Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1890-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishers.
I, JOHN HILL of Columbus in the County of Muscogee, and State of Georgia
United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, 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 that class of fire extinguishing apparatus in which water
is conducted to pipes to the points where its use may be required and there released
automatically, by the rupture of the support which sustains the outlet valve and
valve stem, produced by the softening of the solder joint which maintains the support
in position caused by the dangerous rise of temperature, or by the actual outbreak of
a conflagration.
It is the purpose of my Invention to provide means whereby the solder joint in an
extinguisher of this class shall be positively and violently ruptured when the solder is
sufficiently softened, thus preventing the valve from gradually settling and producing
a percolation of water, which flows down upon the joint and sets the solder, and by its
constant dripping prevents its subsequent rupture, thereby destroying the usefulness
of the extinguisher and causing a constant leakage.
It is my purpose to so construct the support for the sectional disc, sustaining the valve
stem and valve, that it shall maintain an elastic tension capable of suddenly and
explosively disrupturing the joint whenever the solder shall have softened to a degres
not sufficient to relax the strain upon the valve stem, thereby effectually preventing
the latter from settling and partly unseating the valve.
It is my purpose to provide a simple construction and combination of parts,
whereby the complete rupture of the solder joint shall be necessary in order to release
the valve.
It is my further purpose to combine with an extinguisher of this type simple means
whereby rust, sediment and other foreign matter shall be prevented from accumulating
in the orifice of the inlet tube of the extinguisher whereby these devices have been
known to become choked and obstructed, owing to the slow accumulation of such
matter during a long period of immunity from fires. My invention contemplates to
this end, a collapsible sodiment valve or stop, arranged at a suitable point in the inlet,
and capable of remaining intact so long as the pressure of the extinguishing fluid is
exerted upon both sides of the sediment valve, but collapsing and tearing to fragments
the instant the sustaining valve is unseated.
My invention also has for its purpose to provide means whereby the sediment valve
or stop may be inserted, and the extinguisher connected with the supply pipe to enable
the inlet to fill below the valve or stop, the support for the latter being removed by
the subsequent action of the extinguishing fluid, leaving the sediment valve in position
to receive and sustain any matter depositing thereon, but collapsible upon slight
preponderance of pressure upon either side. I propose by this improvement to avoid
the difficulties which have heretofore been more or less frequently experienced from
the choking of the orifice of the extinguisher due to the gradual accumulation of the
rust, sediment and other foreign material which gathers in the neck of the device and
is liable in time to impact therein and defeat its operation.
The invention consists to these ends in the novel features of construction and new
combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims
following this Specification.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to practice my Invention I will
describe the same in detail, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, in
which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of an automatic extinguisher embodying my invention.
Fionra iza sectional elevation of the same.

page_text: Figure 3 is a similar view showing the parts aftor the rupture of the sokter joint,
and removal of sediment stop.
Figure is a detail view of the pedestal and supporting platform or disc, with the
sectional support placed thereon but not soldered.
Figure a view of the same parts, after the solder-joint is completed.
Figure 6 is a detail plan view of the platform or supporting dise, showing two
forms thereof.
Figure 7 is a detail plan view of the sectional support.
Figure 8 is an edge view of the sediment stop or valve.
Figure 9 is a plan view of one form of the same, the valve being flat with a flanged
edge.
Figure 10 is a plan view showing a slight mo litication.
Figures 11 and 12 are a plan and section shewing a further mo litiration.
In the sail drawing, the reference numeral 1, denotes the extinguisher head, in its
usual form, the numeral 2 designating the arms supporting the solder joint, the valve
stem and distributer.
These arms unite with a pedestal 3, upon which is mounted a platform or disc 4,
having a central opening 5, large enough to freely admit the end of the valve stein 6,
and allow it to drop within the pelestal and rest upon the step 7. The valve stem
sustains a valve 8, which when the solder joint is formed, is sented upon a valve seat 9,
in the distributer head.
The platform or dise & consists according to my invention of a thin plate of elastic
metal, which is usually in the form of a dise, though other forms may be used. This
dise is normally concave or dish shaped, although I may employ the equivalent form
shown in Figure 6, in which it is bent or concaves in one direction only, and in either
of these forms it is rigidly attached to the pedestal by rivetting or in any other
sui'uble manner,
Upon the platform or support 1. thus formed is placed the sectional support
consisting of n dise divided into two or more parts 10, having flat lower surfaces
resting upon the platform, while their upper faces are either convex or of any other
suitable shape. The sectional parts 10 are provided with partial openings 12, which
form when the sertions are united, an aperture large enough to admit the point of the
valve stem which is usually provided with an expanding shoulder 13 seating in the
countersunk aperture of the sertional support.
The solder joint is formed by forcing the sectional support 10, against the
platform 4, until the latter is flattened and every part of its surface is brought into
costaer with the flat faces of the sectional parts 10. The soft solder which has
beon previously applied to these surfaces is allowed to set while they are in contact
throughout.
When the joint is completed the valve stem will be supported with the valve 8
properly seated, but owing to the natural elasticity of the metal forming the platform
an elastic tension is constantly exerted upon the joint tending to rupture it, but
unsufficient to overcome the adhesion of the solder.
When the surrounding temperature rises sufficiently to soften the solder, the tension
of the platform or disc 4, at the predetermined point, suddenly and explosively bursts
or ruptures the joint, expelling the sectional parts 10 from the platform and releasing
the valve 8.
I prefer to form the platform or elastic dise 4 curved as shown with the extreme
outer elge of each apex of curve somewlrit flattened, said flattened surfaces under-
lying the line of split of the sectional support or disc resting thereon, in such manner
that either of the parts 10 when soldered in position will retain the elastic platform in
its flattene position, thereby requiring the roloase of both parts before the valve
stom is set free. The same result however is effected when the conenve, or dish shaped
platform is employed.
It is evident that the platform may be square, roun 1, elliptical or polygonal in form,
without departing from my Invention.
In order to prevent the accumulation of sediment, rust and similar foreign matter

page_text: in the inlet pipe, or neck 14 of the extinguisher, I form at a suitable point therein,
as for example at the open end of said pipe, a seat or recess 15 within which is fitted
a flanged diaphragm or disc 16 formed of very thin, flexible inotal, such as tin foil.
This disc, when fitted is provided with a flange 17 upon its edge, in which is inserted
a disc of card-board or some other suitable material 18, which is more rigid than tin
foil. When inserted this card-board is dry and together with the foil diaphragm it
is sprung into the recess or seat 15 where it is retained by its elasticity.
In order to equalize the pressure of the extinguishing fluid upon both sides of this
diaphragm one or more small apertures 19 are punched through both the foil and
carl-board, whereby, as the extinguisher is attachol to the supply pipe and the fluid
allowed to fill the latter, it will slowly percolate through the two discs and fill the
neck 14 of the extinguisher thus giving an equal pressure on both sides the foil.
The card-board disc, during this operation, serves to support the foil and prevent its
rupture but as it becomes saturated with the extinguishing fluid it is speedily dissolved and
destroyed, leaving only the thin tin foil diaphragm which receives the sediment from
the pipe, but which is so thin and weak as to rupture upon the least preponderance of
pressure upon one side or the other. The instant the valve 8 unseats, the foil is
ruptured, and wholly destroyed, its fragments being carried through the discharge
opening with the fluid. The perforations 19 in the foil are so small as to practically
exclude all perceptible sediment and they are soon covered by the deposit, if any
quantity thereof accumulates.
These openings may, however, be wholly omittel if
the neck or inlet 14 is filled with the fluid before the extinguisher is attached to the
pipe, and in this case, also, the card-board diaphragm is unnecessary.
The foil diaphragm may be formed of leal, or other metals, or of any alloy of
metal adapted to the purpose, or of any other material which is not soluble in or
attacked by the extinguishing fluid, and it may be made so flexible that it will puss
out bodily with said Huid when the extinguisher valve is opened. The supporting
dise 18 may likewise, be made of any material other than card-board, Irving sufficient
strength when dry to support the foil, and capable of being attacked and destroyed,
or disintegrated by the extinguishing flui 1.
The foil disc may be placed in the inlet at any suitable point, and either comented,
or soldered, in place, and with or without the disc 18. It may, also, be slitted, as
shown in Figure 10, to enable the fluid, when released, to more easily rupture and
destroy it. I may also corrugate the foil as shown in Figure 11, and I prefer this
form when it is used without the supporting disc 18, although I may uso the latter
with this construction, if desirable.
This device is an effectual stop and protection against sediment of all kind which
might otherwise accumulate in and obstruct the orifice in the inlet or neck 14, above
the valve 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an automatic fire extinguisher having an outlet or discharge opening close!
by a valve, and provided with an elastic platform or disc, normally bent, or curved,
to present a surface which is concave in one or more directions, in combination with
a sectional support holding the valve stem and united by a fusible solder with the
surface of said platform when the latter is flattened, substantially as described.
2. In an automatic fire extinguisher, the combination with an elastle platform, or
dise, mounted on the pedestal and normally bent or curved, to present a surface which
is concave in one or more directions, of a sectional support having a flat surface which
is united by soft solder to every part of the said concave or curved surface, substantially
as described.
3. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with an elistic platform, or
dise mounted on the pedestal, and bent or curved to present a surface which is
concave in one or more directions, of a sectional support having flat lower fa es
secureal to said curved or concave surface by forcing the parts into contact, there y

page_text: putting the platform under a permanent tension, and a valve-stem rosting with its
point in u central aperture in the sectional support, substantially as described.
4. In a fire extinguisher having an outlet, or discharge opening, closed by a valve,
the combination with the curved, or concaved platform, or disc 4, formed of elastic
metal and attached to the pedestal of the extinguishor, of the sectional support 10
supporting the valve-stem and having a flat lower surface which is brought into
contact with the Hattened platform anl united therewith by a fusiblo connection.
substantially as described.
5. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a soliment diaphragm, or stop arranged in
the inlet or neck, above the valve and valve seat, and adapted to be collapsed, or
ruptured by the pressure of the fluid, upon the release of the extinguisher valve,
substantially as described.
6. In an automatic tire-extinguisher, the combination with the inlet, or neck, of a
thin collapsible diaphragm arrangel above the valve and valve seat and formed of a
material not attacked by the oxtinguishing fluid, substantially as described.
7. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the inlet or neck of a
thin flexibla diaphragm, or stop, arranged in said inlet, above the valve and valve seat,
and having one or more perforations, substantially as described.
8. In an automatic fire extinguisher, the combination with the inlet, or neck, of n
sediment diaphragm, arranged in aid inlet above the valve and valve seat, and slitterl,
snlstantially as described.
9. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the inlet or neck, of a
aliment diaphragm, formed of thin, collapsible material formed of material not
attacked by the extinguishing fluit, and a dise of more rigid material supporting
the diaphragm, and formed of material which is soluble in, or attackel by said Huid,
both diaphragm and disc being provided with small perforations substantially as
described.
10. In an automatice fire-extinguisher, the combination with the inlet, or neck, of
a collapsible diaphragm having a flange enclosing the edge of a disc of more rigid
material, both arranged in a suitable seat in the inlet, and provided with small
perforations, substantially as described.
11. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination with the inlet, or neck, of a collapsible
diaphragm arranged to receive the sediment and a support for said diaphragm
adapted to resist the pressure of the fluid and to be driven out with the diaphragm
on the release of the extinguisher valve, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of May 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,