US1410190A

US1410190A - Fire apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1410190A
Application number: US374658A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Kaiser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: American LaFrance LLC
Priority date: 1920-04-17
Filing date: 1920-04-17
Publication date: 1922-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 1939-03-21

Description

J. J. KAISER.

FIRE APPARATUS. 1,410, APPLICATION mm APR. 17. 1920. Patented Mar- 21, 1922' 2 SHEETSSHEET l- JNIVENTOR. Jail 71 (1% 61/66 6 kl A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

' W MQMZW 0 2 9 (I x q 1 I t l I 7 1 R rlv A S A E KW rr J EN T A C L P P A UNITED STATES PATENT JOHN J, KAISER, or DAYTON, 0310,

FIRE APPARATUS.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma12'21, 1922.

Application filed April 17, 1920. Serial no. 374,658.

To all whom it may concern:

1 3e it known that I, JoHN J. Karena, a oitlzen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State "ed on the truck through suitable operating connections with the motor of the truck, or may be demounted from the truck and operated through suitable connections with any available source of power.

The main object of the invention is to provide means whereby extensible scaling ladders, of the general character of'fire truck ladders, may be power-operated, as

distinguished from the present common practice of manual operation; the result to be effected by power operation consisting in quicker and more positive manipulation of the ladders and, therefore, a, greater degree of safety in the work that is to be performed in connection with their use.

As shown in the drawings and herein described the invention contemplates the use of air compressors and pneumatic controls for raising and lowering extensible ladders of any suitable construction and for maneuvering the same relative to buildings which are to be scaled by the use thereof.

In the operation of trucks equipped with the apparatus, in the preferred form of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is contemplated to use an air.

pressure storage tank of ample capacity to perform all initial operations of the 'l'adders, such as maneuveringthe same relative to a building, and extending the ladders to scale the building, and'to maintain the storage tank normally charged at the required pressure to perform these operations. Thus the apparatus will be" at all times normally ready for instantuse irrespective ofthe eon- 'clition ofthe motor-orother source of power I for charging the storage his is at rest or in operation.

It is a further object of the invention as herein contemplated to employ in connection with the storage tank an air compressor directly "connected to thetruck motor, when a motor-operated truck is used, or otherwise with an independent motor, whereby the pressure of the storage tank may be maintainedat normal whether the appara- In the construction shown, it is further contemplated to employ a direct-operating air pressure chamber in connection with the ladder 'hoisting'means whereby the action of the an on the hoistlng means will be equalized and the action and control of the ladders wlll be directand pos tive with the possibility of failure IIIOPQI'MZIOII minimized to a negligible degree.

As faras I am aware-I am the'first to evolvea practicable apparatus having the general"characteristics of the present construction and the broad underlying principles of invention defined in the-appendedclaims. It will be understood that the invention relates to these broad principles rather-than to theuminor details of construction which maybe modified in various ways without departlng from the basic features orthe spirit of the invention.

VVhile'the invention" is herein illustrated and'described asapplied to pneumatic app'aratus, it will be understood that pressure mediums other than air, such as water or other suitable liquids, maybe employed to 'efiect'th'e automatic maneuvering of the ladders,the pneumatic apparatus being-herein shown for thezpurposes 0f illustration only.

Inthe drawings: a

F g. 1 is a plan-view of a truck and apparatus embodying the present invention in one form;

Figi'2 is a side elevation of the truck frame ancbapparatus shown in Fig. 1'; a ladder and part of the machinery connected therewith being shown "in dotted lines and part of the turn-table being shown in "section As shown in the drawings, the ladder opcrating apparatus may be mounted on any suitabletruclnt preferably on a motor-operated truck,- suitable connections being employed to operate the ladders with power su pliedfrom'the truck-engine. I 1 bus aslillustr'ated in Fig. lolf thedrawings there is a truck frame 1 supported on ground. wheels :12. Mounted "on the name at check valve 16'and a cutoft valve'l'T being employed respectively to regulate the presc onnection with the engine 3, a switch or controlling devlce 8 being connected Wltllthe different battery circuits to control operation ofthe respective devices. Thus the engine 3 may be operated independently of the motors 5, 6 and 7 or jointly with any one of the motors, as may be desired and as may be determined by manipulatlon of a switch 8 whlch is here shown in more or less conventional form, it being understood .that the switch and wire connectlons may be of the usual forms of well known constructlon. 1 r

The motor 5, as here shown, is gear-con- ;nected to an air compressor 9, any suitable gearing, as indicated at 10 and 1O" being gear 18 being a small gear secured to the motor shaft, the gears 19 and 20 intermediate gears, andthe gear 21 a large gear secured to one end of a 'directaction air compressor chamber 22 mounted in suitable bearing supports 23 on the turn-table 11. A clutch 24, as here shown, isinterposed between the motor 7 and chamber 22, whereby the gear connections therebetween may be thrown into and out otoperative relation.

Supported on-the frame 1 in the rear of the turn-table 11, as here shown, are storage or reserve air pressure tanks, 14 which are connected tothe air compressor 9 by pipe couplings 15, whereby the tanks may be charged with air from the compresso a sure at which the tanks lat may be charged and to cut out the connection betweenthe air-compressor and tank at times when the tanks areiull-charged and the apparatus is inoperative.

The compression tanks 14 are connected.

to. the direct-action chamber 22 byasuitable coupling, consisting as hereshown ota accommodate the "movement of the turntable upon wh ch the'chamber 22 is mounted .and receding oi the endsol": the pipes 32 in their movement into and outot pipes 31.

the connection to the tank from the pipe 25 is made by means of a section'of flexible hose 28.

Theair chamber 22, as stated, is mounted on the turn-table l1 and is also mounted in the bearing supports 23 to rotate therein. Supported on the chamber is an extensible ladder, here shown as consisting of two sec-' tions 29 and '30. It will be understood, however, that any desired number of ladder sections may be employed the present construction being for the purposes of illustration only. Section 29 of-the ladder rests .at its base on the chamber 22 and may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. Section 30 of the ladder is mounted to be extended longitudinally of section 29, the connections between the sections being 01": the usual nested. construction in extension ladders. While the ladders are here shown in sections it will be obvious that with suitable modifications rope or other collapsible ladders may be employed. j

Also mounted on the chamber 22 are two opposite tubes or pipes 31, having extensible tubes 32 telescopically mounted therein, the joints between the

tubes

31 and 32 being packed in any suitable manner to prevent any material escape of air therethrough. The tubes or pipes 31' are mounted in any conventional way; as by their connection with the couplings 31 as'to permit of the slight lateral movement between them to accommodate the distance between thepipes 32 asthey telescope in and out of the pipes 31' At their outer free ends the tubes 32 are joined togetherwith a telescopiccrosshead which is connected to the section '30 of the ladder by ropes or cables 35, and has 'securedfithereto outwardly projecting guide and-supporting wheels 86 adapted to contact with a wall of a building when the ladders are positioned relative thereto. This telescopic cross head permits the approach The. tubes 31 are directly connected to the a r chamber 22 in any suitable nianneix as by, ports 37-, and tubes 32 are preferably closed at their inner ends to for-ma head for the action of the air thereon; Air is introduced to the chamber 22 and therefore direct to tubes 31 by means of valve 2'? which will act to force tubes 32 and ladder section 30 secured thereto outwardly to any desiredextent within their capacityfor'extension. When the "ladders have bcen extended they may be maintained in such relation by closing the cut-oflivalve 27.

To insure against any possibility of failure or accident inv the pneumatic apparatus when the ladders arein extended relation and firemen or othersascending or descendingthereon, any suitable mechanical means may be employed to positively lock the ex? -5 tended tubes and ladder in any extended position. Such means are illustrated in the drawings in devices applied to the opposite tubes 81 and 82 consisting of a toothed bar 38 pivotally secured to the cross head 34: and; adapted to pass between the arms of the bifurcated member 39 secured to the ends of tubes31. The bar-'38, as here shown, is

provided with notches 4:0 adapted to be engaged by a locking pawl 41 pivoted on the member '39. The locking pawl is shown ashaving one end weighted and 15 adapted to be employed to perform or assist in performing the initial step of raising the ladders. As here shown an air cylinder 43 is mounted on the rear of the truckand is connected to the air tank M by suitable connections a l with the valve 27 whereby with the opening of the valve to charge the chamber 22,'the initial movement to open the valve may be utilizedto charge the cylinder 43. The cylinder may have any suitablepiston operable'therei-n having a lifting head 45 secured thereto externally of the cylinder, and adapted to loosely support thereon the opposite tubes 31. Thus by charging the cylinder 453 with air in the manner described the

tubes

81 and 32 together with the extensible ladders secured thereto may be raised to the extent indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings as shown in dotted lines.

From the foregoing detailed description and from the accompanying drawings the construction and operation of the improved apparatus will be readily understood.

As here shown it is contemplated that all the required power for operating the apparatus will be supplied from the truck motor. Thus the storage battery 4 may be charged from the motor through any suitable connection, such as a generating motor, and the motor 5 may be supplied with current from the battery or direct from the generator to operate the air compressor 9. The reserve air pressure tank 14 may be charged with air as required either to maintain the reserve air pressure therein or to maintain operating pressure when the apparatus is at work.

The motor 6 may be supplied with current in like manner to operate the turntable to position the ladders relative to a building or otherwise where the same are to be raised. The motor 7 will likewise be supplied with current to rotate the chamber 22 and the ladder extending apparatus secured thereto to raise the

pneumatic tubes

31 and 32 and the ladders therewith to the desired angle for extending the ladders, the auxiliary air pressure device 43 also being employed in this connection. Finally, the ladders will be'extended by charging the air chamber 22 from the tank 14, as hereindescribed. The action of the air in the chamber 22 will be to equalize the pressure on the closed ends of the tubes 32 so that the projections of the tubes and the ladder section 30 will be in balanced relation.

lVhile the'construction herein shown is estially of a preferred form, it will be understood that theinvention deals with the apparatus as a whole rather than with the de tail arrangements. Various modifications may be made in the apparatus, both as to details of construction and arrangement of the different units of the apparatus in their coordinated relations without departing from the underly ng principles and the spirlt of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a motor truck,

an air compressor operatively connected with the motor thereof and a reserve air pressure tank connected to the air compressor. of a-direct air pressure chamber connected to the reserve air tank and rotatively adjustable relative thereto, telescopic air tubes mounted on said air chamber and adapted to be charged with air therefrom, and an extensible ladder connected to said tubes whereby said tubes and ladder may be angularly adjusted and compressed air may be employed in said apparatus to expand said tubes longitudinally to extend said ladders.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a motor and an air compressor operatively connected therewith, of a reserve air pressure tank connected to the air compressor, a direct-action air pressure chamber connected to. the reserve air tank and mounted to rotate in horizontal and vertical planes relative thereto, air--operated extensible members mounted on said air chamber and adapted to be charged with air therefrom and an extensible ladder connected to said members whereby compressed air may be employed in said apparatus to expand said members longitudinally to extend said ladders.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a motor and an air compressor operatively connected therewith, of an air pressure chamber connected to the air compressor and adapted to be adjusted rotatively relative thereto, air-operated extensible members, mounted on said air chamber and adapted to be charged with air therefrom, and an extensible ladder connected to said members whereby compressed air may be employed in said apparatus to expand said members longitudinally to extend said'ladders.

at. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, a motor, and an air compressor operatively connected to said motor, of air-operated extensible members mounted for movement relative tosaid frame, and an air pressure chamber communicating with the air compressor and rotatively mounted on said frame, said extensible members being connected with said chamber for rotative movement therewith in regardto said frame, said extensible members to be charged from said air-pressure chamber, an extensible ladder connected to said members whereby compressed air may be employed in said apparatus to expand said members longitudinally to extend said ladders, and locking devices cooperating with said members to maintain the ladders in said extended relation.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, a motor, and an air compressor operatively connected to said motor, of air-operated extensible members mounted for movement relative to said frame, and an air pressure chamber communicating with the air com pressor and rotatively mounted on said frame, said extensible members being connected with said chamber for rotative movement horizontally and vertically therewith in regard to said" frame, said extensible members to be charged from said air-pres-. sure chamber, an extensible ladder connected to said members whereby compressed air may be employed in said apparatus to expand said members longitudinally to extend said ladders, and an auxiliary air-operated a mechanism cooperatin with said means and the air pressure cham er to partially effect said vertical adjustment.

i 6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, a

motor, and an air compressor operatively connected to said motor, of a turntable'on said frame, and vertically-adjustable airwith the air compressor and rotatively mounted 011 said turntable, means to operate the turntable, and separate means to effect the vertical adjustment of said extensible members, and an extensible ladder ture.

JOHN J, KAISER,

operated extensible members thereon, and an air pressure chamber commumcatmg