Year: 1886

page_text: We, RALPH DOWSON and JOHN TAYLOR of Knowsley Street, Bolton in the
County of Lancaster, Fire Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in automatic apparatus known by the
name of fire extinguishers or sprinklers and is intended to provide means whereby
buildings and other places may be automatically protected in case of fire by the
agency of the fire itself, and consists in providing a number of extinguishers or
sprinklers attached in any convenient way by suitable pipes. The outlet of each
sprinkler is provided with a combined conical or other thimble and distributer
attached to a spindle held in position by the conical or other formed thimble being
soldered into the projecting outlet of the casing of the sprinkler. The combined
thimble and distributer are made of copper or other suitable metallic materiala.
For the purpose of facilitating the soldering of the conical or other thimble into
the outlet of the sprinkler it is made separate from the distributer, after which the
distributer is mounted on its bottom end being secured thereto by bending and
soldering lips or projections on the bottom end of the conical or other thimble to
the underside of the conical or other dish on the distributer. The conical or other
dish on the underside of the distributer encircles the projecting outlet on the
underside of the sprinkler. The conical or other thimble is sealed or soldered by
a material fusible at a low temperature, which when a fire breaks out the heat
releases the thimble and distributer and allows them to drop a certain distance,
by which the water is liberated onto the fire automatically. The top end of the
conical or other thimble is seated on or provided with a non-conducting material
for the purpose of minimising the cooling effect of the water in the sprinkler.
To prevent the conical or other thimble being pushed too far into the outlet of
the sprinkler a suitable projection is provided, against which the non-conducting
material rests.
The spindle carrying the combined conical or other thimble and distributer is
mounted in taper or conical bearings suitably disposed to minimise friction, and is
provided with a propeller or worm, the latter allowing of a free passage for water,
leaving sufficient room for grit or other imperfections to pass with the water
without interfering with the action of the same. The lower end of the spindle

page_text: attached to the propeller or worm in the sprinkler casing is attached to the conical
or other thimble in any convenient way.
To facilitate and improve the action of spreading or diffusing the water when
liberated the distributer is provided on the outer edge or rim with vanes or angular
projections or otherwise, and the disc and other parts are provided with perforations
and slots if desired.
In another modification we dispense with the conical or other thimble and
construct the distributer to perform the double purpose of valve and distributer
attached to the spindle, in which case they are held in position to seal the
sprinkler by a yoke or bridle supported from projections on the side of the
sprinkler case. One end of the yoke or bridle is provided with a projection which
is held in position by being soldered to a corresponding projection or arm on
the sprinkler casing by a material fusible at a low temperature as before described,
which when released by the heat of the fire drops down by which the combined
valve and distributer fall a certain distance and liberates the water onto the fire.
Immediately the conical or other thimble and distributer or the combined valve
and distributer are liberated the spindle with its attachments drop down until
arrested by a pin or other equivalent provided for the purpose on the spindle which
operates against one or other of the conical bearings supporting the same. When
in this position the action or flow of the water through the sprinkler operates the
propeller or worm and revolves the spindle with its connections including the
conical or other thimble and distributer, or the combined. valve and distributer;
the distributer forming a spreader for throwing out the water in a spray or
divided form. The underside of the combined valve and distributer is provided
with a slit or other equivalents to receive a knife or other edged screw for seating
the same; the screw is supported from the yoke or bridle. The top side of the
combined valve & distributer is provided with a groove to admit lead or other
suitable metal to form a joint when pressed against the valve seat.
Dated the 19th Taha 1000
EDMUND CHADWICK, 30
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: improvements in Automatio Fire Extinguishing sprinklers.
We, RALPH Dowson and JOHN TAYLOR of Knowsley Street, Bolton in the
County of Lancaster, Fire Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said
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 improvements in automatic apparatus known by the
name of fire extinguishers or sprinklers and is intended to provide means whereby
buildings and other places may be automatically protected in case of fire by the
agency of the fire itself, and consists in providing a number of extinguishers or
sprinklers attached in any convenient way by suitable pipes. The outlet of each
sprinkler is provided with a combined conical or other thimble and distributer
attached to a spindle held in position by the conical or other formed thimble being
Boldered into the projecting outlet of the casing of the sprinkler. The combined
thimble and distributer are made of copper or other suitable metallic materials.
For the purpose of facilitating the soldering of the conical or other thimble into
the outlet of the sprinkler is made separate from the distributer, after which the
distributer is mounted on its bottom end being secured thereto by bending and
soldering lips or projections on the bottom end of the conical or other thimble to
the underside of the conical or other dish on the distributer. The conical or other
dish on the underside of the distributer encircles the projecting outlet on the
underside of the sprinkler. The conical or other thimble is sealed or soldered by
a material fusible at a low temperature, which when a fire breaks out the heat
releases the thimble and distributer and allows them to drop a certain distance,
by which the water is liberated onto the fire automatically. The top end of the
conical or other thimble is seated on or provided with a non-conducting material
for the purpose of minimising the cooling effect of the water in the sprinkler.
To prevent the conical or other thimble being pushed too far into the outlet of
the sprinkler a suitable projection is provided, against which the non-conducting
material rests.
The spindle carrying the combined conical or other thimble and distributer is
mounted in taper or conical bearings suitably disposed to minimise friction, and is
provided with a propeller or worm, the latter allowing of a free passage for water
leaving sufficient room for grit or other imperfections to pass with the water
without interfering with the action of the same. The lower end of the spindle
attached to the propeller or worm in the sprinkler casing is attached to the conical
or other thimble in any convenient way.
To facilitate and improve the action of spreading or diffusing the water when
liberated the distributer is provided on the outer edge or rim with vanes or angular
projections or otherwise, and the disc and other parts are provided with perforations
and slots if desired.
In another modification we dispense with the conical or other thimble and
construct the distributer to form the double purpose of valve and distributer
attached to the spindle, in which case they are held in position to seal the
sprinkler by a yoke or bridle supported from projections on the side of the
sprinkler case. One end of the yoke or bridle is provided with a projection
which is held in position by being soldered to a corresponding projection or
arm on the sprinkler casing by a material fusible at a low temperature as before

page_text: described, which when released by the heat of the fire drops down by which the
combined valve and distributer fall a certain distance and liberates the water onto
the fire.
Immediately the conical or other thimble and distributer or the combined valve
and distributer are liberated the spindle with its attachments drop down until
arrested by a pin or other equivalent provided for the purpose on the spindle
which operates against one or other of the conical bearings supporting the same.
When in this position the action or flow of the water through the sprinkler
operates the propeller or worm and revolves the spindle with its connections
including the conical or other thimble and distributer, or the combined valve and
distributer; the distributer forming a spreader for throwing out the water in a
spray or divided form. The underside of the combined valve and distributer is
provided with a slit or other equivalents to receive a knife or other edged screw
for seating the same; the screw is supported from the yoke or bridle. The top
side of the combined valve and distributer is provided with a groove to admit lead
or other suitable metal to form a joint when pressed against the valve seat.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an automatic fire extinguishing sprinkler
constructed according to our invention Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation shewing the
same in operation when released by the action of a fire.
A is the casing of the sprinkler with the outlet B in which is soldered-by a
metal fusible at a low temperature-the thimble C attached to the distributer D.
To facilitate the soldering of the thimble C into the outlet B it is made separate
om the distributer D, the latter being secured-after soldering bas been
☐ ected-by soldering the lips or projections F together, or otherwise. The dish
or thimble G on the underside of the distributer D encircles the outlet B, which
allows the distributer D to enter the casing H round the outlet B, thus protecting
its upper side from dirt or damage. The combined thimble C and distributer D
are attached by any convenient means to the spindle E; the latter being mounted in
the taper or conical bearings in the cross bar I¹ to minimise friction when revolving
by the action or motion of the water upon the propeller or worm J and the
distributer D. The spindle E is provided with the washer or collar N to regulate
or determine the length of drop, which operates on the upper side of the taper or
conical bearing in the crossbar I¹ when the thimble C has been released from the
outlet B as in Fig. 2. The distributer D is provided with the vanes K and slots L
to improve or assist the action of spreading or diffusing the water when liberated
by the action of fire as shown in Fig. 2, the same being revolved thereby. The
soldered joint is represented by the thick line M between the outside of the
thimble C and the inside of the outlet B.
Fig. 3 is an outside view of distributer—Fig. 4 a plan of top side of same and
Fig. 5 a section through line A¹ B¹.
Fig. 6 is a modification wherein the outlet B is provided with the projection or
seat to prevent the thimble C being pushed in too far. On the top end of the
spindle E is fixed the washer or collar N to arrest the fall of the spindle and its
attachments by coming in contact with the taper or conical bearing in the crossbar L
Fig. 7 is another modification of our invention wherein the inlet P of the
sprinkler casing A is provided with the metallic seat R against which is held the
metallic disc S by the spindle E attached to the thimble C and distributer D when
the sprinkler is sealed. This is designed for the purpose of preventing as far as
possible the heated water in the casing of the sprinkler escaping back into the
service pipes, thereby enhancing the sensitiveness of the sprinkler. When the
thimble C is released from the outlet B the spindle E drops down until arrested by
the collar N on the crossbar I¹; the disc S being caught on the projections T, of
which there are four, being free of the top side of the collar N, thereby in no way
interfering with the revolving action of the distributer and spindle.
For the purpose of minimising the cooling effect of the water in the sprinkler
upon the fusible soldered joint M whilst in the act of fusing, as well as that
of preventing the water coming in direct contact with the said joint we employ

page_text: a suitable nou-conducting material, such as, tallow, lard, suet, spermaceti, paraffine
wax, ceresin, or other suitable animal wax, or their substitutes, such as, mineral
and vegetable wax, which may be employed singly or compound. If desired the
before mentioned non-conducting materials can be mixed with other suitable
materials, such as, chalk, whitening, baryta, or their substitutes for the purpose of
increasing the temperature of their melting point and specific gravity, which are
essential to the sensitiveness and commercial success of a sealed pendant sprinkler.
The non-conducting material is melted and poured into the inlet of the sprinkler
after the fusible joint has been soldered, which covers the top end of the thimble C
as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7, wherein the non-conducting material is represented
by the letter W. When the seat or projection O is employed, as in Figs. 6 and 7,
The non-
the non-conducting material W rests laterally against the same.
conducting material is supplied in varying quantities according to the class of
material employed.
Fig. 8 is a modification wherein the conical thimble C is dispensed with the
distributer D being constructed to perform the double purpose of valve and
distributer. The distributer D is provided with the groove V to admit lead or
other suitable metal to form a joint when pressed against the valve seat ✗. The
distributer D is attached to the spindle E and its attachments, being held in
position to seal the sprinkler by the yoke or bridle Y supported from the
projections a and b on the sprinkler A. One end of the yoke or bridle Y is
provided with the projection d which is held in position by being soldered to the
corresponding projection 6 by a material fusible at a low temperature, which when
released by the heat of the fire drops down and allows the combined valve and
distributer D to fall the distance between the washer or collar N and the upper
side of the conical bearing in the crossbar I¹ and liberates the water onto the fire.
When the sprinkler is released the spindle E and distributer D are revolved by
the action of the water on the vanes K and slots L and the propeller or worm J.
In the yoke or bridle Y is mounted the screw f for pressing the valve against its
seat. The lock nut g is provided to prevent the screw f being released by the
hammer action of water in the sprinkler and pipes.
Fig. 9 is a plan of top side of combined valve and distributer D showing
vanes K and slots L, and Fig. 10 is an outside view of same.
We would have it understood that we lay no claim to the use of solder for the
purpose of sealing the sprinkler until the solder is fused by the action of heat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a sealed automatic sprinkler the use and construction of the spindle E,
collar or washer N, crossbars I and I, thimble C and distributer D with the
vanes K and slots L, applied and operating substantially as described and shown
on the drawings.
2. In a sealed sprinkler the use and application of a non-conducting material
placed between the water and the soldered joint, to prevent the water coming in
contact with the fusible soldered joint and to minimise the cooling effect of the
water upon the soldered joint whilst in the act of fusing, substantially as described
and as shown on the drawings,
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent for Applicants.