Patent ID: 7874373

Claim:
A firefighting vehicle comprising: a fluid supply; a first pump stage coupled to the fluid supply and configured to pump fluid at a first pressure; a second pump stage coupled to the first pump stage and configured to pump fluid at a second pressure, the second pressure being substantially different from the first pressure; a fluid manipulator; and a valving arrangement coupling the first pump stage and the second pump stage to the fluid manipulator, the valving arrangement being selectively adjustable between a first position forming a first fluid path and a second position forming a second fluid path, wherein the first fluid path provides the fluid to the fluid manipulator at a first output pressure and the second fluid path provides fluid to the fluid manipulator at a second output pressure; wherein the first and second positions of the valving arrangement allow fluid to flow from the output of the first pump stage through the second pump stage and wherein the valving arrangement is configured to allow both the first pump stage and the second pump stage to remain pumping regardless of whether the first fluid path or the second fluid path has been selected; wherein the first fluid path directs the fluid output from the first pump stage through the second pump stage; and wherein the second fluid path directs a portion of the fluid output from the first pump stage around the second pump stage and restricts the flow of fluid through the second pump stage while allowing some fluid to flow through the second pump stage and for the second pump stage to remain pumping.