Fire fighting trainer

• US 4,861,270 A
• Filed: 08/30/1988
• Issued: 08/29/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kidde Fire Trainers, Inc. (Kidde Fire Trainer Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Symtron Systems, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Ernst, James, Williamson, Steven, Rogers, George, Musto, Dominick
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/238,453
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 434/226, 434/219
• 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 fire fighting trainer for use in training fire fighters is provided. The fire fighting trainer includes a structure having a plurality of chambers. Each chamber contains real or simulated items, which are chosen from a group of items, such as furniture and fixtures and equipment. The trainer also includes a smoke generating system having a smoke generator and a smoke conduit. The smoke conduit has a smoke line with an outlet for each chamber. The trainer also includes a propane gas flame generating system having at least one propane gas pressure controller and a propane gas conduit. The propane gas conduit has a gas line with a burner control and a burner for each chamber. The trainer has a main control panel for regulating the flame generating system and the smoke generating system and for controlling the flame and smoke in each chamber. The trainer also has a sensor assembly in each chamber, which is connected to the main control panel to sense and report what extinguishing material or medium or agent is being used in each chamber during a test of trainees or fire fighters, so that the flame and smoke can be simultaneously reset to suit the conditions in the chamber based upon the reported extinguishing agent used. Each sensor assembly includes a water sensor, a foam sensor, a powder sensor, and a temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A fire fighting trainer comprising:

a plurality of chambers having respective contents including items chosen from a group of items including furniture and fixtures and equipment;

a smoke generating means having a plurality of outlets disposed in the respective chambers;

a flame generating means having a plurality of outlets disposed in the respective chambers; and

a sensing and control means having a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed in the respective chambers and each sensor assembly connecting to a main control panel, wherein

each said sensor assembly includes a a multi-agent sensor unit comprising;

a collection funnel for receiving an extinguishing medium portion;

a separation means for separating out foam from the extinguishing medium portion;

a foam chute connecting to the collection funnel;

a sonic beam source and detector mounted inside the foam chute for sensing the presence of foam in the chute;

an outlet pipe connecting to the collection funnel with an outlet opening disposed below the separation means;

a magnetostrictive fluid sensor unit mounted on and extending into the outlet pipe above the outlet opening for sensing the presence of water in the outlet pipe; and

an infrared source and detector mounted inside the collection funnel for sending the the presence of a cloud of powder in the collection funnel.

2. The trainer of claim 1, wherein the flame generating

a propane gas inlet pressure controller;

conduit means connecting to the propane gas inlet pressure controller;

a gas line to each chamber from the conduit means;

control means for each chamber connecting to the gas line; and

a burner inside each chamber connecting to the control means;

3. The trainer of claim 2, wherein said burner comprises:

a main gas line;

a pilot gas line;

a head member connecting to the main gas line and to the pilot gas line; and

a burner element having orifice holes for flames and connecting to the head member.

4. The trainer of claim 1, wherein the smoke generating means comprises:

at least one smoke generator;

smoke conduit means connecting to the smoke generator; and

a smoke line to each chamber from the smoke conduit means and having an outlet disposed inside each chamber.

5. The trainer of claim 4, wherein said smoke generator comprises:

a air blower;

an air heater connecting to the air blower;

an injector nozzle connecting to the air heater;

a fluid tank containing a selective light oil and connecting to the injector nozzle; and

a outlet means connecting to the injector nozzle at one end thereof and connecting to the smoke conduit at the other end thereof.

6. The trainer of claim 1, wherein each said sensor assembly includes a temperature sensor comprising:

a globe temperature thermocouple surrounded by a blackened metal sphere;

a housing for supporting the globe temperature thermocouple and blackened metal sphere on the outside thereof;

a dry-bulb temperature thermocouple means supported by the housing on the inside thereof; and

a wet-bulb temperature thermocouple means supported by the housing on the inside thereof.

7. A method of training and testing fire fighters including:

providing at least one training chamber;

choosing selected items from a group of items of furniture and fixtures and equipment;

placing the selected items in the chamber;

introducing propane gas flames and simulated smoke into the chamber next to the selected items;

introducing fire fighters into the chamber to put out the simulated fire using one of a group of extinguishing agents;

sensing which one of the extinguishing agents is being used by the fire fighters in the chamber;

simultaneously regulating and setting a level of fire and a level of smoke in the chamber depending upon the extinguishing agent being used; and

recording the test results of time and decisions of the fire fighters.