Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
We, ABRAM HARVEY VAN RIPER, Doctor of Medicine, and PATRICK FRANCIS
GUTHRIE, Manufacturer, both of Nutley, in the County of Essex and State of
New Jersey, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide apparatus for extinguishing fires
having a permanent connection with a water-distributing pipe, and to which
new chemicals may be easily supplied as required. The apparatus comprises
a closed cylinder having a removable cover connected by a valve controlled pipe
with a water distributing pipe (which would extend upward through the building
in order that fire extinguishers might be provided on each floor) and provided
at its lower end with a nipple for the connection of a hose pipe together with a
perforated shell or case adapted to fit within the cylinder and hold a suitable
chemical for example chloride of ammonia and chloride of soda in suitable
proportions. This shell is of tapering form and its top and bottom as well as
its side walls are perforated; the perforations in the bottom being somewhat
smaller than the perforations in the top so as to regulate the saturation of the
water. The larger diameter of the shell or case is at top and the diameter at
the top is somewhat larger than the opening in a centreing device placed in the
cylinder. One object in so constructing the shell is to prevent its being placed
in the cylinder wrong end up. Another object in tapering the shell is to allow
heavy solutions to discharge at the side.
We may employ a battery of cylinders each having covers, so that said covers
may be quickly removed when it is desired to put in a new charge of chemical,
which, it is to be understood, is the same as in the example first described. These
cylinders have connection with a distributing pipe through branch pipes each of
which is provided with a valve. This distributing pipe is mounted on a suitable
standard and is designed to be connected at one end with a hydrant, and at the
other end with a hose. The cylinders respectively have pipe connections with
a discharge pipe to which a hose is attached, and beyond the point when the
distributing pipe connects with the cylinders, said pipe is provided with a cut-off
valve.
In the first described apparatus on opening the valve the water will pass into
the cylinder and through the chemical in the shell or cartridge and becoming
charged with the chemical will be discharged through the hose. With the
battery of cylinders however, the chemical contained in one cylinder can be
first used and then that contained in the other cylinder. This may be effected
by closing the valve in the distributing pipe and the valve of one of the branch
pipes and opening the valve in the other branch pipe so that water from the
hydrant will pass into the one cylinder and through the chemical therein, and
will discharge through the hose, a check valve preventing the entrance of water
to the other cylinder. After all the chemicals in the first cylinder shall have been
used up, its valve is closed and the valve in the other pipe is opened and then

page_text: the water from the hydrant will pass through the other cylinder and the chemical
therein.
When water is to be used direct from the hydrant and discharged upon a fire,
the valve in the distributing pipe is to be opened and the valves in the branch
pipes closed. It is obvious, however, that both the chemical apparatus and
the stream through the main hose may be used at the same time, for instance,
for flooding a building and for discharging the chemical upon some portion of
the flame.
Dated this on day of April 1899...
improvements in Chemical Fire Extinguishers.
We, ABRAM HARVEY VAN RIPER, Doctor of Medicine, and -PATRICK FRANCIS
GUTHRIE, Manufacturer, both of Nutley, in the County of Essex and State of
New Jersey, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly.
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
.
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for extinguishing fires
and, it has for its object to provide an apparatus for this purpose having a
permanent connection with a water-distributing pipe, and to which new chemicals
may be easily supplied as required.
We will describe a fire extinguisher embodying our invention, and then point
out the novel features in the appended claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire extinguisher embodying our inven-
tion, and showing it as connected to a distributing pipe arranged in a building;
Figure 2 is an elevation showing a modification;
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a chemical cartridge employed; and
Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Referring first to the example of our improvement shown in Figure 1, 1 de-
signates a cylinder having a suitable closure 2 at its top, and also having a
valve-controlled pipe connection 3 with a water-distributing pipe 4 designed to
extend upward through a building, so that one of the fire extinguishers may be
connected to the pipe at each floor. The lower end of the cylinder 1 has a
nipple 4ª, to which a hose 5 is attached.
Arranged within the cylinder 1 is a cartridge for holding a suitable chemical,
consisting of a shell 6 (Figs. 3, 45) having perforations through its top and
bottom and also through its side wall. The perforations through the bottom will
be somewhat smaller than the perforations through the top, so as to regulate
the proper saturation of the water. This chemical may consist of 4 parts
chloride of ammonia to 1 part chloride of soda. The cartridge or shell is made
tapering, the larger diameter being at the top, and the diameter at the top is
somewhat larger than the opening in a centering device 7 placed in the cylinder 1.
One object in so constructing the shell is to prevent its being placed in the
cylinder wrong end up. Another object in tapering the shell is to allow heavy
solutions to discharge at the side.

page_text: In Figure 2, we have shown two cylinders 8 and 9, and we have shown the
covers 10 as secured in place by bails 11, so that said covers may be quickly
removed when it is desired to put in a new charge of chemical, which, it is to
be understood, is the same as in the example first described. These cylinders 8
and 9 have connection with a distributing pipe 12, through branch pipes 13
and 14, each of which is provided with a valve. This distributing pipe 12 is
mounted on suitable standards 15, and is designed to be connected at one end
with a hydrant, and at the other end with a hose 16. The cylinders 8 and 9
respectively have pipe connections 17 and 18 with a discharge pipe 19, to which
a hose 20 is attached, and forward of the branch connection with the pipe 12,
the said pipe 12 is provided with a cut-off valve 21.
In the operation of the first example of our improvement, after opening the
valve in the pipe 3, the water will pass into the cylinder and through the
chemical in the shell or cartridge 6, and becoming charged with the chemical
will be discharged through the hose 5.
In the example shown in Figure 2, it is designed when the chemical is used
for extinguishing a fire, that the amount contained in one cylinder shall be
first used, and then the amount contained in the other cylinder shall be used;
in other words, on closing the valve 21 and the valve in the pipe 14, and open-
ing the valve in the pipe 13, the water from the hydrant will pass into the
cylinder 8 and through the chemical therein, and will discharge through the
pipe 19 and the hose. The check valve in the pipe 18 will prevent the entrance
of water to the cylinder 9. After all the chemicals in the cylinder 8 shall have
been used up, the valve in the pipe 14 is to be opened and the valve in the
pipe 13 closed, and then the water from the hydrant will pass through the
cylinder 9 and the chemical therein. When water is to be used direct from
the hydrant and discharged upon a fire, the valve 21 is to be opened and the
valves in the pipes 13 and 14 closed. It is obvious, however, that both the
chemical apparatus and the stream through the main hose 16, may be used at
the same time, for instance, for flooding a building and for discharging the
chemical upon some portion of the flame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1 The perforated shell (6) adapted to be placed in the cylinder (1), when
tapered in its length so as to be smaller at one end than at the other, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
2) The shell (6) adapted to be placed in the cylinder (1), when provided with
smaller perforations in its bottom than in its top, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3) The battery of cylinders when connected with the supply pipe by pipes
controlled individually by valves, and combined with a valve (21) for directing
the water either into the main hose (16) or into the connection leading to the
cylinders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4) The battery of cylinders when connected individually with the supply pipe,
and also connected individually with the auxiliary hose (20) by pipes (such as 17
and 18) containing check valves (22), substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.