Improved Method of and Apparatus for Fumigating and Extinguishing Fires in Closed Compartments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Fumigating and
Extinguishing Fires in Closed Compartments.
I, THOMAS ADAM CLAYTON, of 212, West Coulter Street, Germantown, in the
City and County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United
States of America, Accountant, 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: —
My invention relates to a method and apparatus for fumigating closed com-
partments with a particular reference to the extinguishment of fires therein,
although my invention is also useful in the fumigation of compartments with a
view of disinfecting their contents, and with a particular view of preventing the
occurrence of fire in the compartment a a result of fumigation.
Generally speaking, my invention consists in forcing the gas or vapor into the
compartment until the desired result with regard to the character of the gases
with which the chamber is filled is secured and then causing such gases to
circulate through the chamber and a refrigerating apparatus situated outside of
the chamber until the temperature is reduced to the desired degree and the danger
of fire occuring on the admission of air to the compartment obviated.
Preferably I contemplate the generation of gases or vapors in a furnace the
intake and outlet of which are connected with a closed compartment and through
which and the compartment a forced circulation is maintained so that the gases
will be rapidly enriched to the desired point, whereupon I cut the furnace out
of the circuit by means of a bypass and maintain the forced circulation through
the chamber and a conduit including the bypass until the temperature is lowered
to the degree desired, this result being hastened by including in the circuit a
refrigerating apparatus by means of which the temperature of the gases is rapidly
lowered.
Further I prefer to use a furnace embodying a closed retort with which retort
the circulating pipes are connected and in which retort the gases are generated,
and I have found the best results in using such a retort furnace as is shown and
described in the United States patent granted to Samuel R. Olliphant and myself
for a fumigating apparatus January 31, 1893, No. 490, 981, using as in said
former patent, sulphur heated by the furnace as the means of generating sulphurous
acid gas which is of the utmost value both as a disinfectant and a fire extinguisher.
Another feature of my invention consists in, as a final step, admitting air
gradually to the chamber after the fire is extinguished and the temperature
reduced, it having been found that a rapid accession of air is accompanied by a
dangerous rise in temperature and tendency to reignition.
Reference being now had to the drawings which illustrate an apparatus adapted
for use with my method.
Figure 1 is a plan view of such apparatus.
Figure 2 a sectional view through the furnace on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,
and
Figure 3 a sectional view through the receiver or trap taken as on the section

page_text: A indicates the furnace, A¹ being the firebox, A2 and A³ flue spaces leading
from the firebox to the stack A B is what I may properly call the retort
chamber situated in the furnace A and in which, as in the former patent above
referred to, are situated a series of shallow trays B1 B2 and B³ arranged to make
a tortuous passage through the retort and in practice filled with sulphur which
is of course melted by the heat of the furnace. 13 is a baffle plate leading from
the top of the retort chamber down nearly to the level of the sulphur in the
uppermost tray B³. E indicates the closed compartment to be fumigated for the
extinguishment of fire or other reason. F is a conduit leading from this closed
compartment into the lower part of the retort chamber B. G is a conduit leading
from the upper part of the retort chamber B to a receiver or trap chamber C,
the pipe G leading to the bottom of this chamber. H is a conduit leading from
the top of the trap chamber C to a circulating fan D driven, as shown, by an
engine D and with which connects the conduit I leading back to the closed
compartment E. J is a bypass the function of which is to connect the circulating
conduit outside of the furnace. As shown, it connects the pipes or conduits F
and H. K indicates a refrigerating apparatus which, by preference, is situated,
as shown, in the bypass conduit J. It may consist of any convenient kind of
apparatus for cooling gases and as illustrated is simply a tank having a conduit
for the admission of water leading into its bottom, as indicated at K¹, and an
overflow conduit at its top, as indicated at K³, while in the tank is situated a
coil L which is connected at top and bottom with the bypass conduit J. I may
state that while I prefer to place the refrigerating apparatus in the bypass it
may be placed in any part of the conduit leading from the closed compartment
except that which is cut out by the bypass. M is a valve or gate situated in
the pipe F in the rear of the point where the bypass J connects with it. M¹ is
a similar device situated in the conduit G H leading from the furnace in advance
of the point where the bypass J connects with it. M³ is a similar device situated
in the bypass G and M³ a similar gate or valve situated in an open passage f
opening into the conduit F, its use being to permit of a regulated supply of air
to the furnace retort when it is desired, a function which is also served by a
regulable damper, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 2.
When it is desired to extinguish a fire in the compartment E or to fumigate
it for other purposes, a fire is lit and maintained in the firebox A¹ of the furnace
and the circulating fan D set in operation, the air from the compartment E is
then drawn through the conduit F into the retort chamber B passing over the
trays in the retort and combining with the sulphur to form sulphurous acid gas
which passes out of the retort chamber through the pipe G depositing such
flowers of sulphur as may be carried with it into the trap C and is then forced
through the conduit I back into the closed compartment E. This circulation is
maintained with the naturally rapid enrichment of the gas and also with the
elimination of oxygen by reason of combustion in the chamber if fire exists there
until the gases are no longer capable of maintaining combustion The fire in
the compartment, if one exists, will be then extinguished, but the temperature
may be still so high as will result in a reignition of the material in the chamber
on the admission of air. To overcome this tendency to reignite I cut out the
furnace by closing the valves M and M' and then opening the valve M2 in the
bypass, I maintain the circulation through the refrigerator K, rapidly cooling
down the gases until they and the chamber from which they are constantly passing
have reached the point where the danger of ignition is no longer to be feared.
It is then desirable, for the reasons stated, to gradually admit air to the
chamber E and this may be done by any regulable opening into the circulating
conduits, for instance, the damper 6 or opening f.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
1. The method of fumigating closed compartments which consists in generating.

page_text: fumes in a furnace, both the intake and outlet of which are connected to the
compartment to be treated causing a forced circulation through the furnace and
compartment until the circulating fumes or gases are of the desired strength and
then cutting the furnace out of the circulating conduit and maintaining the
circulation through the compartment and a system of conduits outside of the
compartment until the gases have cooled down.
2. The method of fumigating closed compartments which consists in generating
fumes in a retort, both the intake and outlet of which are connected to the
compartment to be treated causing a forced circulation through the retort and
compartment until the circulating fumes or gases are of the desired strength and
then cutting the retort out of the circulating conduit and maintaining the cir-
culation through the compartment and a system of conduits outside of the com-
partments until the gases have cooled down.
3. The method of fumigating closed compartments which consists in generating
fumes in a furnace, both the intake and outlet of which are connected to the
compartment to be treated causing a forced circulation through the furnace and
compartment until the circulating fumes or gases are of the desired strength and
then cutting the furnace out of the circulating conduit and maintaining the
circulation through the compartment and a refrigerating apparatus connected in
the conduit until the gases have cooled down.
4. The method of fumigating closed compartments which consists in heating
sulphur in the retort of a furnace, connecting the intake and outlet of said retort
with a closed compartment, maintaining a circulation of the air and gases through
the compartment and retort until the gases have reached the condition required
and then cutting the retort out of the circulating conduit and maintaining the
circulation through a refrigerating apparatus.
5. The combination of a closed compartment, a furnace, conduits connecting
the intake and outlet of said furnace with the closed compartment, a bypass con-
duit cutting out the furnace, valves controlling the course of the gases through
the furnace and bypass, a circulating device connected in the conduit to maintain
forced circulation either through the furnace or the bypass and a refrigerating
device situated in the circuit as specified.
6. The combination of a closed compartment, a furnace heated retort, conduits
connecting the intake and outlet of said furnace retort with the closed com-
partment, a bypass conduit cutting out the furnace retort, valves controlling the
course of the gases through the furnace retort and bypass, a circulating device
connected in the circuit to maintain forced circulation either through the furnace
retort or the bypass and a refrigerating device situated in the circuit as specified.
7. The method of extinguishing fire in closed compartments which consists in
generating outside of said compartment gases incapable of supporting combustion
forcing such gases into said compartment until the fire is subdued and then
causing said gases to circulate through said compartment and a refrigerating
apparatus until the heat of the compartment is reduced to a safe degree.
8. The method of extinguishing fires in closed compartments which consists
in generating gases of a character incapable of supporting combustion in a furnace
having its intake and outlet connected with the compartment by circulating
conduits, maintaining a forced circulation through the furnace and compartment
until the fire is extinguished, then cutting out the furnace from the circulating
conduits and maintaining a further circulation through the chamber and a cooling
apparatus connected in the conduits in order to reduce the temperature of the
chamber and finally admitting air to the chamber by introducing it gradually
hrough the circulating conduits.
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