Year: 1885

page_text: ш кущА1019 10г -ПО НАИШКши аррагатих.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 partly to an improved automatic sprinkler for fire-
extinguishing apparatus in which the valve in the water pipe is connected with a
flexible diaphragm in a pressure-generator containing a volatile liquid, or a liquid
holding gas in solution, which will operate said valve when the contents of the
generator are acted upon by the heat.
The invention also partly relates to the use of a volatile liquid in a pressure-
generator for the purpose of operating a valve in the water pipe of an automatic
sprinkler to permit the water to flow through and out of the pipe whenever the
temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the pressure generator reaches a pre-
determined degree; and to close said valve automatically when the temperature
of said surrounding atmosphere is reduced below the degree at which the said
valve opened.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 shows an elevation of one form of my invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof.
Figure 3 is an underside view of the device shown in Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a modified construction.
A is a vessel which for the purpose of this specification I term a pressure
generator. Said vessel is constructed to contain and confine a volatile liquid
which will exert a pressure upon the flexible diaphragm a, and communicate a
movement to the valve B through the valve stem b, so that the valve will thereby
be lifted from its seat whenever the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding
the pressure generator is a few degrees above the boiling point of the said liquid.
D

page_text: The said pressure-generator should be made so tight that the contents thereof
will not escape therefrom even when the liquid is vaporized.
When the valve B is raised from its seat the water escaping from the water
pipe C will strike upon the deflector c, so as to fall in a shower in all directions.
The diaphragm c serves also to protect the generator from the water which may
otherwise have the effect of too rapidly cooling the gas or liquid therein.
e is elastic packing in the stuffing box E, which packing may be compressed so
as to cause a friction upon the valve stem and thereby regulate the action of the
valve. The degree of friction may be varied by screwing the deflector up or down
upon the stuffing box.
The movement of the valve may be increased by placing a diaphragm at the
bottom of the generator, as shown at e¹.
The liquid used may be of any kind that will exert sufficient pressure upon the
diaphragm to give it a movement when exposed to heat. But I prefer to use a
volatile liquid which will vaporize when the temperature of the surrounding
atmosphere reaches the boiling or volatilizing point of the liquid, for the reason
that the vapor of the volatile liquid exerts per square inch a pressure of a few
pounds in excess of the atmospheric pressure at a few degrees above the boiling
point of the liquid, so that the temperature at which the valve will open and
close may be determined by the properties of the saturated vapor of the volatile
liquid used. That is to say, the action of the sprinkler will depend upon the
relation between the temperature of the saturated vapor and its tension; and as
this relation depends upon the character of the particular volatile liquid used, the
adjustment at which the sprinkler may be made to operate may be varied by
varying the volatile liquid; therefore when the sprinkler is adjusted to operate at
a certain temperature the valve B will open against the pressure of the water in
the water pipe C. As soon as a degree of temperature in the atmosphere sur-
rounding the generator is reached, and when the temperature of the surrounding
atmosphere is reduced below the degree at which the valve opened, the valve will
be automatically closed.
A liquid holding gas may be used in the generator without departing from
the nature of my invention. If such liquid is used the action of the valve may be
governed by the strength of the solution; that is to say, by the quantity of gas
held in solution.
The diaphragm c may have the form represented in Figure 2, or it may be
shaped as shown in Figures 4 and 5, that is it may have concentric elevations and
depressions rising one above the other outward, as therein shown, or it may
have any other suitable form for properly deflecting the water from the pipe C.
The generator A may be covered by a cap, as represented in Figure 4, if desired,
in which case the valve stem b will rest thereon.
The pressure generator is supported by the screw post e³ and the arms e³
depending from the deflector, and it is vertically adjustable by said post.
The water pipe has a valve seat c¹ provided in the screw sleeve c³, which screws
into the end of the pipe and has the inclined surface against which the valve is
forced by the head of water.
I have endeavoured to show my device in as compact a form as possible, but the
same may be varied without departing from my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In an automatic sprinkler, the combination of a pressure generator A,
provided with a flexible diaphragm; the pipe C; the valve B; and the valve
stem b.
Second. The combination in an automatic sprinkler, of a pressure generator
containing a volatile liquid, and provided with a flexible diaphragm fixed in the

page_text: pressure generator; and a valve in a water pipe operated by said diaphragm for
the purposes described.
Third. The combination in an automatic sprinkler, of a pressure generator con-
taining a volatile liquid, and provided with a diaphragm; the water pipe; the
valve, adapted to be operated by the movement of the diaphragm; and a deflector
arranged beneath the opening of the water pipe, all substantially as described.
Fourth. An automatic sprinkler, substantially as shown in the drawing, having
a pressure generator into which is fixed a flexible diaphragm connected with a
valve in a water pipe, said pressure generator being constructed so that its contents
cannot escape therefrom, and containing a liquid to operate said valve at a given
temperature, as and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. In an automatic sprinkler, a deflector having deflecting surfaces formed
by concentric grooves and elevations, all substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination in an automatic sprinkler of the water pipe, a valve,
the pressure generator and a cap covering the same, and the valve stem resting
upon the said cap, all substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.