A system and method remotely mechanically controls the direction of fluid flow from a firefighting monitor. For example, a control handle mounted in the cabin of a vehicle can be operably mechanically coupled to a pivotable firefighting monitor mounted outside the vehicle (e.g., near the front) by a
A system and method remotely mechanically controls the direction of fluid flow from a firefighting monitor. For example, a control handle mounted in the cabin of a vehicle can be operably mechanically coupled to a pivotable firefighting monitor mounted outside the vehicle (e.g., near the front) by an arrangement of cables. The handle and cables are arranged such that horizontal pivoting of the handle results in a corresponding horizontal pivot of the firefighting monitor, and vertical pivoting of the handle results in a corresponding vertical pivot of the firefighting monitor. The direct mechanical link between the handle and firefighting monitor ensures a rapid and reliable control over the monitor direction and orientation, while providing an intuitive and user friendly operational modality.
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1. A system for remotely directing a flow of firefighting fluid, the system comprising: a firefighting monitor having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet arranged to point in a first direction, the fluid outlet pivotable away from the first direction along a side-to-side monitor sweep and an up-and-dow
1. A system for remotely directing a flow of firefighting fluid, the system comprising: a firefighting monitor having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet arranged to point in a first direction, the fluid outlet pivotable away from the first direction along a side-to-side monitor sweep and an up-and-down monitor sweep;a control mechanism spaced from said firefighting monitor, said control mechanism including a handle positionable to point in the first direction and pivotable away from the first direction along a side-to-side control sweep and an up-and-down control sweep; andan arrangement of cables mechanically connected to said firefighting monitor and said control mechanism each of the cables including a cable housing disposed over a cable core, the cable core fixed to the firefighting monitor and the control mechanism and longitudinally moveable with respect to the cable housing, such that left and right movement of said handle along said side-to-side control sweep causes corresponding left and right movement of said firefighting monitor along said side-to-side monitor sweep, respectively, via said arrangement of cables, and such that upward and downward movement of said handle along said up-and-down control sweep causes corresponding upward and downward movement of said firefighting monitor along said up-and-down monitor sweep, respectively, via said arrangement of cables,said handle facilitates remote manual positioning and control of said monitor by a corresponding positioning and control of said handle with respect to the first direction. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of cables are of sufficient length to place the firefighting monitor at least six feet away from said control mechanism. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said control mechanism comprises a proximal control mechanism, and said firefighting monitor is part of a distal control mechanism mechanically connected to said arrangement of cables, said proximal control mechanism comprising a turntable rotatable about a proximal vertical axis, said arrangement of cables comprising a pair of side-to-side cables fixed to respective opposing radial sides of said turntable,said distal control mechanism comprising a first pivot coupling including a first rotatable component rotatable about a distal vertical axis, said side-to-side pair of cables fixed to respective opposing radial sides of said first rotatable component,such that left-hand rotation of said turntable creates tension in one of said side-to-side pair of cables which in turn causes rotation of said first rotatable component along a left-hand direction, and right-hand rotation of said turntable creates tension in the other of said side-to-side pair of cables which in turn causes rotation of said first rotatable component along a right-hand direction. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein said proximal control mechanism and said distal control mechanism each include a pair of pulleys and a pair of cable mounting assemblies, said pulleys arranged to route said side-to-side cables toward said cable mounting assemblies. 5. The system of claim 3, wherein: said proximal control mechanism further comprises a barrel rotatable about a proximal horizontal axis, said arrangement of cables comprising an up-and-down pair of cables fixed to respective opposing radial sides of said barrel,said distal control mechanism comprising a second pivot coupling including a second rotatable component rotatable about a distal horizontal axis, said up-and-down pair of cables fixed to respective opposing radial sides of said second rotatable component,such that upward rotation of said barrel creates tension in one of said up-and-down pair of cables which in turn causes rotation of said second rotatable component along an up direction, and downward rotation of said barrel creates tension in the other of said up-and-down pair of cables which in turn causes rotation of said second rotatable component along a down direction. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein said barrel is affixed to said handle, said upward rotation of said barrel effected by upward movement of said handle and downward rotation of said barrel effected by downward movement of said handle. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said handle includes a trigger operable to selectively permit or prevent the flow of firefighting fluid from said firefighting monitor. 8. The system of claim 5, wherein said proximal control mechanism and said distal control mechanism each include a pair of pulleys and a pair of cable mounting assemblies, said pulleys arranged to route said up-and-down pair of cables toward said cable mounting assemblies. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein said pulleys are arranged to route said up-and-down pair of cables along respective vertical pathways that are equally spaced from the vertical axis. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said pair of up-and-down cables are substantially symmetrically arranged with respect to the vertical axis. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein said pair of up-and-down cables are sufficiently close to the vertical axis to maintain a low level of tensioning of said pair of up-and-down cables during the side-to-side control sweep, the low level of tensioning below a range of elasticity of a steel cable core whereby the side-to-side control sweep causes no up or down movement of said monitor. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein said pair of up-and-down cables are each within less than one inch from the vertical axis. 13. The system of claim 5, wherein said barrel is rotatably attached to said turntable by a support extending upwardly from said turntable, such that said barrel is carried by said turntable and rotates about the proximal vertical axis when said turntable is rotated. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said barrel defines a pivot point of rotation disposed proximate the proximal vertical axis. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the pivot point of rotation is disposed on the proximal vertical axis. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein said cable core is exposed at proximal and distal ends of said plurality of cable assemblies for connection to said firefighting monitor and said control mechanism, said cable housing extending along a cable span between said firefighting monitor and said control mechanism. 17. A control mechanism for directing a flow of firefighting fluid, the mechanism comprising: a base structure;a turntable rotatably mounted to said base structure about a vertical axis, said turntable having a pair of side-to-side adjustment cables each including a cable housing disposed over a cable core longitudinally moveable with respect to the cable housing, said cable cores affixed to opposing sides of a radial wall of said turntable, such that rotation of said turntable selectively tensions one of said cable cores of said pair of side-to-side adjustment cables;a barrel rotatably mounted to said turntable by a support extending upwardly from said turntable, such that said barrel is carried by said turntable and rotates about the vertical axis when said turntable is rotated, said barrel rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a pair of up-and-down adjustment cables each including a cable housing disposed over a cable core longitudinally moveable with respect to the cable housing, said cable cores affixed to opposing sides of a radial wall of said barrel, such that rotation of said barrel selectively tensions one of said cable cores of said pair of up-and-down adjustment cables, said up-and-down adjustment cables arranged substantially symmetrically about the vertical axis; anda handle affixed to said barrel, such that said handle is moveable along a side-to-side direction to rotate said turntable, and said handle is moveable along an up-and-down direction to rotate said barrel. 18. The control mechanism of claim 17, further comprising a pair of turntable pulleys mounted to said base structure and disposed distal of said turntable, each of said pair of side-to-side adjustment cables engaged with one of said turntable pulleys. 19. The control mechanism of claim 17, further comprising a pair of barrel pulleys mounted to said turntable and disposed between said barrel and said turntable, each of said pair of up-and-down adjustment cables engaged with one of said barrel pulleys. 20. The control mechanism of claim 17, wherein: said cable cores of said pair of side-to-side adjustment cables and said pair of up-and-down adjustment cables are connected to a remotely located firefighting monitor, andsaid selective tensioning of said cable cores of said side-to-side adjustment cables and said cable cores of said pair of up-and-down adjustment cables is operable to position the remotely located firefighting monitor in an orientation corresponding with the orientation of the handle. 21. The control mechanism of claim 20, wherein said handle includes a trigger operable to selectively permit or prevent the flow of firefighting fluid from said firefighting monitor. 22. The control mechanism of claim 17, wherein said up-and-down adjustment cables are arranged substantially parallel to said vertical axis. 23. The control mechanism of claim 22, wherein said up-and-down adjustment cables are each spaced from said vertical axis by less than one inch. 24. A method of manually adjusting the position and orientation of a firefighting monitor from a remote operator station, the monitor defining a centered monitor orientation, the method comprising: moving a handle of a proximal control mechanism away from a centered handle orientation corresponding to the centered monitor orientation, said step of moving comprising sweeping the handle in one of a left handle direction, a right handle direction, an up handle direction and a down handle direction; andtensioning one of a plurality of cables by said step of moving the handle, said plurality of cables each including a cable housing disposed over a cable core longitudinally moveable with respect to the cable housing, said plurality of cables extending from the remote operator station to the firefighting monitor such that the tension imparted to one of said cable cores longitudinally moves the cable core within the cable housing to move the firefighting monitor away from the centered monitor orientation in one of: i) a left monitor direction where said handle is moved in the left handle direction; ii) a right monitor direction where said handle is moved in the right handle direction; iii) an up monitor direction where said handle is moved in the up handle direction; and iv) a down monitor direction where said handle is moved in the down handle direction. 25. The method of claim 21, wherein: said step of tensioning comprises tensioning the cable core of an up-adjustment cable when said handle is moved in the up handle direction, said up-adjustment cable moving the firefighting monitor along the up monitor direction;said step of tensioning comprises tensioning the cable core of a down-adjustment cable when said handle is moved in the down handle direction, said down-adjustment cable moving the firefighting monitor along the down monitor direction;said step of tensioning comprises tensioning the cable core of a left-adjustment cable when said handle is moved in the left handle direction, said left-adjustment cable moving the firefighting monitor along the left monitor direction; andsaid step of tensioning comprises tensioning the cable core of a right-adjustment cable when said handle is moved in the right handle direction, said right-adjustment cable moving the firefighting monitor along the right monitor direction. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising activating a trigger on the handle to selectively permit or prevent a flow of firefighting fluid from the firefighting monitor. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein said steps of moving the handle in the left handle direction and the right handle direction comprise rotating a turntable to which the handle is mounted about a vertical axis. 28. The method of claim 25, wherein said steps of moving the handle in the up handle direction and the down handle direction comprise rotating a barrel to which the handle is affixed about a horizontal axis. 29. The method of claim 25, wherein said steps of moving the handle in the left handle direction and the right handle direction comprises moving the handle through an angular sweep, the angular sweep smaller than a resulting, corresponding angular sweep of the firefighting monitor. 30. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of moving the handle of the proximal control mechanism comprises moving the handle in one of the left handle direction and the right handle direction, while simultaneously moving the handle in one of the up handle direction and the down handle direction. 31. The control mechanism of claim 17, wherein the horizontal axis of the barrel intersects the vertical axis of the turntable.
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