US2703545A

US2703545A - Fire alarm

Info

Publication number: US2703545A
Application number: US423289A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul J Sumerak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-04-15
Filing date: 1954-04-15
Publication date: 1955-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-08

Description

March 1955 P. J. SUMERAK 2,703,545

' FIRE ALARM Filed April 15, 1954 Fig.

saw-m" Paul J .Sumeralr INVENTOR.

BY WM 13 arfi United States Patent 6) Paul Ji' 'Su'merak, Reno, 'Nevl' Application April 15,"1954,S'erial No. 423,289-

' ,4 claims. (Cl. 115-106 This inyjentionrelates to a class ofjfire' alarms having audible signals for indicating that a dangerous condition eXlStS. ."Y-

The primary object of .thi s-invention resides in the provision of *a fire alarm" which includes'a tank which can be. ,easily. charged ..with..compressedfair or l. gas and having. signal devices associated, therewith whichflwhen subjected to excessive heat, will, because of the melting of a fusible plug, permit the compressed air to pass from the tank and actuate a whistle.

A further important object of this invention resides in the provision of means for indicating that the fire alarm has been actuated which includes a plurality of'paper chips which are supported within the sound chamber of the fire alarm in such manner that they will be lifted off their supporting shoulder and blown outwardly of 'an outlet opening in the sound chamber when the compressed air from the tank is permitted to pass out of the orifice and into the sound chamber for actuating the whistle forming the audible signal.

Still further objects and features of this invention resides in the provision of a fire alarm that is strongand durable, simple in construction and manufacture, which can be easily recharged at any convenient time using the compressed air generators usually available at most filling stations, and which is inexpensive to construct, thereby permitting wide distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this fire alarm, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the fire alarm comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating the construction of the signal device utilized in conjunction with the fire alarm; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the signal device.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, the reference numeral generally designates the fire alarm comprising the present invention which includes a tank 12 of any convenient shape and size having a pair of fittings 14 secured thereto. It is to be recognized that any suitable number of fittings 14 can be utilized.

The fittings 14 include pneumatic valves 16 similar to those used on conventional pneumatic tires. Thus, the tank 12 can readily be filled with compressed air by merely taking the tank 12 to any convenient filling station and using the conventional air compressor usually available at such filling station.

The fitting 14 is preferably externally threaded for threaded reception of the internally threaded gas chamber 18 which is integrally formed with the sound chamber 20 of the signal device 22. It is to be noted that an end wall 24 interconnects the gas chamber 18 and the sound chamber 20. A resilient gasket 26 may be positioned between the shoulder 28 of the air chamber 18 and the outer edge of the fitting 14.

Slidably positioned within the air chamber 18 is a plunger rod 30 which has a handle 32 for operating the rod 30. The rod 30 is adapted to be moved into position so as to depress the stem of the valve 16 and may be frictionally held in position by a slight sliding engagement with the peripheral walls of the air chamber 18 at the ice aperture 34 through which. the rod 30 extends. It is to be readily recognized that it is within the concept of this invention to thread the rod30 as ,well as the wallsfiof the air chamber .18 so that the plunger rod,30 maybe threads edlyj advanced into engagement with the valve stem of the valve 16 if it is not desired to use the frictional engagement between theplunger rod 30,:and the walls of the air chamber 18 to hold the ,valve' stem ofthe valve 16 in a continuously depressed positionso' that the compressed air within thetank 1.2 can be applied upon the fusible plug 36,.iclosing the orifice 38 in communication with the fitting 14., The sound box 20 has an inlet opening .40 in alignment, with the orifice 38 which is of tapered construction and communicates with passageway 42 formed in the, sound box 20 in such manner as to direct'the flow of compressed airagainstthe offset edge of the sound 150x20 which forms a baffie so that a'large portion of the. compressedair is-directed into the central portions of the sound box 20 with considerable turbulence soias to cause the soundch'amber to reverberate. This forms a ,Whistle1which' is,;-of,,cou' rse, 'accentuatedjbyfthe passage of other air outwardly through the opening 46. It is to be noted that the sound chamber 20 is formed with an outlet opening 48 in the bottom Wall thereof and the bottom wall 50 forms a supporting shoulder 52 for a plurality of paper chips 54 or like substances which are disposed on the shoulder 52 so that when the compressed air is applied on the sound chamber 20, the paper chips will be lifted off the shoulder 52 and due to the turbulence thereof will be pushed through the opening 48. This will provide an immediate indication that the fusible plug 36, which may be of various shapes and which, in some forms of the invention, may not be readily perceivable, has been melted, thereby informing the user of this apparatus that the tank 12 must be recharged and a new plug 36 utilized.

It is to be recognized that the fusible plug 36 may be made out of any suitable substance such as a low melting point metal, wax, parai'fin, or the like, and in lieu of paper chips 54 other suitable materials may be used.

Utilizing the pin 30 and handle 32, and with the plug 36 removed, the nozzle formed by orifice 38 can be utilized to inflate beach balls, and the like.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Whatis claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, at least one valved fitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to said fitting, means carried by said signal device for actuating the valve of said fitting, said signal device including an orifice in communication with said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, and a sound chamber, said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignment with said orifice, said sound chamber having an outlet opening therethrough, a supporting shoulder adjacent said outlet opening, and a plurality of paper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chips being adapted to be blown off said shoulder and through said outlet opening when the fusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas to pass through said orifice and into said inlet opening.

2. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, at least one valved fitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to said fitting, means carried by said signal device for actuating the valve of said fitting, said signal device including an orifice in communication with said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, and a sound chamber, said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignment with said orifice, said means including a rod slidably mounted in said signal device adapted to engage and depress said valve to permit said compressed air to enter said signal device and to apply pressure against said fusible plug after said signal device has been secured to said fitting, said sound chamber having an outlet opening therethrough, a supporting shoulder 3 adjacent said outlet opening, and a plurality of paper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chips being adapted to be blown off said shoulder and through said outlet opening when the fusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas to pass through said orifice and into said inlet opening.

3. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, at least one valved fitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to said fitting, said signal device including a gas chamber and a sound chamber integrally formed therewith, means carried by said signal device and extending through said gas chamber for actuating the valve of said fitting, said gas-chamber having an orifice in communication with said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignment with said orifice, said sound chamber having an outlet opening therethrough, a supporting shoulder adjacent said outlet opening, and a plurality of paper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chips being adapted to be blown off said shoulder and through said outlet opening when the fusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas to pass through said orifice and into said inlet opening.

4. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, r

at least one valved fitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to said fitting, said signal device including a gas chamber and a sound chamber integrally formed therewith, means carried by said signal device and extending through said gas chamber for actuating the valve of said fitting, said gas chamber having an orifice in communication with said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignment with said orifice, said sound chamber having an outlet opening therethrough, a suporting shoulder adjacent said outlet'opening, and a plurality of paper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chips being adapted to be blown off said shoulder and through said outlet opening when the fusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas to pass through said orifice and into said inlet opening, said means including a rod slidably mounted in said signal device adapted to engage and depress said valve to permit said compressed air to enter said signal device and to apply pressure against said fusible plug after said signal device has been secured to said fitting.

Franklin Mar. 17, 1936 Showstack Aug. 25, 1953