Improvements in Automatic Fire-extinguishers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Fire-extinguishers.
I, ROBERT WILKINSON NEWTON, of No. 16 Codding Street, in the City of
Providence, in the County of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, United
States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to improvements in the construction of automatic
fire-extinguishers adapted to be released by the action of heat and to distribute
water, in the form of spray, over a wide area.
The object of the invention is to construct an automatic-sprinkler so that the
force of the water, or other fluid, in the system of pipes to which the sprinklers
are connected, or the sudden increase of pressure caused by the water-hammer, will
be resisted by metal thrusts and the least possible strain exerted on the solder.
Another object of the invention is to construct the sprinkler so that the valve
may be readily removed, or tightened, when the sprinkler is in place.
Another object of the invention is to construct the sprinkler so that none of the
moving parts will move in slides, guides, or bearings, on, or in, which such
parts are liable to stick.
Another object of the invention is to construct an automatic-sprinkler that will
open promptly when the fusing point of the solder is reached and that is not
affected by corrosion of the collection of impurities on the parts required to be
released.
Another object of the invention is to protect the valve-face from corrosion and
prevent the sticking of the valve on the valve-seat.
Still another object of the invention is to improve the distribution of the
water, and
Finally, the object of the invention is to strengthen the solder-joint and secure
its complete rupture when subjected to heat.
Figure 1 is a vertical side view of the improved automatic fire-extinguisher.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the distributor showing the abutment-
screw and the deflector adapted to form a lock-nut.
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the valve.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a compound spring.
Figure 6 a perspective view of the overlapping portion of the compound
spring, and
Figure 7 a perspective view of the curved spring.
Figures 8 and 9 are sectional views of the thrust-blocks, showing the solder-
joint strengthened by means of conical-pins.
Figure 10 is a sectional view of a thrust-block in which the solder-joint is
strengthened by means of cylindrical rods inserted in the joint.
Figure 11 is a sectional view of a thrust-block in which the solder-joint is
strengthened by corrugating the adjoining faces.
Figure 12 is a sectional view of a thrust-block provided with angular thrust-
plates.
Figure 13 is a sectional view of a thrust-block provided with semi-cylindrical
thrust-plates.
Figure 14 is a plan view of the thrust-block shown in Figure 13.
Figure 15 represents a sectional view of a thrust-block provided with semi-
circular thrust-plates the lower edges of which are seated in an annular groove

page_text: in the thrust-block, the upper ends of the plates being secured by solder to the
edges of the valve-disk, between the lower surface of which and the upper ends of
the struts a spring is interposed.
Figure 16 represents a side view of a modified form of my improved automatic-
sprinkler.
Figure 17 is a vertical sectional view of the same.
Figure 18 is an end view of the thrust-block by which the valve is held in place.
Figure 19 is a modified form of the thrust-block.
Figure 20 being a view, partly in section, of the end of the yoke showing the
deflector secured to the screw-threaded thrust-pin.
Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.
When a building is protected against fire by a system of automatic-sprinklers
the safety of the building, as well as its contents, depends on the prompt and
reliable action of each sprinkler,-corrosion, fly-specks, dust, and the condensation
of vapors, on such parts of an automatic-sprinkler that have to pass by each other,
or turn one in the other, will cause most of the sprinklers, heretofore constructed,
either to stick and refuse to open or to only partially open. Such sprinklers
increase the loss by fire and often give the fire such a start that the conflagration
can not be arrested by other sprinklers.
Practical tests have demonstrated that all automatic sprinklers should have the
valve and the parts by which the valve is held in place examined and cleaned from
time to time. It is important that a sprinkler shall be so constructed that this
examination and cleaning can be done by any fairly-intelligent person and,
preferably, without the use of tools, or wrenches, as these are liable to distort and
injure the parts.
In the drawings 2 indicates the nozzle of the automatic fire-extinguisher; it is
provided with the screw-thread 3, the annular valve-seat 4, and the yoke 5 the
arms of which terminate in the truncated-cone 6 through which the screw-threaded
thrust-pin 7 extends vertically. The deflector 8, as well as the cone 6, is screw-
threaded to correspond with the screw-thread on the thrust-pin 7, so that, when the
thrust-pin has been adjusted, the deflector is screwed up hard against the bottom
of the cone 6 to firmly lock the thrust-pin in this position. The deflector 8 is
provided with an outwardly-flaring perforated rim, and the annular space between
the base of the cone 6 and the outward-flaring inner surface of the rim is perforated,-
the holes in the deflector vary in their direction, so as to distribute the water more
evenly in all directions, around as well as under the deflector. By this peculiar
construction the stream of water discharged from the nozzle strikes the rounded
end of the thrust-pin 7 and the sides of the cone 6, a large part of the inner portion
of the stream is thus deflected outward and broken into spray, while the outer
portion of the stream striking the lower part of the cone is partly deflected against
the inner flaring surface of the rim of the deflector 8 and directed upward to the
ceiling, while a portion of the water passes through the perforations of the
deflector 8. By flaring the inner surface of the raised rim of the deflector, a
greater or lesser portion of the ceiling will be covered by the deflected water of
the discharging stream.
The nozzle is closed by means of the valve-disk 9 the upper face of which is
provided with a circular recess into which the disk 10 is secured; this disk 10 is
made of what is known in the jewellers' art as rolled-plate, that is to say an ingot
of inferior metal, usually brass or copper, is plated with precious metal and is
then rolled out into a thin sheet one side of which is covered with a thin film of
precious metal. In the disks I use rolled gold-plate is preferable, but silver,
platinum, or other more or less precious metals, or alloys of metals, may be used.
As the precious metal is always more ductile than the inferior metal the plated
disk makes a perfectly water-tight joint when the valve is forced against the valve-
seat and, as the precious metal is not corroded by the air, or the water, the valve
can not stick. The lower part of the valve 9 is provided, on opposite sides, with
the projections 11 between which a spring is placed on which the thrust-arms 12

page_text: bear, the spring may be the simple curved spring shown in Figure 7, the over-
lapping spring shown in Figure 6, or the compound spring shown in Figure 5, the.
essential quality of the spring is that its resiliency is greater than the pressure of
the water in the sprinkler-system, so that, during the release of the thrust-arms 12,
the spring will follow the same until they are entirely released and hold the valve
tightly to its seat, to prevent the leaking of the valve, until the valve is entirely
released; and another quality essential in the spring is that the same must be
sufficiently flexible to lie flat, metal to metal, between the thrust-arms 12 and the
valve 9, so that the valve is held by a fixed, unyielding, dead pressure to its seat in
the normal condition. I prefer to construct the spring, as shown in Figure 5, of
the bent overlapping spring 13 with the curved-spring 14 inserted as shown in that
figure.
In such an automatic fire-extinguisher with a valve held against its seat by a
positive dead-thrust sufficient to resist any abnormal pressure, or water-hammer,
great strain is exerted on the soldered joint or joints, it is, therefore, essential to
strengthen the same when in their normal condition, and also important to break, or
rupture, the soldered-joint as soon as the same is weakened by the heat of a fire ;
to this end I have devised a number of different devices all designed to strengthen
the solder-joint when in the normal cooled condition and assist in rupturing and
breaking the solder-joint when weakened by heat.
In Figures 2, 8 and 9, the thrust-arms 12 rest on the thrust-block 15 and bear
against the thrust-plates 16 which are soldered to the thrust-block, and the joint is
strengthened by the pins 17 inserted through holes in the thrust-block, so
that the conical pointed ends enter conical recesses in the thrust-plates 16. The
pins 17 may be permanently fixed, or they may be inserted and secured by solder;
they resist any yielding of the plates on the line of the solder surfaces until the
joint is broken, so that the plates may rise over the conical points of the pins. The
solder-joint may be on a horizontal plane, as is shown in Figures 2 and 8, or on
inclined planes, as shown in Figure 9.
The modification shown in Figure 10 consists in strengthening the solder-joint by
the insertion of a rod or wire; to this end the surfaces of the thrust-block 15 and the
thrust-plates 16, to be secured together by solder, are grooved so as to receive
the rod or wire 18 which is inserted and the whole soldered together so that the
thrust-plates can not move or slide on the thrust-block until the solder-joint is
broken, two rods may be used, if desired, on each thrust-plate. In this modification,
shown in Figure 11, the upper surfaces of the portions 151 of the thrust-block 15
are corrugated and the lower surfaces of the thrust-plates 16 are correspondingly
corrugated to practically produce the same result as the rod 18 shown in Figure 10.
In Figure 12 the thrust-plates 16 are L-shaped, the portion 16¹ being at right
angle to the portion 16%, and they are soldered respectively to the top and the end
of the thrust-block 15, so that when the solder is heated the thrust of the thrust-
arms 12 will slide the thrust-plate outward, but not until the solder-joint, by which
the portion 163 is secured to the end of the thrust-block, is ruptured. By holding
the foot of the thrust-plate 16 by means of the lips 15%, as is shown on the right-
hand of Figure 12, the L-shaped thrust-plate will not move until the whole of the
solder joint is ruptured. The modification, shown in Figures 13 and 14, shows a
thrust-block of circular form enclosed by two semi-cylindrical thrust-plates 16
soldered to the periphery of the thrust-block, by this arrangement the
thrust-arms 12 bear each against half of the cylinder, the solder-joint is of
considerable area, and when subjected to heat the central portion is subjected to a
tearing strain, at right angle to the joint, which gradually changes to a sliding
strain at the sides 16. The two semi-cylindrical thrust-plates may be made of
spring-metal so as to have sufficient resiliency to open out at the sides 16* and
break the joint when the device is subjected to heat.
In the modified form, shown in Figures 16 to 20 inclusive, 19 indicates the
nipple of the automatic-sprinkler having on one end a screw-thread adapted to
connect the sprinkler with the usual pipe-fitting of the system of distributing-pipes

page_text: .
forming the sprinkler protection, the opposite end of this nipple is provided with
the annular valve-seat 20. The yoke 21 may be cast in one piece with the nipple,
or it may be made separate, provided with a screw-threaded collar and secured on
the screw-threaded portion 22 of the nipple 19. When the yoke 21 is made in one
piece with the nipple 19, the thrust-pin 23 is screw-threaded in the lower part of
the yoke 21 and the deflector-disk 24 secured to the thrust-pin 23, as shown in
Figure 20, forms a convenient handle by which the thrust-pin can be turned and
adjusted.
When the yoke 21 and the nipple 19 are made in one piece, the thrust-pin 23 is
secured in, or made in one piece with, the yoke 21 and is adjusted by turning the
deflector-disk 24 with the yoke 21 on the screw-threaded portion 22.
The outlet is closed by the valve 25 which may be simply a substantial metal-
disk having a true face to bear on the valve-seat, or it may be provided with a
special valve-disk of such metal, or composition of metal, or other material, as
may be required.
I prefer to provide the underside of the valve 25 with the groove 26 to form a
guide for the arms 27 the upper ends of which bear against the valve 25; these
arms 27 are set in the oblique directions shown in Figures 17, 18 and 19, their
upper ends touching each other and the lower ends, set apart, bear on the thrust-
block 28 and against the plates 29 which are secured to the thrust-block by a
-solder fusible at a low temperature.
In Figure 18 the upper surface of the thrust-block 28 forms a straight plane,
the plates 29 are soldered to this plane surface, when the temperature in which
the sprinkler is located has risen to, or nearly to, the fusing-point of the solder, the
plates 29 are pushed outward by the arms 27. In the form shown in Figure 19
the central surface of the thrust-block 28 is on a horizontal plane, the sides, or
ends, are at an angle to such horizontal plane and their outer ends are turned up
to form the ribs 30,-the plates 29 are secured by solder to the inclined faces of the
thrust-block and bear against the ribs 30; when in this form the solder is heated
to, or nearly to, the fusing point, the plates 29 are forced outward, as is indicated in
broken lines, thus subjecting the solder to a tearing strain. The ribs 30 may be
dispensed with while the inclined direction of the opposite sides to which the
plates 29 are secured is maintained, and in such a construction the plates 29 will be
pushed down the inclined plane when the solder is heated.
In practice, I prefer to secure the arms 27 together at their upper ends and to
the thrust-block 28 at their lower ends by the same solder by which the plates 29
are secured, so that the thrust-block 28, the plates 29, and the arms 27 form one
connected part. This arrangement facilitates the handling of these parts and their
adjustment in the sprinkler; it protects these parts against corrosion, and the
accumulation of dirt, dust, or condensation of vapors, does not affect the prompt
and reliable working of the device. The solder when heated to, or nearly to,
the fusing point acts as a lubricant and the parts slide more readily on each
other.
The thrust-block 28 has a concaved seat on its underside where it rests on the
thrust-pin 23.
The operation of the modified form of automatic-sprinkler, shown in
Figures 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, is as follows;-To secure the valve, the valve 25
is placed on the outlet 20, the thrust-block 28, with the arms 27, is now placed on
the valve and the thrust-pin 23 is brought in contact with the thrust-block by
turning the deflector 24 with or without turning the yoke 21, as either one or the
other form of thrust-pin is used. When the pressure is put on the system and the
valve is not perfectly tight, a slight turn will make it tight. When the system is
to be inspected and the fire-extinguishing liquid has been drawn off, by turning the
deflector, the valve and the combined thrust-block and arms 27 can be readily
removed, as these are the only operative parts they can be readily examined,
cleaned and replaced without the use of any tools and without any injury to any
part of the sprinkler.

page_text: When, now, a fire takes place and the parts of the sprinkler are heated to, or
nearly to, the fusing point of the solder, the pressure on the valve, acting on the
arms 27, moves the plates 29 which are no longer held by the solder and instantly
the fire-extinguishing liquid rushes from the outlet.
An extended experience and careful observation show that in accidental fires
there are currents of heated air flowing through the upper portions of the rooms
and not a general gradual rise in temperature. One side of an automatic-sprinkler is
usually more quickly affected than the other, under such conditions my improved
automatic-sprinkler will have one of the plates 16 released before the other, but
the valve, in this condition, will be as completely released as when both plates are
released simultaneously. In all cases I find that the thrust-block will rock on the
thrust-pin and that all the parts between the thrust-pin and the outlet are thrown
sidewise and the out-rushing water is equally distributed in a fine spray in all
directions. As there are no sliding parts and when the sprinkler is released by
heat all the parts are thrown through space without contact with the yoke or any
other part, the instantaneous release and full opening of the outlet is always
secured in case of a fire. Practical tests demonstrate that the release is
instantaneous and always complete, owing to the peculiar construction of the
detached thrust-block, the oppositely-inclined arms 27 and the plates 29.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is
1. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the nozzle and the
valve-seat surrounding the same, of a valve of inferior metal covered with a sheet
of precious metal adapted to protect the valve and the valve-seat against corrosion,
as described.
2. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the nozzle and the
valve-seat surrounding the same, of the valve-body 9 provided with a recess at its
upper surface, and the valve-disk 10 formed of a sheet of inferior metal covered
with a sheet of precious metal, as described.
3. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the nozzle 2 and
valve-seat 4, of the valve-body 9 provided with the projections 11 on opposite
sides thereof, the valve-disk 10 formed of a sheet of inferior metal covered with
precious metal, and the devices for securing the valve to its seat, as described.
4. The combination, as herein set forth, in an automatic fire-extinguisher, with
the nozzle 2, the valve-seat 4, and the valve, of a spring, interposed between the
valve-body and the thrust-arms 12, adapted to be compressed so as to bear solidly
on the valve-body and hold the same against internal pressure in the normal con-
dition and follow, by its own resiliency, the thrust-arms during the weakening of
the solder by heat, while holding the valve to its seat, as described.
5. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the discharge-nozzle,
and a valve adapted to be released by the action of heat, of a distributor con-
sisting in a central truncated cone the base of which is surrounded by a perforated
annular groove and a perforated outwardly-dished annular rim adapted to distribute
the water, as described.
6. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, in combination, the nozzle 2, the valve-
seat 4, a valve for closing the outlet, a spring bearing on the valve, the thrust-
arms 12 bearing on the spring and holding the same in the normal condition, metal
to metal, to form a rigid thrust, the thrust-block 15, the thrust-plates 16 secured to
the thrust-block by solder, means, substantially as described, for strengthening the
solder-joint, the yoke 5, and the screw-threaded thrust-pin, the whole adapted to
hold the valve to its seat rigidly and permit the solder-joint to yield while the valve
is held to its seat, as described.
7. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the nozzle 2, the
valve-seat 4, the yoke 5, the valve, and the thrust-block 15 provided with the

page_text: thrust-arms 12 and thrust-plates 16, of the perforated and screw-threaded cone 6,
the screw-threaded thrust-pin 7, and the deflector 8 screw-threaded and adapted to
lock the thrust-pin in the required position, as described.
8. In a thrust-block adapted to hold the valve of an automatic fire-extinguisher
to its seat and release the same by the action of heat on solder, of thrust-plates
secured to the thrust-block by solder, and the means herein described to strengthen
the solder-joint, as described.
9. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the outlet, a valve for
closing the outlet, and a frame supporting a thrust-pin, of a device, intermediate
the thrust-pin and the valve, consisting of two oppositely-inclined arms, a thrust-
block and plates secured by solder adapted to hold the valve in place until one or
both of the holding-plates are released by heat, as described.
10. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with the outlet and the
valve for closing the outlet, of a yoke, or frame, having at its lower end a deflector,
and a thrust-pin adjustable toward and from the outlet, a thrust-block, two
oppositely-inclined arms interposed between the thrust-block and the valve, and
plates secured to the thrust-block by solder, as described.
11. A device for holding the valve of an automatic fire-extinguisher, or sprinkler,
against the outlet opening, consisting of a block to one surface of which the ends
of two oppositely-inclined arms and two thrust-plates are secured by solder fusible
at a low temperature, as described.
12. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, or sprinkler, the combination with the
outlet, the valve, and a device for holding the valve in place adapted to be released
by the action of heat, of a thrust-pin adapted to bear against the block and force
the valve to its seat and hold the same, as described.
13. The combination with the nipple 19 and the valve-seat 20, of the yoke 21,
the thrust-pin 23, and the deflector 24, of the thrust-block 28, the plates 29 secured
by solder to the upper surface of the same, the oppositely-inclined arms 27 and
the valve 25 adapted to hold the valve to its seat until released by heat, as
described.
14. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, or sprinkler, the combination with the
nipple 19, and the valve-seat 20, of the valve 25 provided with the slot 26, the
arms 27 having their upper ends resting in the slot 13, the thrust-block 28,
the plates 29 secured to the thrust-block by solder, the yoke 21, the deflector 24,
and the thrust-pin 23 adapted to force the valve to its seat, as described.
15. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, or sprinkler, the combination with the
nipple 19, and the outlet surrounded by the valve-seat 7, of the yoke 21, the
deffector 24, and the thrust-pin 23, provided with the rounded end, supported by
the yoke, the thrust-block 28 having a cavity on its lower part adapted to receive
the rounded end of the thrust-pin, the plates 29 secured to the thrust-block by
solder, the oppositely-inclined arms 27 bearing on the thrust-block at the spread
ends and in the groove 26 of the valve 25 at the ends placed close together, and
the valve 25, the whole adapted to force the valve to its seat, or release the same,
and to be released automatically by heat, as described.
16. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, or sprinkler, the combination with the
outlet, the valve for closing the outlet, and the device for holding the valve to its
seat until released by heat, of the yoke 21, the screw-threaded thrust-pin 23, and
the deflector 24 secured to the thrust-pin adapted to force the valve to its seat and
release the same by turning the deflector, as described.
17. In a thrust-block adapted to hold the valve of an automatic-sprinkler to its
seat and release the same by the action of heat on solder, the combination with a
thrust-block 15 having an annular groove, the semi-cylindrical thrust-plates 16
the lower edges of which are seated in said annular groove, and the valve-disk 9
partially contained between the upper edges of the plates 16-16 and secured
thereto by solder, of the struts 12-12 the lower edges of which bear against the
block 15 and the semi-cylindrical plates 16-16, and the spring 13 interposed

page_text: between the upper ends of the struts 12 and the lower surface of the valve-disk, as
described.
Dated this 7th day of June A D 180)
In presence of
ROBERT WILKINSON NEWTON.
HENRY J. MILLER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.