Integrated Controls For A Fire Suppression System

A method of bleeding air from a hose for a fire suppression system that includes a plumbing assembly having a water tank and a tank-to-pump valve in fluid communication with the water tank, a pump in fluid communication with the tank-to-pump valve and the water tank, a master intake valve in fluid communication with the pump, an engine for driving the pump, an air-bleed valve in fluid communication with the master intake valve, the air-bleed valve including a level sensor, and a hose in fluid communication with the air-bleed valve, comprising the steps of:

• providing a controller that includes a one-touch activation control to activate the controller, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the air-bleed valve, the engine, and the master intake valve;
• actuating the one-touch activation control to activate the controller;
• sensing the presence of air within the hose by the level sensor;
• signaling the controller of the presence of air sensed within the hose by the level sensor;
• outputting a command signal from the controller to open the air-bleed valve to bleed air upon receiving the signal sensing the presence of air within the hose;
• and
• outputting a command signal from the controller to the engine to halt increases in engine speed to prevent increases in pump pressure upon receiving the signal sensing the presence of air within the hose.

A fire suppression system comprising:

• a foam proportioning system that includes:
• a foam tank having at least two types of chemical foamants,
• a selector valve in fluid communication with the foam tank for selecting one of the at least two types of chemical foamants,
• a foam pump in fluid communication with the selector valve for supplying the selected chemical foamant to a discharge unit, and
• a foam controller operatively connected to the foam pump and the selector valve;
• a water source connected to the foam proportioning system for mixing water with the selected chemical foamant to form a fire suppression fluid;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the foam proportioning system, the controller including a one-touch activation control for activating the controller and wherein the controller is configured to automatically output to the foam controller inputs for configuring the foam pump and the selector valve to establish a predetermined fire suppression fluid composition.

A method of proportioning foam comprising the steps of:

• providing a foam proportioning system;
• providing a foam controller operatively connected to the foam proportioning system;
• providing a controller that includes a one-touch activation control to activate the controller and to input a predetermined fire suppression fluid composition, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the foam controller;
• actuating the one-touch activation control to activate the controller;
• and
• outputting a command signal from the controller to the foam controller for configuring the foam controller to configure the foam proportioning system to output a fire suppression fluid having the predetermined fire suppression fluid composition.

An integrated control system for a fire truck that includes a pump having at least one pump mode for pumping a fire suppression fluid, a parking brake and a parking brake sensor for sensing engagement of the parking brake, an engine for driving the fire truck, a transmission and a transmission sensor for sensing engagement of the transmission, and a power take off system for diverting engine power from a drive axle of the fire truck to the pump, the integrated control system comprising:

• an interlock controller operatively connected to the pump, the parking brake sensor, the transmission sensor and the power take off system;
• and
• a one-touch activation control operatively connected to the interlock controller for activating the interlock controller;
• wherein upon actuation of the one-touch activation control, the interlock controller is configured to
• (a) receive an input signal of a selected pump mode from the pump,
• (b) receive an input signal from the parking brake sensor indicating if the parking brake is engaged when the input signal of the selected pump mode is received,
• (c) receive an input signal from the transmission sensor indicating if the transmission is in neutral, and
• (d) output a command signal to activate the power take off system so as to shift engine power from the transmission to the pump to enable operation of the selected pump mode only when the parking brake is engaged and the transmission is in neutral.

An integrated control system for a fire truck that includes a tank sensor for sensing the contents of a tank within the fire truck, an engine having at least a low gear and a high gear for driving the fire truck and an engine sensor, a torque converter operatively connected to the engine, a transmission sensor for sensing engagement of a transmission operatively connected to the torque converter, a drive shaft sensor for sensing rotation of a drive shaft operatively connected to the transmission, a pump having at least one pump mode for pumping a fire suppression fluid, and a pump sensor for sensing operation of the pump, a plumbing assembly operatively connected to the pump and the tank, the plumbing assembly including a tank-to-pump valve and a tank fill valve, a foam system connected to the plumbing assembly, a parking brake sensor for sensing engagement of a parking brake, a power take off sensor for sensing engagement of a power take off system that diverts engine power from the transmission to the pump, an alert display for communicating one or more alerts, a dry pump timer for timing an operation of the pump, a primer for priming the pump, a motion sensor for sensing motion of the fire truck, a control panel for receiving inputs from a user, and a foam controller for controlling the foam system, the integrated control system comprising:

• a one-touch activation control,
• an interlock controller operatively connected to the one-touch activation control, the alert display, the dry pump timer, the engine, the parking brake sensor, the transmission sensor, the torque converter, the drive shaft sensor, the power take off sensor, the primer, the pump, the tank sensor, the tank fill valve, the motion sensor, the pump sensor, the control panel and the foam controller, and wherein upon actuation of the one-touch activation control on selecting a pump mode the interlock controller is configured to
• (a) receive an input signal of the selected pump mode from the pump,
• (b) receive an input signal from the motion sensor indicating if the fire truck is in motion when the input signal of the selected pump mode is received,
• (c) output an alert signal to the alert display if the fire truck is determined to be in motion,
• (d) receive an input signal from the parking brake sensor indicating if the parking brake is engaged when the fire truck is not in motion,
• (e) output an alert signal to the alert display if the parking brake is determined to be disengaged,
• (f) receive an input signal from the transmission sensor indicating if the transmission is in neutral when the parking brake is determined to be engaged,
• (g) output a command signal to the transmission to shift the transmission into neutral when the transmission is determined to not be in neutral,
• (h) output a command signal to the power take off system to activate the power take off system to shift engine power from the transmission to the pump so as to enable operation of the selected pump mode when the transmission is determined to be in neutral,
• (i) receive an input signal from the power take off sensor to verify that the power take off system has shifted engine power to the pump and then output a command signal to the engine to increase engine speed,
• (j) output a command signal to the transmission to drive the engine in the low gear,
• (k) receive an input signal from the drive shaft sensor indicating if the drive shaft of the transmission is rotating after the command signal to drive the engine in the low gear has been outputted,
• (l) output an alert signal to the alert display and a command signal to the transmission to shift the transmission to neutral when the drive shaft is determined to be stationary, and
• (m) output a command signal to the engine to drive the engine in the high gear when the drive shaft is determined to be rotating and output a command signal to the torque converter to lock the torque converter in gear.

A method of operating an interlock and pump shift for a fire truck that includes a tank for holding a fire suppression fluid, a pump having at least one pump mode for pumping the fire suppression fluid, a plumbing assembly operatively connected to the pump, the tank, and the fire truck, the plumbing assembly having a tank-to-pump valve and a tank fill valve, a foam system connected to the plumbing assembly, a parking brake for maintaining the fire truck in park, an engine having a low gear and a high gear for driving the fire truck, a torque converter operatively connected to the engine, a transmission operatively connected to the torque converter, a drive shaft operatively connected to the transmission, a power take off system operatively connected to the transmission for diverting engine power from a drive axle of the fire truck to the pump, and an alert display for communicating one or more alerts, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an input of a selected pump mode;
• determining if the fire truck is moving when the input is received;
• outputting an alert signal to the alert display when the fire truck is moving;
• determining if the parking brake is engaged when the fire truck is determined to be stationary;
• outputting an alert signal to the alert display when the parking brake is disengaged;
• determining if the transmission is in neutral when the parking brake is engaged;
• shifting the transmission into neutral when the parking brake is disengaged if the transmission is not in neutral;
• shifting engine power from the fire truck to the pump when the transmission is in neutral so as to enable operation of the selected pump mode;
• verifying that the shift of engine power has been completed;
• increasing engine speed when the shift of engine power has been verified;
• driving the engine in the low gear after increasing engine speed;
• sensing the drive shaft to determine if rotation of the drive shaft has begun;
• shifting the transmission to the neutral position when the drive shaft is stationary if the transmission is not in neutral;
• and
• driving the engine in the high gear when the drive shaft has been sensed to be rotating.