Fire Engineer Traininig Simulator

• US 20060240392A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeff Clifton
• Original Assignee: Jeff Clifton
• Inventors: Clifton, Jeff Tad
• Application Number:
  US10/908,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20060240392A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/226
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0081 Training methods or equipment for fire-fighting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

A mobile fire apparatus pump training simulator designed to be operated in conjunction with the fire apparatus that the student(s) will actually be using during fire suppression operations. The simulator will work with any fire apparatus in use today, whether the apparatus is manual or electronically controlled. The simulator uses plc technology with a state of the art touch screen computer controller. The basic operation begins when the instructor sets up the simulator by selecting the hose and nozzle option or one of the pre-programmed scenarios from the computer. The computer then calculates friction loss and the hose line configuration co-efficient and adjusts all of the intake control valves accordingly. The simulator uses a closed water circuit which means no water is wasted during training. The discharges of the fire apparatus are connected to the intake of the simulator and the discharge of the simulator feeds back into the pump of the fire apparatus. During this circulation of water, electronic measurements are made and the data is fed into the computer where it can be retrieved by the instructor and printed out. Multiple combinations of apparatus pump training scenarios are possible. The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated by the drawings or the example. Without departing form the principle of the invention, the simulator can, for instance, be used to pressure test high pressure fire hose and be used to complete pump test for apparatus.

Claims

1. The invention claimed is a portable, trailer mounted or stationary simulator unit comprised of a recovery tank, computer equipment and intake and discharge valves and piping for the primary purpose of instructing fire personnel to correctly operate the pump and valve assemblies of a fire apparatus.

2. I claim that the training simulator of claim 1 whereas the recovery tank is capable of capturing all water from the discharge(s) of the apparatus pump and delivering said water back to the suction side of the apparatus pump for re-circulation thereby eliminating wasted water during apparatus pump training evolutions.

3. I claim the training simulator of claim 1 whereas the on board computer hardware and software are capable of capturing and recording parameters of velocity and pressure for all training scenarios, whether the instructor selects the pre-programmed scenarios or the hose and nozzle combination option.

4. I claim the training simulator of claim 3 whereas the on board computer hardware and software are capable of controlling specific parameters of the simulator including the intake control valves, pump suction control valve, and the recovery tank water level.

5. I claim the training simulator of claim 1 whereas the simulator can receive fire hoses from ¾

″

in diameter up to 6″ and

larger fire hose.

6. I claim the training simulator of claim 5 whereas the simulator only needs 50 feet of any diameter hose to function thereby eliminating the need to deploy hundreds to thousands of feet of fire hose and thereby eliminating the need to position numerous fire personnel to man fire nozzles and hoses.

7. I claim the training simulator of claim 3 whereas the simulator'"'"'s on board computer is capable of displaying real time data to the instructor or anyone else wishing to view the progress of the student and has the capability to display the historical trend of the students performance during any scenario or selection made by the instructor and has the capability to print any or all historical trend data of the students performance.

8. I claim the training simulator of claim 1 whereas the simulator'"'"'s pump suction control valve can be in the closed position and is capable of being operated under vacuum conditions through the use of the apparatus'"'"'s priming pump and an exterior draft tube installed on the simulator'"'"'s recovery tank.