US2174820A

US2174820A - Escaping gas alarm

Info

Publication number: US2174820A
Application number: US182345A
Authority: US
Inventors: John P Caldwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-12-29
Filing date: 1937-12-29
Publication date: 1939-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-03

Description

Oct. 3, 1939. J CALDWELL 2,174,820

ESCAPING GAS ALARM Filed Dec. 29, 1937 Jbhn P CaZcZweZZ W42 w. W

Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE E SCAPING GAS ALARM 2 Claims.

My invention has for an object the prevention of asphyxiation by escaping gas from gas jets and other places within a room.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for 6 setting into action an audible alarm and visual signals located at suitable places to give warning of the escaping gas and to enable prompt rescue Work to be done if and when necessary.

Further, it is an object to provide a simple, inexpensive apparatus influenced by the escaping gas to close an electric signaling circuit by means of which warning is given at one or more places of impending danger.

Again, it is an object to provide an apparatus which will not only give an alarm when gas is escaping into a room from a light fixture, a stove or heater, etc., but which will also break a window to the room so as to let in fresh air and thereby so dilute the escaping gas that the atmosphere in the room will no longer be asphyxiating.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic and partly in vertical section, of one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section of a portion of the control apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, I is a suitable base on which is mounted, in any suitable way, the actuating apparatus of my invention. This apparatus comprises a Davy type lamp having a fount 2 for fuel oil and a burner 34 which is screwed into, or otherwise detachably held in, the base 5 of the chimney.

The chimney comprises a suitable frame composed of the base 5, vertical bars 6 and horizontal ring 1 covered with a fine mesh screen wire cylinder 8.

The ring I is preferably threaded to receive the threaded base ring In of the cap 9 which is also composed of fine mesh wire screen.

A plate II is soldered, or otherwise secured tightly, to the screen 8 and to a similar screen cylinder l2 and serves to unite the

cylinders

8 and 12 into an integral structure.

The screens 8 and i2 and plate H have aligning holes through which passes one end of a curved guide I6, a collar ll being preferably provided on the guide IE to prevent the guide being drawn into cylinder 3 should the guide become loose. The guide is soldered to the screens 8 and i2 and to the plate I I to hold it in position.

l3 and I4 designate the frame and I5 represents the base for the cylinder l2.

Within the cylinder 12 is suspended a weight 20 on a flexible (preferably metal) cable that passes through the guide l6 into the cylinder 8 where it is provided with a stop l8 and a hook l9, there being a second hook 25 carried on a member 24 that is rigidly soldered, or otherwise secured, to the cylinder opposite the guide IS. The mem ber 24 may be made of poor heat-conducting material if desired, although its principal purpose is to prevent burning cord from getting too close to the screen wall 8.

Joining the hooks 25 and Hi, to hold up the weight 20, is a loop or piece of fusible material 26. This material may be cord, either plain or asbestos covered, or it may be of any suitable material which will burn or fuse at a predetermined time, as when the flame from burner 34 reaches it, but which will not burn or fuse under normal condition of the flame.

Projecting into cylinder i2 is an electric switch 22, preferably of the snap type, whose lever 23 is positioned to be moved from the off position to the on position by the weight 20 when released by burning or fusing of the member 26.

The switch 22 may be used to control one or more electric circuits to give warning, or to operate other desired instrumentalities if and when gas escapes into a room. For purposes of illustration only, and not for purposes of limitation, I have shown in Fig. 1 an electric circuit 21 connected to switch 22 and including a source of energy 28, signal lights W and R and an audible signal (bell or gong) B. I have also shown one way in which the closing of switch 22 may be utilized to break a window to let in fresh air.

In the embodiment illustrated, 29 designates a window, 30 an inclined chute, 3| a projectile which will, when released, be moved by gravity down the chute and crash into the window pane, thus breaking the same and letting in fresh air. The projectile may be of any desired kind and any suitable means may be used to keep it static when the condition of the room is normal. The projectile-retaining means may comprise a stop pin 33 that projects into the path of the projectile SI and that is releasable by a magnet 32 (connected in the circuit El) which is energized while switch 22 is in the on position.

I have observed that when combustible gas enters the cylinder 8 while the lamp is burning, the flame will flare up, so I have taken advantage of this phenomenon. Normally the flame is too low to fuse or burn member 23, but when it flares up in the presence of gas, it will cause 23 to ignite or fuse and release the weight to throw the switch on.

The switch 22 may be slidably mounted on base I so it can be withdrawn from cylinder l2 when it is necessary to re-set the switch, r the re-setting may be accomplished in other ways if desired. To prevent swinging of the weight against the screen 62, as well as to guide the weight in falling, a rigid tube 25 may be provided in which the weight operates and through a slot in the side of which the l ver 23 of the switch projects.

In the drawing I have shown the Davy type lamp as provided with but one screen El; obviously two or more screen walls may be employed, as found desirable.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, modification thereof and changes in the details of construction can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

When in the claims I refer to fusible means, I wish that term to be understood as including means which will separate or sever by burning, as well a means which liquefles under heat and thus effects separation.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, means for effecting the action of a switch which closes an electric circuit, said means comprising a lamp having a burner and a wire screen cylinder in which the flame of the lamp is located, a second screen cylinder adjacent the first mentioned screen cylinder, a guide member projected into each screen cylinder, a flexible wire or cable passing from one cylinder to the other through said guide, fusible means in the first cylinder for holding said cable against movement, and a weight suspended by said cable in said second cylinder and releasable by the fusing of said fusible means to fall and thereby to actuate said switch to its on position, said fusible means being so positioned over the lamp burner that when the flame flares up it will cause said fusible means to sever and release the cable.

2. In apparatus of the class described, means for effecting the action of a switch which closes an electric circuit, said means comprising a lamp having a burner and a wire screen cylinder in which the flame of the lamp is located, a second screen cylinder adjacent the first mentioned screen cylinder, a guide member projected into each screen cylinder, a flexible wire or cable passing from one cylinder to the other through said guide, fusible means in the first cylinder for holding said cable against movement, and a weight suspended by said cable in said second cylinder and releasable by the fusing of said fusible means to fall and thereby to actuate said switch to its on position, said fusible means being so positioned over the lamp burner that when the flame flares up it will cause said fusible means to sever and release the cable, said lamp having a removable top to its cylinder to allow access to the cylinders interior for the purpose of renewing the fusible member and resetting the weight.

JOHN P. CALDWELL.