US1700626A - Fire-curtain-operating device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 29, 1929.

T. CARRICK FIRE CURTAIN OPERATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 25, 1927 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,626

T. CARRICK FIRE CURTAIN OPERATING DEVICE File y 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V .7 12 00226 er/627% M |NVENTOR BY afiajdlhab ATi' ORNEY Patented Jan. 29, 19291.

entree stares THOMAS CARRICK, or nnnnnwoon, nnw ann'snir. i

new i FIRE-CURTAIfN-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application filed. May 25, 1927. Serial No. 194,222. a

This invention relates to stage curtain operatmg devlces, and-lts general ob ect 1s to provide a releasing apparatus for lowering.

: vents thesudden drop of the curtain and re-- tards the speed thereof after it has reached a safe distance. and fully stops the movement thereof when it is dropped to a position to completely close the stage from the remaining portion of the building.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stage fire curtain releasing means of the character as above set forth, that also sounds an alarm simultaneously with the dropping of the curtain. a

' This invention also consists in certain other features of construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. I

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,'and in which:

I Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the curtain releasing apparatus which forms the sub ject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the trip mechanism therefor. v Figure 3 is a view taken at right angles to Figure 3 and illustrating the trip mechanism after the same has been operated. Figure 4 1s a slmilar view with the tri mechanism 1n operatlve posltion.

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of the fusible elements of my invention.

' Referring to the drawings in'detail the lettor A broadly indicates a stage provided with of one the usual decorative curtains as showmand normally arranged above-the stage and ca pable of closing the stage opening thereof is the usual fire curtain B which is adapted to be dropped to operative position throughthe instrumentality of the apparatus which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

The curtain B has fixed to its-upper edge a strip 1 which has arranged in its-length and Y rising therefrom a plurality of eyes2'arranged inpairs andiare adapted to receive one of the endsof cables 3 which are trained about sheave wheels 4 journaled to a beam 5 which restsupon eye beams of the building:

as shown. The beam 5 has also secured there- 1 to eyes 6 for receiving one of the ends of chains 7. which havetheiropposite ends. so:

cured in eyes 8 secured to the strip 1 between if the pairs of eyes 2' and arranged inparalleh.

ism therewith. It will; beobvious that the] chains 7 are adapted to limit the downward v movement of the curtain B. Y

The cables'3' by virtue of the fact of being securedto the eyes 2 are also arrangedin pairs, and one cableof each pair is fixed to a 7 cable 9 which is trained 'over'a sheave wheel '10 andhas fixed to its lower end a weight 11. The remaining cables of each pair are disposed in an opposed directionwith respectto the cables 3 which are fixed to the cable 9, and

12 whichis likewise trained over a sheave wheel 13 arranged in parallelism with the sheave wheel 10. I

The cable 12 has its lower end-securedto afframe 13 throughthe medium of an aper tured car 14 which is pivotally secured to the frame, and arranged in said frame for movement therewith is a tank l5xadapted to contain liquid which is supplied thereto by a hose source of supply. Depending from the tank- 15 and arranged in communication therewith is a drain pipe 18 which has disposed therein a valve 19 controlled. by a lever 20 in a manner which will be presently apparent. The drain "so these remaining cables are' secured to acable 16 having connection with a supply pipe 17 WhlCh is in communication with any suitable pipe 18 is mounted for slidable movement in a waste pipe 21' so that regardless of the posi tion of the tank 15, the drain pipe 18 will at -which has disposed thereon the tripping mechanism of my apparatus. Secured to and arranged in superposed relation on said supporting plate'22 are angle brackets 23 and 24:. The horizontal portions of said angle brackets are disposed in parallelism and are provided with openings through which pass rods 25 which are mounted for slidable move-- ment therein. The lower end of each rod is formed with an eye 26 and surrounding each rod is a coil spring which has one end convo- Extending forwardly "from adjacent the upper end of the supporting plate 22 and arranged upon opposite sides of the angle bracket 23 is one of a pair of apertured ears 27 which receive a shaft28 for rotation therein. Secured to the shaft 28 between the ears 27 is an elongated member 29 which has arranged midway its ends and extending torwardly therefrom is a releasing finger 30. The rods 25 are held in their lower position and against the tension of their springs as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings by the elongated member 29, and said elongated member, is held in its rod holding position through the medium of .the engagement of the finger 30 with the free endof a lever 31 which' has its opposite end pivotally secured between'spaced apertured ears 32 extending forwardly from the supporting plate 22 as best shownln F1gures 3 and 1 or the drawings. The lever 31 1s curved fronrits p1vot point in order to provid'e a hook like portion 33 which accommodates a link 34: having secured thereto a weight 35. The weight 35 has also secured thereto one end of a chain 36 which has its opposite end fixed to the lever 20 of the valve 19 as best shown in Figure l of the drawings. V r

The fusible members each include a housing 37 and these housings may or may not ranged at any-desired. place 'in the building either adjacent to or remote from the stage and curtain B. \Vlule 1 have shown. only four fusible elements and means to be operated thereby, 1t wlllbe obvious that any num-- ber may be employed with the apparatus constructed accordingly. Arranged in the housing of each fusible member is a fusible element 38 which is tapered from its ends toward its center so. as to provide a restricted central portion 39 of suitable thickness to resist ordinary temperatures, but heat from fire and heat capable of producing fire will.

' a link for fixing the same within the housing and fixed to theopposite end of said element is a wire 41 leading to the tripping mechanism and is secured to the eye 26 of one of the rods 25 as clearly shown 1n F1gure 1 of the drawlngs. Of course the wlres are su1tably trained in their passage from their fusible elements to their rods. Secured to the supporting plate 22 below the cars 32 and in amanner to be arranged in the'path of the rounded portion 42 of the arm 31 is a pair of spaced contact plates-l3 being in electrical connection with a source of energy and a signalwhich in the present instance is shown as being an electric bell 4A. 7

Rising from the frame 13 is a rod is which has secured to its upper end a piston 45, and arranged in the path of the piston 45 is a cylinder 46 having a flared lower end l? which acts to guide the piston 45 therein. The cylinder a6 is formed with a pin tality of-openings 18 at its upper end so as to allow escape of air as will be apparent. Arranged in the path 01- the lever 20 is a roller 49 adapted to engage said lever for closing the valve 19.

, From the alcove description. and disclo sure of the drawings, it'will be obvious that the elon ated member 29 accordin l so as to b C5 release the arm 31 and the weight 35 from he latter. The weight will operate the lever 20 to open the valve which will let the liquid escape from the tank 15. lVh'en the tank 15 loses sufficient liquid so as to overbalanced by the weight of the curtain B it willbe apparent that the curtain will begin to drop by gravity and raise the tank accordingly .Vhen the tank has reached a suliicient height so that the piston 45 is arranged in the cylinder l6. the movement of the curtain will be retarded and approximately at the some time the lever 20 will be actuated by the roller 4:9 to prevent it'urther escape oi liquid from the tank 15, with the result, that the curtain will be stopped gradually and thereby prevent brealuige or disarrangement of any of the hangings thereof, or apparatus for oper ating the same. and of course the curtain finally stops when the curtain completely closes the stage opening A.

It is thought from theforegoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desireit to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within 7. position and controlling the lowering thereof,

, comprising a liquid tank having connection with a gravitational curtain and to move upwardly and thereby permit downward movement of a curtain, a wei ht having connection with said curtain, said tank adapted to have liquid therein of sufficient weight to retain the curtain in raised position with the aid of the weight first mentioned, fusible ele ments, at tripping mechanism controlled by anyone of said fusible elements, a drain pipe in communicaiton with said tank, a valve in said drain pipe, means controlled by said tripping mechanism for operating said valve to open position for releasing the liquid from said tank to allow the curtain to lower under the action of gravity, and means for retarding the lowering of'said curtain.

3. Means for holding a curtain in raised position and controlling the lowering there of, comprising a weight having connection with said curtain, a frame, a liquid tank arranged in said frame, means of connection between said frame and a gravitational curtain whereby said tank when filled with liquid retains said curtain in raised position with the aid of said weight, fusible elements, a tripping mechanism controlled by anyone of said fusible elements, an alarm operated by said tripping mechanism, means controlled by said tripping mechanism' for releasing liquid from said tank to allow the curtain to drop by gravity and to simultaneously sound the alarm, and means for retarding the clownward movement of said curtain.

t. Means for holding a gravitational curtain in raised position and controlling the lowering thereof, comprising a Weight having connection with said curtain, a frame,

flexible elements between said frame and ourtain, a tank arranged in said frame and said armand being adapted to open said valve meansto allow the curtain to drop,

means in the path of said valve means to close the same, and means for retarding the downward movement of. said curta1n,fa cyle inder included in the retarding means, apiw.

ton carried by the frame and adapted to received in said cylinder. u h

5. The combination with a vertical movable liquid'tank, of a valve for normally retaining liquid in said tank, a weight for openof liquid from the tank, means normally and detachably holding said weight against gravitational movement, and thermostatic means for effecting the release of the weight when said thermostatic means is acted upon by heat.

6. The combination with a vertical mov able liquid tank, of a valve for normally retaining the liquid in said tank, a weight for opening said valve for releasing liquid from the tank, a pivoted lever normally supporting said weight, pivoted means for holding said pivoted lever in weight supporting posi 'tion, spring pressed rods mounted for slidable movement and adapted to operate said pivoted means, thermostatic elements, a wlre .ing said valve and bringing about discharge for each element and rod and being connected, I

thereto, whereby when any one of the elements is acted upon by heat it will release" the rod connected thereto'for "moving said pivoted means from said pivoted leverto allow the latter to'drop said 'Weightto open the valve.

7. The combination withv a vertical mov able liquid tank, of a valve for normally retaining the liquid in said tank, a weight opennected thereto for moving said pivoted means I from said pivoted lever .to allow thelatterto drop said weight to open the valve.

8. The combination with a vertical movable liquid tank, of a valve for normally re-' taining liquid in said tank, a weight for.

opening said valve to release liquid from said tank, a pivoted lever normally supporting rods mounted for slidable movement and adapted to operate said pivoted means, thermostatic elements, a Wire for each elementand rod and being connected thereto, Where- 7 by Whenany one of the thermostatic elements is'ectecl upon by heat it Will release the rod connected thereto for moving said pivoted THOMAS CARRICK.

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