US395225A

US395225A - Sprinkler

Info

Publication number: US395225A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 1905-12-25

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. B. HALL.

SPRINKLER.

N0. 395,225. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

WITNEEEEE INVENTL'JIR (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- 0. B. HALL.

SPRINKLER.

No. 395,225. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

n. PETERS. Pnomumn m' ncrj Washinglun. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

OSBORN B. HALL, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRINKLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,225, dated December 25, 1888.

Application filed October 22, 1888. Serial No. 288,776. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, OSBORN B. HALL, of Malden, in the county of Hiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Sprinklers, which will, in connection with the accompanying drawings, be hereinafter fully described, and specifically defined in the ap-- pended claims.

Referring again to said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sprinkler embodying my invention, viewed as from the left in Fig. 2 and shown as closed by a sealing-link. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same, viewed as from the right in Fig. 1 and shown as closed. Fig. is a View taken, from the same standpoint as Fig. 2, but showing the extinguisher in condition, as when giving an alarm of the failure of the scaling-link. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the sprinkler when in the condition shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 4, but showing the sprinkler in the condition shown in Fig. Fig. (3 is an enlarged detached vertical section taken as on line Z, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing my invention in connection with an extinguisher sealed by solder applied directly thereto when in a fused state, and also showing an electrical alarm. Fig. 8 is an edge elevation taken at the left of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of Figs. 7 and S. Fig. 10 shows my invention applied. to an extinguisher in which is embodied a horizontal lever to support thcwalvc. Fig. 11 is an elevation taken at'the left of Fig. 10.

This invention relates to that cl ass of sprinklers which are arranged at proper and effective intervals upon a systcmof overhead pipes provided with a fluid-supply, such sprinklers being normally held closed and inoperative by'fusible metal that will give way when the predetermined danger-limit of heat has been reached, thereby releasing the valve of the sprinkler and allowing the fluid in said pipes to escape and extinguish the fire in its early stage.

I have, for the purpose of illustrating my invention, shown it in the first nine figures of the drawings in connection with the automatic sprinkler patented to C. (i. \Valworth and myself by United States Letters Patent N 287,071, issued September 23, 1883; and in.

the last two of said views the sprinkler shown is, with the exception of my invention, that shown in United States Patent No. 348,531, issued August 31, 1886, and the fusible link shown in said first nine figures is that patented to myself August 11., 1885, and September 27, 1887, and numbered 324,316 and 370,390, respectively; but in this application I do not confine myself to any kind of sprinkler or to said link, my invention is applicable to all kinds of sprinklers which are held inoperative by fusible metal and to all kinds of links which may be employed in connection with such sprinklers to control the escape of fluid therefrom.

In said drawings, A represents the frame of the extinguisher, which in said first nine figures is represented as an integral casting with.

top horizontal bar, a, lower bar, Z), and side bars, r: c, a threaded nipple, (I, being formed upon bar a for connection with a fluid-distributing pipe. A distributor or deflector, e, is formed integral with and between bars 0 and with a central opening to receive valve f, which (with its packing) closes nipple d, said valve having a stem, g, that rests upon the cam h, which is mounted on rock-shaft 'i, which is supported in lugsjj, formed upon bar 7), a lever, 7:, formed integral with shaft 1' being secured in position by fusible link B, which engages stud a, formed at the top of frame A. Said link is shown as embodying the essential features described and claimed in said Patents Nos. 3%,316 and ,390, and as being formed of parts on m of brass secured together by suitable solder that will fuse at the intended low degree of heat, as specified in said patent-s.

In Figs. 10 and 11 the extinguisher is shown as formed with an integral frame, consisting of vertical bars 0 c, a lower uniting-bar, b, a defiector, e, and an annular upper bar or ring, a, in which is threaded the nipple (Z, against the lower face of which the valve f is seated to control the water that enters said nipple from the distributing-pipe; and in said last two figures the valve is shown as held to its seat against nipple (l by means of a lever, is, which at its inner end supports the valve and is itself seated upon lug y of the frame and at its outer end is slotted to receive the thin flat bar B, whose pin z engages the under face ICC) of the lever while said bar at its upper end is secured to the arm or stud n, projecting from frame A, by solder u,whieh is applied directly in place by heat.

In Figs. 1 to (i the valve is shown asheld to its seat by means of cam 71-, on which the val vestem g is supported, said cam being thus secured by means of lever is, which supports said cam and is itself supported by link B, which embraces both said lever and stud a, formed upon frame A, while in Figs. 7 and 8 said valve-supporting lever 70 is secured in position by being soldered directly to frame A, as shown at u, the solder being thus applied in place by heat; but these several methods of sealing the sprinkler and rendering it inoperative until liberated by heat are known equivalents each for the other, and have been introduced and explained to illustrate my present invention, which I will describe after first prem isin g that, whether the extinguisher is sealed by a fusible link or by solder applied directly to the parts, there is always danger of the same giving away by fracture and causing serious damage by the liberation of water that has been confined by such sealing device. Such giving way of the water-confining agent is due to several causes, among which may be mentioned 'the shocks of the water known as the water-hammer, the expansion and contraction of the frame A,which is liable to fracture the solder when applied directly by heat, as shown at u, and that whether the sealing-link 13 is composed wholly of the same fusible metal as is employed at u, or it be formed with parts on m, llig. (i, of brass or other strong and comparatively slowfusing metal united by solder, as shown in my said former patents, the said confining metal that fuses at a low heat is necessarily weak and brittle and consequently liable to fracture. To prevent the serious loss that often results from such giving way of the confining metal, and at the same time give notice' of such failure of the sealing device, I employ a link, C, which loosely embraces both the securing lever and a support, as stud a, said link being of such size that when the seal gives way the valve can open but slight distance, so as to allow the water to trickle downward just enough to indicate the failure of the seal.

I11 Figs. 2 and 4 the extinguisher is shown as held inoperative by the sealing-link 1;, while the safety or guard link C merely serves as a sentinel in readiness to arrest the movement of lever 70 when the sealing-link fails and to yet allow the valve to open just enough to give the water-alarm, as stated.

In Figs. 3 and 5 the sealing-link I; is shown as having given way and the guard-link C is supporting the lever.

In Fig. 6 the parts m m of link B are shown as separated when the solder has been fused from space If between them, whilethe parts 1) of link are still united by solder g.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9, where lever 71: is secured by solder u, as stated, the guard-link C is of such length as to allow the lever to move, as explained, just enough to allow a slight escape of water when the sealing-solder gives way from any cause but heat; and in Fi 10 and 1 1 the link C is shown to be of such size that when the solder u is fractured and lever is is liberated it can move but slightly, so as to allow just the limited escape of water to indicate the fact.

I prefer to employ in the guard-link C a solder that is slightly more sensitive to heat than is that employed to seal the extinguisher, in order that when called to duty by fire the guaiw'l-link shall first give way, thereby rendering it certain that it will not interfere with the intended opening of the extinguisher in such case.

By my method of providing a guard-link that is always on duty as a sentinel, but is subjected to no strain or diminution of its strength so long as the sealingdevice remains intact, this kind of fire apparatus maybe employed in large dry-goods stores and other buildings from which at present they are largely excluded, for the reason that the risk of damage by water, resulting from the failure of the sealing device by fracture, is deemed too great. For, as hereinbefore explained, after the giving way of the seal from any cause except heat, the guard-link renders it impossible that more than the requisite water to indicate the fact of the failure of the seal. shall escape from the extinguisher, and hence but slight damage can be thereby caused.

For still greater security, I combine with said guard-link. an electric alarm, preferably as shown in Figs. '7, R, and l), and as an open circuit, in which 1' is an elastic contact-arm secured to frame A by ascrew, as shown, and insulated by disks 11*, said arm being so arranged that it will, as shown in Fig. 8, be out of contact with lever 70 so long as said lever is held by the sealing device, but will be in contact with the lever when the latter is liberated by the seal. and has moved the limited distance permitted by the guard-link; and when such contact is formed an alarm-bell or other signal will be set off by the electric current thus rendered operative. The requisite circult is made by line-wire 00, which connects the arms 1* of the several extinguishers in the system, and leads thence to the battery, while a wire connects the battery directly with the system of pipes on which the extinguishers are arranged. And as such battery and connections are of the utmost familiarity to all who are even slightly versed in electrical apparatus, it is not deemed necessary to delineate the same in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

formed and arranged in position to arrest the opening of the sprinkler when first liberated by the accidental fracture of said seal, sub

when thus sealed, the combination of said fusible seal, a guard-link loosely inclosing' both said lever and a supporting projection upon the frame of the sprinkler, and arranged to arrest the movement of said lever when the seal is accidentally fractured, a contact arm or surface arranged to be engaged by said lever when the latter is supported by said guardlink, and an electric signaling device 0011- neeted with said contact-arm, all substantially as specified.

OSBORN B. HALL. Vitnesses:

, T. W. PORTER,

EBEN HUTCHINSON.