Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers or Fire Extinguishers and Alarms,
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers or Fire Extinguishers and
Alarms,
We, CHRISTOPHER THOMAS WORDSWORTH, of 4 Corporation Street, Man-
chester, Engineer, and JOHN HOLROYD, of Tomlinson Street, Hulme, Manchester,
Engineer, both in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in automatic sprinklers or fire ex-
tinguishers and alarms, and has for its object to provide special means for
regulating and controlling the amount of water, or other liquid which may
be used in case of a fire and thus preventing an excess or overflow more than
that which is absolutely needed to extinguish the same after its occurrence in
any place or building, by means of the heat acting upon a sealed tube which
operates a valve in a metal casing and the varying temperature then existing
regulating the supply and cut off of the water or other liquid used.
In carrying out our invention we employ a sealed tube or casing preferably of
metal of the well known Bourdon type and section, and which contaius a suitable
quantity of parafine oil, or any other volatile hydrocarbon oil may be used if
deemed necessary, which by means of the varying temperature causes the tube or
casing to expand or contract as the case may be and thus give the initial movement
to a small spindle valve. This small spindle valve is pressed to its seat sufficiently
to resist the maximum pressure that may be in an ordinary water main, or other
column which may be used for this purpose. In construction we preferably use an
iron casing formed with a branch piece which is connected to the main water
supply and has a post or passage leading to a valve chamber. This valve is the
main outlet valve and permits a suitable quantity of water or other suitable liquid
to pass through its seat casing and into a chamber with a quantity of small holes
drilled through it. These holes are so arranged as to give a definite form to the
body of water, in its exit, so as to form a spray when in action. The small spindle
valve previously referred to causes a volume of water to pass into a chamber
through certain ports and passages which may be drilled in the iron casing
containing a diaphragm preferably made of leather secured between two metal
faces. When the water or other liquid is caused to pass into the said chamber,
the diaphragm is operated upon, the opposite side of which has a disc piece and a
spindle running. through a central guide formed in the a portion of the casing.
This spindle is true and in line axially with the main outlet valve and operates the
same when in action. Provision is made to limit the highest temperature of the tube
by means of a small jet of water being brought into use, and an evaporating dish
or vessel formed in it, so as to be able to produce a dense body of vapour when
needed to lower the temperature of the tube and surrounding parts and thereby
protecting it from the destructive effect of too much heat.
In order to take off the hammer action, due to the movement of an active column
of water in the main supply pipe, when applied separately or in series, we may
interpose an air vessel or chamber, or any number of them, to cushion down the
effects of the same, thereby causing the small spindle valve to shut off much
quicker the initial pressure of the feed supply, brought to bear on the diaphragm,
if deemed necessary.
This being a mechanically moved apparatus, parts of which may be connected by

page_text: contact pieces to an electric circuit which will in the event of being operated upon
cause an alarm simultaneously with the rest.
Dated this 1st day of December 1801
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers or Fire Extinguishers and
Alarms.
We, CHRISTOPHER THOMAS WORDSWORTH, of 4 Corporation Street, Man-
chester, Engineer, and JOHN HOLROYD, of Tomlinson Street, Hulme, Manchester,
Engineer, both in the County of Lancaster, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in automatic sprinklers or fire extin-
guishers and alarms and has for its object to provide special means for regulating
and controlling the amount of water, or other liquid which may be used in case of
fire and thus preventing an excess or overflow more than that which is absolutely
needed to extinguish the same after its occurrence in any place or building, by
means of the heat acting upon a sealed tube which operates a valve in a metal
casing and the varying temperature then existing regulating the supply and cut off
of the water or other liquid used.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood we have caused
to be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a sectional elevation and Fig. 3 a sectional plan of
Fig. 1 on line A-B of our improved automatic sprinkler or fire extinguisher and
alarm.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal and a cross section enlarged of a detail of the same.
Fig. 5 shows the application of our invention in a series of sprinklers or dis-
tributors.
In carrying out our invention and referring to Figs. 1, 2 & 3, we employ a sealed
tube or casing a, preferably of metal of the well known "Bourdon" type and
"oval" section, one end of which tube or casing a at a² is secured to an evapourating
dish or vessel a¹, the other end a being free to act as hereafter described. The
tube or casing a, which is enclosed by a cover a having perforations a³ and gills a
as well as the dish for the radiation of heat, is charged with a suitable quantity of
parafine oil, or any other volatile hydro-carbon oil or substances, such as stearine,
wax, pitch and the like, which by means of the varying temperature causes the
tube or casing a to expand or contract as the case may be and thus give the initial
movement by means of a lever a pivoted at a³ to the evapourating dish or vessel a'.
One end of the lever a' is hinged to the tube or casing a at a3 and the other end
furnished with an adjustable screw a bearing against the end of a small spindle
valve b. The degree of heat at which the tube or casing a and valve 6 can be
operated is in accordance with the different kinds of hydro-carbon used from methy-
lated spirits, ether, to heavy oils or substances. The small spindle valve bis pressed
to its seat c by a spring d sufficiently to prevent leakage and to resist the maximum
pressure in the pipe e connected with the ordinary water main, or other column, say
from a tank, which may be used for this purpose. In construction we preferably
use a metal casing / formed in two parts, the upper part of which has a branch or
pipe g connected to the water main supply and the lower part a port or passage g
leading to a valve chamber h. In the latter is the main outlet valve h', pressed to
its seat h² by a spring *, which valve h¹ permits a suitable quantity of water or

page_text: other liquid to pass through its seat ² into a chamber with a quantity of small
holes drilled through it, the stem h³ of the valve projecting through the
chamber. The holes are so arranged as to give a definite form to the body of
water, in its exit and thus form a spray when in action. The small spindle valve b
causes a volume of water to pass into a chamber through port and passage k¹
which may be drilled in the upper part of the metal casing, a diaphragm pre-
ferably made of leather being secured between two faces of the casing. When
the water or other liquid is caused to pass into the chamber 1, the diaphragm is
depressed, the opposite side of which has a disc piece m and a spindle running
through a central guide o formed in the lower portion of the casing f. The
diaphragm is supported by a spring p and the spindle n true and in line axially
with the stem of the main outlet valve operates the same when in action.
Provision is made to limit the highest temperature of the tube or casing a by means
of a small jet of water being brought into use in the evapourating dish or vessel a¹
positioned below the tube or casing a, so as to be able to produce a dense body of
vapour when needed to lower the temperature of the tube or casing a and
surrounding parts and thereby protecting it from the destructive effect of too much
heat. This is effected in the following manner :-On the tube or casing a being
in its normal condition and the spindle valve closed, see enlarged view Fig. 4, a
flat g formed near the outer end of the stem of the valve b in communication with
a circular groove
permits an escape of water from the chamber finto the
dish or vessel a¹. On the tube or casing a expanding and the spindle valve b
opening, the said flat q, and circular groove q¹ recedes and cuts off any external
communication.
In order to take off the hammer action due to the movement of an active column
of water in the main supply pipe e when applied separately or in series, we may
interpose, if deemed necessary, an air vessel or chamber, or any number of them as
will be readily understood, to cushion down the effects of the same, thereby
causing the small spindle valve b also to shut off much quicker the initial pressure
of the feed supply brought to bear on the diaphragm.
This being a mechanically moved apparatus, parts of which may be connected
by contact pieces to an electric circuit, which will in the event of being operated
upon, cause an alarm simultaneously with the rest.
The invention described may be connected to a perforated pipe or pipes, or a
pipe or pipes r, see Fig. 5, may be furnished with a number of sprinklers or dis-
tributors of convenient shape, by forming the water chamber ¿ without
perforations and so as to serve for the reception of the pipe or pipes r.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
If in event of fire, a certain increase of temperature takes place, the gills a³ on
the cover a over the tube or casing a become heated and radiate the heat inwardly
which causes the tube or casing a to expand accordingly. The free end thereof
then depresses, through lever a and adjusting screw a the small spindle valve b
sufficiently off its seat c, to permit the water from the main to pass through
pipes e & g, port k valve seat c and passage k¹ into the chamber f¹ and onto the
diaphragm. The resulting action depresses the diaphragm and its spindle n and
causes the free end of the latter to come into contact with and depress the stem ½³
of the outlet valve h' and thus admit the water from the main through passage g¹,
valve chamber h and its seat into the perforated or distribution chamber i, from
whence it is projected onto the fire.
When the fire has been subdued and the temperature is falling the tube or
casing a contracts accordingly and allows the spring d to bring the small spindle
valve back against its seat c, whilst the spring p raises the diaphragm 1 and its
spindle n again and permits the spring * to close the main outlet valve h¹.
In the meantime the water in the chamber f' becomes exhausted by means of
the diaphragm l, through passage k¹, flat q and groove q' on the stem of the small
spindle valve b into the evapourating dish or vessel a¹.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is-
"In automatic sprinklers or fire extinguishers and alarms,"
"
1st. The general construction and combination of parts constituting our improve-
ments operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. The use of a tube or casing a of "Bourdon or oval section, charged with
hydro-carbon in liquid or solid form, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3rd. The use of a double valve b adapted to admit water from the main unto
a diaphragm and to exhaust the same, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
4th. The diaphragm as specified in the preceding claim in combination with
the water main outlet valve ', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of August 1892
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicants.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicants.