Caps
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 11th May, 1889
TIMOTHY VINCENT RIORDAN of Apsley Villa Clapham Road in the County of
Surrey London S.E. Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to he
as follows:
°
A device for a "top" "holdfast" or "Capsule" for the corks or stoppers of
ordinary fire grenades such as the hand grenades now in common use.
I propose to employ a wire attachment fitted with hinges at two sides to cover
the top of cork or stopper, the ends of wire being brought down at sides of jowl of
the bottle or grenade and under the rim of the jowl both ends are made fast to a
wire surrounding the neck of the bottle, by means of a fusible metal attachment, so
that when the fusible metal melts at a temperature above the ordinary, caused by an
outbreak of fire in its vicinity, the ends of the wire attachment holding the cork or
stopper in neck of bottle, are set free, permitting the cork or stopper to fly out by
reason of the pressure from the gaseous liquid contained in grenade, liberating the
fire extinguishing contents in and around the fire, and thereby extinguishing it
automatically, if the liquid in the grenade is not of a gaseous nature but evolves gases
when liberated, it would be advisable to place the grenade so that its contents would flow
out freely when stopper is released by the fusing of the metal holding the wire
attachment. Or I may prefer to use a metal cap or capsule hinged at two sides of the
top of cork or stopper with two metal or wire straps carried down the jowl of bottle
or grenade under the rim, and held in position by a wire or strap of tin or other
metal surrounding the neck of bottle or grenade and held in position by a suitable
piece of fusible metal so that when the temperature becomes extra ordinary the fusible
metal melts, releasing the wire or strap, cap or capsule, and allowing the fire
extinguishing liquid to flow in and around the premises where a fire has broken out,
or one of wire or strap may be firmly fixed to neck of bottle and the other end of
wire or strap can be held in position by fusible metal which is released by any extra-
ordinary temperature fusing the metal, or again another method effecting the same
result would be that I make a combination cork or stopper with hinge attachments

page_text: which are carried down jowl of bottle and one or both ends fastened to a wire by
means of a piece of fusible metal as before described preferably one end securely
fastened to neck of bottle and the other strap or hinged attachment fastened
by fusible metal, so that if a fire breaks out in its vicinity, melts the fusible
metal freeing the attachment and liberating the fire extinguishing contents.
My invention is applicable to the hand grenades now in common
special shaped suitable bottle or grenade may be used so as
attachment.
use or a
to apply the
The grenades are not less useful as hand or ordinary grenades by having my
attachment added for making them automatic also.
Dated this 24th day of June 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatically Discharging the Contents of Fire Grenades.
I TIMOTHY VINCENT RIORDAN of Apsley Villa, Clapham Road in the County of
Surrey London, S.E. 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 object of this invention is to so improve ordinary hand fire extinguishing
grenades, tubes or bottles such as contain water or water in solution with a carbonate
or alkaline having fire extinguishing qualities, as to make them operate automatically
and with increased effect in the event of. a fire breaking out in proximity to my
improved grenade. To effect this purpose I make a grenade which may be of glass,
tin, or other suitable material, preferably tin plate and of any suitable shape, preferable
the shape as shewn in Fig. 1 of the drawings, to the mouth of which I attach a stopper
of wood, earthenware or glass, preferably earthenware, fitted with an india rubber
ring or washer, so as to make a close fitting water tight stopper; this stopper is held
in position by two catches or arms of metal, each fastened at their lower ends to the
rim of the grenade, but free to swing upwards and downwards, when brought into
position overlapping the top of stopper, they are kept firmly in position holding
stopper in neck of grenade by a surrounding strip of metal preferably tin which has
its ends soldered by fusible metal. In this manner the stopper is kept securely in place
thereby sealing the mouth of grenade.
I charge my grenade with water in solution with a carbonate or alkaline and also
add a compressed tablet of acid covered with paper or acid in a cardboard box
covered with paper so that the water does not reach the acid during the time the
grenade is being closed or inade water tight; after the lapse of a few hours the water
softens the paper covering, and reaches the acid, generating a gas of considerable
pressure, and adding to the fire extinguishing quality of the water in solution with
alkaline or carbonate.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention, with
the stopper fitted and kept in place by the surrounding strip of metal S fastened
with fusible solder S¹.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of same showing stopper C and rubber ring or washer W
forced into the neck of grenade A, so as to make it water tight. Fig. 3 illustrates my
improved stopper C with rubber ring or washer W attached and Fig. 4 the rubber ring
or washer W. which fits on stopper C.
In the event of a fire breaking out in the vicinity of this grenade and raising the
temperature to an abnormal degree the fusible metal soldering S₁ holding the sur-
rounding strip of metal S melts, releasing the catches a a¹, the pressure of the gas in
the liquid in grenade forces the stopper Cout, and the contents of the grenade flows
out with force, envolving gases inimical to flame.
Should it be desired to use the grenade as a band fire extinguisher the person holding
it can jerk open the soldered attachment S by putting the wire b and releasing the
stopper, the grenade can then be used as a sprinkler on the flames.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1st. An improved hand fire extinguishing grenade constructed substantially as herein
described.
2nd. In a grenade the combination of a stopper fitted with an india rubber
ring, two overlapping catches or arms surrounded by a strip of metal, the ends
of which are fastened with fusible solder, substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
3rd. In a grenade the use of a piece of wire fastened securely to rim or grenade,
and with a loop at the other end fitted so as to release stopper when pulled substantially
as herein described.
4th. In a grenade charge with water or water in solution with an alkaline
or carbonate the addition of a temperarily covered package of acid substantially as
described herein.