Patent GB-459952-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to electric wiring and fire extinguishing installationsfor ships, buildings and the like
IPC: A62C3/10
Filed: 1935-07-13
Abstract: 459,952. Fire-extinguishing; distributing gases and electricity. ALLAN, J. E., 43, Waterpark Road, Prenton, Birkenhead. July 13, 1935, Nos. 20063, 28377, and 34577. [Class 47 (ii)] [See also Groups X, XXXV, and XXXVI] A combined installation for distributing electricity and fire-extinguishing, air-conditioning, or other fluids, and/or for vacuum extraction, comprises tubular conductors, preferably of copper, the walls of which are used for carrying electricity and the bore for conveying the fluid. The conductors are connected to sources of electricity, of extinguishing or other fluid, and/or of suction, and at their terminals are fitted with currentconsmning devices, such as lamps or power points, and fluid-utilizing devices, such as automatic sprinkler heads. The sprinkler conduits may be charged normally with gas or with water and may be insulated from the source of water under pressure. If charged with gas, escape of the gas when a sprinkler head opens automatically cuts off the supply of electricity and opens a main water-control valve. The electric distribution may be on the one-, two-, or three-wire system, one or more of the wires being provided as conduits, and others as ordinary insulated cable. The current-consuming devices are connected to the conductor conduits by insulated leads, and sprinkler heads, &c. preferably are insulated from the conduits. As shown in Fig. 1, busbars Bp, Bn, are connected to a generator G, the bus-bar Bn being connected to conductor conduits Ca, Cb which are connected respectively to a source F of water under pressure and a fan or the like V. The conduits Ca, Cb are connected to branch conductor conduits C<1> - - C<3> by distribution boxes D<1>, the conduit Ca being fitted with sprinklers S and branch sprinkler pipes 6, 7, and the conduit Cb with cocks Q for the distribution of conditioned air or for connection to vacuum cleaning devices. The positive bus-bar Bp is connected to insulated cables A connected through fuse boxes D to sub-cables a<1>-a<3>. Current consuming devices, such as lamps E, are connected across the cables A and conduits Ca or Cb. The conductor conduits and the sprinkler connections include lengths of insulating tubing 0, 6<1>. The extinguishing fluid supplied by F may be a gas, such as carbon dioxide. If it is water, the stop valve F<1> preferably is constructed of insulating material. The conductor conduits are supported on insulators, and may be bare, or be covered with insulation where desirable. In other arrangements, the sprinkler conduits normally are charged with air under pressure. In one such arrangement, Fig. 2, not shown, the sprinkler conduit is separated from the source of water by a frangible, insulating diaphragm, which is burst by the water pressure when the air is vented by the opening of a sprinkler. The sprinkler conduit is connected to the negative bus-bar, which is not earthed, by a circuit breaker which opens automatically when a sprinkler opens. The air conduit Cb is connected to the positive bus-bar. As shown in Fig. 3, the sprinkler conduit Cb is the neutral wire of a three wire system comprising positive and negative bus-bars Bp, Bn. The water supply F is connected to the conduit Cb by a normally open valve F<3> the stem of which closes a switch f<6>. An enlargement of the conduit Cb houses a piston H<3> normally held outwardly by the pressure in Cb so that its stem closes a switch h<7>. These switches are in circuit with coils t<1> controlling circuit breakers T<2>, . T<3> by which the bus-bars Bp, Bn are connected to the generator G. The circuit includes a press-switch t<2> and economy coil t<4>. If the stop valve F<3> is inadvertently closed, or the opening of a sprinkler relieves the pressure in Cb, the switch f<6> or h<7> opens, de-energizing the coils t<1> and opening the circuit-breakers T<2>, T<3>..When the plunger H<3> has moved to open the switch h<7>, it is locked by a catch h<9>. Current-consuming devices E are connected between the conduits Cb and either of cables A<4>, A<5> connected to the bus-bars Bp, Bn. In another arrangement, Fig. 4, not shown, the sprinkler conduit includes an automatic water-control valve, and normally is charged with air under pressure. When the air pressure is relieved by the opening of a sprinkler, a plunger moves to open the circuit-breaker coils and also the circuit of a solenoid, the armature of which then moves to allow springs to open the watercontrol valve. At the same time, the circuit of an alarm signal, such as a lamp is closed. In modifications of this arrangement, the water-control valve is opened mechanically by linkage from the plunger, or is replaced by a frangible diaphragm. The water tank F may be connected to fire pumps for maintaining pressure therein. The conductor conduits are mounted on any suitable support, such as a wall, girder of a ship, &c., by means of pairs of insulators with semicircular recesses. Electric connections are made by clamping rings and insulated leads, and sprinklers or fluid cocks are connected by T-pieces and insulating sections of piping. Fig. 10 shows an insulating conduit section 70 formed of glass, &c., having moulded on its ends union pieces 71 for connection to the conductor conduit sections c<10>. A joint is made by solder introduced in apertures 72. The insulating sections may consist merely of hose pipe secured by clamps. Where the extension conduit is of smaller current-carrying capacity than the main conduit, a fuse, with or without a circuit breaker, is arranged across the insulating section. Where a conductor conduit c<8> has to pass through a deck or the like R, Fig. 9, it is encased in an insulating sleeve 64, and cup-shaped fittings 66 with packing rings 68 are bolted to the deck about the conduit, and filled with insulation r<2>.