US1998721A

US1998721A - Fire extinguisher

Info

Publication number: US1998721A
Application number: US607328A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph Z Hopkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-04-25
Filing date: 1932-04-25
Publication date: 1935-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-23

Description

Patented Apr.r23, 1935 1 v UNITED VSTATES PATENT OFFICE 1,998,721 I l FIRE'EXTINGISHER- Ralph Z. Hopkins, Detroit, Mich. f Application April 25, 1932, serial No. 607,32s1- 6 claims. (o1. 169-26) This invention relates to iire extinguishers and Before explaining in detail the present invenparticularly, although not exclusively, to that tion it is to be understood that the invention is general type employing a frangible container or not limited in its application to the details of receptacle, such'as glass,` adapted` to contain a construction and arrangement of parts illusfv 5 quantity of re extinguishing fluid, and also trat-ed in the accompanying drawing, sincethe 5 utilizing a hammer device controlled by a fusible invention is Vcapable `of other embodiments .and substance adapted to lfuse or meltat a predeof being practiced or carried out in various ways. termined temperature for releasing thehammer Also it is to be understood that the phraseology device under spring pressure so that the hammer or terminology employed herein is for the purpose 10 Will break thecontainer and release the fire exof description and not of limitation, and it is not 10 tinguishing fluid. intended to limit the. invention claimed herein An objectof the present invention is to probeyond the requirement of the prior art. vide a fire extinguisher of the foregoing character In onev form of the invention ras illustrated in in which a iireextinguishing fluidvmay be used the drawing, the iirel extinguisher comprises a which is of a character adapted .to react rapidly container 9 which isy preferably in the form of a l5 upon exposure to theatmosphere'and produce a glass jar provided with va filling neck M The gas or vapor blanket effective to extinguish the receptacle preferably contains a fluid, such for re. In accordance with one aspect of the inexample as carbon tetrachloride, which upon ex vention wherein it is ,desiredto utilize a fire exposure to the atmosphere will react and produce a tinguishing material Vof this character and pregas heavier than air. `Other suitable extin- 20 vent any danger of tampering with 'the device guishing fluid may be employed as desired. The or of decomposition of the fluid, the invention neck I0 of the container is preferably provided contemplates the yprovision of means for permawitha horizontal rib Ilia and in the presentin nently sealing the container. Y stance is closedby means of ametal cap II.v This A further object of the invention is to procap is first stamped into cup shapeto embrace the 25 vide a fire extinguisher in which the hammer deneck of the jar, a gasket I2 being interposed bevice is held in retracted position under spring tween the cap and the upper edge of the neck, pressure by means of a Vfusible element and in and is :then mechanicallyrolled around and be- Which the force of the spring is transmitted in neathvthe rib or flange Illa producing a tight and reduced ratio tothe fusible means thereby prepermanentlyV sealed joint. Where it is desired to 30 55 removal.

`venting any danger of the release of the fusible suspend the device froml the wall, the cap II means at a temperature lower than that at which may be provided with anintegrally projecting the device is setto operate.' A .l f hanger 'member I3 extending from the 4rolled Y Other objects of this invention Will appear in edge of the cap and provided with an aperture by the following descriptionv and appended claims, means of which the device may be attached to 30 Yreference being had to the accompanying drawthe wall I5 through the medium of a screw or a ing forming a part of thisspecication wherein hook I4. A

Ylike referencey characters designate correspond- The operating' mechanism is carried in the ing parts in the several views. Y .o present instance by means of a suitable metal 40 In said 'drawing'v Fig. 1' iS'fafSide elevation, supporting plate I6 preferably shaped to the 40 partly broken away, illustrating va fire eXtincurvature of the jar. This plate is provided with 811151181l embOdyIlg the IlVeIlOD'- y pairs of projecting tongues l1 struck up from the Fig. 2 is a further elevation-thereof. metal thereof, and the'platemay be clamped to Fig.V 3 is a fragmentary top plan view; z Athe jar by means of flexible metal straps I8 and Fig, 4 ,is a detail section taken through lines I9. The inner end of each strap is bent to pro-r 45 4--4o f Fig. 2. vide a hook portion I8a adapted to interlock Fig- 5 iS a detail SeCtOn taken through lines v.with the tongues I1, andthe ends of the straps, 5 5 0f Fg`2 mi as shown in Fig. 6, are permanently joined under Fig. 6 is a detail setionrtaken through lines tension by folding the ends together asshown 6-6 of Fig. 1.. .at 2l).

' Fig. 7 is a fragmentarysection illustrating aV The supporting plate I6 is 'also provided with modified method of supporting the container.V `integrally projecting lugs `2I struck out from the Fig. Y8 is a detail View illustrating al modified metal thereof, these lugs carryingk a transverse means for clamping the' fusible element against riveted pin 22 on which is mounted a coiled spring r 1 p23, In the illustrated embodiment of the in- '95 vention the wire of the spring has an integrally extending portion 24 to the end of which is attached a hammer 25.

According to the invention a reducing or differential mechanism is interposed between the spring and fusible element and in the present example is in the form of a fulcrumed lever connected to the hammer wire 24 and to the fusible element at diiferent distances from the fulcrum. The supporting plate I6 is provided with struck out lugs or tongues E25 carrying a transverse riveted pin 25 on which is pivoted a lever 21. The

head of this lever has an arm 28 terminating in,- a notch adapted to connect to the hammer wire and also has an arm 29 for connection to the fusible element. The arm 2S is adapted to lodge between lugs or tongues 30 Struck out from the metal of the plate I6. These lugs have alined apertures through which is inserted a pin 3l of suitable metal alloy capable of melting at thel predetermined temperature, such for example 165 F. The ends of the fusible pin 3l may be riveted over, as shown in Figs. l and 2, so as to permanently'lock the fusible element in place against unauthorized removal, and when the fusible pin is in place the lower end of the lever arm 29 is held thereby against outward swinging movement, as shown in Fig. 4. The connection betweenthe hammer arm 24 and the short arm 23 of the lever is in the present instance accomplished by means of a metal eyelet 32 which embraces the wire 24 and lodges in the notch behind the arm 28. Preferably the eyelet link 32 is locked against unauthorized detachment, and this may be accomplished by means of notches in the lugs 25 which form projections 33 underlapping the link 32 as shown in Fig. 4, As illustrated in Fig. 2 the supporting lugs 30 for the fusible element are preferably positioned at an angle and the lever arm 29 extends at a corresponding angle so as to lie out of the path of the hammer arm 24.

It will be understood that when the temperature rises to the predetermined degree thejfusible element 3l will fuse or melt, releasing the arm 29 whereupon the tension of the spring arm 24 rwill'swing the lever about its pivot 215,V releasing the link 32, whereupon the hammer will be actuated by the spring 23 to break the jar. The position of the hammer at this time is illustrated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

Heretofore it has been the conventional practice to connect they hammer or its operating spring directly to the fusible element, or in such manner that the force exerted by the spring on the hammer is transmitted in direct ratio to the fusible element. Hence, in previous devices there has been a pressure or force exerted on the fusible element corresponding to the force of the spring. These fusible elements are usually made of suitable metal alloy capable of melting at yany predetermined temperature. Where, however, the force of the hammer arm is applied directly to the fuse, I have found that there is a tendency for the :Fuse to weaken or fatigue at a lower temperature than that at which it is set to melt. For example, a fuse set at 165 might weaken under hammer pressure of five or ten pounds at a temperature of from 25 to 40 below-theset temperature, resulting in releasing the hammer and thus breaking the jar. This might frequently occur, for example, where the temperature in an attic reaches a high point in summer time, causing the release of the hammer device without the presence of any fire. I have found that the pressure which the fusible pin will stand when cold often has little relation to the tendency of the fusible pin to fatigue under pressure at temperatures above 100 F., and although the fusible element may be theoretically produced so as not to fatigue, this is very difficult in commercial production. I have found that a fusible element designed to melt at 165 F. might be produced capable of withstanding as much as several hundred pounds shearing pressure when cold but which would give at temperatures around 135 F. under continued pressure of only ten pounds.

These disadvantages have been overcome in the present invention by interposing a differential or ratio changing means between the fusible element and the spring. One form of leverage is illustrated in the present embodiment, although it is understood that various differential means may be employed as alternative arrangements within theA spirit of this invention. /I haveI illustrated a simple form of leverage in 'which the fulcrum of the lever 21 is at 26 and the force of the spring is applied at 28 relatively near the fulcrum. This force, which might for example be ve pounds, is transmitted at a disproportionately 'less ratio to the pin 3| by the long arm of the Yagainst unauthorized opening. I preferably first place over the open neck Hita sheet of cellulose material 50, Ysuch asfcellophane, or other like cellulose derivative. This material is permanently held in place by interposing an adhesive substance, such as a glue not soluble in the iiuid,

between the sheet and edge of the jar neck.

The gasket l2 is preferably of some compressible material,v such as cork, and the capV H is rst applied under considerable vertical pressurel so that the gasket l2 forms a cushion effective to compensate for irregularities in the upper edge of the jar and hence adapted-to press the cellulose sheet into uniform contact with the glass at all points. An air tight bond is thus produced. The press-ure on the cap is maintained during the operation of rolling'its edge around the flange |00.. As a result of this method a'closure is produced which cannot readily be tampered with and which will prevent any danger of decomposition of the iiuid.

The construction illustrated inFig. y7 is substantially the same as in the previousembodiment with the exception that a separately formed angle member 13a is provided, this memberbeing clamped in position against the flange or bead Illa by means of the side ange I l ofthe cap when the latter is rolled beneath the flange or bead" of the Jar. A f

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 8 the fusible pin 3 lA is locked in' position by means of a metal clamp 5l. This clamp is stamped'to provide opposed pockets withinv which the ends of the 3| are anchored and is pressed into position to embrace the tongues 30 and permanently hold the fusible element againstI unauthorized removal. f

I claim: 1. A fire extinguisher comprising a frangible container, a hammer device, means for supporting said device in position to engage the'container, a spring acting on the hammer device and adapted to be deiiected When said hammer device is retracted, a lever comprising a pair of arms extending in the same direction and fulcrumed intermediate the ends of said arms, said arms being of different lengths, a connection between said hammer device andthe shorter arm'of said lever, and an independently supported fusible element positioned for engagement by the longer arm of said lever for holding the same in position to maintain the hammer device in retracted position, said connection being releasable upon fusing of said element to permit actuation of the hammer device.

2. A re extinguisher comprising a frangible container, a supporting plate mounted on said container, a Ahammer carried by said plate to engage and fracture the frangible container when released, a spring acting on the hammer and `adapted to be deflected when the hammer is retracted, means carried by said plate for independently supporting a fusible member, a rockablev lever fulcrumed on said plate and having a relatively long arm engaging said fusible member for transmitting thereto a minorportion of the spring force ineffective to releasethe fusible member at temperatures materially lessthan the melting temperature thereof, and means for releasably connecting said hammer device to said lever at a point substantially nearer said fulcrum than the point of engagement of said arm and fusible member, said means'being effective upon destruction of said fusible member to release the hammer device and permit actuation Y porting said fusible element, said lever acting to transmit from the spring a force on said fusible element ineffective to release the latter at temperaturesfmaterially less than the melting point thereof, a link detachably connecting said device and lever in such manner that upon destruction of said element the connection is released thereby'permitting actuation of the hammer device, and means for locking said link to the lever when the latter is in operative engagement with lthe y Vdevice to said fusible element.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a frangible jar adapted to contain a fire extinguishing fluid, a hammer device having spring actuated means adapted to actuate said hammer device upon the release thereof to` strike and fracture said frangible jar, a fusible element, means for supporting said element in fixed position, and means for locking the hammer device against release except upon fusing of said fusible element, said means including a fulcrumed lever having connections with the hammer device and fusible element at different distances from its fulcrum to transmit a decreased force from the hammer device to said element.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a permanently sealed air tight frangible container containing fluid adapted to react on exposure to the atmosphere, a supporting plate clamped to the container and having a hammer pivotally mounted thereon, a spring for actuating the hammer to CER'HMCATE F GRREC'EEP# aten No. LQS, 172i. April 23, W35;

'RALPH Z. HOPKENS.

is zeby ceried chai error appears in the: prine specification @i the absyve numbered miem reqaring cmreen as foisws: age 3, secon commu, line Z, daim it, *2m* "evei" read slmen; m lines 29 am 34, clams and 5, rsgecvely, @fier "iuisum" insert he Wards in sash a mnner as; and that the sai Lamers aea should be read with these wrrecis mren tm the Sams may @miam t@ me restr 0 the case in the Paem ice.

Signed m seaed his h day si Emy, A. D. i935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Comu-iissimsg of atens,