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US 2003/0111076 A1Published application
Air and water hose apparatus for firefighters
AssigneeRobert E. McCarthy
InventorFred E. Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air and water hose apparatus for use in an air supply system for firefighters. The air and water hose apparatus has an air hose completely within the water hose. The air and water hose apparatus comprises only a single length of the overall water hose of the system. This ensures that no part of the air hose is exposed to possible damage. The system supplies high pressure air to the firefighters. The system allows for easy connect and disconnect of the air and water hose apparatus to the firefighter's mask and preferably can be used with standard self-contained breathing apparatus having a mask and a regulator. A branched conduit allows several firefighters to be attached to a single air and water hose apparatus.
Claims23
In a hose apparatus having an inlet adaptor having a first passageway, an outlet adaptor having a second passageway and connectable to a nozzle for dispensing water and a flexible water hose between and connected to the inlet and outlet adaptors, the improvement which comprises:
- (a) a first fitting secured in a watertight connection through the inlet adaptor with an opening through the first fitting into the first passageway and with a first tubular member which extends towards the water hose;
- (b) a second fitting secured through the outlet adaptor in a watertight connection with an opening through the second fitting into the second passageway with a second tubular member which extends towards the water hose such that the first and second tubular members are open towards each other;
- (c) a flexible gas hose connected between the tubular members inside of the water hose in a gas and watertight connection;
- (d) a first coupling on the first fitting for connecting a source of breathable gas through the opening in the first fitting, the first tubular member, the flexible gas hose, the second tubular member, and the opening in the second fitting, the first coupling having a valve for sealing the first fitting when disconnected and for providing breathable gas when connected to the source of breathable gas;
- and
- (e) a second coupling on the second fitting for connecting the breathable gas to a pressure regulator as part of a firefighter's mask wherein the gas hose is able to withstand an external water pressure in the water hose without collapsing and an internal pressure of the breathable gas of at least 75 psig.
3 more elements
A system for providing breathable air to a firefighter wearing a mask with a pressure regulator along with providing water to fight a fire, the improvement which comprises:
- (a) a hose apparatus having an inlet adaptor having a first passageway, an outlet adaptor having a second passageway and connectable to a nozzle for dispensing the water and a flexible water hose between and connected to the inlet and outlet adaptors, and further comprising:
- (i) a first fitting secured in a watertight connection through the inlet adaptor with an opening through the first fitting into the first passageway and with a first tubular member which extends towards the water hose;
- (ii) a second fitting secured through the second adaptor in a watertight connection with an opening through the fitting into the second passageway with a second tubular member which extends towards the water hose, such that the first and second tubular members are open towards each other;
- (iii) a flexible gas hose connected between the tubular members inside of the water hose in a gas and watertight connection;
- (iv) a first coupling on the first fitting for connecting a source of breathable gas through the opening in the first fitting, the first tubular member, the flexible gas hose, the second tubular member, and the opening in the second fitting, the first coupling having a valve for sealing the first fitting when disconnected and for providing breathable gas when connected to the source of breathable gas;
- and
- (v) a second coupling on the second fitting for connecting the breathable gas to the pressure regulator of the mask wherein the gas hose is able to withstand an external water pressure in the water hose without collapsing and an internal pressure of the breathable gas of at least 75 psig;
- and
- (b) a coupling hose for connecting between the pressure regulator and the second coupling so that the breathable gas can be supplied to the firefighter by the system while water is flowing through the water hose.
6 more elements
A method for fighting a fire which comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing a hose apparatus having an inlet adaptor having a first passageway, an outlet adaptor having a second passageway and connectable to a nozzle for dispensing water and a flexible water hose between the inlet and outlet adaptors, and further comprising:
- (i) a first fitting secured in a watertight connection through the inlet adaptor with an opening through the first fitting into the first passageway and with a first tubular member which extends towards the water hose;
- (ii) a second fitting secured through the outlet adaptor in a watertight connection with an opening through the second fitting into the second passageway with a second tubular member which extends towards the water hose, such that the first and second tubular members are open towards each other;
- (iii) a flexible gas hose connected between the tubular members inside of the water hose in a gas and watertight connection;
- (iv) a first coupling on the first fitting for connecting a source of breathable gas through the opening in the first fitting, the first tubular member, the flexible gas hose, the second tubular member, and the opening in the second fitting, and for sealing the first fitting when disconnected and for providing breathable gas when connected to the source of breathable gas;
- and
- (v) a second coupling on the second fitting for connecting the breathable gas to a pressure regulator as part of a firefighter's mask and for sealing the second fitting when disconnected, wherein the gas hose is able to withstand external water pressure in the water without collapsing and an internal pressure of the breathable gas of at least 75 psig;
- (b) connecting the inlet adaptor of the hose apparatus to a water source;
- (c) connecting the first coupling to the source of breathable gas;
- and
- (d) connecting the second coupling to the pressure regulator on the mask using the flexible gas hose and providing the breathable gas to the firefighter from the hose apparatus through the pressure regulator on the mask by using the flexible gas hose at least part of the time the firefighter is fighting the fire.
8 more elements
In a hose apparatus having a first adaptor having a first passageway, a second adaptor having a second passageway and connectable to a nozzle for dispensing water and a flexible water hose between and connected to the first and second adaptors, the improvement which comprises:
- (a) a first fitting secured in a watertight connection through the first adaptor with an opening through the first fitting into the first passageway and with a first tubular member which extends towards the water hose;
- (b) a second fitting secured through the second adaptor in a watertight connection with an opening through the second fitting into the second passageway with a second tubular member which extends towards the water hose, such that the first and second tubular members are open towards each other;
- (c) a flexible gas hose for supplying a breathable gas under pressure and connected between the tubular members inside of the water hose in a gas and watertight connection wherein the flexible gas hose has an inner diameter of greater than or equal to 0.125 inch (0.318 cm);
- (d) a first coupling on the first fitting for connecting a source of breathable gas through the opening in the first fitting, the first tubular member, the flexible gas hose, the second tubular member, and the opening in the second fitting, and for sealing the first fitting when disconnected and for providing breathable gas when connected to the source of breathable gas;
- and
- (e) a second coupling on the second fitting for connecting the breathable gas to a pressure regulator as part of a firefighter's mask and for sealing the second fitting when disconnected.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.