Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishing Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM EDGAR SIMONDS, of 2 Central Row,
Hartford, Connecticut, Attorney, and OLIVER FIELD ALLEN, of Long-
meadow, Massachusetts, Electrician, both in the United States of America.]
Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishing Apparatus.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 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 to automatic fire extinguishing apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure is an elevation view, something in the nature of a diagram, of an
automatic fire extinguishing system-using a gas inimical to combustion-in which
are embodied features of said invention. The gas-generator casing is shown in
central section.
Figure 2 (greatly enlarged as compared with Fig. 1) is a detail view showing a
portion of the inner face of one of the side-plates of the said generator casing,
the chief purpose in this view being to assist in illustrating a device for prolonging
the gradual mixing of the gas generating materials with consequent prolongation
of the gas generating process.
Fig. 3 is a detail face view of the crank-arm on the rotary shaft which enters
the gas generator-as shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a bottom view, or a view from underneath (on an enlarged scale as
compared with Fig. 1, and of about actual size), of one of the valve-mechanisms
which are opened automatically, by means of the heat of a conflagration, in order
to discharge the fire extinguishing agent upon the fire. The form of valve-
mechanism here shown is adapted and designed for use in an electrical circuit
which is normally open. In America devices of this general nature are called
commonly "fusible plugs."
Fig. 5 is a view (on a scale similar to that of Fig. 4) of the valve-mechanism
shown in Fig. 4, in central vertical section on the plane denoted by the broken
line xx.
Fig. 6 is a detail view, in side elevation, of a modified form of the tripping
device appurtenant to the rotary shaft which enters the generator casing. This
form of tripping device is designed and adapted for use in connection with an
electrical circuit which is normally closed.
Fig. 7 is a detail face view of the crank-arm which is shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a detail view (on a scale similar to that of Fig. 4) of a form of valve-
mechanism ("fusible plug ") designed and adapted for use in an electrical circuit
which is normally closed.
Fig. 9 is a detail view (still further enlarged) of a portion of one of the hanger-
pins shown in Fig. 8, rotated a quarter-turn from its position as shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view hereinafter referred to.
General Description (referring to Figs. 1 and 5 inclusive of the drawings).-One
object of the invention is the production of a gas generator connected with a

page_text: system of pipes and valves, arranged within and throughout the various rooms of
a building, adapted to be automatically set in operation by the heat of a con-
flagration, thereupon generating a gas inimical to combustion and delivering it in
the vicinity of the conflagration for the purpose of extinguishing it. Some
features of the invention are of general application outside of such special
purpose.
"
In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a generator casing adapted
to contain a gas generating material 6 (meaning by "gas generating material
one which mixed with another suitable material, generates the gas) and.c denotes a
pipe for conducting the gas to different rooms and portions of the building; in the
drawings the pipe is shown as a short one but it is capable of extension to any
reasonable length, and of being equipped with any reasonable number of said
valve-mechanisms.
The letter d denotes a rotary shaft entering the casing from without through a
proper stuffing box having a cord and weight ef attached thereto and adapted,
when permitted, to give the shaft d a plurality of rotations; the letter g denotes
a trip which, when set as shown, holds said shaft from such rotation; it is a matter
of course that a spring or other power standing ready to rotate said shaft, when
permitted, may be used in place of, and as an equivalent for said cord and
weight.
The letter denotes a vessel within the generator casing containing another gas
generating material which, when mixed with material 6, generates a gas inimical to
combustion; it is essential that the vessel / be made to thus mix its contents with
the gas generating material 6 by means of the rotation of the shaft d and to that
end the vessel / may be supported upon the shaft d so that the rotation of the
shaft will turn the vessel h till its contents fall out; the vessel h has a trapped
cover i preventing the passage of air and the like in or out until the materials are
mixed as just described.
The shaft d is provided with stirrers k; the rotary movement of shaft d mixes
the gas generating materials and theu-under the influence of the cord and
weight the shaft continues to rotate with the result that the stirrers cause a
thorough intermingling of the gas generating materials.
The letter denotes an additional vessel within the casing for containing
additional gas generating material which may be the same in kind as that contained
in the vessel ; it is rotarily hung on the trunnion m and normally rests, nearly
upright, against a rest-pin as shown in Fig. 2; as the shaft d rotates a fluke of one
of the stirrers strikes this vessel and tips it over, as denoted in broken lines in
Fig. 2 this vessel has a choked or contracted outlet wherefore it delivers its
contents slowly, as the gas is used up or exhausted in extinguishing the con-
flagration, by so much prolonging the capacity of the generator to supply the fire
extinguishing gas and there
may
be a plurality of these additional vessels. The
vessel has an air inlet tube m¹ to equalize pressure within the vessel when the
generator casing a contains a gas under pressure and to the end that the contents
of vessel may flow out freely, to the degree permitted by the size of the outlet,
when the vessel is reversed or tipped over. The vessel and the tube m' are both
provided with suitable caps or covers which fall off when the vessel / is tipped
over. The generator casing has hand-holes in the top, over the vessels h and l,
and another hand-hole in the side for obvious purposes.
The trip g normally holds its set position, and, in such adjustment, prevents the
shaft d from rotating. This trip is a lever, one arm of which carries the
armature n of an electro-magnet o. When the circuit-normally open-is closed,
the electro-magnet pulls the armature to itself, causing the trip to release the
shaft d and to permit it to rotate as hereinbefore described. The letter denotes
a source of electrical energy which may be well a battery of voltaic cells. The
electro-magnet, the voltaic cells and the valve mechanisms which are distributed
at suitable points along the pipe c (although only one is shown in Fig. 1) are all

page_text: in one and the same electrical circuit; the letter + denotes the insulated wire
by which the electrical current proceeds from the battery and the letter -
denotes the insulated wire by which the current returns to the battery. When,
as is usual, there are more than one of the said valve-mechanisms, each is situated
in an insulated cross-wires (see Fig. 10) with the result that the operation of any
one of the said valve-mechanisms will close the circuit and set the gas generator
in operation.
-
The letter denotes the valve-tube of one of the valve-mechanisms suitably
connecting with the interior of the pipe c; the letter u denotes a valve, preferably
of glass, for normally closing the valve-tube; the letter v denotes a support for
the valve made wholly or in suitable part of easily fusible metal (meaning by
"easily fusible metal one which will melt at a predetermined and very moderate
degree of heat, such as is used in the so-called "fusible plugs" of America); the
letter w denotes a screw-preferably borne by a part of the frame of the valve-
mechanism for pressing the valve u to its seat, larger in diameter than the valve-
support w to the end that such valve-support may be introduced to its place
through the interiorly screw threaded orifice which supports the screw w; the
letter y denotes an insulated electrode in electrical connection with the wire r+;
the letter z denotes a similar insulated electrode in electrical connection with the
wire r
- ; both these electrodes are coated on and near their free ends with said
easily fusible metal and, preferably, both are borne by a part of the frame of the
valve-mechanism; the letter a denotes a small vessel or chamber-preferably
formed in a part of the frame of the valve-mechanism-surrounding the lower part
of the valve support v. When a conflagration occurs in the vicinity of one of these
valve-mechanisms its heat soon melts the easily fusible metal (which must be of a
nature affording electrical conductivity) which thereupon collects in the chamber a¹
and forms an electrical connection between the two electrodes y and z, closing the
electrical circuit and releasing the trip g (through the operation of the electro-
magnet o and armature n); this allows shaft d to rotate causing generation of the
fire extinguishing gas, under great pressure, which flows through pipe c and escapes
through the now unobstructed valve-tube t, the valve u having been released from
its seat by the melting of the fusible metal in the valve-support v; this delivers the
gas in the vicinity of the conflagration there to exert its fire extinguishing function.
The coating of the said electrodes with the easily fusible metal and thus ensuring
electrical connection of the two by a heat sufficient to melt the easily fusible metal,
notwithstanding oxidization, dust and fatty matter which may have gathered on
the parts is of itself distinctively new and useful for whatever purpose the electrical
circuit closer may be used. Causing the melting of the easily fusible metal to
perform the double function of releasing a confined member (as u) and also of
closing an electrical circuit is also, of itself, novel and useful. The pipe c is
provided with a safety valve located at any convenient point. The letter el
denotes a diaphragm in the pipe c, near the generator, of any suitable material,
sheet lead for instance, to hold the gas from passing far in the pipe until it has
gathered a strong head sufficient to burst such diaphragm, so that when it passes
out of the valve-tube t, it may rush with great force and project itself to a
distance.
CLOSED CIRCUIT MODIFICATION.
In the foregoing general description the fire extinguishing apparatus has been
described as having an electrical circuit normally open. The substitution therefor
of an electrical circuit normally closed will now be described. Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive,
of the drawings are for the purpose of illustrating such substitution. The trip di
is, as before, a lever; it is held in its set position by the electro-magnet e¹ whose
armature f¹ is affixed to trip-lever d'. The trip d¹ bears a friction roll in contact
with the crank-arm which is fixedly attached to the rotary shaft (d), the bearing

page_text: edge of said crank-arm being so fashioned (see Fig. 7) as to facilitate the tripping
operation the moment the electro-magnet el ceases to attract its armature f¹.
In this closed circuit there is but a single electrical line-wire deuoted by the
letter g which fellows the general course of the pipe (c) and all the valve-
.mechanisms are included in that line-wire.
The letter denotes a valve-tube suitably connecting with the interior of the
pipe (c); the letter denotes a valve for closing the same, preferably of glass;
the letter denotes a support for the valve and a tightening screw borne thereby
and bearing against the bottom of the valve. The valve-tube carries the flange m¹;
the letters n' denote hanger-pins borne by said flange, but insulated therefrom by
insulating collars o'. The support is, in turn, supported by the pins p¹ which
are of casily fusible metal. The line-wire g¹ is connected to the hanger-pins n¹ by
binding screws. This arrangement gives the valve la support which is included
in the closed electrical circuit but is otherwise insulated. Said circuit is normally
.closed, keeping said electro-magnet e in contact with its armature and the
trip d' is thus kept set as shown. If a conflagration occurs in the neighbourhoodl
of the valve-mechanism, the pins P melt letting the support fall away and
likewise valve; this breaks the electrical circuit, releasing trip d', permitting
the rotary shaft (d) of the generator to rotate and generating gas which flows along
the distributing pipe (c) which, escaping through the now unclosed valve orifice,
comes in contact with the fire and exerts its extinguishing function.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by,
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination, a gas generating casing adapted to contain a gas generating
material, a vessel within said casing adapted to contain another gas generating
material and normally retain it out of contact with the other of said materials, a
rotary shaft entering said casing from without and adapted by its rotation to mix
said materials, stirrers for the agitation of said materials attached to said shaft
within the casing, an operating power adapted-when allowed to operate-to give
said shaft a plurality of rotations, and a trip adapted to normally hold said shaft
from rotation, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
2. In combination, a gas generator casing adapted to contain a gas generating
material, a vessel within said casing adapted to contain another gas generating
material and normally retain it out of contact with the other of said materials, a
rotary shaft entering said casing from without and adapted by its rotation to mix
said materials, stirrers for the agitation of said materials attached to said shaft
within the casing, an operating power adapted-when allowed to operate-to give
said shaft a plurality of rotations, a trip adapted to normally hold said shaft from
rotation, a gas conducting pipe leading from said generator, a normally closed valve-
mechanism appurtenant to said pipe, and mechanism intermediate of said valve-
mechanism and said trip adapted to operate said trip when the valve of said
valve-mechanism is opened, all substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth.
3. In combination, the gas generator casing, the rotary shaft entering said
casing from without, and the vessel with a trapped cover adapted to be emptied of
its contents by the rotation of said shaft, all substantially as described and for the
purposes set forth.
4. In a normally open electrical circuit closer adapted to be closed by the melting
of an easily fusible metal, two electrodes (as y and ) coated-either or both-with
easily fusible metal, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.,
5. In combination, in a valve-mechanism, a valve-tube, a valve adapted to close
the tube, a support for the valve embodying easily fusible metal, a chamber adapted
to contain the easily fusible metal when molten, and two electrodes leading to said
chamber and adapted to have electrical connection made between them by said
molten metal, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 6. In combination in a valve-mechanism, a valve-tube, a valve adapted to close
the rim, and an insulated support for said valve adapted for inclusion in a normally
closed electric circuit and supported-in turn-by easily fusible metal, all
substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.