GB1564796A

GB1564796A - Fire warning device

Info

Publication number: GB1564796A
Application number: GB37940/75A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hollingsworth A F
Current assignee: Hollingsworth A F
Priority date: 1975-09-16
Filing date: 1975-09-16
Publication date: 1980-04-16

Description

(54) FIRE WARNING DEVICE (71) 1, ALAN FREDERICK HOLLINGS WORTH, a British Subject of Lanket Cottage, Crofts Lane, Feckenham, Worcestershire, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:-- The object of this invention is to provide a simple, effective and compact fire warning device which can be entirely self-contained and is capable of remaining ready for operation over a long period without attention.

According to this invention a fire warning device comprises a body which is adapted to receive or is incorporated with a container for fluid under pressure, the body having a valve normally loaded by spring means into a closed position in which passage of fluid from the container is prevented, the spring means reacting against a heat and/or smoke responsive means adapted, upon the occurrence of a predetermined smoke and/or temperature condition, to fuse or rupture whereby the spring loading on said valve is released or reduced to the extent that fluid escapes from the container under pressure and passes to fluid-pressure actuated audible means carried by the body or incorporated therewith or which the body is adapted to receive to sound such audible means.

In practice constructions and arrangements of the device are as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 are sectional elevations each showing alternative arrangements of the device.

Like parts are referred to by the same or similar reference numerals.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the body 1 of the device is provided with a threaded counter bore 10 for receiving screwed therein the neck 20 of a bottle or small cylinder 2 containing air or other gas or fluid under pressure.

A bore 11 in the body 1 accommodates a spring loaded valve 3 shown consisting of a compression spring 31 acting on a seating member 32 which in turn acts on a ball valve member 30 in order to seat it against the restricted bore 40 of a plug 4 screwed into the neck 20 of the bottle 2.

Preferably through the intermediary of a disc or washer 5, the other end of the compression spring 31 bears against heat responsive means shown consisting of a block or element 6 of low melting point material such as a suitable wax and received by an opened ended transverse bore 16 in the body 1. The wax element 6 is thus exposed to the atmosphere.

The seating member 32 is provided with passages 332 through it whilst one or more bores 12 (FIGURE 1) communicate the axial bore 11 with a whistle, hooter or other audible warning means 7 capable of operation by air or gas under pressure and shown carried by the free end of the body 1.

In the event of the wax element 6 fusing i.e. melting or softening as a result of excess environmental temperature, i.e. due to the commencement of a fire outbreak in the vicinity of the device, the spring pressure at 31 on the seating member 32 and ball 30 is released or reduced permitting air or gas to pass from the bottle 2 to the whistle 7 in order to cause sounding of the latter.

Since the air or gas can be stored at high pressure in the bottle 2, loud sounding of the whistle 7 can be obtained whilst the restricted bore 40 of the plug 4 meters or controls the passage of air or gas from the bottle 2 for this purpose so that operation of the whistle 7 can be obtained for a considerable period from a bottle of small capacity and convenient size.

In the modified arrangement shown in FIGURE 2 the provision of secondary bores 12 in the body 21 is avoided by providing a tube 70 from the whistle 7 extending through the wax element 60 and into the axial bore 11 containing the compression spring 31 which is shown directly acting on the ball 30. The wax element is shown accommodated in an appropriate transverse bore 26 in the body 21.

In addition to effective operation, the device has the advantage that it is entirely self-contained and can be mounted in any convenient position where there is a risk of fire outbreak.

With the ball or valve member 30 in the seated position the bottle 2 should retain air or gas at a high pressure for an indefinite period for obtaining effective sounding of the whistle. In particular the device does not incorporate means such as an electric battery which is likely to deteriorate over a period of time unless replaced.

After the device has been brought into operation it can be reset by depressing the spring 31 and inserting a new wax element 6 or 60 in the bore 16 or 26. In the case of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 2, the whistle 7 is unscrewed to withdraw the tube 70 which is replaced after the new wax element 60 is placed in position.

In a developed arrangement shown in FIGURE 3, a bottle or canister 22 for containing air or other gas or fluid under pressure receives the body 51 of the device screwed onto the neck 220 of the canister 22, a pointed projection 52 of the body 51 piercing a seal of the canister 22 or depressing a valve member in the neck 220.

The body 51 contains a spring loaded valve 33 shown consisting of a taper valve member 35 co-operating with a complementary seating 53 in the body 51 for obturating a fine bore 54 passing through the body from the canister 22 to an air operated horn 77 received by the upper part of the body 51.

The valve member 35 is spring loaded by a compression spring 36 which in turn abuts a chemical filled glass bulb 66 held in place by a cap 8 screwed by a collar 81 thereof onto the body 51. The head 80 of the cap 8 is connected to the collar 81 by pins 82 or the cap 8 is otherwise of open construction so as to expose the bulb 66 to atmosphere.

In a known manner the bulb 66 breaks or explodes when subject to a given raised temperature and on this occurring the spring pressure on the valve member 35 is released or reduced so that it lifts from its seating and permits air or other gas under pressure to pass from the canister 22 via the bore 14 to the horn 77 for operation of the latter.

The head 80 of the cap 8 may be of glass or other frangible material so that it can be mutually broken for permitting breakage or removal of the bulb 66 and release of the valve member 35.

The valve member 35 is provided with an extension 37 which is accessible at the exterior of the body 51 and serves as a button or plunger for enabling the valve member 35 to be manually lifted for testing the complete device or obtaining its operation at will for alarm or warning purposes.

Thus where the device is provided for fire warning purposes on a boat, it may be also used as a portable fog horn.

Alternatively or additionally to the wax element 6 or 60 or bulb 66, smoke responsive means may be provided for causing release operation of the valve but, dependent on the nature of such means, this may entail the provision of electric current supply i.e. to a photo-electric cell of the means.

Tn a further development carbon dioxide or other gas which does not support combustion may be provided under pressure in the bottle 2 or canister 22 (e.g. in liquid form in the case of carbon dioxide) so that the device also has a fire extinguishing action. In this connection the bottle 2 or canister 22 may alternatively or additionally contain an air or gas pressurised liquid e.g.

water to serve as a fire extinguishing agent and also sound the whistle 7 or horn 77.

For this purpose the bottle 2 or canister 22 and the device may be mounted in any suitable manner e.g. in an inverted position i.e. with the device lowermost so that on release the gas and/or gas and liquid is or are directed downwardly onto a probable source of fire outbreak such as a domestic boiler. Further in this respect the bottle or canister and device may be clipped or otherwise releasably mounted so that it may be hand held as an extinguisher once the valve 3 or 33 has been released.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A fire warning device comprising a body which is adapted to receive or is incorporated with a container for fluid under pressure, the body having a valve normally loaded by spring means into a closed position in which passage of fluid from the container is prevented, the spring means reacting against a heat and/or smoke responsive means adapted, upon the occurrence of a predetermined smoke and/or temperature condition, to fuse or rupture whereby the spring loading on said valve is released or reduced to the extent that fluid escapes from the container under pressure and passes to fluid-pressure actuated audible means carried by the body or incorporated therewith or which the body is adapted to receive to sound such audible means.

2. A fire warning device according to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In the modified arrangement shown in FIGURE 2 the provision of secondary bores 12 in the body 21 is avoided by providing a tube 70 from the whistle 7 extending through the wax element 60 and into the axial bore 11 containing the compression spring 31 which is shown directly acting on the ball 30. The wax element is shown accommodated in an appropriate transverse bore 26 in the body 21. In addition to effective operation, the device has the advantage that it is entirely self-contained and can be mounted in any convenient position where there is a risk of fire outbreak. With the ball or valve member 30 in the seated position the bottle 2 should retain air or gas at a high pressure for an indefinite period for obtaining effective sounding of the whistle. In particular the device does not incorporate means such as an electric battery which is likely to deteriorate over a period of time unless replaced. After the device has been brought into operation it can be reset by depressing the spring 31 and inserting a new wax element 6 or 60 in the bore 16 or 26. In the case of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 2, the whistle 7 is unscrewed to withdraw the tube 70 which is replaced after the new wax element 60 is placed in position. In a developed arrangement shown in FIGURE 3, a bottle or canister 22 for containing air or other gas or fluid under pressure receives the body 51 of the device screwed onto the neck 220 of the canister 22, a pointed projection 52 of the body 51 piercing a seal of the canister 22 or depressing a valve member in the neck 220. The body 51 contains a spring loaded valve 33 shown consisting of a taper valve member 35 co-operating with a complementary seating 53 in the body 51 for obturating a fine bore 54 passing through the body from the canister 22 to an air operated horn 77 received by the upper part of the body 51. The valve member 35 is spring loaded by a compression spring 36 which in turn abuts a chemical filled glass bulb 66 held in place by a cap 8 screwed by a collar 81 thereof onto the body 51. The head 80 of the cap 8 is connected to the collar 81 by pins 82 or the cap 8 is otherwise of open construction so as to expose the bulb 66 to atmosphere. In a known manner the bulb 66 breaks or explodes when subject to a given raised temperature and on this occurring the spring pressure on the valve member 35 is released or reduced so that it lifts from its seating and permits air or other gas under pressure to pass from the canister 22 via the bore 14 to the horn 77 for operation of the latter. The head 80 of the cap 8 may be of glass or other frangible material so that it can be mutually broken for permitting breakage or removal of the bulb 66 and release of the valve member 35. The valve member 35 is provided with an extension 37 which is accessible at the exterior of the body 51 and serves as a button or plunger for enabling the valve member 35 to be manually lifted for testing the complete device or obtaining its operation at will for alarm or warning purposes. Thus where the device is provided for fire warning purposes on a boat, it may be also used as a portable fog horn. Alternatively or additionally to the wax element 6 or 60 or bulb 66, smoke responsive means may be provided for causing release operation of the valve but, dependent on the nature of such means, this may entail the provision of electric current supply i.e. to a photo-electric cell of the means. Tn a further development carbon dioxide or other gas which does not support combustion may be provided under pressure in the bottle 2 or canister 22 (e.g. in liquid form in the case of carbon dioxide) so that the device also has a fire extinguishing action. In this connection the bottle 2 or canister 22 may alternatively or additionally contain an air or gas pressurised liquid e.g. water to serve as a fire extinguishing agent and also sound the whistle 7 or horn 77. For this purpose the bottle 2 or canister 22 and the device may be mounted in any suitable manner e.g. in an inverted position i.e. with the device lowermost so that on release the gas and/or gas and liquid is or are directed downwardly onto a probable source of fire outbreak such as a domestic boiler. Further in this respect the bottle or canister and device may be clipped or otherwise releasably mounted so that it may be hand held as an extinguisher once the valve 3 or 33 has been released. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A fire warning device comprising a body which is adapted to receive or is incorporated with a container for fluid under pressure, the body having a valve normally loaded by spring means into a closed position in which passage of fluid from the container is prevented, the spring means reacting against a heat and/or smoke responsive means adapted, upon the occurrence of a predetermined smoke and/or temperature condition, to fuse or rupture whereby the spring loading on said valve is released or reduced to the extent that fluid escapes from the container under pressure and passes to fluid-pressure actuated audible means carried by the body or incorporated therewith or which the body is adapted to receive to sound such audible means.

2. A fire warning device according to

claim 1 wherein the body containing the valve and carrying the heat and/or smoke responsive means receives screwed or otherwise secured thereto the audible means, said body being mounted or mountable such as by screw connection on a said container.

3. A fire warning device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the heat and/or smoke responsive means includes an element of low melting point material such as wax received by an open ended bore in the body so as to provide a bearing for compression spring means acting on the valve member of the valve in the body.

4. A fire warning device according to Claim i or 2 wherein the heat and/or smoke responsive means consists of a chemical filled bulb which breaks on excess environmental temperature and is arranged to release or reduce said spring loading.

5. A fire warning device according to Claim 4 wherein the chemical filled bulb is carried by the body by a retaining means or cap to the latter so as to be exposed to the atmosphere, the bulb providing a bearing for compression spring means acting on the valve member of the valve in the body.

6. A fire warning device according to Claim 5 wherein the retaining means or cap includes a support member or head for the bulb, which support member or head is of glass or other frangible material so that it can be maunally broken for permitting breakage or removal or the bulb in order to obtain sounding of the audible means.

7. A fire warning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the valve member of the valve is manually operable for obtaining sounding of the audible means at will.

8. A fire warning device according to Claim 7 wherein the valve member is provided with an extension which is accessible at the exterior of the body as a button or plunger for manual lifting operation of the valve member.

9. A fire waming device substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 1, 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A fire warning device according to any of the preceding claims in operative combination with a said container thereto wherein the container contains a fluid under pressure which will not support combustion so that on operation of the device to cause fluid pressure actuation of the audible means, fluid under pressure issuing therefrom can be used for fire extinguishing purposes.