Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Indicating the Leakage or Overflow of Water or other Fluids from Pipes or Drains, and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Indicating the Leakage
or Overflow of Water or other Fluids from Pipes or Drains,
and for similar Purposes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
of 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide an efficient and reliable safe-guard
against damage to merchandise and other property from overflows of water, oil,
and other fluids in buildings, generally resulting from the bursting of pipes,
stoppage of drain, or negligence, and sometimes from other causes. The damage
caused by these overflows, which are usually water-overflows is a very serious
matter, particularly in large cities, frequently causing a loss of many thousand
dollars and involving business concerns in expensive litigation. I therefore seek by
this invention to prevent beavy loss from such overflows by the use of an electric
alarm system so arranged that any leakage of water, or other fluid, over a given
surface will automatically sound an alarm and thus give warning of the unde-
sirable presence of water, or other fluid, before any material damage can be done.
To this end my invention consists in means for detecting the undesirable presence
of water, or other fluid, in a structure, comprising electric conductors arranged in
open circuit and including a suitable alarm, which conductors are separated from
one another by a material which will absorb water, and when so moistened will
serve as a conductor between the afore-mentioned conductors to close the circuit
and render it operative to sound the alarm, as hereinafter particularly set forth and
claimed.
My invention also includes the details of construction all as hereinafter par-
ticularly set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawing, in the several figures of which like parts are
designated by similar letters of reference.
Figure 1, is a plan view of my invention and
Figure 1 a similar view of a modification thereof.
Figure 2, is a section of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a plan and Figure 4, a section of a modified form of my invention.
Figure 5, is a plan and Figure 6, a section of another modification.

page_text: As shown in figures 1 and 2, the surface to be guarded against overflows of
water or other fluid is covered with a protecting material A, which consists of two
continuous lines of conductors a, a¹, which may be strips of tin-foil carried back
and forth in any suitable manner over the area to be guarded, and separated from
each other by an insulator b, composed of some porous or bibulous material.
k,, designate wires connected to the insulated conductors a a¹ and extending
thence to a battery c, and relay. d, which is in connection with a battery e, and
alarm bell f.
a,
a¹,
Now it will be noticed that the insulating material between the conductors
breaks the circuit, and that to complete the circuit contact must be made between
the conductors a, a¹, or the insulating material converted into a conductor. As
before stated the insulator is composed of porous or bibulous material, and hence it
follows that if the insulator is made wet by the dripping (or contact) of water, or
ather fluid, it will be instantly converted into a conductor thus completing the
relay circuit and depressing the armature of the relay magnet so as to throw the
alarm bell into circuit and cause it to ring and give notice of the undesirable
leakage. The protecting material can be applied to the ceilings or other portions
of the buildings covering any desired area of surface, and in this way and at small
expense damage from overflows of water, or other fluids, can be limited to an
inconsiderable amount, and in many cases absolutely prevented. In order to
provide a convenient way of testing the protecting material, I have shown
wires,, connected to the opposite extremities of the conductors a, a¹, and
extending to the key g. By depressing this key the relay circuit will be closed and
the alarm bell caused to ring, if all is in adjustment and good condition.
In the modification shown in Figure 14 the surface to be guarded against over-
flows of water or other fluids, or generally speaking aqueous leaks, is covered with
a protecting material A, which consists of two continuous lines of conductors a, a¹,
of metals of opposite polarity such as copper for one, and zinc for the other, carried
back and forth in any suitable manner over the area to be guarded and separated
from one another by an insulator b, composed of some porous or bibulous material.-
Whenever the insulating material is moistened by an overflow of water, or other
fluid, said insulating material is rendered electrically conductive and makes a
voltaic couple of the conductors a, a¹, and operates the alarm bell f.
In the modification of my invention shown in figures 3, and
the conductor a
is carried back and forth interlacing with the conductor a¹, which latter is
surrounded by a porous insulating material b. The terminals k, are connected
as herein-above described with an electric alarm system and the operation is the
same; that is to say, if by the escape of water, or other fluid, the insulator becomes
moistened the circuit will be closed between the two conductors a, a¹, and the
alarm will be sounded.
In the modification of my invention shown in figures 5 and 6, the conductor a,
is twined around a porous insulator b, which surrounds the conductor a¹. The
terminals are connected to an electric alarm system substantially as described, and
the circuit is closed and the alarm sounded whenever the insulator is converted by
moisture into a conductor. When desired the two conductors as stated may be
made of different metals, and the insulating material may be impregnated with
some salt which when dissolved in water will act as an electrical excitant. Thus
if the insulator becomes moistened the salt will dissolve and the combination
constitute a battery acting upon the relay magnet without the intervention of an
external battery. Or if desired when both conductors are of the same metal I may
impregnate the insulating material with a salt which dissolving in the water will
increase the conductivity of the insulating material and establish a circuit of less
resistance so as to act more strongly upon the relay magnet.
For greater safety all the buildings within certain limits, which are protected by
my system, may be connected with a central station, so that if a water overflow
for instance occurs at night, in an unoccupied building, the alarm will be sounded
at the station and be promptly responded to.
:

page_text: It is also obvious that the bell or other electric alarm may be placed in any part
of a building, for instance in the janitors room, or in cases where a janitor is not
employed the alarm may be placed outside of the building where it can be heard
by a watchman.
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
1: Means for detecting the undesirable presence of water, or other fluid, in a
structure consisting of electric conductors arranged in open circuit including an
alarm and separated from one another by an absorbent which when wet serves to
establish an electric current in said conductors and thereby sound the alarm,
substantially as described.
2. In means for detecting the undesirable presence of water, or other fluid, in a
structure, a series of electric conductors connected to opposite poles of a generator
and arranged in open circuit and including an alarm, combined with an interposed
normally insulating material rendered electrically conductive by absorption of
water, or other fluid, to bring the conductors into electric contact and thereby
make a circuit and sound the alarm, substantially as described.
3. The protecting material for detecting aqueous leaks in structures consisting of
the electric conductors a, a, connected to the opposite poles of a generator and
arranged in open circuit and including an alarm, and porous or bibulous insulating
material b, separating the said conductors, the said insulating material being
impregnated with some salt, or other substance which when dissolved increases
the conductivity of the insulating material, substantially as described.
4. The protective material for detecting aqueous leaks in structures consisting of
two electric conductors a, a¹, composed respectively of metals of opposite polarity,
such as copper for one and zinc for the other, arranged in circuit and provided
with an alarm, and a porous or bibulous insulating material, the whole so arranged
that when moistened a voltaic couple will be formed adapted by its own action to
sound an electric alarm, as set forth.
5. The combination with the electric conductors a, a¹, and porous or bibulous
insulator b, separating the same, a battery c, relay d, alarm f, battery e, and wires kc, k¹,
for connecting the whole in circuit, substantially as described.
6. The electric conductor a interwoven with the insulated conductor a¹, connected
in circuit with an alarm which circuit is rendered operative by the insulation of
conductor a¹, absorbing water and thereby making contact between the conductors a,
and a¹, substantially as described. .
7. The means for detecting aqueous leaks in structures consisting of two electric
conductors a, a¹, composed respectively of metals of opposite polarity such as
copper for one and zinc for the other arranged in circuit and including an alarm,
and a porous or bibulous insulating material impregnated with a salt which when
dissolved is electrically conductive, the said material being arranged in connection
with the conductors to form when wet a voltaic couple of the conductors to sound
the alarm, substantially as described.