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US 7,137,578 B2Granted
Segmented monitor
AssigneeTask Force Tips, Inc.
InventorsRobert W. Steingass, David J. Kolacz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A firefighting segmented monitor for redirecting a trajectory of a pressurized fluid discharge towards a target comprises a flowpath with minimum convolutions. The monitor flowpath comprises in series a stationary segment and three rotating segments including a lower segment, a middle segment and an upper segment connected in series each of which comprises a predetermined curvature. The lower segment swivels in one axis about the stationary segment. A nonorthogonal swivel is arranged on each end of the middle segment at the interfaces with the lower segment and the upper segment, and the swiveling of the middle and upper segments are synchronized with a single rotary input to produce an approximately planar elevational motion of the fluid discharge end of the monitor.
Claims43
A firefighting monitor for redirecting a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source through a conduit, said conduit comprising:
- four consecutive segments rotatably connected in series wherein an axis of rotation is provided at each connection between said four segments;
- a first segment connected to said fluid source followed in series by a second segment connected to an outlet of said first segment, a third segment connected to an outlet of said second segment and a fourth segment connected to an outlet of said third segment forming consecutively at each connection a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation respectively;
- said monitor includes a redirection of an azimuth angle of said conduit by an azimuth rotation between said first segment and said second segment on said first axis of rotation;
- and
- said monitor further includes a redirection of an elevation angle of said conduit by a second rotation between said second segment and said third segment on said second axis of rotation in a second rotation direction and by a third rotation between said third segment and said fourth segment on said third axis of rotation in an opposite direction to said second rotation direction;
- and
- said fourth segment comprises a discharge end having a discharge centerline which intersects with a centerline of said second axis of rotation and a centerline of said third axis of rotation, thereby minimizing rotational torque on said connection between said second segment and said third segment and the rotational torque on said connection between said third segment and said fourth segment.
4 more elements
A firefighting monitor for redirecting a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source through a conduit comprising:
- four consecutive segments rotatably connected in series wherein an axis of rotation is provided at each connection between said four segments;
- a first segment connected to said fluid source followed in series by a second segment connected to an outlet of said first segment, a third segment connected to an outlet of said second segment and a fourth segment connected to an outlet of said third segment forming consecutively at each connection a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation respectively;
- said monitor includes a redirection of an azimuth angle of said conduit by an azimuth rotation between said first segment and said second segment on said first axis of rotation;
- said monitor further includes a redirection of an elevation angle of said conduit by a second rotation between said second segment and said third segment on said second axis of rotation in a second rotation direction and by a third rotation between said third segment and said fourth segment on said third axis of rotation in an opposite direction to said second rotation direction;
- said second segment comprises a predetermined curvature adjacent to an outlet end;
- said third segment comprises a predetermined curvature between an inlet end and said outlet end;
- and
- said fourth segment comprises a first curvature extending from an inlet end and a second curvature extending to an outlet end of said fourth segment.
5 more elements
A firefighting monitor for redirecting a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source through a conduit comprising:
- four consecutive segments rotatably connected in series wherein an axis of rotation is provided at each connection between said four segments;
- a first segment connected to said fluid source followed in series by a second segment connected to an outlet of said first segment, a third segment connected to an outlet of said second segment and a fourth segment connected to an outlet of said third segment forming consecutively at each connection a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation respectively;
- said monitor includes a redirection of an azimuth angle of said conduit by an azimuth rotation between said first segment and said second segment on said first axis of rotation;
- said monitor further includes a redirection of an elevation angle of said conduit by a second rotation between said second segment and said third segment on said second axis of rotation in a second rotation direction and by a third rotation between said third segment and said fourth segment on said third axis of rotation in an opposite direction to said second rotation direction;
- said first segment is rotatably connected to said second segment by a first male/female ball race;
- said second segment is rotatably connected to said third segment by a second male/female ball race;
- and
- said third segment is rotatably connected to said fourth segment by a third male/female ball race.
5 more elements
A firefighting monitor for redirecting a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source through a conduit comprising:
- a stationary segment connected to said fluid source;
- a lower segment of said conduit having a predetermined curvature between an inlet end and an outlet end, said inlet end being rotatably connected to said stationary segment, said lower segment including means for enabling azimuth rotation of said monitor;
- a middle segment of said conduit having a predetermined curvature between an inlet end and an outlet end, said middle segment being rotatably connected to said lower segment;
- an upper segment of said conduit having a first curvature extending from an inlet end and a second curvature extending to an outlet end of said upper segment, said upper segment being rotatably connected to said middle segment;
- and
- means for performing an elevation positioning of said monitor by synchronizing the simultaneous rotation of said upper segment and said middle segment in opposite directions with respect to said lower segment.
3 more elements
A firefighting monitor for redirecting a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source through a segmented conduit comprising:
- a stationary segment connected to said fluid source;
- a lower segment of said conduit having a predetermined curvature between an inlet end and an outlet end, said inlet end being rotatably connected to said stationary segment, said lower segment including means for enabling azimuth rotation of said monitor;
- a middle segment of said conduit having a predetermined curvature between an inlet end and an outlet end;
- means for connecting said middle segment to said lower segment wherein the middle segment rotates on said lower segment;
- means for rotatably connecting a first ring gear on an inlet end of said middle segment, said rotatably connecting means provides for rotating said first ring gear on said middle segment;
- an upper segment of said conduit having a first curvature extending a predetermined distance from an inlet end and a second curvature extending over a predetermined distance from the end of said first curvature distance to an outlet end of said upper segment;
- a second ring gear connected on an inlet end of said upper segment;
- means for connecting said upper segment to said middle segment wherein said upper segment rotates on said middle segment and said second ring gear connected to said upper segment engages with said first ring gear;
- a half-ring gear, attached to a predetermined outside surface of said middle segment;
- means, positioned adjacent to said middle segment and extending from a housing on a side of said lower segment, for driving said half-ring gear and said first ring gear in counter rotating directions;
- and
- means, coupled to said means for driving said half-ring gear and said first ring gear, for adjusting an elevation discharge position of said monitor.
9 more elements
A method of providing a firefighting monitor for redirecting a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source through a conduit comprising the steps of:
- providing a conduit having four consecutive segments rotatably connected in series wherein an axis of rotation is provided at each connection between said four segments;
- connecting a first segment to said fluid source followed in series by connecting a second segment to an outlet of said first segment, connecting a third segment to an outlet of said second segment and connecting a fourth segment to an outlet of said third segment forming consecutively at each connection a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation respectively;
- redirecting an azimuth angle of said conduit by rotating said second segment around said first segment on said first axis of rotation;
- redirecting an elevation angle of said conduit by rotating said second segment and said third segment on said second axis of rotation in a second rotation direction, and by rotating said third segment and said fourth segment on said third axis of rotation in an opposite direction to said second rotation direction;
- and
- synchronizing said second rotation between said second segment and said third segment and said third rotation between said third segment and said fourth segment in counter rotating directions to obtain approximately planar motion of said discharge centerline during said elevation angle redirection.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.