Improved Water Spray Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires. IN THEATRES OTHER BUILDINGS
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Oct., 1888
Improved Water Spray Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires.
ALFRED CLIFFORD, No. 7, Hyth Street Dartford Kent, England Trading as
Plumber and Sanitary Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the invention for
EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN THEATRES & OTHER BUILDINGS &c. to be as follows :-
:―
My invention consists of Iron (or any other Metal) Pipe perforated with holes all
over the length of Pipe, The Holes are made according to the Size of pipe used, This
pipe is made in lengths from 1 ft. to 12 ft. or longer, the size of bore from in. up to
12 inches or larger, The pipe is screwed together with ordinary sockets, or Caulk
joints, or otherwise according to the size of pipe used.
This perforated pipe is fixed in all directions, in Theatres, or other Buildings &c.
It is then supplied with water from the Company's Main Water Pipe, Tank, or other-
wise, with Taps placed in convenient places, to turn the water into the perforated
pipes, at a short notice, directly the Water is turned into the perforated pipes,
the water plays through all the holes round the pipe, & every part of the
Building &c. where the pipes are fixed, is under water, making it impossible for any
Building to be Destroyed by fire.
1
1002

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Water Spray Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires.
ALFRED CLIFFORD No. 7, Hyth Street Dartford Kent, England, Trading as
Plumber & Sanitary Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the invention for
EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN THEATRES & OTHER BUILDINGS &C. and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following stateinent :-
My invention consists of Iron (or any other metal) pipe (A) perforated with holes
all over the length of pipe, the holes are made according to the size of pipe used,
This pipe is made in lengths from 1 ft. to 12 ft. or longer, the size of bore from in.
up to 12 inches or larger, the pipe is screwed togetlier with ordinary sockets, hends,
elbows pieces, or caulked joints, flang joints with nuts and bolts, or otherwise,
according to the to the size of pipe used.
This perforated pipe (A) can be fixed in all directions and in any position to suit its
purpose in the Buildings &c., when fixed it is supplied from the Companys main water
pipe, or a large Tank filled with water or any other liquid used for extinguishing
fires. The perforated pipes can be supplied with an independent tap to each room
stage &c. & fixed as described hereafter, or otherwise, this tap is supplied from the
main water pipe with iron (or any other metal pipe) the taps used on the stage or in
any other part of the building where a fire is likely to occur, are the ordinary High
Pressure screw down stop cocks with my improved automatic means for operating it,
which are as follows.
A 4 in. to 1 ft. wheel E or larger in diameter, attached to the spindle B of tap, the
rim of this wheel is made of brass or any other metal, and any size to suit its purpose,
it is also made U shape, in this grove the end of a brass chain, metal cord (or any
other substance that will stand fire) is fixed, the chain (or any other material used) is
then wound round the wheel E, in the grove, a heavy weight F is attached to the end
of the chain (or any other material used) which hangs down on one side of the wheel,
and on the other side is another weight G, which is heavier than the weight F, this
weight G is attached to the outside of the grove in wheel E. with a piece of string or
other burnable material, this string (or any other material used) hangs down about
the sanie length as the chain which has the weight F attached, when this tap is shut
off and ready for use the weights G & F hang down each side of the wheel, the
heaviest weight G with the string attached keeps the tap shut off and holds the wheel
in its place when a fire occurs and the flames reach the string (or any other material
used) which supports the heavy weight G, it gets burnt and the weight G drops drops off
the wheel E thereby releasing the other weight F which pulls round the wheel, by
doing this the valve of the tap is lifted and the water passes through the tap into the
perforated pipes. The spindle B, runs round on the balls D, the centre of wheel E
is square so also is the top of spindle B, this makes it convenient to take the wheel off
at any time, it is fasterned on with a thum screw C, which screws into the centre of
spindle B.

page_text: The automatic taps as described above, is fixed with an independent supply of water
from the companys main water pipe, tank, or otherwise, in this main pipe a stop tap is
fixed (as described hereafter) near the external wall of the building, this tap should
always be turned on when the automatic taps are in use, as it supplies the automatic
tap and perforated pipe with water, and also is used for turning the water off after a
fire. Independent of the pipe which supplies the automatic taps, another pipe can be
connected to a T piece fixed between the automatic tap and the perforated pipe, this
pipe is supplied with a stop cock direct from the Companys main water pipe, which
makes it convenient to turn the water on direct to the perforated pipe A, without
having to pass through the automatic tap, providing the fire did not burn the string
in time to extinguish the flames, all the stop cocks which shut the water off from the
automatic taps and perforated pipes, can be fixed as follows.
A small brick or iron room is made near the external wall, with a door made in the
external wall to building and another door in the interior of building, in this brick or
iron room a 3 in. to 6 in. or larger iron pipe is carried from the company's main water
pipe, tank or otherwise, on the end of this main in the small room, a T piece is fixed
into this piece the stop taps are screwed with the name of each room attached which
they supply, from these taps a supply pipe is carried to the perforated pipes and
automatic taps, which are fixed in the rooms mentioned on the taps, so as when a fire
occurs in any part of the building the fireman or any other person can turn on the tap
to that part without disturbing the other part of the building &c.
For buildings where the ground floor is below the level several gully traps can be
fixed in the floor and these gullys can be connected with pipe and run into the sewer
or other receptacle by these gullys being fixed the water will run away as it comes
from the perforated pipes when a fire occurs, a stop cock can be fixed in the small
brick or iron room, from this stop cock a small pipe can be carried and branched off to
each gully trap, the stop cock can be turned on at any time to keep the gullys traped
and washed out.
The perforated pipes &c. described on these forms can also be fixed in Ships with
tanks & pumps to supply them with water.
Flaving now particulary described and asertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what
I claim is
The Iron pipe A perforated with holes all over the length of pipe, connected and
used as described on these forms, also the ball bearings D. attached to packing box of
High pressure stop cock, the U shaped rim wheel E, attached to spindle B. with thum
screw C, also the weights F and G attached to the wheel E as described on these
forms.
T
1000
ALFRED CLIFFORD.