IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WATER WITH CARBONIC ACID GAS FOR EXTINGUISHING, FIRES
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to John Kissack Joshua Foster, of Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
IMPREGNATING
WATER WITH CARBONIC ACID GAS FOR EXTINGUISHING,
FIRES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Kissack Joshua
Foster at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on. the 28th April
1SS1.
"
JOHN KISSACK JOSHUA FOSTER, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WATER WITH CARBONIC ACID GAS
FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES."
My Invention relates to a portable apparatus to be either permanently or
temporarily connected to a water main or hydrant, or to the hose of a steam or
manual fire engine, or other source of water, for the purpose of impregnating the
water under pressure on its way through the apparatus to the discharge nozzle
with carbonic acid gas in order to render it more effectual for fire extinguishing.
purposes.
The apparatus is so constructed as to permit of plain water passing through it
for general purposes, the chemicals being held in reserve until required for use.
Similarly the flow of water is not interrupted whilst the apparatus is being
recharged should the chemicals become exhausted by prolonged use during.
a fire.
°
The apparatus consists of two chambers or cylinders, one of sufficient capacity
to contain a large quantity of chemicals, which when dissolved by the water
combine and generate carbonic acid gas, and the other in which the gas is forced
through and mixed with a large bulk of water, the two cylinders being connected
by pipes controlled by.cocks and valves suitably arranged, and provided with an
inlet and outlet for connection to a main or hose, as hereafter described. The
cylinder to contain the chemicals is provided with a perforated plate or grid for
the chemicals to rest upon, said plate or grid being placed in an inclined position
to prevent it becoming clogged. The inlet pipe is controlled by a 3-way cock, by
งา

page_text: which the water may be admitted to either cylinder at will through either of two
branch pipes passing respectively into the two cylinders at the upper part, and
leading down the inside thereof. The branch pipe into the chemical cylinder
terminates just above the lower part of the grid or plate on which the chemicals
are placed, and is provided with a valve to prevent any return flow of the water.
Another pipe connects the two cylinders at the lower part leading from the bottom
of the chemical cylinder beneath the grid to the bottom of the other cylinder,
where it terminates in a valve to prevent any back pressure. A discharge pipe
rises from the lower part of the latter cylinder, and a relief pipe of smaller diameter
than the outlet or nozzle is connected to this discharge pipe near the bottom of the
cylinder, and extends upwards within the cylinder, to which it is open at the top
to prevent the pressure of gas generated by the chemicals overcoming the pressure
of the water from the main or other source of supply, and arresting the flow of
water, while the gas alone escapes by permitting a portion of the gas pressing on
the, surface of the water in the cylinder to escape into the discharge pipe along
with the water whenever the level of water contained in the cylinder falls below
the mouth of the relief pipe, owing to the gas pressure becoming eccessive.
The inlet and outlet pipes are adapted to be connected respectively with the
male and female parts of a hose coupling, so that the hose can be disconnected at
any joint, and the two parts connected to the inlet and outlet of the apparatus.
The whole of the apparatus is enclosed in a case, and may be mounted on
wheels, and protected from being tampered with in the usual way. In operation
the water pumped or forced by the engine or main is admitted by the 3-way cock
to the chemical chamber, where it dissolves the chemicals and passes with a large
quantity of the gas generated into the other cylinder, where the gas rising through
water contained therein to the upper part of the cylinder impregnates the water
which is ejected through the discharge pipe and nozzle. By turning the 3 way
cock the water may be shut off from the chemical cylinder, and an uninterrupted
stream of plain water be played whilst the chemical cylinder is recharged or held
in reserve:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Kissack Joshua Foster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th October 1881.
JOHN KISSACK JOSHUA FOSTER, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
*IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
IMPREGNATING WATER WITH CARBONIC ACID GAS
FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES."*
My Invention relates to a portable apparatus to be either permanently or
temporarily connected to a water service pipe or hydrant, or to the nose of a steam
or manual fire engine, or to any other pipe conveying water under pressure for the
purpose of impregnating the water while on its way to the discharge nozzle with
carbonic acid gas in order to render it more effectual for extinguishing tire.
The apparatus is so constructed that the water may be entirely shut off from the
chemical chamber when plain water is to be drawn for general purposes, the charge
of chemicals being thus held in reserve until required for use, when they are
immediately available by turning a valve. The same means euables the flow of
plain water to continue uninterrupted, whilst the chemical chamber is being
recharged should the chemicals become exhausted by prolonged use during a
fire.
The apparatus consists of two chambers or cylinders, one to contain a mixture of
chemical substances, such as carbonate of soda, tartaric acid, alum, and pearl ash, in
proper proportions, which, when dissolved by the water combine and generate
carbonic acid gas, and the other a large bulk of water through which the gas so
produced is forced, and with which it is mixed, the two cylinders being connected
by pipes controlled by a cock, and valves suitably arranged and provided with an
inlet and outlet for connection to a main or hose, as hereinafter described.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I will proceed to
describe the construction of the apparatus with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through the two chambers;
Figure 2 is a sectional plan; and Figure 3 is a cross section on line y, y, Figure 1.
These Figures are drawn to scale, but the dimensions and proportions of the parts
may be varied without departing from my Invention.
A is the cylinder to contain the chemicals, and B is the mixing cylinder, both
constructed of sheet metal. The cylinder A is provided with an opening at top
closed by a suitable tightlyfitting cover A',such as the kind known as Watkinson's,
which is locked by lugs on the cover engaging with ribs al on the neck of the
opening, and made gas tight by an inner flange a pressing on an india rubber
packing. The cylinder is also provided near the lower part with a perforated
plate or grid placed in an inclined position so that it shall not become clogged
by the substances placed upon it. The inlet pipe D is controlled by a 3 way cock
E, operated by a hand wheel e, by which the water may be admitted to either
cylinder at will through either of two branch pipes F, G, passing respectively, into
the two cylinders A and B at the upper part. The branch pipe F into the cylinder A
terminates just above the lower part of the inclined grid or plate C on which the
chemicals are placed, and is provided with an india rubber disc valve H to prevent
any return flow of the water. The two cylinders A, B, are connected by a pipe I
leading from the lower part of the cylinder A beneath the grid C to the lower part
of the other cylinder B, and there provided with an india rubber disc valve K to
prevent any back pressure. A discharge pipe L rises from the lower part of the
cylinder B, and a relief pipe M, of smaller diameter than the outlet or nozzle, is
connected to this discharge pipe near the bottom of the cylinder, and extends
upwards a certain distance within the cylinder B, to which its upper end is open.

page_text: This relief pipe M will thus permit a portion of the gas pressing on the surface of
the water in the cylinder B to escape into the discharge pipe L along with the
water whenever the level of the water contained in the cylinder B is caused to fall
below the open mouth of the relief pipe M by the gas pressure becoming excessive.
The pressure of the gas cannot therefore become so great as to overcome the
pressure of the water in the main or hose, and thus arrest the flow of water, while
the gas escapes alone.
The inlet pipe D and outlet pipe L are adapted to be connected respectively
with the male and female parts of a hose coupling, so that the hose can be
disconnected at any joint, and the two parts be respectively connected to tho
inlet D and outlet L. N is a second discharge pipe connected to the lower part of
the cylinder A for attachment of a hose for playing a small jet of highly charged
water. This pipe is capped when not in use.
The apparatus may be inclosed in a case 0, and may either be a permanent
attachment to a water service pipe or to a. fire engine; or it may be mounted on
wheels for transport separately to any point where it may be required.
When the apparatus is to be used for the purpose of extinguishing fire the cock E
is turned so as to place pipe B in communication with pipe F. The water under
pressure is then admitted by the cock E to the chamber A, where it dissolves the
chemicals and passes with a large quantity of the gas thereby generated into the
other cylinder B, where the gas, rising through the water contained therein,
impregnates it and accumulates at the upper part of the cylinder.
The water contained in cylinder B is then charged with carbonic acid gas and is
ejected through the discharge pipe L.
By turning the cock E so as to open it to pipes D) and G the water will be shut
off from the cylinder A and pass directlythrough cylinder B to the discharge pipe L,
whilst the contents of the cylinder A. are held in reserve or are being renewed.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The apparatus constituting an attachment to a water service pipe or engine
hose constructed of two cylinders connected by pipes controlled by a cock and
valves, and arranged for operation, substantially as herein described and shown in-
the Drawings.
In witness whereof. I, the said John Kissack Jushua Foster, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN K. J. FOSTER. (L.S.)