IMPROVE- MENTS IN FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, SYDNEY SMIRKE of 8 Craigs Court, Charing Cross, in the County of
Middlesex, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS" to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to improvements in automatic fire extinguishing apparatus,
such as that described in the specification of Letters Patent granted to Edward
Leonard and dated September 29th A.D. 1881 N° 4216.
In the apparatus described in the said specification the water supply pipe is
provided at intervals with valves of peculiar construction, with which valves are
connected perforated pipes whereby the water is distributed.
The object of this invention is to dispense with the use of the said perforated
pipes, and to this end my said invention consists in providing the said valves with
spreaders whereby the water may be advantageously and effectually distributed as
it issues from the valves.
My improved spreader or distributor consists essentially of a dish or basin
arranged below the lateral exit apertures of the valve, and of a deflector or
deflecting plate arranged above the exit apertures of the valve and the said dish or
basin. The said deflector is so arranged that its edge is below the edge of the
basin and at a slight distance from the same so that water issuing from the
valve will be deflected into the basin and will thence be discharged in an upward
direction through the space between the edge of the deflecting plate and the
surface of the basin.
The said basin and deflector may be applied to the valve in any convenient and
suitable manner. For instance they may be cast integrally with the shell of the
valve; or either one or both of them may be made detachable and be adapted to
screw upon the shell of the said valve, or to be held thereon between suitable
collars or flanges.
•
In some cases it may be desirable to attach spreaders to old or existing valves;
for this purpose both the deflector and the basin may be cast integrally with a
nipple provided with an external screw-thread and adapted to be screwed into the
aperture of the valve.
The basins and deflectors or deflecting plates are shaped and arranged according
to the position in which the valves are to be applied; for instance, if the water:
supply pipe is arranged near the wall of a room it may be desirable that water

page_text: should be projected towards the middle of the room only; in this case I use a
spreader arranged to distribute the water at one side only of the valve; while if
the water supply pipes are arranged at some distance from the walls it will usually
be desirable to arrange the spreader to distribute the water upon both sides of the
same.
Dated this 30th dow of Orishan 100%
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
:
Improvements in Fire-extinguishing Apparatus.
I, SYDNEY SMIRKE, of 8 Craig's Court, Charing Cross, in the County of
Middlesex, Architect 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 improvements in automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus
such as that described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Edward
Leonard and dated September 29th A.D. 1881, N° 4216.
In the apparatus described in the said specification, the water-supply-pipe is
provided at intervals with valves of peculiar construction, connected with perforated
pipes whereby the water is distributed.
According to my present invention, I dispense with the perforated pipes and
provide the valves with spreaders whereby the water will be advantageously and
effectively distributed as it issues from the said valves.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a valve provided with a spreader in
accordance with my present invention, showing the valve closed.
Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1, showing the valve open.
Figure 3 is a plan, and,
Figure 4 a vertical central section showing a modification of my invention, part
of the water-supply-pipe being shown in Figure 4.
Figure 5 is a vertical central section showing another modification of my said
invention, and
Figure 6 is a plan of a portion of the spreader detached.
Figure 7 is a vertical central section showing a further modification of my said
invention, and
Figure 8 is a plan of a portion of the spreader detached.
Figure 9 is a plan, and,
Figure 10 a vertical central section, of a spreader designed to be attached to an
-existing valve of the kind described in the said former specification.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
3
4

page_text: a is the valve-casing; 6 is the valve, which is provided with a disc or piece b'
of some non-adhesive composition; c is the valve-stem, which passes through a.
plug d screwed into the lower end of the valve-casing; e is the valve-seat.
The valve-stem c is fitted to slide in a socket f screwed into the plug d, and is
soldered to the said socket, so that the valve will, under normal temperatures, be
kept closed, but, when a fire occurs and the temperature is elevated to a sufficient
degree, the solder will be melted and the valve will open automatically. as
described in the said former specification. The stem c is made hollow at c¹ to
facilitate the action of the heat upon the solder. The plug d is formed or
provided with a bell-shaped shield or casing g, which surrounds the soldered joint
and confines the heat in the space around the same, and which protects the
soldered joint and prevents the falling of water thereon from the valve when open,
substantially as described in the said former specification.
The spreader for distributing the water as it issues from the valve consists of a
dish or basin i arranged slightly below the outlet apertures a¹ of the valve, and a
deflecting plate or deflector j, the underside of which is level with the tops of the
said outlet apertures.
The shape and arrangement of the spreader will be varied according to the
position in which the valve is to be placed; for instance, when the valve is to be
placed near the centre of a room, the spreader will be so constructed and arranged
as to distribute the water radially in all directions; if, however, the water-supply-
pipe is near one of the walls or sides of a room, it may be desirable to so arrange
the spreader that it will distribute the water at one side only of the valve.
The spreader shown in Figures 1 and 2 is of circular form and is concentric with
the outlet-pipe a². The deflector j is formed integrally with the valve-casing a;
the dish is screwed upon the said valve-casing so that, by turning the said dish
in one or the other direction, it can be adjusted relatively to the deflector j to vary
the distance between the said dish and the deflector and thus regulate the force
with which the water is ejected. The said dish is formed with holes through
which the water will be directed obliquely downward. The deflector j is made
with holes through which. the water will be directed obliquely upward. The
dish i can, if desired, be screwed up tightly against the deflector j, so that the
water can only be discharged through the holes ¹, j¹. This arrangement is
advantageous for low pressures.
In some instances, I make the holes only in the dish or only in the deflector; or
I make both the dish and deflector without holes.
In Figures 3 and 4 and in Figures 5 and 6, the spreader is made with circular
portions at opposite sides of the valve-casing. The spreader shown in Figures 7
and 8 is oval or elliptical.
In the modification of my invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the dish i and
deflector are both formed integrally with the valve-casing a, and the valve-seat e
is formed on the outlet pipe a², which is screwed into the valve-casing.
In the modifications shewn in Figures 5 and 6, and in Figures 7 and 8, the
dish is secured in place by clamping it between the lower edge of the valve-
casing a and a flange d¹ on the plug d.
The deflector may, if desired, be constructed separately and screwed upon the
upper portion of the valve-casing a.
It may sometimes be desirable to attach spreaders to existing valves, which
have been used with perforated pipes as described in the said former specification;
in such cases, I make the dish and deflector j in one piece with a nipple k
(Figures 9 and 10), which is externally screw-threaded to adapt it to be inserted
in one or the other of the holes or sockets provided in the valve-casing for the
perforated pipes. I remove these pipes and substitute therefor spreaders such as
that shown in Figures 9 and 10.
It is obvious that the construction of the dish and deflector and their arrange-
ment relatively to each other and to the outlet apertures may be varied according
to the area over which it is desired to distribute the water.
•

page_text: My improvements may be applied where practicable to valves differing in
construction from those above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood
that I'claim :-
First. In fire-extinguishing apparatus of the kind or class above referred to,
the employment of a spreader, consisting of a dish and deflector, arranged in
combination with a valve, for the purpose above specified.
Second. The combination, with the valve, of the deflector formed or fixed on
the valve-casing and the dish screwed upon the said casing, substantially as
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings for the purpose
specified.
Third. The modification of my spreader, substantially as described with reference
to Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, whereby I provide for its application to
existing valves.
Fourth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or to
Figures 3 and 4, or to Figures 5 and 6, or to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings, for
the purpose specified.