Improvements in Method, Means, or Apparatus for Preventing or Extinguishing Fires on Coal-laden or other Ships.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Nov., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Method, Means, or Apparatus for Preventing or
Extinguishing Fires on Coal-laden or other Ships.
I, WALTER JAMES CHAMBERS of 3 King Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster Shipowner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object a method of and apparatus for putting out fires
or preventing fires in coal-laden and other ships.
The invention consists in bringing down from the donkey boiler or other boiler
on board the vessel, a pipe to the keelson, and leading it along over the keelson or
other convenient position, shielding the same with a curved or V shaped iron plate,
the horizontal part of the pipe is perforated at intervals. This pipe can either
bring steam alone or it can be so connected with the donkey boiler that the
products of combustion are driven into it by a steam blast. This can be done by
causing the pipe to open from the smoke-box of the donkey boiler and arranging a
shield above it so that the products of combustion, the dirt and so on, are
ordinarily cut off, but by raising this shield the products of combustion are open to
it and the entry into the uptake is cut off. A steam nozzle or series of nozzles
pointing downwards then drives the products of combustion into the downward
tube. A valve can let in and shut off the steam as required. When by testing it
is found that heat is being generated in the coal to a dangerous degree, steam can
be at once let on without raising the bottom plate to act as a damper. In this case
steam alone enters the cargo. If however the danger is increased or fire has
actually commenced, and stronger measures are required, the shield or damper is
raised and the products of combustion turned into the tube. If desirable also
extinctive chemicals such as carbonic acid under pressure can also be injected or
pumped into it. Neither the steam nor the products of combustion being capable
of supporting combustion, as the hold gets filled with these, the fire is put out.
Dated the 22nd day of February 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Method, Means, or Apparatus for Preventing or
Extinguishing Fires on Coal-laden or other Ships.
I, WALTER JAMES CHAMBERS of 3 King Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Shipowner, 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 has for its object a method of and apparatus for putting out fires
or preventing fires in coal-laden and other ships.
The invention is best described by the accompanying drawings, illustrating the
manner in which I have applied it to ships under my control or otherwise :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of part of a ship :
Figure 2, transverse section of keelson and adjoining parts.
In these―
A is the donkey boiler: B, steam pipe leading therefrom to top of keelson:
C, perforated branch running along top of keelson: D, keelson: E, central
pillars F, a cover plate placed loosely over the keelson and tube C to prevent the
D
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page_text: coals from coming against the steam pipe and the fine dust from choking the orifices.
These plates being loosely placed on, there is ample room at the joints for the
escape of steam.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The coal giving signs of undue heating or gasifying, the steam is turned on and
drives off all the gas. This is done at intervals, but, if there be an actual fire, the
hold is battened down and the steam turned full on. In place of all steam, I may
arrange to inject the gaseous products of combustion by means of a steam jet into
the pipe, or, besides the pipe conducting the exhaust steam into the part on fire, a
jet apparatus can be employed to inject also the products of combustion, while the
entire force of the engine is exerted on the pumps or other work. In this case,
the vertical pipe B opens in the smoke box of the boiler with a funnel, a pent roof
or shield shields it from falling dust and ashes, and one or more steam jets draw
the exhaust into it.
As mentioned in the Provisional Specification, this pipe B with branch C can
also be used to inject, into the burning hydrocarbon, other gases, non-supporters of
combustion, such as carbonic acid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The means or apparatus for preventing or extinguishing fires in coal-laden
ships, consisting in a pipe B leading from the donkey boiler or other source of
steam or other gas or vapour incapable of supporting combustion, a continuation of
said pipe along the keelson or other suitable part of the ship, said continuation
being provided with emission orifices and a guard permeable to gases and steam
shielding it from the cargo.
2. The method of preventing or extinguishing fires on board ship, which consists
in bringing steam, the products of combustion, or other gas or vapour incapable
of supporting combustion down to the lower parts of the ship to protected orifices,
and so arranged that, when a fire takes place, the fluid can be immediately forced
down to and out of said orifices, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.