Improvements in Fire Sprinklers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Fire Sprinklers.
THE SENTINEL SELF-STOPPING AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER LIMITED, of 2 South John
Street, Liverpool, and JOHN HENRY RICHARDSON DINSMORE, of 22 Marsden Street,
Liverpool, aforesaid, Engineer, 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 class of fire-extinguishing apparatus to which this Invention relates, is that of
the automatic sprinkler type, which is fixed at different points at or near the ceiling
or roof of a room or building, and is adapted to be automatically set in action, and
discharge water into such room or space, when the temperature of the room, at the
part where it or they is or are disposed. reaches a certain point; and the particular
kind of this class of automatic extinguishing apparatus, to which this Invention has
special reference, is that having an expandible and contractile diaphragmmatic
chamber, and in which, the vapourization and expansion of a volatile fluid, when the
beat round such device reaches a given point, causes the device to extend and open a
valve, and water to be supplied and distributed.
Drawings accompanying this Specification illustrate the improved automatic fire-
extinguishing apparatus. In these drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation in the
normal position of rest; Figure 2 is a view shewing the underside of the
device or apparatus; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation shewing the apparatus in its
open and active position; and Figure 4 is a plan.
e are arms,
Referring to the drawings, a is a corrugated diaphragmmatic disc device, consisting
of upper and lower corrugated discs. is a valve casing, and a valve in it, the valve
being rigidly connected with and operated by the device a through the valve stem c¹.
bis the neck of the valve case, by which the apparatus is fastened to the pressure
water service pipe. d is a case round the outside of the device a, by which such
device is supported, and to which it is attached; and this case is carried up over the
upper side, forming a roof at d to the device, and enclosing it above.
by which the case ( is carried from the valve body b, and which are formed thereon;
and on the lower end of which is formed a ring e', the inside of which is threaded, and
screws over the threaded neck d², formed on the case roof . Through this neck d²,
the valve stem cl passes, and is guided by it. The lower diaphragm of the device a is
supported from the case d by an open ring frame g, the central part g' of which is
bored; and through the hole, a più a' on the lower diaphragm passes, and is secured
by a nut a², which holds the diaphragın device down on the frame g.
The frame g is
held in position in a suitable seat in the case d by the spring wire h, which fits in an
annular groove in the case, as shewn, under the frame; such ring being split at h¹
and sprung into position.
Between the diaphragm device a and the roof d, a pad or wad, i, of felt, or other
suitable bad conductor of heat, is provided. This has the effect of preventing the
device a being cooled too much and too rapidly, by the cooling of the roof d¹, due to
the falling of water upon it, when the apparatus is in action. On the upper side of
the device, there is a strengthening disc k, which distributes pressure, and prevents
undue strain coming upon parts of the device a.
Within the device
there is a porous or absorbent sheet of material t, and a

page_text: plate on which this material rests; and this porous material is charged with a
small quantity of volatile liquid of any known suitable kind which will evaporate at.
the temperature desired, say from 95° to 120° Falır.
The valve stem c' screws over a threaded stud on the upper diaphragm of the
device, as shewn, and has upon it, between the device and the valve c, a spraying
or distributing device n, by which water is broken up and sprayed and distributed,
up and all round, as required. And this device has an annular portion a¹ on its
under side, which fits over the guide neck, and prevents water getting down,
between the valve stem c' and the guide, onto the device below, and cooling it.
The valve c, in the case shewn, has a face of vulcanized fibre, leather, or the like,
bearing upon an internal valve sent; and the opening of the valve is between the
stem c and the seat.
The use and operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The apparatus is placed in
buildings, rooms, or spaces, say, in the usual or commonly adopted positions; and,
when quiescent, the parts will take the position shewn; namely, the diaphragmatic
device a will be collapsed, and the valve e upon its seat, with the pressure of water
keeping it close down on its seat and tight. Then, when a fire takes place, the heat
resulting from it reaches the open underside of the device, and acts upon the
volatile hydro-carbon liquid held in the absorbent material therein, and it becomes
vapourized at the temperature desired. The effect of this is, that pressure is created
in the device a, and it becomes distended in the manner shewn in Figure 3, nud the
valvo c is thereby raised from its seat, and opened; whereupon the water under
pressure rushes downwards, and, striking the sprayer », is distributed by it and
sprayed about in all directions. Some of this water, in falling downwards, falls upon
the roof, but it is prevented from acting upon the device a; tint is to say, while
the temperature of this roof can be cooled by the water falling upon it, the temper-
ature of the device is not affected by it, is the non-conductor material prevents
this;
and thus the temperature of the device, and its contents, are unaffected by the
water; and so the device will be kept distended, and the valve will be kept open,
in spite of the falling water. And then, when the fire is extinguished, the valve will
remain open by this means several minutes, say from three minutes upwards; and to
get this afterflow and distribution of water, in a self stopping sprinkler, it is found
necessary to protect the expanding and contracting device from cooling effect, from
above, in the manner described. When the fire is extinguished, the vapour of the
volatile spirit. in condenses, and is absorbed by the pad &, which is held in the
tray m; and the diaphragms of the device collapse, and thereby bring down
the valve c again onto its seat, and so stops or cuts off the flow of water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. AB nutomatic fire-extinguishing apparatus comprising a diaphragmatic
expanding and collapsing device a, below, covered over above and disposed within a
casing, & d', and directly connected by the stem e', with a valve c above, working in
a valve case b; and a water distributing disc or device between the valve and the
diaphragm device; substantially as set forth.
2. In an automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus of the kind herein referred to,
the combination of diaphragm device a, covering case d d', and non-conductor pad i;
substantially as set forth.
3. An automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve c, and distribut-
ing device, above, and a diaphragmmatic device a below, covered by a casing dd,
by which the diaphragmmatic device is protected against water falling upon it from
above, and having, between the ensing and the device, material, being a bad
conductor of heat, by which the temperature of and in said device is not affected by
the water, but retains its temperature, and the valve is kept open; substantially as
described.

page_text: 4. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, an upper water and valve case, and a case
below within which the diaphragmmatic device is contained, and by which it is
supported, the said diaphragmmatic case being supported by arms e directly from the
valve casing, and the valve connected directly to the upper diaphragm of the device,
by a valve stem; substantially as described and shewn.
5. In an automatic fire-extinguishing device or apparatus, having a water supply
valve above, and an expanding and contracting diaphragm device below, a stem
connecting the diaphragm device with the valve above, and a case supporting the
said device, and supported by arms from the valve case, and having upon it a neck,
through which the valve stein works, and by which it is guided; substantially as
described and shewn.
6. In an automatic fire extinguishing apparatus having a diaphragınmatic device
and ease, and a valve spindle passing up through a neck on said case, a water
distributing or spreading device, comprising the disc n, on which the water strikes,
and a part n' below, which prevents water from passing down onto the diaphragm
device.
7. In an automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus of the kind herein referred to,
the diaphragm device, with covering case & d', and supporting frame g; constructed
and operated as described and shewn.
8. In an automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus of the kind herein referred to,
the diaphragmatic device a, and case within which same is disposed, the ring
frame g, and fastening spring ring by which it is kept in position; as set forth
and shewn.
9. The fire extinguishing apparatus particularly as set forth with reference to
and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 10th day of Outobar 1807
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON
Applicant's Patent Agents, 15 Water Street, Liverpool.