Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INDOOR FIRE HYDRANT APPARATUS
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an indoor fire hydrant
apparatus of the type found in office buildings, warehouses,
hotels and the like, and more particularly to an improved fire
hydrant apparatus which permits a user to position a hose for
fire fighting and then subsequently control the applicat-ion of
water under pressure to the hose, the control being accomplished
from the nozzle end of the hose.
Background of the Invention
In an indoor fire hydrant apparatus of the prior art, a hose
is hung on a hanger and a switch for starting a pump is
positioned near the hanger and hose. When the switch is
actuated, water at a relatively high pressure is pumped into the
hose through a discharge valve. This system requires two persons
in order for the hose to be put in a fire-fighting position at
the earliest possible moment. One person removes the hose from
the hanger and deploys the nozzle end of the hose in the fire-
fighting position. After this is accomplished, the second person
actuates the switch to start the pump and manually opens the
discharge valve where~y water is pumped into the hose.
If the person opening the discharge valve should do so
before the other person has fully deployed the hose, the water
applied under pressure causes the hose to fill out and jump
because of folds in the hose. This makes it difficult to deploy
the hose and increases the deployment time thus delaying
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application of water to the fire.
A single person attempting to use the apparatus is faced
with a problem. If he actuates the pump switch and opens the
discharge valve before he fully deploys the hose, the pressurized
water makes it difficult to handle the hose, thus increasing the
time required to get the hose into a fire-fighting position. On
the other hand, if he first deploys the hose then he must lay
down the nozzle end of the hose and go back to actuate the switch
and open the discharge valve. He must then return to the nozzle
end of the hose to begin the fire-fighting activity.
Summary of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide an indoor
fire hydrant apparatus which permits a single person to easily
begin a fire-fighting activity with a minimum delay.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an
indoor fire hydrant apparatus which permits a single person to
deploy a hose and then control the flow of water under pressure
into the hose, the control being accomplished from the nozzle end
of the hose so that he need not return to the discharge valve.
A further object of the invention is to provide an indoor
fire hydrant apparatus which prevents the application of water to
a hose until the person handling the hose is ready to apply water
from the hose to a fire.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention,
a solenoid actuated discharge valve, a relay, and a pump start
switch are disposed near a support which supports a fire hose.
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The fire hose is provided with two electrical conductors
extending along its length and a discharge control switch is
located near the no~zle end of the hose. A user deploys the hose
and then actuates the discharge control switch to thereby
energize the relay and the solenoid of the discharge valve. The
relay has contacts connected in parallel with the pump start
switch so the pump is started when the relay is energized. The
energized solenoid opens the discharge valve so that the pumped
water is applied to the hose.
Other objects of the invention and its mode of operation
will become apparent upon consideration of the following
description and the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a fire
hydrant apparatus, the apparatus including a folding type fire
hose;
Fig. 2 shows the hose, nozzle and solenoid actuated
discharge valve;
Fig. 3 shows a hose having conductors embedded in the hose
wall;
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a
circuit for controlling the discharge control valve;
Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of a
circui~ for controlling the discharge control valve; and,
Fig. 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of a fire
hydrant apparatus, the apparatus including a fire hose of the
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type which retains a generally circular shape.
Detailed Description
As illustrated in Fig. 1, a first embodiment of an indoor
fire hydrant apparatus comprises a fire hydrant box 1, a fire
hose 6, a hose hanger 2 mounted within the box 1 for supporting
the hose in a folded condition, a pump-start pushbutton switch 3,
an indicator light 4 and an alarm bell 5.
The hose 6 is of the folding type and is composed of
rubberized or rubber-coated canvas as is conventional in the art,
but in addition has two electrical leads or conductors 10
extending along its length. At one end, the conductors 10 are
connected through connectors 11 and 12, respectively, to a
voltage supply and one side of a solenoid 7a, respectively, as
illustrated in Fig. 2. The other end of each conductor 10 is
connected to one side of a water-proof manually actuated on/off
discharge control switch 9. The conductors 10 may be embedded in
the wall 6a of the hose, as illustrated in Fig. 3, or they may be
affixed to the outer surface of the wall.
The hose 6 is provided with appropriate fittings for
connecting the hose to a discharge nozzle 8 at one end and to the
discharge port of a discharge control valve 7 at the other end.
The switch 9 is located near the end of hose 6 close to nozzle 8
so that a user may operate the switch while aiming the nozzle in
the direction in which he desires to direct water. Switch 9 is a
water-proof switch of the on/off type. That is, it need not be
held in order to keep the circuit closed. The switch 9 may be
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mounted on the hose 6, the discharge nozzle 8, or the fitting
connecting the hose to the nozzle.
Discharge control valve 7 is a pilot valve which is actuated
by energizing solenoid 7a to thereby permit water to flow from a
water supply pipe 17 (Fig. 2) through the valve, to the hose 6.
A manually operated handle or hand wheel 7b is provided so that
valve 7 may be manually opened in the event of a power failure or
other condition which prevents energization of solenoid 7a.
Fig. 4 illustrates a suitable circuit for controlling
energization of the solenoid 7a. A terminal block 14 tFig. 1) is
provided with terminals designated -, L, B, P and +. Terminals L
and B are connected to conventional circuits (not shown) for
energizing the lamp 4 and bell 5. The + and - terminals are
connected to the positive and negative sides of a power supply.
The P terminal is connected to a circuit which energizes a pump
(not shown) located in the water supply pipe 17. This pump
delivers water under high pressure to the pipe 17.
Within the box 1, the + terminal of terminal block 14 is
connected by one of conductors ~o to one terminal of the switch
9. The other terminal of switch 9 is connected by the second
conductor 10 to one side of the solenoid 7a of valve 7 and a
relay R. The - terminal of terminal block 14 is connected to the
other side of solenoid 7a and relay R. The pump starting switch
3 is connected between terminal P and the - terminal and a set of
normally open relay contacts R2, operated by relay R, is
connected in parallel with switch 3.
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In the event of a fire, a person desiring to use the
apparatus opens a front cover (not shown) of box 1 and actuates
switch 3 to start the pump, thus building up water pressure in
pipe 17. The user then removes nozzle 8 and hose 6 from hanger 2
and pulls the hose toward the fire. Nozzle 8 is directed toward
the fire and switch 9 is actuated. This completes a circuit from
the + terminal through switch 9, conductors 10, and solenoid 7a,
thus opening valve 7 so that water may flow from pipe 17 through
valve 7, hose 6, and nozzle 8.
Relay R is energized at the same time solenoid 7a is
energized. The relay contacts R2 close thereby completing a
circuit around the pump starting switch 3. Thus, the pump is
started when switch 9 is actuated if the user forgets to operate
switch 3 before he extends the hose.
Fig. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the control
circuit wherein a relay 13 is connected in series with the switch
9 and conductors 10. The relay is provided with two sets of
contacts 13a and 13b. The solenoid 7a of valve 7 is connecte~ in
series with contacts 13b across the ~ and - terminals. Contacts
13a are connected in parallel with switch 3.
In the embodiment of Fig. 5, relay 13 is energized when
switch 9 is closed. The relay closes contacts 13b thus
completing the circuit for energizing solenoid 7a so that valve 7
is opened and water from pipe 17 flows into the hose. The relay
closes contacts 13b so that the pump is started if the user has
not previously actuated pump start switch 3.
. .,
In Fig. l, the hose is of the type which collapses and may
be folded. Fig. 6 illustrates an arrangement where the hose is
made of a material such that the hose retains a generally
circular cross-sectional shape. Instead of a hose hanger 2, the
box 1 is provided with hose support plates 16 and the hose is
coiled in the box 1 behind retainer rollers 15.
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail by way of illustration, various modifications
and substitutions falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and
others. It is intended therefor to be limited only by the scope
of the appended claims.
