FIRE FIGHTING APPARATUS

• US 3,770,062 A
• Filed: 10/12/1970
• Issued: 11/06/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Lafrance LLC (LD Investment LLC)
• Original Assignee: David K. Riggs
• Inventors: Riggs, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Application Number:
  US05/079,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 169/24,25 239/160,166,587X 212/55 52/115,117,118 95/86 285/190
• US Class Current: 169/24
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/24 attached to ladders, poles, towers, or other structures with or without rotary heads

Abstract

Apparatus adapted for fire fighting including a monitor unit for supporting a nozzle for continuous rotation in one plane and for pivotal motion through a wide arc in a further plane. Remotely electrically controlled hydraulic valves control such pivoting and rotation of the nozzle as well as the output stream pattern of the nozzle. A multisection telescoping boom supports the monitor unit at its upper end and contains telescoping slip tubes for delivering fire fighting fluid through the monitor unit to the nozzle as well as hydraulic and electrical lines for energizing and controlling the functions of the monitor unit. The boom is supportable on a truck for continuous rotation in one plane and for pivotal movement through a wide arc in a further plane, a pivoting joint being provided for allowing water flow to the boom at the pivot axis of the boom.

Claims

1. Apparatus for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

a support;

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means adjacent one end of the boom for mounting said boom on said support for movement in a plurality of directions;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a fluid output device and means for mounting same on the other end of said boom for movement with respect thereto in a plurality of directions;

means supported by said other end of said boom and actuable for moving said fluid output device;

first extensible means supported within said boom for telescoping therewith and connected to a source of fluid for conveying fluid from said source through said boom to said fluid output device;

further extensible means supported adjacent said first extensible means within said boom for telescoping with said first extensible means and connected to an energy source for conveying energy through said boom to said means actuable for moving said fluid output device with respect to said boom;

means for pivotally mounting said boom for movement in a substantially vertical plane with respect to said support and further means rotatably mounting said boom with respect to said support for rotation on substantially a horizontal plane, wherein said means for pivotally mounting said boom comprises a chamber defining member and a pair of aligned shaft elements removably affixed thereto and axially extending therefrom, means associated with said support for carrying said shaft elements, means associated with said boom and engageable with said shaft elements for pivotal connection with respect to said support and relatively pivotable fluid inlet and outlet conduits in communication with the chamber of said chamber defining member in offset relation axially of said chamber defining member.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second extensible means comprise first and second sets of coaxially telescoping slip tubes located adjacent each other in said boom, ones of the slip tubes of each set being associated with corresponding ones of the sections of said boom for telescoping extension and retraction therewith.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 in which said sections of said boom differ in cross sectional area in series, the smallest of said boom sections being located adjacent said output device and the largest of said boom sections being located adjacent said support, slip tubes of each of said slip tube sets diminishing in cross section in series, the smallest of said slip tubes of each set being associated with the largest cross section boom section, each of said slip tubes being supported on its associated boom section at the ends thereof closest to said support, the remaining ends of at least some of said slip tubes of each slip set being supported only by the next adjacent slip tube in which they are received.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2, in which said first slip tube set conveys fire fighting fluid to said output device, at least one of said second slip tube sets conveys pressure fluid to said means for moving said output device for energizing same and wherein a third slip tube set conveys electrical control signals to said means for moving said output device for controlling application of pressure fluid thereto, and including transverse baffles at least at the ends of said boom and means releasably securing the ends of each said slip tube set to said baffles, said second and third slip tube sets lying radially between said first slip tube set and the walls of said boom.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4, in which two second slip tube sets are provided, one thereof providing a supply path and the other a return path for pressure fluid wherein said pressure fluid is hydraulic fluid, and wherein said means for moving said output device consists of a plurality of independently controllable pressure fluid motor means and including transducers associated with each of said motor means for connecting same to said supply slip tube set and said return slip tube set, said transducers being independently actuable by control signals applied thereto from said third slip tube set.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5, in which said output device comprises a nozzle hydraulically actuable for varying the output stream pattern thereof and including a further independently controllable transducer associated therewith for connecting same to said supply slip tube set and to said return said slip tube set, said further transducer being independently actuable by control signals applied thereto from said third slip tube set.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, in which said means for supporting said output device includes a framework fixed to the end of the boom adjacent said output device, a first conduit fixed to said framework for receiving fluid from said boom, a second conduit coaxially aligned with said first conduit and in fluid communication therewith, said second conduit being supported for rotation by means on said framework and a third conduit assembly in fluid communication with said second conduit, said third conduit assembly including means pivotably mounted with respect to said second conduit and in fluid communication therewith and with said output device, said fluid output device being mounted on said pivotably mounted means.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7, including a rotation motor carried by said framework adjacent said second conduit for rotating said second conduit with respect to said framework and a pivot motor disposed outboard of said framework between said second conduit and said pivotally mounted means for causing pivotal movement of said pivotally mounted means with respect to said second conduit.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said pivot and rotate motors are pressure fluid motors and including a plurality of transducers carried by said framework and means supplying pressure fluid to said transducers from said boom, fluid lines connecting said transducers independently to corresponding ones of said motors and control lines from said boom for independently actuating said transducers to apply pressure fluid to selected ones of said motors for energizing same, whereby each of said motors is independently actuable by pressure fluid by a common set of pressure fluid lines fixed with respect to said framework.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1, in which said inlet and outlet conduits are sinuously curved and have axes lying in a plane transverse to the axis of said shaft elements, wherein one of said conduits is mounted on a shell rotatably surrounding said chamber defining member and including an opening through said shell communicating with said one conduit, and a circumferentially elongated opening in the peripheral wall of said chamber defining member radially aligned with said one conduit and communicating therewith, the circumferential extent of said elongated opening substantially exceeding the corresponding extent of said opening of said shell so that said opening in said shell is fully exposed to said chamber through a wide range of pivotal positions of said shell upon said chamber defining means.

11. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

a support;

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means adjacent one end of the boom for mounting said boom on said support for movement in a plurality of directions, including means for pivotally mounting said boom for movement in a substantially vertical plane with respect to said support and further means rotatably mounting said boom with respect to said support for rotation in substantially a horizontal plane;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a fluid output device and means for mounting same on the other end of said boom for movement with respect thereto in a plurality of directions;

means supported by said other end of said boom and actuable for moving said fluid output device;

first extensible means supported within said boom for telescoping therewith and connected to a source of fluid for conveying fluid from said source through said boom to said fluid output device;

further extensible means supported within said boom for telescoping therewith and connected to an energy source for conveying energy through said boom to said means actuable for moving said fluid output device with respect to said boom;

a turntable and means supporting same for rotation on said support, a fixed fluid conduit coaxially aligned with said turntable and disposed therebelow, a rotatable fluid conduit coaxially aligned with said fixed conduit and joined thereto by a swivel located below said turntable and extend upwardly through said turntable, a first shell depending from said turntable and fixed with respect thereto, said first shell coaxially surrounding said rotatable conduit for rotation therewith, a second shell snugly surrounding said first shell and disposed below said turntable, said second shell being fixed with respect to said support, and means on said first and second shells for conveying hydraulic fluid and electrical signals from sources fixed with respect to said support to lines rotatable with said rotatable conduit.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11, including a pivot device having a cylindrical chamber, stub shafts extending coaxially therefrom, means supporting said stub shafts on said turntable, means supporting said one end of said boom on said stub shafts and conduits communicating with said chamber at axially spaced points thereon, said conduits remotely from said chamber having coplanar axis and being smoothly and sinuously curved between said points and said chamber, the outlet of one of said conduits being in fluid communication with said first-mentioned extensible means and said boom and the inlet of the other of said conduits being connected to said rotatable conduit.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 11, in which said first shell is spaced radially from said rotatable conduit and including a plurality of wires disposed in said space and spaced axially therealong, a set of electrical contacts arranged for relative rotation, one ends of said wires being connected to said electrical contactors and the other ends of said wires being lead to said further extensible means in said boom.

14. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a support;

means adjacent one end of said boom for mounting said boom on said support;

a device mounted on the other end of said boom;

a plurality of slip tube sets disposed within said boom, each said set of slip tubes comprising a plurality of coaxial telescoping slip tubes, ones of said slip tubes of each of said sets being associated with a corresponding one of the boom sections for telescoping extension and retraction therewith;

an energy source connected to one end of one of said slip tube sets, the other end of said one slip tube set being connected to said device on said other end of said boom, said device on said other end of said boom comprising a fire fighting fluid output device, said energy source comprising a source of fire fighting fluid under prEssure and said one slip tube set providing fire fighting fluid from said source to said device despite extension and retraction of the boom;

a pressure fluid source and means movably mounting said device on said boom and energizable for moving said device, said energizable means being energizable by pressure fluid and means connecting said energizable means to the adjacent end of another slip tube set for receiving pressure fluid therethrough from said pressure fluid source;

said one set of slip tubes being disposed coaxially of said boom and further slip tube sets of smaller diameter surrounding same within said boom, said further slip tube sets including said another slip tube set, said one slip tube set being adapted to convey said fire fighting fluid from one end of said boom to the other and said further slip tube sets being adapted to convey pressure fluid and electrical control signals, respectively, between the ends of the boom, said device mounted on said other end of said boom comprising a fluid nozzle and including means mounting same for movement with respect to said boom and motor means for causing such movement;

first transducer means responsive to said electrical control signals and pressure fluid from said further slip tube sets for moving said nozzle in response thereto, said electrical signals originating at the opposite end of the boom, said nozzle connecting to the adjacent end of said one slip tube set through said means for movably mounting same with respect to the boom for receiving fire fighting fluid therefrom.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14, wherein said means for movably mounting said nozzle comprises first means for mounting same for continuous rotation through multiple 360* arcs about the axis of said boom and further means for pivotally moving same through an arc exceeding one half a circle in a plane containing or parallel to said boom axis, said nozzle being of the adjustable type and having therein hydraulically actuatable means for controlling the spray pattern thereof and further transducer means for applying pressure fluid to said nozzle spray pattern control means, said first and further transducer means being responsive to electrical signals applied thereto through a slip tube set of said boom from a remote location, said transducer means being fixed with respect to and adjacent said other end of said boom and including conduits connecting said transducer means to said motor means and to said nozzle spray control means, two slip tube sets being sufficient to supply and return pressure fluid for all of said motor means and nozzle spray control means.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15, wherein said pressure fluid is hydraulic fluid and said means for controlling rotation, pivoting, operation of and spray pattern of said nozzle comprise hydraulic motors, said further slip tube sets including a supply hydraulic slip tube set, a return hydraulic slip tube set and a third set of slip tubes carrying electrical cable.

17. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

a source of fluid under pressure;

a fluid supply conduit extending from said source;

a further fluid conduit in fluid conveying communication with said first mentioned conduit at one end thereof and rotatable with respect thereto;

a pair of third conduits extending divergently from the other end of said further conduit, said third conduits being configured so that the ends thereof remote from said third conduit extend toward each other and are coaxially aligned;

means mounting a fluid output device between said coaxially aligned ends of said conduits in fluid carrying communication with said further conduits through said third conduits and for pivoting movement about said coaxial ends of said third conduits;

means actuable for causing pivotal movement of said device with respect to said third conduits;

whereby fluid is conveyed by said conduits from said source to said device wHile allowing rotation of said device about the axis of said first mentioned and further conduits and pivoting movement of said device about the coaxial portions of said third conduits;

a framework fixed with respect to said source of fluid and disposed around portions of said first mentioned and further conduits and means fixedly supporting said first conduit on said framework, said means for rotating said further conduit being supported by said framework.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 17, including an annular flange on said further conduit adjacent said framework and a plurality of rollers spaced around said flange and in rotative engagement with said flange, said rollers being supported by said framework for rotationally supporting said further conduit on said framework.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 18, in which said further conduit extends loosely through a hole in said framework, said flange being disposed outside said framework adjacent said hole, a plurality of hydraulic lines rotatable with said further conduit and extending therealong in close adjacency thereto through said opening and into the region of said third conduits.

20. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

a source of fluid under pressure;

a fluid supply conduit extending from said source;

a further fluid conduit in fluid conveying communication with said first mentioned conduit at one end thereof and rotatable with respect thereto;

a pair of third conduits extending divergently from the other end of said further conduit, said third conduits being configured so that the ends thereof remote from said third conduit extend toward each other and are coaxially aligned;

means mounting a fluid output device between said coaxially aligned ends of said conduits in fluid carrying communication with said further conduits through said third conduits and for pivoting movement about said coaxial ends of said third conduits;

means actuable for causing pivotal movement of said device with respect to said third conduits;

whereby fluid is conveyed by said conduits from said source to said device while allowing rotation of said device about the axis of said first mentioned and further conduits and pivoting movement of said device about the coaxial portions of said third conduits;

a first set of energizable lines fixed with respect to said first mentioned conduit, a second set of lines energizable from corresponding lines of said first set and fixed with respect to said further conduit, means supported on said further conduit for joining said first and second sets of said lines for relative rotation, said first set of lines being energizable by an operator of the apparatus and said second set of lines providing for actuation of at least said means for pivoting said device in response to actuation of said first set of lines.

21. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a support;

means adjacent one end of said boom for mounting said boom on said support;

a device mounted on the other end of said boom;

a plurality of slip tube sets disposed within said boom, each said set of slip tubes comprising a plurality of coaxial telescoping slip tubes, ones of said slip tubes of each of said sets being associated with a corresponding one of the boom sections for telescoping extension and retraction therewith;

an energy source connected to one end of one of said slip tube sets, the other end of said one slip tube set being connected to said device on said other end of said boom;

walls extending transversely of and affixed to and within said boom sections adjacent at least one end of a slip tube of each of said slip tube sets, said slip tubes each being annularly grooved near the adjacent one of said walls, connectors for connecting said slip tubes to said walls, each of said connectors comprising a radially opposed pair of hemicircular elements having inwardly directed radial flanges adjacent one end thereof for reception into said grooves in said slip tubes and radially outwardly directed flanges adjacent the other end for connection to said adjacent walls.

22. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a support;

means adjacent one end of said boom for mounting said boom on said support;

a device mounted on the other end of said boom;

a plurality of slip tube sets disposed within said boom, each said set of slip tubes comprising a plurality of coaxial telescoping slip tubes, ones of said slip tubes of each of said sets being associated with a corresponding one of the boom sections for telescoping extension and retraction therewith;

an energy source connected to one end of one of said slip tube sets, the other end of said one slip tube set being connected to said device on said other end of said boom;

said boom comprising first, second and third telescoping sections, a pressure fluid cylinder connected between said first and second sections for extending said second section with respect to said first section, extension pulleys adjacent the free end of the second section and fixed with respect thereto and first cables extending from the free end of said first section around said first pulleys to the end of the third section received in said second section for extending said third section with respect to said second section when said second section extends with respect to said first section, retraction pulleys mounted adjacent and fixed with respect to the end of said second section and received within said first section and cables extending from the free end of said first section around said retraction pulleys and to the end of said third section received in said second section for retracting said third section with respect to said second section when said second section is retracted with respect to said first section.

23. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a support;

means adjacent one end of said boom for mounting said boom on said support;

a device mounted on the other end of said boom;

a plurality of slip tube sets disposed within said boom, each said set of slip tubes comprising a plurality of coaxial telescoping slip tubes, ones of said slip tubes of each of said sets being associated with a corresponding one of the boom sections for telescoping extension and retraction therewith;

an energy source connected to one end of one of said slip tube sets, the other end of said one slip tube set being connected to said device on said other end of said boom, said device on said other end of said boom comprising a fire fighting fluid output device, said energy source comprising a source of fire fighting fluid under pressure and said one slip tube set providing fire fighting fluid from said source to said device despite extension and retraction of the boom;

a pressure fluid source and means movably mounting said device on said boom and energizable for moving said device, said energizable means being energizable by pressure fluid and means connecting said energizable means to the adjacent end of another slip tube set for receiving pressure fluid therethrough from said pressure fluid source;

a source of electrical control signals and means associated with said energizable means responsive to electrical control signals for controlling the flow of pressure fluid thereto and thereby controlling movement of said device, said electrical control signal responsive means connecting through a cable disposed in a further one of said boom contained slip tube sets with said source of electrIcal control signals, said cable being coiled within said further slip tube set for extension and contraction therewith, one end of said cable being connected to said source of electrical control signals and the other end of said cable being connected to said electrical control signal responsive means.

24. Apparatus adapted for fire fighting, comprising in combination:

an extensible boom having a plurality of hollow, telescoping sections;

means for extending and retracting said boom;

a support;

means adjacent one end of said boom for mounting said boom on said support;

a device mounted on the other end of said boom;

a plurality of slip tube sets disposed within said boom, each said set of slip tubes comprising a plurality of coaxial telescoping slip tubes, ones of said slip tubes of each of said sets being associated with a corresponding one of the boom sections for telescoping extension and retraction therewith;

an energy source connected to one end of one of said slip tube sets, the other end of said one slip tube set being connected to said device on said other end of said boom;

the sections of said boom are serially graduated in cross sectional size, the largest cross section one thereof being located adjacent said support, each said slip tube set being serially graduated in cross sectional size, the smallest cross section boom section carrying the largest cross section slip tube of each of the slip tube sets.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 24, in which wall means are provided adjacent the end of each of said boom sections closest to said support and means are provided on said wall means for supporting fixedly with respect to each boom section the corresponding slip tubes disposed therewithin of each slip tube set, the opposite ends of said slip tubes being supported by reception into slip tubes of the same slip tube set located in the next smaller boom section, the end of the smallest boom section remote from said support having a further transverse wall and means thereon for supporting the free ends of the slip tubes of each slip tube set furthest from said support, whereby each of said slip tubes is supported at both ends thereof rigidly with respect to the boom.