US2884075A - Portable fire-fighting equipment - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1959 I POON 2,884,075 PORTABLE FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ufiice 2,884,075 I Patented Apr. 28, 1959 PORTABLE FIRE-FIGHTIN G EQUIPMENT Tom King Poon, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September 6, 1957, Serial No. 682,505

2 Claims. (Cl. 169-1) This invention relates to a fire-fighting device, and it more particularly relates to a device which can be used for fighting fires in wooded and mountainous areas which are inaccessible to ordinary fire-fighting apparatus.

Ordinarily, forest fires and fires in mountainous territory cannot be easily put out or prevented from spreading because ordinary fire-fighting equipment cannot be conveyed to such areas. Furthermore, even if such equipment could be brought to the scene, it could not be used unless there was available a source of water under pressure. Such source would in almost all cases not be available and, even if a pumping system were part of the fire-fighting equipment, any kind of water, whether under pressure or not, would most likely not be accessible in the areas where the fire was at its most intense stage. This is one of the reasons why such fires are so difficult to control and provide such a great hazard.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above difiiculties by providing a fire-fighting apparatus which can be transported to any area to which a man can go.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire-fighting apparatus which does not depend on a supply of water being available.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, self-contained, portable, fire-fighting unit which is easy to operate and which does not present any difficult maintenance problems.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved fire-fighting device, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: I

.Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the present invention, the device being shown carried on the back of a person.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a number of devices, embodying the present invention, arranged in a group to encircle a fire.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, detailed, side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the device of Fig. 3, with some parts omitted for greater clarity.

Fig. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the device of Fig. 3.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown an assembly, generally deisgnated 10, comprising a support generally designated 12, a power unit generally designated 14, and a blower generally designated 16. Each of these units 12, 14 and 16 are releasably secured into the general assembly 10 but may be disassembled for even greater portability when the occasion demands.

The support 12 comprises a tubular frame consisting of two L- shaped tubes 18 and 20, each having the shorter arm of the L positioned on the bottom and each being arranged parallel with the other in spaced relationship. A generally U-shaped tube 22 extends in a diagonal direction from adjacent the free ends of the shorter arms of the L- shaped tubes 18 and 20 to the upper ends of the longer arms thereof, the bridge portion of the U-shaped tube 22 extending above the upper ends of the tubes 18 and 20. The lower ends of the U-shaped tube 22 are secured to the corresponding shorter arms of the tubes 18 and 20 and the upper portion of the tube 22 is secured to the upper ends of the tubes 18 and 20 at the corresponding points of intersection, as by spot welding, bolting, or any other desired securing means.

A brace bar 24, of generally U-shaped construction, surrounds the rear and sides of the frame, being secured at its open ends to the U-shaped tube 22 as by spotwelding or the like, and embracing the tubes 18 and 20 at the lower portions of their longer arm's.

At the lower front edge of the frame there is provided an axle 26 which extends through mating holes in front ends of the tubes 18 and 20 and lower ends of the tube 22. On the opposite ends of this axle, outside the frame, are provided rollers or small wheels 28. At the rear lower end of the frame is provided an axle 30 at the opposite ends of which are provided wheels 32 of larger diameter than the rollers 28.

Positioned on the lower, shorter arms of the L- shaped tubes 18 and 20 is an open shelf 34 having an upstanding front wall and an open rear. The shelf 34 is adapted to support either a storage battery 36 for the electric motor 38, as illustrated in Fig. 3, or gas and oil supply for a gasoline engine, such as illustrated at 40 in Fig. 5.

Intermediate the top and bottom of the frame there is provided a platform 42, secured at its sides to the intermediate portions of the U-shaped tube 22, and at its rear corners to the intermediate portions of the longer arms of the tubes 18 and 20, as by spot-welding or the like. This platform 42 has a center opening 44 of circular configuration and a pair of elongated openings 46 at each side of the center opening 44. Adapted to be secured to the platform 42 is a base plate 47 having openings adjacent each corner. Through these openings extend bolts 48, and these bolts also extend through a resilient cushioning member 50 made of sponge rubber or the like. The base plate 46 and its attached cushioning member 50 are adapted to be adjustably secured to the platform 42 by means of the bolts 48. The bolts 48 are slidable between the opposite ends of the corresponding openings 46 to permit relative adjustment of the base plate 47 and the platform 42. When adjusted to proper position, the nuts 52 are tightened on the bolts-on the underside of the platform 42 to hold the parts rigidly assembled.

Releasably positioned on the base plate 47 is a U-shaped bracket 54 having a central hole in the bridge portion thereof and a hold in each arm adjacent the free ends thereof. This bracket 54 is adapted to be mounted on the base plate 47 with the bridge portion underneath and with a bolt 56 extending through the central hole in the bracket and through corresponding holes in the base plate 47 and cushion member 50, and also through the hole 44 in the platform 42. The bolt 56 is then secured in place by a nut 58 which, thereby, clamps the bracket in fixed position.

Pivotally mounted on this bracket 54 may be either the electric motor 38, as in Fig. 3, or the gasoline engine 40, as in Fig. 5. In either case the pivotal connection 2,ss4,0re

is provided by adjustable pivot screws 60 extending through the corresponding holes in the arms of the bracket 54 and into appropriate bearing blocks on the motor or engine, such as indicated at 62 in Fig. 5. When the motor 38 is used, wires 64 connected the motor to the battery 36. When the gasoline engine 40 is used, the shelf 34 stores extra quantities of gasoline and/or oil to be used to refill the gas tank 66 of the engine and to fill the oil cylinder if required.

Both the motor 38 and the engine 4-63 are provided with face plate, as at 68 in Fig. 3 and 70 in Fig. 5. Each of these face plates is provided with a plurality of threaded openings, such as indicated at 72 in Fig. to receive the mounting screws 74 extending through corresponding holes in a mounting plate 76. This mounting plate 76 supports the blower unit 16 by means of four rods 7% which extend radially from each side of the plate 76. The rods 78 are adapted to fit into corresponding notches 80 on the inner rim of a circular blade guard 82. The outer ends of the rods 73 are provided with connected washers 84 and threaded ends 86; the washers 84 contacting the outer ends of the notches to hold the rods in place, and the threaded ends 86 receiving nuts 88 to clamp them securely on the guard member 82. The outer rim of the blade guard 82 is similarly provided with notches, as at 90, to receive the threaded ends of rods 92 radiating out from a square plate 94. The plate 76 is provided with a central aperture 96 through which extends the shaft 98 of the electric motor 38 or the shaft 100 of the gasoline engine 40. The ends of the shafts are threaded, as at 102 in Fig. 5, to engage in the threaded opening 104 in the hub 106 of the fan 108. The plate 94 is also provided with a central aperture 110 from which extends an axle 112 adapted to enter into aperture 104 and support the fan for rotation.

The support 12 is provided with a shield 114 with a fire-resistant glass window 115 and having tubular bearings 116, one on each side, slidable on the corresponding tubes 18 or 20. Threaded holes are provided in each bearing 116 and receives set-screws 118 which are used to hold the bearings 116 in adjusted position on the tubes 18 and 20, whereby the height of the shield 114 is adjusted as desired.

A strap 120 is connected to both the tube 18 and the tube 20. These two straps 120 are adapted to be slung around the shoulders of a person, as illustrated in Fig. 1, in order to easily carry the device. Alternatively, if it is desired to push or pull the device along the ground, the upper, bridge portion of the tube 22 is used as a handle while the rollers 28 and wheels 32 rotatably support the device.

Although the device has been illustrated as one light enough to be transported on ones back, if desired, it can be made much larger and more powerful. In that case, it would be necessary to mount it on a self-propelling vehicle of a type suitable for the purpose.

In the operation of the device illustrated, when a fire breaks out in a forest, mountainous terrain or other place which is relatively inaccessible except by foot, one or a number of persons, the number depending on the size of the fire, are sent out, each carrying one of the firefighting units 10 embodying the present invention. When they reach the source of the fire, they can, if it has not yet spread beyond all control, contain it or put it out by surrounding it with a ring of fire-fighting devices as illustrated in Fig. 2. By propelling their curtains of air under pressure against the fire, they form a curtain which prevents the spread of the fire and thereby localizes it. When localized in this manner, it becomes a relatively easy task to put it out by the employment of water, chemical extinguishers or the like. Sometimes, if the fire is not too intense, and if the pressure of the air is sufiicient, the air blasts themselves will serve to extinguish the fire, or at least, to confine it until it burns out without spread- It is not always necessary to encircle the fire, as in Fig. 2. Sometimes, even one man with one unit will be able to contain and, thereby, localize the fire. Alternatively, a line of fire-fighters may be strung abreast to keep the fire from travelling forward. The positioning of the units will depend on the situation.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A portable fire-fighting carrying device comprising a fire-fighting apparatus support, said support comprising a pair of L-shaped tubes spaced apart in parallel planes having their long L legs extending vertically and their short L legs extending horizontally, an inclined U-shaped tube having its ends secured to said horizontal short legs adjacent their ends and having the ends of said vertical long legs secured to said U-shaped tube adjacent its bight, a front axle shaft secured to said short legs adjacent their ends, a rear axle shaft secured to said long legs adjacent to but spaced from their L angles, wheels on each of said axle shafts of a size to maintain said support with said short legs in a horizontal plane, a U-shaped brace bar having its bight secured to said long legs above said rear axle shaft and having its own legs extending horizontally and secured at their ends to said inclined U-shaped tube, an L-shaped shelf having a shelf floor supported on said short legs and a front wall extending to said inclined tube, and a plate platform horizontally secured to said long legs and said inclined tube.

2. The device of claim 1, and a fire-protective shield adjustably mounted on said long legs, said shield having a fire-resistant window therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,598,568 Fields Aug. 31, 1926 1,953,331 Armstrong Apr. 3, 1934 2,520,559 Osius Aug. 29, 1950 2,582,572 Tulk Ian. 15, 1952

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