US4907444A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fire fighting foam analyzer and method therefor
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-11-25
•
Granted: 1990-03-13
•
Expires: 2008-11-25
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for classifying fire fighting foam is disclosed. Fire fighting foam analyzer 10 uses a large capacity container 11 having a viewing window 12 disposed in a substantially vertical wall 13. The viewing window 12 has thereon a volume scale 14 containing volume graduations and a ratio scale 15. To classify a foam by a foam type, fire fighting foam analyzer 10 is filled with an initial volume of foam, the initial volume is recorded, solution is allowed to separate from the foam for a given period of time, a final solution volume is recorded, the ratio of initial foam volume to final solution volume is determined and the ratio is correlated to a particular foam type by reading the ratio scale 15.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin J. Marx
- 👤 Mark A. Harper
- 👤 Todd D. Halter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:25
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N13/00; G01N13/02; G01N2013/0241; G01N2013/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A fire fighting foam analyzer which comprises: a multi-gallon capacity container of known volume having at least one vertical wall, for receiving fire fighting foam and determining initial foam to final solution ratios; and a transparent window disposed in said wall having a first visual indicia means thereon defining volume graduations for indicating the volumes of the initial foam and final solution within said multi-gallon capacity container at any particular level and further having a ratio to foam type correlating indicia thereon for correlating an initial foam to final solution ratio to a particular fire fighting foam type.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
A fire fighting foam analyzer which comprises: a multi-gallon capacity container of known volume having at least one vertical wall, for receiving fire fighting foam and determining initial foam to final solution ratios; and a transparent window disposed in said wall having a first visual indicia means thereon defining volume graduations for indicating the volumes of the initial foam and final solution within said multi-gallon capacity container at any particular level and further having a ratio to foam type correlating indicia thereon for correlating an initial foam to final solution ratio to a particular fire fighting foam type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method of classifying fire fighting foam by type using the analyzer of claim 1, comprising the steps of: 1. filling said fire fighting foam analyzer with fire fighting foam; 2. reading first said visual indicia means to obtain an intial foam volume; 3. allowing solution to separate from the foam for a specified period of time; 4. reading said first visual indicia means to obtain a final solution volume; 5. defining a foam to solution ratio which is equal to the initial foam volume divided by the final solution volume; and
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
classifying the foam type using said ratio to foam type correlating indicia to correlate the foam to solution ratio to a specific foam type.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
classifying the foam type using said ratio to foam type correlating indicia to correlate the foam to solution ratio to a specific foam type.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of classifying fire fighting foam by type using a multi-gallon capacity container of known volume having at least one generally vertical wall, for receiving fire fighting foam and determining initial foam to final solution ratios and a transparent window disposed in the wall having a first visual indicia means thereon defining volume graduations for indicating the volumes of the initial foam and final solution within said multi-gallon capacity container at any particular level, comprising the steps of: 1. filling said fire fighting foam analyzer with fire fighting foam; 2. reading said first visual indicia means to obtain an initial foam volume; 3. allowing solution to separate from the foam for a specified period of time; 4. reading said first visual indicia means to obtain a final solution volume; 5. defining a foam to solution ratio which is equal to the initial foam volume divided by the final solution volume; and 6. classifying the foam type by correlating the foam to solution ratio to a corresponding foam type.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of classifying fire fighting foam by type using a multi-gallon capacity container of known volume having at least one generally vertical wall, for receiving fire fighting foam and determining initial foam to final solution ratios and a transparent window disposed in the wall having a first visual indicia means thereon defining volume graduations for indicating the volumes of the initial foam and final solution within said multi-gallon capacity container at any particular level, comprising the steps of: 1. filling said fire fighting foam analyzer with fire fighting foam; 2. reading said first visual indicia means to obtain an initial foam volume; 3. allowing solution to separate from the foam for a specified period of time; 4. reading said first visual indicia means to obtain a final solution volume; 5. defining a foam to solution ratio which is equal to the initial foam volume divided by the final solution volume; and 6. classifying the foam type by correlating the foam to solution ratio to a corresponding foam type.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for classifying fire fighting foam by type, comprising the steps of: 1. filling a container with a known volume of fire fighting foam; 2. allowing solution to separate from the foam for thirty minutes; 3. measuring the volume of the separated solution; 4. determining the ratio of foam to separated solution; and 5. identifying the foam type which corresponds to the determined ratio using the following chart: ______________________________________
FOAM RATIO
TYPE RANGE
______________________________________
1 23.5 and up
2 16.5 to 23.5
3 12 to 16.5
4 9.3 to 12
5 9.3 and below
______________________________________
Claim 9
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for classifying fire fighting foam by type, comprising the steps of: 1. filling a container with a known volume of fire fighting foam; 2. allowing solution to separate from the foam for thirty minutes; 3. measuring the volume of the separated solution; 4. determining the ratio of foam to separated solution; and 5. identifying the foam type which corresponds to the determined ratio using the following chart: ______________________________________
FOAM RATIO
TYPE RANGE
______________________________________
1 23.5 and up
2 16.5 to 23.5
3 12 to 16.5
4 9.3 to 12
5 9.3 and below
______________________________________
Claim 10
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for classifying fire fighting foam by type, comprising the steps of: 1. filling a container with a known volume of fire fighting foam; 2. allowing solution to separate from the foam for sixty minutes; 3. measuring the volume of the separated solution; 4. determining the ratio of foam to separated solution; and 5. identifying the foam type which corresponds to the determined ratio using the following chart: ______________________________________
FOAM RATIO
TYPE RANGE
______________________________________
1 22 and up
2 14.6 to 22
3 11 to 14.6
4 8.8 to 11
5 8.8 and below
______________________________________
Claim 11
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for classifying fire fighting foam by type, comprising the steps of: 1. filling a container with a known volume of fire fighting foam; 2. allowing solution to separate from the foam for sixty minutes; 3. measuring the volume of the separated solution; 4. determining the ratio of foam to separated solution; and 5. identifying the foam type which corresponds to the determined ratio using the following chart: ______________________________________
FOAM RATIO
TYPE RANGE
______________________________________
1 22 and up
2 14.6 to 22
3 11 to 14.6
4 8.8 to 11
5 8.8 and below
______________________________________
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2380679A
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SU127138A1
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US3555885A
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SU650636A1
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US4084426A
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GB2158574A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-12 | 1993-09-11 | 1994-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-12 | 1997-09-11 | 1998-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-12 | 2001-09-11 | 2002-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |