An Improvement Applicable to Fire-extinguishing Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st July, 1890-Accepted. 2nd Aug.. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement Applicable to Fire-extinguishing Apparatus.
I MOSES DICKINSON of 23 Barlow Street, Oldham in the County of Lancaster Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the form of fire-extinguisher now largely in use and well
known by the name of "sprinklers" and consists of an arrangement whereby the
coming into action of the "sprinkler" is caused to give notice of the fire either in the
foreman's or manager's room, or to the telegraph or telephone station the police office,
fire brigade, or other place or person (or places or persons) required by means of any
special or ordinary electric bell or other electric alarm apparatus.
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The principal novel feature of the invention is that the rush of water through the
sprinkler" is caused to act upon an ordinary "pusher" or contact maker for the
purpose of completing the electric circuit upon the main or line wires of the electric
bell or other alarm apparatus, so as to put the same into operation and give the required
notice to the parties interested.
The apparatus consists principally of a small cylinder provided with a spring piston.
This cylinder is screwed or otherwise attached to the pipe or tube of the" sprinkler"
which leads to the ordinary gong where such is used, or otherwise it is so connected
to the "sprinkler "below the valve that whenever owing to a fire there is a rush of
water through the "sprinkler" a portion of the said water enters the cylinder and
acting against the piston causes the piston rod to be projected through the cylinder
cover and press against an ordinary pusher" or, contact maker, which is in connection
with the main wires of the electric alarm, so as to give notice at the place or places
required. At all other times when there is no pressure or passage of water through
the "sprinkler" the spring acting on the piston keeps the end of the piston rod out of
contact with the "pusher" and the circuit remains broken.
The end of the pusher" or the piston rod must be protected by a piece of vulcanite
or other non-conducting material to prevent the electric current from "running to
earth when the contact takes place.
33
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement Applicable to Fire-extinguishing Apparatus.
I MOSES DICKINSON of 23 Barlow Street Oldham in the County of Lancaster
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 the form of fire-extinguisher now largely in use and well
known by the name of "sprinklers" and consists of an automatic arrangement whereby
the coming into action of the "sprinkler" is caused to give notice of the fire, either
in the foreman's or manager's room, or to the telegraph or telephone station, the police
office, fire brigade or other place or person (or places or persons) required, by means
of any special or ordinary electric bell or other electric alarm apparatus.
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22
£5
The principal novel feature of the invention is that the rush of water through the
sprinkler "or alarm valve is caused to act upon an ordinary "pusher" or contact
maker for the purpose of completing the electric circuit upon the main or line wires
of an electric hell or other alarm apparatus, so as to put the same into operation and
thus give the required notice to the persons interested.

page_text: The manner in which my invention is to be performed or carried into practical
effect will be readily understood on reference to the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed
and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 is an elevation (partly in section).
Fig. 2 an end view and
Fig. 3 a plan of my improved apparatus.
The apparatus consists principally of a small cylinder or tube a provided with a
piston fitted with a coiled spring e which has a constant tendency to keep the
piston in the position shown at Fig. 1, which I will call hereinafter its normal
position.
The cylinder a is screwed or otherwise attached to a base tube d which is screwed
to, or may form part of the pipe or tube the "sprinkler" which leads to the ordinary
gong,
where such is used or the cylinder a may be otherwise so connected to the
sprinkler" beyond the valve that whenever owing to a fire, there is a rush of water
under pressure through the "sprinkler" a portion of the said water enters the cylinder a
and acting against the piston causes the piston rod to be projected through the
cylinder cover a¹ and act against an ordinary spring pusher or contact maker e which
is in connection with the main wires and f¹ of the electric alarm so as to give notice
at the place or places required whenever the "sprinklers" come into action.
At all other times when there is no pressure or passage of water through the
"sprinkler" and consequently through the base tube & the coiled spring e acting on
the piston keeps the end of the piston rod 6 in its normal position and out of contact
with the "pusher" and the circuit remains broken. The lower end of the spring
pusher e is protected by a disc g of vulcanite or other non-conducting material to prevent
the electric current from "running to earth" when the contact takes place, or if
preferred the top of the piston rod may be similarly protected.
The upper end of the piston rod is fitted with a bonnet h to prevent any water
which may escape round the piston rod from being thrown against the pusher. The
latter is fixed on a slab or table i of baywood or other suitable material which is
connected to the base tube d by screw bolts or pillars & so as to form a compact self
contained apparatus.
I may here remark that although in the drawing the apparatus is represented as
vertical in form, it will be evident that it will work equally well in any other position
and that a weighted. piston, movable diaphragm or other equivalent device may be
substituted for the spring piston.
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 I do not
claim any particular arrangement of electric wires and bell or bells but what I
claim is:
:-
The combination of the cylinder spring or weighted piston, or other equivalent
device and a "pusher" or electric contact maker, with the pipe leading to the gong
(or with any other pipe or passage between the "sprinkler" valve and the "sprinkler
itself) in such a way that whenever the "sprinkler" or alarm valve comes into action
the pressure of the water passing through the same will act against the spring or
weighted piston or its equivalent causing a rod to be projected against the said pusher
so as to complete the electric circuit and give the required notice to the persons
interested substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 30th day of June 1890.
GEORGE DAVIES.
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.