IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF SAME FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN THE HOLDS OR BELOW DECKS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS AND IN OTHER STRUCTURES, WHETHER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Thompson, of Oxton, in the
County of Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF SAME FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN THE HOLDS
OR BELOW DECKS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS AND IN OTHER STRUCTURES, WHETHER
Scaled the 4th May 1875, and dated the 23rd November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry
Thompson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd November 1874.
I, WILLIAM HENRY THOMPSON, of Oxton, in the County of Chester,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF SAME FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN
THE HOLDS OR BELOW DECKS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS AND IN OTHER STRUCTURES,
WHETHER ARISING FROM SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OR OTHERWISE," to be as
follows:-
Tontion iolates to an arrancement of nines leading into the

page_text: .
structures, whereby a volume of steam or steam charged with carbonic
acid gas, or carbonic acid gas alone, can be introduced into such holds
or interiors in cases of fire arising from spontaneous combustion, or
otherwise.
In carrying out this Invention I lead from each hold or water-tight
compartment or interior a vertical pipe up to the upper or main deck,
cach pipe being separate and detached from all communication with the
steam boiler. Running from the steam boiler along the main or upper
deck, or as may be found convenient, I lead to within a few feet, or as
near as may be found convenient for attachment to the before-described:
vertical pipe, a main steam pipe, which may be the one used for supplying
steam for deck winches and other purposes, or a separate pipe.
To connect the vertical pipes with the main steam pipe before described
I, by preference, use a flexible hose pipe, or a copper or other pipe
may be used. This connecting pipe is arranged with suitable couplings,
so that it can be attached at any moment to the vertical pipe leading to
the compartment in which the fire may exist.
When using steam charged with carbonic acid gas I attach the two
series of pipes before described to a vessel containing suitable material
for generating the gas. The steam may enter the vessel by means of a
fusible plug, and may also by means of a fusible plug cause the
generation of the gas in the vessel by mixing the contents of the vessel,
as will be understood. The steam entering the vessel carries the car-
bonic acid gas along with it to the desired point, being the seat or
lacality of the fire.
When using carbonic acid gas alone I connect a vessel adapted for
the manufacture of this gas with the pipes leading below decks or other-
wise, and when connected by turning a tap the gas will pass off in
volumes at the lower end of the pipe, forcing its way throughout the
compartment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Thompson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st May 1875.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
5 cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Thompson,
Her special licence that I, the said William Henry Thompson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Henry Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
O and at all times thercafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND IN THE
ARRANGEMENT OF SAME FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN THE HOLDS OR BELOW DECKS
OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS AND IN OTHER STRUCTURES, WHETHER ARISING FROM
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OR OTHERWISE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Thompson, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Thompson, do
hereby declare the nature of my said 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 arrangement of pipes leading into the
holds or below decks of navigable vessels, and to the interior of other
structures, whereby a volume of steam or steam charged with carbonic
acid gas, or carbonic acid gas alone, can be introduced into such holds
or interiors in case of fire arising from spontaneous combustion, or
otherwise.
In carrying out this Invention I lead from each hold or water-tight
compartment or interior a vertical pipe up to the upper or main deck,
each pipe being separate and detached from all cominunication with the
steam boiler. Running from the steam boiler along the main or upper

page_text: deck, or as may be found convenient, I lead to within a few fect, or as
near as may be found, convenient for attachment to the before-described
vertical pipe, a main steam pipe, which may be the one used for sup-
a separate
plying steam for deck winches and other purposes or
pipe.
To connect the vertical pipes with the main steam pipe before
described I, by preference, use a flexible hose pipe, or a copper or other
pipe may be used. This connecting pipe is arranged with suitable
couplings, so that it can be attached at any moment to the vertical
pipe leading to the compartment in which the fire may exist.
When using steam charged with carbonic acid gas I attach the two
series of pipes before described to a vessel containing suitable material
for generating the gas. The steam may enter the vessel by means of a
fusible plug, and may also by means of a fusible plug cause tho
generation of the gas in the vessel by mixing the contents of the vessel,
as will be understood. The steam, entering the vessel carries the car-
bonic acid gas along with it to the desired point, being the scat or
locality of the fire.
When using carbonic acid gas alone I connect a vessel adapted for
the manufacture of this gas with the pipes leading below decks or other-
wise, and when connected by turning a tap the gas will pass off in
volumes at the lower end of the pipe, forcing its way throughout the
compartment.
The before-going being the nature, object, and purposes of this Inven-
tion, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same may
be carried out into practical effect, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, making a part of this Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a plan of a vessel fitted with apparatus for extinguishing
fires, constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a section of a vessel fitted with apparatus to be used with
'steam only.
Figure 3 is a section of a vessel fitted with my apparatus to be used
with steam charged with gas.
Figure 4 is a plan showing connexion of pipes when used for steam
only.
5
T

page_text: used for steam charged with gas. Figure 7 is an clevation of Figure 0.
Figure 8 shows portable tank for gas only, as applied to sailing
ships.
Figure 9 shows method of packing jar containing acid.
Like letters and figures on the Drawings are used to denote similar
parts throughout the various views.
Upon reference to the Drawings it will be seen that in carrying out
this Invention I lead from each hold or water-tight compartment or
interior a vertical pipe (sec Figures 2 and 3). The pipe A leads from
the main deck to the upper deck, the pipe B leading from the between
deck to the upper deck, and the pipe C leading from the hold to the
upper deck. These pipes terminate in a metal quadrant or coupling
picce D, and when not in use are separate and detached from all com-
munication with the steam boiler. Running from the steam boiler
along the main or upper deck, or as may be found convenient, I lead to
within a few feet of the coupling piece D a main steam pipe E, which
may be the one used for supplying steam for deck winches and other
purposes, or a separate pipe. To connect the vertical pipes A, B, and C
with the main steam pipe E I use a flexible hose pipe, or a copper or
other pipe F, which couples on to the stop valve H, and leads to the
quadrant coupling picce D, the pipe F being so arranged that it will
couple on to the pipes A, B, or C, as may be required, so that tho
steam may be directed to the compartment in which the fire exists.
When using steam charged with carbonic acid gas I attach the con-
necting pipe F to a gas generator K (see Figures 3, 6, and 7), and from
the gas generator K I lead a pipe F¹ to the coupling quadrant D, and
thus communicate with the pipes A, B, and C. The steam from the
pipe E enters the gas generator K by means of a fusible plug, and also
by means of a fusible plug causes the generation of the gas in the vessel
by mixing the contents of the vessel. The steam carries the carbonic
acid gas along with it through the pipe F', which is coupled to the
pipes A, B, or C, leading to the main deck, between deck, or hold, as
may be required.
When using carbonic acid gas alone I use a portable tank P, Figure 8,

page_text: may be attached a pipe leading to the pipes A, B, and C, so that by
turning a suitable cock the gas will pass off in volumes through the
pipes A, B, or C, accordingly as the coupling pipe is attached.
The advantages attendant upon this my Invention are that a con-
venient and effectual method for extinguishing fires is always available,
the vertical pipes A, B, and C being fixtures, and at the same time when
not required being disconnected from the steam or gas supply, danger
and damage to cargo is avoided, at the same time a ready and simple
method of connexion is provided by the coupling quadrant D and
hose pipe F. In most instances the hose pipe F can be conveniently
connected to the pipe E, which is the pipe for supplying steam to the
winches S (see Figure 1).
Having now fully described the nature, object, and purposes of this
my Invention, and shown how the same may be carried out into prac-
tical effect, I would have it understood that I do not claim as my
Invention the use of steam for extinguishing fires, or the use of carbonic
acid gas for extinguishing fires, nor do I confine myself to the identical
arrangement of apparatus as shown in the Drawings, as the same is
capable of various modifications, nor do I confine myself to the use of my
apparatus for extinguishing fires on board ship, as the same is applicable
to other structures, as will be understood; but what I claim as my
Invention and secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The vertical pipes A, B, and C, and the quadrant coupling
piece D in combination with the main steam pipe E, and connected
thereto by the adjustable and portable pipe F as a means for conducting :
steam to the interior of ships and other structures for extinguishing
fires, substantially as set forth.
Secondly. The vertical pipes A, B, and C, and the quadrant coupling
picce D in combination with the main steam pipe E and the gas gene-
rator K, and communicating therewith by the adjustable and portable {
pipes F, F, and using steam charged with carbonic acid gas as a means
for extinguishing fires in the interior of ships and other structures, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Thirdly. The vertical pipes A, B, and C, and the quadrant coupling
piece D in combination with the portable tank P (Figure 8), and coupled 8
thereto at M by a portable pipe or hose, substantially as set forth as a

page_text: means for extinguishing fires on board ship and in other structures by
the introduction of carbonic acid gas.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Thompson, have
•
'hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
WILLIAM HENRY (L.S.) THOMPSON.