US1022211A - Fire-extinguisher. - Google Patents

Description

J. B. THOMAS.

FIRE BXTINGUISHBR.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.23, 1911.

1,022,21 1 Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

JESSE B. THOMAS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Application led December 23, 1911. Serial No. 667,462.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn B. THOMAS, a citizen oit the United States, and resident ot' Boston, county of Suffolk, State ot' Massachusetts, have invented an In'iprovement in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to chemical fire cxtinguishers wherein the chemical ingredients are contained in a cylindrical metal canister provided with a removable fluid-tight closure, and the invention has for its object the production oi novel and ctlicient means for connecting the sealing member lor cover per manently with an annular cap adapted for threaded engagement with the neck of the canister.

The connection between the cover and the cap is so constructed that a free relative rotative movement of the parts is permitted as well as a limited relative axial movement, whereby when the cover is seated the requisite sealing cap is exerted thereupon by a continued, rotative movement o1 the cap, the cover remaining at rest or nml-rotating.

Vhen the cap is turned backward to open the canister the pressure upon the cover is first relieved and then as the cap is moved by continued rotation the connection between it and the cover serves to lift the cover, without. rotation, from its scat on the canister. r1`his arrangement obviates any rotative movement of the cover upon or against thc usual packing ring or gasket, either when closing or opening the canister, and if for any reason the cover should bind, as by corrosion, deterioration of the packing, or otherwise, requiring some :force to raise the cover, it is provided by the rising movement of the cap when turned backward, acting' through the permanent connection with a direct upward pull upon the cover.

The novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specilieation and particularly pointed out in the following` claims.

Figure 1 is mainly a vertical diametral section of the upper portion of a tire extinguisher embodying one form of my pres ent invention, the cover being shown in sealing position, and held in place by the cap, the upper end oi a cage for the acid bottle being shown suspended from the cover; Fig.

2 is a similar View ol another form of connection between the cap and cover, and the cage is shown as suspended from the cover in a di'tl'erent way; Fig. 3 is a detail in top plan Vview of a part of the comiccting or covering member shown in Fig. 2; Fig. f1 is yet another form oil.E my invention, shown in diametral vertical section, to be described hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. l the metallic canister l ot' usual construction has at its open upper end an upright tubular .neck Q externally scrow-threaded at 3, and forming at its upper end an annular lip 4. A circular impcril.orate metal plate 5 constitutes a cover ilor the canister, and as herein shown the under side ot the cover has an annular scat [3 tor a packing ring or gasket 7 of rubber or other suitable material, so located that when the cover is applied to the canister the lip l; and packing ring 7 will contact with each other. The vertical wall of the seat is undercut at 8 to assist in retaining the packing ring in place. The cover has a central, hollow projection 9 at its exterior and on the under side oi the cover is lormed a tubular externally threaded base 10 which provides a convenient support ilor a threaded hub 11 at the upper end ot the depending cage 12 for the usual acid bottle. The base ol. the external projection 9 is cylindrical., at 13, and above said base the said projection is screw-threaded at lll ttor a purpose to be described.

A cylindrical cap 15 is .internally threaded to screw onto the neck Q of the canister and project beyond it around the edge of the cover, said cap havinga circular rim 1G by means oi which it can be screwed on or oil the canister. The cap has as an integral part thereof a tlat inturned annular portion or top 17, the central opening 18 of which loosely embraces the base 10 o'l the projection 9, said top overhanging and being adapted to engage directly the outer 'tace ot the cover 5 adjacent its periphery and practically coextensive with the lip l, when the parts are assembled, to 'torce said cover downward, and thereby effect the requisite sealing engagenlent between the packing ring 7 and the lip 4t, thus closing` and sealing the canister hermetically. The closing pressure of the cap .is thus applied to the cover practically dircctly above the lip Il, and co-extcnsive therewith, to prevent any buckling or breaking strain upon the cover, as would be the case were the sealing pressure applied to an unsupported part of the cover.

A coupling or connecting member shown as an internally threaded nut 19 is screwed tightly onto the threaded part '14 of the projection 9 after the cap and cover are assembled, said nut preferably having a milled edge 20 by which its application is facilitated. This connecting or coupling member is screwed down to the top of the base 13, leaving a slight clearance between the adjacent faces of the said member and the annular portion 17 of the cap, whereby a limited relative axial movement of the cap and cover is permitted. The member 19 can be fixed in its said position by sweating, soldering, or by any other suitable means, so that the cap and cover are permanently connected. W hen the parts are thus coupled or connected it is practically impo-ssible to disconnect them without breaking either or both of said parts, yet they are freely rotative relatively and they have a limited, relative movement axially. To close the canisM ter the cap is screwed onto the neck Q and the cover 5 revolves with the cap until the lip l and packing ring 7 are brought into engagement, stopping rotation of the cover, and thereafter continued rotation of the cap causes the annular portion 17 thereof to press downward upon the external face of the cover, forcing the lip and packing ring into sealing engagement. This obviates any rubbing or grinding movement between the lip and the packing ring, as will be obvious.

Then it is desired to open the canister the cap is turned backward or unscrewed, it rising at the same time, and such axial movement brings the upper face of the annular portion 17 of the cap against the bottom of the coupling or connecting member 19, whereupon a continued rotation of the cap will lift the cover 5 and disengage the packing ring and lip by a direct pull exerted in axial direction.

Then the cover and cap are wholly detached from the canister they will remain permanently connected, as will be obvious, in readiness to be again applied to the canister when desired. The amount of clearance between the member 19 and the adjacent portion 17 of the cap determines the extent of relative axial movement between the cap and the cover, as will be manifest. By this permanent connection between said cap and cover the latter can be readily removed from the canister at any time without the use of tools or extraneous appliances, even should the packing ring and the lip stick together, for backward rotation of the cap exerts a direct and powerful lifting action in an axial direction upon the cover by or through coperation of the cap and the connecting member 19. 'Inasmuch as the acid bottle cage 12 is connected with and depends from the cover 5, it will be withdrawn from the canister when the cover is lifted therefrom.

Referring to Fig. l the construction of the cap 15 is precisely that shown in Fig. and hereinbefore described, but the cover G has instead of the hollow projection 9, a central cylindrical base 21 projecting from its outer face and screw-threaded at its upper end, at 22, to receive the connecting or coupling member 23, and this latter member may be hexagonal for the application thereto of a suitable tool or wrench, or it may be made substantially like the coupling member 19, shown in Fig. 1. The inturned annular portion or top 17 of the cap loosely embraces the smooth cylindrical base of the boss 21, the latter entering the opening 18 as before, and then the coupling member 23 is applied and set up, but leaving a clearance between the under face thereof and the outer face of the part 17 as before.

It will be apparent that in applying the cover 2 or removing it from the canister the operation is precisely the same as hereinbefore described of the structure shown in Fig. 1, the cover ceasing to rotate when the packing ring and lip are brought into engagement as the cap is screwed down to force the packing ring and lip into sealing engagement, and when the cover is to be removed from the canister the axial lifting action or pull due to backing off of the cap is exerted upon the cover through the cooperation of the inturned annular portion 17 of the cap, and the connecting member 23.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the neck 2 of the canister as provided with a series of inturned lugs 24, to support an annular head 25 forming a part of the acid bottle cage 2G and the cover 5 is provided with an internal, Central and depending threaded base 27 upon which is screwed a tubular stopper guide Q8, the object of which is to control the movement of a stopper for the acid bottle, and also to coperate with the bottle itself when the extinguisher is in operation, substantially as shown in United States Patent No. 789,810, granted May 16, 1905, to A. J. Knight.

Referring now to Fig. 2 the imperforate cover 29, is recessed at its under side to leave a depending lip 30, internally threaded at 31, and provided at its exterior with a lateral flange 32 having an upturned annular rib 33, the lip 30 being shown as undercut below the flange 32 as at 34 to retain the packing ring or gasket 35 in place in its seat. The seat for said packing ring is formed by the underface of the lateral flange 32 and the groove or undercut portion 34 in the lip 30. When the cover is applied to the canister 1, the packing ring 35 is seated upon the lip f1 of the canister neck 2.

The annular cap 15 internally threaded to engage the thread 3 of the canister neck is provided with a circular rim 16" as before, and in this form of my invention the cap has an inturned annular portion 17X which projects over the rib 33 of the cover, and loosely embraces the periphery of the cover, said annular portion 17X by bearing upon the rib 33 forcing the packing ring and lip into sealing engagementl when the cap is screwed down onto the canister neck. The rib 33 presents a relatively small surface for engagement with the part 17X of the cap, thereby reducing the friction when the cap is turned to force the cover into sealing position. The cover 29 has a central external projection or boss 36 which is externally screw threaded for a portion of its length to receive thereon the coupling member herein shown as a flat metallic disk 37 having a preferably hexagonal hub 38 which screws onto the boss 36. The hub and boss are shown in top plan view in Fig. 3, a portion of the disk 37 also being shown.

The 'ap is recessed annularly above the inturned annular portion 17X as at 39, to loosely embrace the periphery of the disk portion 37 of the connecting member. Said connecting member is screwed down tightly onto the base 36 of the cover into substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, and is secured in such position by any suitable means, leaving a clearance between the connecting' member and the annular portion 17X of the cap, so that free rotative movement of the cap and cover relative to each other is permitted and also a limited. relative axial movement of said parts is permitted.

The operation of closing and opening the canister by means of the s'trlilcture shown in Fig. 2 is precisely as has been before described for the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 4l, and such operation need not be repeated in detail.

In Fig. 2 the internal thread 31 of the cover' lip 30 is arranged to engage an externally threaded ring 40, forming the upper end of a. suitable acid bottle cage 41, which depends from and is sustained by the cover.

Various changes or modications in details of construction and arrangement may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims hereunto annexed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lire-extinguisher, a canister having a tubular neck, an imperforate cover, a cylindrical cap having threaded engagement with and projecting beyond the neck around the edge of said cover and provided with an inturned annular portion to directly engage the exterior of the cover adjacent its periphery and above the neck to force. the cover toward the neck into posit-ion to close the canister, a central projection on the outer face of the cover extended loosely through the said annular portion of the cap, and a connecting member fixedly mounted on said cover projection and extended laterally to overhang the annular cover-depressing portion of the cap, the cap and cover being freely rotatable relatively to each other.

2. In a fire-extinguisher, a canister having an open tubular end, an ilnperforate cover to close it, a cylindrical cap adapted for screw-threaded engagement with and projecting beyond the open end of the canister around the cover and having an integral, annular cover-seating portion to engage the exterior of the cover adjacent the periphery thereof and force the cover into position to close the open end of the canister, and a ring-like connecting member tixedly attached to the cover externally and centrally thereof and extended laterally to overhang the cover-seating portion of the cap, leaving a clearance therebetween, whereby said cap and cover are permanently connected while free rotative and limited axial movements of said parts are permitted.

3. In a tire-extinguisher, a canister having a. neck, an imperforate cover, a cap cooperating with the neck and extended beyond it around the cover and having an inturned, centrally open and integral top overhanging and adapted to engage directly the outer face of the cover, adjacent its periphery and above the neck of the canister, to force the cover toward the neck into closing position to seal the canister, a central projection on the cover extended loosely through the open top of the cap and threaded above said top, and a connectingmember tixedly mounted upon the threaded part of the cover projection and overhanging the adjacel'lt part of the cap top, with a. clearance between, whereby said cap and cover are permanently connected while free relative rotative and limited relative axial movements of said parts are permitted.

4l. In a lire-extingaishcr, a canister having a tubular neck, an imperforate cover, having a lateral peripheral flange provided with an upturned annular rib, a packing ring interposed between the flange of the cover and the outer end of the neck, a cylindri #al cap coperating with and extending beyond the neck around the flange of the cover and having an inturned annular portion overhanging and adapted to engage directly and externally the annular rib on the cover and thereby force said packing ring into sealing engagement with the end of the canister neck, and a connecting member permanently connected with the cover centrally thereof adjacent lits outer face and In testimony whereof, l have signed my projecting laterally over said annular porname to this speeieatlon, 1n the presence of tion of the cap, leaving a clearance theretwo subscribing Witnesses.

between, whereby the cap and cover are Con- JESSE B. THUMAS. neeted permanently While :tree relative rota- Vitnesses:

tive and limited relative axial movements of JOHN C. EDWARDS,

said parts are permitted. THOMAS J. DRUMMO'ND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, ashington, D. C.

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