IMPROVEMENTS APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cadoux Hudson, of Elmeroft, Wimbledon, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE."
IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cadoux Hudson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1881.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON, of Elmcroft, Wimbledon, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE."
My Invention relates to improvements in that class of fire extinguishing
apparatus known as a chemical fire engine, in which a vessel is provided containing
an alkaline solution and an acid, together with appliances for mixing them
when the apparatus is to be used, so that a stream of carbonic acid gas and liquid
may be projected on a fire.
In one of my improvements a strong metal cylinder is closed by a cover at each
end, one end having a screwed seat and cap which, when removed, allows the
alkali and water to be introduced. A cock with hose and jet is also provided. A.
tube nearly the length of the cylinder closed at bottom end, and having a flange at
top, has its sides perforated like a strainer, and has certain internal corrugations or
collars. The tube is inserted in the cylinder, and the flange at top rests on a recess
formed in screwed seat of cylinder cover. I insert in the tube a weight or bolt
and a bottle containing acid; one corrugation in tube supports the bottle at top
end, whilst the bolt descends towards the bottom end of tube, a space being
between them. The cap is then screwed on, sealing the cylinder and holding the
tube firmly in position. The bottle containing the acid can be of various forms,
but I prefer a round plain one. When it is desired to use the engine it is turned
upside down when the bolt descends on the bottle and breaks it, thus mixing the
alkaline solution and acid. The internal corrugation or collar towards bottom end
of tube is so formed as to prevent the bolt descending, until the engine is turned
nearly completely over, the tube being then nearly vertical, thus delivering the full
force of the descending bolt on the bottle. Parts of the broken bottle are contained

page_text: within the tube, and are removed with it when recharging the machine. In place
of the tube I can use a frame to contain the bottle with standards or guides down
which the bolt can descend, and enclose the bottle in a gauze case. The guides for
bolt and the bottle frame may be seperate; or I can insert the bottle in the side of
cylinder, and make the bolt descend on side of bottle, the guide and frame being
combined or seperate, or other arrangement in which a weight descends to break
the bottle or vessel containing the acid, the descent being caused by inverting or
partially inverting the machine as described.
I also construct the cylinder with that end in which is the screwed seat and cap
with two doomed or conical plates, the points or head of dome being towards each
other; this construction forins a large funnel for introducing the liquid, and a
coned bottom for inclining all sediment towards the outlet.
I also arrange in the seat or screwed cover certain holes or grooves which allow
the gas in engine to escape when the cover is partly unscrewed, thus preventing the
danger of the cover being blown out, should it be removed too soon after using it,
and before the pressure of gas in the engine has been reduced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Cadoux Hudson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd August 1881.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON, of Elms Croft, Wimbledon, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRE."
"
My Invention relates to improvements in that class of fire extinguishing
apparatus known as a chemical fire engine, in which a vessel is provided containing
an alkaline solution and an acid, together with appliances for mixing them when
the apparatus is to be used, so that a stream of carbonic acid gas and liquid may
be projected on a fire.
In one of my improvements a strong metal cylinder is closed by a cover at each
end, one end having a screwed seat and cap which, when removed, allows the
alkali and water to be introduced. A cock with hose and jet is also provided.
A tube nearly the length of the cylinder closed at bottom end, and having a
flange at top, has its sides perforated like a strainer, and has certain internal
corrugations or collars.
The tube is inserted in the cylinder, and the flange at top rests on a recess
formed in screwed seat of cylinder cover. I insert in the tube a weight or bolt and
a bottle containing acid; one corrugation in tube supports the bottle at top end,
whilst the bolt descend towards the bottom end of tube, a space being between
them. The cap is then screwed on, sealing the cylinder and holding the tube
firmly in position.
The bottle containing the acid can be of various forms, but I prefer a round
plain one. When it is desired to use the engine it is turned upside down when
the bolt descends on the bottle and breaks it, thus mixing the alkaline solution
and acid.
The internal corrugation or collar towards bottom end of tube is so formed as to
prevent the bolt descending until the engine is turned nearly completely over, the
tube being then nearly vertical, thus delivering the full force of the descending
bolt on the bottle. Parts of the broken bottle are contained within the tube, and
are removed with it when recharging the machine.
In place of the tube I can use a frame to contain the bottle with standards or
guides, down which the bolt can descend, and enclose the bottle in a gauze case. The
guides for bolt and the bottle frame may be separate; or other arrangement in
which a weight descends to break the bottle or vessel containing the acid, the
descent being caused by inverting or partially inverting the machine as described.
I also construct the cylinder with that end in which is the screwed seat and cap
with two doomed or conical plates, the points or heads of domes being towards
each other; this construction forms a large funnel for introducing the liquid, and a
coned bottom for inclining all sediment towards the outlet.
I also arrange in the seat or screwed cover certain holes or grooves which allow
the gas in engine to escape when the cover is partly unscrewed, thus preventing
the danger of the cover being blown out, should it be removed too soon after using
it, and before the pressure of gas in the engine has been reduced.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall refer
to the Sheet of Drawing herewith annexed, which are marked with letters of
references corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof.
In Figure 1 (a) is a metal cylinder with covers (b, b) at ends, one end having a
screwed seat (c) and cap (d), which, when removed, gives admission to interior of
cylinder. A tube (e) having a flange (ƒ) at one end resting on seat (c), and closed

page_text: at other end has its sides perforated; (f.f¹) are collars or corrugations within the
tube (e); (g) is a weight or bolt contained within the tube (e), which, when the
engine is not being used, lies at the bottom and closed end of tube (e), as shown;
(h) is a bottle containing the acid, supported at upper end of tube (e) by collar (ƒ);
(k, k) are leather or rubber washers for making joints at. parts where placed;
(7) is the delivery hose with branch pipe and cock; the dotted lines indicate the
level of water when charged.
When it is desired to use the engine it is turned upside down, when the bolt (g)
descends on the bottle (h) and breaks it. The internal collar or corrugation (f¹)
prevents the bolt (g) from descending tube (e) until the engine is turned nearly
completely upside down, thus delivering the full force of descending weight on
When
bottle, which, when broken, allows the acid and alkaline liquid to combine.
recharging the engine the broken bottle is removed with the perforated tube (e),
the strainer holes allowing the acid to pass through, but not the parts of broken
bottle.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one end of cylinder (a) showing also cover (b),
seat (c), end of tube (e), bottle (h), also showing holes or slots (m) formed is
screwed part of seat (c), which, when cap (d) is being unscrewed after using engine,
allows gas in cylinder to escape before cap (d) is removed, thus preventing the
danger of cap (d) being blown out:
Figure 3 shows another arrangement of engine, in which, instead of using a
tube, I use standards (n, n,) fastened to ring (o) which rests on seat (c), and is held
by cover (d). The ring (2) supports bottle (h) and weight (g), sliding on
When the engine
standards (n), is in position shewn when engine is not in use.
is inverted the weight (g) slides down the standards (n), and striking end of
bottle (h) breaks it. The position of weight (g) when striking bottle is shown in
dotted lines; (q, q) are grooves formed in cap (d), which serve the same purpose
as slots or holes (m).
I form the cock (r) on delivery hose (l), as shown, with the jet formed in centre
of plug of cock. If jet should become clogged by a particle of glass or other
obstruction passing up hose (1), the cock is turned half round, and side of jet
towards hose (1) is turned outward, and the liquid forced from opposite side throws
the obstruction away.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be or may be carried into effect, I claim as my Invention,―
First. The arrangement described and shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of a chemical
fire engine, wherein a weight or bolt contained within a perforated tube or guided
by standards descends to break a bottle containing acid, the descent of weight
being caused by turning the engine upside down.
Second. The slots or holes in seat (c), shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the grooves
in Fig. 3, for the purpose of allowing gas to escape before cap can be removed.
Third. The arrangement of jet cock (7) for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cadoux Hudson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand sight hundred and eighty one
Witness,.
HENRY WRIGHT.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON. (L.S.)