IM- PROVEMENTS IN EXTINOTEURS OR APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN EXTINOTEURS OR APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES."
A communication from abroad by Victor Herbaut, of Douai, Nord, Franco.
Sealed the 17th December 1878, and dated the 21st June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1878.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTINCTEURS OR APPARATUS
FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES." [A communication from abroad by Victor Herbaut, of
Douai, Nord, France.]
The improved extincteur or apparatus for extinguishing fires which forms the
subject of the present Invention, is made either of small dimensions so as to be
carried by the hand, or of large dimensions, and mounted on wheels, and it is
composed of the following parts.
There are two cylinders in which the gas is generated, and above these cylinders
is a funnel for supplying them with the water and the salt or alkali; a cock is
fitted between the funnel and each cylinder.
There is a cistern or trough for acid, below which are two reservoirs which
communicate with the generating cylinders; cocks are fitted between the cistern
and the reservoirs, and between the reservoirs and the cylinders; there are also air
cocks to the reservoirs.
The cylinders are provided with a pressure gauge and safety valves; there is an
exit pipe for the gas from each cylinder; the two exit pipes unite and are each
provided with a cock.
The action or working of the apparatus is as follows:-The two cylinders are
alternately supplied by their funnel with the water and salts or alkalies necessary
for producing the gas for extinguishing the fire, say, 1 pound of bicarbonate of soda

page_text: to 10 gallons of water; the cocks between the funnel and the cylinders are then
closed; the acid cistern is then supplied with sulphuric acid in the proportion of
1 pound of acid to 10 gallons of water.
The air-cocks before named are opened, then the cocks between the cistern and
the reservoirs below, so that the latter are supplied with the acid.
In order to admit the acid to the cylinders the air-cocks are closed, and also the
cocks between the cistern and the reservoirs, while the cocks between the latter
and the cylinders are opened; the acid then enters the cylinders and mixing with
the bicarbonate of soda a gas is produced, the pressure of which is indicated by the
gauge; the safety valves on the generators are regulated to a pressure of, say,
6 atmospheres, so as to prevent an explosion, in case the pressure gets too great.
By watching the gauge the production of the gas can be regulated to such
pressure as may seem suitable. Gas at the desired pressure having thus been
produced, the outlet cocks of the two cylinders are successively opened, the outlet
pipe having first been fitted with an india-rubber pipe carrying a proper nozzle;
the gas in the cylinders can thus be projected upon the fire.
One great advantage of this improved apparatus is, that the extinguishing gas or
mixture is made at the time and place where it is used.
•
Until a fire occurs, the apparatus is not submitted to any pressure, as it contains
in its respective reservoirs the water and salt or alkali, and the acid necessary for
producing the gas, and the acid is not admitted to the cylinders to produce the gas
until the moment it is required; the apparatus is therefore not liable to get
deteriorated, and the ingredients preserve their full efficacy.
Another advantage is that the jet of gas can be made continuous for an indefinitė
length of time through the coupling together of two cylinders; by this arrange.
ment one of the cylinders can be filled while the other is in action, and so on
alternately.
The cylinders may be arranged horizontally, vertically, or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
December 1878.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patont
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTINCTEURS OR APPARATUS
FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES." (A communication from abroad by Victor Herbaut, of
Douai, Nord, France.)
The improved extincteur or apparatus for extinguishing fires which forms the
subject of the present Invention, is made either of small dimensions so as to be
carried by the hand, or of large dimensions, and mounted on wheels, and it is
constructed as herein-after described.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings represents the apparatus as it is preferred to
construct it when of large size and mounted on wheels.
Figure 2 shews the apparatus made so that it can be carried by the person
using it.
Referring in the first place to Figure 1, there are two cylinders A. and A' in'
which the gas is generated, and above these cylinders is a funnel E for supplying
them with the water and the salt or alkali; a cock R and R' is fitted between tho
funnel and each cylinder.
There are cisterns or troughs B, B', for acid, below which are two reservoirs
B, B, which communicate with the generating cylinders A, A'; cocks 2, 2¹, are
fitted between the cisterns B, B¹, and the reservoirs B and B, and cocks 3, 3¹,
between the reservoirs and the cylinders A, A¹; there are also air-cocks 1, 1¹.
The cylinders A, A', are provided with a pressure gauge C and safety valves
S, S₁; the pipes leading from the cylinders to the gauge C are fitted with cocks
F, F. There is an exit pipe for the gas from each cylinder; the two exit pipes
unite as shewn, and are each provided with a cock R, R; D, D¹, are cocks for
regulating the level of the liquid in the cylinders; M is the handle of the apparatus,
or it may be fitted with shafts or a pole, so as to be drawn by one or more horses.
The action or working of the apparatus is as follows:-The two cylinders
A, A¹, are alternately supplied by their funnel E with the water, and the salts, or
alkalies necessary for producing the gas for extinguishing the fire, say 1 pound of
bicarbonate of soda to 10 gallons of water; the cocks R, R¹, between the funnel
and the cylinders are then closed; the acid cisterns B, B¹, are then supplied with
sulphuric acid, say in the proportion of 1 pound of acid to 10 gallons of water.
The air-cocks 1, 1', are opened, then the cocks 2, 21, between the cisterns B, B',
and the reservoirs B, B, so that the latter are supplied with the acid.
'
In order to admit the acid to the cylinders, the air-cocks 1, 1', are closed, and
also the cocks 2, 21, while the cocks 3, 3', are opened; the acid then enters the
cylinders, and mixing with the bicarbonate of soda a gas is produced, the pressure
of which is indicated by the gauge C; the safety valves S, S', are regulated to a
pressure of, say, 6 atmospheres, so as to prevent an explosion in case the pressure
gots too great.
By watching the gauge the production of the gas can be regulated to such
pressure as may seem suitable. Gas at the desired pressure having thus been
produced, the outlet cocks R", R1, of the two cylinders are successively opened, the
outlet pipe having first been fitted with an india-rubber pipe carrying a proper
nozzle, which it is preferred to make telescopic; the gas in the cylinders can thus
be projected upon the fire.
The apparatus represented in Figure 2 is the same as that shewn in Figure 1,
except that it has only one generating cylinder A, one cistern B, one reservoir
B¹¹, &c. Letters of reference the same as those in Figure 1 refer to corresponding
parts. K represents straps to enable the apparatus to be secured to the operator's
back.
One great advantage of the improved apparatus herein-before described is, that
the extinguishing gas or mixture is made at the time and place where it is used.

page_text: Until a fire occurs the apparatus is not submitted to any pressure, as it contains
in its respective reservoirs the water and salt or alkali, and the acid necessary for
producing the gas, and the acid is not admitted to the cylinders to produce the gas
until the moment it is required; the apparatus is therefore not liable to get
deteriorated, and the ingredients preserve their full efficacy.
Another advantage is that the jet of gas can be made continuous for an indefinite
length of time, through the coupling together of two cylinders as in Figure 1; by
this arrangement one of the cylinders can be filled while the other is in action, and
so on alternately.
The cylinders may be arranged horizontally, vertically, or otherwise.
It is preferred to make the apparatus of brass or copper.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, constructing extincteurs or
apparatus for extinguishing fires in such manner, that while they contain the
ingredients for making the extinguishing gas, these ingredients are not brought
together until it is required to produce the gas, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, J, the said John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.