Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Apparatuses.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan.,
1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Apparatuses.
I, JOSEPH BUTCHER, of No. 177, Broadway, in the Borough of Manhattan and
City, County, and State of New York, United States of America, Mechanician, 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 adapted for turning on water automatically
when the temperature of a room where the apparatus is placed rises above a pre-
determined degree and a thermostat is provided which, when the temperature
reaches the predetermined maximum, acts to close an electric circuit through an
electric motor, of a known kind. This motor opens the cock in the water service-
pipe and allows the water to flow to the discharging point. At the same time,
charging point and allows the valve to open and the water to flow and extinguish
the circuit is closed through an electro-magnet which releases a valve at the dis-
the fire. When the temperature falls at the thermostat, the "opening" branch
of the electric circuit will be broken and the "closing" branch of the circuit
clcsed, whereby the electric motor will be set in motion to close the cock in the
water service-pipe and shut off the water.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate the invention-
Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the installation with two
discharging nozzles, a motor, a generator, and the circuits.
Figure 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, illustrating the discharge nozzle
and valve, the valve-releasing magnet, and the thermostat.
Figure 3 is a view from the left in Figure 2 with the shield omitted.
Figure 4 is a section of the thermostat, at line in Figure 5, and this latter
figure is a plan view of the thermostat. These views are drawn to a larger scale
than Figures 2 and 3, for purpose of illustration.
Figure 6 is a detached view of the circuit-changer and brushes showing the
blocks of insulating material.
Referring first to Fig. 1, W represents the main water service-pipe in a building,
and w, a branch therefrom leading to a suite of rooms, for example, in the building.
In the pipe W, is a cut-off cock, X, adapted to be opened and closed by an electric
motor A. As this general form of motor is known, it will only be necessary to
say here that it comprises an electro-magnet, the armature thereof carrying a
pawl which imparts a step-by-step rotation to a ratchet wheel as the armature
vibrates. The rotation of the ratchet wheel is communicated through suitable
gearing to a crank-shaft, a, the crank, w, on which, is coupled by a rod, a², to an
arm, on the spindle or plug of the cock X. A half rotation of the crank a¹
opens the cock X, and the next half rotation closes the cock. B, B', are like
devices at the respective discharging points in the pipe w. There may be any
number of these devices such as B, situated at any points desired; but only two
are shown herein. Each device B (see Figs. 2 and 3) comprises a nozzle, 1, coupled.
to the pipe w and carrying a spray-cup, 2. Such spray cups are known in fire-

page_text: extinguishing devices and no claim is made to them nor is this invention limited
to their use. At the end or outlet of the nozzle 1 is a hinged closing valve, 3,
which has a light spring, 3", at the hinge tending to hold the valve up to its seat.
Carried by the nozzle is an electro-magnetic valve-releasing device, which com-
prises an electro-magnet, 4, the armature, 5, of which has a toe, 5", which takes
under the valve 3, normally, and holds it up to, its seat. When the magnet is
excited it attracts its armature, withdraws the toe 5 from under an arm, 3b, on
the valve and allows the latter to open. A thermostat, T, is also carried by the
nozzle, or situated adjacent thereto. This thermostat will now be described more
minutely with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.
6 is a base-plate, here shown as circular, and fixed at its edges to this plate
so as to cover the same, is a thin metal diaphragm, 7, capable of being pressed
upward (or away from the base-plate) slightly at its middle part. In the base-
plate, at or near its middle, is an air-port, 8, which connects the space under the
diaphragm with a closed air-holder, 9, here shown as a metal cylinder. This
air-holder serves to hold and incarcerate a suitable volume of air which expands
when the surrounding air becomes heated and acting on the back of the
diaphragin 7, presses it outward at the center. Extending over the diaphragm 7,
and fixed to the base-plate 6 at one end, is a metal spring-blade, 10, which has in
it a screw or stud, 10%, and the point of this screw is adapted to bear on the center
of the diaphragm. Normally the free end of the spring 10 acts through a pin, 10b,
which extends down through the base-plate, to depress a contact-spring 11, into
electrical contact with a binding-post or screw, 11". When the fluid incarcerated
in the chamber 9 is expanded by heat, the diaphragm 7 acts to move the spring 10,
and by lifting the pin 10, allows the contact spring 11 to rise; the spring 10 rises.
into electrical contact with a binding-screw, 12, insulated from the base-plate and
spring 10. The contact of the spring 11 with the screw 11" may be called the
closing" contact and the contact of the spring 10 with the screw 12, the
opening" contact.
The pin 10b does not make electrical contact with either the base-plate 6, or
the spring 11; and the said spring is insulated from its support, G, which is on
the underside of the base-plate.
Referring now to Fig. 1, G is a generator of electricity, from one pole of which
a conductor, c, leads to a binding-post, b, of the motor A, and thence through the
motor-magnet to a circuit closer and changer, a³, on the shaft of the motor.
From the other pole of the generator a conductor, cl, leads, by branches, to the
respective like devices B and B, through the coils of the electro-magnets 4
thereat, and to the respective springs, 10, of the thermostats T. From the binding-
screw of the motor A, a branch conductor & extends to the device B (for example)
and connects with the spring 11, thereat, and the current may flow through this
spring to the binding-screw 11", thence by a conductor to the spring 11 at the
device B*, through this spring to the binding-screw 11" thereat, and thence by a
conductor, c, to the conductor c¹ and the other pole of the generator, as shown.
From a binding-post, 62, at the motor A, branches of a conductor lead, respec
tively, to the binding-screw 12 at the devices B and B. From the binding-post b
(at the motor A) a conductor leads to a terminal brush, a', which rests on the
rotating circuit-changer a³; and from the binding-post 62, a conductor leads to a
terminal brush, a³, which also rests on the circuit changer . In this circuit-
changer are set, on diametrically opposite sides thereof, (Fig. 5) insulating pieces
or blocks, so that when the /cock X is closed the brush 4 will rest on one of these
pieces and the circuit through the motor will thus be broken. This is the normal
condition and the condition seen in Fig. 1; but when a fire breaks out in the room
where one of the sprinkling devices, as B, is situated and the temperature rises
sufficiently to act on the thermostat T connected therewith, the spring 10 will
rise and allow the contact spring 11 to break the circuit through the conductors
and and make connection at the binding screw 12, thus completing the motor
.circuit through the brush a. This will set the 'motor in motion; the crank a will

page_text: make a half rotation, opening the cock_X, and then the circuit at brush a will
be broken by the opposite insulating piece in the circuit-changer being brought
under said brush. The other brush at will now have metallic contact with the
circuit-changer, but as the circuit through the conductor is still broken at the
thermostat connected with the device B, the motor will cease to rotate and the
ceck X will remain open until the room cools and the spring 10 of the thermostat
again closes the circuit through the brush ', when the motor will make another
half-revolution, thus closing the cock X.
It will be noted that when the circuit is closed at the thermostat, the magnet 4
at that thermostat will be excited and will attract its armature, and consequently
the valve 3 which closes that extinguishing nozzle will be freed and allowed to
open. But only the devices at that thermostat will be affected, the other nozzles
remaining closed. For example, in the constructions illustrated in Fig. 1, when
the thermostat T at the device B is heated by a fire, the magnet 4 at this device
only will be excited, as the thermostat governs, and the nozzle at B will not be
opened. Hence water can escape only at the nozzle where that thermostat is
situated which is affected by the heat, although both of the devices, B and B*,
are in circuit with the motor A, and either thermostat may set said motor in
operation. The valve 3, and its opening or releasing mechanism, is designed to
allow water to be admitted to the pipe to under pressure without its escaping at
any but the point or points where desired.
In order to measurably protect the magnet 4 and thermostat T from the water
issuing from the nozzle I, a bell-like shield or screen, S, may be employed. This
screen is seen in section at B in Fig. 2.
In Fig. 1 two devices B and B are represented; these devices will be, or may
be identical; and there may be any number of such devices connected electrically
with one motor and one generator.
It will be obvious that while it is convenient to connect the thermostat with the
electro-magnetic valve-releasing devices at the nozzle 1, so that they may form
one compact device, this is not absolutely essential to the operation of the inven-
tion. Nor is it essential to the invention that the air-holder 9 of the thermostat
shall have the form shown so long as it incarcerates the air and fulfills its pur-
pose. The thermostat described is very sensitive and obviously it may be regu-
lated so as to set the motor in motion at any degree of temperature required.
After a fire the valve 3 at the nozzle will be closed by hand and the armature-
arm 5" set under it to lock it. The connecting rod a² may be detached from the
crank-pin of the valve-lever, so that the devices described will be inoperative.
This might be desirable when a fire occurs during the day and the automatic
device is not needed. It will be obvious, also, that a cut-off switch can be put in
the electric circuit at a convenient point so that, when desired, the circuit can be
broken so as to render the devices inoperative for the time. This is a matter
within the knowledge of any electrician and need not be illustrated.
The specific construction of the thermostat T, is not claimed herein indepen-
dently of the other devices.
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 a water service-pipe having an outlet for the dis-
charge of water for extinguishing fires, a cut-off cock in said service pipe, and a
valve closing said discharge outlet, of an electric motor, as described, adapted to
open and close said cut-off cock, a generator of electricity, an electro-magnetic
releasing device at the discharge outlet to release the valve thereat when an
electric current flows through the coil of the magnet of said device, an electric
circuit including said generator and motor and having a normally broken branch
opening" circuit through the coil of said magnet, and a normally closed, branch
closing" circuit, and a thermostat at the discharging point and adapted to

page_text: break said closing circuit and close the opening circuit when the temperature
rises above a predetermined point at said thermostat, whereby the motor is adapted
to close the cut-off cock automatically when the thermostat completes the closing
circuit, substantially as set forth.
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2. The combination with a water service-pipe having a plurality of outlets for
the discharge of water for extinguishing fires, a cut-off cock in said service pipe,
and valves closing the several discharge outlets, of an electric motor, as described,
adapted to open and close said cut-off cock, a generator of electricity, an
electro-magnetic releasing device at each discharge outlet to release the
value thereat when electric current flows through the coil of the
magnet of said device, an electric circuit including said generator and motor
and having normally broken, branch "opening" circuits through the coils of the
respective magnets, and a normally closed, branch "closing" circuit extending
to and connecting the several discharging points, and a thermostat at each dis-
charging point and adapted to break said closing circuit and close the opening
circuit when the temperature rises above a predetermined point at said thermostat,
whereby the motor is adapted to close the cut-off cock automatically when any
thermostat completes the closing circuit, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the outlet nozzle 1, and the valve 3, closing said nozzle,
of the electro-magnet 4, situated below said valve with its axis horizontal, the
armature 5, of said magnet having an arm 5" which take under said valve and
holds it closed normally, a generator, a thermostat situated below the electro-
magnet and supported on the nozzle, a normally open electric circuit including
the coil of said magnet, and a circuit-closer controlled by said thermostat, whereby
when the temperature rises the thermostat will complete the circuit through
said magnet, substantially as set forth.
Tatod this 20th day of November 1899
STEPHEN WATKINS & GROVES,
Wolverhampton, Agents for the Applicant.