Foam restraining barrier

Claim 2

A restraining barrier for use with foam fire extinguishing systems which include generators for producing a given volume of fire extinguishing foam, said barrier comprising: a. a pair of porous, non-combustible panels adapted to be vertically positioned in parallel, spaced relation to one another, each of said panels including a plurality of vertical seams therein, the vertical seams of one of said panels being interleaved with the vertical seams of the second of said panels, the vertical height of said panels including a predetermined excess portion at the bottom thereof; b. distributed load means for weighting said panels, said distributed load means being coupled to each of said panels intermediate said excess portion and the portion of said panels adapted to be vertically positioned; c. a plurality of vertical battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels; d. a plurality of horizontal battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels, the lowermost of said horizontal battens being adjacent the upper terminus of said vertical seams; and e. release means for vertically positioning said panels upon the activation of the foam fire extinguishing system, said release means being coupled to said panels.

Claim 3

A restaining barrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said panels comprise a scrim having horizontal and vertical meshed filaments, said horizontal and vertical filaments having substantially uniform center to center intervals.

Claim 4

A restraining barrier as defined in claim 2 wherein the interval between adjacent pairs of horizontal and vertical filaments respectively is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 inches.

Claim 5

A restraining barrier as defined in claim 2 wherein said scrim is fabricated of fiberglass.

Claim 6

A restraining barrier as defined in claim 1 wherein said distributed load means comprises sand horizontally and uniformly disposed along said panels.

Claim 7

A foam restraining barrier for use in the interior of structures protected by foam fire extinguishing systems which include generators to produce given volumes of fire extinguishing foam, said foam restraining barrier comprising: a. a pair of porous, non-combustible panels adaped to be vertically positioned in parallel spaced relation to one another with the interior of the structure to provide a circumscribed area about the volume of foam, each of said panels including a plurality of vertical seams therein, the vertical seams of one of said panels being interleaved with the vertical seams in the second of said panels, the vertical height of said panels including a predetermined excess portion at the bottom of said panels, said panels being laterally suspended intermediate vertical supports defining the circumscribed area of the structure being protected by the foam fire extinguishing system; b. distributed load means for weighting said panels, distributed load means being coupled to each of said panels intermediate said excess portion and the portion of said panel adapted to be vertically positioned; c. a plurality of vertical battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels; d. a plurality of horizontal battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels, the lowermost of said horizontal battens being adjacent said vertical seams, said horizontal battens being laterally extended from said panels and slidably coupled to said vertical supports; and e. release means for vertically positioning said panels upon the activation of the foam fire extinguishing system, said release means being coupled to said panels.

Claim 8

A foam restraining barrier for use in the interior of structures protected by foam fire extinguishing systems which include generators to produce given volumes of fire extinguishing foam, said foam restraining barrier comprising: a. a pair of porous, non-combustible panels adaped to be vertically positioned in parallel spaced relation to one another with the interior of the structure to provide a circumscribed area about the volume of foam, each of said panels including a plurality of vertical seams therein, the vertical seams of one of said panels being interleaved with the vertical seams in the second of said panels, the vertical height of said panels including a predetermined excess portion at the bottom of said panels, said panels being laterally suspended intermediate vertical supports defining the circumscribed area of the structure being protected by the foam fire extinguishing system; b. distributed load means for weighting said panels, distributed load means being coupled to each of said panels intermediate said excess portion and the portion of said panel adapted to be vertically positioned; c. a plurality of vertical battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels; d. a plurality of horizontal battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels, the lowermost of said horizontal battens being adjacent said vertical seams, said horizontal battens being laterally extended from said panels and slidably coupled to said vertical supports; and e. release means for vertically positioning said panels upon the activation of the foam fire extinguishing system, said release means being coupled to said panels.

Claim 9

A foam restraining barrier as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said panels comprises a scrim having horizontal and vertical meshed filaments, adjacent pairs of said horizontal and vertical meshed filaments respectively having substantialy uniform center to center intervals.

Claim 10

A foam restraining barrier as defined in claim 7 wherein the interval between adjacent pairs of horizontal and vertical filaments respectively is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 inches.

Claim 11

A foam restraining barrier as defined in claim 7 wherein said scrim is fabricated from fiberglass.

Claim 12

A foam restraining barrier as defined in claim 6 wherein said distributed load means comprises sand horizontally and uniformly disposed along said panels.

Claim 13

A foam restraining barrier for use within the interior volume of structures protected by foam fire extinguishing systems which include foam generators which, upon activation, produce given volumes of fire extinguishing foam, said foam restraining barriers comprising: a. a pair of non-combustible panels fabricated from a fiberglass scrim having horizontal and vertical meshed filaments, adjacent pairs of said horizontal and vertical meshed filaments respectively having substantially uniform center to centeR intervals, said panels being adapted to be vertically positioned in parallel spaced relation to one another and in contact with the floor of the structure being protected, each of said panels including a plurality of vertical seams therein, the vertical seams of one of said panels being interleaved with the vertical seams in the second of said panels, the vertical height of each of said panels including a predetermined excess portion to be disposed along the floor of the structure; b. sand weighted members uniformly disposed along and coupled to each of said panels adjacent said excess portions and adapted to contact the floor of the structure when said panels are vertically positioned; c. a plurality of vertical battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels; d. a plurality of horizontal battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels, the lowermost of said horizontal battens being adjacent said vertical seams, said horizontal battens being laterally extended from each of said panels and slidably coupled to said vertical supports; and e. release means for vertically positioning said panels upon the activation of the foam fire extinguishing system, said release means being coupled to said panels.

Claim 14

A foam restraining barrier for use within the interior volume of structures protected by foam fire extinguishing systems which include foam generators which, upon activation, produce given volumes of fire extinguishing foam, said foam restraining barriers comprising: a. a pair of non-combustible panels fabricated from a fiberglass scrim having horizontal and vertical meshed filaments, adjacent pairs of said horizontal and vertical meshed filaments respectively having substantially uniform center to centeR intervals, said panels being adapted to be vertically positioned in parallel spaced relation to one another and in contact with the floor of the structure being protected, each of said panels including a plurality of vertical seams therein, the vertical seams of one of said panels being interleaved with the vertical seams in the second of said panels, the vertical height of each of said panels including a predetermined excess portion to be disposed along the floor of the structure; b. sand weighted members uniformly disposed along and coupled to each of said panels adjacent said excess portions and adapted to contact the floor of the structure when said panels are vertically positioned; c. a plurality of vertical battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels; d. a plurality of horizontal battens uniformly disposed along each of said panels, the lowermost of said horizontal battens being adjacent said vertical seams, said horizontal battens being laterally extended from each of said panels and slidably coupled to said vertical supports; and e. release means for vertically positioning said panels upon the activation of the foam fire extinguishing system, said release means being coupled to said panels.

Claim 15

A foam restraining barrier as defined in claim 11 wherein the interval between adjacent pairs of horizontal and vertical filaments respectively is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 inches.