US 5,205,711 AGranted

Hand-portable fire fighting positive pressure blower

AssigneeUnifire Power Blower, Inc.

InventorDaniel G. Raczykowski

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Abstract

A hand portable positive pressure blower for fire fighting is described which includes an engine 10 with a drive shaft 12 mounting a propeller 16 within a propeller guard 22. This assembly is rigidly mounted to a central frame 27 that itself is rigid and extends about the engine. The central frame 27 is mounted by pivots 47 to a rigid support frame 37 for movement about a fixed adjustment axis 50. An adjustment means is provided to enable selective angular positioning of the central frame about the adjustment axis. The support frame 37 is mounted on rubber feet 42, 43 at integral pairs of forward and rearward legs 38, 39. The legs 38, 39 are angularly oriented with respect to the adjustment axis. Distances from the feet to the adjustment axis and the angular relationship of the blades promotes a secure footing for the blower and a compact configuration to facilitate transport and storage. The propeller includes a unique dished configuration on forward surfaces inward of blade ends to facilitate production of a wide cone of air current emitted from the blower during operation.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A hand-portable fire fighting positive pressure blower, comprising:

an engine having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis;
a positive pressure propeller mounted to the drive shaft;
a propeller guard enclosing the propeller and including a face surface forward of the propeller;
a central frame mounting the engine and propeller guard and having central frame elements forming a protective cage substantially surrounding the engine;
wherein the central frame includes top and bottom sides;
a support frame;
the support frame including forward and rearward legs extending to forward and rearward feet, the forward legs being joined integrally to the rearward legs in arcuate configurations to provide clearance between the legs and under the engine;
a pivot mounting the central frame to the support frame about an adjustment axis adjacent the bottom side of the central frame and situated downwardly of and substantially transverse to the drive shaft axis, for selectively enabling the central frame, engine, propeller, and propeller guard to pivot about the adjustment axis from a balanced position wherein the propeller axis is substantially horizontal;
adjustment means connected between the support frame and the central frame, selectively operable to secure the central frame at a prescribed angle to the support frame;
and
stop means for preventing pivotal movement of the central frame relative to the support frame beyond prescribed upward and downward angular limits.

8 more elements

A hand-portable fire fighting positive pressure blower, comprising:

an engine having a drive shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis;
a positive pressure propeller mounted to the drive shaft;
a propeller guard enclosing the propeller and including a face surface forward of the propeller;
a central frame mounting the engine and propeller guard and having central frame elements forming a protective cage substantially surrounding the engine;
wherein the central frame includes top and bottom sides;
a support frame;
a pivot mounting the central frame to the support frame about an adjustment axis adjacent the bottom side of the central frame and situated downwardly of and substantially transverse to the drive shaft axis, for selectively enabling the central frame, engine, propeller, and propeller guard to pivot about the adjustment axis from a balanced position wherein the propeller axis is substantially horizontal;
adjustment means connected between the support frame and the central frame, selectively operable to secure the central frame at a prescribed angle to the support frame, wherein the adjustment means includes a friction clamp for selectively locking the central frame to the support frame and;
stop means for preventing pivotal movement of the central frame relative to the support frame beyond prescribed upward and downward angular limits.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.