Improvements in Hermetically Sealing Fire Extinguishing Grenades, and in the Treatment of the Cork Stoppers
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Hermetically Sealing Fire Extinguishing
Grenades, and in the Treatment of the Cork Stoppers
I EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER of 36 Southampton Buildings in the County
of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HERMETICALLY SEALING
FIRE EXTINGUISHING GRENADES AND IN THE TREATMENT OF THE CORK STOPPERS
"
EMPLOYED THEREIN (communicated to me from abroad by James Harvey Peirce
Attorney at Law of Chicago Cook County State of Illinois in the United States of
America) to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to provide a cheap and more effective
hermetical seal for grenade-like vessels or bottles of glass or other frangible
material containing a fire extinguishing liquid under pressure of free carbonic acid
gas. Heretofore it has been found difficult to securely retain the contents of such
vessels as against the internal pressure of free gas said gas being apt to find vent
through or about the stopper together with a portion of the liquid thereby
materially diminishing the fire extinguishing qualities of the grenade and also
by reason of the priming causing said grenades to present an unsightly appearance.
In practice the said grenade-like vessels or bottles first receive the charge of fire-
extinguishing liquid which may consist by preference of a saturated solution of
the Chlorides, Sulphates or Nitrates of the Alkalies having in addition some
Bi-Carbonate of Soda therein. A. gelatine capsule filled with a small quantity of
Tartaric Acid is then dropped into the liquid which capsule dissolves and allows
the Tartaric Acid to unite with a portion of the Bi-Carbonate of Soda liberating
the Carbonic Acid gas in the vessel to an amount not exceeding, in safety, one or
two atmospheres in pressure. But before this reaction and liberation can occur
it is important to securely seal the mouth of the vessel so that the gas will
be retained even though the internal pressure should amount to several
atmospheres.
I have found in practice that an ordinary plain cork-stopper under the existing
conditions of pressure almost inevitably allows more or less of ventage or leakage

page_text: through its pores and in order to remedy this defect I employ as an essential
element of the improved hermetical seal for the said grenade-like vessels a cork-
stopper coated with or treated in a bath of tallow, paraffine or the like so that its
pores shall be filled up or saturated with the said material which material being
inert and water-repellant and also acting as a lubricant enables moreover a larger
cork to be used and a tighter fit to be effected. The said stopper previously treated
as described may be used alone if desired but in order to perfect the seal and
maintain the stopper in position I employ in combination therewith a recess or
offset in the neck of the vessel situate above the top of the stopper also a filling of
portland or other hydraulic cement or a cement of any suitable kind which is
poured or otherwise introduced into the top of the neck so as to enter and fill the
recess and when hardened or set thereby prevent the said stopper from being forced
from its place. Should gas and liquid by reason of any defect in the stopper find
ventage through or about the same they will by uniting chemically with the
hydraulic cement not only assist in its setting but also produce thereby a fine close
textured layer or filling which as formed offers more and more resistance to the
progressive ventage of gas or liquid toward the mouth of the neck.
Dated this 1st day of August 1884.

page_text: I EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER of 36 Southampton Buildings in the county of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HERMETICALLY SEALING
EXTINGUISHING GRENADES AND
THE TREATMENT OF THE
IN
CORK
FIRE-
STOPPERS
EMPLOYED THEREIN " (communicated to me from abroad by James Harvey Peirce
Attorney at Law of Chicago Cook County State of Illinois in the United States of
America) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to provide a cheap and more effective hermetical
seal for grenade-like vessels or bottles of glass or other frangible material such for
example as is described and illustrated in the specification to Letters Patent
No 8973 A.D. 1884 containing a fire extinguishing liquid under pressure of free
carbonic acid gas.
Heretofore it has been found difficult to securely retain the contents of this class
of vessels as against the internal pressure of free gas said gas being apt to find vent
through or about the stopper together with a portion of the liquid thereby
materially diminishing the fire extinguishing qualities of the grenade and also by
reason of the priming causing said vessels or bottles to present an unsightly
appearance.
In preparing the said grenade-like vessels or bottles for use as hand grenade fire
extinguishers they are first charged with a fire extinguishing liquid consisting by
preference of a saturated solution of the Chlorides, Sulphates, or Nitrates of the
Alkalies having in addition some Bi-Carbonate of Soda therein. A gelatine capsule
filled with a small quantity of Tartaric Acid is then dropped into the liquid in the
said vessel which capsule dissolves and allows the Tartaric Acid to unite with a
portion of the Bi-Carbonate of Soda liberating the Carbonic Acid gas in the vessel
to an amount not exceeding, in safety, one or two atmospheres in pressure. But
before this reaction and liberation can occur it is important to securely seal the
mouth of the vessel so that the gas will be retained even though the internal
pressure should amount to several atmospheres.
I have found in practice that an ordinary plain cork-stopper under the existing
conditions of pressure almost inevitably allows more or less of ventage or leakage
through its pores and in order to remedy this defect I employ as an essential
element of the improved hermetical seal for the said grenade-like vessels a cork-
stopper which has been previously coated with or treated in a bath of tallow,
paraffin or the like so that its pores shall be filled up or saturated with the said
material which material being inert and water-repellant and also acting as a
lubricant enables moreover a larger cork to be used and a tighter fit in the bottle
neck to be effected than when using an ordinary cork. The said stopper previously
treated as above described may be used alone or in a plain or ordinary neck if
desired but in order to perfect the seal and maintain the said stopper securely in
position I employ in combination therewith a recess or offset, similar to that
referred to and illustrated in the specification to the Patent aforesaid formed in the
interior of the neck of the vessel and situate above the top of the prepared stopper
also a filling of portland or other hydraulic cement by preference of the consistency
of thick cream, or a cement or filling of sealing wax, Gypsum or Plaster of Paris,
or other suitable material that will harden by standing may be used, the cement or
filling employed being poured or otherwise introduced into the top of the bottle
neck above the prepared stopper so as to enter and fill the recess and when hardened

page_text: or set therein to form a permanent obstruction which effectually prevents the said
stopper from being forced from its place. Should gas and liquid by reason of any
defect in the stopper find ventage through or about the same they will (when
Portland or Hydraulic cement has been used as the filling) unite chemically
therewith and not only assist thereby in its setting but will also produce a fine
close textured layer or filling offering more and more resistance to the progressive
ventage of gas and liquid toward the mouth of the neck.
When Sealing wax Plaster of Paris or other like cement is used as the filling in
conjunction with a cork or stopper prepared in the manner above described the
increased water-repellant properties of such a stopper reduces the risk of priming
or leakage attendant upon the use of ordinary corks and consequently the
deterioration or crumbling away of the wax or Gypsum resulting from the contact
of the liquid therewith and which is liable to impair the fire-extinguishing qualities
of the Grenade is obviated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The mode or method of closing or sealing Fire extinguishing hand grenades by
the employment of a cork or stopper coated or saturated with tallow, paraffin or
the like substances, in combination with a recess in the neck of the vessel above the
cork or stopper and a filling of Portland or other hydraulic cement as and for the
purpose specified.
2. The mode or method of closing or sealing Fire extinguishing hand grenades
by the employment of a cork or stopper coated or saturated with tallow, paraffin,
or other like substances in combination with a recess in the neck of the vessel above
the cork or stopper and a filling of sealing wax, gypsum, Plaster of Paris or other
like cement as and for the purpose specified.
3. The application and use to and in the closing or stopping of the necks of
bottles or other like vessels of glass or other frangible material charged with fire
extinguishing liquids under pressure of free carbonic acid gas and specially adapted
for use as hand grenades for extinguishing fires of a cork or stopper coated or
saturated with tallow paraffin or the like materials in conjunction or not with
hydraulic or other cement or filling above the stopper as specified.
4. The mode or method of treating the corks or stoppers employed in closing or
stopping the necks of Hand grenade-like vessels of frangible material containing
a fire extinguishing liquid under pressure of free carbonic acid gas, by coating
or saturating them with tallow paraffin or the like materials, for the purpose
specified.
Doted this 17th day of November 1984