IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE AND SOUNDING FIRE ALARUMS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Oldfield Wilson and
Joseph Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 15th August 1865.
We, WILLIAM OLDFIELD WILSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Corn Miller, and JOSEPH WILSON, of the same Place, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING APPARATUS
FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE AND SOUNDING FIRE ALARUMS," to be as follows (that
is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is a simple arrangement of self-acting apparatus
capable of sounding a fire alarum and discharging steam, carbonic acid gas
under pressure, water impregnated with carbonic acid gas or alum held in solu-
tion, potash or any other suitable alkaline solution, pyroligneous acid, or other
like solutions or gases, such as are known to be antagonistic to combustion by
fire, into any particular room or rooms, a ship's hold, or other enclosed space
or spaces to which the apparatus may be fitted, on the opening of certain self-
acting valves or taps, which will be herein-after described, and consists of a
system of pipes connected to a steam boiler constructed for the purpose, or
such as may be used in connection with the building, ship, or other place for

page_text: the purpose of actuating any engine or engines connected therewith, or any
receptacle containing the liquid or gases, or both, as herein-before described.
The system of pipes which communicate with any chamber or chambers,
ship's hold, or other enclosure or enclosures in which the apparatus is intended
to act are fitted with taps or other suitable valves, which are capable of being
opened by releasing a weight, weighted lever, springs, or other suitable
mechanical arrangement connected therewith, which are prevented acting and
held closed by means of cords made of any inflammable material, such as flax,
hemp, cotton, silk, gutta percha, india-rubber, or by means of a wire, cord, or
chain formed of lead or other inetal fusible at a low temperature when brought
into contact with fire: These cords, wires, or chains may be passed over
suitable antifriction pulleys, or through eyes, and led into and about the
chamber or chambers where the apparatus is required to act in the case of
fire. The ends of the cords or their mechanical equivalents are attached to
a fixed point, or have weights suspended to the ends thereof, which are
sufficient to keep the valve or valves closed until the fire destroys the cord,
wire, or chain, and disengages the weight, releasing the same from a fixed
point or points, thus allowing the valve or valves to open and allow the steam,
gas, or other fluid herein-before described to enter the chamber, and act
upon the fire which has destroyed the cord or its mechanical equivalent.
A steam whistle or other sound signal or alarum may be fitted to the pipes
between the valves and the chamber, so that when the valves are opened the
steam whistle, fog horn, or other alarum sounder will be acted upon; or in
the case of steam, gas, or other liquid under pressure the whistle, fog horn,
or other alarum sounder may be fitted with valves, and so arranged as to be
opened in the same way as the herein-before described valves for admitting
the fire-extinguishing materials. A float may be applied to the receptacles or
closed vessel containing the water impregnated with carbonic acid gas, solution
of alum, a solution of potash or other liquids as herein-before described. The
rod of which float is constructed so as to pass through the outer shell of the
vessel,, and may be connected to a catch or its mechanical equivalent, so that
on its falling a short distance it would relieve an alarum bell or signal, which
may be acted upon by a weight, or in any other convenient manner. In
some cases it is preferred to place a close vessel containing carbonic acid gas
under pressure or otherwise in such a position that the steam as it rushes
from the boiler shall pass through the chamber containing the carbonic acid
gas, by which means it will carry a portion thereof with it through a pipe into
the room, chamber, or other enclosure to which it communicates, and this it'
is believed would materially assist in subduing the fire. Or the chamber'

page_text: containing the carbonic acid gas may have a valve or a connecting pipe
opened by the action of the steam as it passes through the steam pipe, in
which latter case it will be requisite to have the carbonic acid gas under
pressure.