FLUID DELIVERY DEVICE

• US 20140048153A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Prahl, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 10,072,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/342
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/02 Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/24 attached to ladders, poles, towers, or other structures with or without rotary heads
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/08 allowing adjustment or movement only about the axis of one pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0808 the joint elements extending coaxially for some distance from their point of separation
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0828 having radial bearings connections of quick-acting couplings maintained by balls or rollers under radial pressure F16L37/22
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0845 forming an angle of 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6633 With fluid system support for workman or non-system material

Abstract

Fluid delivery systems and methods for using fluid delivery systems are rotatable around two axes. In one embodiment, the fluid delivery system has a reduced swing radius and/or a reduced clearance area needed to rotate the fluid delivery device about one of the axes. The reduced swing radius and/or reduced clearance area allow for a more compact footprint of the fluid delivery system and a larger ratio of flow rate of fluid per unit of required clearance area.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery device comprising:

a base section;

an intermediate section rotatably connected to the base section and configured to rotate about a first axis relative to the base section;

an outlet section rotatably connected to the intermediate section and configured to rotate about a second axis relative to the intermediate section; and

an actuator configured to rotate the outlet section relative to the intermediate section about the second axis, wherein the fluid delivery device includes an elbow portion, and the elbow portion and the actuator are located on opposite sides of a plane including the first axis.

2. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the base section is configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source.

3. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first axis is transverse to the second axis.

4. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a fluid passageway passing through the base section, the intermediate section, and the outlet section providing pressurized fluid to a discharge port in the outlet section.

5. The fluid delivery device of claim 4, wherein the outlet section is rotatably connected to the intermediate section by a first rotatable bearing and a second rotatable bearing, the fluid passageway passing through the first rotatable bearing but located outside the second rotatable bearing.

6. The fluid delivery device of claim 5, wherein the intermediate section includes a cradle configured to support the outlet section and allow the outlet section to rotate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the cradle does not encircle the fluid passageway.

7. The fluid delivery device of claim 5, further comprising a thrust rod between the intermediate section and the outlet section, the thrust rod being positioned at least partially outside the fluid passageway and configured to be in compression when pressurized fluid is provided in the fluid passageway.

8. The fluid delivery device of claim 4, further comprising a thrust rod between the intermediate section and the outlet section, the thrust rod being positioned at least partially outside the fluid passageway and configured to be in compression when pressurized fluid is provided in the fluid passageway.

9. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a second actuator configured to rotate the intermediate section relative to the base section about the first axis.

29. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate section includes the elbow portion.

30. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery device has a swing radius of about 6 inches.

10. A fluid delivery device comprising:

a base section configured to be in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source;

an intermediate section rotatably connected to the base section and configured to rotate about a first axis relative to the base section;

an outlet section rotatably connected to the intermediate section by a first rotatable bearing and a second rotatable bearing, the outlet section being configured to rotate about a second axis relative to the intermediate section; and

a fluid passageway passing through the base section, the intermediate section, and the outlet section providing pressurized fluid to a discharge port in the outlet section, the fluid passageway passing through the first rotatable bearing but located outside the second rotatable bearing.

11. The fluid delivery device of claim 10, further comprising an actuator configured to rotate the outlet section relative to the intermediate section about the first axis.

12. The fluid delivery device of claim 11, wherein the first axis is a generally horizontal axis.

13. The fluid delivery device of claim 10, further comprising an actuator configured to rotate the intermediate section relative to the base section about the second axis.

14. The fluid delivery device of claim 13, wherein the second axis is a generally vertical axis.

15. The fluid delivery device of claim 10, wherein the intermediate section includes a cradle configured to support the outlet section and allow the outlet section to rotate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the cradle does not encircle the fluid passageway.

16. The fluid delivery device of claim 10, further comprising an actuator configured to rotate the outlet section relative to the intermediate section, wherein the intermediate section includes an elbow portion and the elbow portion and the actuator are located on opposite sides of a plane including the first axis.

17. A fluid delivery device comprising:

a base section configured to be in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source;

an intermediate section rotatably connected to the base section and configured to rotate about a first axis relative to the base section; and

an outlet section rotatably connected to the cradle intermediate section and configured to rotate about a second axis relative to the intermediate section;

a fluid passageway passing through the base section, intermediate section, and outlet section configured to provide pressurized fluid to a discharge port in the outlet section; and

a cradle rotatably connecting the intermediate section and the outlet section, wherein the cradle does not encircle the fluid passageway, the cradle being configured to allow the outlet section to rotate between a first position and a second position.

18. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the first axis is generally orthogonal to the second axis.

19. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the outlet section forms an angle of about 120°

above a horizontal plane passing through the second axis when the outlet section is in the first position.

20. The fluid delivery device of claim 19, wherein the outlet section forms an angle of about 45°

below the horizontal plane passing through the second axis when the outlet section is in the second position.

21. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the first position and the second position are separated by an angle of about 165°

.

22. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the first position and the second position are separated by an angle of about 135°

.

23. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the cradle portion is offset relative to the base section.

31. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the intermediate section includes the cradle, the outlet section being rotatably connected to the cradle, the cradle being configured to support the outlet section.

32. The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the fluid delivery device has a swing radius of about 6 inches.

24. A fluid delivery device comprising:

a base section configured to be in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid source;

an intermediate section rotatably connected to the base section and configured to rotate about a first axis relative to the base section;

an outlet section rotatably connected to the intermediate section and configured to rotate about a second axis relative to the intermediate section;

a fluid passageway passing through the base section, the intermediate section, and the outlet section providing pressurized fluid to a discharge port in the outlet section; and

a thrust rod between the intermediate section and the outlet section, the thrust rod being positioned at least partially outside the fluid passageway and configured to be in compression when pressurized fluid is provided in the fluid passageway.

25. The fluid delivery device of claim 24, wherein the first axis is transverse to the second axis.

26. The fluid delivery device of claim 24, further comprising a second thrust rod between the base section and the intermediate section, the thrust rod being positioned at least partially in the fluid passageway and configured to be in tension when pressurized fluid is provided in the fluid passageway.

27. The fluid delivery device of claim 24, wherein the fluid passageway includes a generally “

L”

shaped fluid channel fluidly connecting the intermediate section to the outlet section.

28. The fluid delivery device of claim 24, wherein the thrust rod is positioned completely outside the fluid passageway.