IMPROVE MENTS IN EXTINGUISHING FIRE, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lawes, of 65, City Road, St. Luke's, London, and
Donald McLennan, of West Green, Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN EXTINGUISHING FIRE, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 24th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lawes and Donald
McLennan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th February
1870.
THOMAS LAWES, of 65, City Road, St. Luke's, London, and DONALD MCLENNAN,
of West Green, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTINGUISHING FIRE, AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
A number of perforated tubes sufficient for the purpose are placed in any con-
venient manner or position in any room, warehouse, or in any space or place what-
soever, either on land or water, subject to be destroyed or. injured by fire. Such
tubes or any perforated, vessel will at the proper time when needed be filled with
water, which will issue from it in a constant flow like a shower of rain and cover
the whole area of the said room, warehouse, or room or any other space, and thus
extinguish any fire that might happen therein, and thereby protect the building
with all that therein is from the ravages of the devouring element.
The principle might be extended to any property whatsoever liable to be destroyed
by fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Lawes and Donald McLenuan in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st August 1876.
THOMAS LAWES, of 65, City Road, St. Luke's, London, and DONALD MCLENNAN,
of West Green, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTINGUISHING FIRE, AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Our Invention has for its object to provide a simple, ready, and efficient means
of extinguishing fires in buildings, vessels, or other places, and it consists in the

page_text: application and employment of perforated pipes connected either with the water
main by which the house or building is supplied with water or with a reservoir or
cistern at the top of the house. By this means the water may be instantly brought
to bear on the whole of the property or goods contained in any room or part of the
house or building immediately on the breaking out of the fire.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood we have shown a
view of a building in the accompanying Drawing with our Invention applied.
In carrying out our Invention we dispose perforated tubes or vessels a at the
upper part of the rooms in the building or structure, said tubes being carried along
the walls just beneath the ceiling, and in the case of large warehouses also across
the ceiling from side to side or end to end of the room. These pipes have small
perforations through which on the occurrence of fire the water is forced by the
pressure and ejected in small streams, so directed by the position of the perforations
as to fall like a shower of rain over the whole area of the room. By these means
the fire will be soon extinguished without spreading beyond the place where it
broke out. The pipes in each room communicate with a main pipe leading from
the cistern at the top of the building or from the water main in the street, as the
case may be, and cocks or valves are provided in said pipes in convenient positions
whereby the. water may be controlled and admitted to one room only of a building
and not to the others so as to confine the damage to the room where the fire
occurred.
In the case of ships said pipes might communicate with the sea. The perforated
pipes would be led along beneath the decks in such position as to ensure an equal
distribution of water to the hold or any other part of the ship.
Having described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we declare that what we claim as our Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the application and use of perforated
pipes supplied with water from a convenient source and controlled by cocks or
valves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Donald McLennan, on behalf of myself and the
said Thomas Lawes, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six
D. MCLENNAN. (L.S.)