Improved Apparatus for Fire Extinguishing, Applicable also for Preventing Bursting of Water Pipes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 1st June. 1889
Improved Apparatus for Fire Extinguishing, Applicable also for
Preventing Bursting of Water Pipes.
I, JOHN MCLEOWNAN MCMURTRIE of 99 Portugal Street, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
-
This invention relates to an improved method and means for controlling the outflow
of water under pressure from pipes and it has for its object mainly to provide for
automatically discharging water or other fluid to extinguish or prevent fire upon an
abnormal rise of the temperature of the building or apartment in which the apparatus
is fitted, whilst being also applicable for preventing bursting of water pipes in
buildings. For such purposes I maintain air under pressure within the service pipes
within buildings the air acting upon a valve or cock which normally closes off the
admission of water from the mains to said pipes but which upon the air pressure being
relieved is opened to admit the water to flow through the pipes.
To the service pipe at or near its junction with the water main I connect an air
supply pipe by means of which air is led into the service pipe and therein maintained
under pressure by means of an air compressor to which the air supply pipe is attached
and in the service pipe between the air pipe inlet and the water main I fit a valve or
cock which is operated by means of a weighted lever and a diaphragm or piston acted
on by the air pressure in the manner described in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 9102 of 1887, the valve or cock being kept closed so long as sufficient air
pressure is maintained in the service pipes but opening automatically upon the air
pressure being rapidly lowered as for example by opening a tap or valve in the service
pipe. By this means the service pipes may be kept practically free from water and
bursting during frosty weather prevented.
In applying the invention for extinguishing fire in buildings the service pipes
or specially fitted pipes connected to the main are provided with "sprinklers"
which may be of the usual construction or of improved forms in which for example
a plug in the outlet pipe is fused by heat and thereupon relieves the air pressure
and permits of the opening of the water valve and discharge of water under
ro 017

page_text: pressure flowing from the main through the service pipes to which the sprinklers
are attached, or in which the expansion by heat of a vessel enclosing a fluid or
of the expansion of a metallic body is employed to open a stop valve in the
sprinkler for the like purpose. The movement of the lever operating the water
valve on the reduction of the air pressure is or may be utilised to bring in contact
terminals of a battery circuit or to actuate mechanical apparatus in which is an
alarm bell or other sounder the alarm being sounded when by the rise of temperature
within a building the water sprinklers are brought into action.
In conjunction with the fire extinguishing apparatus above described 1 in some
cases employ a jet or jets of fluid charged with suitable reagents, the said fluid
being contained in a tank or vessel in which is placed a discharge pipe provided with
a directing nozzle, the water service pipe being connected to said discharge pipe and
arranged to form with it a water lifter or ejector whereby the fluid in admixture with
water is discharged under pressure through the jet director. The jet director which
may also be separately used for the discharge of water jets, is composed of a nozzle
fitted with a ground key or plug having formed in it several discharge openings
corresponding to orifices formed at different points in the body of the nozzle so
that by turning the plug more or less one two or more of the several orifices may
be brought in line with the jet openings and a corresponding number of jets
discharged through the nozzle and in conjunction with this arrangement the key
or plug may be arranged to act as a stop cock.
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1
1000
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,.
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Fire Extinguishing, Applicable also for
Preventing Bursting of Water Pipes.
I, JOHN MCLEOWNAN MCMURTRIE of 99 Portugal Street, Glasgow, in the County.
of Lanark, Brassfounder, 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 an improved method and means for controlling the ontflow
of water under pressure from pipes and it has for its object mainly to provide for
automatically discharging water or other fluid to extinguish or prevent fire upon an
abnormal rise of the temperature of the building or apartment in which the apparatus
is fitted whilst being also applicable for preventing bursting of water pipes in
buildings. For such purposes I maintain air under pressure within the service pipes
within buildings the air acting upon a valve or cock which normally closes off the
admission of water from the mains to said pipes but which upon the air pressure
being relieved is opened to admit the water, to flow through the pipes.
In carrying out the Invention as represented at figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings I connect to the service pipe A at or near its junction with the water
main B an air supply pipe C by means of which air is led into the service pipe
through a casing D fitted with a valve d to prevent back flow of water and is
therein maintained under pressure by means of an air compressor E and pressure
chamber F to which the air supply pipe C is attached, and in the service pipe between
the air pipe inlet and the water main I fit a valve or cock G which is operated by
means of a lever G₁ fitted with a rolling or fixed weight connected to a diaphragm g
or piston acted on by the air pressure in the manner described in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 9102 of 1887, the valve or cock G being kept closed so long as
sufficient air pressure is maintained in the service pipes but opening automatically
upon the air pressure being rapidly lowered as for example by opening a tap or valve
in the service pipe A. By this means the service pipes may be kept practically free
from water and bursting during frosty weather prevented.
In applying the Invention for extinguishing fire in buildings the service pipes or
specially fitted pipes as A, connected to the main B are provided with "sprinklers" H
which may be of the usual construction or of improved forms in which for example a
plug in the outlet pipe is fused by heat and thereupon relieves the air pressure and
permits of the opening of the water valve G and consequent discharge of water under
pressure flowing from the main B through the service pipes A to which the sprinklers H
are attached, or in which the expansion by heat of a vessel enclosing a fluid or of the
expansion of a metallic body, is employed to open a stock valve in the sprinkler for
the like purpose. The movement of the lever operating the water valve G on the
reduction of the air pressure is or may be utilized to bring in contact terminals i, i, of
a battery circuit J or to actuate mechanical apparatus in which is an alarm bell or
other sounder, or as shown a jet of water at K fitted with a fusible plug or controlled

page_text: by a valve or like device may actuate a water turbine L, a finger on the turbine
being fitted to operate the hammer m of a gong M, the alarm being sounded when by
the rise of temperature within a building the plugs are fused and the water sprinklers Ĥ
are brought into action.
In conjunction with the fire extinguishing apparatus above described I in some
cases employ a jet or jets of fluid charged with suitable reagents, the said fluid being
contained in a tank or vessel N in which is placed a discharge pipe O provided with a
directing nozzle P the water service pipe A, being connected to said discharge pipe
and arranged to form with it a water lifter or ejector Q whereby the fluid in admixture
with water is discharged under pressure through the jet director P, or as represented
at figure 2 the service pipe A may discharge into the vessel N, containing the reagent
and the contents of the vessel carried off through the nozzle P. The jet director
which may also be separately used for the discharge of water jets, and which is
represented on a larger scale at figure 3 is composed of a nozzle fitted with a ground
key or plug P1 having formed in it several discharge openings p corresponding to
orifices p¹ formed at different points in the body of the nozzle so that by turning
the plug P¹ more or less, one, two or more of the several orifices may be brought
in line or in communication with the jet openings and a corresponding number of
jets discharged through the nozzle, and in conjunction with this arrangement the key
or plug may be arranged to act as a stop cock by being adapted to turn to a position
in which none of the orifices p, p¹ are open to each other.
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 arrangement and combination of apparatus substantially as herein before
described for use in extinguishing fire.
2. The arrangement and combination of apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described for maintaining air in water pipes to prevent bursting by frost.
3. In apparatus of the kind herein before described the combination with a water
service pipe of a valve or cock for controlling the admission of water from a main and
an air compressor so connected to the service pipe as to maintain air pressure therein
and acting on the admission valve to keep it normally closed and whereby on the
relief of the air pressure in the service pipe water is admitted from the main sub-
stantially as described.
4. In apparatus for use in extinguishing tire the employment of a vessel containing
chemical reagents interposed between the supply or service pipe and the nozzle or jet
director, substantially as described.
5. A nozzle or director for water jets constructed and arranged to operate sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
TAL: T
1
P
1 1000