LEADER recently announced the Flowmatic nozzle, which is offered with a body in Fibertech® composite.
The Research and Development team at LEADER has studied firefighters' nozzle use and the current constraints around fire hoses and nozzles. LEADER now offers a broad range of nozzles to answer the many operational challenges they have identified.
LEADER has developed four different families of fire hose nozzle.
- Selectable variable flow nozzles
- Automatic nozzles
- Automatic nozzles with low-pressure mode
- High-pressure automatic nozzles
Flowmatic Automatic Nozzles
Informed by their frequent exchanges with the firefighting profession, the manufacturer first of all wanted to offer a nozzle with an aluminium body. This choice aims clearly to reassure buyers who appreciate the advantages of this well-known material.
For others who are looking for this same kind of technical specification but are not wedded to the same material, the R&D team at the French manufacturer has now also developed a fire hose nozzle with a body formed from a composite material--the only one of its kind currently on the market. This glass fiber-based composite is an extremely resistant material whose properties are similar to those of aluminium.
When made in this composite, the body of the fire hose nozzle gives an impressive combination of lightness and resilience. It is lighter than brass and aluminium and at the same time shows stronger resistance to the corrosion which is often encountered during firefighting, as a result of extended periods in a saline environment or in use with foam concentrates.
A wide bumper and two notches allow the user to identify and select, even with their eyes closed, the different streams: the jet for attack or the spray for protection. Over to the right, the jet is straight, while the purger is activated when you turn the head all the way to the left.
The composite also shows high thermal resistance--there is no deformation of the mass at high temperatures-- unlike aluminium. Likewise thermal insulation as the insulated fiber in cold conditions naturally insulates the user from the cold.
Whether in aluminium or composite Fibertech®, the easy-to-grip, flow-control handle is ergonomically designed to offer a very natural ‘fit’ for the hand. It is also wide enough to be held even when wearing very large firefighters’ gloves and it is easy to switch between the five different flow settings. It really is very simple to handle even under high pressure and therefore minimises user fatigue and allows for rapid and easy opening and closing, so you can master the pulsing technique. The stainless steel ball valve allows for very controlled, precise management of both the flow and also the movements of the jet stream.
Spray teeth make for a fog of very fine droplets for a protective spray. These teeth are difficult to break, as they are protected by a bumper made of polyurethane, resistant to high temperatures or to hydrocarbons and other aggressive chemicals.
The Flowmatic is both a design success and a technical success, with a nozzle remodelled and adapted to the realities of use today. Easy to handle and well-balanced, the Flowmatic, be it in aluminium or in the new Fibertech® composite, works in harmony with the firefighter to enable him to react with ease. The nozzle offers an excellent quality of stream while at the same time allowing the firefighter
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