A FIRE FIGHTING DEVICE

Abstract

 A fire fighting device comprises a fire fighting aggregate (3) for penetrating a wall (5) and injecting fire fighting fluid into a space behind the wall. The fire fighting aggregate (3) comprises: a fluid driven rotating motor, such as a turbine, with a rotor (303) carrying a rotating cutting element (305), and a fluid inlet (109) for receiving fire fighting fluid to drive the rotor (303); a support (1) for attachment to the wall (5) suspending the fire fighting aggregate (3), at least the rotating cutting element (305) being movable relative to the support (1) towards the wall (5); a power means (322, 340) for pressing the rotating cutting element (305) towards the wall (5); and a second conduit for feeding the fire fighting fluid to the power means (322, 340) to provide for said power means (322, 340) to press the rotating cutting element (305) towards the wall (5).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fire fighting device with a fire fighting aggregate for penetrating a wall and injecting fire fighting fluid into a space behind the wall, said fire fighting aggregate comprising a fluid driven rotating motor, such as a turbine, having a rotor rotating around an axis of rotation defining an axial direction, a rotating cutting element attached to the rotor to be rotated thereby, a fluid inlet for receiving fire fighting fluid from a source of fire fighting fluid, and a first conduit for feeding the fire fighting fluid from the fluid inlet to the rotor to drive the fluid driven rotating motor.

[0002] FR 2854576 A1 discloses a fire fighting device of the above kind in which the fluid driven rotating motor is a turbine. The device is attached to the end or nozzle of a fire hose whereby it is possible manually to cut a hole in a wall by means of the rotating cutting element and subsequently to spray fire fighting fluid (water) into the hole and into the space behind the wall since a central axial passage is provided through the device and the fluid or water leaving the turbine exits in part on a radius smaller than the radius of the hole.

[0003] US 4 271 909 discloses another device comprising the feature mentioned by way of introduction and provided for manual operation.

[0004] In certain circumstances the may be fire in a place which is difficult to reach for a fire fighter e.g. a fire in a container on board a ship where containers are stacked relatively closely and to a considerable height.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a fire fighting device which need not be held by an operator during operation.

[0006] This is obtained by a device as mentioned by introduction which comprises a support for attachment to the wall, wherein the fire fighting aggregate is suspended by said support, at least the rotating cutting element being movable relative to the support towards the wall, a power means is provided for pressing the rotating cutting element towards the wall, and a second conduit is provided for feeding the fire fighting fluid to the power means to provide for said power means to press the rotating cutting element towards the wall. Hereby is obtained that the fire fighting device may be brought into position, e.g. by means of a hoist of any kind, with e.g. a fire hose connected to the fluid inlet and be attached to the wall, whereafter the device automatically cuts hole in the wall. Further it is obtained that a hole may be cut for introduction of fire fighting fluid into a space behind a wall without the need for any other energy source than the pressurised fire fighting fluid.

[0007] The fire fighting fluid may be water and the source of fire fighting fluid may be a fire hydrant. Accordingly, the fire fighting device may comprise a connector for connecting a fire hose to the device.

[0008] When attaching for use of the fire fighting device the support to wall to be penetrated, the support may in an embodiment of the invention be fastened directly to the wall or it may be fastened to a rigid structure fixed relative to the wall or attached to the wall, said structure preferably having a distance from the wall less than 1 meter, preferably less than 50 cm, and especially within 10 cm or within 5 cm from the wall.

[0009] The direction of the movement of the rotary cutting element towards the wall may be generally parallel or co-axial with the axial direction.

[0010] In an embodiment the fluid driven rotating motor comprises a stator attached to the support, the rotor being seated for rotation on said stator, the rotor comprises a driving part and a driven part the driving part driving rotary the driven part, wherein the rotary cutting element is attached to the driven part. It should be noted that as used herein "stator" designates a generally non-rotating part of the fluid driven rotating motor as opposite to the "rotor" which a part of the fluid driven rotating motor rotating during operation of the fluid driven rotating motor.

[0011] In a further embodiment the driven part is displaceable in the axial direction from a retracted position to an extended position together with the rotating cutting element and comprises a surface element constituting part of the power means, said surface element being subject to a pressure of the fire fighting fluid through the second conduit to press the rotating cutting element towards the wall.

[0012] In a further embodiment the stator and the driven part between them define an annular chamber receiving fire fighting fluid through the second conduit, said annular chamber being defined by a first external cylindrical surface of the stator, a first internal cylindrical surface of the driven part, an annular surface of the stator adjacent to the first external cylindrical surface, and said surface element constituted by an annular surface part of the driven part adjacent to the first internal cylindrical surface. Hereby is obtained that the annular chamber provides the power means generally in the form of a power cylinder.

[0013] In a further embodiment the second conduit extends through the stator and out through at least one first aperture in the first external cylindrical surface. Hereby fluid pressure is provided for the annular chamber.

[0014] In an embodiment at least one nozzle opening at the rotating cutting element is provided for ejecting fire fighting fluid, and an adjustable valve adjustable between an open position and a closed position is provided, whereby the adjustable valve in the closed position at least throttles a flow of fire fighting fluid to said nozzle opening.

[0015] In a further embodiment the driven part comprise an end comprising a cylindrical end chamber extending from said annular surface part, said cylindrical end chamber accommodating an end of the stator comprising at least a part of the first external cylindrical surface, when the driven part is in the retracted position, said end part of the stator being out of the cylindrical end chamber when the driven part is in the extended position, said first external cylindrical surface fitting slidably in said cylindrical end chamber, and wherein said cylindrical end chamber comprises a fluid outlet. Hereby such valve is provided since fluid may flow freely to the fluid outlet when the end part of the stator being out of the cylindrical end chamber, while flow of the fluid towards the fluid outlet is at least restricted when the end part of the stator is inserted in the cylindrical end chamber.

[0016] In a further embodiment the rotating cutting element is attached co-axially to the driven part and at least one passage is provided to receive fire fighting fluid from the fluid outlet for said fire fighting fluid to be ejected into a hole cut by the rotating cutting element. Hereby is provided for the device to eject fire fighting fluid into the space behind the wall once the hole has been cut.

[0017] In a practical embodiment the stator comprises an annular protrusion with a second external cylindrical surface in sliding engagement with said first internal cylindrical surface, said annular protrusion comprising at one axial end said annular surface, said annular protrusion comprising at an opposite axial end a second annular surface, a third annular surface positioned opposite the second annular surface being connected to the first internal cylindrical surface, a second annular chamber thereby being provided between the second annular surface and the third annular surface, whereby either the area of the second annular surface part, and thus of the annular surface part of the driven part, is bigger than the area of the third annular surface as seen in the axial direction, or the second annular chamber is vented to the surroundings. Hereby the third annual surface may abut on the second annular surface when the driven part is in the extended position thus defining said extended position.

[0018] In an embodiment the driving part comprises a hollow shaft member, a number of nozzles extending from the hollow shaft member to eject fire fighting fluid fed to the rotor, the nozzles thereby ejecting the fire fighting fluid in a direction with a circumferential component in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction. Hereby is obtained that the driving part is driven rotationally in a direction opposite to said circumferential component. Thus the fluid driven rotating motor is provided generally in the form of a so-called Segner wheel or Segner turbine.

[0019] In an embodiment the stator comprises a circular cylindrical section which has a third external cylindrical surface and the driving part has a second internal cylindrical surface in sliding engagement with said third external cylindrical surface, the first conduit extends through the stator and out through at least one second aperture in the circular cylindrical section at the third external cylindrical surface at an axial position, the driving part at the second internal cylindrical surface comprises at least one third aperture for receiving fire fighting fluid from the first conduit, a circumferential recess defining an axial recess area is provided in one of the third external cylindrical surface and the second internal cylindrical surface, and the second aperture and the third aperture are opening into said circumferential recess when the driving part is in an axial starting position relative to the stator. Hereby is obtained a fluid connection between the non-rotating stator and the rotating driving part of the rotor.

[0020] In an embodiment an adjustable valve is attached to the first conduit, said adjustable valve being adjustable between an open position and a closed position, whereby the adjustable valve in the closed position at least throttles a flow of fire fighting fluid to the rotor.

[0021] In a further embodiment the driving part is displaceable in the axial direction relative to the stator from the axial starting position, which is a retracted position, to an extended position, whereby one of the second aperture and the third aperture is outside the axial recess area when the driving part is in the extended position. Hereby an adjustable valve opening and at least restricting the flow of fire fighting fluid to the rotor since said flow is at least restricted when one of the second and the third apertures are out of the axial recess area.

[0022] In an embodiment the driving part and the driven part are integrated. Hereby is obtained that the driving part and the driven part move in unison in the axial direction.

[0023] In a practical embodiment the stator is attached immovably to the support and the support is preferably rigid.

[0024] In an embodiment the support is provided with means for attachment to the wall, said means comprising one or more of: a magnet, a suction device, a hook, a claw, a pair of jaws, a clamp, etc. Hereby the attachment means may be adapted to the intended place of use of a specific fire fighting device according to the invention, e.g. on a ship container made of ferromagnetic steel and/or wherein bars are permanently mounted adjacent to a wall or door of the container, on a wall with a smooth surface, on a surface with protrusions adapted for engagement with hooks, claws, clamps, a pair of jaws, etc. Hereby the stator will be fixed relative to the wall during use, when the support is rigid and the stator is attached immovably to the support.

[0025] The invention further relates to a method of using a device according to the invention, whereby the support is attached to a wall to be penetrated, a connection between a source of fire fighting fluid and the fluid inlet is provided, and opening said connection to provide a pressure of 2 to 50 bar, preferably 2 to 20 bar and more preferably 2 to 10 bar, of fire fighting fluid at said fluid inlet.

[0026] In the following the invention will be explained in further detail by way of example having reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows schematically a device in an embodiment of the present invention in an axial starting position,

Fig. 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 in an end position,

Fig. 3 shows details of a device in an embodiment of the present invention in the axial starting position,

Fig. 4 shows details of the device of Fig. 3 in the end position,

Fig. 5 shows a section of a nozzle ring as indicated by V-V in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 shows schematically an end of a ship container, and

Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of means for attachment to a wall.

[0027] The figures show an embodiment of a fire fighting device which comprises a support 1 and a fire fighting aggregate 3. The fire fighting device is attached to a wall 5 which is to be penetrated for ejecting a fire fighting fluid into a space behind the wall.

[0028] For ease of description the fire fighting fluid will in the following be generally referred to as "water", since water, of the quality available, will in many cases be the actual fluid used as fire fighting fluid.

[0029] For sake of explanation the end of the device, or parts thereof, closest to the wall 5 during use is designated "front end" and the opposite end is designated "rear end". Correspondingly as used herein "forward" designates a direction from the rear end towards the front end and "rearward" designates the direction opposite to "forward", etc.

[0030] As used herein "a wall" should be interpreted as any flat element defining a space into which water should be sprayed to fight a fire, thus including e.g. a door, a roof, a floor, etc.

[0031] In the following like reference numerals are used for like parts.

[0032] Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the support 1 comprises a number of legs 101 provided with feet 103 for abutment against the wall 5 to position the fire fighting device. The support is provided with means for attachment to the wall said means being in the present embodiment permanent magnets 105 attached to the feet 103 since the fire fighting device in the present embodiment is intended for use in fighting fires in steel containers e.g. on board a container ship. The support 1 further comprises a tubular connector 107 with an internal thread for receiving a threaded end of a stator 301 of the fire fighting aggregate 3. The tubular connector 107 is in the present embodiment provided with a fire hose connector 109 for connecting a fire hose 110 (see Fig. 7), the fire hose connector 109 thus providing a fluid inlet of the fire fighting device.

[0033] Though in the schematic drawings only two legs 101 of the support 1 are shown it should be understood that the support 1 in practise comprise a number of legs that will provide for a stable attachment of the device to the wall.

[0034] The fire fighting aggregate 3 comprises, apart from said stator 301, a rotor 303 and a rotating cutting element 305 all three of which are aligned on an axis of rotation 307 of the rotor 303. Thus in the embodiment shown the rotating cutting element 305 is rotating coaxially with the rotor 303. The rotating cutting element 305 is shown to be a hole saw, but any device might be use provided that is suitable for trepanning or drilling a hole of a certain diameter in the material of a wall for which the fire fighting device might be intended to be used.

[0035] The rotor 303 comprises a driving part 310 and a driven part 320. In the present embodiment the driving part 310 and the driven part 320 are integrated and accordingly they move in unison both in rotation around the axis of rotation 307 and in translation along said axis.

[0036] The stator 301 is a generally tubular body and is as mentioned above threaded i.e. at its rear end and is through the thread 302 connected to the tubular connector 107. Hereby the stator 301 is attached to the support 1 to be immovable relative to the wall 5 during operation. Extending forwards from the thread 302 the stator 301 comprises three circular cylindrical sections, which counted from the front end are designated first, second and third circular cylindrical section, respectively. At its front end the stator 301 has a closed end wall. However, apertures providing passages from an inner hollow of the tubular body to the outside are provided in the circular cylindrical sections as will be explained in the following.

[0037] The threaded rear end of the stator 301 is open to receive water supplied through a fire hose connected to the fire hose connector 109. Accordingly, the inner hollow of the tubular body of the stator 301 provides part of several conduits for feeding the water to various places in the device, i.e. a first conduit for feeding the driving part 310 and a second conduit for feeding the driven part 320, as it will be explained further below.

[0038] The rotor 303, including, in the present embodiment, the driving part 310 and the driven part 320, comprises a likewise generally tubular body which is seated for rotation on the tubular body of the stator 301.

[0039] The driven part 320 comprises a first internal cylindrical surface 321 and an annular surface part 322 adjacent to the first internal cylindrical surface 321. The first circular cylindrical section of the stator 301 comprises a first external cylindrical surface 331. The extent of the second circular section is defined by an annular protrusion 332 which has a second external cylindrical surface 333. The second external surface 333 thus has a larger diameter than the first external surface 331. At a front end of the annular protrusion 332 the latter has an annular surface 334. When the fire fighting device is in the axial starting position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the first internal cylindrical surface 321, the annular surface part 322, the first external cylindrical surface 331 and the annular surface 334 between them defines an annular chamber 340 the function of which will be explained below.

[0040] In the present embodiment a number of first apertures 341 are spaced equidistantly around the first external cylindrical surface 331 to provide an opening between the inner hollow of the stator 301 and the annular chamber 340. The fire hose connector 109, the tubular connector 107, the inner hollow of the stator 301 and the first apertures 341 together provide what is arbitrarily designated the second conduit.

[0041] A front end of the driven part 320 comprises in the present embodiment a generally cup shaped plug member 342 which by means of an external thread 342a is threaded into an internal thread provided in axial extension of the first internal cylindrical surface 321. The cup shaped plug member 342 provides by a rim of the cup shape the annular surface part 322 at its rear end, and at its front end it comprises co-axially with the axis of rotation 307 a threaded tubular protrusion 343 onto which the rotating cutting element 305 is threaded. The cup shaped plug member 342 provides, extending from the rim, a cylindrical end chamber 344 of the driven part 320. The cylindrical end chamber 344 accommodates an end part of the stator 301 comprising at least a part of the first external cylindrical surface 331, when the driven part is in the axial starting position, which is a retracted position, as it will be explained below.

[0042] An inner hollow of the tubular protrusion 343 is extended through a bottom part of the cup shaped plug member 342 to provide a fluid outlet 345 allowing water in the cylindrical end chamber 344 to flow out of said chamber, and the inner hollow of the tubular protrusion 343 per se provides a passage for fire fighting fluid such as water to receive water from the fluid outlet 345 for said water to be ejected into a hole cut by the rotating cutting element, as it will be further explained below. Further outlet openings 345a are provided around the tubular protrusion 343 through the bottom part of the cup shaped plug member 342 and through corresponding openings in the rotating cutting element 305 (not shown).

[0043] The first external cylindrical surface 331 is fitting slidably in the cylindrical end chamber 344 and the first internal cylindrical surface 321 is fitting slidably on the second external cylindrical surface 333. Accordingly, the driven part 320 may slide on the stator 301 in rotation around the axis of rotation 307 as well in translation along said axis, as it will be explained further below with reference to the function of the fire fighting device.

[0044] The driving part 310 comprises a hollow shaft member 311 which comprises a second internal cylindrical surface 312 which is fitting slidable on a third external cylindrical surface 313 of the third circular cylindrical section of the stator 301.

[0045] The first conduit for feeding the driving part 310 extends through the fire hose connector 109, the tubular connector 107, the stator 301 and out through at least one, in the present embodiment six or eight, second apertures 314 in the third circular cylindrical section at the third external cylindrical surface 313 at an axial position. At the second internal cylindrical surface 312 the driving part 310 comprises at least one third aperture 315 for receiving water from the first conduit. A circumferential recess 316 defining an axial recess area is provided in the second internal cylindrical surface 312 and the second apertures 314 are opening into said recess 316, and the third apertures 315 are also opening into said circumferential recess 316 when the driving part 310 is in an axial starting position relative to the stator 301.

[0046] A number of nozzles 317 are extending from the hollow shaft member 311 to eject the water fed through the first conduit to the rotor 303. The nozzles 317 receive the water through the third apertures 315, and the nozzles 317 are ejecting the water in a direction with a circumferential component in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 307.

[0047] The nozzles 317 are in the present embodiment provided by channels in a nozzle ring 318 shown in section in Fig. 5

[0048] In the present embodiment the driving part 310 is displaceable in the axial direction relative to the stator 301 from the axial starting position, which is a retracted position, to an extended position, whereby the second apertures 314 are outside the axial recess area defined by the recess 316, when the driving part 310 is in its extended position as seen in Figs. 2 and 4.

[0049] Since the driving part 310 and the driven part 320 are in the present embodiment integrated and accordingly move in unison, the driving part 310 and the driven part 320 will be in their respective retracted positions and extended positions simultaneously, the axial position of driving part 310 being controlled by the axial position of the driven part 320.

[0050] The annular protrusion 332 of the stator 301 comprises at one axial end the annular surface 334, and said annular protrusion 332 comprises at an opposite axial end a second annular surface 350. A third annular surface 351 positioned opposite i.e. vis-à-vis the second annular surface 350 is connected to the first internal cylindrical surface 321. A second annular chamber 352 is thereby provided between the second annular surface 350 and the third annular surface 351. In the present embodiment the fire fighting aggregate 3 is constructed such that the area of the annular surface part 322 of the driven part 320 is bigger than the area of the third annular surface 351 as seen in the axial direction. In the alternative, or supplementary, the second annular chamber 352 might be vented to the surroundings.

[0051] In use the fire fighting device works as follows:

A fire hose is connected to the fire hose connector 109 and the fire fighting device is attached to a wall 5 which should be penetrated for water or another fire fighting fluid to be ejected through the wall 5 into a space behind the wall.

[0052] When attaching the fire fighting device to the wall 5 a supply of water to the fire hose 110 should not yet be turned on.

[0053] The rotor 303, including the driving part 310 and the driven part 320, will at this time be pushed to its axial starting position i.e. the retracted position shown in Fig. 1.

[0054] Now the water supply is turned on to supply water at a pressure of e.g. 2 to 10 bar to the fire fighting device. The water enters the fire fighting device through the fire hose connector 109 and the tubular connector 107 to follow the first and second conduit into the inner hollow of the stator 301 and out the second apertures 314 following the first conduit and also out through the first apertures 341 following the second conduit.

[0055] The water flowing out through the first apertures 341 fills the first annular chamber 340 and water flowing out through the second apertures 314 fills the circumferential recess 316.

[0056] Since respectively the first external cylindrical surface 331 is fitting slidably in the cylindrical end chamber 344, the first internal cylindrical surface 321 is fitting slidably on the second external cylindrical surface 333, and the second internal cylindrical surface 312 is fitting slidable on the third external cylindrical surface 313 the water is restricted but not prevented from flowing past said surfaces. In fact, a film of water with a thickness of e.g. 0.01-0.04 mm will be present between the respective surfaces fitting slidably with each other to provide a lubricating film facilitating movement of the rotor 303 relative to the stator 301. Further the water will flow into the second annular chamber 352.

[0057] The water is restricted from flowing between the first external cylindrical surface 331 and the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical end chamber 344 and into said cylindrical end chamber 344. Accordingly, the water will build up pressure in the first annular chamber 340.

[0058] The water in the circumferential recess 316 flows freely through the third apertures 315 and the nozzles 317 to be ejected by said nozzles 317 in directions 317a with a circumferential component in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 307. This ejection of water will result in the rotor 303 being driven to rotate in an opposite direction of rotation 319 as it will be understood by the person skilled in the art, and the rotating cutting element 305 will thereby be driven to rotate likewise.

[0059] The water pressure building up in the first annular chamber 340 will act on the annular surface part 322 to expand said first annular chamber 340 and accordingly the rotating cutting element 305 will be pressed against the wall 5, the rotor 303 sliding axially on the stator 301. Thus the annular surface part 322 constitutes a surface element constituting part of a power means or a power cylinder.

[0060] Since the water also flows into the second annular chamber 352 it must be assured that any pressure building up in said chamber does not prevent the pressure in the first annular chamber 340 from expanding the latter to press the rotating cutting element 305 against the wall 5. This may as mentioned be obtained either by constructing the annular surface part 322 to have a larger area than the third annular surface 351, i.e. by constructing the first external cylindrical surface 331 with a smaller diameter than the third external cylindrical surface 313, and/or by venting the second annular chamber 352 to the surroundings, if it appears to be a problem: Thus the pressure in the circumferential recess 316 is relatively low since the water flows freely out the nozzles 317 and accordingly the pressure in the second annular chamber 352 may appear to be smaller than the pressure in the first annular chamber 340.

[0061] During the rotation of the rotating cutting element 305 the latter cuts its way through the wall 5 and accordingly the rotor 303 is axially displaced in what has been defined as the forward direction. The fire fighting device should be dimensioned relative to the thickness of walls which the device is meant to penetrate so that, before the forward end of the stator 301 is completely withdrawn from the cylindrical end chamber 344, the rotating cutting element 305 has cut through the wall 5 allowing the rotor 303 to slide axially with only little resistance to the extended end position shown in Fig. 2. In this extended end position, the third annular surface 351 abuts on the second annular surface 350 thereby defining the extended end position.

[0062] When the rotor 303 is in the extended end position the second apertures 314 are outside the circumferential recess 316 and the water is restricted from exiting the second apertures 314, the first conduit having thus been generally shut. Thus the water substantially stops flowing through the nozzles 317 and the rotor 303 stops rotating. The forward end of the stator 301 has in this extended end position been completely withdrawn from the circular end chamber 344 and the water is free to flow from the first apertures 341, past the forward end of the stator 301, through the circular end chamber 344, through the fluid outlet 345, and through the threaded tubular protrusion 343 to be ejected into the space behind the wall 5. Likewise, the water flows from the circular end chamber 344 through the further outlet openings 345a to be eventually ejected into the space behind the wall 5.

[0063] Fig. 6 shows schematically an end of a ship container 501 known per se. The ship container comprises two doors 502 which may constitute the wall 5 to be penetrated in case of a fire inside the container. In front of each door 502, as it will be familiar to the skilled person, two vertical bars 503 are present, said bars 503 constituting part of a locking arrangement for locking the doors 502 and are usually positioned at a distance of 2.5 to 3.5 cm from the main surfaces of the doors. A number of grooves 504 with a generally trapezoid cross-section are recessed in the main surfaces of the doors 502 as it will be familiar to the skilled person.

[0064] When the doors 502 of the ship container 501 are made of ferromagnetic material a fire fighting device as described above including feet 103 with permanent magnets 105 may be attached directly to a surface of one of the doors 502 the permanent magnets 105 cohering to the door 502.

[0065] Alternatively, the support 1 may be provided with other means for attachment to the wall 5, such means alternatively comprising one suction devices, which might provide for attachment directly to the surface of the wall 5 or door 502 or such means for attachment might comprise one or more hooks, claws, pairs of jaws, or clamps, which might be attached to one or more of the bars 503.

[0066] Fig. 7 shows a very simple way of attaching the support to the wall to be penetrated. Thus Fig. 7 shown schematically the fire fighting aggregate 3 suspended in a variant of the support 1' which comprises two legs 401 fixed to a vertical bar 402. An upper end of the vertical bar 402 is fixed to a horizontal bar 403 in an overlaying manner as shown in Fig. 7 and the vertical bar 402 comprises a recess with a through hole 404 for the rotating cutting element 305 to pass through. For attaching the fire fighting aggregate 3 suspended in the support 1' the horizontal bar 403 is simply inserted between the two bars 503 and into one of the grooves 504 whereafter the fire fighting aggregate 3 and the support 1' are shifted laterally in a longitudinal direction of the groove 504 until the vertical bar 402 abuts one of the bars 503 as shown in Fig. 7. The engagement of the horizontal bar 403 with a lower side wall 505 of the groove 504 and with the bar 503 and the engagement of the lower end of the vertical bar 402 with the main surface of the door 502 will keep the fire fighting aggregate 3 securely in place during operation. It is seen that the horizontal bar 403, though straight, functions as a hook hooking behind the bar 503. It is noted that especially the vertical bar 402 might be constructed differently from what is shown in Fig. 7 as long as the support 1' comprises an element extending vertically (in the use position) to be fixed to the horizontal bar, to be able to abut on a surface below the groove 504, and to allow the rotating cutting element 305 to pass to the surface of the wall to be penetrated.

[0067] Thus the device may be attached directly to the wall to be penetrated of to a structure which is in a fixed position relative to the wall, preferably within a distance of 1 meter from the wall and especially within 10 cm or within 5 cm.

Claims

1. A fire fighting device with a fire fighting aggregate (3) for penetrating a wall (5) and injecting fire fighting fluid into a space behind the wall, said fire fighting aggregate (3) comprising:

a fluid driven rotating motor, such as a turbine, having

a rotor (303) rotating around

an axis of rotation (307) defining

an axial direction,

a rotating cutting element (305) attached to the rotor (303) to be rotated thereby,

a fluid inlet (109) for receiving fire fighting fluid from a source of fire fighting fluid, and

a first conduit (109, 107, 301, 314) for feeding the fire fighting fluid from the fluid inlet (109) to the rotor (303) to drive the fluid driven rotating motor,

characterized by

a support (1) for attachment to the wall (5),

the fire fighting aggregate (3) being suspended by said support (1),

at least the rotating cutting element (305) being movable relative to the support (1) towards the wall (5),

a power means (322, 340) for pressing the rotating cutting element (305) towards the wall (5), and

a second conduit (109, 107, 301, 341) for feeding the fire fighting fluid to the power means (322, 340) to provide for said power means (322, 340) to press the rotating cutting element (305) towards the wall (5).

2. A fire fighting device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid driven rotating motor comprises a stator (301) attached to the support (1), the rotor (303) being seated for rotation on said stator (301), the rotor (303) comprises a driving part (310) and a driven part (320) the driving part (310) driving rotary the driven part (320), wherein the rotary cutting element (305) is attached to the driven part (320).

3. A fire fighting device according to claim 2, wherein the driven part (320) is displaceable in the axial direction from a retracted position to an extended position together with the rotating cutting element (305) and comprises a surface element (322) constituting part of the power means (322, 340), said surface element (322) being subject to a pressure of the fire fighting fluid through the second conduit (109, 107, 301, 341) to press the rotating cutting element (305) towards the wall (5).

4. A fire fighting device according to claim 3, wherein the stator (301) and the driven part (320) between them define an annular chamber (340) receiving fire fighting fluid through the second conduit (109, 107, 301, 341), said annular chamber (340) being defined by a first external cylindrical (331) surface of the stator (301), a first internal cylindrical surface (321) of the driven part (320), an annular surface (334) of the stator (301) adjacent to the first external cylindrical surface (331), and said surface element (322) constituted by an annular surface part of the driven part (320) adjacent to the first internal cylindrical surface (321).

5. A fire fighting device according to claim 4, whereby the second conduit (109, 107, 301, 341) extends through the stator (301) and out through at least one first aperture (341) in the first external cylindrical surface (331).

6. A fire fighting device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the driven part (320) comprise an end comprising a cylindrical end chamber (344) extending from said annular surface part (322), said cylindrical end chamber (344) accommodating an end of the stator (301) comprising at least a part of the first external cylindrical surface (331), when the driven part (320) is in the retracted position, said end part of the stator (301) being out of the cylindrical end chamber (344) when the driven part (320) is in the extended position, said first external cylindrical surface (331) fitting slidably in said cylindrical end chamber (344), and wherein said cylindrical end chamber (344) comprises a fluid outlet (345, 345a).

7. A fire fighting device according to claim 6, wherein the rotating cutting element (305) is attached co-axially to the driven part (320) and at least one passage is provided to receive fire fighting fluid from the fluid outlet (345, 345a) for said fire fighting fluid to be ejected into a hole cut by the rotating cutting element (305).

8. A fire fighting device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the stator (301) comprises an annular protrusion (332) with a second external cylindrical surface (333) in sliding engagement with said first internal cylindrical surface (321), said annular protrusion (332) comprising at one axial end said annular surface (334), said annular protrusion (332) comprising at an opposite axial end a second annular surface (350), a third annular surface (351) positioned opposite the second annular surface (350) being connected to the first internal cylindrical surface (321), a second annular chamber (352) thereby being provided between the second annular surface (350) and the third annular surface (351), whereby either the area of the second annular surface part (322) is bigger than the area of the third annular surface (351) as seen in the axial direction, or the second annular chamber (352) is vented to the surroundings.

9. A fire fighting device according to any one of the claims 2 to 8, wherein the driving part (310) comprises a hollow shaft member (311), a number of nozzles (317) extending from the hollow shaft member (311) to eject fire fighting fluid fed to the rotor (303), the nozzles (317) thereby ejecting the fire fighting fluid in a direction with a circumferential component in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

10. A fire fighting device according to any one of the claims 2 to 9, wherein the stator (301) comprises a circular cylindrical section which has a third external cylindrical surface (313) and the driving part (320) has a second internal cylindrical surface (312) in sliding engagement with said third external cylindrical surface (313),
the first conduit (109, 107, 301, 314) extends through the stator (301) and out through at least one second aperture (314) in the circular cylindrical section at the third external cylindrical surface (313) at an axial position,
the driving part (310) at the second internal cylindrical surface (312) comprises at least one third aperture (315) for receiving fire fighting fluid from the first conduit (109, 107, 301, 314),
a circumferential recess (316) defining an axial recess area is provided in one of the third external cylindrical surface (313) and the second internal cylindrical surface (312), and
the second aperture (314) and the third aperture (315) are opening into said circumferential recess (316) when the driving part (310) is in an axial starting position relative to the stator (301).

11. A fire fighting device according to claim 10, wherein the driving part (310) is displaceable in the axial direction relative to the stator (301) from the axial starting position, which is a retracted position, to an extended position, whereby one of the second aperture (314) and the third aperture (315) is outside the axial recess area when the driving part (310) is in the extended position.

12. A fire fighting device according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein the driving part (310) and the driven part (320) are integrated.

13. A fire fighting device according to any one of claims 2 or 12, wherein the stator (310) is attached immovably to the support (1).

14. A fire fighting device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (1) is provided with means (105) for attachment to the wall (5), said means comprising one or more of: a magnet, a suction device, a hook, a claw, a pair of jaws, a clamp.

15. A method of using a device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the support (1) is attached to a wall (5) to be penetrated, a connection between a source of fire fighting fluid and the fluid inlet (109) is provided, and opening said connection to provide a pressure of 2 to 50 bar, preferably 2 to 20 bar and more preferably 2 to 10 bar, of fire fighting fluid at said fluid inlet.

Drawing