length LUmax (FIG. 1a).

Suitably, when the cylindrical slider 40 is in the first working position the jet flowingfrom the first spraying nozzle 24' may have a maximum transverse dispersion (FIG. 5), whilewhen the same first spraying nozzle 24' is in the second working potion the jet flowing fromthe first spraying nozzle 24' may have a minimum transverse dispersion and maximum flowrange (Fig. 4a).

On the other hand, when the flow of fluid passes through the third supply duct 5,that is, when the controlling lever 20 is in the first working position shown in FIG. 3a, thefluid passes exclusively through the second spraying nozzle 21' and the single central hole 23that, advantageously, may be substantially aligned to minimize the turbulence so as the jethas a reduced dispersion.

Advantageously, in this case, the flow flowing from the central hole 23 does not intercept the cylindrical slider 40 so as the jet flowing from the second spraying nozzle 21' has a high flow range. ln particular, the cylindrical slider 40 may not intercept the jet flowingfrom the third duct 5 nor in the first working position nor in the second working position toallow the flowing jet thereof to have a maximum flow range. ln an preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the lance 1 according to theinvention, shown in FIG. 2, the annular element 24 may be screwed directly on the freelongitudinal end 22 of the third supply duct 5, while the outlet end member 21 may bescrewed on the annular element 24.

The misting nozzle 9 may have a wall 27 converging towards an outlet 28substantially aligned with the second longitudinal axis L' and it may comprise a dispersionelement 29 of the fluid placed upstream of the outlet 28. ln particular, this dispersionelement 29 may have a longitudinal channel 30 substantially aligned with the outlet 28 and acurved wall 31 faced towards the convergent wall 27 and provided with a plurality of radialslots 32 to allow the displacement of a fraction of fluid in the radial direction and to increasethe turbulence and the misting of the jet of fluid. ln an embodiment of the lance according to the invention, shown in FIG. 7, the radialslots 32 of the dispersion element 29 may be angularly spaced therebetween by apredetermined angle and substantially equal to 45°. ln another embodiment of the lanceaccording to the invention, not shown in the annexed drawings, the predetermined spacingangle between the radial slots 32 may be of 15° to 30° sexagesimal. The misting nozzle 9 mayalso comprise a bush 33 to keep the dispersion element 29 in position.

Furthermore, the maximum length LUmax and the weight of the lance 1 may beparticularly reduced so as to allow an operator to easily handle the lance 1 thereof with onehand in narrow spaces.

For example, the lance 1 may have a maximum length LUmax lower than 70 cm, andmore preferably lower than 65 cm.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the lance 1 may have a minimumlength LUmin of 57 cm and maximum length LUmax of 64 cm.

Furthermore, the lance 1 may be manufactured in such a way so as to have a weightlower than 3 kg, preferably lower than 2,6 kg, and more preferably of 2,2 kg to 2,6 kg inorder to facilitate the handling thereof by the user.

Thanks to such a configuration, the user may handle the lance 1 in an easy manner ensuring high effectiveness of a fire extinguishment. ln particular, the lance 1 may be easily handled and moved with one hand so as tofacilitate the use thereof during the extinguishment of a fire and / or in a dangeroussituation. I\/loreover, the user with the other hand and without stopping the operation of thelance 1 thereof may act upon the first selecting means 14 and / or the second selectingmeans 19 and /or upon the cylindrical slider 40 to vary the type ofjet flowing from the lance1. ln the light of the aforementioned, it is understood that the invention fulfils theintended objects.

The fire-fighting lance according to the invention is susceptible of numerousmodifications and variations, all falling within the inventive concept expressed in theappended claims. All the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements,and the materials may be different according to requirements, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A fire-fighting lance comprising: - a handle (2) having an inlet (3) for a pressurized fluid; - at least one first supply duct (18) defining a first longitudinal axis (L), said firstsupply duct (18) including a first spraying nozzle (24'); - a second supply duct (8) superimposed on said first supply duct (18), said secondsupply duct (8) defining a second longitudinal axis (L') substantially parallel to said firstlongitudinal axis (L), said second supply duct (8) comprising a misting nozzle (9) to generate ajet of finely dispersed droplets; - a first diverting valve (10) having an inlet (11) fluidly connected to the inlet (3) ofsaid handle (2) and a first and a second outlet (12, 13) connected respectively to said firstand said second duct (18, 8); - first selecting means (14) acting upon said first diverting valve (10) to convey thepressurized fluid selectively and alternatively towards said first outlet (12) or to said secondoutlet (13); - at least one third duct (5) coaxial with said at least one first supply duct (18) andinside thereto; said third supply duct (5) comprising a second spraying nozzle (21') with highflow range; - second selecting means (19) placed downstream with respect to said first divertingvalve (10) movable between a first operating position wherein said first outlet (12) of saidfirst diverting valve (10) is in fluid communication with said first supply duct (18) and asecond operating position wherein said first outlet (12) of said first diverting valve (10) is influid communication with said third supply duct (5); - a cylindrical slider (40) configured in such a way so as to intercept the jet flowingfrom said first duct (18) to modify the width thereof; wherein said cylindrical slider (40) is substantially coaxial with said at least one firstduct (18) and sliding thereon between a first working position wherein the jet flowing fromsaid first spraying nozzle (24') has maximum width and minimum flow range, and a secondworking position wherein the jet flowing from said first spraying nozzle (24') has a minimumwidth and maximum flow range; wherein said cylindrical slider (40) does not intercept the jet flowing from said third duct (5) nor in said first working position nor in said second working position to allow the jetthereof to have a maximum flow range; wherein said first selecting means (14), second selecting means (19) and saidcylindrical slider (40) are configured so as to be controllable by a user with a hand during thefunctioning of the lance (1), the latter having a maximum length (LUmax) and a weight suchas to allow an operator to move the lance thereof with the other hand.

2. Lance according to claim 1, wherein said first spraying nozzle (24') encompassessaid second spraying nozzle (21'), said first spraying nozzle (24') comprising a plurality ofaxial holes (26) transversely misaligned with respect to said first longitudinal axis (L) and influid communication with said single central hole (23) so as when said second selectingmeans (19) are in said first working position the flow of fluid passes exclusively through saidthird duct (5) to minimize the turbulence of the fluid and to spray a jet with reduceddispersion, and so as when said second selecting means (19) are in said second workingposition the flow of fluid passes exclusively through said first duct (18) to increase theturbulence ofthe pressurized fluid and to spray a jet with a relatively high dispersion.

3. Lance according to claim 2, wherein said first selecting means (14) comprise aslider (16) screwable on a threaded seat (15) of said first diverting valve (10) to selectivelyobstruct said outlet sections (12, 13).

4. Lance according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said second selecting means (19)include a controlling lever (20) rotatable between said first and second working position,said controlling lever (20) being connected to a second diverting valve (19') so as therotation of the former corresponds to the rotation of the latter to alternatively andselectively convey the fluid flowing from the first outlet (12) of said first diverting valve (10)towards said first supply duct (18) or towards said third supply duct (5).

5. Lance according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an outlet endmember (21) placed in correspondence to the free longitudinal end (22) of said third supplyduct (5) and provided with said single central hole (23) placed along said first longitudinalaxis (L).

6. Lance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first sprayingnozzle (24') further comprises an annular element (24) placed in correspondence to the erminal end (25) of said first supply duct (18) and peripherally provided with said axial holes (26).

7. Lance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said misting nozzle(9) has a wall (27) converging towards an outlet (28) substantially aligned with said secondlongitudinal axis (L'), said misting nozzle (9) further comprising a dispersion element (29) ofthe fluid placed upstream with respect to said outlet (28), said dispersion element (29)having a longitudinal channel (30) substantially aligned with said outlet (28) and a curvedwall (31) faced towards said converging wall (27) and provided with a plurality of radia| slots(32) to allow the displacement of a fraction of fluid in the radia| direction and to increase theturbulence and the misting of the jet of fluid.

8. Lance according to claim 7, wherein said radia| slots (32) of said dispersionelement (29) are angularly spaced therebetween by a predetermined angle of 15° to 30°.

9. lance according to any one of the preceding claims, having a maximum length(LUmax) lower than 70 cm, and more preferably lower than 65 cm.

10. Lance according to any one of the preceding claims, having a total weight lowerthan 3 kg, preferably lower than 2,6 kg, and even more preferably of 2,2 kg to 2,6 kg, so as the operator may move the lance thereof with one hand.