Fire-fighting monitor with remote control

• US 7,191,964 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• 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): Nguyen; Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/984,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20050167122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 239/587.1, 239/587.2, 239/280, 239/456, 239/457, 239/458, 239/71, 239/73, 169/52, 169/60, 169/24, 169/51, 285/277, 285/920
• US Class Current: 239/587.2
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/24 attached to ladders, poles, towers, or other structures with or without rotary heads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/92 Remotely controlled

Abstract

A fire-fighting monitor for directing the flow of fluid from a fluid source includes a base, which is adapted to connect to a fluid source, and a monitor housing. The monitor housing includes an inlet and an outlet, with the inlet releasably mounted on the base and for receiving fluid through the base. The outlet is in fluid communication with the inlet for discharging fluid from the housing. A rotatable connection is provided between the inlet and the base. The inlet is rotatable about the base at the rotatable connection about a first axis. A drive mechanism is associated with the rotatable connection for rotating the inlet about the base at the rotatable connection. The monitor further includes a control system for selectively actuating the drive mechanism and includes a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from the monitor. The control system actuates the drive mechanism in response to the receiver receiving the input signal.

Claims

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet releasably mounted on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a rotatable connection (1) between said inlet and said base, wherein said inlet is rotatable about said base about a first axis or (2) at said outlet wherein said outlet is rotatable about a second axis;

a drive mechanism associated with said rotatable connection for (1) rotating said inlet about said base about said first axis or (2) rotating said outlet about said second axis; and

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanism, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating said drive mechanism in response to said receiver receiving an input signal and being capable of causing said inlet or said outlet to rotate back and forth in oscillation between predetermined positions established by said control system.

3. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism is mounted to said housing and includes a motor and a drive gear, said motor selectively driving said drive gear to selectively rotate (1) said inlet or (2) said outlet in response to said control system when said receiver receives an input signal.

8. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 3, wherein said drive gear comprises a pinion gear.

9. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 8, wherein said driven gear comprises a ring gear, with gear teeth over the full circumference of said ring gear.

10. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a second drive mechanism and a second rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said second connection about a second axis, said second drive mechanism selectively rotating said outlet at said second rotatable connection, and said control system for selectively actuating one of said drive mechanisms in response to said receiver receiving an input signal.

11. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism is configured to allow said inlet to be selectively manually rotated about said base.

40. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 3, wherein said motor includes a drive shaft, said drive gear being releasably coupled to said drive shaft, said drive gear being decoupled from said motor when no longer coupled to said drive shaft wherein (1) said inlet or (2) said outlet is manually rotatable when said drive gear is decoupled from said motor.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source, said base comprising a base chosen from a fixed base and a portable base;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet releasably mounted on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said rotatable connection about a first axis;

a drive mechanism associated with said rotatable connection for rotating said inlet about said base at said rotatable connection;

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanism, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating said drive mechanism in response to said receiver receiving an input signal; and

wherein said housing comprises a latch mechanism for releasably engaging said base.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet releasably mounted on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said rotatable connection about a first axis;

a drive mechanism associated with said rotatable connection for rotating said inlet about said base at said rotatable connection;

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanism, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating said drive mechanism in response to said receiver receiving said input signal;

wherein said drive mechanism is mounted to said housing and includes a motor and a drive gear, said base including a driven gear engaged by said drive gear, said motor selectively driving said drive gear to selectively drive said driven gear in response to said control system when said receiver receives said input signal; and

wherein said drive gear and said driven gear each have a plurality of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said drive gear and said driven gear meshing in a manner to allow said drive gear to drive said driven gear but also to allow said gear teeth of said drive gear to be separated from said gear teeth of said driven gear when said housing is lifted along said first axis.

5. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 4, wherein said drive gear and said driven gear each have a plurality of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said gears being aligned along said firs axis wherein said drive gear and said driven gear may be disengaged when said housing is lifted along said first axis.

6. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 5, wherein each of said gear teeth has first and second ends and a longitudinal extent extending between said opposed ends and along said first axis, said first ends or said second ends of said gear teeth of one of said gears being rounded or tapered to facilitate alignment with the gear teeth of the other of said gears.

7. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 6, wherein said first ends or said second ends of said gear teeth of both of said gears are rounded or tapered to facilitate alignment of said gear teeth of said gears.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet releasably mounted on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said rotatable connection about a first axis;

a drive mechanism associated with said rotatable connection for rotating said inlet about said base at said rotatable connection;

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanism, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating said drive mechanism in response to said receiver receiving, said input signal;

wherein said drive mechanism is mounted to said housing and includes a motor and a drive gear, said base including a driven gear engaged by said drive gear, said motor selectively driving said drive gear to selectively drive said driven gear in response to said control system when said receiver receives said input signal; and

wherein said motor includes a drive shaft, said drive gear being releasably coupled to said drive shaft, said drive gear being decoupled from said motor when no longer coupled to said drive shaft wherein said inlet is manually rotatable about said base when said drive gear is decoupled from said motor.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said housing further including, a latch mechanism for releasably mounting said inlet on said base for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

said housing having a rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said connection about an axis;

a drive mechanism associated with said rotatable connection for rotating said outlet at said rotatable connection; and

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanism, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating said drive mechanism in response to said receiver receiving an input signal.

14. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 13, wherein said drive mechanism includes a motor and a drive shaft, said drive shaft including a drive gear, said housing including a first pipe section and an outlet pipe section, said outlet pipe section rotatable about said first pipe section at said rotatable connection, said outlet pipe section forming said outlet and having a driven gear selectively driven by said drive gear.

15. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 14, wherein said drive mechanism further includes a motor gear for selectively driving said drive shaft wherein said drive shaft drives said driven gear on said outlet pipe section when said drive shaft is driven by said motor gear.

16. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 15, wherein said drive shaft further includes a handle for manually driving said driven gear.

17. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 16, wherein said handle is removable from said drive shaft.

18. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 16, wherein said motor gear comprises a bevel drive gear, said shaft having a bevel driven gear selectively driven by said bevel drive gear to thereby drive said drive shaft.

19. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 18, further comprising a second rotatable connection between said inlet and said base and a second drive mechanism for selectively rotating said inlet about said base at said second connection about a second axis, said control system selectively driving at least one of said drive mechanisms in response to said receiver receiving a input signal from the remote transmitter.

20. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 19, wherein said second drive mechanism is configured to allow said input to be selectively, manually rotated about said base.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet releasably mounted on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

said housing having a rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said connection about an axis;

a drive mechanism associated with said rotatable connection for rotating said outlet at said rotatable connection, said drive mechanism including a motor and a drive shaft, said drive shaft including a drive gear, said housing including a first pipe section and an outlet pipe section, said outlet pipe section rotatable about said first pipe section at said rotatable connection, said outlet pipe section forming said outlet and having a driven gear selectively driven by said drive gear, said drive mechanism further including a motor gear for selectively driving said drive shaft wherein said drive shaft drives said driven gear on said outlet pipe section when said drive shaft is driven by said motor gear; and

wherein said drive shaft further includes a handle for manually driving said driven gear;

wherein said motor gear comprises a bevel drive gear, said shaft having a bevel driven gear selectively driven by said bevel drive gear to thereby drive said drive shaft;

a control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor;

a second rotatable connection between said inlet and said base and a second drive mechanism for selectively rotating said inlet about said base at said second connection about a second axis, said control system selectively driving at least one of said drive mechanisms in response to said receiver receiving said input signal from the remote transmitter; and

wherein said second drive mechanism includes a drive gear, said base having a driven gear, each gear at said second rotatable connection having a plurality of gear teeth, said gear teeth meshing in a manner to allow said gears at said second rotatable connection to be disengaged when said housing is lifted off said base along said second axis.

22. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 21, wherein said drive gear of said second drive mechanism comprises a pinion gear.

23. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 22, wherein said driven gear on said base comprises a ring gear, said ring gear having gear teeth over the full circumference of said ring gear.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet said inlet mounting on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a first rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said first rotatable connection about a first axis;

said housing having a second rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said second connection about a second axis;

a first motorized drive mechanism at said first rotatable connection for rotating said inlet at said first rotatable connection about said base, and said first motorized drive mechanism capable of rotating said inlet about said base over an infinite arc wherein said inlet can rotate 360°

about said base;

a second drive mechanism associated with said second rotatable connection for rotating said outlet at said second rotatable connection; and

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanisms, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating at least one of said drive mechanisms in response to said receiver receiving an input signal.

25. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 24, wherein said monitor includes said base.

26. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 24, wherein said base comprises a portable base.

27. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 24, wherein said base comprises a fixed base.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet mounting on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a first rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said first rotatable connection about a first axis;

said housing having a second rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said second connection about a second axis;

a first drive mechanism associated with said first rotatable connection for rotating said inlet at said first rotatable connection about said base;

a second drive mechanism associated with said second rotatable connection for rotating said outlet at said second rotatable connection; and

a control system for selectively actuating said drive mechanisms, said control System including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system actuating at least one of said drive mechanisms in response to said receiver receiving said input signal, wherein said housing includes a latch mechanism for releasably engaging said base.

29. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 28, wherein said first drive mechanism is mounted to said housing and includes a motor and a drive gear, said base including a driven gear engaged by said drive gear, said motor selectively driving said drive gear to selectively drive said driven gear in response to said control system when said receiver receives said input signal.

30. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 29, wherein said drive gear and said driven gear each have a plurality of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said drive gear and said driven gear meshing in a manner to allow said drive gear to drive said driven gear but also to allow said gear teeth of said drive gear to be separated from said gear teeth of said driven gear when said housing is lifted along said first axis.

31. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 30, wherein said drive gear and said driven gear each have a plurality of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said gears being aligned along said first axis wherein said drive gear and said driven gear may be disengaged when said housing is lifted along said first axis.

32. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 31, wherein said drive gear comprises a pinion gear.

33. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 32, wherein said driven gear comprises a ring gear, said ring gear having gear teeth over the full circumference of said ring gear.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet releasably mounted on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a first rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said first rotatable connection about a first axis;

said housing having a second rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said second connection about a second axis;

a control system for selectively rotating said inlet about said base about said first axis and for selectively rotating said outlet about said second axis, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system rotating said inlet or said outlet about their respective rotatable axes in response to said receiver receiving an input signal and further being capable of oscillating said inlet or said outlet between two positions.

35. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 34, wherein said monitor includes said base.

36. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 34, wherein said base comprises a portable base.

37. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 34, wherein said base comprises a fixed base.

41. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 34, wherein said two positions comprise predetermined limits established by said control system.

42. The fire-fighting monitor according to claim 34, wherein said control system is capable of oscillating said inlet between said two positions.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet mounting on said base for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a first rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said first rotatable connection about a first axis;

said housing having a second rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said second connection about a second axis;

a control system for selectively rotating said inlet about said base about said first axis and for selectively rotating said outlet about said second axis, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system rotating said inlet or said outlet about their respective rotatable axes in response to said receiver receiving said input signal; and

wherein said control system detects when said outlet is moved to a preselected elevation.

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

a base being adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid source;

a monitor housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet mounting on said base and for receiving fluid through said base, said outlet in fluid communication with said inlet for discharging fluid from said housing;

a first rotatable connection between said inlet and said base, said inlet being rotatable about said base at said first rotatable connection about a first axis;

said housing having a second rotatable connection wherein said outlet is rotatable at said second connection about a second axis;

a control system for selectively rotating said inlet about said base about said first axis and for selectively rotating said outlet about said second axis, said control system including a receiver for receiving an input signal from a transmitter remote from said monitor, said control system rotating said inlet or said outlet about their respective rotatable axes in response to said receiver receiving said input signal; and

an adjustable nozzle and an actuator for adjusting the shape of the stream through said nozzle, and said actuator being selectively controlled by said control system.