IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Dennis at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1882.
WILLIAM DENNIS of Brixton in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ARRANGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE
APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
This Invention relates first to improvements in the arrangement and construction
of apparatus for extinguishing fire of the character described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me and dated the 25th January 1873, No. 301, in which
portable pneumatic apparatus was described for discharging a jet of water under
pressure for the purpose of extinguishing fire.
The first part of my present improvements consists in making the portable
apparatus of this character (for sustaining great internal pressure) by combining a
series of tubes of copper iron or other suitable metal connected together by means
of union joints or other contrivances the whole being bound at top and bottom by
bands of metal.
Suitable stop cocks for filling or charging and a discharge pipe and nozzle are
applied for discharging the contents when required.
The power of delivery is greatly increased and the construction of such apparatus
is much simplified and strengthened the fitting and fixing of independent ends not
being required stays being also dispensed with.
The second part of my improvements relates to the arrangement and application
of apparatus for extinguishing fire to the interiors of houses public buildings and
other places so that water under great pressure may be discharged in the form of
rain or spray from the ceilings or roofs when required by opening a discharge cock
on the outside of the house or building the discharge pipes being in communication
with a tank or tanks under pneumatic or other pressure.
Nozzles or rose heads according to my improvements are fixed to the ceilings or
upper parts of the interiors of houses or buildings such nozzles or rose heads being
caused to revolve by the discharge of the water therefrom so that it may be distributed
in the form of rain over the whole of the interior in case of fire. The water pipes
around the ceiling or roof may be perforated so as to discharge jets of water on to
the walls floors and other parts of the interior.
The discharge nozzles (which may be stationary if desired) are caused to revolve
by means of screw vanes or inclined surfaces applied thereto for the water to impinge
upon and thus cause the nozzle to revolve continuously.
Any number of rotating nozzles or rose-heads may be arranged within the interior

page_text: the water pipes being led into corners or recesses and perforated so as to discharge
the water vertically horizontally or in any desired direction. Stand pipes with
flexible hose may also be arranged in combination with the above described apparatus
for hand use when required.
According to my improvements a house or building may be fitted with water
pipes under cover a branch from each room being attached to the main into which
the water is forced by an engine or force pump inside or outside of the building.
Stop cocks are fitted to each branch to enable the operator to act upon one room
only or upon the whole series simultaneously.
By the above system any person outside a room or building can at the moment
of the discovery of fire by merely turning the handle of a tap cause an instantaneous
and powerful delivery of water on the whole interior space and thereby immediately
extinguish the fire.
The auditorium stage or other parts of theatres or other public buildings can be
instantly rained upon destroying smoke and flame and thereby assist respiration as
well as acting to extinguish fire.
According to the third part of my improvements an elevator is constructed for
the purpose of raising long tubes and hose in order to approach nearer to fires
in high buildings and to deliver water with greater force than can now be
attained.
This appliance may be mounted on trucks or carriages or attached to a manual
or steam fire brigade engine being constructed with suitable material 15 feet or
more above the level of the bed of the carriage whereon a fireman can work and
raise another part of the apparatus which may be from 10 to 30 feet as the occasion
may require.
The apparatus consists of one or more lengths of tubes joined together by
unions or otherwise having a delivery nozzle at one end and attached to a hose
connected with the water supply under pressure by engine power or other
pressure.
Part of the apparatus is so fixed or combined with the lower part that it can be
elevated to any required hight in a vertical position to bring it close to and direct
the water on to the exact spot desired.
The upper part can be worked from the ground or from any raised position on
wheels or otherwise and can also be used on a smaller scale attached to a pneumatic
engine or apparatus carried on the back or stationary ones attached to a hose of
any required length for the purpose of fire extinction, window cleaning washing
carriages fruit and other trees and various other useful purposes.
Buildings as now constructed at great hights and the great distance at which
fire men are compelled to stand to deliver the force of the jet by the resistance of
the atmosphere is expended and the water falls lightly and often (especially in high
winds) the jet is converted into spray and thereby non-effective.
It is well known by all who have had practical experience in fire extinguishing
that for rapid fire extinguishing force is necessary and the closer the delivery the
sooner does the fire yeald.
By this apparatus the water supply can be taken from a brook pond or other
source from any distance and by having a store to begin with the apparatus is
rendered quite independent from the usual cistern or tank which when wanted
for instant supply is generally found to have been exhausted for domestic and other
purposes or from some other cause is not reliable or available when urgently
wanted.