METHOD OF FIGHTING A FIRE

• US 3,669,191 A
• Filed: 02/12/1971
• Issued: 06/13/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William L. Livingston
• Original Assignee: William L. Livingston
• Inventors: Livingston, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Culp, Jr., Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US05/115,041
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 169/1R,1A,2R,5,14,15,16,13
• US Class Current: 169/45
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/009 Methods or equipment not provided for in groups A62C99/0009 - A62C99/0081

Abstract

A method of fighting a fire comprising the steps of discharging an ablative fluid towards the fire from an elevated position relative to the floor of the structure to be protected, and manually applying an ablative fluid to the fire.

Claims

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the extinguishant applied in said step of discharging and in said step of manually applying is an ablative fluid.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of manually applying comprises the step of directing said portion of said extinguishant towards portions of said fire shielded by said materials.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of terminating said step of discharging prior to said step of manually applying.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reducing the discharge rate of extinguishant prior to said step of manually applying.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of manually applying is done during said step of discharging.

7. A method of fighting a fire comprising the steps of disposing a fixed fire extinguishing system in an elevated position relative to the floor of the structure to be protected from fire, discharging an extinguishant from said system at a predetermined rate in response to a fire situation occurring in a particular area of said structure, reducing said predetermined rate of extinguishant discharge, and then manually applying an extinguishant of a viscosity greater than water to said area.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said predetermined rate is reduced to zero.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the extinguishant applied in said step of discharging and in said step of applying is an ablative fluid.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of manually applying comprises the step of directing said extinguishant towards portions of said fire shielded by materials stored in said area.

11. A method of fighting a fire comprising the steps of disposing a fixed fire extinguishing system in an elevated position relative to the floor of the structure to be protected from fire, connecting said system to a first source of extinguishant, discharging said extinguishant from said system in response to a fire situation occurring in a particular area of said structure, and manually applying a second source of extinguishant of a viscosity greater than water to said area.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first source of extinguishant is directed to predetermined areas within said structure and wherein said second source of extinguishant is directed towards portions of said fire shielded by the materials stored in said structure.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein each of said sources of extinguishant is an ablative fluid formed by the step of mixing an ablative material and water prior to said step of discharging.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the ratio of ablative material to water for said first source of extinguishant is different than the ratio of ablative fluid to water for said second source of extinguishant.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of terminating said step of discharging prior to said step of manually applying.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of reducing the discharge rate of extinguishant prior to said step of manually applying.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein saiD step of manually applying is done during said step of discharging.