US2547334A - Fire-extinguishing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1951 M. G. MARSHALL FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 0st. 21, 1947 April 1951 M. G. MARSHALL 2,547,334

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 Merrill ,G. Marshall, Ho wota, 111.,- assi tr to Gardox Corporation, Chicago; 111., a corporation of Illinois Apiilicaticn October 21, 1947', sent: its. 981,628

vit I invention relates to mobiie' fire extini guishingepp'aratus and more particularly to equipment for such an apparatus for applying fire extinguishing mediums:

, This application is a continuation in -part 6f copendin'g application entitled Fire Extin finishing Apparatus, Seria1 No. 654,333, filed March; 14, 1946,7now' abandoned:

The fire fighting separating with Whih invention is concerned is, generally disclosed and claimed in Patent 2,352,379,- issued to Eric Geertz, on June 27, 1944. I In; that patent is disclosed a power driven truck which is' provided with facil ities for carrying its own supply of fire extinguishing mediurns and devices for anplying said riiediums onto the are" to be extinguished. One of; the most important functions that must be fierfor'ind by'this ti p of life fighting apparatus is ignition of spilled inflafil'iifable' fluids.

'o eik tingu'ish groiznd fires resulting from the it is the primary object of this invention to firdvide improved-equipm nt for more effectively ajifilying fire extinguishing mediums to" ground firesi With the discharge equipment of the present invention, fires which are burning upon the ground over which the truek lx'iiust pass are e2 ting'iiished scthat a way is cleared for the passage of the truck. This is important because" in the'case of a crashed airplane; for exand ie, e se ljn'e usually is spilled and thrown overthe ground fd'r a considerable distance away frjorn the airlane; and if this gasoline becomes ignited, it is aiipare'nt that t e passage; or the truck through the flames would be dangetetis With the pres"- nt invention, awide path is cleared through the fire in advance of the truck so that the truck and its occupants may aia' jrd'achthe rewitn safety. Moreover, when the Crashed airplane is reached, it is usual that a; considerable ground fire i's'prent because of the'burliir'lg' ofthe' gasoline which has escaped frorn' the fuel tanks. If this grglihdfire is beneath th' airplane it is'iinpbitant thatthe apparat s, which is to direct the fire extinguishing mediums upon this fire, be located close to the gro'uneso that the discharged 7 nied'iuins' will be projected beneath the airplane} Another'object of the invention is to prm ide g r ijund fire extinguis hing discharge equipment \titihrneans m1; automaticallyos'cillating'the same" so thatthe dischaf gte will cover a greater area. T s has been foiind to be important in accord- 6 with the present invention, because'a highlj cntmted discharge" of the fire extinguishing r'iiediums is necessary to soextinguish a fire that a-""flash-eaek Will not 0561112" egtveh a sant; tee in" testates: is fi ryfla;

11 claims. (CLIB9J2J Q 7 2 a a nentiy e tingu-ished and by oscillating thiscon-f centrated discharge back and forth, the fire burning over a; large area is likewise permanently extinguished. B3 employing power driven means for oscillating the discharge -aia'paratus,--it is net necessary i051 anoccupant or the Vehicle to manually accomplish this constant movementof the discharge enerates;

A furthef c'flejectcfi the invention is to provide the disoharg equipment with means for automatically stopping the discharge" of the extin guishing mediums an the oscillations of \the equipment after" a" redetermined period. This is important to prevent a continuous discharge of the fire extinguishing mediums beyond. the need for thenf'i to extinguish the fire. By having an automatic meanstof terminating the supbly of fire extinguishing mediums to the discharge apbaratus which efiet's" extinguishmentf of ground fires, this type of discharge willdtake place only for a limited ti r'ne; If a further discharge is necessary to: extinguish the fire; the attendant has merely to again set' into' operation tlfis timed discharge of the fire extinguishing mediums; 1 v

A preferred embodiment of the invention" is disclosed in the accompanying drawings which:

Figure 1 is' a side" el'evational view of the'forsr were part of a fire extinguishing truck towhich the equipment of the present invention has been applied, portions'beirig broken away to'showlthe construction of the equipment of the invention;

Figure 2' is a plan view of the equipme'nt'ofi theiirv 1rii2io'n; A '7 Figure 3' is a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure- 5 is a: sectional View on' Fi ure'z-and Y L Figure 6 is" a sectional View similar to Figure 5;but-o amodified stf'ucture. c c I The truck towhich the invention has been applied includes a; framework having longitudinal side" bars-one Of WhiCh'iS' shown at 6 in; Figure 1;" The forward wheels 1- are supported from" these'side bars, in any conventional man ner; Attached to across bar" Got is a swivel-joint pipe connection 8-; towhiehliquid carbon di. fixide is supplied-through a conduit 9-. Conduit 9" has therein a valve m which is employed to control the flow of the carbon dioxide irom'a tank Cairied'bS th'tnick in' the" manner disclosed in the ahoile meiitionedPatentt 21352-379: The carbon dioxide, fifefeiably, should be main? tained at a? loaf tefnpefatuia and its 'corfespbmk melee yafi 'pressurei as is" s'etforth in'that 'supetrteuw the sitwm etim'ieetion 8 is'a line 5 5 of pipe l2. At the entry of pipe [2 into the swivel connection 8 is a packing oint to prevent the escape of liquid and this packing joint permits oscillating motion of the pipe l2 about its axis. It will be noted that the axis of the pipe l2 extends in a substantially vertical direction.

A carbon dioxide discharge nozzle [3 is connected to and supported from the pipe l2 by an elbow coupling M. This elbow coupling [4, preferably, has a forward portion which is angularly disposed so as to direct the nozzle l3 forwardly and slightly downwardly toward the ground, as appears from Figure 1.

A preferred form of nozzle I3 is disclosed and claimed in the H. V. Williamson Patent No. 2,357,039, dated August 29, 1944. ..As is explained in that patent, this discharge nozzle serves to cause segregation-and separation of the snow and the vapor which are formed by the sudden release of the liquid carbon dioxide. These segregated and separated snow and vapor components are discharged from the nozzle in distinct zones with the snow centrally located of the discharge stream as a core surrounded by the carbon dioxide vapor. The patent points out that this type of discharge is desirable because the enveloping sheath of carbon dioxide vapor tends to prevent the sublimation of the carbon dioxide snow before it has reached the fire, and for the further reason that snow concentrated in one portion of the discharge stream will carry a greater distance. It is possible,- however, in practicing the present invention to employ a discharge nozzle of a different character.

- The invention contemplates the additionalprovision of a device for discharging a differen fire extinguishing medium upon the ground in conjunction with the carbon dioxide delivered by the nozzle [3. For example, the discharge pipes l5'may be associated with the nozzle 13 for the delivery of mechanical foam in con junction with the carbon dioxide. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not 'limited'to the discharge of mechanical foam,

for chemical foams can be employed.

i The materials to form the foam may be delivered to the pipes I5 through the flexible conduit l6 and a common connecting pipe H. The delivery of the foam producing materials from the connecting pipe ll into the discharge pipes l5 will ordinarily be through aspirator sections 18 which will'suck' air into the fluid being delivered to the pipes I5. The air which is drawn into and mixed with the foam materials will produce the characteristic foam so that upon discharge from the pipe IE it will be of the proper consistency. This foam not only assists in putting out the fire, but it also forms a covering layer or blanket over the area to which it is applied and thereby p'revents flash-back. 1 The flexible conduit l6 receives the foam producing materials through a control valve I9. A'conduit 20 leads from the valve N to facilities carried by the truck for supplying the foaminaking materials under a suitable pressure head to cause discharge of the materials when valve 19 is opened. i i

- To oscillate the nozzle I3 and the discharge pipes 1'5, a bossj2l 'isa'ttachedto the e bow l4 and extends upright therefrom. Projecting upwardly from the boss 2lis a pin 22 which passes through the end of apiston rod 23.- The piston rod 23 is attached to a piston 24 which may move back'and-forth within a cylinder 25 having closed ends. At the end of the cylinder through which the piston rod 23 passes is a pack ing gland 26. 7

To the other closed end of the cylinder 25 is attached a web plate 21 which is pivotally connected by means of a pin 28 to spaced supporting plates 29 which project from a transverse member 33 of the truck framework. This pivotal connection at 28 permits oscillating movement of the cylinder to accommodate arcuate motion of the boss 21 as it oscillates about the axis of the vertical pipe l2.

At opposite ends of the cylinder 25 are port openings to which the flexible conduits 3i and 32 are connected. These flexible conduits 3| and 32 lead to a control valve 33 of the snap action rotary type for controlling the admission of liquid to the opposite ends of the cylinder and also the escape of the liquid from the cylinder ends. 3

The valve 33 also has connected thereto a supply pipe 34 and a discharge pipe 35. The places of connection of the pipes 34 and 35 to the valve 33 are at points diametrically opposite from each other and at points a quarter turn from the connections to the valve 33 of the flexible conduits 3| and 32 from the cylinder 25. The rotary plug 36 within the valve 33 contains two arcuate- shaped passageways 31 and 38. When the plug 35 is in one position the supply conduit 34 may deliver fluid through the passageway 38 and through the flexible con duit 3! to one end of the cylinder to force the piston in one direction. The fluid on the op:

posite side of the piston is forced outwardly through the conduit 32 and through the passageway '3? into the dischargepipe 35. When the plug 35 is in the other position, the opposite relationship is established so that the liquid from pipe 34 is delivered through the flexible conduit 32 to the other side of the piston to force it in the opposite direction. I

To operate the plug 36 so as to cause continuous reciprocating movement of the piston 24, the plug 33 has a crank arm 39 connected to it by the shaft 40. Stops 4| and 42 mounted on the housing 33 limit the travel of the crank arm 39 to an angle commensurate with that angle necessary for the flow of fluid through the passageways 33 and 4D. A rocker arm 43 is pivotally COD-e nected to the shaft 40. A spring 4 extends from arm 39 to arm 43 so that the reciprocating motion of arm 43 causes the spring 44 to pass a point diametrically opposite the connection of spring M. and arm 39. The spring being-in tension causes the arm 39 to move rapidly between stops 4l and 42 as the direction of the tensile force changes with respect to the stops 4! and 42. A connecting link 45 is pivotally connected to arm .3 and by a ball and socket joint l5a to the pin 23 which projects upwardly from the elbow Hi. As a consequence of this connection, the plug 33 will he oscillated back and forth by the movement of the piston 24 so that it will not be necessary for the attendant to cause this continuous motion of the nozzle l3'and pipes 15. The fluid which is delivered to pipe 34 to cause reciprocation of the piston 24 may be oil which is delivered under pressure by the oil pump in the truck motor. The delivery of 'such oil through the pipes 34 is controlled by a manually operable valve 46. i

To operate the valve 46 a handle 41 is-com nected thereto. This handle should extend upwardlyinto the cab of the truck so that it can be readily grasped by the attendant. As a further feature of the invention, it is intended that this single handle 41 control the opening and closing sirable, universal joints may be located in the shafts 48 and 49 to accommodate anydisalign ment. of the axes of the valves. 7

- It has been stated that. the invention also contemplates the provision of means for automatically shutting off the supply of fire extinguish ing fluid after a predetermined time interval. In accordance with the invention, thisis accomplished by the provision of a timing device which includes a cylinder 50 and a contained piston The piston rod 52 has an elongated portion 53 exteriorly of the cylinder 59 and in which is formed a slot 54. A pin 55 passesthroughthe slot- 54 and through a slot 55 in the handle 4 topivotally connect the handle 4? and the piston rod 52. The slot 55 accommodates the relative movement of the pin. 55 along the. lever 4! due to the angular movement of the lever. about the axis oi the valve 45.

v Piston. 5| has anopening 51 therethroughand one side of it may be covered by the hinged flap valve 58. On the opposite side of the piston ,5]

from the flap valve 58 is a compression spring 59 which-bears against the piston 51 and the opposing closed end of the cylinder 50.. v u

An opening 60 is formed in one of the end Walls of the cylinder so that the movement of the piston 5| back and forth will create neither a suction nor a compression of air within this end of the cylinder. A like opening 6| is formed in the otherend of the cylinder 50, but this open; ing is of. relatively small size so that the-passage of air therethrough will be greatly restricted.

. 'When the valves are moved to the open position shown in Figure 4, the handle 4! is thrust ina left hand direction with respect to-this' figure. This moves the piston 51 toward the left and compresses the spring 59-. Flap valve 58lforced open by the compression of air in the end of the cylinder containing the spring 59 sothat air can pass from this side of the cylinderto the'piston rod side and little or no resistance will be offered tothis movement of the piston by the entrapped 3,11...

H When the handle 1i"!- is released, the spring 59 will exert a pressure against the piston 51 to push. upon the pistonv rod 52 and thereby, move the handle 4'! toward the right in. Figure. 4: so

asto close all of 'thevalves. Howeventhismovement willv be retarded because the flap valve 58 willibe moved to the position in which it closes the opening 5'! through the piston 5i The air which is trapped in the piston rod end'of'the cylinder 51! can, therefore only escapethrough the open ihg, E i" in. the end wall of the. cylinder- 58' and asmuchas this openingis of, very smal lsizeaconsiderable. time periodmust elapse for the escape of this. air. As a consequence, the valves will-ro main open for arelatively long period and this period can be increased or decreased by" varying. the size of the opening El. To accomplish this variation in the size of opening 6|, it may be formed in a replaceable plug. 52.

When a fire is being approached, the attendant has merely to move the handle 4! to its valve opening position to cause the nozzle l3 and pipes IE to be both supplied with their fire extinguishing mediums and to be set in motion. After a predetermined time the supply of fluid and the oscillations will be simultaneously stopped so that none of the fire extinguishing mediums will be Wasted beyond the time that delivery is required. If an additional supply of the fire extinguishingmediums is necessary, the attendant has merely to move the handled? again to valve opening position. If he desires to shut off the supply of fire extinguishing mediums, andto stop the oscil lations before the time at which stoppage would automatically be accomplished, the handle 41 can be moved to the valve closing position and this is permitted by the presence of the slot 54in ployedtogether, because, as mentioned above, the

foam not only helps to extinguish the fire, but forms a smothering blanket over the extinguished area. If it is desired. to not always cause the simul tane'ous operation of the valves 10, I9 and 45, they may be separately controlled by individual handles, as disclosed in- Figure 6. For example valve iii has the individual handle 53 attached to its operating stem 64', and valve [9 has the individual handle 65 attached to its operating stem 68.

The rate of oscillation may be varied byre'g'u lating the rate of supply of oil through the pipe The angle through which thedischarge noz zles are to' swing may be adjusted, for example, by changing the radial distance the boss 2!" is from the axis of pipe [2. Ithas'b'e'en' found'tli'at an" arc of about 40 with a rate of oscillation of about one'complete cycle every four seconds gives good results; With this arrangement, excellent coverage is obtained'with a relatively low rate of discharge. The fire extinguishing mediums are projected a considerable distance and thereby aiifor'd'good protection for the advancing truck.

What 1" claim is: i

1. Apparatus fordelivering fire extinguishing medium. comprising a discharge device, means 'pilvotally mounting said'device at a position close to the ground for oscillatingmovements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing fromthe device from side to side so that 2. Apparatus for delivery or fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally'mounting said device at a position close to the ground for oscillating movements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side so that it will cover a relatively Wide area, power operated means connected to said mounting means between said vertical axis and said discharge device for causing continuous side to side movements of the discharge device. a first valve for regulating the supply of power to the power operated means, a second vaive for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, common means for operating said regulating valves, a pneumatic cylinder having apiston therein connected to said common means, resilient means urgingsaid piston in the direction in which it serves to cause said common means to close said regulating valves, and means for restricting the exhaust of air from said cylinder under the action of said piston to thereby delay the valve closing movement of said common means.

3. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, fluid pressure operated means pivotally connected to said mounting means for causing continuous side to side movements of the discharge device, a first valve for regulating the supply of pressure fluid to the fluid pressure operated means, a second valve for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, common means for operating said regulating valves, and manually actuated, spring loaded timing means for operatin said common means, acting to close the valves after they have been open for a predetermined length of time.

4. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, a double acting piston and cylinder connected to said mounting means for causing continuous side to side movements of the discharge device, a control valve for alternately deiivering fluid pressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, operating means for said control valve comprisin a crank arm rigidly joined to the control valve, a rocker arm pivotally connected coaxially with said crank arm, resilient means connecting said crank arm and said rockerarm, means connecting said rocker arm and said mounting means so that oscillating movements of said mounting means are translated to said rocker arm, the oscillations of said rocker arm causing said resilient means to actuate said crank arm to cause automatic operation of said control valve, a valve to regulate the supply of fiuid pressure to said control valve, and a separate valve for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device.

5. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, a double acting piston and cylinder mounted for pivotal movement and pivotally connected to said mountin means for causing the action of said piston to impart continuous side to side movements to the discharge device, valve means alternately delivering fluid pressure'to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operativel connecting saidvalve means to said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said valve means, a valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure to said first-mentioned valve means, a separate valve for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the dis: charge device, and common means for operating both of said regulating valves.

fi Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side; a double acting piston and cylinder; a piston rod on one side only of saidpiston ex{ tending from said cylinder'for pivotal connection with said mounting means to cause continuous side to side movements of the discharge devicei' a control valve for alternately delivering fluid pressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operatively connecting said control valve to said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said control valve a valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure to said control valve, a separate valve for regu lating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, and timing means acting after a predetermined time interval for closing the valve employed for regulating the supply of fluid pressure to said control valve.

7. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements about a vertical axis to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, a pivotally mounted double acting piston and cylinder connected to said mounting means at a point between said vertical axis and said discharge device for causing continuous side to side movements of the discharge device, a control valve for alternately delivering fluid pressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operatively connecting said control valve to said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said control valve, a valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure tosaid control valve, a separate valve for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the dis charge device, common means for opening said regulating valves, and timing means acting after a predetermined time interval for closing said regulating valves.

8. Apparatus for deliverin fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements to thereby direct the discharge is suing from the device from side to side, a cylinder having a pivotally mounted closed end portion and an opening through the opposite end portion; a double acting piston within said cylinder having a piston rod extending through the opening at one end portion of the cylinder for connection With said mounting means to cause continuous side to side movements of the discharge device, a control valve for'alternately delivering fluid pressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operatively connecting said control valve and said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said con-i trol valve, a valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure to said control valve,,a separate valve for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, timing means, and common means for opening said regulating valves and setting said timing means, said timing means acting after a predetermined time interval for returning said common means to the position for closing said regulating valves,

9. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, a double acting piston and cylinder having a piston rod extending therefrom for pivotal connection with said mounting means to cause continuous side to side movements of the discharge device, a control valve for alternately delivering fluid pressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operatively connecting said control valve and said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said control valve, a valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure to said control valve, a separate valve for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, timing means, common operating means connected to said timing means and said regulating valves and operable for opening said regulating valves and setting said timing means, said timing means acting after a predetermined time interval for returning said common operating means to its position for closing said regulating valves, and means permitting the return of said common operating means to its position for closing said regulating valves independently of the operation of said timing means.

10. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, a pivotally mounted double acting piston and cylinder, a piston rod connecting said piston to said mounting means for causing continuous side to side movements of the discharge device, a control valve for alternately delivering fiuidpressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operatively connecting said control valve and said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said control valve, a valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure to said control valve, a separate valve for regulatin the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, timing means, and common operating means connected to said timing means and said regulating valves and operable for opening said regulating valves and setting said timing means, said timing means acting after a predetermined time interval for returning said common operating means to its position for closing said regulating valves, the connection between said timing means and said common operating means having a lost motion in on direction so that said common operating means may be returned to its position for closing said regulating valves prior to the complete actuation of said timing means.

11. Apparatus for delivering fire extinguishing medium comprising a discharge device, means pivotally mounting said device for oscillating movements to thereby direct the discharge issuing from the device from side to side, a double acting piston and cylinder mounted for pivotal movement and pivotally connected to said mounting means for the action of said piston to impart continuous side to side movements to the discharge device, a first valve for alternately deliv- Eerin fluid pressure to and exhausting it from each side of the double acting piston, means operatively connecting said first valve and said mounting means to cause automatic operation of said first valve, a second valve to regulate the supply of fluid pressure to said first valve, a third valve'for regulating the delivery of fire extinguishing medium to the discharge device, timing means, and common means connected to said timing means and the second valve and operable for opening said second valve and setting said timing means, said timing means acting after a predetermined time interval for returning said common means to its position for closing said second valve, the connection between said timing means and said common means having a 10st motion in one direction so that said common means may be returned to its position for closing said second valve prior to the complete actuation of said timing means.

MERRILL G. MARSHALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Geertz June 27, 1944

Images