GB379348A - Improvements relating to containers for fluids under pressure - Google Patents

Abstract

379,348. Emergency flotation gear KIDDE & CO., Inc., W., 140, Cedar Street, New York, U.S.A.-(Assignees of Mapes, D. ; Mamaroneck, New York, U.S.A.) May 27, 1931, No. 15569. Convention date, June 12, 1930. [Class 4.] A container for fluid under pressure, suitable for fire-extinguishing and the inflation of flotation bags for aircraft, is provided, with means for releasing the fluid, and, in association with said means, an indicating member actuated by said means for showing when the fluid has been released. As shown, the container 6 is sealed by a seal 15<1> adapted to be ruptured by a tubular cutter 22. The latter has a spindle 23 threaded in a coupling head 16 and operable by a stem 26, pulley 28, and cable 30. The stem is rendered gastight by a shoulder 27 and nut 20. The head 16 is associated with a casing 35 in which are slidable an indicating member 45 normally raised by a spring 46, and a piston 38. The latter carries at its upper end a ball socket 43 in engagement with a cam surface 49 on the pulley. When the latter is rotated to drive in the cutter and release the fluid, the cam surface causes the piston to drive down the indicator, so that its lower end, which may be coloured, becomes visible through openings 48 in the casing. The indicator is retained in its lowered position by means of an angular groove 45<111> and a spring latch 51. The latter is so arranged in a recess in the casing that it can only be withdrawn from operative position after the head 16 has been removed from the container. When the piston 38 has been driven down, it opens communication between the delivery port 34 for the fluid and a discharge line 50. If the disc 15 is ruptured unintentionally by excessive pressure within the container, the escaping fluid is prevented by the piston 38 from passing to the discharge line 50, but passes by passages 41, 42 in the piston to a restricted passage 45<1> in the indicator 45. Here, it forces down the indicator to indicating position, and then escapes by the apertures 48. In a modification, Fig. 7, a separate indication of unintentional release of the fluid is provided. A side outlet from the head 16 is provided with frangible discs 74, 76. When these discs are broken by the escaping fluid, a coloured indicating disc 79 becomes visible. The pressure fluid may be applied to the inflation of flotation bags for aircraft. The bags are enclosed in-envelopes 1, Fig. 2, the cover flaps f<5> of which are held closed by wires 2 engaging ringlets 3. The wires are connected to a piston 61 arranged in a cylinder 12, one end of which is connected by a pipe 11 to the discharge port of the container 6, and the other end to the flotation bags by a pipe 5 provided with a non-return valve 14. When the pilot opens the container by means of the cable 9 and lever 8, the gas first moves the piston to open the envelopes and then passes through the pipe 5 into the bags.