NON-CONDUCTIVE ANODIZED GROUND AND AERIAL LADDERS FOR THE FIRE SERVICE

Abstract

The non-conductive anodized aluminum ground ladder and the non-conductive anodized aluminum aerial ladder for the fire service uses non-conductive anodic oxide layer coatings in the manufacture of aluminum ground and aerial ladders to provide passive protection to all affected firefighters and civilians they may be rescuing in the event of inadvertent contact with high voltage power lines and/or other high voltage electrical conductors.

Claims

1. A firefighting ladder comprising: a ladder that meets the NFPA 1931 Standard for Manufacturer's Design of Fire Department Ground Ladders; a coating on portions of the ladder, wherein the coating is non-conductive.

2. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the ladder comprises rails and rungs.

3. The firefighting ladder of claim 2, wherein the coating is a non-conductive anodic oxide layer that covers the rails and rungs.

4. The firefighting ladder of claim 3, wherein the non-conductive anodic oxide layer is selected from a group consisting of electrochemical treatments including electrochemical brightening, electropolishing, anodizing the metal, clear, color, integral color anodizing, electrolytically colored anodizing, dyed anodizing, combination color anodizing, interference color anodizing, bright anodizing, protective anodizing, decorative anodizing, architectural anodizing, hard anodizing, sealing, and cold impregnation.

5. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a chemical treatment.

6. The firefighting ladder of claim 5, wherein the chemical treatment is selected from a group consisting of chemical treatments may include chemical brightening, chemical polishing, with surface preparations including degreasing, etching, and pickling.

7. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the coatings include application of a powder coating.

8. The firefighting ladder of claim 7, wherein the powder coating is cured.

9. The firefighting ladder of claim 7, wherein the powder coating is laminated with a plastic film.

10. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the coating is selected from a group consisting of: coil coating, backing coat, chemical conversion coating and coating with paints including priming, pretreatment priming, single or multiple coat systems, organic coating, film coating, and lacquering.

11. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the coating includes a thermal treatment.

12. The firefighting ladder of claim 11, wherein the thermal treatment is selected from a group consisting of: solution heat treatments, quenching, precipitation hardening, and age hardening.

13. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the ladder is a ground ladder.

14. The firefighting ladder of claim 1, wherein the ladder is an aerial ladder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] There are no figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The components of the anodized aluminum ground and aerial firefighting ladder include: an aluminum ladder having a non-conductive anodic oxide layer coating the surface of the aluminum rails and/or rungs. By anodizing the beams, the current flowing through the ladder to a person will decrease (to zero if fully insulating or to a safe low if resistive) with a corresponding decrease in the likelihood of current flowing through the heart and brain.

[0013] The non-conductive aluminum ground and aerial ladder may improve safety by providing protection against accidental electrocution by adding a non-conductive anodic oxide layer to the surface of the ladder. Creating non-conductive anodized aluminum can be accomplished using electrochemical treatments including electrochemical brightening, electropolishing, anodizing the metal, clear, color, integral color anodizing, electrolytically colored anodizing, dyed anodizing, combination color anodizing, interference color anodizing, bright anodizing, protective anodizing, decorative anodizing, architectural anodizing, hard anodizing, sealing, cold impregnation and/or significant surface coatings. Creating non-conductive aluminum using chemical treatments may include chemical brightening, chemical polishing, with surface preparations including degreasing, etching, pickling.

[0014] Coatings (organic) may include a coating material is applied on a metallic substrate. This process includes cleaning and chemical pre-treatment and either: one-side or two-side, single or multiple application of liquid or powder coating materials that are subsequently cured or laminating with plastic films. Creating non-conductive aluminum using other coating techniques may include coil coating, backing coat, chemical conversion coating and coating with paints including priming, pretreatment priming, single or multiple coat systems, organic coating, film coating, and/or lacquering. Thermal treatments including solution heat treatments, quenching, precipitation hardening, and age hardening may also be applied in the process.

[0015] The base metal aluminum may be free from surface defects, caused by machining, cutting, scratching, polishing, buffing, roughening, bending, stretching, deforming, rolling, sandblasting, vapor blasting, etching, heat treatment condition, alloy chemistry imbalance and inclusions, that will cause coated test panels or parts to fall any of the requirements of this specification.

[0016] The base metal may be subjected to cleaning, etching, anodizing and sealing procedures as necessary to yield coatings meeting all requirements of MIL-A-8625F.

[0017] The anodic layer (Type III) coatings may be the result of treating aluminum and aluminum alloys electrolytically to produce a uniform anodic coating on the metal surface.

[0018] Type III coatings may be prepared by any process operation to produce a heavy dense coating of specified thickness, weight, and abrasion resistance on aluminum alloys.

[0019] Coatings may be sealed to obtain the maximum degree of abrasion and wear resistance per the requirements of MIL-A-8625F.

[0020] Type III coatings may not be applied to aluminum alloys with a nominal copper content in excess of 5 percent or a nominal silicon content In excess of 8.0 percent.

[0021] Alloys with a nominal silicon content higher than 8.0 percent may be anodized subject to approval of the procuring activity.

[0022] Heat treatable alloys may be in a temper obtained by heat treatment, such as -T4, -T6, or T73, prior to anodizing.

[0023] Coating electrolytes may be aqueous solutions containing oxalic acid, boric acid plus ammonium borate and nitrides.

[0024] There coating process may use coating electrolytes, other than sulfuric acid, for coatings including aqueous solutions containing both sulfuric and oxalic acids for the bath. Other baths used less frequently and for special purposes employ sulfosalicylic, sulfamic or sulfophthalic acid solutions.

[0025] The coatings may be of separate classes:

[0026] Class 1. The anodic coating may not be dyed or pigmented. Any natural coloration resulting from anodic treatment with the various alloy compositions may not be considered coloration. The characteristic color imparted by the sealing process may also be considered as non-dyed.

[0027] Class 2. The anodic coating may be uniformly dyed or pigmented by exposure to a solution of a suitable type dye or stain. The color on wrought alloys may be uniform. Cast alloys may exhibit dye bleed-out or lack of color (or color uniformity) associated with the Inherent porosity of the casting. The dyes and pigments used may not be damaging to the anodic coatings.

[0028] While the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments above, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that various changes or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the claims.