US3957657A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fire fighting
Assignee: Kidde Fire Fighting Inc
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Filing: 1973-06-13
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Granted: 1976-05-18
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Expires: 1993-06-13
Abstract
Abstract Certain fluorocarbon surfactants combined with certain silicone surfactants provide mixtures that reduce the surface tension of water to 19 dynes or less per centimeter, and when foamed are particularly effective in fighting fires involving lighter-than-water hydrophobic liquids. Mixtures are further improved with certain other surfactants and use less of the fluorocarbon surfactants to provide fire fighting effectiveness of prior art compositions which do not contain silicone surfactants. Hydrophilic resins and sequestering agents can also be contained in the mixtures.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter J. Chiesa, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:43
CPC Classifications
A; A62; A62D; A62D1/00; A62D1/0071; A62D1/0085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 19 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the fluorocarbon surfactant has the structure ##EQU6## where n is between 5 and 9.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 19 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the fluorocarbon surfactant has the structure ##EQU6## where n is between 5 and 9.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 1 in which the silicone surfactant is an anionic substituted tertiary amine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination of claim 1 in which the silicone surfactant is a sulfo-trialkylamine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 19 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the liquid also contains an amino polycarboxy sequestering agent in an amount about one-twelfth to about one-fourth that of the fluorocarbon surfactant to reduce the concentration of fluorocarbon surfactant required to effect filming over liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 19 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the liquid also contains an amino polycarboxy sequestering agent in an amount about one-twelfth to about one-fourth that of the fluorocarbon surfactant to reduce the concentration of fluorocarbon surfactant required to effect filming over liquid hydrocarbon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 18 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the foamability-increasing surfactants include alkyl dimethylamino-propane sulfonic acid betaine in which the alkyl is from C 8 to C 12 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 18 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the foamability-increasing surfactants include alkyl dimethylamino-propane sulfonic acid betaine in which the alkyl is from C 8 to C 12 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
130 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 19 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the liquid also contains in a concentration of from about one-sixth to about equal that of the fluorocarbon surfactant, of a surfactant having at least about 15 consecutive ethylene oxide units per mol and also having a hydrophobic chain of at least 14 carbons, to improve the fire-fighting effectiveness when the liquid is prepared with sea water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
130 words
In an aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foamable liquid containing dissolved fluorocarbon and silicone surfactants in amounts that give the liquid a surface tension at least as low as 19 dynes per centimeter but do not give it good foamability and also containing one or more foamability-increasing surfactants that are neither fluorocarbons nor silicones, to bring the foamability of the liquid up to the level needed for a fire-fighting foam, the improvement according to which the liquid also contains in a concentration of from about one-sixth to about equal that of the fluorocarbon surfactant, of a surfactant having at least about 15 consecutive ethylene oxide units per mol and also having a hydrophobic chain of at least 14 carbons, to improve the fire-fighting effectiveness when the liquid is prepared with sea water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 6 in which the consecutive ethylene oxide units are from about 20 to 25 per mol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-05-18 | 1979-11-17 | 1980-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-05-18 | 1983-11-17 | 1984-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-05-18 | 1987-11-17 | 1988-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |