GB310266A - Improvements in or relating to fire extinguishers - Google Patents

Abstract

310,266. Wheelock, J., Sept. 13, 1928. No Patent granted (Sealing fee not paid). Extincteurs; sprinklers, automatic. - A fire - extinguisher which operates on inversion is held in unstable equilibrium by a fusible stop, and is combined with means which automatically commences to drive a centrifugal spraying device when the extinguisher is released and overturns. As shown, the extinguisher 1 is pivoted between standards 4 on a bracket 23 by means of pivots 2<a>. It is held erect by a pin 5 seated in slots 6, 6<a> in a pivot block 2 and in the standard 4 respectively. The pin 5 is forced wholly into the slot 6, allowing the extinguisher to overturn, by a spring-pressed plunger 9 upon the fusion of a solder key 11 normally engaging a groove in the plunger. The cap 18 of the extinguisher encloses a rotatable nozzle 19, Fig. 5, and has a slot 22 in the direction in which spraying is desired. The nozzle 19 is fast on a shaft 24 to which is secured a coupling member 25 formed with an inclined gudeway 26 and a squared socket 27. As the extinguisher falls to its inverted position, the guideway 26 engages the squared end 29 of a rod 30 and guides it into the socket 27, the rod 30 being spring supported, Fig. 6<a>, to permit this. The rod 30 is adapted to be rotated, to rotate the nozzle 19, by a spring motor, but is normally held from rotation by a squared part 34 engaging a hole in a worm wheel 32 which is held fast by a pawl 35 and stop 36. As the rod 30 is depressed by the coupling member 25, a rounded part 39 is moved into the hole in the worm-wheel, so that the rod 30 is free to rotate. In normal position, the spring motor can be wound up through the rod 30, worm-wheel 32, a worm 38, and shaft 37. As the nozzle 19 rotates, the extinguishing medium is sprayed out through the slot 22. In a modification, the extinguisher has a fixed nozzle and is itself rotated by a motor and coupling similar to that already described, or is oscillated by a motor and a reversing mechanism including a toothed segment and a pair of oppositely-disposed pinions. In this arrangement, the extinguisher carries a ring engaging a ballbearing in the pivot blocks 2. In another modification, Figs. 10 and 11, the extinguisher cap carries a lantern pinion 51 which, as the extinguisher overturns, engages the clutch pins 52 of pivotal arcs 53 which are normally held open by springs 55 and are carried by a shaft 54 connected to a spring motor. The pinion 51 also engages a sliding rod 56 which operates to start the motor.