US2692719A - Fire nozzle holder - Google Patents

Description

9% 1954 J. J. MALONEY 2,692,719

FIRE NOZZLE HOLDER Filed Mayl, 1952 2 Sheetjs-Sheet 1 Fig.

J. J. MALONEY FIRE NOZZLE HOLDER Oct. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1952 James J. Mala/lay INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE FIRE NOZZLE HOLDER- James J. Maloney, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application May 1, 1952, Serial No. 285,444

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to holders, and more specifically to holders for adjustably securing fire nozzles to the upper ends of ladders.

In the fighting of fires in the upper stories of buildings with fire equipment that does not include a water tower, it is necessary to attach a fire hose to a hook and ladder aerial truck ladder with the fire nozzle mounted at the upper end of the ladder in order that stream of water may be directed directly onto the fire. In the past there has been provided means for supporting a fire nozzle from a ladder at the upper end thereof, but the devices normally provided for such purpose have been cumbersome and bulky whereby they require two or more men and the fire hose cannot be put into operation in a very short time. Furthermore, the devices for attaching a fire nozzle to the upper end of a ladder in the past have not provided ease of manipulation of the nozzle in order to vary the direction of the stream of water. It is, therefore, desirable to have a simple fire. nozzle holder which may be quickly and easily attached to a ladder adjacent the upper end thereof.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a fire nozzle holder which may be utilized for securing a fire nozzle adjacent the upper end thereof whereby the stream of water from the fire nozzle may be conveniently directed from the ground.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved fire nozzle holder which may be quickly attached and detached from a ladder and having means thereon whereby a fire nozzle may be quickly secured thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved fire nozzle holder which is light and compact in construction whereby it may be quickly attached to the upper end of a ladder by one man.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved fire nozzle holder which if relatively simple and compact construction, and which has its support means foldable whereby it may be easily stored.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved fire nozzle holder which may be removably secured to the upper end of a ladder and which permits the pivoting of a fire nozzle in a vertical plane, said fire nozzle being pivotal from either the ground or by a fireman standing on the ladder.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination andarrangement. of ele- 2 ments and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of a ladder of a hook and ladder aerial truck, the ladder having attached thereto the upper end of a hose including a fire nozzle which is supported on the ladder by the improved fire nozzle holder which is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the ladder of Figure l and shows the relationship of the fire nozzle holder and the fire nozzle with respect to the upper end of the ladder, an adjusted position of the ladder being shown in dotted lines in order to illustrate the manner in which the direction of the fire nozzle may be changed by rotating the ladder;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the fire nozzle holder of Figure 2 and shows the bracing means therefor, the ladder being shown in dotted lines in order to clearly illustrate the structure of the fire nozzle holder;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the upper end of the ladder of Figure 1 and shows the relationship of the adjustable means for supporting the forward end of the fire nozzle holder;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the main portions of the fire nozzle holder, which is the subject of this invention, and shows primarily the construction of catch means at the rear end of support arms for releasably engaging a ladder rung, one of the catch means being shown secured to a larger rung than the other catch means;

Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 56 of Figure 5 and shows the manner in which support arms are pivotally secured to the underside of a nozzle supporting base;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the rear portion of one of the support arms and shows a modified form of catch means; and

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of one of the support arms and shows the same provided with still another modified form of catch means.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements, and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in Figure 5 a major portion of the fire nozzle holder, which is the subject of this invention, the fire nozzle holder including an elongated fire nozzle supporting base Ii] which is preferably formed of a light weight metal such as aluminum although other rigid materials may be utilized. Pivotally secured to the underside of the nozzle supporting base I2 at the forward end thereof by a vertically extending fastener I2 'are a pair of support arms I4. The support arms I4 normally diverge rearwardly and are provided at their rear ends with spring urged catch means, which are referred to in general by the reference numeral I6 for releasably and pivotally engaging a ladder rung. The support arms I4 are further connected to the nozzle supporting base Ill intermediate their ends by flexible straps III which limit the divergence of the support arms I4.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that there is illustrated the upper end of a ladder, which is. referred to in general by reference numeral which is the upper portion of an extensible ladder of a hook and ladder aerial truck. The ladder 20 includes a pair of spaced, substantially parallel side rails 22 connected together at spaced intervals by transversely extending rungs. The rungs include an uppermost rung 24 and a next adjacent lower rung 26 to which the fire nozzle holder, which is the subject of this invention, is attached. However, it will be understood that the fire nozzle holder be attached to any other two rungs of the ladder 20. When it is desired to secure the fire nozzle holder on the ladder 20, the catch means IE5 at the rear ends of the support arms I4 are snapped over the rung 26 and the rear portion of the nozzle supporting base In overlies the rung 26 and is supported thereby. Referring to Figure 5 in particular, it will be seen that the spring urged catch means I6 includes a housing 28 which is provided with a downwardly open C-shaped jaw 30 in which the rung 26 is adapted to be positioned. Extending partially into the C-shaped jaw 30 is a triangular locking element 32 which is pivotally connected at one end within the housing 28 by a transverse pivot pin 34. The locking element 32 is relatively narrow in width and movable through an elongated slot 36 in the upper face of the housing 28 whereby the rung 26 may be engaged within the C-shaped jaw 30 by moving the clamp means I5 downwardly thereover and urging the triangular locking element 52 upwardly through its associated slot 36. After the rung 26 has been disposed within the C-shape'd jaw 39, the locking element 32 is urged downwardly by a spring 38 carried by the housing 28 and prevents the rung 26 from being removed from the C-shaped jaw 30. The underside of the triangular locking element 32 is provided with a recess 40 which may be engaged with a finger for lifting the same in order to remove the rung 26 from the jaw 30. It will be noted that the construction of the catch means I6 is such that the rung 26 may be quickly and easily engaged therewith and at the same time provides a secure connection between its associated support arm I4 and the rung 26, said connection permitting the pivoting of the support arm I4 with respect to the rung 26.

After the spring urged catch means I 5 have been connected to the rung 26, the pivotal connection therebetween permits the support arms I4 and the nozzle supporting base I!) to pivot with the result that the nozzle supporting base It may be adjustably positioned in a vertical plane. 7

In order that the nozzle supporting base I0 may be retained in its adjusted position, the forward end thereof is supported by one end of a flexible member 42 which is entrained over a pulley 44 and extends downwardly therefrom. As is best illustrated in Figure 4, the pulley 44 is pivotally connected to a support bracket 45 carried by the upper rung 24. The flexible member 42 extends downwardly substantially to the ground and has an intermediate portion thereof connected to a suitable fastening means (not shown) on the body of the hook and ladder aerial truck from which the ladder 20 extends. The flexible member 42 then extends upwardly and its other end is connected to a ring 48 secured to the under side of the nozzle supporting base I0 by a fas tener 50.

When it is desired to secure a fire nozzle, such as the fire nozzle 52, to the ladder 22 by the fire nozzle holder, the fire nozzle 52 is positioned on the nozzle supporting base I0 in the manner indicated in Figure l. The nozzle supporting base I 0 is provided with longitudinally spaced pairs of slots 54 therethrough in which intermediate portions of straps 56, 58 and 6B are disposed, the strap 56 being at the forward end of the nozzle supporting base II) and the strap 60 being at the rear end thereof with the strap 58 positioned intermediate the straps 56 and GI It will be noted that the diameter of the straps vary with the forward strap 58 being the smallest and clamping the tapered forward end of the nozzle 52 to the nozzle supporting base III. The strap 58 clamps an intermediate portion of the fire nozzle 52 to the nozzle supporting base and the rear strap 62 holds the rear end of the fire nozzle 52 down by clamping a hose 62 associated with the fire nozzle 52 to the nozzle supporting base In adajcent its connection to the fire nozzle 52.

Referring now to Figure 5 particularly, it will be seen that the side edges of the nozzle supporting base It are provided adjacent the forward end thereof with a pair of opposite notches I34 in which are received portions of a loop 66 formed in the end of the fiexible member 42 secured to the nozzle supporting has In and extending downwardly from the pulley 34.

Referring now to Figure '7 in particular, it will be seen that a support arm H4 is provided at the rear end thereof witha modified form of spring urged clamp means, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral H6. The catch means I I6 includes a housing II8 having a rearwardly open transversely extending U- shaped cross sectional jaw I20 which is closed by a vertically extending pin I22, the pin I22 being adapted to trap a ladder rung within the jaw I20. The pin I22 extends upwardly through the housing I I8 and is provided at its upper end with a knob I24 which may be grasped for moving the pin I22 vertically. Secured tothe upper face of the housing H8 is a sleeve I26 through which the intermediate portion of the pin I22 passes, said sleeve I26 having mounted therein a coil spring I28 carried by the pin I22 for urging the pin I22 into its jaw closing position. It will be understood that a ladder rung is inserted within the jaw I20 by raising the pin I 22 and moving the clamp means II6 rearwardly thereover, after which the pin I22 is released.

Referring now to Figure 8 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated still another modified form of the spring urged clamp means,

which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 210 and is secured at the rear end of a support arm 2M. The catch means 215 includes a housing 218 which is provided with a transversely extending horizontally disposed J-shaped cross sectional jaw 220 which includes a rung receiving opening 222. The rung receiving opening 222 is normally closed by a spring finger 224 carried by the housing 218 and adapted to be moved upwardly out of the opening and closing position by movement downwardly of the catch means 2H5 over a ladder rung. It will be understood that the size of the jaw of the catch means 218 together with the jaws of the catch means it and H8 may be varied for receiving ladder rungs of different diameters.

Inasmuch as the various elements supporting the fire nozzle holder, which is the subject of this invention, may be easily and quickly snapped onto rungs of the ladder 20, it will be seen that the ladder 20 may be quickly equipped with a fire hose in order that a conventional hook and ladder aerial truck may function as water tower. The stream of Water from a nozzle positioned at the upper end of the ladder it may be directed transversely and laterally by the movement of the aerial truck to which the ladder 20 is attached, and vertically through the use of the flexible member 42. When it is desired to change the angle or the stream of water vertically, the nozzle supporting base in is pivoted about the rung 26 by either pulling the flexible member 42 over the pulley M to raise the forward end of the nozzle supporting base or by pulling directly downwardly on the other end of the flexible member 42 to urge the forward end of the nozzle supporting base If! downwardly.

While the mounting bracket 46 for the pulley 44' has been illustrated as being attached to the rung 24 and secured thereto by a screw 64, it will be understood that catch means similar to the catch means carried by the support arms l4 may be utilized in order to facilitate the engagement of the supporting bracket 46 on the rung 24. Also, although the fire nozzle 52 has been illustrated of the type having a control lever 66 mounted thereon, it will be understood that any type of fire nozzle, including plain straight nozzles, spray nozzles, foam nozzles etc. may be supported by the fire nozzle holder, which is the subject of this invention.

When the fire nozzle holder is mounted on the ladder 20, it will be noted that the support arms [4 diverge from their pivot point and that their associated catch means are in engagement with the inner surfaces of the side rails 22 of the ladder. However it will be understood that when the fire nozzle holder is not mounted on the 6 ladder 20, the support arms I4 may be pivoted inwardly in overlying relation with respect to the nozzle supporting base I0 to form a compact arrangement for storage purposes.

The operation of the device will be understood from the foregoing description of the details thereof, taken in connection with the above recited objects and the drawings. Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to Without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In combination with a ladder having vertically spaced rungs, a portable support for a fire nozzle comprising a narrow elongated supporting base, rearwardly extending support arms carried by said supporting base nozzle hold down means carried by said supporting base, spring urged catch means at the rear ends of said support arms pivotally connecting said support arms to one of said rungs, said supporting base having a rear portion thereof extending rearwardly of said support arms, the rear portion of said supporting base resting on said one ladder rung whereby downwardly directed forces imposed on said supporting base are directly transmitted to said one ladder rung, said nozzle hold down means including a plurality of adjustable straps spaced longitudinally along said supporting base for releasably holding a nozzle and an upper end of an associate hose relative to said supporting base, means carried by said ladder and connected to said supporting base remote from said one rung for remotely controlling pivoting of said supporting base about said one rung and retaining said supporting base in an adjusted vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35,601 Fobes et a1. June 1'7, 1862 127,347 I-Iotchkiss May 28, 1872 176,388 Washburne et a1. Apr. 18, 1876 284,547 Furey Sept. 4, 1883 517,320 Alexander Mar. 27, 1894 689,390 Ewing Dec. 24, 1901 1,215,281 Jones Feb. 6, 1917 1,583,772 Blaw May 11, 1926 1,760,803 Wirth May 27, 1930 2,000,483 Hogelin May 7, 1935 2,488,984 Pennington Nov. 22, 1949 2,588,842 I-Iutt Mar. 11, 1952

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