Fire extinguishers – Mount – cabinet or guard – Movable relative to fire
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2001-09-18
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fire extinguishers
Mount, cabinet or guard
Movable relative to fire
C169S024000, C169S046000, C169S054000, C239S172000, C239S722000, C180S006700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289995
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle to control and extinguish wind driven brush fires such as the fires experienced in California during periods of high winds, low humidity and high temperatures, known as “Santa Ana Conditions”. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle with tracked running gear for all terrain capability, a large onboard water tank, which may be removable for quick turnaround at the refill site, a universal nozzle capable of delivering at least 200 gallons of water per minute 180 degrees in azimuth and 30 degrees up and down and heat shields cooled by a system of standoff sprinklers behind the shields. The vehicle may also be used to fight other fires at close range while protecting the operating crew.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Fighting wind driven brush fires in rugged terrain has been proven to be dangerous and difficult to accomplish. Fires of this type have devastated Southern California at least once a decade for many years causing huge losses to property owners and insurance companies as well as injuries and death. Present methods of fighting these fires have proven to be marginal at best, as year after year these fires burn from the San Fernando Valley to Malibu without containment. Present methods of fighting these fires include conventional fire engines with man held fire hoses, helicopters, aircraft and men with picks and shovels. All these methods have proven to be inadequate to prevent the huge losses that have ensued. The helicopter has been marginally effective because it carries only 300 gallons of water which spreads over a considerable area and partially evaporates before reaching the source of the flames. Aircraft tankers carry up to a thousand gallons of water but suffer from the same limitations as the helicopters namely, evaporation and intermittent application of water. Also, both airborne vehicles are limited to daytime operation since flying at night is too dangerous. Fire engines are not all terrain vehicles and must operate on roads and close to fire hydrants. Men with pick and shovels cannot operate close to the fire source safely and can be in danger of death or serious injury in case of sudden wind direction change. Patents have been granted for vehicles that can be operated by remote control allowing the fire fighters to remain at considerable distance from the flames and still apply water directly on the source of the flames. Examples of these patents are U.S. Pat. No. 2,360,397 issued to E. E. Carpenter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,554 issued to P. D. Rupert et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,478 issued to P. F. Cummins. These vehicles may only be effective under ideal conditions, namely having a source of water nearby and long hoses strong enough to feed the vehicle as it attacks the fire in rugged terrain. A fast moving wind driven brush fire would be difficult to contain with these devices due to their limited maneuverability. All of these devices require a source of water connected to the remote control vehicle by long hoses which would be difficult to control in the brush covered less than ideal terrain of Southern California. U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,526 issued to Latino et al. addresses many of the problems of prior fire fighting apparatuses. However, coordinating all three sections of this vehicle, using two operators in separate sections of the vehicle may cause problems in difficult terrain. Therefore there is still a need for a self contained vehicle that can operate in rugged terrain, applying water directly to the source of the fire, for extended periods of time, with protection for the crew and heat shielded to protect for the vehicle. The vehicle of the present invention will satisfy the above conditions and operate on a 24 hour schedule
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Fulfilling the need for an all terrain fire fighting vehicle that can safely attack the source of a wild fire for an extended period and operate day and night is the purpose of this invention. This purpose is obtained by using a tracked running gear similar to a battle tank carrying a large water tank. For example, a tank of approximately 6,000 gallon capacity, feeding a universal nozzle capable of delivering at least 200 gallons per minute to the base of the flames. Other features of this vehicle are heat shields cooled by a system of standoff sprinklers located between the heat shields and the structure and a forward spraying sprinkler to control flareups.
More specifically the present invention relates to a fire fighting vehicle. The vehicle has a frame and a drive system for the vehicle supported on the frame. Tractor treads are supported from the frame by support means including rotatable drive and idler shafts, rotatable drive shafts being driven by the drive system engine through the transmission allowing separate driving shafts rotatably supported on the frame. An operating compartment for at least one occupant is supported on and constitutes part of the frame. Power control means within the compartment is connected to the drive system and controls power delivered as well as the speed and direction of movement of the respective treads. A water storage tank is supported on the frame. A high volume water nozzle is mounted on the frame such that it permits movement of the nozzle relative to the frame sufficient to cover a fire by movement over a predetermined field. A conduit between the water storage tank and the water nozzle includes a control valve in the conduit having control in the operating compartment.
Advantageously, fixed spray means is also supported on the frame in position to direct a distributed spray in front of the vehicle. A spray connection conduit between the water storage tank and the fixed spray includes at least one control valve in the spray connection conduit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1421496 (1922-07-01), Klewanech
patent: 3155319 (1964-11-01), Hammellmann
patent: 3169581 (1965-02-01), Cummins
patent: 3283828 (1966-11-01), Wehner
patent: 3586236 (1971-06-01), Schaffler
patent: 3724554 (1973-04-01), Rupert et al.
patent: 3762478 (1973-10-01), Cummins
patent: 3785439 (1974-01-01), Britt
patent: 3840074 (1974-10-01), Clark
patent: 4194571 (1980-03-01), Monte
patent: 4875526 (1989-10-01), Latino et al.
patent: 5113946 (1992-05-01), Cooper
patent: 5626194 (1997-05-01), White
patent: 5641024 (1997-06-01), Lopez Alvarez
patent: 5860479 (1999-01-01), LaFollette
patent: 6029750 (2000-02-01), Carrier
Dann Dorfman Herrell and Skillman, P.C.
Evans Robin O.
Scherbel David A.
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