US2072577A - Means for discharging fluid pressure containers - Google Patents

Description

March 2,1937. s, E, ALLEN 2,072,577

MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLUID PRESSURE CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l m a7 INVENTOR.

I A TTORNEY.

March 2, 1937. s, E, ALLEN 2,072,577

MEANS FOR DISGHARGING FLUID PRESSURE CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 am 194.43% 'FF. a6" J I I g 627 A wwvsw 34 INVENTOR. Scorr tTflME/V BY v W mm Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLUID PRES- SURE CONTAINERS Delaware Application January 10, 1933, Serial No. 650,957

33 Claims.

The present invention relates to means for discharging fluids from containers and more particularly to the discharge of cylinders or the like containing fluid under high pressure such, for instance, as liquefied carbon dioxide.

The invention has for a specific object to provide an improved discharge head for a cylinder containing high pressure fluid in which the fluid released from the cylinder or from an associated cylinder will assist in operating the discharge head, thereby rendering the discharge head in part self-energizing.

In a copending application, Serial No. 349,150, filed March 22, 1929, a self -energizing fluid actuated discharge head is described. However, the

present invention diifers therefrom in that the discharge head is normally inoperative by fluid pressure and cannot be actuated until after an initial manual operation. This precludes the possibility of the discharge of a cylinder by an accidental discharge of an associate cylinder.

Another object of the present invention is to providea discharge head adapted for manual operation, but in which after an initial partial release of fluid from the containersuch manual operation may be aided by the fluid released. The manual operating means may serve merely to release power with which to complete operation of the discharge mechanism. At the same time, however, the manual means may be relied upon to efiect the entire release or discharge of the fluid without the aid of the fluid pressure if for any reason there should be a failure of the fluid pressure operated means.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in fire extinguishing systems employing a battery of cylinders containing liquefied carbon dioxide or other fluid extinguisher maintained at high pressure. Usually, the cylinders are closed by sealing disks which must be punctured or ruptured to release the fluid, but it requires considerable efiort to puncture each disc and the puncturing of the disk of a battery of cylinders simultaneously may call for a greater effort than a person can normally exert. This difllculty has' 0 from the master cylinders to set off the rest of the battery. Such auxiliary power mechanism adds to the expense of an installation; it necessitates the actuation of a particular discharge head to effect discharge of the battery; also if the master cylinder has to be disconnected for refilling or repair the whole system is thrown out of operation until the cylinder is restored to the system. Another system is described in Patent No. 1,827,723, wherein actuation of the discharge head of any one cylinder will resultin discharge of all the rest of the cylinders. Each cylinder is provided with a fluid pressure operated discharge head and all the cylinders are interconnected so that when fluid under pressure is discharged into the system all of the cylinders will be discharged. In the present invention also a fluid-actuated means is provided in each discharge head and all the heads are connected to a common delivery line, but accidental-discharge of any cylinder will not set off the rest because a manual operation of each discharge head is necessary before it can be set off automatically.

A further object of my invention is to'provide a common manual control for a battery of cylinders in which one or more cylinders may be set ofi prior to the others, but in which the latter will be prepared for operation by discharge of fluid from the first actuated cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described in which any cylinder of a battery may be disconnected without affecting the operativeness of the system as a whole.

Another object of the invention is not only to prevent discharge of a battery of cylinders when one cylinder is accidentally discharged but to prevent dangerous explosion in case of breakage due to careless handling of the cylinder. The weakest part of the cylinder is at the point where the discharge head is attached thereto. Occasionally when a cylinder falls over or is dropped a break occurs at this point. The fluid then discharges with explosive force sometimes resulting in serious damage.

It is a specific object of my invention to provide a check valve which is normally inoperative to check discharge from the cylinder, but which will come into operation when the discharge head is broken off the cylinder.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment and modification thereof and thereafter the novelty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a plan view of a battery of cylinders containing highly compressed flre extinguishing fluid;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view in front elevation of one of the cylinders and its discharge head with portions thereof in section showing a cutter and a safety valve in normal position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view in section corresponding to a portion of Fig. 2 but showing the cutter in cutting position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the safety valve;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental view in vertical section showing a slightly different form of cutter head;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental view, largely in vertical section, illustrating another form of cutter;

Fig. '1 is a fragmental view in perspective of the cutter shown in Fig. 6;

Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive are plan views showing successive steps in the cutting of a sealing disk by the cutter illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7; and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the sealing disk after a flap has been cut out of the disk and showing the flap partly bent upward by fluid pressure.

The cylinders Ill, shown in the drawings, are oi the usual form adapted for storage of highly compressed flre extinguishing fluid such, for instance, as liquefied carbon dioxide. The neck H of each cylinder has a neck stem l2 threaded therein. This stem has an axial bore I3 therethrough which is normally closed by a sealing disk H. The disk is seated on a shoulder l5 in the bore and is held to its seat by a tubular plug l3 threaded into the upper end of the neck stem. The stem 2 carries the usual valved fltting II for filling the cylinder. Threaded into the lower end of the stem I2 is the usual siphon tube i3 which extends to the lower end of the cylinder so as to discharge the liquefied gas under pressure of gas in the upper portion of the cylinder. Mounted on the upper end of the stem I2 is a discharge head which will be described presently.

Since occasionally such discharge heads are broken off by careless handling of the cylinders, I provide a safety valve to check discharge of the cylinder. The weakest part of the stem, where breakage takes place, is at a point just above the neck I of the cylinder, and it is below this point that the safety valve is provided. While check valves of various forms might be used I prefer the structure shown in the drawings.

Within the zone of the neck II the bore of the stem I2 is enlarged to form a valve chamber 20. A disk valve 2| is provided in this chamber, and normally rests on the upper end of the siphon tube l8. 0n the disk are formed guide vanes 22 which project into a portion 23 of the bore above the valve chamber. When the valve is raised to permit discharge of the fluid from the cylinder, these vanes strike a shoulder 24 in the bore before the disk rises sufficiently to engage a shoulder 25 forming the ,upper limit of the valve chamber, so that the fluid may flow freely around the disk valve and on up through the bore of the neck stem l2. However, should the stem |2 be broken oil! the break would occur below the shoulder 24, since this is above the weakest part of the stem. Such breakage would permit the disk to move outward far enough to seat against the shoulder 25 and check the outflow of fluid. Normally this would seal the cylinder against discharge but it is advisable to provide some means permitting slight discharge so that if the fluid should be expanded by heat it would not develop suillcient pressure to burst the cylinder. Because the fit between the disk 2| and the shoulder 25 is not a perfect one, a certain amount oi leakage may take place. However, I prefer to provide a port 21 through the disk which will be small enough to permit a controlled discharge of the cylinder. This port also serves to admit fluid into the cylinder when it is being filled, since during the fllling operation the disk valve 2| will normally be seated on the top of the siphon tube I8.

The discharge head above referred to comprises a main body 30 which is attached to the upper end of the stem by a coupling nut 3 I. The body 30 is formed with a lower chamber 32 into which the fluid discharges when the sealing disk I4 is ruptured and connected to this discharge chamber is a discharge pipe 33.

In the upper part of the body 30 is formed a cylinder chamber 34 in which fits a piston 35. The latter is journaled on a stem 36, being held between a shoulder 31 on the stem at one side and a nut 38 on the other side. This nut, however, is threaded on the stem against a shoulder 39 so that it may be tightened without gripping the piston sufilciently to prevent turning of the latter freely on the stem. A plug 40 closes the upper end of the cylinder. The stem 36 is journaled in the plug and is provided at its outer end with a handle or operating arm 4|.

The stem 36 is threaded through the wall 42 separating chamber 34 from chamber 32, and swiveled on a reduced end portion 43 of the stem is a hollow cylindrical cutter 44. This cutter is provided at its lower end with an annular cutting edge inclined from normal to the axis of the cutgesr and interrupted at the inner side by a recess the flap 46 cut out of the sealing disk by the cutting edge, may be bent by pressure of the fluid discharge from the cylinder. The flap consequently is not detached from the disk but remains integrally hinged thereto and is flattened against the inner surface of the annular cutter by the fluid discharge. An annular shoulder 41 on the cutter is adapted to engage the plug l6 as a stop and prevents the possibility of detaching the flap. Near its upper end the cutter is provided with ports 43 through which the fluid may discharge into the chamber 32 and thence into the discharge pipe 33.

The piston stem 36 is formed with an axial duct or bore 49 which terminates at its upper end in a transverse bore 50 opening into the cylinder chamber 34 above the piston 35. The lower end of the bore 49 is closed by a screw 5|, the head of which serves to retain the tubular cutter upon the end portion 43 of the piston stem. There is another transverse bore 52 which intersects the bore 49 and which opens through the threaded portion .of the stem. The bore 52 is normally disconnected from the discharge chamber 32 when the stem is in the raised position shown in Fig. 2, but when the stem is screwed down and the cutter is about to penetrate the sealing disk the bore or port 52 is uncovered, permitting fluid to pass from the discharge chamber 32 into the cylinder chamber 34 above the piston. The lower end of the cylinder chamber is provided with an air vent 53.

It will be evident that when the handle 4| is operated to force the cutter downward there will be no resistance to movement of this cutter until it strikes the cylinder disk l4, and thereafter, as soon as the disk is slightly punctured, fluid escaping into the discharge chamber will pass through the transverse bore 52, now uncovered, into the'axial bore 49 and thence through transverse bore 50 into the cylinder chamber 34, and the fluid acting on the piston will force down the The latter provides a, shoulder about which cutter so as to complete the cutting open of the flap. The cooperating threads on the piston stem and in the wall 42 are of such steep pitch angle that movement oi. the handle ii through a small arc will carry the cutter from normal position shown in Fig. 2 to the end of its cutting stroke as shown in Fig. 3. Also because of the steepness of the threads, the pressure of the fluid released from the cylinder will be suflicient to force the piston 35 downward. As the piston moves downward in the chamber 3t air under the piston is vented through the port 53.

While the piston 35 might be fixed to the stem 36 I prefer to have it journalled thereon so that frictional engagement between the piston and cylinder wall will not retard the rotation of the stem. Obviously, because of the smaller bearing surface of the piston on the stem than the bearing surface of. the piston on the cylinder, there will be lessresistance to overcome when turning the stem to feed the cutter downward and the piston 'may slide in the cylinder without rotating.

The discharge pipe 33 is connected by a T-fitting to the main delivery pipe 56. In afire extinguishing system comprising a plurality of cylinders In it is desirable to provide a check valve between each discharge chamber and the delivery pipe, and I prefer to provide this check valve in the T-fitting 55. This T-fltting comprises a pair of aligned threaded ports 5? and 58 to receive sections of the delivery pipe 5% and a transversely disposed port 59 into which a nipple 60 is threaded, the latter being coupled to the discharge pipe 33. Opposite the port 59 there is an enlarged opening in the fitting which is normally closed by screw plug 52. Surrounding the port 59 there is a valve seat 63 on which normally rests a disk valve 64. The latter is confined against lateral displacement by lugs 65. To guide the disk valve when it is raised from its seat fingers 66 are formed on the disk which enter a recess 61 in the screw plug 62. When there is a discharge of fluid through the pipe 33 the disk valve is lifted 01f its seat and the fingers 66 as well as the lugs prevent the disk from shifting tion without disturbing the fire protection sysprovide for a certain amount of discharge from tern. In other words, when the cylinder is disconnected from the discharge pipe 33 or the pipe itself is disconnected from the T-fltting, fluid may be introduced into the discharge line 56 without material loss because the port 59 is out off by the disk 64. However, it is necessary to the main discharge line through the disk valve 64 for a purpose which will be explained presently and to this end I provide a port 68 in the disk.

In Figure 1, I show a battery of cylinders each provided with a discharge head of the same type as that shown in Fig. 2 and each having a discharge pipe which is connected to a delivery pipe (not shown). The handles ll of the discharge heads are connected toa common operating rod or cable 10, so that they may all be pulled simultaneously. However, to penetrate all of the oylinder disks at the same time would require a vtion of the body 'H.

through a plug 16 closing the upper end of the greater effort than could be exerted manually by a normal individual. I, therefore, arrange the battery of cylinders so that one cylinder will be discharged ahead of the others and the fluid released from this first cylinder will assist in caus-v ing the puncturing of the disks of the rest of the cylinders. This may be done by setting one of the cutter heads with its cutter nearer the cylinder disk than are the cutters of the other cylinders. The simplest way of effecting such advance operation is to give one of the handles ti a slight lead over the rest. Thus, in Figure 1 the handle 4! of the cylinder A at the extreme right of the battery is angularly displaced toward the right with respect to the other handles so that when the rod or cable Ill is pulled the cutter of the cylinder A will penetrate its sealing disk before the other cutters have penetrated their sealing disks. As soon as-fluid is released from the cylinder A it will enter the delivery line 56 and will pass into the discharge chambers of all of the other cylinders by way of their respective discharge pipes 33. The volume of fluid entering said discharge chambers will be comparatively small, being restricted by the size of the ports 63 in the disk valves controlling said discharge pipes. The fluid will then serve to actuate the pistons of said other cylinders as soon as their piston stems 36 have been manually screwed downward sufficiently to uncover their transverse bores 52. As a result of this arrangement, the only effort necessary to set off a battery of cylinders is that required to puncture slightly the sealing disk of cylinder A and to condition the discharge heads of the rest of the cylinders for operation by screwing down their piston stems sumciently to uncover their ports 52. Thereafter puncturing of the sealing disk of cyl inder A will be effected by the energy of its own fluid and such fluid will furnish the energy necessary to puncture the sealing disks of all of the rest of the cylinders. The reason for the port 68 will now be apparent. It permits fluid from the delivery line to pass into the discharge head of the cylinder it controls, and at the same time should it be necessary to disconnect the cylinder the leakage of fluid through said port would not be suificient materially to effect delivery of fluid to the discharge end of the delivery line. If necessary two or more of the arms 4! may be set to cause initial discharge of the cylinders with which they are associated.

In Fig. 5, I show a slightly modified form of discharge head. This structure differs from that shown in Figs, 2 and 3 mainly in the fact that the piston stem is not rotated to effect cutting of the sealing disk.

The discharge head ii, in Fig. 5, is similar to the head 30, having a stem 12 with a tubular cutter l3 connected to the lower end thereof. A piston H connected to the stem 12 operates in a cylinder chamber I5 formed in the upper por- The stem 12 projects cylinder, and the projecting end of the stem is provided with ahead 11. A spring 18 is fitted under the piston 14 and serves to hold the cutte normally in the raised position shown.

The plug 16 is provided with a threaded boss 19 on which is screwed a cap 80. A lever is pivoted to the cap and has one arm 8| within the cap and another arm 82 projecting out-- wardly through an opening in the cap. A roller carried by the inner arm 8| bears upon the head,

11. The arm 82 may serve as a handle for direct manual operation or it may be connected to a rod or cable as is the arm 4| in Fig. 1. By pulling thelarm 82 the stem will be depressed. causing the cutter 13 to puncture the sealing disk. As soon as fluid is released from the cylinder it will force its way through a lateral port 84 in the stem and thence through an axial bore 85 and lateral port 86 into the upper part of the cylinder IS. The fluid pressure will then complete the depression of the piston. Also when the stem is depressed sufllciently to uncover port 84 the apparatus will be conditioned for operation by fluid introduced into the discharge head from another cylinder.

Heretofore in systems employing fluid actuated discharge mechanism and in which the fluid discharged from any one of a battery of cylinders would actuate the rest of the battery, it has been necessary to provide a safety disk, as disclosed in said copending application Serial No, 349,150. This safety disk is adapted 'to rupture at a pressure lower than that which the sealing disk can support. Hence, if, due to a rise in temperature, the pressure of the fluid in the cylinder should rise above a safe limit the safety disk would give way, relieving the pressure. This safety disk protects the sealing disk, for if the latter were to be ruptured by a rise of fluid pressure in the cylinder the fluid would discharge into the delivery line and would set off the entire battery of cylinders. With my present invention the safety disk may be dispensed with and the sealing disk may serve as a safety device, because no harm will result from such rupture. The contents of the cylinder will discharge into the line but other cylinders connected to the line will not be discharged by the fluid pressure in the line because the duct in each discharge head leading from the discharge chamber to the cylinder chamber thereof will be closed.

It will be noted that the'siphon tube I8 is virtually suspended in the container by threading its upper end into the neck stem I2. I have found that if the threaded part of the siphon 7 tube extends below said stem the tube may be snapped off by a sudden jolt, such as would occur if the container were knocked over or dropped on its side. To avoid this danger the stem is counter-bored as indicated at 81, providing a tight flt for the stem below the threaded part thereof, thereby materially strengthening the connection between the tube and the stem, because at the point of greatest stress, namely along the line where the tube emerges from the stem, said tube is not weakened by the cutting of a thread therein.

The cutter shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, is designed to operate without turning, the flap in the sealing disk being cut out by direct pressure in the axial direction. In Figs. 6 and 7, I show another form of cutter which turns while engaging the disk so that it will first score and then shear the disk instead of merely punching it. However, this scoring and shearing action takes place through an angle of less than 360 degrees was to leave a substantial part of the flap cut out integrally attached to the body of the disk.

In general the discharge head shown in Fig. 6 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 and like parts are therefore indicated by the same reference numerals. The principal difierence however is that the cutter is fixed to the stem of the piston 35. The stem is indicated in Fig. 6 by the reference numeral 36a and is threaded into a socket formed in the upper end of the cutter 90. As shown more clearly in Fig. '7, the cutter 80 is tubular and is formed with an arcuate cutting edge SI of considerably less than 360 degrees in extent, which cutting edge lies in a plane normal to the axis of the tubular cutter instead of being inclined thereto as in the cutter 44. This cutting edge 9| is interrupted on one side by a shallow recess forming a blunt shoulder 92 which is stepped out of the plane of the cutting edge 9|. The cutter is also provided with an annular shoulder 93 which is adapted to engage the tubular plug or sleeve nut It to limit downward movement of the cutter and prevent the shoulder 92 from being forced through the disk.

The stem 36a is provided with a threaded portion 42a which is threaded into the main body of the discharge head and there is an axial bore 49a in the stem which communicates at one end with a transverse bore 500. opening into the cylinder chamber above the piston while another transverse bore 52a opens through the threaded portion 42a and is closed when the parts are in the normal position shown in Fig. 6. The lower end of the axial bore 49a is closed by the bottom wall 90a. of the socket into which the stem is threaded. It will be understood, of course, that the cutter is provided with openings 94 through which gas liberated from the container may escape into the chamber 32 and thence pass out through the tube 33 to the delivery line.

The operation of this cutter is as follows:

The piston stem 36a carries the operating arm 4| which is attached to the pull rod or cable 10, as in Fig. l, and the parts are so arranged that this arm turns through an angle of approximately 90' degrees in moving the cutter from the normal position illustrated to complete cutting position. In the latter position the shoulders 93 engage the sleeve nut l6 and prevent further longitudinal movement of the cutter. Fig. 8 illustrates the initial position of the cutter in broken lines on the sealing disk M. The shouldered portion 92 is here shown as extending through an angle of 135 degrees, while the sharpened edge 9| embraces an arc of 225 degrees. While the arm 4| is moving initially through an angle of about 45 degrees the cutter is being advanced toward the disk l4 until it comes into engagement therewith. During this interval no cutting takes place but the piston stem is moved in axial direction sufllciently for the bore 52a to be uncovered, so that if any fluid has been admitted into the chamber 32 through the pipe 33, it will flnd its way through the stem to the top of the piston chamber 34 and will then act upon the piston either to assist in further movement of the arm 4| or else to assume the entire task of forcing the piston the rest of the way down to complete cutting of the disk. Fig. 9 illustrates the position of the cutter after the arm 4| has moved through the initial 45 degrees and the cutter is just beginning to score the disk. As the arm is moved through the second 45 degrees the cutter begins to bite into the disk, and eventually shears through the disk.

until it finally reaches the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 10. When the latter position is reached, the disk will have been cut and scored through an angle of 270 degrees and the pressure of the fluid in the cylinder III will force out the cut portion of the disk 46. Fig. 11 shows the flap in an instantaneous position as it is being forced upward into the tubular cutter. The

force of the compressed gas in the cylinder is suflicient to tear the flap along the scored parts and to bend it up about the shoulder 92 as an anvil, flattening the flap against the inner cylindrical wall of the cutter.

As described in co-pending application Serial No. 349,150, filed March 22, 1929, it is necessary to provide a shoulder about which the flap may be bent as otherwise the sudden bursting out of the flap under pressure of the gas is likely to tear the flap free of the disk and carry it into the discharge head. Such a loose piece of metal might jam and obstruct the ports 96, or it might actually be blown out to the discharge point and in case of a fire in electrical machinery it might do considerable damage by providing a short circuit. As described in said application, the danger of tearing the flap loose is obviated by providing the shoulder 92 which comes sub stantially into engagement with the disk at the time when the flap is burst out of the disk.

The advantage of using a cutter of this type over that shown in Fig. 2 is that less effort is required to score and shear the flap'out of the disk than to actually punch the flap out of the disk the combined shearing and scoring takes place from the point A to the point B, Fig. 10, leaving an uncut and unsheared hinge portion of about 90 degrees in extent. Actually in practice the tearing action may extend a little beyond the points A,

1. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising a fluid pressure actuable means for'opening the container, an external supply of actuating fluid under pressure for actuating said means, said means being normally in condition preventing operation thereof by said actuating fluid, and conditioning means for conditioning the first-named means to permit operation thereof by said fluid.

2. A device for opening a fluid container comprising an opening member, means actuable by fluid pressure upon a surface thereof for operating the opening member, conduit means for supplying actuating fluid from an outside source to said surface, said fluid actuable means being normallyin a position interrupting flow from the conduit means to said surface but movable to a position to permit such flow to said surface so as to operate the fluid actuable means, and a conlaroller for moving said means to the latter posiion. 3. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising an opening member, an actuator movable by fluid pressure to operate said member, an external supply of actuating fluid under pressure for operating the actuator, the actuator in its normal position being operatively inaccessible to said actuating fluid, and means for moving the actuator into a position in which it will be operatively accessible to said actuating fluid.

4. A device for opening a container holding fluid under pressure, said device comprising an In the particular design of cutter illustrated,v

opening member, an actuator movable by fluid pressure to operate the opening member to release the fluid from the container, an external source of fluid under pressure, a connection for supplying fluid released from the container and/ or fluid from said external source to operate said actuator, the latter being normally in a position closing communication through said connection but being movable to a position to establish such connection, and means for moving the actuator to the latter position.

5. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with. a discharge chamber and with a cylinder chamber, a member in the discharge chamber for rupturing the disk, a piston in the cylinder chamber, means operatively connecting the member and the piston, a connection for leading fluid from the discharge chamber into the cylinder chamber to depress the piston and operate the rupturing member, said connection being positively closed to passage of fluid therethrough until the piston has been depressed to a predetermined extent, and means for depressing the piston.

6. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and a cylinder chamber, a piston in the cylinder chamber having a stem project- '7. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and a cylinder chamber separated by an intervening wall constructed and arranged to prevent passage of fluid between the chambers, a stem threaded through said wall, a

member for rupturing the disk located in the discharge chamber and connected to said stem, a piston fitted in the cylinder chamber and con nected to the stem, the coacting threads on the stern and wall being of such pitch that pressure applied on the'piston will move the stem axially, the stem being formed with a duct opening at one end above the piston and normally closed at the other end by said wall but adapted to communicate with the discharge chamber when the stem is turned angularly to a predetermined extent,

and means for turning the stem angularly.

8. A discharge'head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and a cylinder chamber separated by an intervening wall constructed and arranged to prevent passage of fluid between the chambers, a stem threaded through said wall, a member for rupturing the disk located in the discharge chamber and connected to said stem, a piston fitted inthe cylinder chamber and rotatable on the stem but held against axial movement thereon, the coacting threads on the stem and wallbeing of such pitch that pressure applied on thepiston will move the stem axially, the stem being formedywith'a duct opening at one end above the pis'tonand normally closed at the other end by said wall'but adapted to communicate with -thedischarge-chamber when the stem is turned angularly to a predetermined extent, and means for turning the stem angularly.

9. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and a cylinder chamber separated by an intervening wall constructed and arranged to prevent passage of fluid between the chambers, a stem threaded through said wall, a member for rupturing the disk connected to said stem in the discharge chamber, a piston in the cylinder chamber and rotatable on the stem but held against axial movement thereon, the stem being formed with a duct opening at one end above the piston and normally closed at the other end by said wall but adapted to communicate with the discharge chamber when the stem is turned sufflciently to rupture the disk, said stem projecting from the head, and means attached to the proiecting end for angularly turning the stem, the pitch angle of the threaded connection of the stem with the wall being steep enough to permit depression of the piston by pressure of the fluid released upon rupturing the disk.

10. In combination a plurality of containers each holding fluid under pressure, a fluid pressure actuable device associated with each container for effecting discharge of fluid therefrom, a conduit for supplying actuating fluid to the devices, said conduit being normally out of communication with each device, a controller for establishing communication with each of the devices, and means operated by said controller for supplying actuating fluid to said conduit.

11. In combination a plurality of containers each holding fluid under pressure, a common fluid discharge conduit for the containers, a fluid pressure actuable device associated with each con tainer for controlling discharge of fluid therefrom into the conduit, such devices being normally operatively out of communication with the conduit but which can be placed into communication with the conduit, an external source of fluid under pressure normally out of communication with the conduit, and a control means for establishing communication between said conduit and said source and for establishing operative communication between the conduit and each of said devices so as to supply actuating fluid thereto.

12. In combination a plurality of containers each holding fluid under pressure, an opening device for each container, a common fluid discharge conduit for said containers, an actuating element for each device, a common control for operating said elements, auxiliary actuating means actuable by fluid pressure for operating each device, and a connection normally disconnected but adapted to establish communication between the conduit and each of said means upon initial operation of the device, enact the opening devices being adjusted for operation by said control in advance of the others, so as to discharge fluid into the conduit to operate said auxiliary actuating means and thereby assist in operating the opening devices.

13. In combination, a plurality of containers each holding fluid under pressure, an opening device for each container, a common fluid discharge conduit ior said containers, a lever for operating each device, a common control interconnecting said levers, one of the levers being adjusted for advance operation with respect to the others, auxiliary actuating means actuable by fluid pressure for operating each device, and a connection normally disconnected but adapted to establish communication between the conduit and each of said means upon initial operation of said common control whereby fluid discharged into the conduit by operation of the opening device connected with the lever adjusted for advance operation will operate said auxiliary actuating means to assist in operating the opening devices.

14. In combination, a plurality of fluid containers, a discharge line, connecting means for detachably connecting each container to said line, fluid actuable discharge means for controlling the discharge of each container into said line, means operable at will to admit fluid from the line to actuate each discharge means, and a check valve for each connecting means opening toward the line and constructed when in closed position to provide limited outflow from the line.

15. In combination, a plurality of fluid containers, a discharge line, connecting means for detachably connecting each container to said line, fluid actuable discharge means for controlling the discharge of each container into said line, means operable at will to admit fluid from the line to actuate each discharge means, and a check valve for each connecting means opening toward the line, said valve having an orifice therethrough for the passage of fluid to actuate the discharge means.

16. In combination, a fluid container, means for controlling discharge of fluid therefrom, said container having a zone of weakness spaced inwardly from said means, and safety means for preventing uncontrolled discharge of fluid from the container should the latter be severed at said zone of weakness, said safety means being inoperative to prevent discharge from the container when the latter is intact.

17. In combination, a fluid container having a discharge port, closure means therefor, a valve seat spaced inwardly from the closure means, a check valve movable outwardly to engage the seat, the container having a circumferential zone of weakness between the seat and the closure means, and stop means disposed outwardly of said zone and adapted normally to prevent seating of the valve.

18. In combination, a fluid container having a discharge port, closure means therefor, a valve seat spaced inwardly from the closure means, a check valve movable outwardly to engage the seat, the container having a circumferential zone of weakness between the seat and the closure means, and stop means disposed outwardly of said zone and adapted normally to prevent seating of the valve, said valve having a constricted opening therethrough.

19. In combination, a fluid container having a discharge port and a filling port, a closure for each port, a pair of valve seats disposed inwardly from said ports, a valve disposed between said seats and normally bearing on the inner seat, the container having a circumferential zone of weakness between the outer seat and said ports, stop means disposed outwardly of said zone for preventing the valve from seating on the outer seat unless the container is severed at said zone, and by-pass means permitting limited flow past the valve when it is bearing on either seat.

20. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body adapted to be connected to the container, a puncturing member constructed and arranged to be operated by longitudinal movement without rotation, an actuator for advancing the member to puncture the disk, a threaded connection between the body and the actuator whereby the latter may be advanced by rotation with respect to the body, and a swivel connection between the actuator and the member whereby said member may be operatively advanced without rotation.

21. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising an opening member, an actuator rotatable by application of fluid pressure to a surface thereof to operate the opening member, conduit means for supplying operating fluid to said surface, said actuator being normally in a position to interrupt communication of said fluid to said surface but being-movable to a position to establish such communication, and a controller for moving the actuator to the latter position.

22. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising an opening member, an actuator rotatable by application of fluid pressure to a surface thereof to operate the opening member, conduit means for supplying operating fluid to said surface, said actuator being normally in a position to interrupt communication of said fluid to said surface but being rotatable to a position to establish such communication, and a controller for rotating the actuator to the latter position.

23. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising an opening member operable by axial movement, an actuator carrying said member and rotatable by application of fluid pressure to a surface thereof to operate said member, there being a swivel connection between the opening member and the actuator, means for conducting fluid released from the container to said surface to rotate the actuator, said actuator being normally' in a position to interrupt communication of said fluid to said surface but being rotatable to a position to, establish such communication,

and a controller for initiating operation of the opening means and moving the actuator to the latter position.

24. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising an opening member operable by axial movement, an actuator carrying said member and rotatable by application of fluid pressure to a surface thereof to operate said member, there being a swivel connection between the opening member and the actuator, means for conducting fluid released from the container to said surface to rotate the actuator, said actuator being normally in a position to interrupt communication of said fluid to said surface but being rotatable to a position to establish such communication, and auxiliary means for moving said actuator to initiate operation of the opening member and condition the actuator for operation by the fluid released by the opening member.

25. A device for opening a fluid container, comprising an opening member operable by axial movement, an actuator carrying said member pressure to a surface thereof to operate said member, there being a swivel connection between the opening member and the actuator, means for conducting fluid released from the container to said surface to move the actuator, said actuator being normally in a position to interrupt communication of said fluid to said surface but being movable to a position to establish such operative communication, and a controller angu- 5 larly operable to move the actuator to the latter position and initiate operation of the opening means.

26. ,A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk. said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and with a cylinder chamber, a member in the discharge chamber operable by axial movement to rupture the disk, a piston in the cylinder chamber, a rotatable member connecting the rupturing member having a swivel connection with the rupturing member and the piston, a connection constituting the sole means for leading fluid from the discharge chamber into the upper end of the cylinder chamber to depress the piston and rotate the connecting member and thereby operate the rupturing member, communication between the chamber through said connection being interrupted when the connecting member is in its normal position but being established after the piston has been depressed to a predetermined extent, and means for depressing the piston.

27. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and a cylinder chamber, an intervening wall preventing passage of fluid between the chambers, a stem threaded through said wall, a member for rupturing the disk located in the discharge chamber and connected to said stem, a piston fltted in the cylinder chamber and connected to the stem, the coacting threads on the stem and wall being of such pitch that pressure applied to the piston will move the stem axially, the stem being formed with a duct opening at one end above the piston and normally closed at the other end by said wall but adapted to communicate with the discharge chamber when the stem is turned angularly toa predetermined extent, and. means for turning the stem angularly.

28. A discharge head for a container holding fluid under pressure and closed by a sealing disk, said head comprising a body formed with a discharge chamber and a cylinder chamber, an intervening wall preventing passage of fluid between the chambers, a stem threaded through said wall, a member for. rupturing the disk connected to saidstem in the discharge chamber, a piston in the cylinder chamber rotatable on the stem but held against axial movement thereon, the stem being formed with a duct opening at one end above the piston and normally closed at the other end by said wall but adapted to communicate with the discharge chamber when the stem is turned sufficiently to rupture the disk, said stem projecting from the head, and means attached to the projecting end for angularly turning the stem, the pitch angle of the threaded connection of the stem with the wall being steep enough to permit depression of the piston by pressure of the fluid released upon rupturing the disk.

29. In combination a plurality of containers each holding fluid under pressure, an opening device for each container, a common fluid discharge conduit for said containers, a rotary actuator for each said device, a common control for operating the actuators, auxiliary actuating means actuable by fluid pressure for operating each device, and means providing a passage normally closed but arranged to open communication between the conduit and each of said means upon initial operation of the device, one of the opening devices being adjusted for operation by said control in advance of the others, so discharge fluid into the conduit to operate said vices.

31. A releasing device for use in connection with a fluid container having an opening, a frangible closure member for the opening and a penetrating device adapted to penetrate said closure member by axial movement of the device to provide iree passage through said closure, comprising, a body forming a chamber, fluid operated means in said chamber, a rotary stem having a in the stem for delivering said fluid to said face and also to deliver fluid from the container to

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