Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishers.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to automatic fire extinguishers and is illustrated in the
accompanying drawing: in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying said
improvement.
Fig. 2 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, in lengthwise vertical section, of a
pressure resisting diaphragm, and its immediate appurtenances, hereinafter
described.
The improvement pertains to an apparatus for extinguishing a conflagration in a
building, vessel or other similar structure, by the use of a gas inimical to
combustion, which, by the automatic action of the apparatus, is generated and
applied to its fire extinguishing purpose at the time of, and through the agency of
the conflagration.
In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a gas generating tank of
suitable shape and material, provided with safety valve al and hand-hole a². The
gas inimical to combustion is generated within this tank, one of the ingredients
being contained in the body of the tank and the other in a bottle which is broken
at the time the gas is generated. The letter e denotes the pipe which takes the
fire extinguishing gas from the gas generating tank to distributing-fusion valves d;
and if, as shown in the drawings, the pipe c starts from near the foot of the gas
generating tank, the liquid which may have been contained in the tank will go
with the gas and be, with it, distributed and applied to extinguishing the
conflagration. The letter e denotes a restriction valve or pressure resisting
diaphragm-of thin sheet lead or other suitable material-located at c' in the
pipe c; its office is to resist the gaseous pressure, created by the mixture of the
gas generating materials, until it has reached a certain high pre-determined point,
when it breaks, and the gas passes on through the pipe c and escapes from the
distributing valves d under high pressure, with the result that the gas, and any
liquid which may accompany it, are strongly projected to a very considerable
distance from the main pipe. It will be understood from what has just been
described that the pressure resisting diaphragm e, until it is broken, shuts off
communication between those portions of the main pipe c which are upon either
side thereof.
The distributing valves d are practically fusible plugs which normally close such
valves but which melt with the heat of a conflagration, and thus open.
When the distributing valves d are closed by fusible plugs, as already indicated,

page_text: a gaseous pressure is maintained in the pipe c, except as to such part thereof as is
between the pressure resisting diaphragm e and the gas generating tank; this
gaseous pressure is created and renewed, whenever necessary, by means of an air-
pump the letter g denotes a gauge for indicating the degree of gaseous pressure
last referred to. This gaseous pressure last referred to avails to keep raised a
diaphragm of rubber or the like which is within the case which, through the
medium of connecting-rod i aud lever k, holds the weight 7 poised or suspended in
the chute. Such is the normal, condition of affairs when the apparatus is set, or
prepared for action. Now, if a conflagration occurs, and one of the fusible plugs
closing a distributing valve d melts, the gaseous pressure last referred to (the one
which maintains the weight elevated) is relieved and destroyed, with the effect
that lever kis tripped, weight 7 descends upon breaker-rod m, breaking the bottle >
so that its contents mix with the other gas generating materials and the gas
inimical to combustion is created; and when the pressure of that gas last referred
to has reached the desired and pre-determined point at which it will break the
pressure resisting diaphragm e, it rushes through the pipe c, out at the opened
distributing valves and serves its purpose in extinguishing the conflagration.
The letter denotes a rotatory stirrer carrying blades or paddles; a bevelled
gear o thereon meshes with bevelled gear p on shaft which carries a drum t
around which is wound a cord or rope attached to and pulled upon by the
weight w. The weight being wound up as shown, the drum t is held from rotation
by the latch or lock v. When the weight falls, it not only avails to break the
bottle but also to trip the latch so that the weight w avails to give rotation to
the rotatory stirrer n, with the effect of keeping up a desired degree of agitation in
and among the gas generating materials.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An automatic fire extinguisher comprising a gas generating tank, an agitator
and acid receptacle therein, pipes leading from the tank and communicating with
the fusion valves, a diaphragm connected with the pipes and having an arm
adapted to normally uphold a weight located in a chute, a vertically movable rod
erected beneath the chute and entering the tank, a pressure gauge communicating
with the pipes in proximity to the diaphragm member, means intermediate of the
aforesaid and the supply tank for automatically preventing the generated gas from
passing through the pipes to the fusion valves until a predetermined degree of
pressure is attained, and means for charging the pipe or pipes above the point
of restriction with compressed air of sufficient quantity to entail normally the
diaphragm arm assuming and retaining a raised position, substantially as
described.
2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tank adapted to
receive a liquid, a fragile vessel within the tank, a breaker-rod in engagement
with the fragile vessel, a system of delivery pipes leading from the tank, a
restriction valve between said tank and distributers, a pressure held support
adapted to be energized from said pipes, a weight bearing upon said support and in
line with the breaker-rod, means independent of the tank for supplying pressure to
the delivery pipes, and means for releasing said pressure to release the support and
allow the latter to drop the weight and fracture the fragile vessel, substantially as
described.
3. A device of the class described, comprising a tank adapted to receive a liquid,
a fragile vessel supported therein, a weight adapted to fracture said fragile vessel
when released, a pressure retained support for said weight, means for removing the
pressure to release the support and weight thereon, a stirrer in the tank, means
for operating said stirrer, and a lock for said operating means in the path of the
aforesaid weight and adapted to be opened thereby whereby when the said

page_text: vessel is fractured the liquid in the tank may be agitated, substantially as
described.
Dated this 7th day of April 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.