AU479250B2 - Automobile firefighting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

74,06 0 n4 Background of the Invention be installed on This invention relates to an apparatus to fire thereon, n automobile for preventing or extinguishing a operable nd more particularly to such apparatus automatically out in an auto- o prevent or extinguish a fire which may break automobile or a near- iobile upon collision thereof with another automobile has other- y building or other structure, or when the

ise received a large impact thereon. by collision A large impact given to an automobile, whether fuel tank, fuel pipe )r otherwise, often causes damage to the leakage of vapor- r fuel pipe fitting thereof with a resultant

Lzed gasoline therefrom. This vaporized gasoline is ignited

contacting an engine nd starts a fire in the automobile upon

portion at an elevated temperature.. quch a fire is very danger-

but may also often us as it does not only burn the automobile, the automobile or injure or even kill a person or persons in structure. A fire is cause damage to a nearby house or other fuel due to the fric- also started by ignition of such vaporized Sparks produced by short- tional heat generated upon collision. automobile also give circuiting of electrical equipment on an

rise to a fire. The inherent danger of a fire on an automobile with an increas- is on the increase as the automobile is equipped or devices, and also ing number of different electrical parts system for opera- as it is equipped with an exhaust gas purifying

tion at a high temperature. automobile, Despite the obvious danger of a fire on an with practical however, few countermeasures have been proposed

success in the past. That is apparently because it has been

479,250

74,060 n4 difficult to provide a fire fighting apparatus compactly designed

for installation in a limited interior space available on an

automobile and is automatically brought into sure and effective

operation immediately on the occasion of collision or any other

impact generating accident.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of this invention to provide a fire fight-

ing apparatus which is installed on an automobile and is auto-

matically operable imnediately on the occasion of collision or

any other impact generating accident to surely and effectively

prevent or extinguish a fire which may break out in the auto-

mobile upon such collision or accident.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fire

fighting apparatus which is eas'y to install removably in an

automobile portion in which a fire may often start upon collision

of the automobile or occurrence of any other impact generating

accident.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fire

fighting apparatus for an automobile which is compactly designed

and yet owns a great fire fighting capability.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide

a fire fighting apparatus for an automobile which is simple in

construction and can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become

apparent from the following detailed description and the accom-

panying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a.preferred embodi-

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74,060 /74 ment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of

FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an auto-

mobile illustrating one apparatus of the invention installed in

the engine hood and another installed near the fuel tank; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in plan of the apparatus installed

in the engine hood.

Detailed Description

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a fire fight-

ing apparatus I according to a preferred embodiment of this

invention comprises an outer container 2 and an inner container

3 housed in the outer container 2. The outer container 2 com-

prises a cylindrical portion 2c'"which is closed at the opposite

ends thereof by a pair of end plates 2a and 2b. The outer con-

tainer 2 may, as a whole, be made of steel or any other appropri-

ate metal. The inner container 3 comprises a cylindrical por-

tion 3c closed at the opposite ends thereof by a pair of end

plates 3a and 3b. The inner container 3 may be made of glass

or any other appropriate fragile material as a whole. Alter-

natively, only one end plate 3b or a portion thereof may be

made of a fragile material for the reason to be later explained,

while the remaining part of the inner container 3 is made of a

durable material. It has been found practically preferable

to employ a foil of a metal, such as aluminum, only in the cen-

tral portion of the end plate 3b, while the remaining part of

the inner container 3 is fabricated from a thicker sheet of the

netal. In the event the inner container 3 is made of a plural-

ity of different materials or with different thicknesses, join-

47 9,2

74,060 n ing may be accomplished by any appropriate known method, wherever

necessary.

The inner container 3 is supported by a holding ring 4 which

encircles the inner container 3 approximately in the middle of

the cylindrical portion 3c. The holding ring 4 is made of a

sheet of steel or any other appropriate metal having a width

suitable for holding the inner container 3 in position, while

the inner surface of the ring 4 closely contacts the outer sur-

face 3d of the cylindrical portion 3c. A plurality of support-

ing bars 5 extend between the outer container 2 and the holding

ring 4 and may be made of metal. The. supporting bars 5 are

provided radially relative to the outer container 2 in an equally

spaced relationship, and one end of each bar 5 is joined by

welding or otherwise to the inni'ersurface 2d of the cylindrical

portion 2c of the outer container 2, while the other end of

each bar 5 is joined in a like manner to the outer surface 4a

of the holding ring 4. The supporting bars 5 are all of the

same length, so that the inner container 3 is supported in the

outer container 2 in a coaxial relationship with the outer con-

tainer 2 as shown in FIG. 2. One end plate 2a of the outer

container 2 is formed with a relatively small opening in the

center thereof, and the peripheral edge of this opening is. bent

outwardly to define a nozzle 6 at the outermost tapered end

thereof. An outwardly tapered plug 7 is fitted in the nozzle.

defining portion of the end plate 2a and has a peripheral sur-

face which is complementary to the inner surface of the nozzle

defining portion, so that the plug 7 keeps the nozzle 6 closed

under the normal situation. The plug 7 is made of rubber or

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74,060 n4 mny other suitable material that will allow the plug 7 to be

easily broken to open the nozzle 6 when the internal pressure

3f the outer container 2 exceeds a predetermined level as will

later be described in detail.

The opposite end plate 2b of the outer container 2 is formed

in the center thereof with a similar opening which defines an

autwardly extending tubular projection 8 in a coaxial relation- ship with the inner container 3. A plunger 9 is received in

the bore 8a of the tubular projection 8. The plunger 9 may

ae made of metal or any other appropriate rigid material and includes a relatively elongate stem portion 9c having a circular

ross section complementary to the bore 8a. The stem portion

9c includes a pointed inner end 9b facing the end plate 3b of

the inner container 3 and projecting into the outer container

2. The outer end of the stem portion 9c extends outwardly from

the outer end 14 of the tubular projection 8 and terminates in

a flange or head portion 9a having a large diameter relative to the stem portion 9c. The tubular projection 8 of the outer

container 2 has a pair of diametrically oppositely formed holes

having an equal small diameter approximately in the middle there-

of. The stem portion 9c of the plunger 9 is formed approxi-

mately in the middle thereof with a diametrically extending hole

of a diameter which is substantially equal to that of the holes

provided in the tubular projection 8. The hole in'the stem

portion 9c is aligned with the holes in the tubular projection 8. A shear pin 10 extends through the holes provided in the tubular

projection 8 and the stem portion 9c. Under the normal situa-

tion, the shear pin 10 maintains the plunger 9 in its retracted

4 7 9,2 5 0 position as shown 74,06 0 n4 in FI( 1 in which the pointd end 9b is spaced apart from the en. wall 3b of the inner -nitainer 3. The flange 9a of the pluwer 9 is spaced from the outer end 14 of the tubular projection 8 to such an extent that the pointed end 9b of the plunger 9 can pierce the, end plate 3b of the inner container 3 upon sliding displacement of the plunger 9 into the outer container 2 when an impact resulting from collision of the automobile or a like cause is applied onto the flange 9a and the shear pin 10 is broken.

The outer container 2 contains a foamable fire extinguish-

ing composition 11 either in the form of powder or liquid. If the composition 11 is liquid, an appropriate seal is provided

between the nozzle 6 and the plug 7 and between the tubular pro-. jection 8 and the plunger 9 in any.'known manner to prevent the

composition 11 from leaking out of the outer container 2. The composition 11 may be selected from any fire extinguishing chemi- cal readily available on the market if it can extinguish a fire caused by combustion of gasoline. For example, the composition 11 may be prepared from sodium bicarbonate if a powder form is preferred, or alternatively, carbon tetrachloride may be used

if a liquid form is preferred. The inner container 3 contains

a high pressure gas, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The inner container 3 is wholly or partially made of a fragile mate-

rial as mentioned before, but is required to withstand the high

pressure of the gas contained therein and remain a totally closed structure until the end plate 3b is broken by the plunger 9. It is thus preferable to make the central portion of the end

plate 3b of an aluminum foil to permit the plunger 9 to easily.

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74,060 n4 break through the end plate 3b, while the remaining part of

the inner container 3 is made of a thicker material.

The outer container 2 is encircled by an annular band 13

closely contacting the outer surface of the outer container 2

approximately in the middle of the cylindrical portion 2c. The

band 13 may be made of metal and provides means for removably

mounting the apparatus 1 in any desired location on the auto-

mobile. Mounting of the apparatus 1 by the band 13 may be

accomplished in any known manner and no further explanation will

be required in connection therewith. It is, however, essential

to install the apparatus in a location or locations where a

fire is more likely to start than in any other locations upon

leakage of fuel.as the result of collision or application of

any large impact against the automobilq. It is preferable to

install one unit of the apparatus I in the engine hood and another

unit near the fuel tank as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is also

necessary to position the apparatus 1 in a posture which permits

quick response of the plunger 9 upon collision of the automobile.

More particularly, the flange portion 9a of the plunger 9 must

be directed in a direction in which an. impact applied to the

automobile upon collision thereof or otherwise is easily trans-

mitted to the flange portion 9a by deformation of a portion of

the automobile body and contact thereof with the flange portion

9a to cause displacement of the plunger 9 into piercing contact

with the end plate 3b of the inner container 3.

Upon collision of the automobile, the impact applied to the

automobile body acts upon the flange portion 9a of the plunger

9. The plunger 9 breaks the shear pin 10 and plunges into the

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74 060 n4 The pointed end 9b of the plunger 9strikes outer container 2. container 3 and against the adjacent end plate 3b of the inner

breaks therethrough. The gas gets out of the inner container

11 in the outer 3 into the outer container 2 and the composition

container 2 is foamed. The foamed colmposition 11 breaks the

to prevent a fire plug 7 and is discharged through the nozzle 6

or extinguish a fire if any has already started.

Although only one plunger 9 has been described and shown,

plurality of differently directed it is possible to provide a in plungers so that any one of the plungers may be actuated

impact is applied to the automobile and whichever direction an

1. Likewise, it is possible to transmitted to the apparatus a plurality of nozzles for provide the outer container 2 with plurality of different direc- discharging the composition 11iin'a

plurality of plungers are provided, it tions. In the event a

will be understood that the inner container 3 must be made of

material in its entirety. It will also be easy for a fragile operationally associate the any person skilled in the art to which measures the acceleration plunger 9 with an accelerometer collision and causes the plunger to of the automobile upon its inner container 3 when break through the adjacent wall of the level. the acceleration has exceeded a predetermined with reference to a While the invention has been described will-be understood that modifi- preferred embodiment thereof, it made by those skilled in the cations or variations may be easily of the invention which is art without departing from the scope

defined by the appended claims.

47 9.2

Claims (4)

74,060 n4 The claims defining the invention are as follows:-

1. A fire fighting apparatus for installation on an

autobomile body, said apparatus being adapted for automatic

operation upon application of a colliding impact onto said

autobomile body, said apparatus comprising:

an outer container made of a rigid material and

comprising a cylindrical body closed by a pair of end walls

at the opposite ends thereof, said outer container containing

a fire fighting composition;

a first opening formed in one of said end walls of said

outer container in a substantially coaxial relationship with

said cylindrical body, said first opening defining an outwardly

extending hollow projecting having a tapered construction which

terminates in a nozzle for discharging said composition from

said outer container;

a plug in said hollow projection, said plug being

tapered complementarily to said hollow projection and normally

keeping said nozzle closed, said plug being made of a material

which is easily collapsible when subjected to an elevated

pressure;

a second opening formed in the other of said end walls

of said outer container in a substantially coaxial relationship

with said cylindrical body, and defining an outwardly extending

tubular projection;

an inner container containing a high pressure gas therein

and encased in said outer container in a substantially coaxial

relationship with said outer container, said inner container

11 479.250 comprising a cylindrical 74 060n4 body closed by a pair of end walls at the opposite ends thereof, said cylindrical body of said inner container being considerably smaller in diameter and length than said cylindrical body of said outer container, one of said end walls of said inner container being made of a fragile material at least in the central portion thereof and located close to said other end wall of said outer container; an elongate plunger slidably received in said tubular projection, one end of said plunger being pointed and located in a destructively engageable relationship with said one end wall of said inner container, the other end of said plunger being located outside of said tubular projection and terminating in an enlarged head, said. head being spaced apart from said tubular projection by a distance which permits said one end to plunge into destructive engagement with said one end wall of said inner container upon sliding movement of said plunger; a hoop encircling said cylindrical body of said inner container for holding said inner container in a fixed position. relative to said outer container; a plurality of equally spaced, radially extending supporting bars each joined to said hoop at one end and said cylindrical body of said outer container at the other end, said bars cooperating with said hoop in supporting said inner container on said outer container; and another hoop encircling said cylindrical body of said outer container for attaching said apparatus to a convenient

479,250

74,060 n4 portion of said automobile body.

2. A fire fighting apparatus for installation on an

automobile body, said apparatus being adapted for automatic

operation upon application of a colliding impact onto said

automobile body, said apparatus comprising:

a first normally closed means containing a fire

fighting composition therein and having at least one outlet

opening for said composition, said first normally closed means

comprising a cylindrical body having a pair of end walls closing

said cylindrical body at the opposite ends thereof, a hollow

projection extending doinwardly from said outlet opening and

defining a nozzle means for discharging said composition upon

said pressure elevation thereof and a plug means normally

closing said nozzle means but capable of collapsing upon said

pressure elevation to open said nozzle;

a second normally closed means encased in and supported

by said first normally closed means and containing a high

pressure gas therein, said second normally closed means being

at least partially made of a fragile material;

at least one striker means slidably supported in hollow

supporting means projecting outwardly from said first normally

closed means and located in a destructively engageable

relationship with said second normally closed means, said

striker means closing said hollow supporting means to prevent

said composition from leaking out therethrough and being adapted,

upon said colliding impact application, to strike against and

destroy said fragile material to release said high pressure gas

479,250

74, 0 60 R4 from said second normally closed means to cause said pressure

elevation in said first normally closed means; and

at least one annular means encircling said cylindrical

body for attaching said apparatus to a convenient portion of

said automobile body.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said plug

means is made of rubber.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said second

normally closed means is at least partially made with a smaller

wall thickness than in the remaining portion thereof.

A fire fighting apparatus for installation on an

automobile body, said apparatus being adapted for automatic

operation upon application of a colliding impact onto said

automobile body, said apparatus comprising:

a first normally closed means containing a fire fighting

composition therein and having at least one outlet opening for

said composition, said first normally closed means comprising

a cylindrical body having a pair of end walls closing said

cylindrical body at the opposite ends thereof, a tapered hollow

projection extending outwardly from said outlet opening and

defining a nozzle means for discharging said composition upon

said pressure elevatiorn thereof and a plug means normally closing

said nozzle means but capable of collapsing upon said pressure

elevation to open said nozzle, said plug means having a tapered

shape complementary to that of said hollow projection;

a second normally closed means encased in and supported

by said first normally closed means and containing a high

4 7 9,2 5 0

74,060 n4 closed means being pressure gas therein, said second normally

partially made of a fragile material; and at least

at least one striker means slidably supported in hollow

said first normally supporting means projecting outwardly from

engageable relation- closed means and located in a destructively striker means ship with said second normally closed means, said

supporting means to prevent said closing said hollow

therethrough and being adapted, composition from leaking out

strike against and upon said colliding impact application, to

release said high pressure gas destroy said fragile material to

to cause said pressure from said second normally closed means

elevation in said first normally closed means.

A fire fighting apparatus for installation on an 6.

automobile body, said apparatus being adapted for automatic

impact onto said operation upon application of a colliding

automobile body, said apparatus comprising:

a fire fighting a first normally closed means containing

composition therein and having at least one outlet opening for

said composition, said first normally closed means comprising

closing said a cylindrical body having a pair of end walls

a hollow cylindrical body at the opposite ends thereof,

end walls and extending projection formed in one of said a nozzle means outwardly from said outlet opening and defining

said composition upon said pressure elevation for discharging

thereof and a plug means normally closing said nozzle means but

said pressure elevation to open said capable of collapsing upon

nozzle;

47 9.2

74. 06 0/74 a second normally closed means encased in and supported

by said first normally closed means and containing a high

pressure gas therein, said second normally closed means being

at least partially made of a fragile material;

hollow supporting means formed in the other of said end

walls and comprising a relatively small circular opening formed

in said other end wall and a correspondingly sized tubular

projection extending outwardly from said circular opening;

at least one striker means slidably received in said

tubular projection and closing said circular opening to prevent

said composition from leaking out through said hollow supporting

means, said striker means comprising an elongated member having

an outer surface complementary to the inner surface of said

circular opening and said tubular projection, one end of said

elongated member being located inwardly of said other end wall

in a destructively engageable relationship with said second

normally closed means, the opposite end of said elongated

member extending outwardly from said tubular projection and

terminating in an enlarged head, said enlarged head being

spaced apart from said tubular projection by a distance which

permits said one end to strike against and destroy said fragile

material to release said high pressure gas from said second

normally closed means to cause said pressure .elevation in said

first normally closed means upon said colliding impact

application; and

a shear pin extending diametrically through said tubular

projection and said elongated member to keep said one end of

4 79,2

74,060 n4 said elongated member from destructively engaging said second

normally closed means until said colliding impact application.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said one end

of said elongate member is pointed.

8. A fire fighting apparatus for installation on an

automobile body, said apparatus being adapted for automatic

operation upon application of a colliding impact onto said

automobile body, said apparatus comprising:

a first normally closed means containing a fire fighting

composition therein and having at least one outlet opening for

said composition, said first normally closed means comprising

a first cylindrical body having a pair of end walls closing

said cylindrical body at the opposite ends thereof, a hollow

projection formed in one of said end walls and extending

outwardly from said outlet opening and defining a nozzle means

for discharging said composition upon said pressure elevation

thereof and a plug means normally closing said nozzle means but

capable of collapsing upon said pressure elevation to open said

nozzle;

a second normally closed means encased in and supported

by said first normally closed means and containing a high

pressure gas therein, said second normally closed means

comprising a second cylindrical body and a pair of end walls

closing said second cylindrical body at the opposite ends

thereof, wherein said second normally closed means is coaxial

with said first ncrmally closed means and is positioned closer

to said other end wall of said first normally closed means than

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74,0 6 0 n4 to said one end wall thereof, and wherein only the central

portion of one of said second cylindrical body end walls is

made of a fragile material; and

at least one striker means slidably supported in hollow

supporting means formed in the other of said end walls and pro-

jecting outwardly from said first normally closed means and

located in a destructively engageable relationship with said

second normally closed means, said striker means closing said

hollow supporting means to prevent said composition from leaking

out therethrough and being adapted, upon said colliding impact

application, to strike against and destroy said fragile

material to release said high pressure gas from said second

normally closed means to cause said pressure elevation in said

first normally closed means, and said striker means is located

close to one of said end walls of said normally closed means and

coaxial with said one end wall of said second normally closed

means.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said central

portion is made of an aluminum foil.

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 further including:

at least one annular means encircling said cylindrical

body and holding said second normally closed means in a fixed

position relative to said first normally closed means; and

a plurality of substantially equally spaced, radially

extending elongate members each joined to said annular means

at one end and said first normally closed means at the other

18 479.250

74,060 74 end, whereby said second normally closed means is supported

by said first normally closed means.

DATED this Second day of August, 1976.

TOYOTA JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

By their Patent Attorneys:

G.R. CULLEN COMPANY

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