Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 29th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Nov., 1887
I, JAMES BALLANTYNE HANNAY, of Cove Castle, Loch Long, in the County of
Dumbarton, North Britain, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this Inven-
tion to be as follows, that is to say
:-
My said Invention relates to automatic fire extinguishing apparatus of the kind
comprising what are known as sprinklers, and my object is to avoid damage to goods
arising from water leaking through the sprinkler valves.
My Invention consists in charging the branch pipes which supply water to the
sprinklers with air. When a sprinkler valve opens by the action of heat due to fire
the air first issues but is immediately followed by the water. Suitably placed gauges
will show if leakage of air through the sprinkler valves takes place, and the charge of
air can be renewed from time to time.
In carrying out my Invention according to one modification, I provide a closed
vessel or receiver like a boilor, in the basement of a factory for example, and I connect
the water supply pipe, to the bottom of it, with the inlet by preference entering one
end horizontally and fitted with a stopcock. The receiver is fitted with a stopcock
for letting out water and one for admitting air, and is by preference made with a
done from which a small pipe is led up to the branch pipes connected to the
sprinklers. In order to charge the sprinkler pipes with air the water supply is shut
off from the receiver and any water in the receiver discharged from it and air
admitted. Then, the discharge cock and air inlet cock being closed the water is
again admitted and compresses the air according to its pressure; and the compressed
air passes from the receiver dome up into the sprinkler pipes, and the water in the
main vertical pipes connected to the sprinkler pipes descends to the same level as that
of the water in the receiver. In the case of a comparatively small factory one receiver
inay serve for several flats; but where it is considered desirable there may be a
separate receiver for each flat, or where the factory is very large there may be two or
more receivers in each flat. Where steam power is conveniently available a small
air pump may be arranged to inject into the piping any air that may be required to
compensate for leakage; or such air pump may be worked by water pressure, and it
may be controlled by a float in the receiver or other automatic arrangement.
Dated this Thirty-first day of January 1887
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishing Apparatus.
1. JAMES BALLANTYNE HANNAY, of Cove Castle, Loch Long, in the County of
Dumbarton, North Britain, Chemist, 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, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to automatic fire extinguishing apparatus of the kind
comprising what are known as sprinklers, and my object is to avoid damage to goods
arising from water leaking through the sprinkler valves.
My Invention consists in charging the branch pipes which supply water to the
sprinklers with air. When a sprinkler valve opens by the action of heat, due to fire
the air first issues but is immediately followed by the water. Suitably placed gauges
will show if leakage of air through the sprinkler valves takes place; and the charge
of air can be renewed from time to time
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and showing a simple and convenient mode of practically
carrying out my improvements.
The drawing is a sectional elevation showing portions of two flats of a building
provided with sprinklers, S, which are supplied with water by branch pipes, B,
connected to a vertical pipe, P, which is at its bottom end connected to a branch, M,
from a water main. In carrying out my Invention I provide a closed vessel or
receiver, R., like a boiler, in the basement and I connect the water supply pipe, M, to
the bottom of it with the inlet by preference entering one end and provided with
an inlet stopcock, I. The receiver, R, is fitted with a stopcock, D, for discharging
water, and with an air inlet cock, A, and is by preference made with a dome, as
shown, from which a small pipe, Q, is led up to the highest part of the system of
pipes, P, B, which supply the sprinklers, S. In order to charge the sprinkler pipes
with air, the water supply is shut off from the receiver, R, by closing the inlet stop-
cock, I, and any water in the receiver is discharged from it by the stopcock, D, and
air admitted by the stopcock, A. Then the discharge stopcock, D, and air inlet
stopcock, A, are closed, and water is again admitted by the stopcock, I, and
compresses the air in the receiver, R, according to its pressure, and the compressed
air passes from the receiver dome up the pipe, Q, to the sprinkler pipes, B, and the
water in the main vertical pipes, P, connected to the sprinkler pipes, B, descends to
the same level as that of the water in the receiver, R. A glass gauge, G, is fitted to
the receiver, R, to show when the water rises nearly to the top of it.
In the case of a comparatively small factory one receiver may serve for several
flats:
but where it is considered desirable there may be a separate receiver for each
flat, or where the factory very large there may be two or more receivers in each

page_text: flat. Where steam power is conveniently available a small air pump may be
arranged to inject into the piping any air that may be required to compensate for
leakage: or such air pump may be worked by water pressure, and it may be
controlled by a float in the receiver, or other automatic arrangement.
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 :-
In connection with automatic fire extinguishing apparatus operating with sprinklers,
the providing of means for charging the supply pipes with air substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
1007
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.