IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DETECTING FIRE AS IT BREAKS OUT OR IS CAUSED IN SHIPS. BUILDINGS. MINES. AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lowthwaite, of Halifax, in the County of
York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED IN DETECTING FIRE AS IT BREAKS OUT OR IS CAUSED IN
SHIPS. BUILDINGS. MINES. AND OTHER PLACES.”
Sealed the 2nd October 1874, and dated the 3rd July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lewthwaite
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd July 1874.
I, JOHN LEWTHWAITE, of Halifax, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DETECTING FIRE AS IT BREAKS OUT
OB IS CAUSED IN SHIPS, BUILDINGS, MINES, AND OTHER PLACES," to be as
follows:-
This relates to a combination of appliances termed hereafter a
detector, and an indicator by or through which the outbreak of a fire is
instantly communicated to the inmates of a house, the crew of a vessel,
or persons in, say a mine.

page_text: The detector is composed of a strip or tape of material of high or
quick fusibility, such as gutta percha or its equivalent chemically
prepared or otherwise, this being of such a length compared to that of
a chain, wire, or cord termed the indicator, that the complete separation of
two hooks which aro attached to both the strip and the chain is prevented.
The hooks by their particular attachmont to the connecting wires as
well as to the detector and the indicator on the detector becoming
heated, softened, or melted, separate in such manner and to such extent
as to cause one or other of the wires connected therewith to act upon or
to come in contact with an electrical or other apparatus by which the
existence and locality of a fire can be indicated. In each room,
compartment, or section the link or detector used or employed has a
varying length of chain to enable the apparatus employed as an alarm
to indicate, by means of a falling weight or otherwise in connection with
an index, the distance to which the link has been stretched or drawn
asunder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Lewthwaite in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 12th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LEWTHWAITE, of Halifax, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Lewthwaite, Her special licence that
I, the said John Lowthwaite, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Lewthwaite, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and vend,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN: THE MEANS
AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DETECTING FIRE AS IT BREAKS OUT OR. IS
CAUSED IN SHIPS, BUILDINGS, MINES,-AND-OTHER-PLACES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the 'said John Lewthwaite, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Lewthwaite, do hereby
declaro the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
"7"
";
'
This relates to a combination of appliances termed hereafter a detector
and an indicator by or through which when in combination with an
elöctrical or other sound giving alarm, the outbreak and locality-of a
fire is instantly communicated to the inmates of a house, the crew of a
vessel, or persons in charge of, say a mine, &c., &ç.
:
The detector is composed of a strip or tape (flat or other shape) of
material of high or quick fusibility, such as gutta percha or its
equivalent chemically prepared or otherwise and having corresponding
properties which yield to heat, this being of such a length compared to
that of a chain, wire, or cord termed the indicator, that the complete
separation of two hooks which are attached to both the strip and the
chain is prevented. The hooks by their particular attachment to the
connecting wires as well as to the detector and the indicator, on the
detector becoming heated, softened, or melted separate in such manner.
and- to such extent as to cause one or other of the wires connected
therewith to. act upon or- come in contact with an-electrical or other
alarm apparatus by which the existenco and locality of a fire can.bo
indicated. In each room, compartment, or section; the link-or-dètector
used or employed-has-a-varying length-of-chain-to-enablo-the-apparatus-
employed as an alarm to indicate by means of a falling weight-or-
otherwise-in-connection with an index, the distance-to-which the link.
has been stretched or drawn asunder, and thereby, the number of thỏ,

page_text: room, compartment, or place in which the fire has occurred. These
detectors or indicators may also be fitted in a variety of different ways
with the liko results.
The Invention will be well understood by reference to Figure 1 of the
annoxed Drawings which shows the detector in its most simple form,
and composed of a strip or short length A of gutta percha or other body
or compound that will yield and stretch under heat of a certain degree
of intensity. The two ends of this strip of material are hooked on two
separate links of wires B and C, one of which, say B, is to be secured to
the wall of a room or in any other convenient manner or place, the other
wire C being carried or led to some suitable place with a weight at its
end to descend and release a spring detent, the pallet of which could be
caused to strike a gong or some other sound giving instrument to
summon attendance, should a fire occur in the room in which the
detector is fitted, the distance a weight descends being governed by a
chain D also attached to the two links of the wires to prevent a total
disconnection of the wires B, C.
The application of the Invention to a room as above described is only
given to illustrate how the fire detector can be used, it being equally
applicable to the hold or other part of a vessel, a portion of a minc, or
other place where it is necessary to know, should a fire break out, the
exact position of such outbreak, the gong or other sound giving instru-
ment being the indicator. Thus supposing four or six of these apparatus
to be fitted in places containing combustibles, the indicator of the
detector in that place or compartment would give the necessary a
warning.
Figure 2 represents a fire detector and indicator in one apparatus
complete. The gutta percha or other compound strip A is shown
pushed over a pin « at one end, the pin being a fixture on the back
plate E. The opposite end of the strip A is pushed over a pin on the 3
free end of a tumber lever c, the strip being kept laut by a spring a
secured one end to the opposite arm of the lever, and the other to the
pin a, the spring having a tension put upon it when being placed in
position. The lever arm has a stud e resting upon it, which stud projects
from a wheel from the arbor or barrel of which a cord unwinds when 3
the stud is released under the action of the descending weight. Tho
wheel gears into a pinion and this through a wheel h upon tho samo

page_text: spindle causes a pinion arbor j to rotate a hammer arm %, the strikers 1; 1;
on which as they travel round are caused to swing against the gong-F;
and produce a rattle or powerful alarming noise, the beating of which
will continue until the weight stops descending, which is determined by
the length of the cord upon the barrel, thus indicating to the inmates of
a houso that a fire has broken out in the part of the building in whichi
the apparatus is fitted.
The apparatus in its complete form as just described can be mounted
in a case or box of ornamental shape to stand upon a shelf, a sideboard,
or other piece of furniture, and instead of the weight a spring can be
affixed between two plates m, m, like the ordinary works of a clock. I
prefer that the complete apparatus should be placed upon a separato
bracket at the upper part of a room, and in a position where the heat
from a fire is most likely to impinge to prevent unnecessary delay in
giving timely warning of an outbreak.
.
It will be understood that by making the weight or the spring
mechanism strong enough, a gong or any number of gongs can be struck
simultaneously to alarm a neighbourhood. The weight or the spring
mechanism can in addition be put in connection with what is termed
firo annihilator, the opening of the tap of which by the weight or an arm
from the spring spindle would enable the gas or vapour to escape and
check the progress of the fire, or put it out altogether, according to the
position or the material which may happen to be on fire.
Figure 3 represents a six roomed house with one of my fire detectors
fitted in cach room; tho whole of the detectors being in connection with
one terminal wire, the descent of the weight on which against a
numbered plate would indicate the exact room in which a fire had
occurred. The detectors in this instance have cach a chain, as in
Figure 1 but of different lengths, so that supposing a fire to happen in
No. 2 room its detector A would yield or give under the heat until the
slack of the chain was taken up, consequently the weight would fall,
say 2 inches, and remain against No. 2 on the plate, thus showing that
No. 2 room is the one that requires attention; should-a-fire-occur in
No. 5-room, its detector-would-yield-or-give-under-tho-heat-until-the
slack-of-its-chain, say of 5 inches in length, becomes taut, the weight
descending until-it reaches No. 5 on the plate, and so on for any one of
the rooms in which a fire may have broken out, the descent of--the

page_text: weight in overy instance releasing a spring nammer or panet for sounamg
a gong as before explained.
By arranging the series of detector chains of different lengths as just
explained one striking or sound giving instrument is necessary, as shown
in Figuro 3, and their detectors can be multiplied to any extent.
In the caso of warehouses, offices, and other places not used as
dwellings, my Invention is specially adapted, since the sound giving
instrument can be fitted outside a building, and have a notification of
its purpose upon an exposed plate to which the attention of the police
can be called at all times, and by or through whom instant assistance
could be obtained.
In hotels, offices, buildings, and other places where clectric bells aro
or may be used, this detector is fitted to each room in connection with
the usual wires or otherwise, and constructed so as to cause the contact
necessary to set the alarm or bell in action on the outbreak of fire as
completely and effectively as if some person in the room had placed his
finger upon the pusher, and kept it there, pertinaciously awaiting
assistance or relicf. In these cases the ordinary electric indicators may
be used with certainty and economy.
In cases where the detector and indicator or either of them are fitted
in coal laden vessels or others carrying materials subject to spontaneous
combustion or ignition, I prefer to have them fitted in a tube or cylinder
which may be placed at intervals amongst the cargo or in any convenient
way between decks, the tubes serving to protect the indicators and
detectors from injury.
I do not confine myself to the methods of fitting my fire detector and
fire indicator as above described, nor to the arrangements of appliances
by which sound alarums can be given in cases of fire as set forth, it being
easy to arrange the detector with electrical or magnetic appliances, or to
cause a discharge of explosives by suitable mechanism, as any skilled
artizan could contrive, but what I consider novel and as my Invention
to which I lay claim is,—
Firstly. The means and apparatus substantially as herein-before
described by or through which the outbreak of a fire at any given spot

page_text: Secondly. I claim the employment of a strip or its equivalent of gutta
percha or other material capable of expansion or softening under heat
as a detector of fire, such strip being in connection with an indicator (in
conjunction with a sound giving alarum or not) the whole forming an
apparatus as and for the purposes set forth.
Thirdly, and specially. I claim the combination of a strip of gutta
percha or its equivalent with one or more loose lengths of chain or its
equivalent, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the Drawings as and for the
purposes set forth.
Fourthly. I also claim the combination of a strip or other form of
gutta percha or its equivalent with a tumbler lever and spring, as shown
in Figure 2 of the annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes set forth,
but I do not confine myself to this method of affecting the detent, as the
strip or piece of gutta percha or its equivalent may be employed in a
variety of other ways to cause the same effect, viz., the releasing of the
alarm detent.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lewthwaite, havo hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December One thousand