Fire apparatus monitor

• US 6,786,426 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Trapp, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M.
• Application Number:
  US10/217,684
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 239/71, 239/74, 169/24, 169/25, 169/46, 169/51, 169/52, 169/67, 285/277, 285/317, 285/DIG.22, 285/168, 285/921, 403/27, 403/6
• US Class Current: 239/71
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/24 attached to ladders, poles, towers, or other structures with or without rotary heads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/20 with indicator or inspection means

Abstract

A fire-fighting monitor for directing the flow of fluid from a mount includes a monitor housing having an inlet, which is adapted to receive the mount for receiving fluid from the mount, and an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet for discharging fluid from the housing. The monitor also includes a latch mechanism for releasably engaging the mount. The latch mechanism extends through the housing for releasably engaging the mount. The monitor also includes an indicator means for providing a positive indication of when the latch mechanism is fully engaged with the mount.

Claims

1. A fire-fighting monitor for directing the flow of fluid from a fluid source from a mount, said monitor comprising:

a monitor housing having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing, said inlet adapted to receive the mount;

a latch mechanism for releasably engaging the mount, said latch mechanism extending through said monitor housing for releasably engaging the mount, the engagement of the latch mechanism with the mount being internal to said monitor and not being visible exteriorly of said monitor; and

indicator means for providing a positive indication of when said latch mechanism is fully engaged with the mount and when said latch mechanism is fully disengaged with said mount.

2. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 1, wherein said indicator means comprises an indicator means for providing a positive visual indication of when said latch mechanism is fully engaged with or disengaged from the mount.

3. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 1, wherein said latch mechanism comprises a latch housing, said housing including said indicator means.

4. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 3, wherein said latch mechanism further comprises a latch pin, said latch pin being movable in said monitor housing between an extended position for engaging the mount and a retracted position wherein said latch pin is disengaged from said mount.

5. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of said latch pin is movable between said monitor housing and said latch housing.

7. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 4, wherein said monitor housing includes a bore, said latch pin being supported for reciprocal movement in said bore from said retracted position to said extended position.

8. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 4, wherein said latch pin is biased to said extended position by a spring.

9. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 8, wherein said spring is mounted on said latch pin.

10. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 4, further comprising a cable wire, said cable wire coupled to said latch pin and to a driver, said driver selectively increasing tension on said cable to move said latch pin to said retracted position when said tension overcomes the spring force of said spring.

29. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 1, wherein said latch mechanism includes a latch pin and a latch housing, said latch pin extending through said latch housing and said monitor housing to releasably engage the mount, said indicator means comprising a window in said latch housing and at least a portion of said latch pin, said portion being viewable through said window to provide a positive indication of when said latch pin is engaged or disengaged from said mount.

30. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 29, wherein said portion comprises a base portion of said latch pin.

31. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 29, wherein said housing includes an opening, said opening forming said window.

32. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 29, wherein said housing includes a plurality of windows.

6. A fire-fighting monitor for directing the flow of fluid from a fluid source from a mount, said monitor comprising:

a monitor housing having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing, said inlet adapted to receive the mount;

a latch mechanism for releasably engaging the mount, said latch mechanism extending through said monitor housing for releasably engaging the mount, and said latch mechanism comprising a latch housing; and

indicator means for providing a positive indication of when said latch mechanism is fully engaged with the mount, wherein said indicator means comprises at last one opening in said latch housing, said opening providing a visual indication of when said latch mechanism is in said extended position wherein said latch mechanism is fully engaged with the mount.

33. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 6, wherein said latch mechanism includes a latch pin, said latch pin extending through said latch housing and said monitor housing to thereby releasably engage the mount, and said opening providing a visual indication of when said latch pin is fully engaged with the mount.

34. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 33, wherein said latch pin includes a base portion, said base portion is visible through said opening, said base portion providing an indication of when said latch pin is fully engaged with the mount.

11. A fire-fighting monitor for directing the flow of fluid from a fluid source from a mount, said monitor comprising:

a monitor housing having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing, said inlet adapted to receive the mount; and

a latch mechanism for releasably engaging the mount, said latch mechanism including a latch housing and a latch pin extending through said latch housing and said monitor housing for releasably engaging the mount, the engagement of the latch pin with the mount being internal to said monitor and not being visible exteriorly of said monitor, and said latch housing including a window, said window providing a positive indication of when said latch pin is fully engage with the mount.

12. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 11, wherein said window comprises an opening in said latch housing and providing one of a positive visual indication and a tactile indication of when said latch mechanism is fully engaged with the mount.

13. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 12, wherein said opening provides a positive visual indication of when said latch mechanism is fully engaged with the mount.

14. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 11, wherein said monitor housing includes a bore, said latch pin being supported for reciprocal movement in said bore from a retracted position to an extended position wherein said latch pin is engaged with the mount.

15. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 14, wherein said latch pin is biased to said external position by a spring.

16. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 15, wherein said spring is mounted on said latch pin.

17. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 15, further comprising a cable wire, said cable wire coupled to said latch pin and to a driver, said driver selectively increasing tension on said cable to move said latch pin to said retracted position when said tension overcomes the spring force of said spring.

18. A fire-fighting monitor for directing the flow of fluid from a fluid source from am mount, said monitor comprising:

a monitor housing having an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing, said inlet adapted to receive the mount, said monitor housing including a bore; and

a latch mechanism for releasably engaging the mount, said latch mechanism including a latch housing and a latch pin extending through said latch housing and said monitor housing for releasably engaging the mount, said latch pin being supported for reciprocal movement in said bore from a retracted position to an extended position, and said latch housing including an annular member and a base and at least one member connecting said annular member to said base, said member defining a passageway coaxial with said bore for receiving a portion of said latch pin, and said member including an opening in communication with said passageway whereby the position of said latch pin is viewable through said opening to provide a visual indication of when said latch pin is moved to said extended position.

35. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said latch pin includes a base portion, said base portion of said latch pin being viewable through said window to provide a visual indication when said latch pin is moved to said extended position.

36. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 35, whereby the position of said portion viewable through said window provides a visual indication when said latch pin is fully engaged with or fully disengaged with the mount.

37. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said annular member includes a plurality of openings in communication with said passageway to form a plurality of windows whereby the position of said portion is viewable through said openings.

19. A fire-fighting apparatus comprising:

a mount comprising a cylindrical housing having an inlet in communication with a fluid source and an outlet; and

a monitor mounted on said cylindrical housing for directing the flow of fluid from said mount, said monitor comprising;

a monitor housing having an monitor inlet for receiving fluid from said outlet of said mount and a monitor outlet in fluid communication with said monitor inlet for discharging fluid from said monitor housing, said inlet adapted to receive said cylindrical housing of said mount; and

a latch mechanism releasably engaging said mount, said latch mechanism including a latch pin extending through a latch housing and sad monitor housing for selectively and releasably engaging said mount, the engagement of the latch pin with the mount being integral to said monitor and not being visible exteriorly of said monitor, and said latch mechanism having an indicator means providing a positive indication of when said latch pin is fully engaged with the mount, and said indicator means comprising a portion of said latch pin wherein said latch pin and said portion move together when said latch pin is moved to engage or disengage from said mount.

20. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said mount further includes an annular bearing, said latch pin engaging said bearing to thereby engage said mount.

21. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said said latch housing includes a window, said portion viewable through said window to provide a positive visual indication of when said latch pin is fully engaged with said mount.

22. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said latch housing includes at least one opening forming said window for viewing said portion to provide an indication of when said latch pin is fully engaged with said mount.

23. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said latch housing includes at least two openings forming two windows for viewing said portion to provide an indication of when said latch pin is fully engaged with said mount.

24. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said monitor housing includes a bore, said latch pin being supported for reciprocal movement in said bore from said retracted position to said extended position.

25. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said latch pin is biased to said extended position by a spring.

26. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said spring is mounted on said latch pin.

27. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising a cable wire, said cable wire coupled to said latch pin and to a driver, said driver selectively increasing tension on said cable to move said latch pin to said retracted position when said tension overcomes the spring force of said spring.

28. The fire-fighting apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said latch housing includes a base and an annular member spaced from said base to thereby define a space therebetween, said spring captured in said base and urging said pin to its extend position, and when said tension on said cable sufficient to compress said spring a portion of said latch pin is retracted into said space, said indicator providing a visual indicating of when said portion of said latch pin is moved into said space.