EP0483901B1

EP0483901B1 - Fire prevention and extinguishing device

Info

Publication number: EP0483901B1
Application number: EP91202711A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Benigno Garcia Calvo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-10-30
Filing date: 1991-10-19
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-19
Also published as: DE69113573T2; ES2122946A6; GR3018528T3; PT99372A; ATE128631T1; ES2026393A6; PT99372B; DE69113573D1; EP0483901A1

Abstract

It consists of a vessel (1) containing the extinguishing product and a explosive charge (5) in direct communication with a wick (7) that emerges to the outside of the vessel and that surrounds it inserted in a series of peripheral lugs (3) of the vessel itself (1.) Each one of these lugs (3) has a pair of holes (4) through which the wick (7) passes, as well as an incombustible material string (8) with a larger section than that of the wick (7.) Said string (8) defines the suspension means of the device for the fire barrier laying, also acting as a protection means of the wick (7) in the event of knocks. The wick (7) that remains clamped in each lug (3), causes warning detonations of the impending explosion of the charge (5), upon the wick (7) burning. <IMAGE>

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

As is expressed in the title of this specification, the present invention refers to a fire extinguishing and prevention device and provides a series of relevant features with regard to the devices presently used for a similar purpose.
The device acts automatically when contacted by with fire, causing the explosion and disintegration of the device and the subsequent expansion of the extinguishing product, liquid or powder and in general of any fire-resistant product, or physical or chemical product to smother the fire, which is of course stored inside the device.
The fire extinguishing product is not advantageously pressurized inside the device, which defines a safety feature of the state of the charge of the extinguisher. Therefore, periodic checks are not necessary. In certain circumstances the vessel could have pressure. The expelling force that causes the ejection of the extinguishing product is caused in the combustion of an explosive charge, located inside the vessel and that is isolated from the extinguishing product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fire extinguishing devices of the type called extinguishers are presently used. With such extinguishers the extinguishing product is pressurized inside the vessel, in such a way that the product comes out upon manual operation of the valve device that is located in the head of the vessel.
With this known device, it becomes necessary to periodically check the state of the charge of the extinguisher in such a way that if this is not done somewhat frequently, it may happen on certain occasions and when it is necessary to use the extinguisher that the pressure is lower than the required one and the device turns out to be ineffective.
The same applicants of the present invention also have registered another device of a similar effect, specifically patent of invention number P-8703285, where the container has a complex structure and does not comprise the advantageous features which are the object of the present invention.
US-A-4,964,469 discloses a device for dispersing fire-suppressing chemicals by explosive force. The device according to US-A-4 964 469 includes a container in which is stored an explosive charge surrounded by a dry powder payload. A fuse cord protruding from the container can be used to trigger the explosive.
However, if the part of the fuse cord protruding from the container is very short, the fuse cord might be ignited too late by a fire in the vicinity of the container.
On the other hand, if the part of the fuse cord protruding from the container is long, the fuse cord is likely to be damaged, for example during transport of the device.
Another disadvantage of the device disclosed in US-A-4 964 469 is that if the fuse cord is ignited, there is no emission of sound that could warn people in the viciniyty of the device of the imminent explosion.
These disadvantages are overcome by the advantageous features of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, the fire extinguishing and prevention devices that the invention proposes includes a fire-resistant material vessel so that it is not destroyed before the explosion. It may also be of plastic with an alloy of this fire-resistant material. The explosive charge is contained in the central area of the inside of the vessel and is isolated from the extinguishing product and immobilized in its housing by any known means. The inlet of the vessel is sealed by a plug or a cap. There is also a sealing plug or cap to prevent moisture from entering during storage time, and once this sealing plug is destroyed, even the environment will wet the explosive charge sufficiently to make the device unusable.
There is a wick that surrounds the vessel and that reaches the explosive charge, this wick passing through a series of perforated lugs provided on the periphery of the vessel. A suspension element for the vessel also passes through these lugs, such as a fiber glass or asbestos string or one of any other incombustible materials to form a type of handle so the device may be hung from trees.
This suspension string that passes close to the wick also defines a protective element for the wick as it has a rather larger diameter. Any impact that is made during transport and that could damage the wick, is resisted by the suspension string.
A special characteristic that is derived from the structure of the vessel containing the extinguishing product and explosive charge and that is derived precisely from the existence of said lugs is that the wick remains clamped upon crossing the lugs, which produces warning or prevention detonations of the imminent explosion of the charge.
Additionally, the existence of a peripheral strip containing liquid or powder that causes a combustion inert environment, inhibiting a chain reaction, is provided for. Such is the case for halons or saturated halogenated hydrocarbons. Halons are very effective when extinguishing agents that do not conduct electricity are needed, or when the weight - effectiveness ratio is an important factor.
Inside the vessel and after the explosive, there may also be a signaling powder or flare that indicates the place of the explosion, either by forming a cloud of smoke, or by any other indication.
In order to make it easier to understand the features of the invention and forming an integral part of this specification, a page of drawings is provided in whose sole figure the following has been represented with an illustrative and non-restrictive manner:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Sole figure - a plan view with a sectioned quadrant, of the fire extinguishing and prevention device which is the object of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Making reference to the numbering that is indicated in the figure, we can see that the fire extinguishing and prevention device that the invention proposes is determined by vessel (1) with a general cylindrical shape and that has an inlet provided with a neck (2) in a point of its side surface.
In the side around the periphery there are lugs (3) each one provided with a pair of holes (4.)
The inside of the vessel is filled with the extinguishing product. Subsequently a tube 6 containing the explosive charge (5) is introduced through the inlet of the vessel (1), and the mouth of the tube is threaded to the neck (2) as is clearly seen in the sectioned portion of the figure.
The explosive charge fills the center area of the vessel so that when the explosion is started there is a better distribution of charges that uniformly cast the extinguishing product in the stipulated action radius, after destruction of the vessel (1.)
The explosive charge (5) is in direct communication with the wick (7) that emerges outside and that is located on the outer periphery of the vessel (1), passing through the holes (4) of the lugs (3.)
In order to prevent the wick (7) from deteriorating, or even splitting as a result of knocks during handling, or else during transport and storage, there is a protection means therefor, defined by the string (8) that follows the same peripheral path as the wick (7), passing through the pairs of holes (4) of the lugs (3.) This string (8) is used to suspend the device from a tree or the like, in the fire barrier laying foreseen for example as fire prevention.
The diameter of the string (8) is notably greater than that of the wick (7) and therefore any knock that could damage the wick (7) is endured by the string (8.)
As is seen in the figure, the vessel (1) is also provided with a second covering cap or plug (9) acting a a moisture seal.
The wick (7), upon entering and coming out through the pair of holes (4) of each of the lugs (3), remains "clamped" and during combustion of the wick detonations are caused as the part of the wick passing through these clamped areas burns, warning of the imminent explosion of the charge and therefore acting as a safety measure.

Claims

Fire extinguishing and prevention device of the type that consists of a vessel (1) containing an extinguishing product, the latter not normally being pressurized or sometimes being pressurized in specific circumstances, the extinguishing product coming out of the vessel upon automatic activation of an explosive device (5) contained in the vessel (1), the automatic activation being provided by a wick (7) extending from the inside to the outside of the vessel (1) through an inlet defined by a neck (2), inside of the vessel there is the extinguishing product and an explosive charge (5) isolated and immobilized in the center area and in communication with the wick (7) that has access through the inlet (2) of the vessel (1), the neck (2) of the vessel (1) can be plugged with a plug or cap,
characterized in that
the device consists of a plastic vessel (1) with a fire-resistent alloy, the device further consists of a string (8) of incombustible material that defines the suspension means of the vessel (1) for laying a line of devices to act as a fire barrier, the periphery of the vessel (1) has some lugs (3) each provided with two holes (4) through which the wick (7) and the string (8) pass.
Fire extinguishing and prevention device, according to claim 1, in which the string (8) has a larger diameter than the wick (7) in order to define protection means of the latter in the event of knocks.
Fire extinguishing and prevention device, according to claim 1, in which the wick (7) is clamped in each lug (3) upon passing through the two holes (4) of the same, thus causing warning detonations of the imminent explosion of the charge upon the portion of the wick passing through the lugs (7) burning.
Fire extinguishing and prevention device, according to claim 1, in which the inlet of the vessel includes a second moisture sealing plug (9) and once destroyed the moisture itself of the environment makes the device unserviceable.
Fire extinguishing and prevention device, according to the above claims, in which the vessel (1) also includes a peripheral strip, outside or inside, containing liquid or powder that causes a combustion inert environment, inhibiting a chain reaction.
Fire extinguishing and prevention device, according to the above claims, in which the housing for the explosive charge (5) also includes a signaling powder or flare, which upon the device functioning, comes out to indicate the place of the explosion.
Fire extinguishing and prevention device, according to the above claims, in which the explosive charge (5) is located in the bottom of a slightly conic tube (6), introduced in the mouth of the vessel (1) and in radial arrangement upon being provided with a flange threaded to the neck (2) of the vessel (1.)