| CPC A62C 3/0242 (2013.01) [A62C 5/022 (2013.01); B64D 1/18 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
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1. A fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from a helicopter, comprising:
a water tank for housing water, the water tank configured for attachment to the helicopter;
a foam tank for housing a foam, the foam tank positioned inside the water tank, wherein the water tank is configured to receive the foam from the foam tank that when mixed with the water in the water tank forms a liquid fire retardant in the water tank;
a liquid fire retardant pump configured to pump the liquid fire retardant comprising the foam and the water, the liquid fire retardant pump driven by a first electric motor, the liquid fire retardant pump including a pump inlet and an air induction valve positioned at the pump inlet, the air induction valve including an electrically variable valve opening, wherein air and the liquid fire retardant are drawn together into the pump inlet and pressurized by the liquid fire retardant pump to form a pressurized water/foam/air fire retardant solution; and
a liquid primer pump driven by a second electric motor, the liquid primer pump configured to prime the pump inlet with the liquid fire retardant from the water tank;
wherein the liquid fire retardant pump and the liquid primer pump are supported by a base and the base is supported by a pair of brackets cantileverly extending from a repositionable vertical mount plate that is configured to attach to a side of a fuselage of the helicopter, and
wherein a pair of adjustable-length connecting members including a clevis on each opposing end of the connecting members are configured to attach the vertical mount plate to a pair of structural hardpoints of the helicopter,
wherein a primer pump discharge conduit connects a primer pump discharge outlet with a suction conduit positioned upstream of the pump inlet of the liquid fire retardant pump to fill the suction conduit with the liquid fire retardant from the water tank before the first electric motor is commanded to rotate,
including a purge manifold configured to function in combination with the liquid primer pump to evacuate air from the suction conduit, and
wherein the purge manifold includes a manifold positioned on top of the liquid fire retardant pump, a water sensor positioned on the manifold for confirming the presence of liquid fire retardant at the manifold after the suction conduit and the liquid fire retardant pump have substantially filled with fire retardant, and a solenoid valve positioned on the manifold and configured to be commanded in an open position to allow air from the suction conduit to vent to the atmosphere when the liquid fire retardant fills the suction conduit.
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