Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Appurtenances and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Appurtenances and the like.
We, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL of Culver Park Saltash in the County of
Cornwall, Engineer and ALEXANDER HENRY COWAN of 31 Belsize Park
Gardens, South Hampstead in the County of Middlesex Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of suspending fire buckets
or the like whereby the shortness of water therein is caused to indicate by suitable
mechanism, that the water supply needs replenishing, or if desirable automatically
replenish the supply.
For instance a hook upon which the bucket handle is suspended may pass through
a suitable bracket with a spring intervening between the two so that the spring is
more or less depressed, depending upon the amount of water in the bucket the
relative movement between the hook and the bracket being utilized to actuate an
indicating disc or plate or to ring an electric bell or otherwise operate an audible or
other convenient form of signal. In place of a single bracket with an indicating
device the variation in the total weight of water in a row of buckets may obviously
actuate a single indicator. The bracket carrying the bucket may be or may form
part of a cock or tap supplying the water and be so arranged that the act of
attaching the bucket starts the water running but the weight after a prearranged
amount has been supplied, cuts off the water supply.
Dated this 27th day of January 1894.
C. SCOTT SNELL.
A. H. COWAN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Extinguishing Appurtenances and the like.
We CHARLES SCOTT SNELL of Culver Park Saltash in the County of
Cornwall Engineer and ALEXANDER HENRY COWAN of 31 Belsize Park Gardens
Hampstead in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of suspending fire buckets
or the like whereby the shortness of water therein is caused to indicate by suitable
mechanism that the water supply needs replenishing, or, if desirable, automatically
replenish the supply. For instance a hook upon which the bucket handle is
suspended may pass through a suitable bracket with a spring intervening between
the two, so that the spring is more or less depressed depending upon the amount of
water in the bucket, the relative movement between the hook and the bracket being
utilized to actuate an indicating disc or plate or to ring an electric bell or otherwise
operate an audible or other convenient form of signal. In place of a single bracket
with an indicating device the variation in the total weight of water in a row of
buckets may obviously actuate a single indicator. The bracket carrying the
bucket may be, or may form part of, a cock or tap supplying the water and be so
arranged that the act of attaching the bucket starts the water running but the
weight after a prearranged amount has been supplied cuts off the water supply.

page_text: drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bracket
Fig. 2 a plan of a series of brackets
Fig. 3 a section through the lines A-B in Fig. 2
Fig. 4 a section through the lines C-D in Fig. 2
Fig. 5 an alternative arrangement of the bracket
Fig. 6 an end elevation of the same with tablet up
Fig. 7 the same with tablet down, and
Fig. 8 a section through a combined bracket and tap.
accompanying
In Fig. 1 it will be seen that the weight of the bucket of water when properly
charged depresses the main spring A until the pin B is resting on the bottom of the
hole in the frame as shown, the spring catch C dropping into a notch in the face
plate D attached to the bracket and this catch has a circular hole which takes the
pin E on the falling tablet or indicator F.
When a certain amount of water has evaporated the main spring A rises and
lifts catch and the tablet falls by gravity, allowing the two hitherto hidden faces
of the face plate and tablet to become visible these being suitably marked such as
with the words DANGER-FILL UP THE BUCKET.
In Fig. 2 an axle G carries buckets H' H2 H3 H* H³ on corresponding hooks
marked in Fig. 3 which is a section through A-B, the united weight of these
buckets when charged keeps the tablet or indicator (at the extreme left hand) in
place, this will be better seen by reference to Fig. 4 the rotative force on the
shaft G tending to turn the lever J so that its lower part carrying the tablet K
holds it firmly against the bracket as shown, but should the weight lessen, the
spring L will turn the lever J upwards and allow the tablet to fall.
In Fig. 5 which is an alternative design of bracket the tablet M falls when the
water has so far evaporated that the spring N overcomes the force due to the
weight of the bucket and contents.
The appearance of the bracket when the bucket is properly charged and when it
needs attention is shown respectively by Fig. 6 & Fig. 7.
In Fig. 8 it will be seen that the water pressure on the ball and the action of the
spring O tend to close the tap, but if a bucket handle be forced between the upper
jaw P and the lower one Q the ball forming the valve mnst be displaced and a flow
of water into the bucket takes place but when the bucket is sufficiently charged
it forces the ball so far in as to touch the back seating as dotted and shut off the
supply.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The construction or combination of the parts forming a bracket or support
for fire buckets, in such a manner that a portion thereof is detained in a prearranged
position when the bucket is effective as regards the amount of water therein, but
which is caused to change its position upon the weight of water in the bucket
falling below a prearranged amount, and thereby enable the state of the bucket to
be known at a glance, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. The arrangement as above but with the modification that one indicator may
be used for a row of buckets substantially as herein described and illustrated.
3. The construction or combination of the parts forming a bracket or support for
fire buckets, in such a manner that the attachment of the bucket causes water to
flow into the bucket, and the filling up of the bucket to a prearranged point causes
the flow to stop, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 27th day of October 1894.