Water bucket system
A water bucket system having a water bucket is provided. The water bucket system comprises computer controlled loading of the water bucket from a water source, partial drop control means for controlling the drop of water from the water bucket onto a desired location, and variable flow rate control means for varying the flow of water from the water bucket. A water bucket for carrying water is also provided. The water bucket comprises a main support cable, a spreader plate secured to the main support cable, a plurality of secondary support cables secured to the spreader plate, a plurality of equally spaced webbing straps secured to the secondary support cables, a fabric envelope secured to the webbing straps, and a compression hoop secured to the webbing straps and the fabric envelope, and a valve secured to the fabric envelope.
1. A water bucket system having a water bucket, the water bucket system comprising:
a main support cable;
a spreader plate secured to the main support cable;
a plurality of secondary support cables secured to the spreader plate;
a plurality of equally spaced webbing straps secured to the secondary support cables;
a fabric envelope secured to the webbing straps;
a compression hoop secured to the webbing straps and the fabric envelope;
a valve secured to the fabric envelope;
loading means for loading of the water bucket from a water source;
measuring means for measuring the water load;
partial drop control means for controlling the drop of water from the water bucket onto a desired location; and
variable flow rate control means for varying the flow of water from the water bucket.
2. The water bucket system of claim 1 wherein the measuring means are selected from the group consisting of a cargo hook load cell for measuring weight and an electric sensor for measuring weight.
3. The water bucket of claim 1 wherein the envelope is preferably constructed from fabric-reinforced thermoplastic.
4. The water bucket of claim 1 wherein the envelope is sealed to the valve using an O-ring and a clamping hoop.
5. The water bucket of claim 1 wherein the envelope includes a series of hoops providing support and improving aerodynamics in flight.
6. The water bucket of claim 1 wherein the compression hoop is filled with a weighted material to assist in sinking and filling.
7. The water bucket of claim 1 wherein the valve includes further comprises:
a valve base;
a valve cover attached to the valve base through a support brace;
an inner cylinder slidably mounted within the valve cover; and
an actuating motor mounted to the valve cover for moving the inner cylinder within the valve cover.
8. The water bucket of claim 7 wherein the support brace has a vertical adjustment mechanism and a horizontal adjustment mechanism.
9. The water bucket of claim 7 wherein the actuating motor is a right angle reversible gear motor providing rotary motion translating into linear motion through an actuator arm and adjustable linkage push/pull rod.
10. The water bucket of claim 7 wherein the inner cylinder moves inside the valve cover on slide rods opening and closing a pathway for contents to drain.
11. The water bucket of claim 7 and further comprising:
a push/pull rod attached to the inner cylinder with a cantilever spring attached to two support beams.
12. The water bucket of claim 7 and further comprising:
a first seal between the inner cylinder and valve base; and
a second seal between the inner cylinder and valve cover.
13. The water bucket of claim 7 and further comprising:
a vent tube for venting mounted inside of the valve to outside the valve.
14. The water bucket of claim 7 wherein the actuating motor is sealed in a watertight enclosure.
15. The water bucket of claim 7 wherein control of the actuating motor is achieved using two limit switches, a switch cam, and dynamic braking or mechanical braking.
16. The water bucket of claim 7 wherein the inner cylinder can be opened to any position from closed to full open using a timed power input.
17. The water bucket of claim 7 and further comprising:
a system for controlling the dropping of water from a water bucket, the system comprising:
a junction box having a programmable logic controller;
a momentary DPDT (double pole double throw) drop switch with center off;
a plurality of pilot interface switches; and
load cell indicator with filters, dampening, display and output characteristics;
wherein automated functions are activated using the drop switch in the forward position and manual operations are activated using the drop switch in the aft position.
18. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein in manual mode, the valve is actuated using the aft and center off position of the drop switch such that when the drop switch is moved to the aft position, the valve will open and stay open as long as the drop switch is held and such that when the drop switch is released, the valve will close.
19. The water bucket of claim 18 wherein if the drop switch is held and released in the aft position before the valve hits the upper limit switch, the valve will immediately reverse direction and close.
20. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein a portion of the pilot interface switches select the weight of water to be lifted.
21. The water bucket of claim 20 wherein when the drop switch is forward with the measured weight indicating an empty bucket, the valve opens and remains open as long as the drop switch is held forward.
22. The water bucket of claim 21 wherein releasing the drop switch to center off closes the valve and arms the auto load mode.
23. The water bucket of claim 22 wherein when auto load is armed, the programmable logic controller compares the selected weight to the measured weight such that when the measured weight is 75% of the selected weight, auto load becomes active and a timer begins.
24. The water bucket of claim 23 wherein in active mode, the programmable logic controller opens and closes the valve if the measured weight exceeds the selected weight.
25. The water bucket of claim 24 wherein active mode is active as long as the timer is still running and when the timer expires, auto load is complete and terminates extinguishing the auto load lamp.
26. The water bucket of claim 25 wherein the auto load function is deactivated by moving the drop switch to the aft position.
27. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein at least one of the pilot interface switches selects how the load will be split.
28. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein one of the pilot interface switches selects the flow rate for the drop.
29. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein the drop switch in the forward position with the measured weight indicating a loaded bucket opens the valve and activates auto drop.
30. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein the programmable logic controller determines the appropriate time to open the valve based on the selected weight, selected split value, and selected flow rate.
31. The water bucket of claim 17 wherein the valve is opened sufficient time to ensure all the water in the water bucket is expelled.
32. The water bucket of claim 1 wherein the measuring means for measuring the water load measures the weight of the water load.
33. A water bucket for carrying water, the water bucket comprising:
a main support cable;
a spreader plate secured to the main support cable;
a plurality of secondary support cables secured to the spreader plate;
a plurality of equally spaced webbing straps secured to the secondary support cables;
a fabric envelope secured to the webbing straps;
a compression hoop secured to the webbing straps and the fabric envelope; and
a valve secured to the fabric envelope.
34. The water bucket of claim 33 wherein the valve includes further comprises:
a valve base;
a valve cover attached to the valve base through a support brace;
an inner cylinder slidably mounted within the valve cover; and
an actuating motor mounted to the valve cover for moving the inner cylinder within the valve cover.
35. A method for loading and dropping water from a water bucket, the method comprising:
providing a water bucket comprising:
a main support cable;
a spreader plate secured to the main support cable;
a plurality of secondary support cables secured to the spreader plate;
a plurality of equally spaced webbing straps secured to the secondary support cables;
a fabric envelope secured to the webbing straps;
a compression hoop secured to the webbing straps and the fabric envelope; and
a valve secured to the fabric envelope;
loading water into the water bucket from a water source;
measuring the water load;
controlling the drop of water from the water bucket onto a desired location; and
varying the flow of water from the water bucket.
36. The method of claim 35 and further comprising:
providing an electrically actuated mechanical bucket valve.
37. The method of claim 35 and further comprising:
providing a momentary DPDT (double pole double throw) drop switch with center off.
38. The method of claim 35 and further comprising:
measuring the weight of the water.