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US 6,749,027 B1Granted
Fire fighting nozzle and method including pressure regulation, chemical and education features
OwnerDennis W. Crabtree, Dwight P. Williamsinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fire fighting nozzle for extinguishing industrial scale fires including improved automatic pressure regulating features, enhanced educting features having central (110) and peripheral channeling (94) for foam concentrate, combined with a capacity to throw dry chemicals. The improved pressure regulating features include a spring (50) loaded double acting baffle (13), that is positioned by fire fighting fluid in communication with a hydraulic chamber, the hydraulic chamber is preferably controlled by a relief valve (42).
Claims25
A self-metering self-educting pressure regulating nozzle for delivering a fire extinguishing stream, comprising;
- a baffle adjustably located proximate a nozzle discharge wherein the baffle and the nozzle relatively adjust to vary a nozzle discharge port in response to a primary fire extinguishing fluid pressure;
- an eductor attached to the nozzle and structured such that a fire extinguishing fluid provides an eductive force to educt a second fluid into the nozzle and to mix the second fluid with at least a preponderance of the fire extinguishing fluid proximate the nozzle discharge;
- and
- an adjustable proportioning valve in fluid communication with the eductor, the valve structured to adjust the amount of the second fluid educted in response to at least one of (a) the adjustment of the baffle;
- (b) the pressure of the fire extinguishing fluid at the nozzle;
- and (c) the flow rate of the fire extinguishing fluid at the nozzle.
3 more elements
A method for extinguishing fire comprising
- automatically adjusting a nozzle baffle to discharge a fire extinguishing fluid at approximately a targeted pressure;
- educting an additive liquid into the nozzle using an eductive force provided by a primary fire fighting fluid;
- mixing the additive liquid with at least a predominant portion of the fire extinguishing fluid proximate a nozzle discharge;
- and
- metering the additive liquid into the nozzle using an adjustable proportioning valve in fluid communication with an eductor, the valve structured to adjust the amount of the additive liquid educted in response to at least one of (a) the adjustment of the baffle;
- (b) the pressure of the fire extinguishing fluid at the nozzle;
- and (c) the flow rate of the fire extinguishing fluid at the nozzle.
4 more elements
A self-metering self-educting pressure regulating nozzle for extinguishing fires, comprising:
- a baffle adjustably located proximate a nozzle discharge;
- the baffle providing forward and opposing surfaces in communication with pressure from a primary fire extinguishing fluid;
- wherein baffle adjustment is affected, at least in part, by pressure upon the forward and opposing baffle surfaces;
- at least one relief valve triggered to relieve pressure upon an opposing baffle surface when sensed fire extinguishing fluid pressure exceeds a preselected relief valve pressure;
- an eductor attached to the nozzle structured such that a supply of a fluid to the nozzle provides an eductive force to educt a second fluid into the nozzle and to mix said second fluid with at least a preponderance of the eductive fluid proximate the nozzle discharge;
- and
- an adjustable proportioning valve in fluid communication with the eductor such that the valve adjusts the amount of the second fluid educted in response to at least one of (a) the adjustment of the baffle;
- (b) the pressure of the primary fire extinguishing fluid;
- and (c) the flow rate of the primary fire extinguishing fluid.
6 more elements
A self-metering self-educting pressure regulating fire fighting nozzle comprising
- means for adjusting a baffle to regulate discharge pressure of a fire fighting fluid in response to sensed fluid pressure;
- means attached to the nozzle for educting a second fluid into the nozzle and for mixing the second fluid with at least a predominant portion of the fire fighting fluid proximate the nozzle discharge;
- and
- means for metering the second fluid into the nozzle in accordance with adjustment of the baffle.
1 more element
A self-metering self-educting pressure regulating fire fighting method comprising
- adjusting a baffle for regulating discharge pressure of a fire fighting fluid in a self-educting pressure regulating fire-fighting nozzle in response to sensed pressure;
- educting a second fluid into the nozzle using means attached to the nozzle for providing an eductive force on the second fluid;
- metering the second educted fluid into the nozzle in tandem with baffle adjustment;
- and
- mixing the second fluid with at least a predominant portion of the fire fighting fluid proximate the nozzle discharge.
2 more elements
A method for extinguishing fire comprising:
- providing an adjustable baffle located proximate a nozzle discharge;
- adjusting the location of the baffle with respect to the nozzle discharge, at least in part, by balancing fluid pressure upon forward and opposing baffle surfaces;
- sensing a first fluid pressure proximate a baffle forward pressure surface;
- triggering at least one relief valve to relieve fluid pressure upon opposing baffle pressure surface when sensed fluid pressure exceeds a preselected relief valve pressure;
- self educting a second fluid into the nozzle using means attached to the nozzle for providing an eductive force on the second fluid;
- and
- metering the second fluid into the nozzle in accordance with adjustment of the baffle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.