IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE
DECLERCATION,
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & C°, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare
the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-EXTINGUISHING
APPARATUS" 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 that class of automatic fire extinguishing apparatus
which is arranged upon a system of water distributing pipes, and which is held
inoperative by fusible metal when the temperature is normal but which is liberated
and rendered operative by the fusing of such confining metal when the temperature
is raised to a predetermined point in the incipient stage of a fire.
The said invention consists essentially in the combination with such system of
water distributing pipes and automatic extinguishers, and a valve or stop-cock, by
which the water is shut off therefrom; of a device which when liberated will open
such valve or stop-cock and allow the water to fill the distributing pipes and
extinguishers, which valve-opening device is normally held inoperative by com-
pressed air, which will be liberated by the fusing of the confining metal of any one
or more of the said automatic extinguishers, when the heat reaches the danger
point, as stated; thereby allowing the valve-opening device to perform its office,
and admit the water to the distributing pipes and extinguishers.
In the accompanying Drawing
:
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing fire extinguishing apparatus, embodying
this Invention.
Figure 2 is an elevation similar to Figure 1. but omitting the distributing pipes,
and showing a modification of the valve and of the devices which actuate it.
Figure 3 is a view, showing the system of distributing pipes detached and the
extinguishers arranged thereon.
A indicates the main water supply pipe; and a the branch pipes connecting
therewith, upon which are arranged the automatic extinguishers b all of which
n

page_text: parts may be of any suitable construction. A. stop valve body B is inserted in
the pipe A at a convenient point therein, beyond which it is not desired to have
the water pass, when the apparatus is inoperative. Such valve being usually
arranged in the "engine room" or other position below frost and remote from
causes of accidental injury thereto or to the pipe.
The valve c seated in body B has its stem d pivotted to the lever e which latter
rests upon the fulcrum f when the valve is seated, but when it has, by the rising
of the long arm of the lever been slightly raised, then the lever is fulcrumed
at g; and by thus providing a fulcrum near to the junction of the valve stem and
lever, the same force when applied to the outer end of the lever, will overcome a
much greater resistance of the valve, in case it should adhere to its seat or from
other causes. When once the valve is liberated and the fulcrum of the lever
changed the deflection of the valve stem from a vertical line, by the rising of the
lever, is materially lessened.
The said lever may be of such weight as to resist the water pressure upon the
valve c or it may be weighted in any of the well known methods, so that it shall
resist such pressure. For the purpose of opening the valve c by means of the
lever e when by the rising of the temperature, by fire, one or more of the
extinguishers 6 are liberated, I employ the following devices, that is to say :-
A water tank D is located in a suitable frost-proof position; this tank is preferably
provided with an archod removable top / having an opening at its apex for the
cord which is attached to the interior tank and sustains the weight 7. The said
interior inverted tank i is provided with the usual guiding rolls which bear against
the interior of the outer tank, as shown, in the well known manner of the dip-seat
gasometers. It is also formed with a suitably weighted top as shown. An air
pipe m connected with the air pump n rises in tanks D, i above the water line in
the latter, as shown; and serves as the conduit by which air may be forced into the
Baid tank i with the requisite density; it being retained therein by the stop cock p
arranged between the air pump and tank. A pipe 8 connects with the pipe m and
Talso with one of the water distributing pipes a.
The line passes loosely through the lever e and its weight is arranged at such
distance below the lever, when the apparatus is in its normal position, that the
tank i may make a considerable part of its descent before the weight encounters
'the lever.
The operation of the apparatus above described is as follows, that is to say.
The valve c being seated and weighted by the lever e excludes the water from
the upper part of the pipe A and from all the branch pipes a on which are
arranged the extinguishers b which are closed so as to be air tight, and secured by
fusible metal as stated. At the same time, by means of the air pump n the tank i
is forced upwards to the highest limit by compressing the air therein, to the
requisite density to sustain it, the entire system of water distributing pipes above
the valve c, being by the pipe s, filled with air, of equal density to that in the
tank. When thus prepared the apparatus requires no other care than the
occasional use of the pump n, to supply the limited but always inevitable leakage
of air from the tank and pipes. But when from the effects of an incipient fire, one
'or more of the extinguishers bare liberated by the consequent weakening or fusion
of the confining metal, they will be forced open by the pressure of the confined
air therein, when the air in the pipes and tank will escape, thereby allowing tank i
to fall, which, by drawing cord j, over the sheave k, raises the weight into contact
with the lever e thus raising the valve c as described, and admitting the water,
which had been held back by the valve, into the distributing pipes and
extinguishers, and permitting those of the latter which had been released by heat
to deliver the water upon the fire; a check valve t, in pipe 8, which opens upwards,
preventing the water from escaping through the pipe m.
If desired, a whistle or other alarm may be connected with the apparatus in such
a manner that the decrease of atmospheric pressure therein shall cause the alarm

page_text: to sound; but as such devices are old, well known, and of great variety, they can
be readily applied without illustration or explanation herein; and in such manner
that either the slight leakage of air which takes place when the apparatus is not
used, or the sudden release thereof when an extinguisher is liberated by heat, shall
render such whistle, or other alarm, operative.
In Figure 2, the air pipe 8 is carried into the main pipe A, instead of into a
branch pipe a; and instead of a vertical acting sliding stem valve in the main pipo
a valve body c, adapted to a screw actuated valve, is inserted therein; in this body
is arranged a threaded stem u, which, by being rotated will open or close the
valve; and as a means of effecting such rotation, a fusee or drum 2, is secured on
the said stem and a cord 2, wound thereon, is carried over a sheave 3 and weighted
by a body 4, so that when the stem is released, it will be actuated by the said
weight 4 to open the valve For the purpose of locking and releasing the said
stem, a hand wheel or crank v, may be secured thereon, and a projecting stud a is
arranged to be engaged by the pivoted angle-lever w, through one arm of which
the cord j passes, while a collar y, is secured on the said cord at such point as to
engage and actuate the lever wand disengage it from the stud x, thereby allowing
the weight 4 to open the valve, through the agency of the cord 2 fusee z and
stem u.
I am aware that it is well known in automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, to
exclude the water from the distributing pipes and the extinguishers, by a direct
controlling air or gas pressure, which excludes the water, by itself occupying the
pipes, through or into which the water, but for such occupancy, would flow; and
I therefore make no claim to any such system or device as the Invention is entirely
dissimilar thereto, in that the air pressure in the pipes must in such case be
greater than would be that of the water itself, if freely admitted therein; and the
water is excluded as above stated by the direct resistance thereto of the compressed
air or gas; while by this Invention the water is excluded from the system of
pipes, by a valve or other strictly mechanical device, which is inserted in the
supply pipe; while the compressed air, or an equivalent gas merely sustains a
device which will, when the compressed air is liberated by the action of heat upon
the extinguishers, be thereby set free and open the water confining device or valve,
and allow the flow of the water to the pipes and extinguishers.
By this system I substitute for the pressure, which in the disclaimed devices
must be equal to or exceed that of the water a low pressure which is merely
required to sustain the devices that liberate the water confining valve; and by
increasing the area of the cross section of the tank, the requisite air pressure per
square inch therein, and in the pipes may be in the same ratio diminished.
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 I claim,
in fire extinguishing apparatus:-
First The combination of a water supply pipe with distributing branches
connected therewith, and provided with extinguishers adapted to be opened and
rendered operative by heat at the danger point thereof; a water excluding valve
arranged in the said supply pipe, a tank supported by compressed air with
connections by which the air also communicates with, and fills, the water
distributing pipes so as to be liberated by the opening of an extinguisher; and
devices connecting the said tank and water excluding valve, and adapted to open
the valve and admit the water by the falling of the tank at the liberation and
escape of the air therein, by the opening of an extinguisher; substantially as
specified.
Second The combination of the supply pipe A, its branches a and automatic
extinguishers b arranged thereon, a water excluding valve c arranged in the said
supply pipe, an air tank i arranged to be supported by compressed air and with
devices for compressing and confining the air therein, a pipe & communicating
with the said air supply devices and with the water distributing pipes; a cord j

page_text: supported by a sheave k and attached to the said tank; a weight suspended by
the said cord, and a valve weighting lever e arranged to be actuated. by the said
cord and its weight and to thereby open the valve and liberate the water when
the tank falls by reason of the escape of the air therein, at the liberation of an
extinguisher by heat, substantially as specified.
Third. In combination with valve c the lever e pivotally connected with the valve
stem and means for actuating the said lever, the fulcra f g arranged at different
distances from the valve stem to vary the relative lengths of the arms of the lever
at and after the commencement of the rising movement of the valve; substantially
as specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.
For the Applicant.