Rapid fire suppressant discharge

Claim 1

In a military vehicle, a stationary fire extinguisher comprising an upright pressure-resistant bottle containing pressurized fire suppressant of the flashable vapor type; said bottle being located within the personnel space of the vehicle in close proximity to a vehicle side wall for discharge of suppressant into the personnel space; said bottle having an internal length dimension extending essentially vertically, and an internal transverse dimension extending essentially horizontally; said bottle having a discharge port in its side wall for directing pressurized suppressant from the bottle interior in a generally horizontal direction, said port being located in a portion of the bottle side wall immediately adjacent its lower end; and a control valve connected directly to the discharge port, said valve having a linear flow passage therethrough constituting a horizontal continuation of the bottle discharge port; the control valve flow passage constituting a nozzle for discharging the pressurized suppressant directly to the personnel space in a horizontal trajectory; the internal transverse dimension of the bottle taken along the axis of the discharge port being at least approximately twice the diameter of the discharge port; said bottle defining a single chamber in open communication with the discharge port, the fire suppressant being pressurized by means of an inert gas in physical contact with the suppressant.