Fire fighting system

• US 5,626,194 A
• Filed: 09/20/1994
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FAV Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FAV Incorporated
• Inventors: White, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN
• Application Number:
  US08/308,981
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 169/24, 169/54, 169/62
• US Class Current: 169/24
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/0278 by creating zones devoid of flammable material

Abstract

A Fire Fighting System includes a vehicle with one or more mounted motors, a fire shield system, and an emergency fire retardant discharge system. The motors are equipped with cutting elements including cutting teeth, paddle teeth, and severe duty fire whips. The fire shield system may include a series of flame and heat retardant coverings placed on all exposed parts of the system to prevent damage from exposure to extreme heat. The emergency fire retardant discharge system distributes chemical fire retardant in the event the fire comes too close to the system. In operation, the vehicle operator positions the system at the edge of a fire line and energizes the motors causing the cutting elements and whips to begin rotating. Once rotating at full speed, the vehicle is advanced along the fire line with the cutting elements cutting and slashing the burning vegetation. Once cut, the burning vegetation is thrown aside by the severe-duty fire whips that rotate to throw the debris back towards the fire. Thus, as the Fire Fighting System advances along the fire line, a fire break is created which is devoid of any combustible material.

Claims

1. A fire fighting system comprising:

a base comprising a construction equipment-type vehicle with a substantially enclosed operator compartment and at least one hydraulic take-off,

a hydraulically controlled arm extensible outwardly from said vehicle to at least a distance from said vehicle equal to its own length,

a support bar mounted at the distal end of said arm,

a plurality of motorized rotary cutting devices mounted along the length of said bar,

control means to orient said bar and cutters relative to the ground and the advancement path of said vehicle in motion,

and means to control and drive operation of said motorized cutters,

and means for heat deflection and fire retardation mounted on said vehicle, operator compartment, arm and cutting devices

whereby said vehicle may safely advance into a burning fire front and clear a path through the burning material by operation of said cutters.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the motive means of said vehicle is a dual tread drive.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is an excavator.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the motorized rotary cutting devices comprise a rotating hub supporting a plurality of cable whip cutter elements.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the motorized rotary cutting devices comprise a rotating hub supporting a plurality of rigid cutter blades.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the means to control and drive said cutters is a plurality of hydraulic motors.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the means to control and drive said cutters is an electric motor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the means to control and drive said cutters is a mechanical take-off from said vehicle to gear drive linkages of said cutters.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said heat deflection means is noncombustible blanket-type fire shielding arrayed over said vehicle, compartment and arm.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said heat deflection means is plate-type shielding arrayed over said vehicle, compartment and arm.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said heat deflection means further comprises a system of fire barrier shields of cementitious material cast into frames and attached to said vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for fire retardation is a liquid containment and delivery system for spraying said vehicle, compartment, arm and cutters selectively as said vehicle is contacted by fire.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising fire protection devices applied the exterior of said operator compartment.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said fire protection devices are heat resistant silica glass.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising a periscope as a vehicle navigation mechanism and fire fighting aid.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising an operator viewing system comprising a video camera system as a vehicle navigation mechanism and fire fighting aid.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising exterior radar sensors to aid the operator in directing and controlling the vehicle as it advances into the fire.

18. A fire fighting system comprising:

a base comprising a construction equipment-type vehicle with a substantially enclosed operator compartment and at least one hydraulic take-off;

a hydraulically controlled arm extensible outwardly from said vehicle to at least a distance from said vehicle equal to its own length, said arm having a bucket hinge pivotally mounted at the distal end of said arm;

a support bar attached to said bucket hinge with a pin, said support bar moveable with said bucket hinge;

a plurality of motorized rotary cutting devices mounted along the length of said bar;

control means to orient said bar and cutters relative to the ground and the advancement path of said vehicle in motion;

means to control and drive operation of said motorized cutters; and

means for head deflection and fire retardation mounted on said vehicle, operator compartment, arm and cutting device.