Richard Timothy Henry

US Patent:

46032550, Jul 29, 1986

Filed:

Mar 20, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/591623

Inventors:

Richard V. Henry - Flintridge CA
David N. Ball - Buckingham, GB2
Robert L. Farquhar - Berkshire, GB2
Vincent M. Rowe - Santa Ana CA
Peter L. Hutchins - Santa Ana CA

Assignee:

HTL Industries, Inc. - Arcadia CA

International Classification:

G01J 100

US Classification:

250339

Abstract:

A fire or explosion detection system is disclosed for reliably discriminating between a hydrocarbon fire in an armored vehicle and other sources of radiant energy including explosion of an armor-piercing ammunition round without an accompanying hydrocarbon fire. Radiation detectors sensitive to radiation at 4. 4 microns and 0. 9 microns, respectively, each produce logic outputs if the viewed radiation intensity exceeds a predetermined relatively low threshold and, in the case of the 4. 4 micron detector, is rising at least a predetermined rate or, in the case of the 0. 9 micron detector, is not falling at more than a predetermined rate. The logic outputs are fed to a coincidence gate which produces a fire- or explosion-indicating output only if all of the outputs are received concurrently for at least a predetermined period of time. A third radiation detector, in combination with the 0. 9 micron detector, measures the color temperature of the radiation source being monitored, and inhibits the coincidence gate if the color temperature exceeds a predetermined value.