Portable sprinkler and process for fighting fires in oil refineries and the like

• US 4,836,291 A
• Filed: 05/21/1987
• Issued: 06/06/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amoco Corporation (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Amoco Corporation (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Owens, David W., Propp, Jack E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salmon, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US07/053,139
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 169/43, 169/45, 169/46, 169/47, 169/48, 169/49, 169/50, 169/54, 169/70, 169/51, 169/52, 239/275, 239/276, 239/279, 239/280, 239/567, 239/566, 239/597, 239/598, 239/273
• US Class Current: 169/46
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/06 of highly inflammable material, e.g. light metals, petroleum products
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/02 Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing

Abstract

A special self-erecting portable sprinkler is provided to effectively and efficiently fight fires in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and the like from a remote safe position.

Claims

1. A process for fighting fires in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and the like, comprising the steps of:

attaching a hose to a sprinkler;

coiling the hose about the sprinkler;

attaching the other end of the hose to a water supply source;

rolling said coiled hose toward a fire while concurrently filling said hose with water from said water supply source to uncoil said hose and remotely move the sprinkler attached to the hose

near a fire; and

spraying a mist of water from said sprinkler onto the fire.

2. A process for fighting fires in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and the like, comprising the steps of:

attaching a self-righting sprinkler to one end of a firefighting hose, said sprinkler having a rounded spray head, a water reservoir chamber, a physical center, a center of gravity below the physical center of said sprinkler, and a weighted base with a substantially planar bottom surface;

coiling said firefighting hose about said sprinkler;

attaching the other end of said firefighting hose to a water supply source selected from the group consisting of a fire hydrant, a fire engine, and a water tank;

rolling said coiled hose containing said sprinkler towards the fire;

thereafter

injecting a substantial quantity of water in said fire hose to substantially fill said fire hose;

remotely unwinding said fire hose and moving said sprinkler near the fire in response to filling said fire hose with said water;

remotely placing and maintaining said sprinkler in a substantially upright, erect position in the absence of firefighting personnel;

spraying an outwardly flared, converging pattern of water onto the fire from said sprinkler; and

forming a curtain of water between said fire and firefighting personnel to enhance the safety and protection of the firefighting personnel.

3. A process in accordance with claim 2 wherein said water is sprayed at an angle of inclination towards the fire from a location in proximity to the ground.

4. A process in accordance with claim 2 wherein the water is sprayed substantially upwardly in a vertical spray pattern in a direction substantiallly perpendicular to said firefighting hose.

5. A process in accordance with claim 2 wherein the water is sprayed from said sprinkler in an upwardly direction substantially parallel to said firefighting hose.

6. A portable, self-erecting sprinkler for fighting fires in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and the like, comprising:

a substantially hemispherical spray head having a rounded apex providing a top, said hemispherical spray head defining an arcuate fluid flow passageway extending from about 90 degrees to about 200 degrees through said top for spraying a mist of water onto the fire and concurrently emitting a curtain of water between the fire and firefighting personnel to enhance the safety and protection of firefighting personnel;

a rounded tubular neck extending substantially downwardly from said hemispherical spray head, said neck providing a water reservoir compartment and having tubular arms defining threaded ports communicating with said water reservoir compartment for connection to a fire hose, said tubular arms comprising a front arm and at least one side arm positioned substantially perpendicular at about right angles to said front arm;

a weighted base connected to and positioned below said rounded tubular neck, said base having a substantially rectangular imperforate bottom surface providing a solid water-impervious barrier for blocking the bottom of said water reservoir compartment, said bottom surface being substantially planar and extending outwardly of said tubular neck; and

said sprinkler having a center of gravity in proximity to said base for facilitating pivoting of said sprinkler to a substantially upright, erect position when water is being sprayed from said spray head.

7. A portable, self-erecting sprinkler for fighting fires in oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and the like, comprising:

a substantially hemispherical spray head having a rounded apex providing a top, said hemispherical spray head defining an arcuate fluid flow passageway extending from about 90 degrees to about 200 degrees through said top for spraying a mist of water onto the fire and concurrently emitting a curtain of water between the fire and firefighting personnel to enhance the safety and protection of firefighting personnel;

a rounded tubular neck extending substantially downwardly from said hemispherical spray head, said neck providing a water reservoir compartment and having at least one threaded port for connection to a fire hose;

a weighted base connected to and positioned below said rounded tubular neck, said base having a substantially rectangular imperforate bottom surface providing a solid water-impervious barrier for blocking the bottom of said water reservoir compartment, said bottom surface being substantially planar and extending outwardly of said tubular neck;

said sprinkler having a center of gravity in proximity to said base for facilitating pivoting of said sprinkler to a substantially upright, erect position when water is being sprayed from said spray head;

said fluid flow passageway lying in a plane positioned from about 0 degrees to about 45 degrees relative to the vertical axis of said sprinkler;

said tubular neck having at least two arms extending laterally outwardly from said neck;

each of said arms defining an internally threaded port for connection to a fire hose;

said sprinkler including at least one externally-threaded plug for threadedly engaging and plugging the port of one of said arms; and

said rounded spray head and tubular neck extending upwardly from said base at an angle of inclination. ranging from about 45 degrees to about 75 degrees.