Internal-combustion engines – Accessories – Covers – trays – vibrators – corrosion inhibitors – air filters
Patent
1980-03-13
1982-07-13
Argenbright, Tony M.
Internal-combustion engines
Accessories
Covers, trays, vibrators, corrosion inhibitors, air filters
123198DB, F02B 7700
Patent
active
043388965
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to fire suppression systems for vehicles wherein a fire extinguisher is located in and used to extinguish fires occurring in the engine compartment of the vehicle and more particularly to a system which will automatically shut down the engine in the event of a fire, which will alert the operator of the existence of a fire and which will urge the operator to leave the vehicle cab.
2. Background of the Invention
Many vehicles, particularly large industrial trucks, earth-moving apparatus and the like, are equipped with fire extinguishers mounted in the engine compartment and which are actuable to put out an engine fire, if one should occur.
In the event of a fire, the fire suppression system must, of course, be activated to extinguish the fire. The engine must be shut down so that flow of fuel to the engine is stopped. Further, for his safety, the operator should get out of the cab of the vehicle.
Many present fire suppression systems are manually operable and require attention and affirmative action on the part of the vehicle operator. First, the operator must be aware that an engine fire is occurring. In many vehicles the engine compartment is rearward of the vehicle cab and out of the normal line of sight of the operator. In such vehicles, the operator may not become aware of an engine fire until considerably after the time it started. Upon becoming aware of a fire, the operator must then press the appropriate emergency button to put the fire extinguisher into operation, and must take affirmative action to shut down the engine and fuel flow.
Other present fire suppression systems are provided with some sort of a fire sensor in the engine compartment which will sense the presence of a fire and turn on the fire extinguisher automatically. Such systems still require the vehicle operator to be aware that a fire is occurring so that he can affirmatively shut down the engine.
Improvements in fire suppression systems have been devised wherein the presence of a fire is sensed and in automatic response thereto the fire extinguisher is turned on and the engine is shut down. The vehicle operator will, of course, notice that the engine has shut down. However, such systems still present problems. Since engine failure can occur from a variety of reasons, the operator may not notice that an engine fire is occurring and may think the engine has stopped for some other reason. In such case, he may not realize that he should follow the normal safety procedure of leaving the cab. Further, such improved systems allow the operator to restart the engine after the fire has been extinguished. Thus, even though the operator may in fact be aware of the fire, he might feel that the inconvenience of leaving the cab was more important to him that the potential danger of staying inside. If so, he could ignore the normal safety procedures and remain in the cab, waiting for the fire to be put out so that he could resume normal vehicular activity.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
In one aspect of the invention this is accomplished in a vehicle having an engine, a fuel tank, a fuel line from the fuel tank to the engine, a flow-interrupting means in the fuel line, an actuator for the flow-interrupting means, a fire extinguisher located proximate to the engine, and a battery, by providing a warning device and means for automatically connecting both the actuator for the flow-interrupting means and the warning device to the battery in response to operation of the fire extinguisher so that the fuel to the engine is cut off and a warning is given.
A further aspect of the invention is that the warning device is connected to the battery through a manually-operable disconnect switch outside of the vehicle cab, so that when once started, the warning device will continue in operation until the disconnect switch is opened.
Another aspect of the invention is that the audible warning device is the vehicle horn a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3763397 (1973-10-01), Yockers
patent: 3893108 (1975-07-01), McBride, Jr. et al.
patent: 4019489 (1977-04-01), Cartmill
patent: 4150654 (1979-04-01), Heitzman et al.
patent: 4160916 (1979-07-01), Papasideris
Argenbright Tony M.
Caterpillar Tractor Co.
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