US2523029A

US2523029A - Fusing link

Info

Publication number: US2523029A
Application number: US695784A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter F Kramer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-01-21
Filing date: 1946-09-09
Publication date: 1950-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1967-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1950 w. F. KRAMER FUSING LINK Filed Sept. 9, 1946 ATR/VEY Patented Sept. 129, 1950 FUSING LINK Walter F. Kramer, Detroit, Mich.

Original application January 21, 1946, Serial No.

642,540. Divided and this application September 9, 1946, Serial No. 695,784

8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to fusing links I 'and refers more particularly to improvements in fusing links of the type usedy in theautomatic operation of fire extinguishers. This application is a division of my copending application Serial `No. 642,540 filed January 21, 1946, now Patent No. 2,480,033, issued August 23, 1949.

Automatic rlre control apparatus such as fire extinguishersare usually equippedwitha fusing linkfor some equivalent element designed to automaticallyrelease a fire extinguishing fluid in gas or fluid form in response to apredetermined increase in the temperature of the atmosphere `ambient to the apparatus.` Thus, the effectiveness ofthe apparatus to extinguish or control fires depends to a great extent on the ability of the fusing link or similar device to initiate operation of the apparatus with a minimum delayrafter a lire is started.

With the above in view the present invention has as one` of its principal objects to vprovide a fusing link which is highly sensitive to preselected abnormal temperaturesand assures instantaneous operation of the apparatusfto discharge fire extinguishing fluid when the atmosphere ambient to the fusing link reaches the preselected temperature..

Another object of this `invention is tov provide t a fusing link composed of a relatively. 'few-simfire extinguisher shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken onV the planeindicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a detail elevational view of a part of the fusing link shown inFigure 3 and illus- `trating one method of rmaking the fusing link.

- For the purpose of illustrating this invention, I have selected a fire extinguisher of the type shown in my copending application, Serial No. 642,540 filed January 21, 1946, althoughlit will be understood as this description proceeds that the fusing link featuredherein may be advantageously employed to initiate -the operation of other types of automatically operable fire control equipment Briefly the fire extinguisher disclosed herein is adapted to besupported on the ceiling used and especially satisfactory results have been l reference numeral I0.

of a room or other enclosure and is automatically operated by my improved fusing link in response to a predetermined temperature rise to discharge the contents of the extinguisher into the enclosure in the form of an enveloping fog. The fog is discharged under pressurey so that itrapidly displaces the oxygen around the lire and smothers the latter.

The fusing link is shown best in Figure 3 of.

the drawings and is indicated generally by the As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings the fusing link I0 comprises a ring II preferably formed of a non-metallic material such, for example, as fiber, rubber, synthetic rubber or some equivalent material and composed of two or more segments I2. normally confined in a sectional band I3 and are urged outwardly by a segmental leaf spring I4 positioned in the ring II with the opposite ends respectively bearing on the inner surfaces of the ring segments. The sections of the band I3 are formed of a metal having a high thermal conductivity such, for example, as copper or similar metals, and are held together by a fusing metal having a melting point'in a range of 140 F. to 240 F., for example. Any fusing metal having a sufciently low -melting temperature may be obtained with vcompositions produced by the Cerro Bend Manufacturing Company or by the Belmont Smelting and Refining Company. The construction is such that the various sections of the band I3 are released from one another when the temperature ambient to the fusing link I0 approaches the melting point of the fusing metal employed to secure the sections together. When this condition exists, the leaf spring I4r forces the segments I2 of the ring II Yand the sections of the band I3 apart with an explosive action. Disintegration of the fusing link instantaneously releases the fire extinguishing uid in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described.

Before discussing the means for releasing the re extinguishing fluid in response to disintegration of the fusing link, itis pointed out that the band I3 actually comprises eight sections indicated in the drawings by 'the reference character I5 and arranged in pairs. The sections ofgeach pair are :formed lwith arcuate portions I6 and with radially outwardly extending flanges I'I. The arcuate portions I6 of one section overlap I the arcuate portions of an adjacent section and are secured together by the fusing metal to form the band I3. The flanges II on the sections are The segments I2 arev registrationwith the opening |2. l i3 nally threaded at the outer end for threadably positioned in contact with each other and are arranged 90 apart as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. In operation the flanges il form fins `which project a substantial distance into the'atmosphere ambient to the fusing link and serve as heat conductors to facilitate the transfelI of heat to the fusing metal. In the interests of economy in manufacture,"each pair lof sections are formed of one piece of sheet metal in the manner clearly sholwn in Figure 4 of the drawings and the return bent portion I8 con' nectirig the extremities of the flanges are sheared off to separate the sections.

It has previously been stated that the fusing link I is applied to a fire extinguisher of the type shown in my above Yidentiiied copending application. This re extinguisher comprises a container I3' and a discharge nozzle The container is in the form of an elongated'tube sealed at opposite ends' and adapted to contain a liquid-having ire extinguishing characteristics such, for example, as Vcarbon tetrychloride. The Vtub'e has an opening |2 intermediate the ends anda fitting I3 in the form of a casing or forging -is brazed or otherwise secured to the tube in The tting is formed with an annular flange i4 interreceiving the noz'zle yThe nozzle |I comprises acap 26 threadably.V engageable with the annular flange I4 on` the tting i3 and having a central opening 2l re'gistering with an outwardly extending tubular extension 28 of the cap. The extension 28 has a reduced portion 2Q by an annularI partition 3| having orifices 32 therethrough.

A plunger33 is slidably supported in they guide l33 Vand is formed with a head 3' at the inner end positioned ,inl the annular flange M adj acent"l the outer ends of cartridges 24. The cartridges 2!l`contain a suitable gas, such for example, as

carbon dioxide under pressure, and are slidably supported vwithin the container lil by guides 1| 62,# The guides |6 also provide supports for suitable punches 2| positioned to respectively pierce the inner ends of the cartridges 2li upon inward vdisplacement of the latter relative to the guides.

Theplunger 33 projects outwardly beyond thek head 35is lslidablysupported on the outer end of the plunger. The spray head has a sleeve portionY 33 slidably mounted on the plunger in concentric relation to the reduced portion 23 and is fonmedlwith a frustro-conical surface 3? beyond the outer end of the reduced portion 29. The inside diameter of the reduced portion' 29 is somewhat greater th-'an the outside diameter of the sleeve portion 3G onthe spray head and cooper,

ates with the sleeve portion to form -an annular A sealing gasket 40 is seated outer end of the reduced portion 29 and a spray 4 opening for abutting engagement with the head 34 on the plunger to seal the ports 32 from the container and thereby prevent leakage of the contents of the container.

The plunger 33 is normally urged to its innermost position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings by a coil spring 4| surrounding the plunger with theainner end abutting-the head 345and with the 4words, the plunger 33 is held in its outermost Cil ' reduced portion 2S at the outer end thereof andf-3 "is formed with a reduced tubular guide 3E) intermediate Lthe ends. The guide 33 is concen- ,trically arranged with respect to the extension l and the outerend of the guide is integrally connected to the extension at the inner side ofV the@ the fusing link I0.

position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings by The fusing link I0 is positioned with its ring |2 located between the head and an adjustable nut i6 having a left-hand threaded engagement with the sleeve portion 28 The nut 46 is adjustably positioned on the sleeve portion 28 to locate the plunger- 33 through the fusing element Yl) and spray head 35 in the position shown in Figure 1 ofjthe drawings, wherein the head 34 is firmly engaged with the gasket against the action of the coil springlll.

When the several parts of the re extinguisher are in the relativef' positions 'thereof shown in Figure 1 of the drawings,.the spring 4| is held under compression` by the fusing-element l0 until the temperature ofthe'ambient atmosphere exceeds the fusing temperature of the metal previously described as securing the sections I5`of the lband I3 together.V "When this takes place oneor more of the sections' I5 are disconnected from the band and the spring lil displaces the ring -fromits position between the spray head 35 and the adjusting nut`46. This releases the spring Maand permits the latter to move the plunger 33 inwardly at a rapid rate. Inasmuch as. the outer ends Vof the cartridges 24 abut the head 34 on the plunger, it follows that the cartridges are moved inwardly in their respective guides yby the plunger 33.

As the cartridges are forced inwardly by the spring 4|, the inner ends are .punctured-by the punches 22 and'gas under pressure Ais discharged into the container through openings 2|) in the tubular guides I6. As pressure builds up in the container ID, the fire extinguishing uid therein is discharged in the form of a spray through the noZZle'H. 1

What I Vclaimi'as my invention is:

l. A fusing link lcomprisingfa band composed of a plurality of arcuate sections connected together in overlapping relationship and separable from each other in the presence of heat, arcuate sections free from connection with each other and housed withink the band to provide a ring, andspring means for forcing the ring sections laterally outwardly against'adjacentportions of the band.

2. A fusing Alink comprising a plurality of arcuate sections connected together to form a continuous band and separable from one another in response to'a predetermined rise in temperature of the ambient atmosphere, arcuate segments free from connection with each other and arranged in the band to form a ring, and spring means for urging the segments outwardly against adjacent sides of the band with a force sufficient form a continuous fband and connected together by a fusing metal,l and spring means acting on fing on the inner surface of the band for forcibly displacing the sections laterally outwardly in response to separation of the sections.

5. A fusing link comprising a plurality of arcu- Vate sections cooperating with each other to form a continuous band and connected together by a fusing metal, a fin projecting radially outwardly from each section of the band to facilitate the conduction of heat from the atmosphere to the fusing metal connecting the band sections, and spring means within the band for forcibly displacing the sections laterally outwardly in response to fusing of said metal.

6. A fusing link comprising a plurality of arcuate sections arranged in overlapping relationship to form a continuous band and connected together with a fusing metal, arcuatersegments free from connection with each other and arranged in the band to form a ring, and spring 'means housed within said ring and exerting an outward force on the ring segments sufficient to forcibly displace the ring segments and band sections `outwardly upon fusing of the metal holding two or more of the sections together.

'7. A fusing link comprising a [band composed of a plurality of arcuate sections connected together in overlapping relationship and separable from each other in the presence of heat above a predetermined temperature, a plurality of fins spaced from each other circumferentially the band and extending generally radially outwardly from the Iband to facilitate the conduction of heat from the atmosphere to said sections, arcuate segments free from connection with each other and housed within the band to provide a ring, and spring means located within the ring for forcing the ring segments laterally outwardly against the inner surface of the band.

8. A fusing link comprising a band composed of a plurality of arcuate sections having the free ends arranged in overlapping relationship and connected together with a fusing metal, and spring means located within the band and acting on said sections to displace the latter laterally outwardly upon fusing of the metal holding the overlapping end portions of the sections together.

WALTER F. KRAMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date r 1,623,887 Newton Apr. 5, 1927 1,953,582 Belknap Apr. 3, 1934 2,226,744 Roessner Dec. 31, 1940