Automatic Fire Extinguishing Sprinklers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Fire Extinguishing Sprinklers.
FREDERICK WYER HARDY Beechwood Villa, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to automatic fire extinguishing sprinklers & consists in
novel and improved constructions contrivances & arrangements of the parts, by
which obtain a water-tight joint, a very small strain on the sensitive solder,
certainty of action, a high degree of sensitiveness to the action of heat, and a
uniform distribution of fire extinguishing fluid when the sprinkler opens.
My sprinkler is of the valve type with a screw or union on the upper end, for
connection to the fire extinguishing fluid supply pipe & having a loose deflector
sliding on a sheet metal frame or yoke fixed to the screwed head of the sprinkler,
the said deflector being placed opposite & below the lower end of the screwed head
which forms the discharge opening of the sprinkler. This lower end or discharge
opening of the sprinkler forms a seating for the valve, which by preference consists
of an annular white metal disc or washer, this disc or washer being fixed on a novel
thin vibrating or expansive metal chamber preferably circular in form & flat at top
and bottom, which is complete in itself and is placed on the deflector. This said
chamber communicates with the supply of fire extinguishing fluid by an opening
through the valve disc and top of the chamber, which opening may be protected
against admission of dirt or sediment, but not sealed, by a thin metal stopper or
dished plate placed in the expansive chamber, and fitting loosely inside the annular
white metal disc or valve.
The action of the chamber is such, that, when expanded by pressure in the fire
extinguishing fluid supply pipe, the valve dise being fixed on the chamber, is raised
& forced against the valve seat or discharge opening, thus rendering the sprinkler
secure against leakage, when under pressure.
Also, if necessary, there may be placed under the aforesaid expansive chamber,
which is fixed on the deflector, a spring or clastic cushion, so that when there should
be an intermittent pressure in the supply pipe and expansive chamber, all shock or
jarring caused by this intermittent pressure could be taken up or lessened by the
said spring or elastic cushion, although it would not interfere with the satisfactory
working of the sprinkler if this spring or clastic cushion was omitted. Again, I
secure the valve disc against the discharge opening or valve seat of the sprinkler
by means of a peculiar arrangement of a toggle piece between the ends of two
loose levers, the said levers working or bearing against the bottom of the deflector
in which the valve disc, chamber & spring are placed, & forming together with
the toggle piece, what is known as a toggle joint. These levers are supported
at one end by the sheet brass frame or yoke of the sprinkler, and on which are
formed the fulcrums on which the levers rest, the said fulcrums being by preference
inclined slightly.
The other ends of the two levers are supported by the thin central toggle piece
made of a strip of sheet brass or other suitable material, which is soldered to the
lower part of the sprinkler frame or yoke, with fusible solder, thus holding the
two levers & valve in position.
Again, I so form & hinge this toggle piece between the ends of the two levers,
that when the sensitive solder, by which it is attached to the frame or yoke, melts
by the action of heat, the toggle piece is released from the frame & pulls or flicks
the levers clear from the frame allowing the deflector, on which the chamber, &
valve are placed, to slide down, and be supported by the frame, thus unsealing

page_text: the discharge opening of the sprinkler and giving distribution to the fire-
extinguishing fluid.
I also provide the sprinkler with a special construction of disc or deflector placed
opposite to the discharge opening of the sprinkler. for uniformly distributing the
fire extinguishing fluid. and on which dise or deflector are formed a number of
radial grooved or semi-hollowed teeth curving or inclining upwards, spaces being
alternately between the said grooved teeth, so that when the toggle picce and levers
are released through the action of heat on the sensitive solder by which the toggle
piece is fastened to the frame or yoke, the deflector slides down the frame or yoke
and is supported thereon & the fire extinguishing fluid rushing out of the discharge
opening on to the deflector, is equally sprayed or distributed both vertically and
horizontally through the said radial grooved tecth & openings, thus extinguishing
the fire.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Fire Extinguishing Sprinklers.
I, FREDERICK WYER HARDY of Beechwood Villa, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough
in the County of York, 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 an improved construction of automatic fire extinguishing
sprinklers by which with very small strain on the soft or sensitive solder, a fluid
tight joint is obtained and certainty of action and a high degree of sensitiveness are
ensured.
My sprinkler is of the valve type and is provided with a tubular screw or union
hereinafter referred to as the screw for connection to the supply pipe for the fire
extinguishing fluid. A deflector carried in the frame of the sprinkler is situated
opposite the lower or inner end of the screw A valve, which by preference consists
of an annular disc of white metal mounted on a flattened circular chamber of thin
flexible or expansible metal carried by the deflector, serves to close the inner end
of the screw.
A small opening through the valve disc and top of chamber permits
the fire extinguishing fluid to enter the chamber admission of dirt or sediment
being prevented by a metal stopper or cimbossed plate placed in the chamber and
fitting loosely inside the annular white metal disc or valve. The valve is held
against its seat by two levers each bearing near its fulcrum against the bottom of
the deflector on which the chamber and valve are placed, and at its other end
against a central stem or toggle piece and forming a toggle joint therewith. The
fulcrums on which the levers rest, in the frame of the sprinkler are preferably
inclined. The central toggle piece, of sheet brass or other suitable material, is
soldered to the lower part of the sprinkler frame or yoke by easily fusible solder,
thus holding the parts in the position for closing the valve. The parts are so arranged
that when the solder by which the toggle picce is attached to the frame or yoke
melts by the action of heat, the deflector on which the chamber and valve are
placed is allowed to slide away from the screw thus permitting the discharge of the
fire extinguishing fluid.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a sprinkler constructed according to my
invention.
Figs 1 and 2 being elevations at right angles to each other and Fig. 3 a plan.
Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views to Fig. 1, but the former is partly in section, and
the latter shews the sprinkler with the parts in the operating or discharging
position.
Fig. 6 is a view shewing the upper part of the deffector and the expansible
chamber.

page_text: Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views hereinafter referred to.
Fig. 9 is a view shewing the expansible chamber in section.
a is the screw; is the valve formed of a soft metal annular disc or washer
serving to close the passage of the screw a; e is the expansible chamber on which
the valve is mounted; is the small stopper or embossed sheet metal disc which
is fitted in the chamber c and projects through the aperture of the valve b; e, e, arc
two annular conical sheet metal springs placed inside the expansible chamber and
supporting the small stopper or embossed disc in its place. ' is the deflector on
which the chamber c is placed and on which are formed for spraying and distributing
the fire extinguishing Huid semi-hollow teeth g, that is to say teeth having their
inner sides channelled or fluted as shewn more clearly in Figs. 7 and 8 the former
being a central section and the latter a plan of the said deflector; is the sheet
metal yoke or frame which is fixed on the screwed head of the sprinkler and in
which the deflector slides and to which the toggle piece is soldered.
C
,, are the two loose levers made of sheet metal which support the deflector /
upon the abutments or shoulders and bear at their outer ends upon the inclined
fulcrums while their inner ends rest on shoulders on the upper extremity of the
toggle piece k. This toggle piece k is secured to the frame h by easily fusible
solder.
In the above described arrangement of parts when air or water pressure is
admitted to the sprinkler the air or water, passing between the valve 6 and the top
of stopper into the chamber e causes the latter to expand, thereby forcing the
said valve more tightly to its seat, consequently the greater the pressure of the
fire extinguishing fluid the tighter the joint between the valve b and its seat
becomes, thereby preventing leakage. Any air, which may happen to be inside
the chamber when the fire extinguishing fluid is admitted to the sprinkler, is com-
pressed thereby and acts as a cushion within the chamber, to minimise any shock
or jar due to intermittent pressure or hammer action of the water or fire
extinguishing fluid within the supply pipes and sprinklers. Moreover when the
chamber is expanded by internal pressure, it tends to force the deflector f down-
wards. The two loose levers are thereby forced down their inclined fulcrums jj
this action tending to force or push the levers in a longitudinal instead of in a
downward direction, thus causing very little downward strain on the toggle piece k
and the soldered joint.
In setting or adjusting the automatic sprinkler the levers ii are placed in position
beneath the deflector and between the frame and toggle piece . The latter is
then pushed inward thereby raising the ends of the two levers i causing the said
levers to act on the deflector and move the same so as to force the valveb upon its
Seat. The toggle piece is then soldered to the frame with easily fusible solder
and the sprinkler is then ready for action.
The action of the apparatus is such that when the sprinkler is subject to heat
the easily fusible solder by which the toggle piece k is attached to the frame h
melts, and the toggle piece with the two loose levers it drops away from the frame,
the fire extinguishing fluid then forcing the valve from its seat and rushing through
the screw a on to the valve and deflector, the parts then taking up the position
shewn in Fig. 5. The semi-hollow teeth y serve to spray the fire extinguishing
fluid in a very efficient manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. An automatic fire extinguishing sprinkler comprising a valve mounted upon
an expansible or flexible chamber, a deflector which serves as a seat for the said
expansible or elastic chamber, and an arrangement of levers which support the said
deflector and are held in position by a stem or toggle piece secured to the frame by
easily fusible solder substantially as described.
2. In an automatic fire extinguishing sprinkler a pair of levers supported at one

page_text: extremity on the frame and at the other extremity on the stem or toggle piece
which is secured by easily fusible solder, and serving to support through the inter-
mediary of a deflector an expansible or elastic chamber by which the valve is held
up to its seat substantially as described.
3. In an automatic fire extinguishing sprinkler the combination with an annular
valve closing the discharge opening of the sprinkler, of a stopper or embossed disc
for preventing dirt or sediment passing through the annular valve substantially as
described.
4. An automatic fire extinguishing sprinkler constructed and arranged substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1891:
F. W. HARDY.