US683135A - Closure-controlling apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 683,135. Patented sept. 24, 190|. J. A. MILLER.

CLOSURE CONTRULLING APPARATUS.

(Application led. June 15, 1901.)

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CLOSURE CONTRDLLNG APPARATUS.

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N0. 683,I35. Patented Sept. 24, 190|.

J. A. MILLER.

CLPOSURE CONTBOLLING APPARATUS.

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Y JOHN A. MILLER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AASSIGrNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM H. COLEMAN AND IVILLIAM M. WILSON, OF VASl-IINGTON, DIS- TRIOT OF COLUMBIA.

oLosuRE-ooNTRoLLING'APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 683,135, dated September 24, 1901. Application filed Tune 15, 1901. Serial Na/1,659. (No model.)

To tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MILLER, acitizen of the United States, residing at No. 918 North Gilmore street, in the city of Baltimore, 5 State of Maryland, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Closure-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiication.

v My invention relates to mechanism for con- 1o trolling lire-doors, safety-gates, and similar closures.

The object of my invention is to move these closures to a closed position by automatic means before a tire arising in the building can reach. the elevator-shaft or apartment to which they are ailixed and which they are designed to protect.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter described, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, wherein- Figure lv is a View, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, ofthe appara- Atus embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are top views showing the application of my invention respectively to two and three door systems of lire-doors, safety-gates, or similar closures. Figs. t and 5 are det-ail views of closures embodying features of my invention. Figs. 6 and 7 are detailviews of fuse-plugs. Fig. 8 represents a detail view of a valve and mechanism for operating the same which embodies a feature of myinvention.

Similar reference-signs refer to similar parts 4o throughout the several drawings.

In the drawings I have illustrated a construction Wherein my invention is applied to operatin g fire-doors for elevator-shafts. I desire it to be distinctly understood, however, that my invention is of general application and is adapted for use in Various other constructions-as, for instance, in operating safety-gates, doors, skylights, ttc.

In the drawings, A is a fluid-cylinder or air-tank, placed in the basement of the building directly beneath the elevator-shaft, containing the piston B, the rod of which extends above A and has iitted to it by a bolt or rivet the lever C, operating upon the fulcru n1 D. On one end of said lever is placed the weight E, which by means of graduations upon the lever may be placed at any distance from D. The ropes or cables G and II are attached to the other arm of the lever, and after respectively passing over the pnlleys l and 2 and l and 3, (l being a double pulley,) suspended at the top of the elevatorshaft in the manner indicated in the drawings, pass through and are fastened to the hooks 4 and 5 (see Figs. 4: and 5) and at their lower extremities are attached tothe weights G and 7.

4 and 5 operate on hinges substantially as shown in the drawings.

I and K are the fire-doors, opening and close ing upon hinges at the floor-level and tted with the hooks S and 9, so that when the doors are open they will be heldin place against the sides of the elevator-shaft by the interlocking of the hooks 4 and 8 and 5 and 9.

L represents a water or air pipe emptying into and supplying the pressure in A.

M represents an exhaust-pipe,which is from one and one-half to three times thesize of L, which may be extended to any part ofthe building and which is extended to each iioor of the building containing the fire-doors. M is tted throughout its entire extent with fuseplugs cc, and m, of some inflammable materialor easily-fusible combination of metals. Figs. 6 and. 7 represent detail views of fuseplugs adapted for use in connection with my invention, the diameters of which are greater than the diameter of L. The outlets of the exhaust-pipe being first closed, water or air is forced into the cylinder or air-tank A through the pipe L until the Vpressure forces the piston B down into the position indicated in Fig. l, thus drawing taut the ropes or cables G and H, which support the hookse and 5 in a horizontal position and which, in conjunction with the hooks 8 and 9, hold the fire-doors I and K open and against the sides of the elewill before it can reach the elevator-shaft encounter the exhaust-pipe M and ignite or blow out one or more of the said fuse-plugs. The burningorblowingoutof thefuse-plugs opens thedrainage-pipe and releases the `pressure upon the piston B. The weight E reverses the lever C, thus slackening the ropes or cables G and II. The weights 6 and 7 take up this slaclqcausing the hooks 4 and 5 to drop,re leasing the contact between -hooks4 and 8 and 5 and 9 and removing the support from the doors I and K, which, owing to their position, as illustrated in Figs. l, 4, and 5, must close, thus cutting off all draft from the elevatorshaft and preventingT the fire from ascending said elevator-shaft. If the construction of the elevator-shaft is such that gravity will not be sufticient to close the doors when the and is extended outside the elevator-shaft to each door ofthe building. A pull atthe rope N releases the valve P and causes the same results substantially as the burning out of a fuse-plug. Nothing is herein claimed for the valve and operating mechanism except in the use to which they are applied.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a fuse-plug which may be used in connection with my invention.

T represents the openings in the fuse-plug, which permit the ilow of fluid or escape of air.

U represents a washer which preventsthe water or air from reaching the opening.

V is a pin driven through the plug in the manner indicated, which, besides supporting the washer in position, is made of inflammable material or a combination of easily-fusible metals. When Vis burned out or melted, the pressure of the uid or air will throw out the Washer and permit the fluid or air t0 escape through T, as and for the purposes above set forth. Fig. '7 represents a fuse-plug similar in every respect to the one just described, with the exception that the pressure of the fluid or air is augmented by the spring NV, iitted beneath the washer in a compressed position. Both of the above-described fuseplugs are intended to be screwed into the exhaust-pipe in the manner indicated in the drawings.

Many variations and changes inthe arrangement, location, and detail of construction of parts may be made by any person skilled inthe art without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to be understood as limiting myself to the exact details shown; but,

Having now -fully ascertained the object` and nature of my invention, its principles of operation, and a form of mechanism embodying the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, a fluid-cylinder with piston, leverand fulcrum attachment substantiall y as described, connections `by rope or cable between one arm of the lever and each ot' the closures, a supply-pipe and an exhaustpipe for said cylinder or air-tank said eX- haust-pipe being iitted with fuse-plugs, and a system of weights as and for the purposes above set forth.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, means for releasing and maintaining the same in position, comprising a fluid-cylinder with piston, lever `and fulcrum attachment, rope or cable connections between one arm of said lever and each of the closures, a supply and an exhaustlpipe for said cylinder, a valve on said exhaust-pipe which may be opened by hand, and connections between said valve and each floor of the building as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, aseries of closures, a fluid-cylinder provided with piston, lever and fulcrum attachment, connections between one arm of the lever and each of the closures whereby when the pressure in said tank or cylinder is reduced said closures are simultaneously moved to a closed position as and for the purposesl above set forth.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, a fluid-cylinderprovided with a piston to which is attached one arm of a lever operating on a fulcrum and to the other arm of which lever is fitted a weight, means for normally maintaining said leverat one limit of its stroke, connections between the piston-arm of said lever and each of said closures whereby they are maintained in open position when said lever is in its normal position, and means for permitting said lever to move to the other limit of its stroke thereby releasing said closures as and forthe purposes set forth.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of closures, a fluid-cylinderprovided with a piston which is attached to one arm of a lever operating on a fulcrum to the other arm of which lever is attached a weight, said piston being attached to the arm of the lever `in such a way as to control it, connections between the piston-arm of said lever and each of the closures, devices for forcing air or fluid into said cylinder to maintain said lever at that limit of its travel which holds the closures open and devices for opening `the exhaust-pipe of saidv Huid-cylinder, whereby said lever is permitted to move to the other limit of its travel thereby releasing said connections and permitting said closures to move `to a closed position as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a tire-door apparatus for elevator- Ido Ioj

shafts, a series of closures arranged at difother limit of its travel thus opening said oloferent landings, a Huid-cylinder with piston snres as and for the purpose set forth. I0 and lever attachment substantially as de- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my scribed, connections between the lever athand this 12th day of June, 1901.

5 tachment and each of the closures, hydraulic JOHN A. MILLER.

or pneumatic means for normally maintain- In presence ofing the lever at one limit of its travel and FRANK J. ROWELL, automatic means for moving said lever to the W. J. SHEETZ.

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