US1282074A - Automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. R. HAMiLTON.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6.1914.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

nu: NDIKIS Psrsns co TED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN R. HAMILTON, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 SYPHO-CHEMICAL v SPRINKLER CORPORATION, OF CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NEWYYORK, CORPORA- 1 1 v TION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1914. Serial No. 836,605.

To all whom it may concern: 7 I

Be it known that I, JOHN R. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Yonkers, county of Westchester, State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Automatic Fire- ExtinguishingApparatus, of whichthe following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same This invention relates especially to automatic fire extinguishing apparatus in which the distributing system may comprise automatic sprinkler heads, hose connections or other distributing devices and is preferably normally charged with water or other nonfreezing extinguishing liquid for low temperature work.

To maintain the desired pressure in the system under normal conditions a self-sustaining static pressure pipe may be connected with and extend above the system and if desired may be in the form of a hollow flag pole on top of the building. A suitable float may be-arranged within this static pressure pipe which may be'lof limited capacity and under fire emergenoyconditions the lowering of this float may be utilized to actuate various emergency devices on the withdrawal of liquid from the system and may bring into action a chemical supp-lyltank or other'supplemcntal liquid supply to supply additional extinguishing liquid to the system under the desired high service pressure I The accompanying drawing shows in a somewhat diagrammatic way illustrative ems bodiments of this invention, the drawing being an elevation, parts being shown in section to more clearly indicate their construction.

The distributing system may be of any desired construction and may as indicated omprise one or more risers or supply pipes 1, to which may be connected various distributing pipes, such as 2, on which automatic sprinkler heads or-distributing devices 3 may be arranged at suitable intervals and the s stem may also comprise other distributin evices, such as the hose connection 5, to winch hose lines maybe connected and operated when the valve 4 is opened. The distributing system may be normally filled with water or other aqueous extinguishing liquid -such as a suitable solution of soluble and substantially inert salts to reduce the freez- Patented Oct. 22, 1918;

other extinguishing liquid employed in con- I nection with the system. It is desirable to normally maintain the distributing system under considerable pressure so as to promote the opening and initial operation of the distributing devices and this may be conveniently effected by connecting to the distributing system in any suitable way an qipwardly extending static pressure pipe lled or charged with the extinguishing liquid so that its ravity head causes the desired normal static pressure of about ten pounds or more per square inch in the system. Where the main supply of extinguishing liquid is derived from a chemical tank or other supplemental liquid supply during the emergency operation of the system the static pressure pipe may be made of relatively small capacity and in many instances it may with advantage be given an internal diameter of six or eight inches more or less and be extended up beyond the roof of the building and may be secured to any upwardly extending chimneys or other structures or even be rendered self-sustaining so as to obviate the necessity for expensive supporting means. As indicated in the drawing the static pressure pipe 6 connected to the distributing system may be so firmly su'pported and of such rigid construction as to be selfsustaining and may project to the desired the usual devices installed so that the.

pressure pipe can be used as a regular flag pole without interfering with its action in connection with the distributing system through the withdrawal of the extmguishing liquid 37 in this pressure pipe, one or more suitable vents such as 35 being preferably provided to prevent loss of head. One or more cut-ofl' valves are preferably installed in connection with the pressure pipe or flag pole extension thereof to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from the distrlbuting system during emergency operation,

and if desired automatic closing or out off valves such as all may be arranged to close each of the vents 35 under the high pressures and velocities of emergency operation to prevent further escape of air.

If desired the alarm or emergency devices may be actuated through a suitable float arranged within the pressure pipe and for this purpose the. float such as 8 may be mounted on a suitable float stem 9 so as to actuate the emergency devices in any suitable .vay as through any desirable form of loose connections with the lower portion of the stem. If desired a suitable link such as 11, may be arranged on the bottom of this stem and cooperate with any control or actuating devices which may be convenient y located within a controller casing 36. These control devices may comprise the control arm or member 23 mounted on a suitable pivot 38 within the casing and having a control pin such as 12 cotiperating with the link so as to provide the desired baclelash between these parts. Thus when under en'iergency condi tions the liquid level falls in the pressure pipe the link descends until the upper end of the slotcomes into contact with the pin 12 and thereafter the desired actuatingmovement of this control member is caused by the further descent of the float. It is for some purposes desirable to have a less gradual and more forcible actuating movement and this "maybe efiected by the use of a suitable impact actuating weight, such connected with the control member so that when the actuating movement has taken place to a certain extent this weight comes into action so as to cause a sharp impact actuation n the desired elements of the emergency or control device and minimize the possibility of sticking or corrosion of locking parts.

The control member may actuate any desired alarm or emergency device and may as indicated bring into action any suible suppleinent-al liquid supply "for the system such as a chemical supply tank whose mixing devices are actuated by the control members. The chemical supply tanlr may be normally charged with carbonate extinguishing liquid 34- and have a tipping acid container 28 mounted therein so to swing about the pivot 29. This container may l he the latch 27 with which the cat-eh 26 on the actuating stem 2st may cooperate, this stem being conveniently mounted in a suitable flexible diaphragm so as to readily move to the desired extent without allowing leakage between these parts of the apparatus. The control arm is so arranged as to come into sudden and forcible contact with the actuating stem so as to disengage th catch from the container latch and allow the container to tip so that the desired emergency pressure l through chemical action. The e? as ting'uishing liquid is under these condili instance forced into the'controller casing or other partot the distributing system through the supply connection- 31 which may be provided adjacent its lower end with a strainer, such as 32, and which may have any suitable automatic check or control valve or device such as the check valve 30 so as to permit the emergency supply of liquid in this way and makepossible the high pressure emergency operation of the system at a pressure of :30 to 100 pounds or more per square inch.

It is desirable for some purposes to have a suitable alarm or indicator to'call attention to a low water condition in the static pr ssure pipe and thus enablethis condition to be rectified-it ca-used'by slow leakage orthe like before it causes the emergency operation or the system. For this purpose a low water or leak alarm may be used'and preliminarily operated by the descentot water in the pressure pipe (Sbetor'e the point is reached at which the chemical supply tanlris brought into action and this maybe conveniently ettected by acontact pin such as 13011 the float stem which the buoyancy of thefioat normally holds up against an alarm or contact" lever 1% which may if desired'have a bifurcated end; This lever, may be conveniently mounted in a flexible diaphragm such as 15 so that its outer end is normally held down against the stop 16 so as to withdraw the electric contact 18 from the cooperating insulated contact 17 which may be in circuit with the bell 19 through the. wiresZO and battery 21. Thus in case of leakage from the distributing system the float begins to le scend after the level of the extinguishing liquid 37 has descended through the inter vening several feet or more which are alloweth to take care of slight leaks and so forth. Then the float and stem gradually descend and the outer end of the ontact lever is allowed to swing upward through the action of the connected; spring 42 so as to bring the contacts 17, 18 together and operate the electric indicating or alarm device such as the electric alarm shown. If desired also a visual indicator may be used to indi cats at any time the ellective head or height of the liquid in the pressure pipe and for this purpose a suitable pressure gage such as 39 is shown as connected to the system so that the height of the mercury l0 indicates on a suitable scale the height of the Water or non-ireezing liquid in the hollow flag pole above.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodiments, parts, materials, and arrangements,-to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the extinguishing liquid therein, a con nected float stem, a control casing communicating with said pressure pipe, a control member pivotally mounted in said casing and loosely connected with said stem through a pin and slot connection, an impact actuating device cooperating with said control member, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under 7 emergency conditions, chemical mixing actuating devices comprising an actuating control member to be thereby given an im pactactuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe, a flexible separating diaphragm on which said actuating stem is mounted and located in a passage between said casing and said supply tank and said distributing system.

2. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezingextinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the extinguishing liquidtherein, a connected float stem, a control member pivotally mounted and loosely connected with said stem, an impact actuating device cooperatingwith said control member, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions. chemical mixing actuating devices comprising an actuating stem cooperating with said control member to be thereby given an impact actuating impulse on the descent of theiliquid' in said pressure pipe, a flexible separating diaphragm on which said actuating stem is mounted and located in a passage between said casing and said supply tank andja valved supply connection between said supply tank and said distributing system.

3. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads. a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said pressure pipe below. thenormal level of the extinguishing liquid therein, a connected float stem. a control member loosely con nected with said stem, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emersaid stem cooperating with said pressure pipe,

pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in pressure pipe below the normal level of the extinguishing liquid therein, a connected float stem, a control member loosely connected with said stem, a supplemental liquid supply to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, actuating devices comprising an actuating stem cooperating with said control member to be thereby given an actuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe, and a valved supply connection betem.

5. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices, a connected small capacity pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said distributing system below the normal level of the. liquid therein, a connected float stem, a control member pivotally mounted and loosely connected with said stem through a pin and slot connection,v an impact actuating device cooperating with said control member to eifect an impact actuating impulse on the emergency withdrawal of the liquid in said system and a preliminary low water alarm actuated by said float before said control member is actuated.

6. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing distributing devices, a connected pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said distributing system below the normal level of the liquid therein, a connected float stem, a control member loosely connected with said stem, an impact actuating device cooperating with said control member to effect an impact actuating impulse on the emergency Withdrawal of the liquid in said system and a preliminary low water alarm actuated by said float before said control member is actuated.

7. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising distributmg devices, a connected pipe extending abovesaid distributing devices, afloat in said distributing system between said supply and said distributing sysliquid and comprising v a preliminary low the normal level of the liquid therein,

a cotiperating control member arranged in the liquid in said distributing system to effect an actuating impulse on the emergency withdrawal of the liquid in said system and low water alarm actuated by said float before said control member is ac tuatedi 9. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus. distributing system normally charged with exting guishing liquid and co1nprising distributing devices, a connected pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said distributing system below the normal level of the liquid therein, and a cooperating control member to effect an actuating impulse on the emergency withdrawal of the liquid insaid system.

10. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing derices, connected pipe extending above said distributing devices, a float in said distributing system below the normal level of the liquid therein, a coiiperating control member and an impact actuating device cooperating with said control member to effect an impact actuating impulse on the emergency withdrawal of the liquid in said system.

11. in automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads and hose connections, a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices and comprising a substantially self sustaining hollow pole extending above the top of the building pro vided with a vent adjacent its upper portion and containing said extinguishing liquid, a cut-off valve to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from said system into or from said pressure pipe during emergency operation, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the liquid therein, a connected fioat stem, acontrol member loosely connected with said stem through a pin and slot connection, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to ns-i said system under" emergency conditions, with charged with non-freezing extinguishingliquid and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices and comprising a substantially self sustaining hollow pole extending above the top of the building provided with a ventadjacent its upper portion and containing said extiir guisliing liquid, a cut-off valve to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from said system into or from said pressure pipe during emergency operation, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the liquid therein, a connected float stem, 21- control member loosely connected chemical supplemental to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, chemical mixing devices cotiperating'with said con trol member to be thereby given an actuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe, an indicator connected to said system to indicate the height of liquid therein and a preliminary low Water alarm actuated by said float before said control member is actuated.

13. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing liquid and comprising distributing devices including a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distrib uting devices and comprising a substantially self-sustaining hollow pole extending above the top of the building, provided with avent adjacent its upper portion and containing said extinguishing liquid, a cut-off valve to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from said system into or from said pressure pipe during emergency operation, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the liquid therein, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, and chemical mixing devices 00- operating with said float to be thereby given an actuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe.

1%. in automatic fire extinguishing appa ratus, distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comwith said stem, a liquid supply tank extinguishing V emergency conditions, and

prising distributing devices including a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices and comprising a substantially self-sustaining hollow pole extending above the top of the building provided with a vent adjacent its upper portion and containing said extinguishing liquid, a cut-ofl valve to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from said system into or from said pressure pipe during emergency operation, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the liquid therein, a supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, and actuating devices cooperating with said float to be thereby givenan actuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe.

15. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with n0n-freezing extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices including a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distrib uting devices and comprising a hollow pole extending above the top of the building and containing said extinguishing liquid, a cutoil valve to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from said system into or from said pressure pipe during emergency operation, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the liquid therein, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under chemical mixing devlces cooperating with said float to be thereby given an actuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe.

16. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguis ing liquid and comprising distributing devices including a connected small capacity static pressure pipe extending above said distributing devices and comprising a hollow pole extending above the top of the building and containing said extinguishing liquid, a cut-off valve to prevent undesirable escape of liquid from said system into or from said pressure pipe during emergency operation, a float in said pressure pipe below the normal level of the liquid therein, a supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, and actuating devices coiiperating with said float to be thereby given an actuating impulse on the descent of the liquid in said pressure pipe.

17. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a connected small capacity self-sustaining static pressure pipe containing said extinguishing tical pipe together liquid and provided with a valved vent and extending above said distributing devices and above the roof of the building adapted to be used as a flagpole, a chemical supplemental liquid supply tank to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, chemical mixing devices and a cooperating actuating member to be given an impact actuating impulse on the withdrawal of the liquid from said distributing syste 18. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices, a connected small capacity static pressure pipe containing said extinguishing liquid and extending above said distributing devices, a supplemental liquid supply to supply extinguishing liquid to said system under emergency conditions, a cooperating actuating member and an impact member arranged within the liquid in said pressure pipe and adapted to strike said actuating member on the withdrawal of the liquid from said distributing system.

19. A fire extinguishing system including fire extinguisher agent supply means having a movable controlling element, a distributing pipe leading from said supply means, a vertical pipe connected to said distributing pipe and having valved normally closed leaders or laterals, a vessel fitted upon the upper end of said vertical pipe, the vessel and the vertical pipe together with its leaders or laterals containing a non-freezing liquid, a float arranged within the vessel, an operative connection between the float and the controlling element to cause an operative movement of the latter consequent to the descent of the float in said vessel and means for preventing the escape of the extinguishing agent through said vessel.

20. A chemical mixing fire extinguisher system including a tank, an invertible acid bottle arranged therein, a movable controlling element for the acid bottle, a distributing pipe leading from the tank, a vertical pipe connected to said distributing pipe and having valved normally closed leaders or laterals, a vessel fitted upon the upper end of said vertical pipe, the vessel and the verwith its leaders or laterals containing a non-freezing liquid, a float arranged within the vessel, an operative connection between the float and the controlling element to cause an operative movement of the latter consequent to the descent of the float in said vessel and means for preventing the escape of the extinguishing agent through said vessel.

21. A fire extinguisher system including a tank, chemical mixing means therein, a distributing pipe leading from said tank, a vertical pipe connected to said distributing pipe and having valved normally closed leaders or laterals the vertical pipe and its leaders or laterals containing liquid, means controlled by said liquid for normally p1'e venting an operation of said chemical mixing means and operable consequent to the venting of said liquid through an open distributing valve to provide for an operation flopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

of said chemical for preventing the tank.

Witnesses the escape of said liquid into C. N. FULLER, A. J. RICHARDS.

by addressi Washington, D. (3.

mg the Gemmissionei' of Eatents,

mixing means, and means

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