Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES JOHN HEXAMER, of 2313 Green Street, in the City and County of
Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Civil Engineer
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 means or apparatus for extinguishing fires resulting
from dust explosion in malt or grain mills.
To clearly explain the nature of the invention reference is made to the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a grain-mill provided with my improvements.
Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof.
Fig. 3, a plan, and
Fig. 4 a detail; enlarged, of steam-valve opening devices.
Referring to the annexed drawings, A is the cleaner-box of an ordinary malt or
grain mill. B is the hopper into which the grain falls from the cleaner contained
within box A, thence descending between the usual rollers, C, (shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 1) journaled within the mill-box D. The crushed malt or grain drops
into an inclined chute, E, which communicates with the interior of the elevator-
boot F, leading to the upper stories of the building.
It is a well known fact that serious fires have resulted from explosions of the
impalpable dust or powder formed within the mill-box in the process of crushing
the grain, which dust has become ignited by sparks caused by the crushing-
rollers C striking some hard foreign body in the grain. By the application of my
improvement such fires are either absolutely prevented or are extinguished at their
incipiency.
In carrying out my invention I suspend one side, D', of the mill-box by means
of hinges on the upper edge thereof, whereby, in case of an explosion within the
box, the side will be free to be blown open, and thus provide a vent for the gases,
and at the same time open the valve of the steam-supply pipe, as hereinafter
described. Near the lower edge of the part D¹, I secure a trigger h, whose outer
extremity has attached thereto a vertically-depending rod, i, bearing a weight j:

page_text: Pivoted to the latter rod, at %, is the long arm of a lever, q, pivoted to a lug g¹, of
the valve chamber 1, whose short arm impinges against the stud s of a well known
form of spring cock or valve contained within said chamber of the pipe m, leading
from the steam-boiler. The horizontal trigger h has an offset or downward pro-
jection, n, which bears against the face of a lug, o, that is bolted to the frame
work P, of the mill, all as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. The steam-pipe has a
branch, opening into the mill-box, and pipes leading into the elevator-
boot F.
In case of an explosion within the mill-box, the side or door D¹ will be blown
outward, and the lug g, attached to said door, bearing against the under side of
the trigger h, releases the latter from the lug o, and it will be obvious the rod i
will instantly drop and the short end of the lever q will be forced against the valve-
stud 8, thereby opening the valve and allowing the steam to rush into the mill-box
and elevator-boot.
t is simply a standard with an eye, u, therein, through which the trigger h
passes. The object of this is merely to limit the throw of the said trigger, in
order to prevent it from striking the mill attendant or other person who may be
standing by when the explosion occurs.
w, Fig. 2, is a small door hinged to the movable side D¹, in
inspection of the interior of the mill-box whenever desired.
dispensed with, in which case the lower edge of the hinged
against or contiguous to the adjacent end of the trigger h.
order to permit the
The lug g may be
part D' would rest
Although the hopper will usually be filled with the grain or malt, whose weight
or inertia will form a barrier or resistance to the force of an explosion within the
mill-box in an upward direction, I provide a means for extinguishing the fire in
case it should accidentally find its way up through or into the hopper. This
consists of a rope, v, preferably saturated with some inflammable substance, whose
lower extremity is fastened to the side of the hopper, near the bottom thereof, and
extending upon the inside of the hopper and the cleaner-chamber A, and passing
over a support or sheave, v¹, thence extends horizontally, passes over another
sheave or support, v³, secured to the inside of the wall or partition x, and connects
with the upper end of a vertical rod, i¹, bearing a weight,. This rod is pivoted
to the long arm of a pivoted lever, q³, whose short arm bears upon the outer end
of the stud s¹, of a normally-closed valve within a chamber, 7, of a water-supply
pipe, P. P. These parts are similar in their construction and operation to the like
parts as previously described in connection with the steam-supply pipe.
With the main supply-pipe P, P, are connected distributing-pipes p p³, running
along the ceiling of the apartment in which the mill-box is situated. These pipes
have a series of sprinkling apertures in the lower sides thereof. Should the fire
extend up into the hopper, the flames will sever the rope v by burning the same,
whereupon the weighted rod will fall, and the short arm of lever q³, pressing
against the valve-rod 8¹ opens the valve and the escaping water sprinkles and
floods the room.
I prefer, also, to make the rope in two sections, and join them together by
means of a fusible plug or connection, y, Fig. 2 that is adapted to melt at a
temperature of, say 150° Fahrenheit, so that in case the flames shall not sever the
rope the rod will be allowed to drop by the fusing of said connection.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination, with the mill-box, of the movable or hinged part or side D¹
thereon, a steam-supply pipe with suitable connection to the point of explosion or
fire in the mill, and provided with a normally closed valve, and tripping devices
for operating said valve by the sudden movement of said hinged side of the mill-
box by the force of a dust explosion within the latter, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.

page_text: 2. The combination, with the mill-box of the hinged part or side D¹, the trigger
provided with the notch or offset n, the lug o, the steam-supply pipe leading into
the mill-box, the weighted rod i, and a normally-closed valve in said steam-pipe,
all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. In combination, in a grain or malt mill, the hopper, the inflammable rope
extending and secured within the same, the water-supply flooding-pipe the
normally-closed valve, and the weighted rod adapted to open said valve by its
descent, the upper end of said rope being connected with said weighted rod, all
constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 2nd dan of Donamber 188k
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Applicant's Agent.