Fire extinguishing apparatus

A semicylindrical hood is formed with a lower beveled cutting edge arranged for positioning above an oil well fire and its projection, wherein the edge is arranged for a digging into a surrounding environment relative to the fire to effect its discontinuance of oxygen thereto. A first halogen gas conduit and a second water conduit are directed into the hood to effect extinguishing and cooling of a fire contained therewithin. Various guide loops are mounted about the lower edge perimeter for guidance of the hood relative to an associated oil well fire. A pressure relief valve, as well as a temperature indicator organization, is mounted through the hood.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to fire extinguishing apparatus, and more 
particularly pertains to a new and improved fire extinguishing apparatus 
arranged for the extinguishment of oil well fires. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Oil well fires are notoriously hazardous and dangerous due to the enormity 
of the associated fire and an almost limitless supply of fuel. The instant 
invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing 
a hood structure to effect discontinuous oxygen supply to the associated 
fire, as well as means for directing fire extinguishing gas and fluids 
into the fire. 
Fire extinguishing apparatus has been utilized in the prior art to approach 
various fire situations such as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,851 to 
Hansen et al. utilizing a proportional valve arrangement to effect 
distribution of a fire extinguishing gas. 
It may be appreciated therefore that there continues to a need for a new 
and improved fire extinguishing apparatus as set forth by the instant 
invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as 
effectiveness in construction in addressing the extinguishment of oil well 
fires and, in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills 
this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a fire extinguishing apparatus utilizing a 
rigid hood member formed with a sharpened lower perimeter edge to effect 
encasement of an oil well fire. As such, the general purpose of the 
present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, 
is to provide a new and improved fire extinguishing apparatus. 
To attain this, the present invention provides a semi-cylindrical hood 
formed with a lower beveled cutting edge arranged for positioning above an 
oil well fire and its projection, wherein the edge is arranged for a 
digging into a surrounding environment relative to the fire to effect its 
discontinuance of oxygen thereto. A first halogen gas conduit and a second 
water conduit are directed into the hood to effect extinguishing and 
cooling of a fire contained therewithin. Various guide loops are mounted 
about the lower edge perimeter for guidance of the hood relative to an 
associated oil well fire. A pressure relief valve, as well as a 
temperature indicator organization, is mounted through the hood. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
fire extinguishing apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved fire extinguishing apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved fire extinguishing apparatus which is capable of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then capable of low prices of sale to consumers, thereby making such 
fire extinguishing apparatus economically available to the buying public. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference 
should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which 
there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 10 
thereof, a new and improved fire extinguishing apparatus embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, the fire extinguishing apparatus 10 of the instant 
invention essentially comprises a semicylindrical hood 11 formed with a 
lower beveled cutting edge 12, wherein the cutting edge is arranged in a 
single plane orthogonally oriented relative to the axis of the hood 11. A 
support rod 13 projecting diametrically through the hood is coincident 
with the axis thereof and includes a lifting loop 14 mounted at an upper 
distal end exteriorly of the hood, and an inverted conical deflecting 
shield 15 mounted at a lower distal end interiorly of the hood to deflect 
spraying oil and deflect oil throughout the hood's interior surface. A 
thermometer head 16 is mounted exteriorly of the hood to include a sensor 
rod 17 projecting into the hood to provide for temperature detection 
therewithin as to the level and intensity of fire contained therewithin. 
It should be noted that the cutting edge 12 is arranged whereupon the hood 
is typically lifted by crane and the like to a fire site utilizing the 
guide rings 19 that are equally spaced about the hood adjacent the cutting 
edge 12, whereupon the hood is typically dropped a distance and the 
cutting edge permits a digging in of the hood in a surrounding 
relationship relative to the fire to enhance encasement of the fire and to 
limit oxygen access of a fire contained therewithin the hood. To this end, 
a halogen gas conduit 20 is directed into the hood and is spaced from a 
water conduit 21 directed into the hood, wherein the water conduit is 
effected to depress fire temperatures within the hood and the halogen gas 
directed through the halogen gas conduit 20 arranged to effect a snuffing 
of the fire therewithin. 
The FIGS. 5-7 illustrate the use of a temperature transmitter utilizing a 
temperature transmit housing 23, including a temperature probe 22 in 
communication with the housing directed interiorly of the hood. The 
housing includes a lid removable therefrom for providing periodic 
servicing of components contained therewithin such as a battery 26 in 
communication with a transmitter 27 and a transducer 28 to relay 
temperatures from the temperature probe through the transmit antenna 25 to 
a receiving member or receiver 30, such as the type as illustrated in FIG. 
10. The housing further is provided with an insulated liquid layer 29 
coextensively directed throughout an interior surface of the lid and the 
housing in surrounding relationship relative to the battery, transmitter, 
and transducer to limit damage to the components in use. 
A pressure relief valve 18, as illustrated, directed through the hood 11 
includes a pressure relief body 31 formed with a first bore 36 coaxially 
directed therethrough initiating at a lower terminal end of the body and 
projecting a predetermined axial length therealong, with communication to 
a second bore 37 defined by a second diameter greater than the first 
diameter defined by the first bore 36. A piston head 32 normally 
maintained within the first bore 36 is defined by a piston head diameter 
substantially equal to the first diameter, and includes a piston rod 33 
coaxially directed through the first and second bores 36 and 37 projecting 
through the vented valve top wall 35 that is orthogonally oriented 
relative to the body axis of the body 31. Upon a predetermined pressure 
being developed, the piston 32 is projected into the first bore 36 against 
force of the spring 34, whereupon passage of the piston into the second 
bore 37 permits gases to vent through the second bore and exteriorly of 
the top wall 35. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner 
of operation, assembly, and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious 
to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not 
desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation 
shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and 
equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention.