Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers or Fire Extinguishers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 11th June, 1889-Accepted, 13th July. 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers or Fire Extinguishers.
I, JOSEPH CLAPP of No. 515 Maple Avenue in the Village of Evanston, County of
Cook and State of Illinois, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he
performel, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to automatic sprinklers for fire extinguishing purposes; and
the object thereof is to provide a sprinkler which may be simple and cheap in its con-
struction, extremely sensitive in its action, and yet one which may be capable of with-
standing a high air or water pressure and the shock incident to "water-hammer." To
this end, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements
hereinafter more particularly described.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1, is a side view of said sprinkler in its normal condition.
Fig. 2, is a side view of the same partly in vertical section, the parts of the sup-
porting post being shown as they appear in the act of separation.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the supporting post represented in Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a view of the same taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5. is a transverse, sectional view of said post.
Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are side views of modified forms of construction.
Fig. 10, is a transverse sectional view upon the line x, x, Fig. 7.
Fig. 11. is a like view of a modification.
Fig. 12. is a like view upon the line y, y, Fig. 8.
Fig. 13. is a like view upon the line z. z, Fig. 9, and
Fig. 14. is a transverse sectional view showing a modification thereof.
Corresponding letters of reference indicate like parts in the different figures.
Referring to the drawing, a, represents the usual discharge-pipe adapted to be
connected in any well known way with a distributing system. The frame, b, of the
sprinkler head is preferably tapped upon the pipe in the manner shown for the
purposes of adjustment, as hereinafter stated, and normally secured. in any given
position by means of a set screw 6', Fig. 1. A deflector c is arranged upon said
frame before the discharge opening, which is normally closed by means of a cap d
held in position by a separable sectional post E, in which is primarily embodied the
novelty of my invention. Said post may consist of two or more parts, and may be
made wholly or partially of sheet metal, with numerous modifications or changes of
form and appearance, without varying materially from the essential features of my
invention, which embodies broadly the following requirements, viz. that one of its
members shall have a pivotal bearing upon the cap in the plane of its axis; that the
body of said member shall extend upwardly in said plane and laterally therefrom to
near the frame; that one end of a secondary member shall bear against said frame
and the other upon a point upon said primary member near to the cap and eccentric
to the axis of the latter, and that the contiguous surfaces of said members shall be
united by means of fusible solder so that they may have more or less of a sliding, as
distinguished from a breaking contact in the act of separation, at the ends which
are first to separate or which tend to move in the arc of a circle, as hereinafter
specified.
I will first describe the preferable form of construction of said post, after which I
will refer to the modifications.
I prefer to make said post entirely of sheet-metal; thereby enabling the parts to be
formed in a die and to be strong in construction, while the thin plates which may be
obtained in this way are more sensitive to changes of temperature than if made of a
larger bulk of metal.

page_text: Referring more particularly to. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 F, F, represent sheet metal-plates
formed from brass, phosphor-bronze, or analogous material, preferably about three
quarters of the entire length of the post, which are crimped to form a flange f, in
which the metal is doubled or bent upon itself, and flanges f₁,, which are in the
same plane with each other and at right angles to that of the flange f. Two of said
members F, F, are placed with the flanges f1, f1 parallel to each other and between
them are interposed, by preference, two members G, G, formed from flat sheet metal
plates which are of about the same length as the parts F, F, and the line of separation
between which is in the plane of the flanges f,f, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. Said
members protrude from the lower ends of the members F, and are tapered, as shown
at g, to a point in the plane of the flanges f. The contiguous faces of said members G,
are attached to each other by means of fusible solder h, Fig. . Projections g', g¹,
upon said members G, are formed at points eccentric to the axis of said post, and
serve as bearings, respectively, for the lower ends of the members F F. Said
members may be tapered at the top or left of the full size as desired. My improved
sectional post is interposed between the cap d, and the frame, so that the points of the
members G, bear upon the axis of the cap. The pressure of the post upon the cap
may be increased to any extent desired by turning the frame upon the screw-
thread above described and securing the same in position by means of the set-
screw . Upon the fusing of the soldered joints, the members G, by reason of
the eccentric bearings thereon, are thrown out in opposite directions as shown in
Fig. 2. It will be observed that when this action takes place, the separation is by
a sliding contact of the members F, as distinguished from a direct and immediate
separation. This feature affords greater resisting power to the post while in its
normal condition, which is of vital importance in the case of water-hammer or un-
due pressure. At the same time the joint is equally sensitive to the action of heat
and will separate just as readily when under proper conditions.
In Fig. 6. I have shown a like construction to that in the former figures, except
that but one member is employed and the bearing points g¹, but one of which is seen,
are both upon one side of the axis.
Figs. 7, 10 and. 11, represent a single member G, tapered to a point but having
the lateral extension of its body wholly upon one side of the plane of its axis, while
the members F, are made to correspond. In them the flanges f, are of single thick-
ness only. In Fig. 11, a slight modification of this feature is suggested in making
but one member F, and bending it so as to enclose two sides and the outer edge of
the member G.
In Figs. 8 and 12, I have shown each of the members G, made in the form of a
split cylinder and tapered to a knife-edge to bear in the plane of the axis of the cap,
while the members F, are bent to conform to the outer surfaces thereof, to which they
are soldered.
The
Eigs. 9 and 13, show the conditions reversed; the part F, therein being a solid
round post which is placed between the members G, which are tapered to meet at a
common point, and Fig. 14 shows the part F, to consist of a hollow tube. It is obvious
that these constructions are the same in principle as that first described.
members G, in separating have a sliding contact, but to a more limited extent than
in the first described construction, and one member has a positive bearing upon the
other eccentric to the axis of the post. I do not, therefore, confine myself to any
specific form of construction except such as is limited to these features.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. The combination with the cap and frame of an automatic sprinkler, of a separable
intervening post having a member tapered to pivotally bear upon the axis of the cap,
the body of which member is extended laterally from said axis, a secondary member
having one end resting against the frame and the other provided with a positive
eccentric point of bearing upon said first member, the main body of one of said

page_text: members being enclosed within the other and having their contiguous surfaces united
by means of fusible solder, whereby, upon the yielding of the solder from heat, said
surfaces may slide laterally upon each other in the arc of a circle, the centre of which
is said eccentric point of bearing, substantially as shown and described.
2. In an automatic sprinkler, a sectional sheet-metal post for normally holding the
cap in position, consisting of independent members of lesser length than the entire
length of the post, the body of the members forming one section of said post having
radial flanges extending from the axis thereof, one of said members being partially
enclosed within the other, fusible solder for uniting the contiguous surfaces of said
members, and positive pivotal points of bearing therein eccentric to said axis,
substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination with the cap and frame of an automatic fire extinguisher, of a.
sectional cap-holding post consisting of two independent sheet-metal members tapered
to a point at and having a bearing upon the axis of the cap, one or more members
soldered thereto to form the remainder of the post which rests against the frame, and
bearings or rests upon said tapered members eccentric to the axis thereof, substantially.
as shown and described.
4. In an automatic sprinkler, a sectional sheet-metal post for normally holding the
cap in position, consisting of two independent members of a lesser length than the
entire length of the post, pointed to meet and bear in common upon the axis of the
cap, the bodies of which members extend laterally from said axis, one or more
secondary members attached thereto with fusible solder and having eccentric points
of bearing thereon, substantially as shown and described.
Doted this 7th day of Inno 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.