Improvements in Automatic Fire Sprinklers.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1889-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Fire Sprinklers.
I, JAMES CADOUX HUDSON of 75 Upper Ground Street Blackfriars Road in the
County of Surrey "Engineer" do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
On the 28th day of July 1888 I applied for and obtained Provisional Protection
No. 10936 for Improvements in Automatic Fire Sprinklers.
It relates to Auto-
My present Invention is an Improvement on that Invention.
matic Fire Sprinklers of that class in which a valve is held against a water discharging
nozzle by devices which are retained by solder and released when the solder is fused
and having a distributor on the valve or part of the framing which supports the
retaining valve to scatter the escaping water over a large area.
This Invention relates more particularly to Improvements in the framing which
supports the device for securing the valve described in Patent No. 10936 and in the
valve closing the discharging nozzle and also in the form of the pedestal placed between
the valve and the lever.
I attach the frame to the discharging nozzle by a female screw on the frame fitting
a male screw on the nozzle. the female screw being large enough to pass the valve
through, and I now form the frame with supports crossing at right angles to those
which support the lever and the fulcrum and on these four arms of the frame I form
projections which recoive the valve when the soldered device has given way, and by
these means I strengthen the frame and do away with all guides touching the valve
when it is against its seat I also can connect these four arins by a ring at the pro-
jections which are formed on the frame to receive the valve. In some cases I uso
three or more arms with similar projections and rings. These arms of the frame can
be flat, oval or T section or as may be found convenient.
I form the valve with a spherical projection which forms the seat and form the
nozzle end with a rounded mouth and by allowing the serrated edges of the outer
part of the valve to be just clear of a plain part of the nozzle piece in the same plane
as the nozzle mouth the valve is centered with the nozzle.
My Improvement in the pedestal supporting the valve and placed between it and
the lever consist either in using a spring, bent or spiral or a bow spring so made that
with compression it shall arrive at a stop which prevents the further compression of
the spring and converts it from a spring to a solid abutment or pedestal. Suitable
pointed ends can be formed to apply to the valve and the lever. The object of this,
pedestal is that when compressed to the stop it offers a stubborn resistance to any
ramming action of the water in the main and when the soldered joint is about to give
way the spring holds the valve to its face until the joint is completely seperated. The
pedestal need not in all cases have the stop provided and then would act as safety
valves when an excessive pressure was obtained.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Fire Sprinklers.
I JAMES CADOUX HUDSON, of 75 Upper Ground Street Blackfriars London in the
County of Surrey "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 :-
My present Invention relates to Automatic Fire Sprinklers of that class in which a
valve is held against a water discharging nozzle by devices which are retained by

page_text: solder and released when the solder is fused and having a distributor on the valve or
part of the framing which supports the retaining valve to scatter the escaping water
over a large area.
This invention relates more particularly to Improvements in the framing which
supports the device for securing valve and in the valve closing the discharging nozzle
and also in the form of the pedestal placed between the valve and the lever.
I attach the frame to the discharging nozzle by a femalo screw on the frame fitting
a male screw on the nozzle the female screw being large enough to pass the valve
through and I form the frame with supports crossing at right angles to those which
support the lever and the fulcrum. On the four arms of the frame I form projections
which receive the valve when the solder device has given way and by these means I
strengthen the frame and do away with all guides touching the valve when it is
against its seat I also can connect these four arms by a ring at the projections which
are formed on the frame to receive the valve.
In some cases I use three or more arms with similar projections and rings. These
arms of the framing can be flat, oval or T section or as may be found convenient. 1
form the valve with a spherical projection which forms the seat and form the nozzle
with a rounded mouth and by allowing the sorrated edges of the outer part of the
valve to be just clear of a plain part of the nozzle piece in the same plane as the nozzle
mouth the valve is centred with the nozzle.
My Improvement in the pedestal supporting the valve and placed between it and
the lever consist either in using a spring bent or spiral or a bow spring so made that
with compression it shall arrive at a stop which prevents the further compression of
the spring and converts it from a spring to a solid abutment or pedestal-suitable
pointed ends can be formed to apply to the valve and the lever.
The object of this pedestal is that when compressed to the stop it offers a stubborn
resistance to any ramming action of the water in the main and when the soldered
joint is about to give way the spring holds the valve to its face until the joint is com-
pletely separated. The pedestal need not in ail cases have the stop provided and then
would act as a safety valve when an excessive pressure was obtained.
In order that my said Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect. I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the Sprinkler.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the Sprinkler.
Fig. 3 and 4 shew designs of pedestal to support the valve.
Similar letters apply to like parts in each figure.
The valve (A) with serrated edges is pressed against the soat (B) on piece (C) by
a pedestal (D) and lever (E) one end of which rests on fulcrum (F) the other end
being secured to the frame (G) by a soldered joint (H). When the joint is melted
the lever and valve support fall away freeing the valve and allowing the water to spray
in all directions.
My Improvements refer to frame (G) piece (C) with valve (A) and pedestal (D).
The frame (G) is attached to the piece (C) by a male and female screw (1) the
female screw is large enough to pass the valve (A) through. The frame (G) is formed
with four arms (G') though three or more can be used which arms have pro-
jections (J) to receive the valve when it falls away from the seat.
The frame also has the fulcrum (F) and part (H) to take the soldered joint formed
on it.
This arrangement strengthens the frame and allows it to be screwed towards the
piece (C) when tightening up the valve dispensing with guides touching the valve (A)
and also the form of the piece (C) prevents any great quantity of heat being
inducted to water in pipe (K).
The valve (A) is formed with a spherical projection at centre which forms a seat
and fits against the rounded end of seat on piece (C) the edges of the valve are
serrated to scatter the escaping water and the points of the serrations are just
clear of the plain part (L) of the piece (C) which plane is parallel with the face
of the seat (A).

page_text: The valve is by these means centred with the nozzle and requires no further
guide.
The pedestal (D) supporting the valve (A) can be formed in various ways. Figs. 1
and 2 shows it formed by two pointed ends (M) with a spiral spring between them
resting on collars or as in Fig. 3 as a bent spring or as in Fig. 4 as a bow spring.
In all these cases the springs can be compressed a limited distance aad then arrive
at a stop, by the inner portions of the ends (M) or parts of the spring (N) coming
and preventing further compression of the spring. Suitable pointed ends (0) are
provided to suit the valve (A) and the lever (E). When the pedestal is compressed
to the stop it offers an unyielding resistance to the ramming action of the water in
the main and when the soldered joint is about to give way, the spring holds the valve
to the seat until the joint has completely parted.
Having thus described my Invention and the manner of performing the same, I
would have it understood that I claim
First. The form of framing with supports for valve and having the fulcrum and
solder joint formed on as described.
Second. The mode of connecting the frame to the piece (C) allowing adjustment
and isolating the frame from transmitting heat to the water in pipe.
Third. The form of valve and seat in conjunction with the centreing and guiding
arrangement as described.
Fourth. The form of spring and stop pedestal for the purpose described and
illustrated.
Fifth. The Spring pedestal used without the stop as described.
Dated this 31st day of Inly 1889
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON.