PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE IN VESSELS OR BUILDINGS, BY PUTTING OUT THE FIRE WITHOUT PERSONAL AID, OR WITH VERY LITTLE; AND AGAINST INCENDIARY OR FRAUDULENT FIRES, AND RAVAGES OF VERMIN
Year: 1854

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Loring D. Dewey at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd November
1854.
I, LORING D. DEWEY, of New York, U.S.A., now resident in London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE
IN VESSELS OR BUILDINGS, BY PUTTING OUT THE FIRE WITHOUT PERSONAL AID, OR
WITH VERY LITTLE; AND AGAINST INCENDIARY OR FRAUDULENT FIRES, AND RAVAGES
OF VERMIN," (of which I am the true Inventor in part, and proprietor of the
whole,) to be as follows:-
The Invention consists of so using & applying certain materials, mineral
& vegetable combined, in appropriate construction, that an anti-combustive
gas will be generated in burning, or water discharged, or both, to stop & put
out the fire, though no agent is present but the fire itself.
The materials for this purpose are nitrates & sulphur, and cloth, paper, or
the like integuments. Of these materials combined, whose ready burning
produces anti-combustive gas in large quantities, are constructed tubes, cords,
or parcels of longer or shorter extent & varied size, to suit convenience in
using & burning; which being prepared for application are kept in readiness
for use, & so placed in vessels or buildings, as that when a fire occurs, it will
be certain, sooner or later, to reach them, & before the fire has progressed
far, to cause the gas to be generated, or water to be discharged, or both, if
used, without the assistance of hands, or with very little aid. In construction,

page_text: the minerals, nitrates & sulphur, powdered & well mixed, about one-sixth
nitrate to five-sixths sulphur, the nitrate of potash is preferred. The integu-
ment of cloth, paper, or whatever vegetable is used, is cut into suitable strips
or pieces, (it having been well saturated in a warm solution of nitrate of potash,
& dried first, it thus being the better for the purpose,) on which the mixed
powder is placed or spread, from about one-sixteenth to three-sixteenths of an
inch thick, to suit, as the tube, cord, or parcel is to be large or small, from
one-third of an inch to two inches in diameter, & when thus spread is to be
rolled or folded up & properly secured. For very small cords or conductors
leading from larger parcels or to water apparatas or otherwise, it is well to
have the integument covered on one side with some adhesive matter, as pitch,
tar, varnish, or treacle, to which the powder will adhere, for the purpose of
conducting the fire more rapidly to the large parcels, or to the water pipe or
reservoir, so that the gas may sooner pervade the building or vessell, or the
water let on, as intended.
In usc, the prepared materials thus constructed are put & kept in suitable
safe places, as exposure of fire or other things may indicate to be best, the
quantity of twenty to sixty pounds weight being sufficient for the larger-sized
vessels or buildings; the small conductors, when used of fusee-like action, are
Jaid or placed in such parts as flame is most likely soonest to reach, and leading
through different parts of the vessel or building to one or more large parcels
or tubes, placed so as to be ignited, as designed to generate the gas, or applied
as needed by any one who may be present. Firemen & police or others can
also be supplied with the prepared materials, to apply as required when a fire
is discovered.
Thus, a fire in the interior of a vessell or building will be most sure to be
arrested & stopped, put out by this protection if all is in right order, before
it proceeds far, though not discovered, or if discovered be easily at once extin-
guished. For vessels at sea or buildings on land where a fire is very inac-1
cessible, this protector will be most efficient, as the gas will penetrate where
water cannot be made to reach. For safety of powder magazines, which may
be surrounded by it, it will render most perfect protection. Buildings can
have it so arranged as to thwart incendiaries, & detect fraudulent fires, & be
used to expel vermin.