Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 189.--Accepted, 8th Sept., 1991
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Apparatus.
I, RAFFAELE TRANQUILLI, Mechanical Engineer, of 194 via Cavour N Rome,
in the Kingdom of Italy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
scertained in and by the following statement :-
+
The apparatus herein described is extremely simple, and such that it may always
be possible to have at command a jet of water to extinguish a fire in its initial
stage of development. The invention is of the utmost utility, and especially
interesting to the proprietors of theatres and like public buildings, as well as of
works, and dwelling-houses; and also to fire insurance companies and indeed to
all places exposed to the risk of fire.
:
The apparatus is illustrated in detail in Sheets I and II of the accompanying
drawings whereof the description is as follows:-
ABCD is a water-cistern of sheet-iron plates or any other suitable material
endowed with sufficient strength.
Fis a conical valve of bronze or other suitable metal with a bridge-guard or
frame-guide h.
EF is the spindle of the valve.
EG is an outside lever actuating the same.
GM is the draw-rod or wire operating the lever to open the valve and
connected to one end of M N O the lever of the automatic movement.
P is a weight fixed on the end M of M N O.
Qis a counterpoise, consisting of a cage filled with an adequate quantity of some
easily melted fatty substance.
OTU is a combustible cord of hemp or other like material.
HIL is the delivery pipe for sprinkling the water to extinguish any fire.
R is an electric battery the poles of which are connected to the contacts b c
including in the circuit an electric alarum S.
TU are guide-pulleys conducting the combustible cords to which counterpoise-
weights are attached, to points most exposed to fire.
:-
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
The reservoir being constantly filled with water, the automatic lever MNO is
held in equilibrium by the weight P and the counterpoise Q. If the latter is
slightly raised by hand, the equilibrium of the automatic lever is destroyed by the
preponderance of the fixed weight P which accordingly drops, causing M NO to
assume the position as shown by the dotted line ab the movement being com-
municated to the external valve-lever E G which is caused to assume the position
shown by the dotted line df whereby the valve F is opened, admitting the water
to the pipe H and thence to the perforated branches or sprinklers I L wherever
they may be placed, thus saturating that locality with water.
If, instead of the counterpoise being lifted by hand, a lighted candle, or other
flame or fire, be applied thereto, it is obvious owing to the rapid melting of the
fatty substance in the cage, Q will quickly be diminished in weight so that it no
longer suffices to counterbalance the fixed weight P, whereby the valve is opened
and the same results ensue.
In exactly similar manner, these effects will be produced if the flame or fire be
applied to any point of the combustible cords, which, being set on fire and consumed,
will bring about the destruction of the equipoise and the consequent flooding of
everything protected by the sprinklers.

page_text: When, in consequence of the above-mentioned disturbances of the equilibrium,
the lever M NO assures the position ab the electric leads bc are brought into
contact and the bell S gives the alarm as soon as the fire breaks out.
In the example shown on Sheet II, for the purpose of more completely showing
the importance of my invention, the alarm fire-extinguishing apparatus shown as
applied to a bed-room; and, in this case, for the purpose giving individual security,
separately, to an indefinite number of rooms (as in a hotel), the valve F in the
cistern (shown on Sheet 1) is dispensed with, the water having free admission to
the distributing pipe-system; and, in substitution therefor, a valve or cut-off
cock F G is introduced between the service pipe H and the sprinkling apparatus in
each separate chamber, as shown in Sheet II such valve being operated by the
same means as previously described.
If, by accident, the window curtains catch fire, the heat and flames will at once
attack the counterpoise Q and its suspension-cord; if it is the bed-hangings that
catch fire, the cord will be attacked and burnt; and in either case the balance lever
is displaced by the fixed weight P, whereby the stop-cock or valve is opened and
the discharge of water puts out the flames. Previously, however, the displacement
of the lever has closed the electric circuit at bc and set the alarum in action,
giving the alarm even before the sprinkler comes into operation.
The leads, at the contacts b c may communicate with the electric wires connected
with a fire-brigade station, wherever fire-alarm pillars in electrical communication
therewith, have been adopted; so that the fire-brigade may be notified of the
danger of an outbreak of fire.
This combined alarm and sprinkling apparatus may also be advantageously
employed for cooling any heated bearings in machines having working parts liable
to become hot, such as e.g., the bearings of crank-shafts, the thrust-blocks and
bearings of propeller-shafts in steam-vessels, etc.; in which the action of the water
as a lubricator might be beneficial.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is :-
1. Fire extinguishing apparatus consisting of a water cistern with a delivery
valve actuated by a combination of rods and levers controlled by a counterpoise
suspended by a cord of combustible material such as hemp or the like the counter-
poise being formed of some substance readily melted by a rise of temperature due
to the outbreak of a fire and so adapted that as the counterpoise melts or the cord
is burnt through the cistern valve is opened and an alarm bell rung substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete fire
extinguisher substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
-drawings.
Dated this 19th dow of Iul 190
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.