Improvements in Fire Alarms and Automatic Sprinklers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 31st Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Alarms and Automatic Sprinklers.
I, ROBERT JOHNSON of Oak Street Works West Gorton, Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to fire alarms in combination with automatic sprinklers.
The object of this invention is to obtain electrical contact automatically on the
occasion of an outbreak of fire, and by these means give notice to fire stations
that may be situated either at a greater or less distance from the locality of the
fire, and at the same time to cause an upward delivery of water in a dome shaped
or canopied form covering a large area, to be distributed over or near the fire. In
this invention, I form a hollow cone which is divided horizontally but may be
united by screwing one part into the other. I form the bottom end of the lower
part of cone with a pipe connection by which said cone may be attached to the
water main or a branch thereof. I form a valve seating on the inside at bottom of
said cone and place therein a ball valve; I connect said valve to a rod which I
pass vertically through the upper part of and extending from the upper end of cone
to any required distance therefrom, terminating with a button; I secure the afore-
said valve rod at the upper end of cone by means of a fusible plug in such a
manner that when the upper and lower halves of the cone are screwed together,
the ball valve is pressed firmly down on its seating and the valve rod is compressed
or sprung in. By these means when by the heat of the fire the fusible plug is
melted, the aforesaid rod will spring upwards and the button at the top end thereof
comes in contact with a button placed in proximity at the end of an electric wire,
the connection is formed whereby an alarm is given and at the same time the valve
being opened, water is discharged through openings in the sides of the cone, over
the burning material in the vicinity. In a modification of my invention, I extend
arms from the aforesaid vertical valve rod said arms being secured to fusible metal
studs formed on the sides of cone in lieu of the upper end. These arms will when
released from the fusible metal by the heat, fall down by the side of the rod. To
assist the recoil of the hereinbefore described valve rod, a spring may be placed at
upper end of cone.
the
Dated this 30th day of March 1892.
THOMAS PRESCOTT,
53, Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Alarms and Automatic Sprinklers.
I, ROBERT JOHNSON, of Oak Street Works, and Johnson's Patents, Limited,
West Gorton, Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Managing
Director, 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 fire alarms in combination with automatic sprinklers.
The object of this invention is to obtain electrical contact automatically on the
occasion of an outbreak of fire, and by these means give notice to fire stations that
may be situated either at a greater or less distance from the locality of the fire,
and at the same time to cause an upward or downward delivery of water in a
[Prine 8d1

page_text: dome shaped or canopied form, covering a large area, to be distributed over or
near the fire.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have annexed hereunto
a sheet of drawings; in the several views shown therein, similar letters refer to
similar parts.
Figs. 1 and 3 are side views representing a fire alarm and automatic sprinkler,
constructed according to my invention.
Figs. 2 and 4 are respectively vertical sections of the same, and
Figs. 5 to 8 are.parts of the same shown separately.
In this invention I form a hollow cone a which is divided horizontally at b, but
may be united by screwing one part into the other: I form the bottom end of the
lower part of cone with a pipe connection c, by which said cone may be attached
to the water main or a branch thereof, on landings, entrances to buildings, or through
the rooins of a building.
I construct a valve seating d either of a multiple form, as shown in Fig. 2, or
single as in Fig. 4, on the inside at bottom of said cone, and place therein a
ball valve e, or a stepped valve e as shown in Fig. 8.
I connect said valve to a rod f, which I pass vertically through the upper part of,
and extending from, the upper end of the cone a to any required distance there-
from, terminating with a button 9.
I secure the aforesaid valve rod at the upper end of cone, by means of a fusible
plug h in such
manner that when the upper and lower halves of the cone are
screwed together, the ball or other valve is pressed firmly down on its seating, and
the valve rod, is compressed or sprung in.
This is effected by the aforesaid rod f being secured by the fusible plug h in
such a position that the ball or other valve e will be pressed firmly on to the
seating a before the act of uniting the two portions of the cone a, by the lower
part being screwed into the upper, has been completed by the act of completing
the screwing together of the aforesaid two portions of the cone a, the rod fis
placed in a state of compression, and when by the heat of the fire the fusible plug
is melted, the aforesaid rod will spring upwards, and the button g at the top end
thereof coming in contact with a button placed in proximity at the end of an
electric wire, the connection is formed whereby an alarm is given, and at the same
time the valve e being opened, water is discharged through openings in the sides
of the cone over the burning material in the vicinity.
In a modification of my invention, I extend arms or levers k from the aforesaid
vertical valve rod f, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, said arms being secured to fusible
metal studs formed on the sides of cone at land in lieu of the upper end. These
arms will when released from the fusible metal by the heat, 'fall'down by the side of the
rod; said valve rod f being suddenly released from compression will spring
upwards, and the contact with the electric wire will be formed in the manner
herein before described.
To assist the recoil of the valve rod, a spring 9 may be placed at the upper end
of the cone a as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or the herein before described levers shown
in Figs. 3 and 4 may be used in combination with the fusible plug h represented
in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 represents the ball valve.
Fig. 8 is a form of valve that may be employed in combination with a multiple
seating as shown in section in Fig. 6.
Fig. 7is the lever to which reference has been made.
my
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 'I declare that what I
claim' is
.
1st. The combination of a fire alarm and automatic-sprinkler, in which the valve
rod is in a state. of compression until released. by the melting of fusible metal, that
may be employed either in the form of a plug, or in other suitable manner. so as

page_text: to cause a recoil of said rod which may be aided by the spring 7 or by the lever k,
whereby an electrical contact is obtained substantially in the manner and for the
purpose as herein before described.
2nd. A multiple seating either of a ball or a ring form substantially as herein
before described.
3rd. An automatic electrical fire alarm in which a rod is in a state of com-
pression until released by the melting of fusible metal, that may be employed
either in the form of a plug or in other suitable manner, so as to cause a recoil of
said rod, whereby an electrical contact is obtained, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose as herein before described.
Dated this 30th day of December 1892.
THOMAS
PRESCOTT,
53, Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.