LYE TAN CHOON (SG)
| US4213567A | 1980-07-22 | |||
| US5647438A | 1997-07-15 | |||
| US4953623A | 1990-09-04 |
| 1. | A nozzle for use with a fluid carrying tube, the nozzle including a body portion having a first aperture for engaging with a fluid carrying tube, a second aperture located on an axis substantially parallel to the direction, in use, of fluid flow through the nozzle and a third aperture located on an axis substantially perpendicular to the said direction. |
| 2. | A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second aperture is substantially circular. |
| 3. | A nozzle as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the third aperture is a slot. |
| 4. | A nozzle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slot inclues two elongate edges extending circumferentially of the nozzle. |
| 5. | A nozzle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the area defined by edges of the third aperture is smaller than the area defined by edges of the second aperture. |
| 6. | A nozzle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including means for camping the nozzle, in use, onto a fluid carrying tube. AMENDEDCLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 12 April 1999 (12.04.99); original claims 26 amended; new claim 1 added; remaining claims unchanged (2 pages) 7 1. A nozzle for use with a fluid carrying tube, characterised in that the nozzle inclues a body portion having a first aperture for engaging with a fluid carrying tube, a second aperture defining a first area, the second aperture being located on an axis substantially parallel to the direction, in use, of fluid flow through the nozzle, and a third aperture defining a second area of different shape to the first area, the third aperture being located on an axis substantially perpendicular to the said direction, the arrangement being such that, in use, when the second aperture is open substantially all of the fluid is ejected from the second aperture in a first fluid dispersion pattern and when the second aperture is occluded substantially all of the tluid is ejected through the third aperture in a second fluid dispersion pattern different from the first fluid dispersion pattern. |
| 7. | 2 A nozzle. as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the second aperture is substantially circular. |
| 8. | 3 A nozzle as claimed in claim I or claim 2, characterised in that the third aperture is a slot. |
| 9. | 4 A nozzle as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the slot inclues two elongate edges extending circumferential ly of the nozzle. |
| 10. | 5 A nozzle as claimed in any one of claims I to 4, characterised in that the said second area defined by the third aperture is smaller than the said first area defined by the second aperture. |
| 11. | A nozzle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by further including means for camping the nozzle, in use, onto a fluid carrying tube. |
It is has been known in, for example, fire extinguishing applications, to provide a nozzle for engaging with an end of a fluid carrying tube which inclues a generally cylindrical body portion, a first aperture for engaging with the tube and a second aperture through which fluid passing through the nozzle from the tube is ejected.
Although such nozzles are satisfactory when directing a fluid jet towards a location which is comparable in size to the cross-sectional area of the fluid jet, the nozzle is not particularly suitable for directing fluid towards a location which is large relative to the cross-sectional area of the fluid jet. With this type of nozzle, when it is desired to direct fluid towards such relatively large locations, it is necessary to physically aliter the direction of the nozzle, and thereby the direction of fluid flow, in order to direct fluid over the whole desired location.
This type of nozzle is also unsuitable when directing fluid towards locations having relatively narrow portions, since the diameter of the fluid jet produced by the nozzle is often too wide for the narrow portions and fluid wastage results.
The present invention seeks, among other things, to provide a nozzle which overcomes the above disadvantages.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nozzle for use with a fluid carrying tube, the nozzle including a body portion having a first aperture for engaging with a fluid carrying tube, a second aperture located on an axis substantially parallel to the direction, in use, of fluid flow into the nozzle and a third aperture located on an axis substantially perpendicular to the said direction.
In this way, by uncovering or covering the second aperture, the nozzle can be caused to operate in either one of two modes respectively, a first mode in which fluid is ejected from the second aperture and a second mode in which fluid is ejected from the third aperture respectively.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure I is a diagrammatic perspective view of a nozzle in accordance with the present invention connecte, in use, with a fluid carrying tube ; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the nozzle shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view of the nozzle shown in Figures I and 2 with a body portion of the nozzle reduced in diameter by, for example, a clamp (not shown), Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of one use of the nozzle when the nozzle is operating in a first mode of operation*, Figure 5 is a side view of the nozzle, in use, as shown in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of one use of the nozzle when the nozzle is operating in a second mode of operation; and Figure 7 is a diagrammatic side view of the nozzle, in use, as shown in Figure 6 Referring to the drawings, there is shown a nozzle 10 in accordance with the present invention connecte, in use, to a fluid carrying tube, in this example a hose pipe 12 carrying water for the purpose of extinguishing a fire. The nozzle 10 inclues a generally cylindrical body portion 14, a first aperture 15 for engaging with the hose pipe 12, a second aperture 16 located at an end of the nozzle remote from the hose pipe 12 and a third aperture 18 located intermediate the second aperture 16 and the hose pipe 12. The second aperture 16 is also located on an axis substantially parallel to the direction of water flow through the hose pipe 12 into the nozzle 10. The third aperture 18 is also located on an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of water flow into the nozzle 10.
As shown in Figure 3, the nozzle 10 may be constructed of resilient material and a portion of the nozzle 10 may be reduced in diameter, for example by means of a clamp (not shown), so as to form a tight connection between the nozzle 10 and the hose pipe 12.
The nozzle 10 is shown in a first mode of operation in Figures 4 and 5. In the first mode, both the second and third apertures are unobstructed. In use, water flows substantially through the hose pipe 12, into the nozzle 10 and out of the second aperture 16, thereby forming a first water jet 28 having a first angle of divergence 29, a second angle of divergence 31 and a generally circular shaped cross section.
In the example shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first water jet 28 is directe towards a generally narrow elongate location 26 which may be a fire. As can be seen, in the first mode of operation in order for a user of the nozzle 10 to cover the whole location 26, it is necessary for the user to move the nozzle from left to right as shown by the arrows in Figure 4. In addition, as shown in Figure S, for this type of location having narrow portions, a large proportion of water is wasted.
It will be appreciated, however, that the first mode of operation of the nozzle is suitable for directing water towards regular shaped locations having a diameter which is comparable to the diameter of the first water jet adjacent the location.
The nozzle 10 is shown in a second mode of operation in Figures 6 and 7 In this second mode of operation, the second aperture 16 is covered by any suitable means, for example by a thumb of a user (not shown). As a result, water passes through the hose pipe 12, into the nozzle 10 and out of the third aperture 18 thereby forming a second water jet 30 As a consequence of the shape and size of the third aperture 18, the second water jet 30 is generally fan-shaped, the second water jet 30 having a third angle of divergence 33 which is greater than the first angle of divergence 29 of the first water jet 28 in the first mode of operation and a fourth angle of divergence 35 which is less than the second angle of divergence 31 of the first water jet 28 in the first mode of operation. Accordingly, as can be seen in Figures 6 and 7, the second water jet 28 produced in the second mode of operation completely covers the desired location without the need for a user of the nozzle 10 to physically move the nozzle 10. In addition, as can be seen in Figure 7, since the fourth angle of divergence 35 is less than the corresponding second angle of divergence 3 1, in the second mode of operation less water is wasted with locations having narrow portions.
It will be appreciated that the nozzle of the present invention can be used by a user to direct fluid to various types of locations in an accurate and low-waste way.
It will also be appreciated that, although the above example has been described in relation to a water carrying hose pipe, the invention is equally applicable to other types of fluids and other types of fluid carrying tubes.
Furthermore, it will be appreciated that although the nozzle is particularly applicable to directing fluids towards a fire for the purpose of extinguishing the fire, the nozzle is also equally applicable to other situations where it is necessary to direct fluid to a specific location in an effective and low-waste way.
Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention.