Constant flow rate regulating valve assembly for an aerial firefighting bucket
AssigneeCoulson Aviation (USA) Inc
InventorsBritton Coulson, Brian McDonald, David Lawrence, Mike McClellan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve assembly for a firefighting bucket includes a base plate having an opening, a valve body configured to seal the opening of the base plate, and a linear actuator coupled to the valve body and configured to displace the valve body. Valve control systems direct the release of firefighting material through the valve assembly at a constant flow rate. The valve body may have a chamfered, tapered, or rounded surface to restrain the head pressure of the firefighting material.
Claims20
A valve assembly for a firefighting bucket, comprising:
- a base plate having an opening;
- a valve body configured to seal the opening of the base plate;
- an actuator coupled to the valve body and configured to displace the valve body;
- and
- a lower base assembly extending downward from the base plate,
- wherein the lower base assembly comprises an annular perforated exterior panel having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter concentric with the outer perimeter, wherein the inner perimeter forms a panel opening concentric with the opening of the base plate, and
- wherein the base plate comprises an annular groove configured to mate with a rim of the valve body in a closed configuration.
A valve assembly for a firefighting bucket, comprising:
- a base plate having an opening;
- a valve body configured to seal the opening of the base plate;
- an actuator coupled to the valve body and configured to displace the valve body;
- and
- a lower base assembly coupled to and disposed below the base plate, wherein the lower base assembly comprises a plurality of concentric perforated panels configured to allow fluid passage during use of the valve assembly,
- wherein a bottom of a first concentric perforated panel of the plurality of concentric perforated panels is coupled to a bottom of a second concentric perforated panel of the plurality of concentric perforated panels by a lower support plate configured to allow fluid passage during use of the valve assembly, and
- wherein the first concentric panel is disposed inside a perimeter of the second concentric panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.