 |
Description  |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards a fire fighting monitor and
especially to a monitor having a plurality of outlets and nozzles thereon
which can direct a plurality of separate streams of fluid onto a fire.
In the past, a variety of monitors have been provided for use by firemen
for controlling the flow of water onto a fire. Typical monitors are either
permanently fixed on a fire truck. Other monitors are sometimes portable.
All monitors provide for connection to a fire hydrant or other water
source and then for directing the flow of water through a single outlet
having a nozzle attached thereto for directing water onto a fire. Monitors
provide for the rotation thereof to enable the directing the spray onto a
fire. A typical monitor provides for rotating the monitor on its base
through a 360.degree. circle and then for moving the monitor through an up
and down pattern so that the nozzle can be directed in any direction
desired from the fire truck. In contrast to prior art monitors, the
present invention is directed towards a monitor having plural outlets and
nozzles, each one having a circular swivel joint to provide flexibility in
directing each nozzle separately and also allowing each nozzle to have a
separate dispersion control and all of which nozzles can be controlled by
one fireman simultaneously while being directed at one or more separate
fires.
Typical prior art nozzles for irrigation and for fire fighting can be seen
in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________
119,987 G. Bachstein November 28, 1854
177,499 J. Gerard, et al.
May 16, 1976
178,271 J. Chadderton June 6, 1876
255,430 B. Holland, Jr.
March 28, 1882
610,926 J. W. Suetterle
September 28, 1898
691,858 M. H. Hart January 28, 1902
804,807 W. H. Glore November 14, 1905
1,104,580 A. Tregoning July 21, 1914
1,241,572 J. F. Stone October 2, 1917
1,282,697 E. Johnson October 22, 1918
1,534,761 J. B. Blaw April 21, 1925
2,468,008 H. W. Yocum April 19, 1948
2,542,080 W. J. Herrbold February 20, 1951
3,810,582 H. G. Lodge May 14, 1974
3,826,431 D. E. Telge July 30, 1974
3,863,845 J. G. Bumpstead
February 4, 1974
4,183,410 G. Dion-Biro January 15, 1980
4,209,282 H. A. Eberhardt
June 24, 1980
______________________________________
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,410 to Dion-Biro, a fire fighting nozzle assembly
having two discharged conduits is illustrated which can be rotated on its
base and has two separately controlled discharge conduits. This differs
from the present invention which contemplates three or more nozzles, each
one mounted on a single or dual ball joint swivel from the same horizontal
pipe so that a single fireman may rotate the monitor and control each
nozzle separately as to direction and as to pattern of spray and as to
which nozzle is turned on or off.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be
apparent from the written description and the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a double swivel nozzle for use on the
monitor of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the rotating joint mechanism;
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings and especially to FIG. 1, a fire fighting monitor
10 is shown having an upper casing 11 and a lower casing 12. The lower
casing 12 is the inlet for the water from the fire hydrant or other water
source which passes through the inlet pipe 13 having the flanged base 14
mounted with a plurality of bolts 15. The water enters from directly
beneath the pipe 13 but additional water can be directed into the monitor
through the inlets 16 and 17 mounted onto the side of the inlet pipe 12.
Inlet 16 has a threaded cap 18 attached thereto while inlet 17 has a
threaded cap 20 attached thereto for sealing the inlets when not in use.
Removing the cap and attaching additional water lines can increase the
pressure and flow of the water being fed through the monitor 10. The upper
case portion 11 has a rotating pipe portion 21 connected by the rotary
joint 22 which allows the pipe 21 and upper casing 11 to be rotated
thereon for positioning a plurality of water outlets 23, 24 and 25 mounted
on a horizontally extending water pipe 26. A pressure gauge 27 is mounted
to the side of the water pipe. Each water outlet 23, 24 and 25 has a
threaded end having a circular swiveling water discharge connection 30
attached thereto with an internally threaded collar 31 having handles 32
and 33 attached thereto. Each collar 31 has a ball 34 forming a ball joint
in the collar 31 and a bore passes through the ball and through the next
35 extending from the ball. Neck 35 ends with a threaded connector portion
36 which will allow a specific nozzle 37 to be attached thereto with the
internally threaded coupling. The coupling 38 has a plurality of dogs 40
thereon and is threaded with the internal thread portion 41 to the threads
36 and has a pivoting handle 42 attached thereto for supporting the nozzle
portion 37. The outlets also allow for the attachment of individual hoses,
if desired, or for the attachment of reducers for different size nozzles
for each of the water outlets 23, 24 and 25.
In FIG. 2, the operation of the ball joint can be seen from the inlet 23
having the threaded portion 28 having the threaded collar 31 attached
thereto. The handles 33 allow the collar 31 to be rotated. The outlet 23
has an internal passage 39, while the swivel attachment 30 has a ball 34
mounted in the collar 31, which collar has a pair of annular seals 44 and
45 mounted therein on either side of a center axis for the ball 34. This
arrangement allows for a circular swiveling ball joint having a water
passageway 46 therethrough with the internal end of the bore 46 having an
annular radius surface 47. A plurality of dogs 48 allow the gripping of
this portion of the swivel joint, while the threaded portion 36 allows the
attachment of individual nozzles or a second circular swivel joint, as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, a dual 360.degree. circular swiveling nozzle
coupling 50 for the outlets 23, 24 and 25 is illustrated having connected
to the outlet 23 with the collar 31 and handles 32 and 33 in accordance
with FIGS. 1 and 2. The pipe 35 has a threaded end 36 connected to an
internal threaded connector 51 in coupling pipe 52. Coupling member 52
also has an externally threaded portion 53. The externally threaded
portion 53 has a collar 54 threaded thereon using handles 55 for holding a
second ball 56 therein to provide a pair of swivel joints on the same
coupling. Ball 56 has a fluid passageway therethrough having an annular
radius opening and a pair of annular seals 60 and 61 similar to the
swiveling ball joints 30 having the ball 34 held by the collar 31. The
collar 54 has an annular cone shaped opening 62 for the passage of the
coupling pipe section 63 having gripping knobs 64 thereon. The pipe
section 63 has an externally threaded portion 65 for connecting a nozzle
66 thereto.
It will be clear that the coupling portion shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 adds an
additional ball joint swivel to the one already shown on outlets 23, 24
and 25 of FIG. 1. The dual 360.degree. circular ball joints give a greater
degree of swivel and a more universal motion to the outlet for directing
the nozzles with greater flexibility. The handles 55 and 32 and 33 allow a
fireman to loosen the collar 31 and 54 for a rapid movement of the
swiveling coupling 50 and then to lock the collars to position a nozzle in
a fixed position. This is rapidly accomplished by the fireman for each
individual nozzle so that each can be directed as desired and each can
have a different nozzle for directing a different pattern of water at the
same or a different direction, or at the same fire or at different fires
simultaneously. This flexibility is combined with the rotating joint 22 of
FIG. 1 which allows all three outlets to be rotated simultaneously, while
the dual swivel portions of FIGS. 3 and 4 allow each nozzle to be swiveled
in any direction rather than just in an up and down direction, as is
common with single or dual nozzle monitors. The ball joints allow for
circular swiveling in any direction while the radiused surfaces to the
bore opening reduces the friction of the passing fluid.
As shown in FIG. 5, the rotating joint 22 includes an outer rotating collar
72 having an annular gear rack 70 fixedly attached thereto and operatively
engaged by a pinion gear 88 which rotates with the shaft 84 when the round
handle 71 is turned. Handle 71 may be turned by gripping the handle 87 to
rotate the handle 71. The handle rotates on a gear box 86 which rotates
the pinion 88 with the handles 71 connected by spokes 85 to the shaft and
gear box. The gear box 86 is connected to the lower tube 12 and rotates
the collar 72 when the handle 71 is rotated by driving the gear 70. The
upper water pipe 73 is fixedly attached to the collar 72 such as by
welding or may be attached by threads if desired. A plurality of retaining
ring screws 90 pass through the wall 89 of the lower tube 12 and lock into
the retaining ring 88, which is located between a pair of ball bearing
assemblies. The upper ball bearing assembly has a stainless steel upper
bearing retaining ring 76 and a stainless steel lower ball bearing
retaining ring 77 and a plurality of teflon balls 78 therebetween. The
lower bearing assembly has a stainless steel retaining ring 81, a
plurality of teflon ball bearings 83 and a lower stainless steel retaining
ring 83. The lower ball bearing retaining ring assist in balancing the
water pressure passing through the pipe 12 while the upper ball bearing
assembly supports the collar 72 and upper pipe 73 during rotation. A
sealing O-ring 75 mounts between the top edge of the wall 89 and the wall
of the pipe 73. The retaining ring 88 is supported on the wall 89 by the
retaining ring screws 90 so that the pipe 73 and collar 72 are supported
on the bearing assembly riding on the retaining ring 88. The rotating
assembly illustrated here is only one of any number of sealed rotating
joints that can be utilized without departing from the scope of the
invention.
It should be clear at this point that a universal and multiple fire truck
monitor has been illustrated which allows flexible control of a plurality
of individual nozzles from a single monitor having a single or plural
inlets thereto. Great flexibility is provided by the rotation of all
nozzles simultaneously and then by the dual swivel connection for each
nozzle and the use of individual nozzles having different flow capacities,
if desired, so that a fire can be flooded with a heavy stream or mist
while simultaneously directing liquid directly on a fire. In practice, the
monitor has been shown to be easily operated by a single fireman who can
operate the individual swivel joints rapidly as liquid is being directed
through them. They can then be locked in place until the fireman is ready
to change the direction or position of the liquid.
Accordingly, the present invention is not to be construed as limited to the
forms shown, which are to be considered illustrative rather than
restrictive.
* * * * *
|
|
 |
|
 |
Description |
|
