US2871952A - Fire extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1959 L. E. DOAK FIRE EXTINGUISHER Fild May 20, 1957 l I i g I i i INVENTOR.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Lyle E. Doak, Circle Pines, Minn. Application May 20,1957, Serial No. 660,109

3 Claims. ((11. 169--26) This invention relates to fire extinguishers and more particularly relates to fire extinguishers containing a quantity of non-conducting fire extinguishing liquid under pressure to be released upon the occurrence of a fire.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved fire extinguisher of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel fire extinguisher of the cartridge type, substantially filled with a fire-extinguishing liquid under pressure and which is provided with a novel valve mechanism facilitating ready and easy charging of the cartridge and expelling of the liquid for extinguishing a fire.

A further object of my invention is the provision in a cartridge-type fire extinguisher of a frangible, fluiddischarging stem which is normally closed and which is easily broken by mechanism operating in response to the occurrence of a fire in the immediate area, and which also has the function of operating as a valve facilitating ready and easy charging of the cartridge.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following descrip tion made in connection with the accompany drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation'view of the extinguisher applied to a Christmas tree and showing the manner in which the fire extinguishing fluid is discharged therefrom so as to envelop the entire tree; Fig. 2 is a section view taken on a vertical plane longitudinally through the extinguisher;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section view of the valve mechanism and frangible stem in ruptured condition and wherein the fire extinguishing fluid is being discharged; and

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the fluid diffuser and taken on a substantially horizontal plane at 4-4 in Fig. 2.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein. The cartridge-type fire extinguisher includes a closed container indicated in general by the numeral and being constructed of two shell halves 10a and 10b which are interconnected in sealed relation to each other by a crimped connection 10c. The lower shell 1% has a downwardly extending, cup-shaped receptacle 11 formed integrally thereof and provided with an aperture 12 in the bottom wall thereof. The opening-defining portions 13 disposed peripherally around the aperture 12 define a valve-sealing portion, and an annular gasket 14 is applied onto the valve-seating portion 13.

A hollow frangible stem 15 has an open upper end 15a which projects through the aperture 12 and into the interior of the container, slightly above the valveseating portion 13. The stem 15 has a transversely outwardly projecting annular flange 16 at the upper end thereof and formed integrally thereof and defining a 2 valve element seatable against the valve-seating portion 13 and gasket 14.

Means are provided for urging and holding the stem 15 downwardly so as to urge and hold the flange or valve element 16 against the seating portion of the container. In the form shown, a rigid bar 17 extends across the inner end of the receptacle 11 and is aflixed at its opposite ends by any suitable means such as spot welds to diametrically opposite portions of the lower container shell 10b. The central portion of the bar 17 is disposed directly above the stem 15. A spring 18 is disposed between the bar 17 and the stem 15, the lower end of the spring 18 surrounding the upper end 15a of the stem and bearing against the flange 16.

Stem 15, which is constructed of a frangible material such as glass or plastic, has a diminished lower end portion 18 which is closed, and which is provided with an annular stem-weakening groove 20 disposed slightly above the bottom end. Discharge of the fire-extinguishing liquid from the cartridge 10 is accomplished by breaking or rupturing the stem 15 at the weakened portion thereof.

Means are provided for rupturing the stem 15 adjacent the lower end thereof and in response to the presence of a fire in proximity with the extinguisher. In the form shown, such means include an impact element or hammer 21 which, in the form shown, comprises an elongated bar having an elongated slot 22 therethrough and extending lengthwise thereof for receiving thelower end 19 of the stem 15 therethrough. The impact element 21 is supported from a plurality of depending frame elements 23 which are interconnected at their lower ends by means of a diffuser 24 hereinafter more fully described, and are interconnected at their upper ends by a ring which encircles the receptacle 11. The peripheral wall 11a of the receptacle has a number of recesses 11b and the interconnecting ring on frame elements 23 has corresponding detents 23a therein which fit into the recesses 11b for holding the frame elements in position. The impact element has a fusible link 25 at the inner end thereof which may be formed integrally of the element 21 and which is in turn connected with a mounting element 26 which is fixed by any suitable means, such as a tab 28 projecting through a suitable aperture in the frame element 23 and bent fiat against the outer side of the frame element.

Means are provided for actuating the impact element 21, causing the same to engage and break the stem 15 when the fusible link 25 ruptures. In the form shown, a tension spring 28 is connected to the outer end of the impact element 21 and is connected to the outer side of the container 16 in spaced relation with the receptacle .11. A spring-guiding bar 29 extends transversely of the impact element 21 above the spring 23 and is affixed at its opposite ends to adjacent frame elements 23 for guiding the spring and causing the impact element 21 to be urged in a direction transversely of the stem 15.

The diffuser 24, which may be formed integrally of the frame elements 23 has a central convex top surface portion 30 disposed below the lower end of the stem 15, and the diffuser 24 also has an annular concave top surface portion 31 surrounding the central portion and disposed transversely outwardly from the end of the stem 15.

Of course the cartridge 10 may be provided with any suitable means for securing the extinguisher onto a Christmas tree and the like and in the form shown, a hanger or hook 32 is afiixed to the top of the container 10 as by spot welding.

One of the important features of the present invention is the construction thereof which facilitates ready and easy charging of the container with compressed air or other gas and fluid after the parts have been assembled in manufacture. The material with which the cartridge is to be charged is supplied under pressure around the stem and receptacle 11, and this application of material under pressure may be accomplished by any suitable means such as a rubber supply nozzle which may be applied around the periphery of receptacle 11 before the frame elements 23 and diffuser 24 are secured thereon.

By application of pressure onto the outside of stem 15,

the stem will move inwardly, lifting the flange 1.6 off the gasket 14 and causing material to be injected into the interior of the container. The aperture 12 in the bottom of the receptacle 11 is slightly larger than the external diameter of the stern and the material passes easily thereby. It is preferred that compressed air at approximately five to seven p. s. i. be injected into the container along with a quantity of the non-conducting fire extinguisher liquid.

In operation, the fire extinguisher may be hung adjacent the top of a Christmas treeas shown in Fig. 1 or in any other hazardous location wherein a fire would spread and go out of control rapidly, if not immediately extinguished. If a fire were to occur in the Christmas tree, the temperature in the area of the fusible link 25 would immediately cause the link to fuse. In this form of the invention the fusible link has a rated rupture temperature of approximately 140 degrees F. When the link 25 ruptures, the spring 28 causes the impact element to strike and rupture the lower end of the stem 15. The stem 15 will break at the weakened groove 20 and compressed air at 33 in the container and above the liquid will cause the liquid to be expelled through the ruptured stem 15. The expelling liquid will engage the central convex portion of the diffuser and will flow transversely outwardly in multidirections and be diffused upwardly by the convex peripheral portion 21, whereupon the fire extinguishing fluid, which will substantially vaporize and envelop the entire Christmas tree T in the manner shown by the dotted lines F in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that I have provided a new and improved extinguisher which has an improved frangible stem for ejecting the fire-extinguishing fluid in response to presence of heat and which is arranged to provide a simple valve mechanism to facilitate ready and easy charging of the extinguisher with fire-extinguishing liquid and compressed air.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, detail, arrangement and proportion of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cartridge-type fire extinguisher, comprising a closed container adapted to contain a quantity of fire-extinguishing liquid under gas pressure, said container having an aperture in the bottom thereof defining valve-seating portions therearound, a hollow frangible stem having a closed lower end disposed outwardly of the container and adapted to be ruptured, said stem also having an open upper end projecting through the aperture in the container and an enlarged external periphery on the upper end thereof engaging and seating against said seating portion at the inner side of the aperture in the container, and spring means urging the Stern outwardly, the stern being smaller in external configuration than the configuration of the aperture in the container, whereby to facilitate charging of the container with fluid and gas by a plication of the gas and fluid under pressure to the external side of the container and stem.

2. A cartridge-type fire extinguisher comprising a closed container adapted to contain a quantity of fire extinguishing liquid and gas under pressure and having an aperture in the bottom thereof, the container defining a valve-seating portion peripherally around the aperture and on the inner side of the container, a hollow stem having an externally flanged open upper end projecting through the aperture and also having a frangible closed outer end projecting outwardly from the aperture in the container, the flange defining a valve element and hearing against the valve-seating portion around the aperture in sealing relation, a compression spring bearing against the flanged upper end 'of the stem and urging the same toward the seating portion, anchoring means in the container restricting upward movement of the spring, and said aperture being larger than the external periphery of the stem whereby to permit inflow of liquid applied under pressure to the outer side of the container around the stem.

3. A cartridge-type fire extinguisher comprising a container adapted to contain a quantity of fire extinguishing fluid and gas under pressure, and having an opening in the bottom thereof, a hollow stem in the opening and immovable in an outward direction, said stem having an open inner end communicating with the interior of the container and having a diminished and weakened frangible lower end projecting outwardly from the container, an elongated and generally horizontal impact element having an elongated slot therein receiving the diminished lower end of the stem therethrough, a fusible link connected to one end of the impact element, anchoring means 1 connecting the fusible link with the container for holding References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,963 Snackenberg July 11, 1916 1,208,549 Haller Dec. 12, 1916 1,233,289 Thomson July 10, 1917 1,366,630 Braman Jan. 25, 1921 1,862,082 Guffing June 7, 1932 1,866,151 Burnham July 5, 1932

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