Improvements in the Structural Means for Extinguishing and Preventing the Spread of Fires in Theatres and other Buildings.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 24th Aug., 1888
Improvements in the Structural Means for Extinguishing and
Preventing the Spread of Fires in Theatres and other Buildings.
JOHN MARTIN STANLEY, Engineer, and THOMAS BLAKEMORE STANLEY, Engineer's
clerk, both of No. 37 Daneville Road, Camberwell in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of these Improvements is the protection of life and property in the case
of accidental fires in Theatres, Mills, Warehouses and other large buildings where life
and property are endangered.
These Improvements consist in the construction of iron cased, or metallic boxes
chambers, or receptacles, forming cavities in the openings or doorways that connect
different rooms or compartments in the same building as between the stage and
auditorium in a theatre or in the opening or doorways leading from one room to
another on the same floor or level in any Mill, Warehouse, or other large building;
and in providing jets of steam to be injected within these cavities in the case of an
actual fire.
These receptacles, or enclosed iron cavities, are formed in the space occupied by the
opening or doorways in the wall that divides the stage from the auditorium in a
theatre, or that divides one room from another on the floor or level of a building.
The receptacles or cavities may be formed by providing plate iron movable sides in
a line flush with the two sides of the division wall, leaving the thickness of the wall to
form the cavity which is the full size and form of the opening, or doorway between
the stage of a theatre, or the doorway leading from one room to another. These
plate iron movable sides may be either swung upon hinges as common doors, or they
inay slide sideways, or they may be moved in a perpendicular direction either
upwards or downwards, as may be most convenient or desirable, or the sides of the
cavities may be formed of close fitting coils of iron louvres, as venitian window blinds,
and may be lowered and raised in the same way. In the case of large cavities as
between the stage and auditorium in a theatre the iron plated sides may be raised or
lowered by means of hydraulic or other mechanical arrangement as may be most con-
venient or available.

page_text: In each theatre or building we provide a supply of steam by means of an ordinary
steam boiler, and from this boiler steam is conveyed through pipes prepared for the
purpose to the lower part or parts of each cavity.
In the case of a fire the opening or doorway is immediately closed by shutting,
drawing or lifting the iron sides provided for the purpose and an iron encased cavity
is at once formed.
In the steam pipe at the bottom of each cavity we provide suitable apertures or
nozzles for the issue of jets of steam within the cavity in the case of a fire; we also
provide nozzles for the issue of jets of steam in any other necessary or desirable part
of the building for the purpose of injecting steam upon the flames where a fire may be
raging within the building.
In the case of Mills or Warehouses we form cavities by the application of iron
protectors placed opposite the inside of the windows into which steam may be injected
and destruction of the windows, and the consequent rush of air from the outside upon
the flames prevented.
We provide by suitable arrangements, for the simultaneous movement into position
of the iron protectors forming the cavity for the windows of a Mill or Building that
are on the same level and in the same line.
JOHN M. STANLEY.
THOMAS B. STANLEY.

page_text: Improvements in the Structural Means for Extinguishing and
Preventing the Spread of Fires in Theatres and other Buildings.
JOHN MARTIN STANLEY of 37 Daneville Road Camberwell in the County of
Surrey Engineer and THOMAS BLAKEMORE STANLEY of the same address Engineer's
Clerk 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 Improvements in the means for extinguishing and
preventing the spread of fires in Theatres Public Buildings and Warehouses. The
spread and destroying action of fires are caused by the free and unlimited supply or
passage of air upon or into consumable substances whilst in a state of combustion.
We provide in these Improvements for the prevention of the free admission of air into
rooms or buildings in which a fire may be raging, by the construction and application
of iron or non-combustible protectors in the openings doorways and windows of
Theatres buildings or other structures.
These iron protectors consist of moveable shutters, curtains, doors or folding
partitions, constructed so as to form a cavity or enclosed space between the two sides
of a wall in which there may be a doorway or opening communicating between two
rooms or compartments in a Theatre or building or between one room and the external
air. These protectors may consist of either iron folding curtains in the form of
Venetian blinds or louvres or of plate iron doors or shutters, and may be either swung
on hinges or may be moved for the purpose of opening or closing communications
between rooms or between a room and the external air in any convenient or desirable
way. In the case of doorways or openings in the internal walls of buildings, the
protectors are double-cased having a hollow space or cavity between the two sides of
the wall. In the case of windows, when they are flush or in a line with the inside of
the wall, we provide a flange or projection on each internal side of the window so as
to form a recess or hollow space between the window and the iron curtain or shutter
in the front of it and parallel with it. In any convenient or suitable place within the
cavity formed by the protectors we provide suitable perforated pipes or tubes through
which steam or any other element that will create steam may be injected. Each
protector is perforated with small holes for the passage of steam or other fire
extinguishing element from the cavity into the compartment in which a fire may be
raging or threaten to rage or exposed to its action.
In the event of fires these protectors are intended to perform three important
functions. They are intended to prevent the free admission of air within a building
in which a fire may be raging to prevent the spread of fires from one room to
another by their construction of a non combustible material and their action as an
intervening and fire extinguishing means. In the case of Theatres and all largo

page_text: buildings which contain inflamable or valuable matter it is desirable to always have a
supply of steam at command so that it may be instantly connected with the perforated
tubes or pipes within the cavity of the Protectors.
In these improvements we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details with regard
to the substances used nor to the arrangements for using the Protectors for opening
and closing purposes. These may vary according to circumstances or situation."
The accompanying Drawing is intended to illustrate one of the structural formations
of the cavities and protectors described herein and one of the methods of applying
and using them for extinguishing and preventing the spread of fires in Theatres and
other buildings.
Fig. 1 shews one of two sides of a double revolving curtain when lowered forming a
hollow protector filling the space or opening in the wall between the Stage of a
Theatre and the Auditorium or between one room and another. The line A A shews
the level of the pit of the Theatre B B shews the level of the stage, CC shows a section
of the cavity formed by the double curtain or protector which separates the stage from
the Auditorium, or separates one room for another D shews a nozzle or perforation of
a tube in the cavity of the protector, through which steam, water or any other suitable
fire extinguishing element may be injected into the cavity, H shews a shaft around
which the protector is coiled and uncoiled.
Fig. 2 shews two windows E and F one having the protector lowered or uncoiled
and the other having the protector coiled in the upper part of the cavity between the
line of the protector and the window G shows a sectional view of the cavity formed
between the protector and the window D shows the nozzle or perforation of a pipe or
tube through which steam, water or other suitable fire extinguishing element may be
injected within the cavity H H H H shows horizontal shafting on, or around which
the revolving protectors are simultaneously coiled or uncoiled.
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
The construction and application of fire protectors as recited in the foregoing Specifica
tions combining the threefold purpose and means of preventing the free passage of air
into a fire, the preventing of the spread of fire from one part of a building to another
and for providing and supplying a self-fire extinguishing element in places where the
said protectors are applied.
Natal this 30th dove of Luna 1888