US2689613A

US2689613A - Fire extinguisher and alarm

Info

Publication number: US2689613A
Application number: US276483A
Authority: US
Inventors: James S Whatley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-03-14
Filing date: 1952-03-14
Publication date: 1954-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 1971-09-21

Description

s She ets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1952 Fig. 2.

R. Wm m CV9 W a a 8 e m J w Z i v 1 m I 1 1 a E: n p 5 Filed March 14, 1952 p 21, 1954 J. 5. WHATLEY 2,689,613

FIRE .EXTINGUISHER AND .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 James S. What/e INVENTOR.

BY Mam J. 5. WHATLEY FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM Sept. 21,1954

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1952 Fig. .9.

Fig. 8.

' Jan res S. Whatley nvmvrm Patented Sept. 21, 11 954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM James S. Whatley, Pensacola, Fla.

Application March 14, 1952, Serial No. 276,483

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire extinguishers and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a combination fire extinguisher and alarm that will direct an extinguishing fluid over a fire area as a sound device is actuated.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide .a ceiling mounted fire extinguisher and alarm that will be held in an inactive position by a fusible member, so that when the fusible member is fused the extinguisher will gravitate into its operative position to dispense an extinguishing fluid and sound an alarm.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fire extinguisher and alarm having means associated therewith for supplying additional extinguishing fluid when the contents .of the extinguisher have been dispensed.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a fire extinguisher and alarm that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, efficient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, install, service and refill, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the present invention in position for use;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the present invention showing the same inverted approximately 180 from the position shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of Figure 1 showing the manner in which the dispensing end of the container is held raised by a latch means mounted on the base member;

Figure l is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially .on the plane of section line l-fii of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 66 of Figure 2; i

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the auxiliary reservoir or Water containing jacket employed in conjunction with the container; V

Figure 8 is .an elevational view of the present 2 invention operatively connected to a source of water; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side View of Figure 8.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral l0 represents a preferably cylindrical container having end walls [2 and HI. End wall [12 is formed with a pair of tapered discharge nozzles I6 that face in the manner shown in Figure 6 for a purpose presently to be described.

A circular hand gripping rail I1 is spaced from the end wall 12 and is fixed to rigid arms 18 that are fixed, by suitable means, to the outer periphery of the container I0, adjacent the end wall 12, whereby the container may be handled in a convenient manner.

A longitudinal tube 29 is terminally fixed to the end walls 12 and M, and extends axially through the container 10 to receive a shaft 22 whose lower ends project outwardly through central apertures in the end walls l2 and M. The end of shaft 22 that extends through end wall i2 removably supports a spreader member 24 including a perforated plate 26 having an undulated peripheral flange 28 that extends toward the end wall l2 to be engaged by an extinguishing fluid discharged from the nozzle It.

A foraminous cap 30 is fitted over the end of the container 10 remote from hand gripping rails 11 and is retained about container Ill by a spring or resilient band .32. The cap 30 encloses a bell member 34 that is secured to a ll-shaped bracket 36 fixed to .end wall 14. The end of shaft 22 that extends outwardly through end wall 114 supports a horizontal arm 38 whose ends pivotally carry striker elements 40 for engaging the peripheral wall of hell member 34 in order to sound an alarm.

A base member 42 is provided for supporting the container 10. The lower end of the member is bifurcated and the furcations it thereof terminate in horizontal bearing sleeves 46 that generally receive coaxial horizontal trun nions 48 fixed to diametrically opposite sides of container Ill adjacent end wall It. The container [-0 is thus pivota-lly attached to the base member for vertical swinging movement and the portion of the container 1 0 supporting rail i? will be disposed between the furcations it when the cap supporting end of the container is disposed above the rail supporting end of the container, as shown in Figure 1.

lChe upper end of base member 42 is provided with a mounting flange 50 for engaging over a rafter or the like R to which the base member is removably secured. The upper portion of base member 42 is also provided with a vertical slot 53 in which a horizontal pin 54 is suitably retained. Pin 54 extends through the central sleeve portion 56 of a latch 58 having a lip 60 at one end and an eye 62 at its opposite end.

A weight 64 is attached to a hanger cord 66 depending from the eye 52 and urges the lip 60 upwardly to the dotted line position showndn Figure 3. A cord 68 is also attached at one end to the eye 62 and to a structural member (not shown) in order to hold the latch substantially horizontal with its lip 60 engaged with a U-shaped rigid keeper l fixed to the container H3 adjacent end wall I2, and thereby retain the container disposed as shown in Figure 1.

A tube 12 is fixed at one end to the end wall it and its other end terminates short of end wall it. This sleeve receives a suitable chemical C that will react with a chemical C in the container Ii! when the container I0 is inverted from its position shown in Figure 1, to produce an extinguishing fluid. Various types of reacting chemicals may be employed such as chlorine and carbon sulphide in order to produce carbon tetrachloride. Obviously, other suitable chemicals, frequently employed in fire extinguishers, may be used in place or" the chemicals 0 and C1.

When a fire is started that will burn the cord 6%, the tension in the cord 68 will be relieved and weight 64 will raise lip 60 from keeper 10, whereupon the cap supporting end of the container [0 will swing downwardly below the rail supporting end of the container. As this phase of operation occurs, the two chemicals in the container will mix to generate an extinguishing fluid that will pass through the nozzles it.

The extinguishing fiuid will be directed against fiange 28 causing member 24 to rotate and spread the extinguishing fluid. During rotation of member 24, the arm 38 will rotate and striker ele- 4 downwardly from its position shown in Figure 1, in order to open the valve 90.

Since the pressure of the gas generated in the container ID will exceed the pressure of the liquid in conduit 82, the water will not enter the container l0 until the pressure of water in the conduit exceeds the pressure of the gas in the container. Then, water will enter the container to pass outwardly through nozzles l6.

Obviously, any suitable number of branch lines 68a may extend from the main line 68 and toward the floor surface. When one of such branch lines is set afire it will burn to rope 68 to set the latter afire and the tension in rope 68 will be relieved and cause releasing of the latch with the container. It is also noted that any suitable number of the containers H] and their associated .base members 42 may be employed in a fire extinguishing system in order to effectively cover the area where a fire started.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, an elongated container having first and second ends, means pivotally securing the first end of said container to the base member, latch means on the base member engaging the second end of said container to retain the second end of the container over the first end of the container, said container having discharge means at its second end, a rotary spreader member facing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated as an extinguishing fluid is discharged thereagainst, a signal disposed at the first end of said container and operatively connected to the spreader member to be actuated during rotation of the spreader member, tensioned means engaging the latch means to hold the latch means engaged with the second end of the container until said latch engaging means is relieved of its tension, whereby the latch means will release the second end of the container so that the second end of the container will swing under the first ments 4G will engage the bell member 34 to sound an alarm. Obviously, the shaft 22 could be connected by electrical means to an electrical alarm, either visual or sound, so that as the member 24 is rotated the alarm or signal, either electrical or visual, will be actuated.

In order to increase the capacity of the container for dispensing extinguishing fluid, a hollow-semicylindrical jacket 14 embraces a portion of the container 10 and is removably secured to the container by fasteners it as shown in Figure 5. The jacket it contains a fluid, such as water, and includes a discharge spout or nozzle I8 that extends toward the spreader member 24 as shown in Figure 2. The jacket i4 is also provided with an air vent tube so that liquid in the jacket may gravitate through the nozzle '18 and against the spreader.

Figures 8 and 9 deal with an additional means of supplying an extinguishing fluid or water to the container it. This means comprises a supply conduit 82 extending from a source of water under pressure and having a T-fitting 84 mounted on its free end. One leg of fitting 84 receives an L-shaped pipe 85 that enters the conduit l0 through a bore in one of the trunnions 48, and the other leg of the T-fitting 84 receivably engages the stem 33 of a valve that engages a seat 92 in the fitting 84.

The stem 88 terminates in an angulated outwardly extending portion 94 for engagement with a lug 95 on the container ii], as the latter swings end of the container, and a hollow reservoir forming jacket secured about the container and having a discharge nozzle facing said spreader member.

' 2. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, an elongated container having first and second ends, means pivotally securing the first end of said container to the base member, latch means on the base member engaging the second end of said container to retain the second end of the container over the first end of the container, said container having discharge means at its second end, a rotary spreader member facing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated as an extinguishing fiuid is discharged thereagainst, said spreader member including a supporting shaft extending axially through the container, a signal device at the first end of the container connected to the shaft to be actuated during rotation of the shaft, and a tensioned member attached to the latch means to retain the latch means engaged with the second end of the container until the tensioned member is relieved of its tension.

3. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, an elongated container having first and second ends, means pivotally securing the first end of said container to the base member, latch means on the base member engaging the second end of said container to retain the second end of the container over the first end of the container, said container having discharge means at its second end, a rotary spreader member facing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated as an extinguishing fluid is discharged thereagainst, said spreader member including a supporting shaft extending axially through the container, a bell member supported at the second end of said container, a striker attached to the shaft for striking the bell member during rotation of the shaft, and releasable means engaging and holding the latch means engaged with the second end of the containerl 4. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, an elongated container having first and second ends, means pivotally securing the first end of said container to the base member, latch means on the base member engaging the second end of said container to retain the second end of the container over the first end of the container, said container having discharge means at its second end, a rotary spreader member facing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated as an extinguishing fluid is discharged thereagainst, said spreader member including a supporting shaft extending axially through the container, a bell member supported at the second end of said container, a striker attached to the shaft for striking the bell member duringrotation of the shaft, and fusible means attached to the latch means and retaining the latch means engaged with the second end of the container.

5. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member having upper and lower portions, a vertically swingable container pivoted at one end to the lower portion of the base member, a gravity actuated latch at the upper portion of the base member engaging the other end of the container, fusible means attached to the latch and holding the latchengaged with said other end of the container, a rotatable spreader member at said other end of said container, discharge nozzles at the said other end of said container facing the spreader member to cause the spreader member to rotate as an extinguishing fluid is discharged through the nozzles, and a sounding device operatively connected to the spreader member to be actuated during rotation of the spreader member, and a hollow reservoir forming jacket secured about the container and having a discharge nozzle also facing the spreader member for directing a liquid in the jacket against the spreader member.

6. The combination of claim 4 and a conduit entering the container and extending from a source of liquid under pressure to supply the liquid to the container, a valve in the conduit blocking the passage of liquid from the conduit into the container, and means carried by the container for engaging and moving the valve to its open position operated by swinging of the container.

'7. The combination of claim 4, and liquid supply means connected to the container and responsive to internal pressure in the container and swinging movement of the container for supplying a liquid to the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 758,362 Hicks Apr. 26, 1904 1,026,856 Farr May 21, 1912 1,379,850 Canova, Jr. et a1. May 31, 1921