Abstract:
A stand-by water tank for remote access fine suppression is adapted to be transportable to the fire by grappling of the tank about its balance point by a skidder grapple.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/214,739 filed Jun. 29, 2000 entitled Stand-By Tank For Remote Access Fire Suppression, and from Canadian Patent Application No. 2,313,179 filed Jun. 29, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to a self contained water tank, primarily for use in fire suppression activities within an area of active timber harvesting, which can be quickly transported by such timber harvesting equipment as a grapple skidder, over rough terrain where road access is generally unavailable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Much of the activity surrounding timber harvesting are concerned with minimizing the potential fire risk in an area of abundant natural combustible fuel. In most commercial operations the act of felling, bucking, skidding and transportation are hot activities relying on engines utilizing flammable fuels with the associated high risk of accidental fire.  
           [0004]    Containment of the initial fire in a forested area depends upon the availability of an adequate stand-by water supply, to douse the fire and surrounding forest litter and to ensure that embers do not re-ignite immediately thereafter.  
           [0005]    The need, then, for an adequate supply of water, on stand-by, for fire suppression activities in areas where timber harvesting is active is self evident, especially where such supply of water is within a tank and therefore, readily transportable by a grapple skidder over generally rough terrain which may be blocked by logging debris.  
           [0006]    It is, then, an object of the present invention to provide a stand-by water tank which is suitably constructed so as to be readily transportable by a grapple skidder or other similar piece of logging equipment, over rough terrain to the site of a fire.  
           [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stand-by water tank which is a self contained unit having mounted and stored thereon pumping apparatus and a supply of fuel. The pump preferably being a ‘two way’ pump, which is capable of either discharging water under pressure from the tank, or from an alternative water source or for refilling the tank. Further it is an object of this invention to provide a stand-by tank, which, in an alternative embodiment may be used as a fuel storage tank.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In summary the stand-by tank for remote access fire suppression is a tank which is manufactured, for example, from ⅜ inch steel, so as to be readily transportable by a grapple skidder or like forest harvesting equipment.  
           [0009]    The tank has an elongated generally cylindrically shaped metal body section having first and second ends, which enclose an interior cavity which may be filled with a fire suppressing liquid such a water. The first end of the tank has attached thereto near the lowest point a drain pipe and a suitable closure cap. Supports on the bottom surface of the tank provide stability to the tank when placed upon the ground and permit sufficient clearance between the bottom of the tank and the ground to permit the grapple of the skidder to close tightly around the tank.  
           [0010]    The top portion of the tank, intermediate the first and second ends, has a sturdy metal saddle on which the skidder grapple rests and which aligns the skidder grapple with the point of balance of the tank. Welded to the inner surface of the tank in general alignment with the saddle is a reinforcing collar or other suitable means which will prevent compressive deformation of the stand-by tank by the grapple, when the tank is gripped and lifted by the grapple of the skidder.  
           [0011]    A compartmentalized storage container with closable lid, is positioned on the top portion of the tank near the first end. This container holds a pump in one compartment and in the other holds a container of fuel for the pump and lengths of suction and discharge hose.  
           [0012]    The pump is a two-way suction and discharge type installed on the standby tank in a manner that will permit water to be drawn either from the tank or from an alternative water source and discharged under pressure at a fire, or from an alternative source such as a tank truck to refill the tank.  
           [0013]    A filling pipe and suitable closure are located on the top portion of the tank near the second end. This fill pipe is of a diameter that will prevent the coupling end of the suction hose from passing through so that the suction hose may be left within the standby tank during times of transport or storage.  
           [0014]    A stabilizing loop or chain is positioned at the second end of the tank adjacent the filling pipe. Where the grapple skidder has a winch, the cable from the winch is connected to this loop to prevent the tank from swinging as the skidder traverses uneven ground.  
           [0015]    It is anticipated that the tank may be readily adapted for the storage and transportation of fuel to areas under active timber harvesting where access is unsuitable for conventional vehicles.  
           [0016]    In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the stand-by tank may be adapted to contain, in a separate storage compartment, a concentrated water based fire suppression/retardant compounds such as foam. The storage compartment is directly connected to the suction inlet port of the pump for a metered supply of foam into the water stream being pumped onto the fire.  
           [0017]    In summary, the five suppression tank of the present invention includes a hollow thin-walled elongate container having first and second opposite ends. The container is seeded for containing water. The container has a balance point generally mid-way along its length about which point the container is balanced when at least partially filled with water. Wall reinforcement for reinforcing walls of the container is mounted to the container at the balance point. The reinforcement bears the compressive force of a grapple when grappling the container. The grapple is an actuable grapple on an actuable arm of a logging vehicle.  
           [0018]    In the preferred embodiment the container is metal and the wall reinforcement is a metal collar mounted annularly and laterally around the walls of the container. A saddle may be mounted to the collar for aligning the grapple onto the collar and for bearing of the grapple against the saddle.  
           [0019]    In one embodiment a sealing baffle is mounted in one end of the first and second ends of the container so as to form a water-tight compartment for mounting water pumps therein. A door provides access to the compartment.  
           [0020]    An auxiliary storage tank may be mounted to the container walls for storage of five suppression foam therein. The auxiliary storage tank has a conduit mountable into fluid communication with said pumps for in-line addition of the foam to the water in the container as the water is pumped from the container. The auxiliary storage tank may be mounted within the container and may be accessible through a resealable aperture in the walls of the container.  
           [0021]    In a further embodiment, storage housing is mounted onto the container for housing a pump therein in fluid communication with the container so that the pump may pump the water from the container. The housing may be mounted on the outside of the container.  
           [0022]    Advantageously, the container is cylindrical and rigid feet are mounted to the underside of the container. The feet support the container when resting on the ground and for elevating the balance point of the container above the ground so that the grapple may clamp the container laterally around the container at the balance point. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the tank of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a modified form of the tank. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    As illustrated in the accompanying Figures the stand-by tank  10  of the present invention has an elongated cylindrical body  12  which is manufactured from ⅜ inch steel or other suitable materials which will withstand the rough usage associated with the intended use. Cylindrical body  12  has opposite ends  14  and  16  which are suitably attached to body  12 , such as by welding, and form an internal cavity  18 . Tank  10  is provided with supports  20  on its bottom surface to provide stability for the tank when placed upon the ground. A reinforcing collar  22  is welded to the inner surface of tank  10  and a saddle  24 , positioned in general alignment with collar  22 , is attached to the top exterior surface of tank  10 . End  14  of the tank has attached thereto near the lowest point a drain pipe  28  with a suitable closure cap.  
         [0027]    A compartmentalized storage container  32  with closable lid  34 , is secured to the top portion of the tank near end  14  and has a large compartment  32   a  which will hold a pump (not shown) and a smaller compartment  32   b  suitable for holding fuel for the pump and lengths of suction and discharge hose (not shown).  
         [0028]    A filling pipe  36  and suitable closure are located on the top portion near end  16  of tank  10  and adjacent thereto is a stabilizing loop or chain  38 .  
         [0029]    As the tank  10  is gripped by the grapple  26  of the skidder, grapple  26  contacts saddle  24  which aligns the skidder grapple  26  with the point of balance of the tank and the internal reinforcing collar  22 . Collar  22 , or other suitable means, will prevent compressive deformation of the body  12  of stand-by tank  10  by grapple  26  while supports  20  on the bottom surface of tank  10  permit sufficient clearance between the bottom of the tank and the ground surface to permit grapple  26  to close tightly around the tank  10 . Where the skidder has a winch, a cable can be fastened to stabilizing loop or chain  38  and by tensioning the winch cable the standby tank can be prevented from swinging laterally during transportation over uneven terrain.  
         [0030]    As may be seen by referring to FIG. 3, where a water based fire suppression compound such as in a foam concentrate form is to be added to the discharge water stream from the pump, stand-by tank  10  may be provided with an interior sealed baffle  42  rigidly mounted internally near end  14 . Baffle  42  forms a water tight compartment  44  between cavity  18  and end  14 . The compartment  44  at end  14  is accessed through doors  46 . A storage tank  50  is mounted, such as by welding, adjacent the top portion of compartment  44 . A floor  52  may be provided near the bottom surface. Floor  52  is compartmentalized similar to container  32  for the storage of a pump in one compartment and fuel and hoses for the pump in the other. A conduit (not shown) connects tank  50  to the suction inlet port of a pump (also not shown). Fire suppressions foam concentrate is stored in storage tank  50 . Operation of the pump imparts a continuous metered quantity of fire suppression foam to the water stream from the pump to more efficiently combat and suppress a fire.  
         [0031]    As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.