IMPROVED AUTO- MATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVED AUTO-
MATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by
Paul Oriolle, of Nantes, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th September 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING
APPARATUS." [A communication from abroad by Paul Oriolle, of Nantes,
France.]
This Invention relates to means or apparatus for effecting automatically the
extinction of fire immediately upon the outbreak thereof, the Invention being
based on the employment for closing pipes containing water under pressure, of a
device partly made of fusible material, which when exposed to a slightly elevated
temperature gives way and uncloses the pipe, thereby allowing a constant stream
of water to play upon the fire.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying Drawings,
in which Figure 1 is a central vertical section, and Figure 2 a plan of the
apparatus; and Figure 3 an edge view of the fusible connecting link separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
a is a branch of the high pressure water supply pipe; it is screwthreaded externally
for attachment of the collar g, and internally to receive the perforated nozzle i, by
which when unclosed the stream of water is split up and distributed in various
directions. It is enclosed by a cap or cover b bedded on an elastic-washer, and
clamped firmly in position by a yoke c having a pressure screw d screwing through
it which bears against the top of the cap. The yoke c is hooked at one end, and
takes into a notch at the underside of the collar g, and its other end is connected
to an arm of said collar g by a fusible link e. For this purpose the ends of the

page_text: yoke c and the arm of the collar g are forked, and the link passes between the
limbs of the forks, and the crossheads of the link lie across the forked arms, as
shown. A pin f made of some good conductor is inserted in a hole at the middle
of the link e, and the weakening of said link by the hole, and the good conductibility
of the pin cause the link to quickly give way at this point when its temperature
reaches the melting point. h is a guard on the collar g to protect the cover b and
its washer on the side next the fusible link.
These apparatus would be placed in positions where they are likely to be the
soonest exposed to heat, so that on the melting of the link e the cover b being no
longer held in place by the yoke will be forced off its seat by the pressure of the
water which will then issue in jets from the orifices of the nozzle i.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th March 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING
APPARATUS," A communication from abroad by Paul Oriolle, of Nantes,
France.
This Invention relates to means or apparatus for effecting automatically the
extinction of fire immediately upon the outbreak thereof, the Invention being
based on the employment for closing the orifice or orifices of pipes supplied with
water under pressure, of a device partly made of fusible metal or material, which
when exposed to a slightly elevated temperature will give way and unclose the
pipe, thereby allowing a constant stream of water to play upon the fire.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying Drawings,
in which Figure 1 is a central vertical section; Figure 2, a plan of the apparatus ;
and Figure 3, an edge view separately of the fusible connecting link upon which
the keeping closed the orifice of the pipe mainly depends. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts.
a is a branch of the high pressure water supply pipe; its extremity is screw-
threaded externally for attachment of the collar g, and internally to receive the
perforated cap or nozzle i, which when uncovered splits up and distributes the
stream of water in various directions. It is enclosed by an outer cap or cover b
bedded on an elastic washer, and clamped firmly in position by a yoke c having a
pressure screw d screwing through it which bears against the top of the cap b. The
yoke c is hooked at one end, and takes into a notch at the underside of the collar g,
and its other end is connected to an arm g' of said collar g by a fusible link c. For
this purpose the end of the yoke c and the arm g' are forked and the link passes
between, and its T ends lie across the limbs of the forks, as shown. A pin f made
of some good conductor of heat is inserted in a hole at the middle of the link e,
and the weakening of said link by the hole and the good conductibility of the pin
cause the link to quickly give way at this point when its temperature reaches the
melting point of the material of which it is made. h is a guard on the collar
g to protect the cover b and its washer from the heat on the side next the fusible
link.
These apparatus would be placed in positions where they are most likely to
be exposed to heat immediately upon the outbreak of a fire on the premises, so
that on the melting of the link e which will occur almost directly it is exposed to
the heat of the fire, the cover b being no longer held in place by the yoke will be
forced off its seat by the water pressure, and the water will then issue in jets from
the orifices of the perforated cap or nozzle i, and attack and generally extinguish
the incipient conflagration before it attains serious dimensions.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The combination with a pipe supplied with water under pressure of the
device or apparatus, substantially as herein described, consisting essentially of a
fusible link in combination with a yoke and cap enclosing the orifice or orifices of
the pipe, combined, arranged, and applied to operate, substantially as herein
specified.

page_text: 9,
2nd. The device or apparatus herein described, consisting of the perforated
nozzle i, its enclosing cap b, yoke c, pressure screw d, fusible link e, pin f, collar
and screen h, combined, arranged, and applied to operate, substantially as herein
shown and described for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set 5
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of March, A.D. 1882.