Fluid dispensing ladder
A safety ladder for protecting a lineman or firefighter from a flash fire. The ladder has the appearance of a conventional ladder but include fluid conduits that allow for dispensing of a fire suppressants to be sprayed over an individual using the ladder should a fire erupt. The rungs of the ladder have spray nozzles located along the bottom of the rung so that they do not interfere with normal use of the ladder. A pressurized container of fire suppressants is coupled to the ladder, through a battery powered solenoid valve. The solenoid valve can be operated by the individual using the ladder by use of a triggering device, or remotely by an individual positioned apart from the ladder by a remote triggering device. The triggering device can be operated electrically or by radio frequency, can be temperature sensitive, or can be manually bypassed.
1. An improved safety ladder for use in servicing underground utilities, said safety ladder formed from a pair of elongated parallel placed rails constructed from a non-conductive material having an inner surface to receive a plurality of transverse rungs extending therebetween, said improvement comprising:
at least one fluid conduit extending along a length of at least one said rail;
spray nozzles secured to at least one said rung fluidly attached to said fluid conduit wherein said spray nozzles are arranged to provide overlapping spray patterns;
a container having an admixture comprising a predetermined amount of a fire suppressant or compositions thereof coupled to said fluid conduit, said admixture is non conductive and capable of suppressing an electrical fire;
at least one battery operated solenoid positioned in said fluid conduit between said container and said fluid conduit;
activation means for engaging said battery operated solenoid in the event of a fire to allow said admixture to pass through said solenoid for distribution through said fluid conduit and said spray nozzles; wherein said spray nozzles are directed to expel said admixture in the overlapping pattern over a worker standing on a rung or juxtapositioned to a rung in the event of a fire.
2. The safety ladder according to claim 1 wherein said activation means includes at least one remote trigger capable of opening said solenoid.
3. The safety ladder according to claim 2 wherein said remote trigger is electrical coupled to said solenoid.
4. The safety ladder according to claim 2 wherein said remote trigger is coupled to said solenoid by a wireless connection.
5. The safety ladder according to claim 1 wherein each said spray nozzle is positioned along a bottom surface of said rung when said struts are in a substantially vertical position.
6. The safety ladder according to claim 1 wherein an upper surface of each said rung includes a surface structure to inhibit slippage.
7. The safety ladder according to claim 1 including a temperature sensor secured to said ladder and electrically coupled to said solenoid, said temperature sensor automatically opening said solenoid when subjected to heat.
8. The safety ladder according to claim 1 including a temperature sensor secured to each said spray nozzle, said temperature sensor automatically releasing admixture to said nozzles when subjected to heat.