Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Dec., 1888.
Complete Specification Accepted, 8th Jan., 1889
I JAMES ROBERT WARD of 4 Downton Street Stockport Road Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Mill Inspector do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The principal object of this invention is to construct an automatic "sprinkler" (for
extinguishing fires in mills, theatres warehouses and other places) which will be set
to work by the fire or by a spark coming in contact with it, and which will not be
affected by the heat generated by the fire, which is generally the case with the
ordinary "sprinklers" now in use."
My improved sprinkler is constructed as follows
The head of the said "sprinkler" is screwed to the water supply or service pipe
as usual but its end or face is provided with an annular bead or ring projecting
therefrom.
This bead or ring fits in a corresponding annular groove formed in the face of the
valve which is grooved radially or otherwise roughened to facilitate the distribution or
sprinkling of the water.
The valve is provided with two or more guiding grooves, corresponding with a frame
projecting from the head of the sprinkler so that the said valve can slide in this
frame.
The latter is formed or provided at its end with a bush which is tapped with a screw
thread into which fits a suitable tightening screw made with a inilled or other
convenient head.
The valve is supported by a short column or tube of combustible material which
will rapidly burn or char when a flame or spark reaches it, but will not be melted by
heated atmosphere.
This supporting column or tube of combustible material is held in place by a
suitable plate against which the inner end of the before named tightening screw
presses.
The supporting column or tube must of course be sufficiently strong to resist the
maximum pressure of the water sunnly

page_text: The projecting bead or ring on the head of the sprinkler and the annular groove in
the valve are ground to fit accurately like the valve and seating of an ordinary tap
and they are coated with a suitable composition (lead and tallow for example) to
prevent the possibility of leakage.
The combustible support of the valve may if desired be provided with fuses
depending from it and it will be seen that should a fire break out in a warehouse,
mill or other place fitted with a number of my improved automatic sprinklers, the
water will only be admitted by the sprinkler, or sprinklers, which is, or are,
actually reached by the flame or sparks, and thus a great deal of unnecessary water
damage is avoided, which would generally occur in places fitted with the ordinary
sprinklers which are set to work by heat..
Dated this 7th day of March 1888.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic "Sprinklers" for Extinguishing Fires.
1 JAMES ROBERT WARD of 4 Downton Street Stockport Road Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Mill Inspector 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 :-
The principal object of this invention is to construct an automatic "sprinkler" (for
extinguishing fires in mills, theatres, ships, warehouses and other places) which will
be set to work by the fire or flame itself, or by a spark, coming in contact with it, and
will not be affected by the heat generated by the fire which is generally the case with
ordinary "sprinklers" now in use, and which by opening the valves in positions where
there are neither flames nor sparks frequently occasion much unnecessary damage by
water to the goods.
The nature of my invention and the manner in which the same may be performed
or carried into practical effect, will be readily understood on reference to the annexed
sheet of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1. is a vertical section, Fig. 2. a horizontal section and Fig. 3. a side
elevation of my improved automatic "sprinkler" and Fig. 4. is a vertical section.
Fig. 5 is an elevation and Fig. 6 a plan view of a slight modification of the
same.
My improved "sprinkler” (Figs. 1. 2 and 3) is constructed as follows,
The head a of the said "sprinkler" is screwed to the water supply or service pipe
as usual but its end or face is provided with an annular bead or ring c projecting
therefrom.
This bead or ring fits in a corresponding annular groove d formed in the face of the
valve e which may be grooved radially or otherwise roughened to facilitate the
distribution or sprinkling of the water.
The valve e is provided with two or more guiding grooves corresponding with a
fraine projecting from the head of the "sprinkler" so that the said valve e can slide
in this frame.
The latter is formed or provided at its end with a bush which is tapped with a
screw thread into which fits a suitable tightening screw 7 made with a milled or other
convenient head.
The valve e is supported by a short column or tube h of combustible material (say
rolled paper impregnated with salt-petre and brimstone) which will rapidly burn
or char when a flame or spark reaches it but will not be melted by heated
atmosphere.
This supporting column or tube h of combustible material is held in place by
a suitable plate or button on the inner end of the before named tightening
screw g.
The supporting column or tube h must of course be sufficiently strong to resist the
maximum pressure of the water supply.

page_text: The projecting bead or ring on the head of the sprinkler and the annular groove d
in the valve are ground to fit accurately like the valve and seating of an ordinary tap
and they are coated with a suitable composition (lead and tallow for example) to
prevent the possibility of leakage.
The combustible support of the valve is preferably provided with an inflammablo
fuse projecting or depending from it, and it will be seen that should a fire break
out in a warehouse, mill or other place fitted with a number of my improved
automatic sprinklers, the water will only be admitted by the sprinkler or sprinklers
which is or are actually reached by the flame or sparks, and thus a great deal of
unnecessary water damage is avoided, which would generally occur in places fitted
with the ordinary sprinklers which are set to work by heat.
It is, however, obvious that this same construction of apparatus may be applied to
sprinklers which act by heat only, by inserting a fusible column or block between
the valve and the screw or other means of pressure employed to keep the valve
closed.
Fig. 2 shows the sprinkler open.
or other
In Figs. 4. 5 and 6. the valve e is made in a cup shape and the head a of the
"sprinkler" is fitted with a corresponding conical washer of "asbestos "
suitable material to assist in making a good joint and the outer edge of the head is
serrated or notched all round as shown at Fig. 6 for the purpose of dividing the
stream of water into numerous jets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The construction of an automatic "sprinkler" with a column or block of
inflammable material placed between the valve and the screw or other means of
pressure used for keeping the same closed in such a way that upon either sparks or
Hame gaining access thereto such column or block of inflammable material shall
become instantaneously ignited and destroyed and allow the pressure of water to open
the valve substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated by the drawings
annexed, and
Secondly. I claim the same construction of apparatus in combination with a column
or block of fusible material placed between the valve and the screw or other analogous
means of pressure employed for keeping the valve closed against the pressure of the
water.
Dated this 7th LCD
1000
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.