Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1889-Accepted. 29th. June. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires.
I AARON BRADSHAW Griffin Works Willows Lane Accrington Lancashire Engineer
and Brass Founder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist of certain modifications of and additions to apparatus
described in a provisional specification filed by me No. 12725 dated September 4th
1888. By these improvements the aforesaid apparatus is so constructed that it will
operate either automatically or through external agency and the said apparatus may
be applied to a pipe containing water under pressure in lieu of a steam pipe so as to
discharge water instead of steam into the burning room or building and in place of
the expansive vessel as described in the aforesaid specification being employed as the
means for automatically operating the said apparatus I use a spring the said spring
being compressed or deflected when set ready for work so that on the outbreak of fire
the said spring will become released and cause the fire extinguishing apparatus to
operate. By ineans of a lever herein described the said apparatus may be caused to
operate independantly either of spring or expansive vessel.. When water is used
to extinguish the fire below the discharge valve of said apparatus I place a hollow
vessel having a number of curved passages, or tubes round its centre also a number of
holes drilled near the centre on its lower side this vessel receives the water from the
discharge valve and the water acting upon the curved passages or tubes aforesaid
causes the hollow vessel to revolve rapidly on a central pivot beneath it the aforesaid
curved passages or tubes act as jets or nozzels on the periphery of the said hollow
vessel which jets throw the water to a much greater distance and more equally dis-
tributes it than a stationary nozzle or hole will do the small holes on lower side of
hollow vessel aforesaid allow sufficient water to pass to extinguish any fire that may
burn beneath the said apparatus.
To a branch prepared upon a steam or water pipe I fix a valve body having a
cylinder at right angles to the said branch on the upper end of said cylinder I fit a
steam or water tight cover and on lower end of said cylinder I prepare a valve seating
the area of cylinder being greater than area of orifice of valve as described in specifi-
cation aforesaid into the cylinder I fit a piston and on lower end of piston I form a
valve the piston being a free fit in cylinder and the valve being provided with wings
or ribs to move freely in orifice of valve said wings offering the least possible obstruc-
tion in orifice when valve is open. I place a coil spring inside cylinder one end of
said spring rests upon the upper end of piston and the other end of spring against the
inside of cover aforesaid by this means I keep valve against its seating when not
operating. At the top end of said cylinder and a little below the cover aforesaid I
form a hollow branch on side of cylinder said branch having its outer end closed the
outer end of branch being fitted with a small valve on its lower side the said valve
being held against its seating by means of a light spring to lower end of cylinder I
cast or fix an arm the outer end of said arm having a hole bored in it central with the
aforesaid small valve I cause the end of a lever of the first order to rest against the
outer end of small valve the other end of said lever being arranged to receive a light
rod or wire and also having a moving catch upon it so that when this end of lever is
pulled down by means of the light rod or wire the said catch takes hold upon a pro-
jection prepared upon outside of valve body and thus holds this end of lever down
the other end of lever raises the said small valve from its seating and causes the dis-
charge valve to open the said lever may be pulled down instantly a fire occurs thus
saving time at the most critical period. When a number of the aforesaid apparatus
are fixed in one room or building by suitable mechanism the whole number may be
caused to operate instantly from any suitable prearranged position.

page_text: By these improvements the apparatus aforesaid is caused to operate automatically
by means of a coil spring or a flat spring in the following manner viz. I place a coil
spring betwixt the lowerside of lever end bearing on end of small valve and the upper
side of arm aforesaid on upper end of coil spring I place a metal washer having a
light metal rod screwed in its centre the said rod passes through the centre of coil
spring through a metal washer on lower end of spring and through the hole afore
named in outer end of arm on the lowerside of arın I place a boss of wood or other
nonconducting material and below the said wood boss I place a light metal cup having
an annular groove in its lower end inside, inside the aforesaid metal cup I place
another light metal cup having an annular groove on its outer surface through the
wood boss and the two light metal cups I cause the aforesaid light rod to pass on the
⚫ lower end of the said rod I form a screw thread and on said thread I place a nut
the annular spaces in cups aforesaid I place opposite each other and I fill recess formed
by the said annular spaces with sealing wax resin or other easily melted substance
when the two cups aro thus united I place them beneath the wood boss aforesaid and
as the end of light rod aforesaid passes through them I screw on the adjusting nut
and so screw down the coil spring (or deflect a flat spring) that the washer on upper
end of spring shall be clear of the lowerside of lever end which rests on outer end of
small valve aforesaid.
Should a fire occur the heat from such fire will soften the wax or other substance in
annular grooves aforesaid and allow the inner cup to slide up inside the outer cup thus
causing the apparatus to operate.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires.
I, AARON BRADSHAW Griffin Works Willows Lane Accrington, Lancashire
Engineer and Brass Founder 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 :-
These improvements consist of certain modifications of and additions to apparatus
described in a provisional specification filed by me No. 12725, dated 4th September
1888. By these improvements the aforesaid apparatus is so constructed that it will
operate either automatically or through external agency and the said apparatus may
be applied to a pipe containing water under pressure in lieu of a steam pipe so as to
discharge water in an upward, horizontal or downward direction instead of steam into
the burning room or building and in place of the expansive vessel as described in the
aforesaid specification being employed as the means for automatically operating the
said apparatus I use a spring the said spring being compressed when set ready for
work so that on the outbreak of fire the said spring will become released and cause
the fire extinguishing apparatus to operate or by causing the small starting valve to
open in an outward direction the spring aforesaid is not required. By means of a
lever hereinafter described the said apparatus may be made to operate independently
of the automatic agency.
When water is used to extinguish the fire, above or below the discharge valve of
the said apparatus I. place a hollow vessel having a number of curved passages or tubes
round its centre also a number of holes drilled near the centre on its upper or lower
sides this vessel receives the water from the discharge valve and the water acting upon
the curved passages or tubes aforesaid causes the hollow vessel to revolve on a central
pivot above or below it the aforesaid curved passages or tubes acting as jets or nozzles
on the periphery of the said hollow vessel and throw the water to a much greater
distance and more equally distributes it than a stationary nozzle or hole will do the
small holes on upper or lower side of hollow vessel aforesaid allow sufficient water to
pass to extinguish any fire that may burn beneath the said apparatus. When the said
apparatus is fixed where operations are carried on that may cause the aforesaid

page_text: revolving distributer to stick fast or to become partially fixed then I cause a fixed or
stationary distributer. to be used.
To a branch prepared 'upon a steam or water pipe I fix a valve body having a
cylinder at right angles to the said branch on one end of said cylinder I fit a steam or.
water tight cover and on the other end of said cylinder I prepare a valve seating the
area of cylinder being greater than area of orifice of valve as described in specification
aforesaid. Into the cylinder I fit a piston the said piston when it is intended to
operate with steam is made with a boss or bearing inside cylinder sufficiently long to
make the operation of opening discharge valve certain when small starting valve is
opened but when the said piston has to operate with water then the piston is made..
with a flange or flanges on one or both ends of said boss and betwixt the flanges or on
one side of the flange a recess is formed of a suitable depth to suit a rubbering of
round section so that as the piston moves up or down in cylinder the said rubber ring
rolls thus preventing friction and at the same time making a water tight packing for
piston.
On end of piston 1 form a valve the valve being provided with wings or ribs to
move freely in orifice of valve said wings offering the least possible obstruction in
orifice when valve is open. When the said apparatus is intended to discharge steam
I place a coil spring inside cylinder one end of said spring rests upon end of piston
and the other end of spring against the inside of cover aforesaid but when the said
apparatus is intended to discharge water the rolling rubber ring aforesaid will close
discharge valve when starting valve is closed.
When discharge valve is required to discharge below branch connecting the said
apparatus to steam or water pipe I form a hollow branch on side of cylinder said
branch having its outer end closed the outer end of said branch being fitted with a
small valve on its lower side the said valve being held- against its seating by means of
a light coil spring, to lower end of cylinder I cast or fix an arm the outer end of said
arm having a holo bored in it central with the aforesaid small valve and I cause the
end of a lever of the first order to rest against the outer end of small valve the other
end of said lever being arranged to receive a light rod or wire and also having a
moving catch upon it so that when this end of lever is pulled down by means of the
light rod or wire the said catch takes hold upon a projection prepared upon outside of
valve body and thus holds this end of lever down the other end of lever raises the
small starting valve from its seating and thus causes discharge valve to operate.
When discharge is in an upward direction the small starting valve may be made to
open either inside or outside the said cylinder and the said starting valve may be held
against its seating either by means of a spring as aforesaid or by a metal support held
in position by means of fusible cement as hereinafter described.
The aforesaid apparatus is made to operate automatically as follows viz. I place a
coil spring betwixt the lower side of lever and bearing on end of small valve and
upperside of arm aforesaid or when apparatus discharges in an upward direction inside
a cage screwed on lower end of cylinder, on upper end of coil spring I place a metal
washer having a light metal rod screwed in its centre the said rod passes through the
centre of coil spring through a metal washer on lower end of spring through arm or
cage through a block of non-conducting material and through a light metal cup having
an annular groove on its on its outside this metal cup is placed inside another metal
cup having an annular groove on its inner surface and a sinall space is left betwixt the
outer face of inside cup and the inner face of outside cup this space I fill in with non-
metallic substances that are readily melted by heat. The following are the best
adapted for the purpose-viz.-
"Fox and
Resin, Shellac, Sealing wax Common Brimstone and a cement known as
William's fusible cement, the annular grooves aforesaid becoming filled with the
fusible cement causes the inside cup to take hold of the outside cup and by means of a
screw nut on end of light metal rod aforesaid pressing on lower side of inner cup com-
presses the aforesaid coil spring the outer cup bears against and is supported by the
aforesaid. boss of nonconducting material.

page_text: When the said small starting valve is held to its face by means of the metal support
aforesaid the lower end of the said metal support forms the inner cup as aforesaid the
outer cup for the same being chased with a screw thread on its outer face or the said
outer cup is made with two arms one of the said arms resting upon a support from
body of apparatus and the other arm resting upon a link or vertical lever supported!
from body of apparatus.
When the outer cup is chased it is screwed into a socket made to receive it the said
socket being supported from body of apparatus.
The said outer cup having the aforesaid metal support fixed in it by means of the
aforesaid fusible cement being screwed into socket aforesaid presses the starting valve
against its face thus closing the said valve untill heat softens the cement which holds
the metal support thus allowing the starting valve to open.
When outer cup is supported by means of the arms, link or lever aforesaid the
metal support may act in manner before described or the starting valve may be opened
by moving the link or vertical lever support thus causing apparatus to operate
independantly of the said fusible cement.
Such being the nature and object of this my said invention in order that the same
may be fully understood I have annexed hereunto a sheet of drawings in which the
invention is shewn applied to several constructions of the said apparatus.
.
The letters of reference represent the same parts in each of the figures viz.
A. Branch connecting apparatus to steam or water pipe.
B. Cylinder, P. piston, U vent hole through piston L lever for opening starting
valve R catch on lever, L' lever supporting one arm of cement cup F, S, starting
valve M revolving distributer V discharge valve, G fixed distributer C centre pivot
for revolving distributer T Rolling rubber ring packing F cement cup, N boss of
nonconducting material D, arm for holding revolving distributer and starting
apparatus E starting spring, O link to hold up one arm of cement cup F¹ Y spring
insid cylinder.
Fig. 1 vertical section of apparatus with downward discharge and revolving
distributer also shewing lever L with wire rod.
Fig. 2 plan of Fig. 1 shewing lever L in position.
Fig. 3 plan of revolving distributer shewing small holes.
Fig. 4 vertical section of apparatus with upward discharge and revolving distributer
also lever L with wire rod to open starting valve.
Fig. 5, plan of lever L with following catch R.
Fig. 6, plan of revolving distributer showing small holes on top side.
Fig. 7 vertical section of apparatus having upward discharge revolving distributer
and rolling rubber packing ring for piston with two flanges upon boss, valve S opens
outwardly cement cup F is chased to screw into socket.
Fig. 8 plan of revolving distributer of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 vertical section of apparatus with upward discharge, fixed distributer G
cement cup F1 with arms, one arm resting upon vertical lever L'.
Fig. 10. Front view of vertical lever and support for same.
Fig. 11 vertical section of apparatus having upward discharge, fixed distributer G,
piston with one flange and rolling rubber packing ring cement cup F' with arms, one
arm supported by link O.
Fig. 12. Front view of link O with adjusting screw in it.
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
1. A cylinder having a discharge valve at one end and a starting valve at or in
communication with the other end.
2. A piston of greater area than orifice of discharge valve and having a vent hole
through it.
3. An antifriction packing ring for piston as shewn in Figs. No. 7, 9, & 11.

page_text: 4. Spring E, Figs. 1 and 4 for opening starting valve.
5. Cement cups F, F' charged with fusible cement to hold spring E compressed also
to hold starting valve S, to its face as shewn in Figs. Nos. 7, 9, and 11.
6. Levers L, L' and link O for operating apparatus independantly of fusible
cement.
7. The use of fusible nonmetallic cement in combination with the construction of
said apparatus as herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated th: 001 Jay of May 1900
AARON BRADSHAW.