US2119962A - Apparatus for extinguishing forest fires - Google Patents

Description

Jlrll'le 7, RALElGH S 2,119,962

l APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHI-NG FOREST FIRES Filed March 2. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III/Ill,

Jahn Raleigh- @www @HOW/gw."

`Fune 7,v 1938. -.1. RALEIGH 2,119,962

APPARTUS FOR EXTIN'GUSHING FOREST FIRES Filed March 2, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 2 i @j y i /wuemom 1J nhn Rale gh..

@Komm/7^ Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES APPARATUS* Fon EXTINGUisnING FOREST FIRES John aleigh, Peshtigo, Wis. Application March 2, 1936, seiai No. 66,682 2 claims. (o1. 147-169) This invention appertains toiire lighting apparatus, and more particularly to a novel method and means for extinguishing forest lires.

Generally, forest fires start from a single point and travel in' a narrow lane rapidly from said point in the directionof the wind. This burnin-g lane then less rapidly broadens out lat'- erally in bothdirections'.

Due to the inaccessibility of water in forests, other methods than fighting the iire with water have to be resorted to. Generally, lanes are dug in an effort to cut 01T the lire'. Due' to brush, timber, etc., the use of power machinery for this purpose isV practically useless.

It is, therefore, one of the primary' objects of my invention to provide a light portable device Which can be easily handled and manipulated by a single person in a forest to effectively bring about the controlling of aV nre therein;

Another salientl object of my invention is to provide a portable device', which can be readily manipulated alongside. the re, embodying a` ro`- tary digging member for loosening and throwing dirt, sand, and the like from the ground onto the burning brush,V etc., to effectively smother and put out the fire.

A further object of my invention is to pro-vide means for digging up sand and the like vfrom the ground and for throwing vthe same with considerable force against the fire. u

Al further important object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the machine can be easily guided and tilted, so that the sand or dirt can be directed rather high ontothe burning bushes, etc., or straight out on a fire burning close to the ground. y y

Another' further object of my invention is the provision ofV means for associating diiferent types of rotary diggers with Vthe machine',whereby more or less sand or dirt,` can be supplied to the fan blowerl according to the character of the fire being fought. v K

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for suspending and carry- 455i" ing a light portable internal combustion engine from the back of a personforoperating various appliances, such as a lire fighting device.

A still further objectief my'invention is tol provide a flreghting'apparatus of the abo-ve char- 500acter, which will be' durable and vefcient'in use,

one that is simple and easy to manufacture, and' one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, ar-

rangement, and formatinlof parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated, in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure l isv a' complete View showing my improved device in use.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail, fragmentary side elevation of the bottoni part of my improved device, with parts thereof broken away and in sectionv to `illustrate structural details.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 isv aside elevationI illustrating a modi'- ed form of digger associated with the driving shaft and fan.

Figure' is a detail section taken substantially on the line V5`5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure' 6'is` a section similar to Figure 5, but taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a front elevation ofV my novel backstrap`v for carrying the internal combustion engine. v

Figure '8 is a fragmentary detail view illustratingA another form of means for holding the protectingV hood in Y place.

*'r'teferring,L to* the drawings in' detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, the letter A generally indicates my improved forest reiightin'g apparatus, which comprises a light portable'jhand device ,for digging up and spraying sand, dirt, and the like against the burning brush.

This light portable hand device includes a substantially vertically disposed tubular ksupporting casingv IIJ, which rotatablycarries the main drive shaft II. .Suitable anti-friction bearings can be interposed'between the casing and the shaft, and the upperA end of the shaft is adapted to have detachably coupledthereto a eXible drive shaft I2, which canbedriven from the crank-shaft I3 of a light portable internal combustionl engine I4.

Rigidlyv conne'ctedi'to the lower endv of the casing I El by me'ansof a'collar I5 andjbrackets I6, is a depending hoodor thrower casing I1 having an outlet I8' at its periphery. Thedrive shaft II` extends through the hood or thrower casing I'I, and ,is adaptedr to haveV connected therewith the-thro'wery fan and a digger 20.

`'.Ihe fan- I9 is arrangedlab'ove the` digger 20 and in Vthe'h'ood 0r` throvver casing I1, and this fan can be secured to' the shaft II in any desired manner. In the present instance, I have shown y 2l Y l 2,119,962

' to the loop 36'by means of a snap hook.39.

the fan to include "outwardly extending blades 2l formed on or secured to a collar 22, which is attached to the lower end of the shaft II 'by means of a bolt 23. y

'Ihe digger 20, as shown inFigures 1, 2, and 3, is in the nature of an auger, and the shank Vof the digger is connected to the shaft in any preferred manner. In the drawings, which represent only one example yof my device, the upper end of the augercarries a tang 24, which can be receivedfin a socket formed in the lower end of the shaft, and the bolt 23 vcan be utilized fo holding the tang in position.Y Frmly connected with the tubular casing I0 is a manipulating handle 25,`which can be provided with hand grips 26 and 21 for the operator.

The lower end of the vhandle 25 is pivotally connected to the casing I0 adjacent to its lower end by means of a pivot bolt 28, and the handle has slidably mounted thereon a cuff 25J.,r This cuff is in turn pivotally connected to the cas,- ing IU adjacent to its upper end by means of a link 30. y n

The. link 39 has its opposite ends pivotally connected to the cuff 29 and the casing Iii by means of bolts 3l and 32. The cuif is held in an adjusted position on the handle 29 by means of a set screw or the like 33. Obviously, by shifting the cuff 29 longitudinally j of the handle, the angular position of Vthe handle can be varied with respect torthe'casing I0,

able padscan be utilized to cushion the mainl strap on the back of the wearer. One end of the main strap 35 carries a loop 36, which isv disposed on the chest of the wearer, and the other end of the main strap carries a snap hook'3'I, which `is adapted to be fastened. to the loop. Sewed or otherwise rigidly securedV to the main strap is a supplemental strap 38,`which is adapted'to extend under the left-hand armpit ofthe operator, and this, strapY is adapted to Vbe connected I That p or'tionof the strap 35 directly in rear of the right-hand armpit of the operator carries an eye or loop AIB-to which is suspended, by-means of a'suitable coupling 4I, the motor I4.' Thus, I

the motor is carried on the rear right-.hand side of theoperator, and the flexible drive shaft I2V extends forwardly and downwardly from the en` gine;

Great stress is laid on the method of carryv ing the engine, as the engine can be utilized when hood I1, where the same is caught by the re- Obviously, the tool can be Vtilted from one side or the other in order to effectively control the path of the sand and they like thrown out the opening I8, and thus the sand and the like can be directed onto high or'low-burning fires.

With my apparatus, I am enabledto quickly check and bring Vforest fires under control with a minimum amount of effort on the part of an operator.

Obviously, various changes can be made from the broad example shown and described, and different types of diggers can be employed other than the auger V20.

In Figures 4, 5, and 6, I have illustrated another type of digger, which is adapted'to supply a relatively large quantity of sand and the like to the fan blades and hood'.

This digger consists-of radially extending blades 4I) having their outer edges tapered downwardly and curved in opposite directions, as at 4I. The

lower ends of the blades are of a substantially iishtail bit shape. f

Inv use of the device with this type of digger, the blades are forced into the ground by the operator and the curved edges 4I will rapidly bite into the ground and carrying a relatively.`

great quantity of sand and dirt to the thrower blades. f'

It is to be noted that the cenar l5 is secured in place byV a set screw I5. By loosening the Q set screw I5 the collar I5 'and the hood I'I can be turned so that the outlet opening I8 can be disposed at anyy desired point around the fan I9. 'Asshown in Figure 8, I can utilize a ,collar This permits the collarv the fan or taken off entirely, so that thefan 'Y can throw the dirt and sand in all directions.

Other changes in details may be made without departing from the vspirit or the soope'of my inf`- vention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In adevice for fighting forest fires, a, sup- Y port, a manipulating handle, means adjustably Vconnecting the handle-v to theV support, a longi# .tudinally extending drive shaft rotatably carried by the support and extending through the lower end thereof, a hoodrigidly connected to the support, a rotary earth diggingmember detachably connected to the shaft belowv the hood, a fan connected tothe shaft and disposed in the hood and above the digger, ysaid hood haVingfan-'outlet,'power means fork driving Ythe shaft, said'power means including an internal combustion engine,

and means for suspending kthe internal combustion engine from the back of the operator. j 2. A portable hand tool for fighting forest firesl comprising, ay sleeve, a longitudinally extending drive shaft rotatably carried by the sleeve and extending through the lower end thereof, a hoodY non-rotatably connected ton the sleeve, arotary earth-digging member connected to the shaft behaving an outlet,`means for driving'the shaft, and a manipulating vand carrying handle secured to the sleeve and extendingV at an angle thereto.

JOHN RALEIGH.

i low the hoodfa fan connected to the shaft4 and `v disposed in the hood above the digger, said hood-

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