US825868A - Fire-extinguisher. - Google Patents

Description

.PATENTED JULY 10 1906.

H. E. SAFFORD, FIRE EXTINGUISHER APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1905.

` A v all INVlNTOR WITNESSES n afi@ ` UNITE STA ne afrnfr orrion HARRY E. SAFFORD, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO ALFRED REED HAMILTON, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIREBEXTINGUISHER.

No. 825,868. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application tiled July 3, 1905. Serial No. 268,046.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LHARRY E. SAFFORD, a resident of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Penns lvania, have invented anew and useful mprovement in Fire-Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion thereof.

l\` y invention relates to fire-extinguishers, and more especially to certain improvements in that class of tire-extinguishers shown and described in United States Letters Patent Nos. 439,565 and 664,898, granted to me on October 28, 1890, and on January 1, 1901, respectively, and in which the Huid is contained within a suitable reservoir and is expelled therefrom when needed by compressed air or other staple gas confined witlnn said reservoir or by a pump should the compressed air fail to work.

The object of the present invention is to insure Ithe tire-extinguisher of working the chemicals therein at all times and overcome liability of the chemicals working the machine, thereby im )roving such forni of a {ireextinguisher in otiier respects; and the invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement, construction, and combination ot' parts. as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described, aml particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and use my improved tire-extinguisher, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section ot my improved iire-extinguisher. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section ol' the lower end of the valve-controlled rod and showing its manner of connection with the valve.

Like symbols ot'Y reference herein indicate like parts in each of the tigures of the drawings.

T he reservoir u may .le ot' any convenient size or shape and is constructed ot` copper or other suitable metal. An opening o is formed in the head oi the reservoir a, and within said opening is inserted the collar b, Said collar having the flange b', adapted to engage with the inner faces oll the top ot' the reservoir (L around said opening.

A. jam-nut 5 b2 engages with the external threads of said l collar and acts Vto hold said collar in position,

the flanges b of said collar being drawn up against the innerface of the reservoir by tightening said jam-nut. Solder is placed around the flan e b to make the joint airtight, and a was er b3 is placed between the upper end of the collar band lange d of the pumps D, located above the reservoir o. A section of tubing c en a es with the internal threads of the collar eing sweated therein, and said tubing extends down within the reservoir to a point below the liquid-line. In this manner air-tight joints are' provided.

The air-chamber d of the ump D has the threaded portion d', adapted) to engage with the internal threads of the collar b. The pump-barrel d has its u per end screwed into the air-chamber d. he' air-chamber d is provided with the outlet-port d3, having the hose connection d. A piston-rod e has the threads e formed thereon, adapted to engage with the threaded neck e2 of the airchamber d The upper end of the pistonrod or stern e is provided with the handle e4. 'At the lower end of the rod eis the cage f, having the openings f This cage f incloses the ball or valve f2, which is adapted to rest on the valve-seat h of the piston h, said piston h screwing into the threaded seat in the. cage The cage f, which carries the valve f 2 andthe piston h, is connected to the piston-rod e b a universal joint 1,which is composed of a iead 2, having a nipple 2 extending up from the saine for being connected within the lower end of the ipe forming said rod, and within this head is t ie slot 3 for conlning a lip 3 on the movable portion 3 of said joint, while such lip is pivotally held in said slot by a pin 3,whieh extends through said head and lip. The head 2 is provided with a like slot in the lower end of the same and at rightangles to the slotZ/t'or confining a lip 4, formed on the upper end of the cage f, which lip is pivotally held in its slot by a pin 4', which )asses through said head 2 and said lip 4. his piston h may be provided with suitable annular grooves h2 for the reception of the packing h3. The piston h has the concave seat 'i formed therein, the face of said seat having ribs or corrugations formed thereon, and while I have illustrated these ribs or corrugations as regular and at regular intervals I do not wish to limit myself to any particular form, as a serrated or roughened face might be employed with like effect,

IOO

, clesed by the valve m. o The valvejml has the v as wintm'aalnfmme@ @pas The.'

lower extension fk! of 'the pump-barrel is screwed onto the `threaded end Z ci the nipr i ple l, the upperend of sadnpple having the convex face mwhich'is'also provided with corrugations or ribscorresponding to those- 1 of the concave seat' ofthe piston, so that reservoir around the opening ta, is held in when said lpiston is inengagement with the vvalve said concave seat will lit over` thecoll.- v vex faceof the valve like ahood, the corrugations meshing or interlocking in such a way that when the iston is turned the valve also will be-compel ed to'turn. The valve I1z0/has the stem'fm,3 passing down through the nipi ple, a sto fm,4l being secured on said stem to regulate t e upward movement of said. valve. The valve m rests upon the packing-ring n, of leather or other suitable material, an having the opening fn, corresponding with the opening in the nipple. In order to hold said a'cking-ring securely in position, I form in he nipple Z a recess. or groovel o. The packing-ring is then forced down into the nipple, and by pressure applied thereto its outer edges are `i'orced into the recess o in such a way that said packing-ring is held securely in place against any vertical movement or liability of its turning when the valve is turned in the manner more fully 'hereinafter set forth. This packing-ring n provides an excellent seat for the valve to rest upon, as the valve when forced down into placeforms a very tight 'ointwith said packing-rin 4 and prevents lea age. Furthermore, the ower end of the pump-barrel u on being screwed down into the nipple Z llijas its lower end forced into contact vwith the packing-ring in such a way as to form a very tight joint, so that the necessity of soldering the pump- A barrel at its lower end to prevent leakage is obviated. The lower end of the pump-bar- Irel not only aids in holding ythe packing-ring securely in position, lbut at lthe same time packs the joint made by the pump-barrel with the nipple, which makes it easy to make repairs or inspect the valve without the necessity of removing anysolder.

Extending down within the reservoir a is the charging-tube p, said tube screwing into the nipple p and being sweated' therein. The nipple p has the annular flan e192, adapted to englag'e the inner face of t e reservoir around tl e opening g. A j am-nut 1' engages with the threads on` the outer end of the nipple and acts to hold said nipple securel in place, with the flange podrawn up tightly against the innerface of t e reservoir. Solder `is placed around the ange 2. A valve-'seat s engages the threads on t e interior of the outer end of the ni le 'p' and forms a seat for the valve s. The cap s2 iits over the screw down onto the ni ing the openings w', t e lower end of-said -Vvalve-seat s and is screwed down onto the nipple, said cap` having a'handl'c sal Afstop s4 regulates ythe downward movement of the valve s. The air and liquid are introduced through this opening g, as -willmore fully hereinafter appear.

For the purpose morel'ully hereinafter set vfortl'ilprcwide the extinguisher with asafetyf valve, which is 'const cted inthe following.

manner: A nipple t, having the annular iiange't engaging with theinner face of the place by means of the' jam-nut t3. Solderis then placed around the flange t. l This nipple has' the small passage-way t*,-ancl connnu'nily v'eating `with said passage-way is the tube u, ...which is screwed tothe inner end of said nip,-

ple, being sweated therein, and which extends elow thel liquid-line. of the reservoir. On the outer end of the nipple t and sealed thereon is the ball-valve, and upon said valve is themetal disk v.- A cage `w -is adapted to e t, said cage hav-f openings when ythe ca e is inclined, as shown, bein at or below the level of the disk, so that any quid esca in will flow out of the ca e and none will be eft above or around t Y valve and in the ycage to corrode the parts and prevent thev easy and ready automatic operation of the valve. A spring y is inte between a disk w at the head of sai cage and the plate o', and a set-screw 'wa engages vwith said head andl disk 'w to adjust said liquid-level in the tank the tube uemay be dispensed with and the valvecornmunicate directly with the liquid.

The operation of my improved extinuisher is as follows: The valve m having een seated by the rod e, a force-pump is adjusted to the openingg, the cap s3 having been removed, and air is then pumped into said opening, forcin dqwn the valve s 'and forcin the air into tie empty vessel through the tue p. This column of' airis then compressed by introducing the li uid by the same plump until a compression di the aircolumn represents the pressure the extinguisher is to be charged with. The pump is then removed, when the check-valve s will resume 'its seat to prevent the escape of the liquid, and the cap sa' is adjusted vto place. It will be observed that by extending the tubes c u to apoint below the liquid-line, as there 1s no possibility of the air coniined above the liquid escaping through the joints at the openings a/ g t2, owing to the manner in which said joints are constructed, it would have to pass down through the liquid andup the said tubes; Abut these tubes are alsoY filled with liquid, so that any connections made IOO IOS v IIO ' the pump-barrel.

with the reservoir are liquid-joints-that is, joints to prevent the escape of liquid and not to prevent the escape of air, which is practically impossible to do. The piston-rod is brought to the position shown in Fig. 1 by being screwed down until the concave se at on the piston fits down over and engages with the convex ortion of the valve, the shape of the seat and the valve insuring the engagement of the piston and valve in such a manner that when the piston-rod or stem is turned thevalve also will be turned. Tf now it is desired to use the extinguisher, the pistonrod being in the position shown in Fig. 1, said rod is given a series of turns by means of the handle to release the piston from the threads e2 of the air-chamber d, when the piston-rod is in position for elevation. This turning of the piston-rod with the corrugations on its cancave seat in engagement with the 'corrugations of the convex portion of the valve will cause the said valve to turn on its seat, and so free said valve from any, binding action which may have been caused by corrosion or other cause, and thus permit the compressed air above the liquid-lineto force the liquid up through the valve to the pump-barrel and thence to the outlet-port d3.

ln order to provide for as cheap a pump as possible in this class of ire-extineuishers, you are naturally limited in the weig t ofthe tubing employed in such pump, and while kgreat care is taken in making such tubing it has been found almost impossible to get a erfect straight and true piston Aand pumparrel at all times, in which case the pump would work very sti' or not at all by reason of binding or sticking ofthe parts on account or such discrepancies or imperfections in the tubing. Tt will also be seen that when the pis ton is shut down on the valve tight enough to hold back the pressure of one hundred and fifty pounds of air in the reservoir such piston will soring to one side or the other, and if the vessel is not used soon after it is charged the piston takes a set by reason of such springing out, and then there would be difficulty in moving said piston-rod up and down through the chamber of the pump and piston through Therefore in order to overcome these difficulties in operating the pump the universal-joint connection 1, connecting the piston-rod with the piston by the movable "rt 3, will provide a form of a rigid joint, as it were, but will allow the piston-rod m side to side in one direction and move from side to side in the oop c. irection, thereby permitting a itzy-crooked tube to be used in makinor 'the pump parts. When the piston is seate on the valve, it will take a straight position on it by reason of the movable joint connection between thebistou and piston-rod, and without such con "on or provision it would be f cmg these into position where they would stay, so that when you desire 'to use the pump it would be practically useless by reason of its working very stiff or failure to work at all. It will also be seen that the pump is always in readiness to be employed in case the pressure of the air within the reservoir is not sufficient to discharge the liquid with force enough to carry it the distance desired, and by the form of connection between the piston and the valve 'the engagement of the one with the other is always insured upon the lowering of the piston, no matter whether the valve has been turned around. during the operation or whether it rocks or leans to one side, as the piston will come down straight, and guided y the pump-barrel the engagement is always perfect and the pump operative at all times through the joint connection.

It is well known that air has expansive properties which under certain conditions may become dangerous or destructive to the tank. For instance, if the extinguisher be filled two-thirds full of liquid and the remaining space is occupied by air at the pressure of one hundred and fiity pounds and this pressure putin at zero temperature and if the extinguisher be brought into a lace where the temperature is heated to a lligh degree a very great increase in pressure would belthe result. Tf one of the extinguishers were in an overheated room where it would be subjected to sufficient heat, an explosion or bursting of the extinguisher might take lace and in any event a great strain on al the joints and fittings would occur, which would gradually develop into leaks. In my improved extinguisher in case the pressure becomes too great the liquid will be forced up through the tube u and out through the opening in the nipple t, the pressure acting to compress the spring y and force the disks v v beyond the openings in the cage w to permit they escape of the liquid. In addition to its function as a safety-valve it has also the further important function in the fact that it serves as a detector in case of overpressure. Instead of simply permitting the escape of part of the air because the pipe leading to the valve extends below the liquid-line it is evident that only liquid can escape from this pipe, and the liquid escaping will at once ive notice of the reduction of pressure in the e-extinguisher, when it can be tested to determine whether it is necessary to recharge it or to increase the air-pressure therein. This is important inv connection with fire-extinguishers; which must always be in roper condition for use and which might be a `ected from change of temperature to such an extent as to at least seriously reduce the pressure. As soon as the pressure has been reduced by the esca e of the liquid the o ening in the ni ple wil be closed again. this niannert e danger of the bursting or other IOO IXO

and provided With oorrugations for engaging With the oorrugations on said Veve and e joint member between said rod and piston and loosely connected thereto by joints et i5 injurious effect to theextinguisher is avoided and notice is given by the. pressure of the liquid or the traces ofthe same on the outside of the extinguisher that something may be Wrong. right angles to each other.

What I claim as my invention, and desire l In testimony whereof I, the seid HARRY E. to securel by Letters Patent, is- SAFFORD, have hereunto set my hand.

In a nre-extinguisher, the combination of HARRY E. SAFFURD. e tank' having a valve in the escape-tube Witnesses:

thereof and Provided with oorrugations there- J. N. COOKE, on, a contro ling-rod having a piston thereon I R. H. AXTHELM..

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