Apparatus for Elevated Water Tanks, principally in connection with Sprinklers and Fire Appliances.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Elevated Water Tanks, principally in connection with
Sprinklers and Fire Appliances.
I ALFRED HENRY WITTER, of 263 Tonge Moor Road, Tonge, near Bolton
Lancashire Fire Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
It is a device to be fixed within elevated water tanks, and is designed to supply
motive force to ordinary existing mechanism for instance :-Gongs or steam
whistles, or to put into operation electric bells and the like, so that audible notice
may be given should the water by any means escape from the tank or fall below a
given level.
The accompanying drawing shews its construction and the details are;
namely :-
A float (1) supported by the water in the tank A, upholds a lever or bar (2).
The float (1) will slide upon the bar (2) and may be secured in its position by
the set-screw (3).
One end of the lever (2) is attached in the form of a hinged or swivel joint to
the rod (4).
The rod (4) is made to slide into the tube or standard (5).
The set screw (6) secures the rod (4) to the standard (5) at whatever height it
may be required to be fixed.
The standard (5) is fixed to the base plates of the tank A.
A conical mouthpiece or water outlet (7) is secured by a set screw (8) into the
eye shaped end of lever (2).
This mouthpiece (7) may be adjusted as desired by the set screw (8) upon the
lever (2).
The mouthpiece (7) is made adjustable in the bar (2) for this purpose:-If it
be desired that the water in the tank must fall a certain distance before the
apparatus is required to come fully into operation, the mouthpiece (7) may be
raised a distance above the bar (2) equal to the desired fall of water, to effect this
purpose.
Attached to the lower end of (7) is a flexible tube (9) of any suitable length.
The other end of this tube is secured to an opening in the base of the tank,
preferably under the standard (5).
The upper opening of (7) is covered by a network of wire to prevent any
substance passing into the flexible or metal tube which might clog the water way
of the apparatus.
From the opening in the base of the tank, a metal tube (10) is carried, and
connected to any of the usual methods of causing sound: gongs, steam whistles,
electric bells and the like.
If desired the swivel or hinged end of the lever (2) may be attached to the side
of the tank as shewn at B, thereby discarding the rod (4) and the standard (5).
Upon the lever (2) near the swivel end, fixed an adjustable guard (11). This
guard slides upon the lever (2) and may be secured thereto by the set screw (12) in
ny desired position.
The object for which this guard (11) is provided, is to prevent by coming into
contact with the rod (4) (or the side of the tank) the float (1) falling below a given
oint

page_text: The dotted outline C demonstrates that the mouthpiece (7) will become immersed
if the water level falls, and it also shews the extent of the downward movement
possible to the apparatus supposing the guard (12) be fixed in the position shewn
on the drawing.
The float (1) may be made in the form of a sphere, and of any suitable material,
either sheet metal, cork, wood, or any substance lighter than water, of sufficient
buoyancy to support the other moving parts of the apparatus.
(2) (4) (5) (11) are constructed of metal :-iron, brass, or the like and are
protected (where necessary) from corrosion by a coating of paint or varnish.
The apparatus will operate in the following manner :-
If the water in the tank falls so will the float (1) fall carrying with it the
mouthpiece (7).
Before the fall of the water the mouthpiece (7) would be supported by the
float (1) in a
position slightly above the surface of the water, as the float (1)
falls, so will (7) fall a proportionately greater distance, and would in consequence
become immersed.
The water would then enter the mouthpiece (7) and flow through the flexible
tube (9) and the metal tube (10) and supply the force necessary to actuate any of
the beforementioned usual devices for causing sound.
If water is again allowed to enter and fill the tank, the float (1) will rise, carrying
with it the mouthpiece (7). Immediately the water reaches the usual height in the
tank, the float (1) will have raised the mouthpiece (7) above the surface of the
water, and the apparatus will become quiescent.
It is not necessary that the mouthpiece (7) and the float (1) be directly connected
by the bar (2), as the previously described purpose can be accomplished by the
mouthpiece (7) being disconnected from the lever (2) and secured to another
lever working on a hinge from the other side of the tank as at B, or upon
another standard similar to (5) and actuated by the float (1) and I wish to avail
myself of this style of combination if found necessary in certain cases.
My invention will provide a means, whereby sprinkler tanks may be connected
with the sprinkler heads, in many cases more directly than is now usual, as
follows: At present water must pass down from the tank to the sprinklers
through the alarm valve, which is usually fixed on the ground floor of the premises
protected by sprinklers, before an alarm can be given.
With the aid of my apparatus a direct connection with the highest sprinklers
could be made, and should water pass from the tank to the sprinklers it would
give its own distinct alarm, which would notify that the other or duplicate supply
of water which is usually provided to sprinkler installations was inadequate or not
available.
Dated Seventh day of January 1895.
Apparatus for Elevated Water Tanks, principally in connection with
Sprinklers and Fire Appliances.
J, ALFRED HENRY WITTER, of 263 Tonge Moor Road, Tonge, near Bolton,
Lancashire, Fire 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 invention relates to an improved apparatus for attaching to elevated water
tanks for giving an alarm when water is drawn from the tank, the apparatus being
particularly advantageous when attached to tanks in connection with sprinklers and
for fire extinguishing appliances.

page_text: In the two accompanying sheets of illustrated drawings-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a tauk showing my improved apparatus
attached and Figure 2 is a sectional elevation showing an alternative method of
fixing the same.
In carrying my invention into effect I arrange a float 1 upon a rod or bar 2, the
float being made adjustable by means of a set screw 3. One end of the bar or
lever 2 is mounted in the form of a hinge or swivel to the standard 4, this standard
being arranged to slide up and down within a socket piece 5 and to be secured by
means of a set screw 6 at any desired height. The socket piece 5 is attached to
the base or any other convenient part of the tank A.
I provide a conical mouthpiece or water outlet 7 which I secure by means of a
set screw 8 into the eye shaped end of the lever 2, the mouthpiece being made
adjustable by this means, so that if it is desired that the water in the tank shall
fall a certain distance before the apparatus is required to come fully into operation,
the mouthpiece 7 is raised a distance above the bar 2 equal to the desired fall of
water.
I attach to the lower end of 7 a flexible tube either of india-rubber, metal
banding or other suitable material and connect the other end of the tube to an
opening in the base of the tank, this opening being conveniently formed under a
socket 5. I protect the mouthpiece 7 by a network of wire or other grid to prevent
clogging.
From the opening in the base of the tank I take a tube 10 and connect this tube
to any of the usual devices or apparatus at present employed for giving an audible
alarm such as gongs, steam whistles, electric bells and the like.
Instead of connecting the swivel or hinge end of 2 to the standard 4 I may attach
it direct to the tank as shown at B Figure 1.
On the lever 21 place an adjustable guard 11 secured by a set screw 12, the
object of the guard being to prevent the lever 2 from falling below the given point
by reason of the end of the guard 11 coming in contact with the standard 4 or any
other part of the tank.
I arrange a vent tube 14 to allow the air contained inside the flexible tube 9 and
the tube 10 to have free escape when the apparatus comes into operation, taking
care that bends or traps are avoided in the tube in which the water would be liable
to lodge when the apparatus was at rest seeing that such lodgement would prevent
the free escape of air through the vent tube 14.
When the tank overflows water passes down the vent tube 14 or the mouthpiece 7
and operates the ordinary mechanism or connection which gives an audible alarm.
The dotted outline C is the position which the float assumes when the water has
been withdrawn and in this position the mouthpiece 7 becomes immersed below the
water level.
The action of the apparatus is as follows-
Upon the water in the tank falling the float 1 also falls and carries with it the
mouthpiece 7 and the mouthpiece falling a greater distance than the float, it
becomes immersed and the water then flows through the flexible tube 9 and its
connected tube 10 so as to supply the force necessary to actuate any of the before
mentioned usual devices for giving an audible alarm.
When the water again enters the cistern the float 1 rises and carries upwards
the mouthpiece 7 until the predetermined height is assumed, at which position the
mouthpiece 7 is above the level of the water, and the flow to the audible alarm
'mechanism is therefore stopped.
I actuate electric bells by means of my apparatus in one convenient manner by
arranging an electrically insulated piece of metal either to the float 1 or the lever 2
so that if the water in the tank should decrease and the float 1 fall, an electrical
contact will be made with the ends of insulated wires leading from the tank to an
electric battery thereby completing the circuit and putting into operation the
electrical signal in any usual manner.
Instead of connecting the mouthpiece 7 to the float 1 by the bar 2 the mouth-

page_text: piece 7 may be disconnected from the lever and. secured to another lever working
on a lever on the other side of the tank as at B or upon another socket similar to
and then actuated by the float 1. A. further. modification I sometimes adopt is
shown by Figure 2 the same letters of reference being applied to the same parts
with the exception that the functions of the portions 4, 5 and 6 in Sheet 1 are
performed by an adjustable joint 20 Sheet 2, and the guard 11. Sheet 1 is fixed
upon the mouthpiece 7 Sheet 2. A hinged support is provided for the mouthpiece 7
in Sheet 2 to relieve the flexible tube 9 from.strain.
My invention is particularly advantageous in connection with sprinkler tanks as
it admits of the sprinkler tanks being connected with the sprinkler heads in many
cases more directly than in the present system.
In the ordinary system now. adopted the water passes down from the tank to the
sprinklers through an alarm valve which is usually fixed at the ground floor of the
premises which are protected by the sprinklers.
When my apparatus is fixed within a sprinkler tank and a direct connection of
the water pipes made from the tank to the highest sprinklers, an intervening alarm
valve is not needed but should the water pass from the tank to the sprinklers my
apparatus would supply force to give its own distinctive alarm which would notify
that the other or duplicate supply of water which is usually applied to sprinkler
installations was inadequate or not available.
In ordinary sprinkler installations where one alarm valve only is provided it
sometimes cannot be readily determined from which source the water is running,
two or more alarm valves sometimes being employed to give the indications. My
apparatus is conveniently employed in connection with ordinary tank water lever
indicators which owing to the elevation cannot be seen when in operation, or to
ball cocks which supply tank with water.
I do not limit the application of my improvements to any particular form of
fitting, shape of mouthpiece, float or trip lever, but I modify the same, together
with the method of mounting the several parts, to suit the tank or cistern to
which my apparatus is to be attached, and to suit the gong or other audible
indicators or siguals which are to be connected to the same.
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. Improvements in connection with water lever indicators by means of which a
mouthpiece is caused to be immersed either when the tank is near overflowing, or
when the water has been withdrawn below a certain level, for the purpose of giving
an audible alarm or for setting in motion other indicating apparatus placed at
a distance from the tank, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
2. In a water level indicator, the arrangement of an adjustable float for
actuating a mouthpiece or water inlet valve connected to a Hexible tube, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes bereinbefore described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of an adjustable float carried upon a
hinged bar or lever, and having an adjustable stop lever or guard for preventing
the float sinking too far, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The improvements in water level indicators for use in connection with
sprinklers and for other purposes, substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of September 1895.
ALFRED HENRY WITTER.