US811221A - Automatically-operating fire-extinguisher. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

1. `H. W. HILDEBRAND. i AUTOMATIGALLY OPERATING PIRE EXTINGUIS HBR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2l, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATBNTI-:D JAN. so, 1906.

H. W. HILDEBRAND.A AUTOMATIGALLY OPERATING PIRE EXTINGU ISHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2l, 1905.

Wle@ 97%. v

UNl l HENRYVV. HILDEBRAND,

0F DENVER, COLORADO.

notarieel.

Specification ot' Lettera Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application met Jun@ ai, isos. sain no. 266,239.

T0 all whom, t may concern: n

Be it known that l., HENRY W. HILDEBRAND, a citizen ofthe United States of America, vresiding' in the city and county" of Denver and State of Uoloradmhave invented a new and useful Automatically-Operating Fire-Extinguisher, of which the following is a spectication, l v

My invention relates toan improved tireextinguisher; and the objects of my invention are, iirst, to provide an automatically-operating {ire-extinguisher; second, to provide an automaticallyoperating fire extinguishing system; having an acid-gas-spraying device; fourth, to provide a fire-extinguisher provided with an interior cylinder arranged to form an annular gas-discharging space within it; fifth, to provide a safe, durable, simple, automatic fire-extinguisher that is adapted to be used singly or in series and be permanently positioned withinor suspended from the ceilings of rooms and that is adapted to operatively use the chemical fire-extinguishing solutions in common use. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 'Y Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fire-extinguisher arranged in an automatically-operative series or 'system that is adapted to protect a large room. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a single extinguisher suspended to the ceiling of a room by a fusible hook. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the locking-bolt li employ to hold the extinguishers of the system in position for operative use. Fig. 4 is plan view of one of the cans. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view illustrating. av modification of my device in which the cans are placed in boxes between the joists and beneath the floor of a building, the boxes being provided with a bottom composed of hinged doors which are normally closed by a spring-latch, the chain which supl ports a can in one box being connected with the spring-latch in the adjoining box. Fig. o is a similar view showing the series of latches tripped and the cans dropped to an operative position. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the manner of operating a series of extinguishers.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parte throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,tl1e numeral i designates a body of a can or a receptacle of any suitable form, 2 its bottom member, and.

third, to provide a fire-extinguisherl 3 the topl member of the can. The top and bottom of the can. are secured to the body part in any suitable manner. I form the top member 3 of the can with two fiat step portions 4.- and 5 and two short vertical portions 6 and 7, the upper vertical portion 7 of which forms the neck of the can.' Athread 8 is formed on the outer surface of the neck 7, and a cap 9 is threaded tothe neck.

To the inside surface of the vertical portion .6 of the capI secure, preferably by solder., one end of a cylindricall tube 10, the opposite end `of which extends to 'close to, but not quite to, the bottom of the can, a small annular space 11 being left between the bottom of the can and the lower edge of the cylinder. rlhis cylinder divides the interior of the can into two compartments that are connected together at the bottom `through the annular space below the lower edge of the cylinder, and through the surface of the step 4 I form a plurality of gas and water spraying apcrtures 12. l preferably make the can `round and form a circumferential row of small holes or perforations through the step, placing them quite close together. These perforaside of the can and the outer surface of the cylinder 10.

To thecentral portion of the inside of the cover I secure a short depending cone 13,and

to the surface of the cone l secure at equal l distances apart several depending arms, brackets, or strips 14, to the lower ends of `tions form discharge-apertures forthe circumferentlal concentrlcspace -between the which l secure a cap 15.. The interior of 'this cap is threaded. r'.lo this cap I secure a small glassrreceptacle or bottle 16, preferably by forming a thread on its neck to screw tightly into the cap, and inthe top of the 'cap I form a discharge-aperture 17, through which the apex of the cone extends, and l make this aperture a trifle larger than the diameter of the cone at the point it passes through the top of the bottle in order to form adischargeaperture for the contents of the bottle all around the cone. 'lo the center of the bottom of the can l secure an eye 18. secure one end of a cord or` chain 19, the opposite end of. which l secure to an eye 20, which l secure to the ceiling of a room. On the top of the cap of the can l form an eye 21, and to the ceiling 22 of the room in which the'ean ishung l secure adjacent'to the eye 20 an eye 22", to which l hang one end ofa fusible hook 23, the opposite end of which is To this eye I IIO l. water, and the bottle is provided with a supprises a casing 27,

ply of acid,the proportion of acid to the volume of solution being such a determinate amount as will form a suitable chemical lire-extingui'shing gas when they are mixed together. On the step washer 24?, of paper or of any other` suitable material, and then stick and coat the washer `with a coat of shellac or vwith any other suitable material. The cap is also fitted or made perfectly air-tight on the top of the can, and

the solution and acid are thus prevented from evaporating. Y

In Fig.-1 Iillustrate my improved tire-extinguisher arranged in series.V In this arrangement the re-extinguishingcan, the liquids in the can, ythe chain, and the fusible hook are -the same as illustrated in Fig. 2; but the fusible hook is hung on the locking end 25-of a spring locking-bolt 26. This spring locking-bolt comwhich is secured to the ceiling 22, a `bolt 26 and a coiled spring surrounding said bolt in the aperture in said casl to the ceiling,

is connected to the one adjacent to it, and so ing, in which said atively mounted.' Such a spring-bolt is, in common use and in itself does not form any, part of my invention. The opposite end of the bolt from its locking end is provided with an eye 28, and to this eye I'attach one end of a cord 29, preferably a wire cord. This cordl extends to and is connected to the end of the chain.19, which issupported by and passes over a small pulley or sheave 30, which is pivotally mounted in a yoke v31, that is secured and each {ire-extinguishing can on around to the first can hung. All the cans are in this way connected together. Thus assuming'that the can 32 of Fig. l was thefirst can to, be hung from the ceiling it would be l `connected to can 33 bythe chain 19, which wouldy pass over the pulley 30 and would connect to the spring-bolt 26, from which the can 33 is'supported by its `fusible hook 23, and the can-33 is .then connected in the same manner to the can 34, and the can 34 is connected in the same manner to the can. 35, and the can 35 is connected in the saine manner to the can 32, from which the series started. Then if a tire starts under or adjacent to any one its fusible hook would melt and it would drop and hang cap down from the end of its chain, and the weight and jerk of its drop would pull on its cord and pull back the spring-bolt out of the fusible hookl of the can next to it in the order of the operative dropping arrangement, and as the next-candrops it pulls on its connect- 4 over the perforations I place a bolt is slidably and opering-cord with the next can and frees it, and'so on around to the can that first dropped.4 Consequently they are all dropped into operative fire-extinguishing position by the melting of the fusible hook of any one can in the system. Thus if a fire should start adjacent to the can 32 it would by the weight of its drop setoi" the can 33, then 34, and then 35, which would all follow in almost instantaneous succession. Thus any number of fire-extinguishers could be arranged in any order desired to the under side of aceiling,and in a convenient point in the system a spring alarm-bell 36 can be connected by a cord or wire 37 to one of the cords 29 or chains 19 in such a manner-as to set the alarm bell off when the' tire-extinguishers drop. WhileI have illustrated this alarmbell attached to the ceiling, it can be placed 'in the office of a factory or plant where the system `is in use, or in any place where it would attract the attention o'f a watchman, or to a telephonic lire-alarm system thatQ connects'directly with the lire department of the city or town in which the building or buildings are located using'my lire-extinguisher. l

In Figs. 5 and 6 I illustrate my automatic manufacturing system substantially as shown in Fig. 1, with a'v few slight modifications in the dropping mechanism inclosed in boxes which are placed between the ceilingfjoists and secured in position there in any suitable manner. The boxes are adapted to hold the lire-extinguishers and are arranged singly or in series in any predetermined operative order between the oor-joists or ceiling-joists of rooms level with the plastered ceiling which extends between them, as shown inf-Fig. 5. The bottom of each box is provided with a pair of trap- doors 38 and 39, which are hinged to the opposite corners of the box by the hinges40 and 41. These double trap-doors are locked in a closed position by a combination of three hooks 42, 43, and 44. The hook 42 is a fixed non-fusible metal hook that is permanently iixed'in the lower side'edge of the box at the side of the doors and depends below thcm with its point arranged out of their opening path. Above this hook within the box I pivotally secure a. spring locking-bolt 26 by a screw 46, which passes loosely through a lug 47, formed on the casing 27 of the spring locking-bolt,

-which is similar in construction to the locking-bolt of Fig. 3, with the exception that it is pivotally secured on one screw to tilt inside of the box instead of being rigidly secured as .-i-t is in Fig. 1, and to a lug 47", which is formed -on the lower side of the lockingfbolts casing 27, I secure one end ofva fusible hook 43, the hook end of which depends andnormally hooks IOO IIO

under the hook end of' the hook 42, and the hook unprovided fusible hook is lmade of a length to der the hook 42. The door38 is lwith a rabbeted lip 48, and the doo`r38 when closed fits up under and against the edge of locking-bolt it will stand substantially horieinem the door 39, which rests on top of it, and in order to hold the door 38 normally closed l secure one end of a hook 44 to it. The opposite or hook end of the hook 44 is arranged to hook'over the locking v4end 25 of the springbolt r26, and when this hook 44 and the ,fusible hook 43 are both connected to the spring zontally in the box. The lire-extinguishing can is placed in the `b ox and is seton top of the trap-doors, and the free end of the chain 19, that is connected to thje'bottorn of the can, is connected `to a pulley 51, that is pivotally mounted in a yoke 52, that is secured to the inside of thetopY of the box, and the chain '19 extends to tbenext forward box 45 of the systemand. is secured Ato the eye 28 at the rear end of the locking-bolt26 of the box 45. In this arrangement the fusible hook at'the top of the can is dispensed with. A single box and fireextin, ;uisher can be used in this system if thel can-chain is secured to the top of the box or to the ceiling just the same as with the single extinguisher shown in Fig. 2 if it is desired to conceal the can from view; but it is more especially adapted to a series of tire-extinguishers, and in this case the chain 19 is secured to the eye 28 at the rear end of the spring-bolt-26 and extendsthrough the box and to the pulley or sheave 51 of the next box 45A and frerextinguishing can in the rear, the same as shown in Fig. 1. vin order to o peratively arrange the cans in the box, the can is first placed in the box, then the doors are simultaneously closed with the locking end of the spring locking bolt, the fusible hook which hangs below the ceiling is hooked under the fixed hook 42, and the two hooks that is, the door-hook and the fusible hookin connection with the spring locking-bolt, firmly secure the doors in a locked position until the fusible hook melts. Then when a tire starts the fusible hook melts and lthe weight of the can pulls down on the doorhook 44 and also onthe end of the lockingbolt, causing the locking-bolt and its casing 27 to pivotally tilt on its pivotal screw. Then the hook 44 will slip od of the end of the locking-bolt and the doors and can will drop, and the can will fall through the doors and hang downward atthe endof its chain. rIbis system of connecting the boxes and fire-extinguishers in-series in a successively-operating automatic system is substantially the same' as that shown in Fig. 1.

lnFig. 7 I have illustrated by means of a diagram the manner of operating a series of boxes or housings so that all the boxes in the series will be operated by the dropping of any one of the cans. The chain 19 at theend of each row of boxes connects by bellcranks 19^ with the next succeeding row of boxes, so that when a fire starts under any one of the boxes the falling of the can due to the melting of the fusible hook will operate the box next in order of movement and each succeeding box will be operated until thebox is reached where the fire started. Thus., supposing the box X is the first to be operated by the fire, the remainingboxes will be affected as indicated by the arrows.v templates any system of connecting these lireextinguishers into automatic operative rela.

My invention, however, contion that will enable any one iireextinguisher in the series when itsy fusible hook is melted bythe heat of a fire to automatically precipitate all of the others in substantially instantaneous successive order. My improved 'reextinguisher operates to extinguish a fire in the following manner: When a can falls, it

turns upside down and hangs with its cap downward at the end of its supporting-chain.

The acid runs out of the bottle and mingles with the solution, thus forming a suitable chemical lire-extinguishing gas which generates pressure and forces the sealing-washer from the step 4 and from over the spraying-aper 4 tures 12, from which the gas and solution escape and under its natural pressure sprays downward and iows around a 'considerable area below and around `the can and extinguishes, or at least dampens, checls, and deadens any fire it comes in contact with, while the alarm calls attention and assistance.

My invention is simple and inexpensive to install as an automatic system in factories, manufacturingplants, establishments, shops, warehouses, and private residences, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred construction and arrangement of it,\both as a single and as amultifple automatic fire-'extingusher, l do not wish to be limited to the constructions and arrangements shown, as there are many ways 1n which 1t can be operatively applied without departing from the spirit of my invention. s

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isM

1. In a fire-extinguisher, a main receptacle containing a supply of solution, a stepped topportion to said main receptacle, a cap secured to said stepped top portion, a cylin er in` said main receptacle, to near the bottom of said main receptacle and adapted to divide said main receptacle into two compartments, a connecting-space between said two compartments below the lower edge of said cylinder, and the bottom of said receptacle, a circumferential row of apertures in said stepped top portion of said receptacle, leading into the space in said receptacle separated from the main body by said cylinder, a small receptacle in said main receptacle containing a supply of acid, proportionate tothe amount of solution in said main receptacle, and an acid-outlet in said4v small receptacle, as set forth.

2. ln a tire-extinguisher, a main receptacle containing a supply of solution, a stepped top portion to said main receptacle, a cap secured row of apertures in said to said stepped top portion, a cylinder in said main receptacle, to near the bottom of said main receptacle and adapted to divide said main receptacleinto two compartments, a conmeeting-space between said two compartments below the lower edge of said cylinder, and the bottom of said receptacle, a circumferential stepped top portion of said receptacle, leading into the space in said receptacle separated from' the main body by said cylinder, a small receptacle in said main receptacle containing a supply of acid,

proportionate to the amount of solution in` y a small receptacle secured to said. cone, and

main receptacle,

depending into the central portion of said and containing a supply of acid, and an-outletaperture in said, small receptacle surrounding said cone, as set forth.

, 4. In a {ire-extinguisher, a main receptacle, provided with acircumferential portion extending from its top portion to near its bottom portion, and adapted to divide its inte-- rior intov two connecting-compartments, a supply of solution in said receptacle, a plurality of perforations in. the top of said receptacle leading into the outer compartment, a cap secured to the top of said main receptacle, a cone depending from the bottom of said cap, asmall receptacle secured to said cone, and depending into the central portion ofl said main receptacle, and containing a supply of acid, .an outlet-aperture in said small receptacle surrounding said cone, an eye secured to the top of said can, a fusible hook secured to said eye and arranged and adapted yto be hung and to depend said lire-extinguisher from or in proximity to a ceiling, and a chain or cord secured at one end tothe bottom of said receptacle, and at its opposite `end to or adjacent to a ceiling, as set forth.

5. ln a tire-extinguisher, a main receptacle, having 'a stepped top portion, a capsecured to said top portion, a fusible hook connected to said cap, an eye or hook attached to or adjacent to a ceiling to which said fusible hook is adapted to be attached, whereby said recepta` cle is suspended from or adjacent to a ceiling, and a cord or chain secured at one end to the bottomof said receptacle, having its opposite end secured to or adjacent to a ceiling, and adiacent to said fusible hook, as set forth.

6, ln aiire-'extinguisher,l a main receptacle,

connected to the top of said main receptacle,

and adapted to suspend said main receptacle, in proximity7 to a ceiling, and achain secured at one end to the bottom of said main receptacle and in proximity to a ceiling at its opposite end close to said fusible hook, and adapted to hold said main receptacle in an inverted position when said fusible hook melts, and mix said acid and solution together in said main receptacle, as set forth.

7. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of asolution-holding receptacle or can divided into two concentric compartments, by a cylindrical partition, extending from its top to close to its bottom, and containinga connecting annular space below the edge of said cylindrical partition, a stepped top to said receptacle, containing a circumferential row of apertures entering the outer compartment of said receptacle, a cap secured to the top of said receptacle, a small acid-holding receptacle or bottle in said' main receptacle depending4 from said vcap and provided with a discharge-aperture positioned above said supply of solution in said main receptacle, a conical acid spreader or distributer extending loosely into said acid-discharge aperture, a fusible hook connected to the top of said main receptacle or can, an eye connected to said hook and adapted to be connected to a ceiling, and adapted to depend said main receptacle below a ceiling of a room in an upright position, a chain vsecured at one end to thebottom of said main receptacle, and to a ceiling, at its opposite end, in proximity tosaid fusible hook, and adapted to depend said main 'receptacle in an inverted position when said fusible hook melts, as set forth.

. 8. in a tire-extinguisher, the combination of a can having a stepped top portion, containing a mouth, a cap threaded to the mouth, and a cylindrical partition in said can adapt- IOO IOS

ed to divide it into two compartments, and a circumferential row of discharge-perforations extending through one of the steps of said top portion and provided with an automaticallyremoving seal, adapted to normally keep them sealed, when can is in position of disuse.

9. in a lire-extinguisher, the combination of the solution-holding can, having the stepped perforated top, the cap, the two compartments connected at the bottom of said can, with the small acid-holding bottle-in s'aid'can having a discharge-outlet, the conical acid-distributer I extending into the discharge-aperture of said acid-holding bottle, means, including a fusiago ble hook secured to the top of said can, adapted for suspending said can from a ceiling, and means, `including a cord or chain attached at one end to the bottom of said can, for holding said can from a ceiling in a depending position., as set forth.

, 10. ln a fire-extinguisher, the combination of the canl provided with a supply of solution.` and containing two compartments connected together at the bottom of the can, the circumferential row of `discharge-apertures in said can, and the washer-seal over said apertures, with the cap threaded to the top of said can,

the conical distributer `connected to the bottom of said cap, the depending arms secured to said conical distributer, the threaded cap'- supported aperture surrounded withan annuablecap, and normally sealed discharge-apertures, with a'conical acid-distributer depending apex downward from said cap, a plurality of arms secured to said conical distributer, a threaded cap supported by said arms, a discharge-aperture surrounding said'conical aciddistributer and adapted to form a dischargespace of predetermined area around 'said conical distributer above the level of the solution in said c n, dischargespaces between said arms, an a bottle provided with a supply of acid threaded yto saidl cap, `a fusible hook connected to the top of said can, means for secur-` ing said fusible hook to' aceling to depend said can therefrom in an upright position, a chain or cord secured at one end to the bottom of said can, and means for securing the opposite end of said chain or cord to a ceiling lto stop and hold-saidcan in an inverted position when said fusible hook melts, and it drops 12. ln a lire-extinguisher, of a series of fire-extinguishers, comprising a receptacle yhaving two yconcentric compartments, connected at the bottom with each l, other., and holding a supply ofsolution and having la normally sealed plurality of apertures through said can into the outer compartment, and an acid-holding receptacle in said receptacle, adapted to discharge its acid contents into the solution of said receptacle when said receptacle is turned into an inverted position, a fusible hook to each {ire-extinguishing receptacle, a chain secured at one end to each fire-extinguishing receptacle, a pulley in said ceiling, arranged to support the opposite end of said chain, a cord attached to the opposite end of each chain of each fire-extinguisher, and a spring-bolt secured to the ceiling and connected at one end to said cord and having the fusible hook Vof each {ire-extinguisher receptacle in the system hooked over its operative bolt end, as set forth. l

13. In a lire-extinguisher, the combination of an automatic-operating fire-extinguishing system adapted to be secured below or in the ceiling-joists of rooms, comprising a plurality of main receptacles, each containing two cornpartments connected at the bottom of said receptacle, and containing a supply of solution, a small receptacle in each main receptacle, `containing a supply of acid, and having a discharge-outlet above the solution of said main receptacle, a spring-bolt secured in juxtaposition to a ceiling at each point a fire-extinguishing receptacle is to be placed, a fusible hook, secured to the.upper end of'lsaid fire-extinguishing receptacle adapted to be hooked over the lockingend of said spring-bolt, a chain secured at one end to each fire-extinguishing receptacle in the series, a` pulley secured in juxtaposition to a ceiling `for supporting the opposite end portions of said chain, anda cord secured to the pulley end ofsaid chain of each 'fire-extinguishing receptacle at one end and at its opposite, end secured to the rear end of said lspring-bolt, as set forth.

' 14. In a fire-ext1ngu1sher,`the combination of a plurality of the tire-extinguishing receptacles, and theirpfusible hooks, and tilting chains, arranged in any desired system be-- low or between the ceiling-joists of rooms,

`and means, including a spring-bolt, for operativelyl precipitating all ofsaid receptacles in successive order when the fusible hoolrof any one receptacle is melted, as set forth.-

15. Ina fire-extinguishing system, a plurality of cans, each containiugnormally sealed i discharge-apertures when in an upright posi.-

tion, and containing a supply of solution, a bottle in each of said cans, containing a supply of acid, said bottle containing a dischargeaperture positioned above said solution when said can is in an upright position, a fusible hoolr` u at the top of each of said cans, in saidsystem,

means for operatively positioning said fusible hooks and cans in close proximity to a ceiling, and means, including a spring-operated bolt, for operatively precipitating the cans of the system in successive order, when the fusible hook of any one of the cans in the system is melted, and means for limiting the precipitative movement of said cans, as set forth.

16. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of a plurality of the fire-extinguishing cans housed between the ceiling-joists of a room,`

trap-doors in the bottom of said housing, a spring-bolt pivotally secured in said housing to tiltingly swivel, and arranged adjacent to, said trap-doors, a hook connected to hold said doors closed and arranged to hook over the locking end of said spring-bolt, a tire-extinguishing can resting on said trap-doors, a cord secured'at one end to the bottom of each of saidcans in said housing, a pulley in said housing arranged to support the opposite end of said cord, a fixed hook depending from said housing, a fusible hook connected tothe reary end of said spring-bolt of each can, and arranged to depend therefrom and hook under the fixed depending hook, and a chain extending from the rear end of said spring-bolt, and connected to the cord of the adjacent reextinguishing can, said chains of said springbolts and said cords of said cans being connected together in successive order throughout the system, so that When the fusible hook of any one housing melts its spring-hookwill tilt and the trap-doors and can will drop and the jerk of the can on its cord Will pull the spring-bolt free of the trap-door hook in the housing of the adjacent fire-extinguishing can, and the drop of this can Wili trip the spring'- bolt and doors of the nextl can in the order of their arrangement around the circuit of the system to the can Whose fusible hook melted, as set forth.

17. In a fire-extinguisher, the combination of the system of fire-extinguishing cans and their housing-boxes, provided with trap-doors arranged to support the fire -extinguishing cans, the trap-door hooks, the' pivotally-tilting spring-bolts in said boxes adapted at their locking ends to lock to the boit ends of said spring-bolts, the ixed hooks inthe bottom of said boxes, the fusible hooks connected to the rearends of said spring locking-bolts, the drop-limiting cords attached to the bottoms of sald fire-extinguishing cans, the pulleys in the top of said boxes for supporting said cords, and thechains secured to the rear ends of said spring locking-bolts, andconnected to the spring tilting-bolts of the boxes of the adjacent tire-extinguishing cansI in the order of their arrangement, around the system, as set forth.

In testimony whereof i afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY W. HILDEBRAN D.

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