US2001394A - Fire extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

May 14, 1935- l c. A. NRGREN 2,001,394

FIRE EXTINGUISHE Filed OCT.. 26, 1931 g- Y w lNVENToR. l

BY l Wam/@f4 a/Fn/ ATToRNEY FIRE EXTINGUISHEB.

. Carl A. Norgren, Denver, Colo.

Application October 26, 1931, SerialyNo, 571,137

' Vnl wi. ics-31) This invention relatesto iire extinguishers of the type exemplied in the co-pending application for Patent Serial No. 509,166, led January 16, 1931.

5 The distinguishing feature of this type of extinguisher resides inthe provision of a container for a tire-extinguishing liquid, such as carbon tetrachloride, and in direct connection therewith a normally sealed capsule containing a pressure l gas and having an outlet closed by a seal which when punctured, vadmits the gas to the container. The container has a normally closed outlet through which the fire extinguishing liquid is forcibly ejected under pressure of the expanding l gases, and manuallyloperatei means 1 are provided for puncturing the seal of the capsule when the device is put in operation. The present invention resides in improvements in details of construction and in the provision of improved 29 and newly devised parts all of which enhance the eiiciency of the extinguisher and aid in maintaining it in a condition for instant use during an unlimited period of time, and under circumstances which frequently impair the operativeness of extinguishers of different types used heretofore. The nature and construction of the improvements will be fully brought out in the following description and in the hereunto appended claims, it being understood that while the novel .features of the present invention have. been shown in a practical form, variations in their form and construction may be resorted to within the scope oi the invention.

In the accompanying drawing inthe several views oi which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure 1 represents a partially broken elevation oi the improved extinguisher,

Figure 2, a sectional elevation of the upper end-portion of the same, drawn to an enlarged scale, i

Figure 3, a section taken on the line 3 3, Figure 2, and

Figure 4, an enlarged sectional view of the strainer at the intake end of the siphon tube of the device.

Referring further to the drawing, the improved fire extinguisher comprises a cylindrical container 5 made of suitable pressure-resisting metal such as drawn steel, and having semi-spherical ends. The container may be copper-plated, interiorly, to resist corrosion and its exterior surface may be nickel plated or otherwise finished.

The cylinder is usually made in two parts lapping end-portions of which are united by means structed is capable of withstanding unusually large pressures far exceeding the pressure of ap- 5 proximately 250 pounds to which the device is subjected in ordinary use.

The container has at its upper end, a central opening 6 in which iits an exteriorly flanged neck 1 for the support oi a capsule-housing B.

The ilange la of the neck engages the inner surface of the container around the opening and the housing 8 has a corresponding shoulder 8a `bearing upon the outer edge of the neck l.

The capsule housing and the neck have, re- 15 spectively, exterior and interior screw threads whereby the one may be screwed into the other, and a gasket e preferably made of copper, placed between the shoulder of the housing and the end of the neck, seals the joint between the parts. 30 The capsule-housing is of one-piece construction, it is exteriorly threaded at its upper open end for the application of a screw-cap I0, and it has at its lower end, within the container, a recess l2 to provide a seat for the slightly smaller neck 25 I3@ of the capsule shown at I3.

The body of the capsule occupies the housing and projects without the same into the screwcap l0 and the contracted neck l3a of the capsule is hermetically'closed .at its end by a metallic 30 seal I4 so formed that it may be punctured under pressure to provide an outlet for the, pressure 'fluid with which the capsule is filled at the fac tory. A sealing ring i5 made of soft leather or other suitable material, is placed in the recess 35 to support the capsule and to effect an air-tight seal when the capsule is pressed downwardly by rotation of the screw-cap. A small paper lining I6 is placed around the body of the capsule inside the housing to prevent rattling of the capsule 40 especially when the extinguisheris mounted in or transported bya moving vehicle. Supported upon the bottom of the-recess I2 by means of a flange Iia is a sharp-pointed prong or needle I1 which extends through the sealing ring I5 and 45 which is adapted to puncture the seal of the capsule under pressure. The prong or needle has an' axial bore for the passage of iluid discharged from the capsule into a valve chamber I8 a-t the extreme inner end of the housing '8, and ,thence 50 through4 one or more-apertures I9a inthe wall of a screw-cap i9 that closesthe valve-chamber, into the container 5.

^ A spring-pressed:disk-valve 20- provided withl a seal of soft resilient material not aiected by 55 .of sufcient size to insure in the operation of the device the instant and constant ejection of the ilre extinguishing liquid in a steady stream by pressure of the expanding gases discharged from the punctured capsule.

'Ihe outlet of the container is provided with a 4 jet 22 at the upper portion of the same. The jet or nozzle is screwed into a shouldered plug 23 sealed in an opening of the container, and its narrow bore is alined with a bore of the plug,

.into which the liquid contents ofthe container are ejected by means of a Siphon-tube 24.

The Siphon-tube extends in substantially parallel relation to the axis of the container, to a point'adjacent the lower end of the same, and terminates in a strainer-block 25 held against the side of the container bymeans of a tensioned copper-coated steel spring 26.

The spring is placed transversely of the container and it braces the strainer-'block so as to hold it firmly in contact with the wall thereof. 'Ihe block has an open recess 26a provided with apertures 26e for the entrance of the liquid and in the recess is a bronze strainer 21 over an opening of the block in which the end of the Siphon-tube is fitted. The strainer-fixture not only prevents the entrance of' dirt particles which possibly might obstruct the free flow of liquid through the tube and the jet, but also holds the lower end of the Siphon-tube in xed position.

The end-portions 24a and 24e of the siphontube extend at an angle to the body portion of the same and in diverging relation to each other and the bore of the jet connecting with the upper end-portion of the tube, is at an angle of approximately forty-ve degrees to the axis of the container, all of which aids in effecting a forceful ejection of the liquid unhampered by unwarranted friction with the parts lthrough which it passes, and makes it possible to entirely drain the container of all of its liquid contents.

In this connection, it is to be understood that in the use of the extinguisher, the container i's held with its top above the horizontal at any desired angle. 'Ihe jet or nozzle at the upper end of the container is normally closed by a seal of resilient material fitted and secured within a small cap 28 which is swiveled in an opening of a iiat sealing spring 29. The spring is at one end hingedly connected with a clevis 30 clamped around the exterior portion of the plug 23 and a bent tip 29a at its opposite end bears against the screw-cap Ill at the lower edge thereof.

The cap has immediately above its said edge a circumferential groove Illa provided with a notch |0c to release the tip from the edge of the cap whenthe latter is screwed upon the capsule housing.

The spring 29 presses the seal-member 28 firmly against the end of the jet and at the same time presses upwardly against the cap to effect 'a fluid tight contact between its screw-threads 2,001,894 tation by means of a small wire seal 3| passing through openings in the cap and the shoulder of the capsule-housing.

This seal is easily broken and its principal object is to provide for inspectors visual evidence that the extinguisher is in its original operative 'condition and has not been tampered with.

In practise, the container is illled with a tlrey the pressure required for its expulsion being provided only when by puncturing the seal of lthe capsule, the pressure gas contained therein is liberated to enter the expansion space above the liquid in the container. 'Ihe firefextinguishing liquid is ejected from the container only by the expansive force of the liberated gases. No chemicals or other means for generating gases are employed.

It is to be noted that the improved extinguisher has but three parts that may open to the atmosphere and that all of these parts are hermetically sealed against loss of fluid by evaporation or leakage. Withdrawal of any part of the fire-extinguishing liquid or removal of the capsule, or unwarranted rotation of the screw-cap without detection are prevented by the wire seal and corrosion of the jet is prevented by the springpressed seal 2B which hermetically closes and covers the same as long as the screw-cap is in its normal position as shown in Figure 1. In case of fire, the operator grasps the container in one hand and directs the jet-opening toward the blaze.

With the other hand, the operator advances the screw-cap upon the capsule housing with the result that the seal 3| is broken, the sealing spring 29 is released and the closure of the capsule is broken with the result that the pressure gas is released into the expansion space above the liquidlevel of the container. The high pressure of the expanding gas upon the liquid causes the latter to be forcibly ejected through the now open jet. The ejected. stream breaks up in the form of a spray at a comparatively short distance from th extinguisher and the spray being vaporized by the heat of the fire, forms a gas which extinguishes the same.

Owing to peculiar construction and position of the siphon tube, the entire contents of the container are thus discharged within the time re-A quired by the underwriters.

When the seal of the capsule is pressed into contact with the prong which punctures the same, the neck of the capsule is at the same time driven onto the sealing ring which by its consequent compression prevents the gas from escaping to the atmosphere.

The liquid is discharged through the-jet at high velocity in a continuous steady stream which is accurately directed to the fire, and if at any time during the operation, it is desired to discontinue the issuance of the fire extinguishing liquid, the jet opening may be instantly closed by placing the index finger of the hand in which the container is held, over the opening.

It is an important feature The parts of the jet assembly may be cadmium plated to prevent possible corrosion by acid fumes, salt air or other causes, and inasmuch as the ejection of the fire-extinguishing liquid through the jet is continued until all the contents of the container have been discharged, the possibility of keeping a partially emptied extinguisher for future use, is eliminated and the device must be restored to its original condition by the provision of a fresh quantity of carbon tetrachloride, and a new charged capsule, before it may be used again.

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

1. A re extinguisher comprising a container having an opening at an end thereof, a neck projecting inwardly from the opening, a capsule housing held by the neck, to project at opposite sides of the opening, and having at its inner end a recess and a valve chamber connected therewith 'by a passage, a bored puncturing prong in` the passage, a spring-pressed valve in the valve chamber, a screw-cap upon the lower end of the capsule housing having an egress-aperture extending laterally with respect to the axis of the housing, in connection with the valve-chamber, a resilient gasket in the recess, a sealed capsule in the housing resting upon the gasket and extending beyond the outer portion of the housing, and a screw-cap upon said outer portion of the housing, engaging the capsule.

2. A fire extinguisher comprising a container for a fire extinguishing liquid, a capsule for a pressure gas, housed at an end of the container, and having a sealed outlet within the same, means for breaking the seal, to admit the pressure gas to the container, by movement of the capsule, a device to effect said movement of the capsule from without the container, a jet for the forcible discharge of the liquid from the container under huid-pressure, a closure for the jet, and springmeans pressing upon the closure and the said device to effect their fluid-tight engagement with the parts with which they are associated, the said spring-means and the device being cooperatively associated to jointly effect a separation of the closure from the jet-opening in the operation of the extinguisher.

3. A re distinguisher comprising a container for a fire extinguishing liquid, a capsule for a pressure gas, housed at an end of the container, and having a sealed outlet Within the same, means for breaking the seal, to admit the pressure gas to the container, by movement of the capsule, a screw cap to eiect said movement of the capsule from without the container, a jet for forcible discharge of theliquid from the container under fluid-pressure, a closure for the jet and spring means holding the closure in place by engagement with the screw-cap, said spring means and the screw-cap having means for releasing the spring from engagement with the screw cap upon rotary movement thereof, thereby releasing said closure from said jet.

4. A re extinguisher comprising a container for a re extinguishing liquid, a capsule for a pressure gas, housed at an end of the container, and having a sealed outlet within the same, means for breaking the seal, to admit the pressure'gas to the container, by movement of the capsule, a screw-cap to effect said movement of the capsule from without the container, a jet for forcible discharge of the liquid from the container under fluid-pressure, a closure for the jet and-,spring means holding the closure in place by engagement with the screw-cap, the screw-cap having a notch to release the spring meansduring a rotary movement of the cap.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a container for a lre extinguishing liquid, a capsule for a pressure gas, housed at an end of the container, and having a sealed outlet within the same, means for `breaking the seal, to admit the pressure gas to the container, by movement of the capsule, a screw-cap to effect said movement of the capsule from without the container, a jet for forcible discharge of the liquid from the container under fluid-pressure, a closure for the jet, a spring holding the closure in place, hinged at one end and having at its opposite end, a tip engaging the screw-cap, the latter having a notch to release the tip of the spring during rotary movement of the cap.

6. In a re extinguisher, a container for fireextinguishing liquid, having at one end a normally closed outlet, mechanism to subject the liquid in the container to fluid-pressure, for its forcible ejection through the outlet, a, tube extending from the outlet, lengthwise of the container and having an intake portion bent toward the wall of the container at the opposite end of the same, a strainerelement against the wall, in connection with said intake portion, and spring-means for holding the element in place. y

'7. In a fire extinguisher, a container for fireextinguishing liquid, having at one end a normally closed outlet, mechanism to subject the liquid in the container to fluid-pressure, for its forcible ejection through the outlet, a tube extending from the outlet, lengthwise of the 4container and having an intake portion bent toward the wall of the container at the opposite end of the same, a strainerelement against the wall, in connection with said intake-portion, vand a spring transverse of the container, bracing the element in place,

8. In a fire extinguisher, a container having a discharge nozzle, a casing having a rupturable wall portion within the container, manually operable means for opening communication between the container and the casing through said rupturable wall portion, and a spring plate releasably engaged with the manually operable means and with the nozzle to effect closure of the same, said spring plate and said manually operable means being arranged to effect release of the spring plate from said manually operable means and from said nozzle upon opening. of the casing by movement of said manually operable means.

9. In a re extinguisher, a closed container having a discharge nozzle, a closed casing having a rupturable wall portion within the container. manually-operable means acting upon said wall portion for opening communication between the chambers of the container and casing, and a spring-plate releasably engaged with the manually-operable means and closing the nozzle and released by movement of said lmeans.

10. In a fire extinguisher, a closed container having a discharge nozzle, a closed casing having a rupturable wall portion within the container,

manually-operable means acting upon said wall.

portion for opening communication between the chambers of the container and casing, and a bowed spring-plate 'slidably but detachably engaged with the manually-operable means and detachably yengaged with and closing the nozzle and released by movement of said means, .A

CARL A. NoaGREN.,

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