US761221A

US761221A - Automatic fire-extinguisher.

Info

Publication number: US761221A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick Grinnell
Original assignee: General Fire Extinguisher Co
Current assignee: General Fire Extinguisher Co
Priority date: 1900-01-16
Filing date: 1900-01-16
Publication date: 1904-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 1921-05-31

Description

' PATENTED-MAY 31, 1904 F. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGrUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED'JAN. 16.1900.

N0 MODEL.

INVEIN'TCIR'.

WI'T'NEISEBSI 1m; NORRIS PETERS co.. vncn'auwa. WASHINGTON, o. c

I UNITED STATES Patented May 31, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 761,221, dated May 31, 1904.

Application filed January 16, 1900. Serial No. 1,631. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forminga part of the same, tobe a full, clear, and

exact description thereof.

One of the objects of the present invention is to insure the prompt and certain opening of the valve of an automaticsprinkler when the holding devices are released notwithstanding any corrosion or adhesion which may have occurred and which tends to hold said valve to its seat even after the release of the holding devices. This is accomplished by providing a yielding bearing. between the valve and valve-seat and moving said bearing inward as the valve is released, thus causing a relative movement of the valve and valve-seat at the joint which will rupture any deposit at this point and prevent any danger of sticking.

A further object of the invention is to pro- Vide a sprinkler in which the valve is held to its seat by arigid strut which is locked in position, so that any accidental jar or slight blow will not dislodge said strut and prematurely open the sprinkler. This is accomplished by providing a locking-bearing between the end of the strut and the abutment with which it engages and providing means for allowing a longitudinal movement of either the strut or abutment as said strut is forced laterally out of engagement with the abutment.

' The invention consists of the features, combinations, and arrangements hereinafter set forth in the'claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sprinkler embodying the present invention. Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly broken away. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are modified forms of sprinklers embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Y

a valve and means for holding said valve to its seat and releasing the same when the sprinkler is subjected to the action of heat. Either the valve or the valve-seat has a flexible bearing, and this flexible bearing is preferably the valve as it is moved laterally out of engagement with the abutment. I a 5 In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 a flat valve 6 is seated upon-the flexible diaphragm 4: and is held to its seat by a strut 7 between the valve and a shoulder 8 on the frame. In this form ofsprinkler the strut is made integral with the 7 valve and the means for disengaging the strut from the abutment 8 is carried by the strut. This means consists of a plunger 9,

. provided with an incline or cam 10 at its outer end arranged to engage an incline 11 formed on the frame. The strut 7 is provided with a chamber 12, filled with a material which will expand when subjected to heat, said chamber being closed by a plug 13, screwed intothe outer end of the chamber. The plunger .9 passes through the plug 13 and into the chamber 12, and a packing 14 surrounds said plunger between the end of the plug and the expansible material in the chamber. When the valve and strut are in place, the end of plug 5 13 engages the shoulder 8 and holds the valve 6 firmly to its seat, the end of plunger 9 at this time being in line with the incline 11 on the frame. .When the sprinkler is subjected to heat, the material in chamber 12 expands, forcing the plunger 9 outward and the incline 1O acting against incline 11 forces the end of the strut 7 laterally out of engagement with shoulder 8. This movement of the end of the strut tips the valve 6, forcing the side 17 in- 95 ward, the flexible diaphragm being moved in- William....

Ward to allow the lateral movement of the outer end of the strut. The flexible diaphragm conforms to the movement of the valve as the strut is disengaged from the abutment, thus preventing leakage at the joint, and the buckling or distortion of the diaphragm causes a movement between the valve and its seat sufficient to break any joint formed by corrosion or adhesion. The valve may be provided with a projection 15, extending into the opening into the diaphragm, for preventing sufficient lateral movement of the valve to cause leakage. The projection is preferably less in diameter than the opening in the diaphragm, but of sulficient diameter to prevent the valve slipping laterally off of its seat. The valveseat may be and preferably is coated with a thin coating of solder or some other soft metal, as shown at 16. This coating should be very thin and not materially affect the flexibility of the diaphragm.

In. Figs. 4 and 5 the valve 6 and strut 7 are separate from each other, the strut 7- having one end bearing upon the valve and the other end engaging the shoulder 8 on the frame. Vith this construction the lateral movement of the outer end of the strut will not cause a tipping of the valve and consequent inward movement of the diaphragm, as in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The inward movement of the diaphragm is produced in this construction by forcing the strut longitudinally as said strut is forced laterally. To accomplish this, the shoulder 8 is recessed, and the end of the strut is formed to enterthis recess, the side of the recess and the engaging end of the strut acting as cam-surfaces to force the strut longitudinally when the end of thestrut is moved laterally to disengage it from said shoulder. The recessed shoulder and the engaging end of the strut also form a locking-bearing between the strut and its abutment which prevents any premature dislodgment of the strut, and the yielding dia phragm forms a preferred means for allowing a relative longitudinal movement between the strut and abutment as said strut is forced v laterally.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 there is a locking-bearing between the end of the strut and the abutment, although the abutment is not recessed, for the reason that any 1 ies ru a era y ou o engagemen wi 1 t1 tt7lt ll tf t tl the abutment. In this construction a plunger 18 is arranged to engage the upper end of the strut 7 and extends through a casing 19. A spiral spring 20 surrounds the plunger 18 between the end of the casing 19 and a collar 21, secured to the plunger, and acts to force said plunger forward. A key or block 22 is secured to the end of casing 19 by fusible solder, the end of said key engaging a notch in the plunger 18 and holding said plunger against the action of spring 20. When the sprinkler is subjected to heat, the key 22 is released by the melting of the solder and the plunger is forced forward by the spring, thus forcing the strut laterally and disengaging it from the abutment.

In the construction of Fig. 5 the strut is dislodged by means similar to the means shown in Fig. 2that is, by a plunger 9, carried by the strut and operated by an expansion material carried in a chamber formed in the strut.

In Figs. 6 and 7 aspherical valve 6 is shown seated upon the'diaphragm 4. In these constructions the strut 7 is integral with the valve and there is a locking-bearing between the strut and abutment, the flexible diaphragm 4 yielding when the strut is forced laterally to allow the disengagement of the strut from the abutment. In the construction of Fig. 6 the strut is moved laterally by a plunger 18, which extends through the frame 3 and into a casing 19, screwed into the frame, said chamber being filled with expansion material which on the application of heat. forces the plunger outward, thus dislodging the strut 7. In the construction of Fig. 7 the plunger and the expansion material are arranged as in the construction of Figs. 2 and 5 .and the opera tion of these devices is the same as above described.

In Fig. 8 a flat valve is shown seated upon the diaphragm 4, and the strut is formed integral with the valve and engages an abutment 8. The strut is movedlaterally by a plunger 18', located and operated as in the construc tions of Fig. 6.

While it is preferred to employ either the heat-controlled means shown in Fig. 4 or the means shown in the other views, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these means or to the constructions and arrangements shown, as other forms or arrangements might be employed which would embody some or all of the present improvements.

Matter shown herein and not claimed forms the subject of Letters Patent No. 691,7 60, dated January 28, 1902, issued on the copend ing application, Serial No. 1,632.

What I-claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-v 1. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve and valve-seat, one of said members having a flexible bearing, a rigid strut for holding the valve to its seat and means for dislodging said strut and giving said flexible bearing an inward movement to buckle the same.

2. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a, valve, and means for releasing said valve and springing said diaphragm inward.

3. An automatic fire-extinguisher'havinga valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut for holding said valve to its seat, and heat-controlled means for forcibly removing said strut and springing said diaphragm inward 4. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, and a heat-actuated device for releasing said valve and springing said diaphragm inward.

5. An automatic fire-extinguisher havinga valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut, and a heat-actuated device for dislodging said strut and springing said diaphragm inward.

6. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut, and aheat-actuated device carried by said strut for disloging said strut and springing said diaphragm inward.

7. An automatic fire-extinguisher havinga valve, a strut between said valve and an abutment, a locking-bearing between the end of said strut and abutment, heat controlled means for forcing the end of said strut laterally, and means for allowing a relative longitudinal movement between the strut and abutment as said strut is forced laterally.

8. An automatic fire-extinguisher havinga valve, a strut, between said valve and an abutment, a locking-bearing between the end of said strut and abutment, heat-controlled means carried by said strut for forcing the end of said strut laterally, and means for allowing a relative longitudinal movement between the strut and abutment as said strut is forced laterally.

9. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut between said valve and a fixed abutment, a locking-bearing between said strut and abutment, and means for forcing said strut out of engagement with said abutment.

10.- An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a

valve, a strut between said valve and a fixed abutment, a locking-bearing between said strut and abutment, and a heat-actuated device for forcing said strut out of engagement with said abutment.

11. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed'in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut between said valve and a fixed abutment, a lockingbearing between said strut and abutment, and a heat-actuated device carried by said strut for forcing the end of said strut out of engagement with said abutment.

12. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut positively connected therewith and engaging a fixed abutment, and heat-controlled means for forcing said strut out of engagement with said abutment.

13. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a flexible diaphragm, a valve, a strut positively connected therewith and engaging a fixed abutment, and a heatcontrolled device carried by said strut for forcing the end of said strut out of engagement with said abutment.

14. An automatic fire-extinguisher having a valve-seat formed in a'flexible diaphragm, a substantially flat valve, a strut positively connected therewith and engaging a fixed abutment, and heat-controlled means for forcing the end of said strut out of engagement with said abutment;

15. An automatic fire-extinguisher having into said chamber and arranged to engage the 0 frame and dislodge said strut.

. FREDERICK GRINNELL.

Witnesses:

IRA L. FIsH,

R. A. BATES.