Patent Publication Number: US-8534370-B1

Title: Roof mounted remotely controlled fire fighting tower

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of my prior application Ser. No. 13/752,318, filed Jan. 28, 2013 now pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to fire extinguishing devices, and more particularly to a roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower that prevents the spread of a building fire by directing water and foam to the building from the exterior roof area using a remote control device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Several stationary devices have been developed for extinguishing building fires, such as fixed, indoor sprinkler systems. Such devices, while they fulfill their respective particular objectives and requirements, still lack flexibility of application to selectively target water on a burning building from the outside of the building. 
     Thus, a roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower is disposed on the top of the roof of a building and is controlled by a wireless, remote control device. Atop the tower there is a receiver that receives command signals from the remote control device. The firefighting apparatus includes a control set that has electrical and electronic circuits inside and is in operable communication with a motor and gear train engaging a rack gear on a telescoping section of a mast to raise and lower the mast according to wirelessly transmitted commands from a user. A high pressure pump extracts water and foam from a tank and sends it to a distribution vessel on top of the mast. A distribution system distributes the foam and water under pressure to the top and the sides of the building via connected sprinklers, nozzles, and water booms. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental front view of a roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an environmental front view of the roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower of  FIG. 1 , but illustrating a different deployment angle of tower arms. 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view illustrating the azimuth pivot freedom of motion of the water nozzles of a roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view illustrating the elevation pivot freedom of motion of the water nozzles of a roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a remote control for a roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the roof-mounted remotely controlled firefighting tower  1000  is disposed on the top of the roof of a building, such as apartment building A, and is controlled (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) by a wireless, remote control device  400 . Atop the tower, there is a receiver  10  that receives command signals from the remote control device  400 . The firefighting tower  1000  includes components mounted on the roof of the apartment A, including a control set  60 , which has electrical and electronic circuits inside and is in operable communication with a motor  50 . In addition to operation by remote control, the control set  60  allows the firefighting tower  1000  to be operated manually for maintenance checks and the like. 
     The motor  50  has an output coupled to an elongate telescoping mast  110  by a gear train, the mast  110  having a telescoping section that includes a rack gear  40 . It is assumed that the building A has a shaft extending below roof level from which the mast  110  can be raised and lowered via the motor  50  and gear train. Flexible water lines  90  are attached to the mast  110  and are raised and lowered according to the raising and lowering of the mast  110  by operation of motor  50  and gear train. 
     The flexible lines  90  feed a hollow, oblate spheroidal fluid distribution vessel  100  that has an inlet line, and many outlets for feeding arcuate sprinkler distribution pipes  20  configured in an inverted dish arrangement, most of the pipes  20  terminate in a sprinkler head  30  for distribution of water from above the building in a 360° arc, thus inundating the top and the sides of the building A with water. Selectively, a sprinkler distribution pipe  20  may connect to and feed an elongate boom member  130  at an elevational pivot joint  140 , wherein the elevation angle of the boom member  130  can be adjusted manually or by remote control. The pipe  20  is connected to a boom tube  120  at the pivot joint  140 . The boom tube  120  runs along the length of boom  130 , and at the end of the boom  130  the boom tube  120  is connected to a nozzle  160 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 A, and  3 B, the nozzle  160  is attached to the boom  130  via a pivot joint  150  that gives the nozzle  160  elevation and azimuth freedom of movement of the nozzle  160 . Exemplary tensioning cable  300  provides elevation pointing control of the nozzle  160 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the cable  300  is attached at attachment point  1600  in order to apply tension to the nozzle  160 , thereby allowing the elevation pointing control of the nozzle  160 . A similar tensioning cable arrangement terminating at pivot joint  150  allows for azimuth pointing control of the nozzle  160 . The nozzle  160  forms a spray of the fluid (water, foam or combination thereof) flowing through the boom tube  120 , the spray being directed to portions of the building on fire via remote control commands from the remote control unit  400 . The pivotal adjustments of the boom  130  and the nozzle  160  may be effected by cable attachment, such as attachment of cable  300 , most clearly shown in  FIG. 3B . Cables, such as cable  300 , may then be run to a motor in the control set  60  for remote control of cable tensioning to independently effect the pivotal displacement of the boom  130  and nozzle  160  under command from the remote control unit  400 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a water and foam tank  70  is disposed on the roof of the building A. A pump  170  provides pressure to draw water from reserve tanks or fire tanks  180  and pressurize the fluid flow through lines  90 , which are connected to the distribution vessel  100 . The system may also have an auxiliary pump  80 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the remote control unit  400  has an antenna  190  to facilitate wireless transmission of commands to the system  1000 . Control button  260  provides mode control for the purpose of testing, operations, and turning off the tower  1000 . Angular height displacement of the left side boom member  130  is controlled by control key  200 . Angular height displacement of the right side boom member  130  is controlled by control key  210 . Control key  220  controls the direction of the sprinkler nozzle  160  right-left, i.e., azimuth control. Elevation control of the sprinkler nozzle  160  is accomplished using push button (control key)  230 . The left side valve control is accomplished with push button control key  240 . The right side valve control is accomplished with push button control key  250 . Control key  270  controls movement and direction of the pipes  20 . 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.