US1234469A - Automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

W. L. HARRIS. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS;

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. I916.

Patent-ed July 24, 1917.

,2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. L. HARRIS.

A'HC FIRE EXTlNGUISHING APPARATUS.

AUTOM I APPLICAHON FILED NOV 22.1916. 1,234A69.

Patented July 24, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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are rarnr current WILLIAM L. HARRIS, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW HAGAN, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 19117.

Application filed November 22, 1916. Serial No. 132,859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic F ire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in an automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, and is especially adapted to be used in connection with dry cleaning plants employing rotary dry cleaning machines such as washing machines, and centrifugal extractors, the object being to provide an apparatus in which a sprinkling system is employed controlled by a destructible releasing device whereby the fire extinguishing apparatus will be automatically set in operation in order to extinguish the fire in the dry cleaning plant by sprinkling the machine with an extinguishing fluid.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguishing apparatus which can be readily installed in any well known makes of dry cleaning apparatus now in use, and one in which steam or a chemical fluid can be employed as an extinguishing medium.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fire extinguishing apparatus in which the fluid supply pipe is provided with a valve normally held in closed position and adapted to be actuated by the releasing of an actuating rod which is normally held in set position and is released by a releasing device employing an inflammable material for releasing a pivoted latch in order to allow the actuating rod to open the valve in order to supply fluid to the machine, additional means being provided for closing an electrical circuit for indicating the location of the fire or sounding an alarm.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a releasing device for the extinguishing apparatus which is exceedingly simple and cheap in construction and one in which a pivoted latch is normally held over a catch by a member arranged in the path of said latch, said member resting on an inflammable material which when consumed allows the latch to move ofl of the catch in order to release the actuating rod so as to actuate the valve.

Another and still fiirther object of my invention is to provide a fire extinguishing apparatus which is capable of being used in connection with various forms of machines, the releasing device being mounted Within a box or frame protected by a foramr nated cover in order to prevent the pivoted latch from being accidentally disengaged from the catch.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

lVith these objects in view,

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken away illustrating the application of my in vention to a dry washing machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a top plan illustrating the application of my invention to a centrifugal extractor.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the extractor showing the position of the extinguisher.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the releasing device showing its connection with the extinguishing fluid controlling valve.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the releasing device with the foraminated cover in open position showing the pivoted latch held in position over the catch by the inflammable material.

Fig. 7 is an edge view of the pivoted latch showing the inflammable material removed.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the releasing device.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of an arm carried by the valve actuating lever.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the finger carried by the spring actuating rod.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of an inflammable covering for the releasing device, and

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the pressure tank.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In constructing the releasing device in accordance with my invention, I employ a rectangular frame or box 1 preferably formed of sheet metal having a centrally disposed supporting plate 2 on which is pivotally mounted a lever 8 which has connected to one end thereof a pivoted latch l adapted to engage a catch 5 carried by a cen trally disposed plate 2, said latch being connected to the frame 1 by a coil spring 6 which normally has a tendency to hold the latch out of engagement with the catch as will be hereinafter fully described. The pivoted latch 41: is provided with a lateral apertured extension 7 guideway 8 in which is adapted to be arranged an inflammable strip 9 preferably formed of celluloid which is preferably provided with an opening adapted to register with the opening of the extension 7, but of a small diameter, and over which ismounted a retaining member 10 secured within a block 11, carried by the frame 1 by a set screw 12, as clearly shown indotted lines in Fig. 6, whereby the pivotedlatch a will be normally held in position over-the catch 5. When the inflammable material is consumed, the-retaining member 10 "is free-to pass through the aperture of the extension 7 so as to release the, pivoted latch and the spring 6- will draw the latch olf' of the catch 5 so as to oscillate the lever3.

Pivotally connected to the opposite-end of the lever 3 is an actuating'rod-13 which extends through an openmgformed in the frame 1 andthrouglra fixed element l iof' the cleaning apparatus to which the device is applied, andis provided'wvith an adjustable fin-ger 15' at-its end provided witha collar carrying-a set screw for holding-the same in adjusted position on the actuating-- rod. Disposed between the fixed element 141- andan adjustablesleeve-16, mounted ion the actuating rod 13, is a coil spring 17 normally compressed when the device is in the position as shown in Figs. 5and 6- so that when the inflammable material burns so as to release the pivoted latch, the actuating rod 13 1 is moved longitudinally by the action of the spring, whereby a springactuated valve rod isprovided as will be hereinafter fully de scribed The finger 15 carried by the spring actuated rod 13' is slidably mounted within a slotted arm 18 carried by avalve lever 19 pivotally mounted on a bracket 20 extending from a valve casing 21or a fluid supply valve lever so that a bell, can be rung or an indicator actuated when the valveisopened. In order to provlde means for protecting the releasing device, I provide-the frame 1' with apivoted frame 24*liavinga foraminated covering 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 5;

provided with a.

pressure tank 28 as shownin-Fig. 12, which is adapted to be used whena chemical fluid 1s employed as an extingaushlng element.

The particular construction of fluid tankcan be varied although as shown, the pressure line is connected to the tank by a check valve and extends downwardly into the tank in order to agitate theliquid within the tank, said tank having an outlet pipe at the bottom thereof.

Arranged on the supply pipe- 27 is-'-'th'evalve casing 21- whieh" is connected I to the releasing devicei-nthe manner above-described, said pipe extending into the--washing mach-ineand is provided with per-fo rated b'ranches- 29 which can be arranged at any desired point so as-to spraythefluidi horizontally. towardthe center: of the ma chine, some of i said branchesbeingarranged to. spray down into the-machine and-toward the top of the opening. I depotwish to limit myself-I to the manner of arranging these pipes-with in the machine as the main object'ofmy invention is to provide an-automaticfire extinguisher in' wh ich the supply In the application of my improved fire extinguisher -as shown in Figs. 3 and l, 30

indicates the supply pipe which is provided with circular branches 30 and 31, the branch 30 being disposed within the top of the outside drum having openings for-sprayingthe fluid I withinthedrum and: the other bna-nch 31 is arranged *to=-spray down over theoutside-of the machine toward thecenter at an angle about thirtydegreeathe releasing device being, arranged and conu ected to: 1,1, the valve casing-"21 as--clearly-show n, and when fire occurs in the extractonhaving an extinguishing apparatusas herein shownand described, thevalve will be instantaneously opened in orderto all'ow the extinguishing fluid to be sprayed i11to:and ove1 the machine The operatlon'of the fire extinguishing apparatus as hereinshown; 1s as-follows 2 When toward the side of the casing or frame by the .spring 6 so as to draw it out of the path of the catch which releases the spring actuated rod 13 and by the action of the spring, the same is reciprocatedso as to oscillate the valve lever which opensthe valve so as to allow the extinguishing fluid to pass through the supply pipe and to the branches or spraying nozzles and at the same time the circuit is closed so as to indicate the location ofthe fire or to sound an alarm.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a fire extinguishing apparatus in which a supply pipe is arranged and connected with a series of perforated branches disposed within and above the cleaning machine, said supply pipe having a valve connected with a releasing device which actuates the valve when a fire occurs so as to allow the extinguishing fluid to pass through the supply pipe to the ma chine. .1

I claim:

1. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlled supply pipe, of a spring actuated rod having a con nection with said valve, a pivoted lever connected to said rod, a latch carried by said lever, a spring for moving said latch in one direction, a retaining member, and destructible means carried by said latch arranged to engage said retaining member.

2. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlled fluid supply pipe, of a spring actuating rod for said valve, a pivoted latch for holding said rod in operative position, destructible means carried by said latch, and a retaining member arranged in the path of travel of the destructible means of said latch.

3. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlled fluid supply pipe, of a lever for actuating said valve, a spring actuated rod having a sliding connection with said lever, and pivoted means including a destructible member for holding said actuating rod in set position.

4-. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlled supply pipe, of a spring actuated rod having a connection with said valve, a lever connected to said rod, a spring actuated latch connected to said lever, destructible means carried by said latch, and a retaining member arranged in the path of said destructible means.

5. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlled fluid supply pipe, of a lever connected to said valve, a spring actuated rod having a sliding connection with said lever, a frame, a lever mounted in said frame having a connection with said actuating rod, a pivoted latch carried by the free end of said last mentioned lever, a catch adapted to be en- 'tion,

gaged by said latch, destructible means carried by said latch, and a retaining member arranged within the frame and adapted to engage said destructible means.

6. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlled fluid supply pipe, of a spring actuated rod having a connection with said valve, a frame, a lever mounted in said frame having a connection with said actuated rod, a catch ar ranged within said frame, a pivoted latch carried by said lever cooperating with said catch, a spring for moving said latch off of said catch, a destructible member carried by said latch, and a retaining member arranged within the frame engaging said destructible member.

7 In a tire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlling lever, of a slotted arm carried by said lever, a spring actuated rod, a finger carried by said rod extending into the slotted arm, a pivoted latch for holding said rod in set posiand a destructible member carried by said latch cooperating with retaining means.

8. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve controlling lever, of an actuating rod having a connection with said lever, a spring for forcing said lever in one direction, a second lever carried by the end of said rod, a catch, a latch carried by said second lever cooperating with said catch for holding said rod in set position, a spring for drawing said latch ofi of said catch, a destructible member carried by said latch, and a retaining member arganged in the path of said destructible mem- 9. A fire extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve controlled fluid pipe having spray nozzles, and a releasing device comprising an actuating rod having a connection with said valve, said releasing device having a pivoted latch for holding said actuating rod in set position, and destructible means for holding said latch.

10. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a valve actuating rod, a lever connected to said rod, a catch, a spring actuated latch carried by said lever cooperating with said catch, a destructible member carried by said latch, and a retaining member arranged in the path of said destructi ble member.

11. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of a lever mounted within said frame, a valve actuating rod connected to one end of said lever, a catch, a pivoted latch connected to the other end of said lever having a guideway, a destructible member arranged within said guideway, a spring for moving said latch off of said catch, and an adjustable retaining member arranged to engage said destructible member.

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