IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH SAPES FOR PROTECTING VALUABLES FROM FIRE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John William Smitt,
both of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, for the Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld
and John William Smitt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 9th September 1865.
We, ADOLF ERIK NORDENSKIÖLD and JOHN WILLIAM SMITT, both of
Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH SAPES FOR
PROTECTING VALUABLES FROM FIRE," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus connected with
safes for protecting valuables from fire. For these purposes safes of ordinary
or any suitable construction are used, and their contents are rendered secure
from destruction by fire in the following manner:-Each safe is connected by
a pipe or pipes to the main, or to a water cistern, or other constant supply of
water. The end of the pipe which is connected to the safe is to be closed by
a plug, or valve, or other suitable form of stopper, made of metal or material
that melts or is destroyed at a low temperature, say of about 212° or less, the
pipe will remain closed so long as the temperature interior of the safe or

page_text: external of the safe does not rise to 212° or other determined degree of heat,
but on the temperature rising by reason of fire in the vicinity of the safe, the
valve, plug, or stopper of the pipe is opened either by the melting or destruction
of the material of which the same is made, or by which the same is retained
closed or shut, when the water will be allowed to flow from the water cistern
or other source of supply.
It is generally preferred that the sides and ends of a safe should be made
double, or that there should be a hollow space all around, and that the water
should be introduced into the spaces thus formed, there being suitable openings
made for the escape of steam or vapour generated by the external heat acting
on the water introduced into the spaces, or the water may be allowed to flow
in at the top, and to escape slowly by a small aperture near the bottom, so as
to ensure constant flow or circulation of water in the hollow space; or the
water may be caused to flow over the exterior of a safe, and such flow may be
in a single stream, or the water may be divided into numerous small streams,
and be thus extensively diffused over the surfaces of the metal or material of
which a safe is composed.
In place of the valves, plugs, or stoppers being retained closed by a material
which will melt at a given temperature, a like effect may be obtained by taking
advantage of the different rates at which different metals and materials expand
and thermostats may be used to retain the valves, stoppers, or plugs closed so
long as a certain degree of temperature is not attained in the vicinity of a safe
connected with a water cistern or other constant water supply.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John William Smitt in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ADOLF
ERIK NORDENSKIÖLD and JOHN WILLIAM SMITT, both of Stockholm, in the
Kingdom of Sweden, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John William Smitt, Her special
licence that we, the said Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John William
Smitt, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said

page_text: Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John William Smitt, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should,
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH SAFES FOR PRO-
TECTING VALUABLES FROM FIRE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John William Smitt, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals,
or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe.
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within, six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld and John
William Smitt, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus connected with
safes for protecting valuables from fire. For these purposes safes of ordinary
or any suitable construction are used, and their contents are rendered secure
from destruction by fire in the following manner :-Each safe is connected by
a pipe or pipes to the main, or to a water cistern, or other constant supply of
water. The end of the pipe, which is connected to the safe, is to be closed
by a plug or valve, or other suitable form of stopper, made of metal or
material that melts or is destroyed at a low temperature, say, about 212°
degrees; the pipe will remain closed so long as the temperature interior of
the safe or external of the safe does not rise to 212°, or other determined
degree of heat; but on the temperature rising by reason of fire in the vicinity
of the safe, the valve, plug, or stopper of the pipe is opened, either by the
melting or destruction of the material of which the same is made, or by which
the same is retained closed or shut, when the water will be allowed to flow
from the cistern or other source of supply..
.
It is generally preferred that the sides and ends of a safe should be made
double, or that there should be a hollow space all around, and that the water
should be introduced into the spaces thus formed, thero being suitable
openings made for the escape of steam or vapour generated by the external
heat acting on the water introduced into the spaces.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a safe, with double sides; a, a, is the

page_text: interior of the safe in which valuables are to be placed; b is a space between.
the double sides of the safe. This space is put into communication by means
of a pipe c with a cistern constantly supplied with water, or it is connected
with any suitable water supply; d is a stopper, which closes the pipe c
at the entrance to the space b. This stopper can be made of any material
which melts at about the temperature of boiling water; wax or fusible metal
is suitable. e is a pipe for leading away the water entering by the pipe c.
The apparatus works in the following manner:-Ordinarily the water from
the cistern or source of supply is only able to pass as far as the fusible stopper
d, and the space b being empty the ordinary use of the safe is in no way
interfered with. In case of fire, however, the heat soon reaches the water
pipe c, and the fusible stopper d is melted. Water then flows abundantly into
the space b, and runs off by the pipe e, as is shown at Figure 2, and it con-
tinues to do so until it is stopped, when all danger is over.
We would observe that the application of water and the mode of causing
the supply pipe c to open when heated may be varied. Thus the water may
be allowed to flow in at the top, and to escape slowly by a small aperture near
the bottom, so as to ensure a constant flow or circulation of water in the hollow
space; or the water may be caused to flow over the exterior of a safe, and
such flow may be in a single stream, or the water may be divided into
numerous small streams, and be thus extensively diffused over the surfaces of
the metal or material of which a safe is composed; or the safe may be made
double on all sides, except that occupied by the door and between the casings.
Water may be supplied in the manner shewn in the Drawing.
In this case, in order to protect the door, perforations are made in the
casing through which when the supply pipe is opened streams of water
escape and flow down over the door. In place of using a fusible stopper to
close the supply pipe c, a stop-cock may be put on this pipe, the handle or
lever of the cock being weighted. Then in order to hold up the weighted
lever and keep the cock closed until a fire occurs, a fusible stop is employed;
the arrangement is clearly shown at Figure 3. f is the cock on the pipe c;
9 is the handle or lever thereof, and g' a weight at its end; h is the stop. of
fusible metal or other suitable material which supports the lever or handle g
and keeps the cock f closed.
In place of the valves, plugs, or stoppers being retained closed by a
material which will melt at a given temperature, a like effect may be obtained
by taking advantage of the different rates at which different metals and
materials expand, and thermostats may be used to retain the valves, stoppers,
or plugs closed so long as a certain degree of temperature is not attained in

page_text: the vicinity of a safe connected with a water cistern or other constant water
supply.
What we claim is the connecting a safe with a water cistern or source of
supply in such manner that when the temperature rises unduly the water
commences to flow abundantly to or over the safe.
In witness whereof, we, the said Adolf Eric Nordenskiöld and John
William Smitt, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-first
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-six.
ADOLF ERIK NORDENSKIOLD. (L.S.)
JOHAN WILHELM SMITT.
(L.S.)
ADOLF ERIK NORDENSKIOLD. (L.S.)
JOHAN WILHELM SMITT.
(L.S.)