US1691041A - Fire extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1928. 1 1,691,041

A. c. BADGER FIRE EXTINGUI SHER Filed Aug. 20, 1925 .jfm/eiziwv 74 72710? 6% Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,691,041 PATENT OFFICE.

I mums. c. BADGER, or NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

m-nxrmemsimn.

Application am August 20, 1925. Serial m. 51,318.

The present invention relates to fire extinguishers of the type which contain a charge of liquid adapted to extinguish fires, together with means for causing a gas to be liberated and applied upon the liquid charge at the moment of use. Its main object is to furnish a fire extinguisher in which the source of gas. pressure for expelling the charge is a confined body of liquefied or highly compressed gas in an inner cartridge or shell of such construction that escape of the confined gas is made impossible, together with means for conducting the gas when liberated from the cartridge, and when the extinguisher as a whole is inverted, to the upper surface of the liquid charge without mingling with the liquid; and to furnish a compact and efiicient portable extinguisher having certain novel and improved characteristics, as will appear from the following specification.

The embodiment of the present invention shown herein contains subject matter or1g1- nally disclosed in my pending application for fire extinguishers, filed October 31, 1924,.

- compressed gas cartridge which I prefer to use with this extinguisher;

Figure 5 is an elevation showing, 1n detail, a latch provided to hold the cartridgepiercing plunger in a certain position.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures. v

The shell of the extinguisher consists of a head 11, which for the purposes of this description may be called the upper head, because it is shown in the drawing as uppermost, a tubular section 12 and a second head 13, which may be called the lower head or bottom. The head 11 is preferably made as a castin of any suitable metal; that is a metal w ich can be cast and is not readily subject tocorrosioif. I prefer to use copper,

- brass, or bronze, but may use other metal if desired. This head is preferably circular mend view and is formed with a cylindrical skirt portion 14 and anintegral inner cylindrical partition 15 having a bottom flange 16 and so arranged as to delimit an innercompartment chamber-or pocket in which the gas cartridge 17 is'placed; In the specific illustration here given, which is that of a small extinguisher capable of being grasped around the body with one hand, the part tion 15 is eccentric to the head and substantially tangent to one side thereof, but this is a. detail which although here claimed as a novel and valuable feature, may be departed from without departure from other aspects of the invention.

The walls of the inner compartment are extended to form a neck 18, the interior of which is at least as large as any other part of the compartment; and the neck is externally threaded to take a cap'19, such cap having a lip which embraces the neck and being formed to confine and press a packing washer 20 against the end of the neck.

The part 12 of the casing is a tube, which may be a seamless drawn tube or one made of rolled sheet metal. Such tube embraces the skirt part 14 of the head 11 and is indented at 21, 21 into encircling grooves formed in outer surface of said skirt portion, whereby these members are securely united together. .They may be soldered or brazed, or otherwise hermetically joined together, in addition. The bottom head 13 is preferably made as a cup-shape member drawn from sheet metal which is inserted into the lower end of the tube and secured thereto by an inwardly rolled encircling head or roove 23. Both the tubular part and the bottom head may be made of any metal or other material suitable for fire extinguisher construction.

I he cartridge 17, which is' preferably cylindrical in form, is enough smaller in diameter than the above described chamber to permit of easy insertion thereinto and also to permit the gas, when released, to flow between its outer surfaces and the walls of the chamber. There is a hole in the bottom 16 of this chamber in which is inserted,- preferably by being screwed in, one end of a tube 24. Shoulders or seating ledges 25 are provided on the upper side of the bottom 16 to en port the cartrid 0 'with open s aces throug which gas may reely flow to e tube 24.

' The cartridge is a tube or bottle of any desired form with integral walls completely enclosing the charge of gas. It is constructed, filled, and closed essentially in the manner described in my application Serial No. 747,010 aforesaid, and in my previous application Serial No. 692,468 filed February 13, 1924, entitled Method of and apparatus for creating abnormal ressures in and sealing hollow bodies. T at is it consists essentially ofa body part and an end wall or head which are united autogenously by electric welding into an integral unit structure after the body has been filled with compressed or liquefied gas, and while the filling charge is under pressure. The line 26 in Figure 4 represents the welded union between the body and head, but this union may be located at other points than that indicated, and the cartridge as a whole may be made of other forms. The material which I have used in making such cartridges and prefer, is steel.

1 The charge contained in the cartridge may be carbon dioxide, air, or any other gas, either liquefied and under pressure, or compressed but not liquefied. Whenever "in the present specification I speak of the contents of such a cartridge as being gas, I intend to include liquefied gases as wel1 as those 1n the gaseous state. Thus in this specification the term gas so used means substances which are gases at ordinary temperatures and atmospheric pressure regardless of whether or not they are in the liquid state when confined under pressure in the cartridge.

A portion of one head of the cartridge 1s made with less thickness thanthe walls elsewhere, as shown at 27 in Figure 4, in order that. it may be readily punctured by a piercing tool, but the area of this portion is made so small that, ,in spite of its reduced thickness, it has suflicient strength to withstand the pressure of the confined gas and not be ruptured thereby.

In the cap 19 is a passage through which extends a plunger 28 having an inner end portion 29 of reduced diameter, pointed at its extremity. Such reduced portion, except for its terminal point, is cylindrical and of an area in cross section somewhat smaller than the area of reduced thickness in the cartridge head, and of a length great enough to pass through such head. In one side of this reducedportion is a narrow and shallow groove 30 of proper length and properly positioned to lie partly within and partly outside'of the cartridge, and

thus form a restricted channel for conducting gas out of the cartridge when the piercing toolthus penetrates suchhead. On the outer end of the plunger 28 is secured a knob 31 having a latching abutment formed preferably as a surrounding flange or lip 32. Such plunger or piercin tool is a means for opening the cartri ge; that rs,

vfor releasing the agent which causes pressure to be exerted on the extinguishing charge. On the side of the cap is secured a spring latch 33 adapted to hook over the lip 32 and having an inclined guide por-.

as a bail 38, is connected to the cap by pivotscrews 39, and normally extends over the knob 31 to, prevent the same from being struck and pushed inward accidentally, but

is movable aside from that position to an inoperative position, to permit of the plunger being intentionally moved inward. This bail is preferably made of a sheet metal strip bent into U-shape, having a stifiening rib in its bentportion, and with indented ofl'sets 40 adjacent to the pivots adapted to enter sockets in the adjacent part of the ca Such oilsets hold the bail in either its guar ing position or in its inoperative position with some firmness, but yield to permit its displacement from one position to another by application of suflicient force.v

There is formed in a part of the head ll an enclosed outlet passage 41 having an external orifice which is threaded to receive a coupling 42 by which an eduction hose 42 is made fast. A transverse passage crossing the passage 41 opens into the interior of the head and its outer end is surrounded by a lip 44. A valve devise is detachably secured in said transverse passage. Such valve device, in the form here shown, comprises a 'cap or plug 45' adapted to screw into the lip 44, and in which is screwed one end of a valve casing 46 having a longitudinal passage terminating in an inner or end orifice or port surrounded by a valve seat 47, and having both a lateral orifice or port .48 adapted to register with the pas-- sage 41and an external groove in the same zone with port 48 to make a flow connection with the passage in case the port should not register with it when plug 45 is screwed in tightly; A ball valve 49 is contained in the casing 46 and is pressed against the seat 47 by a 5 ring 50 reacting against the cap 45.' A strainer 51 is secured to. the irmer end of the valve casing across the inner orifice thereof. Packings 52 and 53, placed substantially as shown in Fig. I, prevent leakage around the parts of the valve device to either the outlet passage 41 or the outside of the casing. This valve device may be readily applied-and removed as a whole, and its parts may be disassembled upon unscrewing the casing member 46 from the cap 45. Other means than screw threads .may of course be used to connect the arts of the device together and to secure tie device in the head. This spring-loaded valve prevents accidental slopping or leaking of the liquid charge out of the casing, but yields and allows expulsion of the charge under the pressure of the gas applied when the extinguisher is to be used.

The extinguisher is charged, ready to be used, by filling the casing or shell with, suitable liquid. Such liquid may be water, or a non-freezing solution of salt in water, or any other liquid which is not inflammable and may be volatile, such as carbon tetrachloride. In order thus to charge the ex tinguisher the valve device is removed and the liquid may either be poured into the opening left thereby, or through the neck 18, the cap 19 being removed and the opening for the valve device then serving as a vent for escape of air. A gas cartridge 17 is placed in the chamber enclosed by thepartitlon 15. This may be done either before or after filling the main body of the extinguisher with liquid. The cap arid valve are then put inplace and made tight.

It will be understood that the gas cartridge used will be of such length, in proportion to the length of the chamber which receives it and to the length and possible movement of the piercing projection 29, that itsupper head will lie so near the piercin )IOjGCtlOIl that the latter may penetrate such head to the required depth, when pushed inward, but will not be forced through the head by the screwing down of the cap; and

the weakened area 27 is located inthe part of said upper head which then comes in line with the piercing projection. Preferably a spring 54 is inserted between the gas cars tridge and the cap to prevent the cartridge being thrown against the piercing point and accidentally punctured by rough handling or knocking about of the extinguisher.

This spring is preferably a helix, the internal diameter of which is larger than the plunger 29, and is centered by surrounding '55 on the inner end of the cap through pivots to expose the -.aside from the above at its upper end a tubular guiding extension extinguisher and.-

the as. uch channel ma be made of any epth and width desired to permit re-.

lease of the. char e ofgas at any desired.

rate of speed. he' escaping gas passes through the clearance space between the cartridge and the surrounding walls, and

through the liquid without mingling therewith, and its pressure is applied directly on thesurface of .the liquid. The valve 49 prevents escape of the liquid until such pressure is applied, and then it yields and permits flow of the liquid in a forcible stream. 7 1

While I have shown and described the embodiment of this invention whichseems preferable at the present time,.it should be understood that various changes in the details of construction may bemade without departure from the spirit of the invention or the protection which I claim.

What I, claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. A fire extin isher comprising :1 casing adapted to h dld a fire extinguishing charge and having an inner compartment near one end, opening throug such end, and adapted to hold a cartridge, a closure for the open end ofsaid compartment, a

.plunger'movably mounted in said closure a guard member embracing and through the tube 24. It is thus conducted plunger, and adapted to be turned about its 9 plunger for application of force to move it inward.

2. In a fire extinguisher having a, car I tridge-opening plunger, a guard pivotally mounted on sa1d extinguisher at opposite sides of said plunger to extend across the outer end thereof, said guard being movable v named 3; In a fire extinguisher trid e-opening pllun r projectin externally oft e extinguis er or operation y external engagement,.a guard comprising essentially,

plosit on.

aving a cara bail pivotedto the extinguisher and adapted to occupy a position in which it sq embraces and crosses the outer end of said plunger as to prevent accidental operation thereof, and another position in which it lies at one side of the Inn r.

4. In a fire extinguisher having a car-.

tridge-opening pllalnlg ,a bail pivoted to the to occupy a position in which it embraces and crosses the outer end of said plunger, and another position in which it lies at one side of the plunger, said bail having flat end portions pivoted at opposite sides of the plunger and formed with offset projections adapted to I occupy cavities in the adjacent surfaces of the extinguisher body.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising an outer shell or casing adapted to hold a liquid charge, said shell having at one end a head formed with an integral inner partition,

which partition encloses a chamber adapted.

to receive a cartridge and being open at one end, said head having a discharge outlet from the space outside of said partition at' a point adjacent to the junction of the par- -tition with the head, a cartridge containthe open end of said chamber, and a cartridge puncturing plunger mounted in the cap and movable through the same.

6; A fire extinguisher comprising an outer shell or casing adapted to hold a liquid charge, said shell having at one end a head provided with a discharge outlet at the same end, and formed with an integral inner partition, which partition encloses a chamber adapted-to receive a cartridge and being open atone end, a cartridge containing in compressed condition a substance which is a gas at ordinary temperature, said cartridge having impervious and integrally continuous walls throughout its whole extent and being formed toleave a space for flow of gas between itself and the walls of said chamber, a tube extending from the bottom of said chamber toward the opposite end of the shell mounted detachably on the open end of said chamber, and a cartridge puncturing plunger mounted in the cap and movable through the same, said plunger having a puncturing extremity of reduced diameter adapted to pass through the adjacent wall of the cartridge and formed with a channel in one side.

7 A fire. extinguisher comprising a shell adapted to be grasped in a ersons hand,

said shell having at one en -a head provided with an eccentric cartridge chamber close to one'side of the shell and an entrance opening in line with the cartridge chamsignature.

her, the head having also a discharge outlet opening from the space outside of the car-- tridge chamber at the same end,'a tube running from the bottom of the cartridge chamber toward the opposite end of the shell and opening adjacent to said opposite end, a structurally separate cartridge occupying said chamber loosely enough to permit free passage of its contents between its outer surfaces and the enveloping walls of said chamber, a cap detachably mounted on the said entrance, and a plunger mounted in said cap with provision for endwise movement and having an inner puncturing end adapted to puncture the adjacent end wall of said cartridge to release the contents thereof.

. 8. A fireextinguisher comprising a shell havin a head at one end provided with a partitlon forming an interior cartridge receiving chamber, and having an open ended inlet in line with said chamber and a hole outside of said chamber, the head being also formed with a lateral discharge passage opening into one side of said hole, a cartridge detachably and loosely occupying said chamber, a detachable cap for said inlet,

a cartridge puncturing plunger movably mounted in said cap, and a second cap ,detachably mounted upon the head across said hole and having a valve chamber occupying the hole and containing a port in communication with said discharge passage, a valve seat between said'port and the interior ofthe shell, and a spring loaded valve cooperating with said seat and adapted to be displaced therefrom by pressure developed within the shell.

-9. A fire extinguisher comprising a shell having an interior cartridge receiving chamber and an inlet to saidchamber in line therewith and constructed to permit entrance thereinto of a cartridge containing a compressed charge of gas, a cap detachably and tightly closing said entrance, means for puncturing the cartridge in said chamber to release the compressed aseous charge thereof, said shell having a ing hole at one end and an enclosed outlet passage opening from the side of said hole, a detachable cap for said hole, a valve chamberearried by said cap filling the hole when the cap is in place and having ports opening respectively into the interior of the extinguisher and into said discharge passage, 9. valvein said casing between said ports, and a spring arranged to seat said valve over the port which opens into the extinguisher.

In testimony whereof have aflixed my ARTHUR o. BADGER.

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