US2720269A

US2720269A - Fire blanket

Info

Publication number: US2720269A
Application number: US351007A
Authority: US
Inventors: Diacos Theodore Harry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-04-24
Filing date: 1953-04-24
Publication date: 1955-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1972-10-11

Description

Oct. 11,' 1955 T. H. DlAcos 2,720,269

FIRE BLANKET Filed April 24, 1953 1N V EN TOR.

f/Zeadarezrr m@ BY M United States Patent O FIRE BLANKET Theodore Harry Diacos, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 24, 1953, Serial No. 351,007

3 Claims. (Cl. 169-1) My present invention relates generally to fire extinguishing devices and more particularly to a new and 1mproved construction for a blanket for smothering res.

As is well known, the householder is continuously confronted with the dangers of small fires and the problem of providing adequate facilities to combat such. The utilization of portable chemical tire extinguishers is adequate in most instances, but somewhat expensive for the aver age household owner and limited in its availability since adequate protection requires the installation of a plurality of extinguishers throughout the household. In addition to chemical extinguishers, a well known re opponent water is available to the house owner, but because of the tendency of this medium to damage furnishings of a home, its use is desirably avoided. Further, the resort to water for the purpose of extinguishing fires within a home necessarily requires bulky conduit, such as hose or the like, for conveying the water from its supply source to the point of fire. Thus, it will be recognized that the use of Water is limited in a normal household due of its attendant complexities of employment.

Recognizing such expense and difficulties confronting the home owner in providing a fire extinguishing system, I have set about to devise a new and improved means having advantage from the standpoint of economy, utility and availability, whereby the householder may provide himself with adequate protection against small tires within the home and therearound at a minimum cost and with a marked reduction `in required storage space for the equipment.

To this end I have invented a new and improved blanket arranged and designed for casting or throwing in a convenient manner over a combusting area. My blanket operates by the simple expedient of smothering the iire, or that is, preventing the replenishing of oxygen supply to the combustible materials. The eiiiciency of such smothering technique is Well recognized and it Will suice herein to state that in practice a blanket constructed and employed according to the concepts of my present invention is eiiicient and adequate for the purpose for which it is designed.

Briey, the blanket of my invention comprises a section of non-combustible material, preferably of a fabric somewhat light in nature, for which purpose I prefer the modern ber glass materials. Means are employed with the blanket for Weighting the peripheral portions thereof thus assisting in its casting onto a flaming area and insuring that the same will hug the flaming area tightly to provide a lire wall or dome over the flames. To assure etticient operation of the blanket and to prevent the same from billowing or capturing a large pocket of air around the flaming materials, I also utilized a plurality of suitably reinforced openings through which air may escape as the blanket is setting or falling over the flaming area. Such features and advantages of operation as mentioned hereabove will be recognized from the description of a preferred form of my invention presented hereinafter.

The main object of my present invention is to provide face a new, improved, simplified and economical iire extinguishing apparatus capable of convenient storage and employment.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a simple, dependable and easily utilized tire extinguishing apparatus, formed as a blanket, that will operate to extinguish a naming area without causing damage to other classes of goods or property surrounding such area of combustion.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide a new and improved fire blanket employing modern noncombustible materials of a fabric nature and having means combined therewith to insure eiiicient operation and assist the user in its employment.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of my present contribution to the art will be recognized by those familiar with the same as the description of one preferred form thereof unfolds hereinafter and with reference to the illustration of such form as found in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the general features of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional. view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross Sectional view, similar to Figure 2, taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial plan view of my new fire blanket showing in detail a modified construction for the hem portion of my improved fire blanket;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken substantially along line 5-S of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is still another cross sectional View taken substantially along line 6 6 of Figure 5.

In Figure 1 I have illustrated one form in which the features of my blanket may appear. It will be recognized and understood, that while the blanket 10 therein is shown rectangular in form the same may take any polygonal or curvilinear configuration such as hexagonal or circular etc. to encompass a blanket area having reasonable effectiveness in blanketing a flaming area or the like.

Turning now in greater detail to the specific features of the blanket 10 illustrated in Figures 1 3 of the drawings, it will be appreciated and understood that the main body portion 11 thereof comprises a section of tire proof material, for Which purpose l prefer to employ the new so called glass fabrics or iiber glass. Such body portion may constitute a single ply or multiple plies of the iire proof material, depending on the weight, thickness, etc. desired. Other materials such as asbestos sheeting are suitable for this purpose also, but asbestos in particular is not of my preference due to its weight, fracturing qualities and general fragileness. Be that as it may, for present purposes and to those who wish to practice my invention I strongly urge the employment of the modern liber glass fabrics.

The construction of the blanket illustrated in the drawings is carried forth simply by providing a bounding or bordering edge 12 thereof comprising a hem or folded portion of the blankets main body portion l1. Within the fold of such a hem portion 12 I prefer to insert a plurality of grommets 13 (see Figure 3) carrying therewith weighted washers 14, or the like and reinforcing washers 15. Such grommets are preferably spaced uniformly along the border of the hem portion 12, say at intervals of every 3 to 6 inches and provide additional utility and convenience to the user by permitting an opening for the hanging of such a blanket on a hook; such blankets for maximum protection preferably being located at numerous locations throughout the household and stored in easily accessible areas. Other means than the grommets members 13 may be employed for Weighting the border or boundary portion 12 of the blanket, such as short lengths of metal bars, or better still, articulated shot" materials, of the type familiarly employed in the design and construction of the lower hems of draperies and the like. The latter modification will be recognized from Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings wherein a length of the shot material 16 having spaced shot members 17 is shown in its mounted relation beneath the hem fold prtion 12. Additionally metal link chain or the like (not shown) can be used either inside or outside of the hem fold 12. In such event metal staples or pin type fasteners can be resorted to for anchoring the chain.

Other means and materials will also come to mind which can be resorted to for weighting the periphery of my new fire blanket. Be that as it may, it is understood that ecient and successful operation of a blanket embodying the characteristicsy and features of my invention must necessarily employ some weighted means adjacent to the border thereof for assisting in the casting of the blanket onto a aming area and to effect a convenient and efficient blanketing or entrapment of the flames.

In addition to the grommet members 13, or like weighted means around the border of the blanket, I also utilize a plurality of openings 19 within the borders of the blanket, which are bounded by grommets 20 and washers 21. Such internally disposed openings provide easy passageway through the blanket for the quick escape of air entrapped beneath the blanket when the same is cast over a flaming area, The exact spacing, size and arrangement of such internal air escape openings 19 may be left to the discretion of the designer, but again it is essential for the complete and efficient operation of my device that such openings be provided thereby to prevent billowing of the blanket over the flaming area and the entrapement therebeneath of a large supply of air upon which the flaming materials can feed. This concept of providing means for the escapement of air through the blanket in a quick and efficient manner also does much toward the presen vation of the blankets life and its endurance in the pres ence of flame since its smothering effect becomes immediate.

Such grommets as described, both in the blankets bor'- der, as at 13 and within the blankets border, as at 20 find additional utility and function in assisting the user in the handling of the blanket and the moving thereof over the flaming area. This relation will be understood by regarding that hook means of any suitable nature may be provided for engaging the blanket via such grommet openings, thus giving the operator a safe and convenient means for either casting the blanket out onto the flaming area or moving the same in the flame area with complete personal safety to augment the operating effectiveness of my new blanket.

While the operation and function of the blanket as I have. described hereinabove and shown in the accompanying drawings is easily understood, briefly it may be stated that the same operates on the principle cutting off the sup ply of air or oxygen to the flaming materials. Such function is carried forth by its blanketing effect; the materials of the blanket being reproof and dense in their fabrication thereby to eliminate substantially the resupply of air to the fire. The effectiveness of this principle in re fighting is Well recognized and actual practice with my device has proven its success, utility and efficiency in the elimination and extinguishing of fires. Preferably a household owner should be provided with a plurality of blankets embodying the features as hereinabove described with such being located conveniently for ready accessibility in approximate likely points of fire hazard.

It thus will be recognized and understood that while I have herein shown and described the features of my present invention as related to one specific form which it may take, numerous modifications, changes and substitutions of equivalents may be resorted to therein without depart ing from its spirit and scope. As a result I do not intend and wish to be limited to the specific features of my new and improved lire blanket as herein described and shown except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

l. A re blanket of the class described, comprising, a section of fireproof fabric material, means weighting the peripheral boundaries thereof, and plural spaced means mounted within the boundaries of such material section and having small openings extending through the material section for providing ready passage of air therethrough.

2. A fire blanket of the class described, comprising, a section of incombustible fibre glass material, a folded border portion surrounding the periphery of such section, a plurality of Weighted grommets disposed at periodic intervals along the entire length of such border portion, and a plurality of spaced reinforcing members mounted inwardly of said border portion and having small openings for the free passage of air through such material thereby to permit regulated escape of air through such blanket; said weighted grommets adjacent the boundary of said blanket assisting the operator in casting the same over an area of flame and such reinforcing members disposed inwardly of said border portion providing for the escape of air through said blanket thereby to prevent its billowmg.

3. A fire blanket of the class described, comprising, a section of flexible reproof fabric defining the area of the blanket, a plurality of weights fastened to and along the entire periphery of said fabric and serving to form a weighted border therefor, and a plurality of grommet members secured in spaced relation to the fabric and located intermediate said border, each of said grommets having a central opening extending through said fabric and providing a comparatively small passageway for the escape of air through said blanket whereby when the blanket is cast on a re the same is permitted to settle rapidly without excessive billowing due to the presence of the spaced openings provided by said grommets and the weighted border thereon.

Bishop May 21, 1912 Lawson Mar. 20, 1934 mit