USRE4994E - Improvement in extinguishing fires - Google Patents

Description

- Z'Sheets She'H. P. F. CARLIER & 'A. A. C. VIGNON.

Improvement in Extinguishing Fi'res.

4,994. Reissued July 16,1872.

2SheMs--Sheet2.

P. FICARLIER & A. A. c. VIGNON. lmprovemefit iniExtinguishing; Fires.

Reissued July-15,1872.

J 1 DAWSON MILES OFGAMBR the processor 'metho 1 ing' th s extinguishing medium,

ratus may be made of an exceedinglyportable facts, first, that-water,

PATENT, OFFICE FRANCE.

' Specification forming partjof- Letters Patent N Paris, in the French Empire, inv'entedcertain- Improvements in the Art of Extinguishing Fires,- and in the means and apparatus employed in such art, of 'whic the following is a full, clear, and exact-description, reference being had to the drawing-annexed hereto.

his invention has for its object the extinfires in a more instantaneous andeffectual manner-than is attainable by means in present useandconsists,

of extinguishing fires by means of a jet or stream of mingled water mthe vessel; and,'secondly, in the construction of apparatus "for containing and deliverwhich appanature, and kept always .charged' and ready foruse at a moments notice atthe particular locality which it is desired-to protect. r The particular advantages to be derived from the employmeptof ment of the fire] when every'moments delay evils, advantage has beeutaken of the known whenconfined in a closed vessel, will dissolve or absorb carbonicacid gas, a non-supporter or extinguisher of combustion-of a much even than water,

put: is enabled to Ina-k p ments notice by simply turning a cock or openure or expansive force of the mixture contained this improved system :for' extinguishing fires may beshortly stated, as

more powerful nature Ines, MASSACHUSETTS, ADMINISTRATOR or. p RYFJVOARLIEIL'DEGEASED, AND ALrHoNsn A. o. meson, 0F PA'RI S,H

IMPROVEMENT'IN EXIT'INGUISHING Flues.

, 88, 844, datcd'April 13,1869; reissue No. :4,994, dntelhJuly 16, 1872. A I r a tent without perceptibly-increasin g its weight or bulk; and, seeoudly,-that the carbonic-acid gas, when so held in solution'in considerable quantities by water in a closed receptacle, will exert an exceedingly powerful pressure, which, 7 mixture -to escape from the vessel,'will cause a stream of it to be propelled with great force to a considerable distance.

By virtue of the above-named properties,

therefore, one is enabled, first, to employ vessels containing a comparatively small quantity of the above-named mixture, and consequent ly of an exceedingly'portable nature, but yet representing a volume of fire-extinguishing material many times greater than the-actual contents of the vessel; secondly, by keeping such vessels ready chargedon the premises,

ing a valve, when the self-contained projective force of the carbonic-acid gas will cause a stream of the mixture or mass -of V own volume of carbonic-aeid gas for every additional atmospheric pressure of f fteen pounds on the square inch to which it is subjecterhaud that, consequent 1y, a quantity of, say, six gallons of water contained in a closed vessel (a quantity that can withease be carried on the back of a person) will absorb, under a pressure of, say, six atmospheres', (or about; ninety pounds on the square inch,) about nine times-lts own volume of car-- bonic acid gas, and .will therefore actually represent a quantity of sixty gallons of extingnishingpixture of a more cflicacious nature than that quantity of water alone, and which, on opening the cook or valve of V the vesscl, may be projectedfrom a distance of about thirty-eight feet upon a burning object by the pressure of the gas alone,

to an almost unlimited ex- I e use of them at a mo nation with the It will be evident, therefore, from the foregoing, that if anynumber of such portable apparatus containing in'a condensed for ten 'times their volume of the extinguishing solution- -that is, nine volumes'of gas and one of water, ready to be made use of at a moments notice-be placed in buildings or on board ships, at or near the various localities which it 'is particularly desired to protect from fire,

' then, in the-ease of a fire breaking vout, not

only is the most efficient means for checking thesame ready to hand, but also, if the place where the fire originates is inconvenient to get at, such as the roof or cellar of a house, or a hold of a ship, one or more persons may fasten the before-described apparatus on his back, or their backs, and may climb or crawl to the otherwise inaccessible place'and extin guish the fire before it has time to spread.

\Ve are aware that it is not new to employ carbonic'acid gas, or other gases that are nonsupporters of combustion, as a means of extinguishing fires; but such gases have always been employed by themselves, and have, conscquently, not been efficacious, first, on account of the difiicultyof confining the gas around the fire, even if it could be properly directed thereto; and, secondly, because a jet of such gas alone, even if projected with the greatest available force from the vessel containing the same, would, on account of its want of mass or body, almost immediately lose its momentum on passing into the atmosphere, and could not be thrown from any distance onto a burning object. New, by the employment of this invention, the carbonicacid gas which is held in soiutionin the water without at all losing its characteristic properties is, on the solution being allowed to escape from the vessel, carried along with the jet of water in a proper direction, and, if necessary, to a considerable distance, with such a velocity that it arrives at the burning locality againstwhich it is directed without any material quantity of the same having escaped on its liberated suddenlywhen the jet of water strikes the burning obpassage, and on being ject, it surrounds the latter with an atmosphere of carbonic-acld-gas, which; in combiates in extinguishing the fire, fact, acting as a vehicle for transmitting or conveying the gas. Although it is preferable to employ small portable vessels for containing this solution that may be rcadilymoved fronrplace to place, yet in some cases the same may be arranged as stationary receptacles situated at or near-.the localities which it is desired to protect, and then they may be made of any desired capacity; or, 111 other cases, the apparatus may be contrived to move on wheels. \Vc prefer that the gas should be generated and dissolved in the water in the vessel itself which is to contain the solution by introducing in gredients;

such as are well water itself, cfl'ectively oper-' the water, in

-tion as shown in Fig; 2, it is known, into the vessel thatin combination with the water will disengage carbonic-acid gas. The portable apparatus is preferred, and.

may be arranged as shown'on the accompanying drawing. V Figure 1 shows an elevation. Figs. 2 and 3 show longitudinal sections through such anapparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

A- is a casing or vessel made of sheet-steel or other suitable material capable of with-, standing considerable pressure with a com paratively small thickness, so as to render the apparatus as light as possible. For portable apparatus it is pre erable to make this vessel of such a size. that it will contain about six gallons of water, more or less. here shown cylindrical, with slightly spherical ends, as being the most convenient for use; but it may receive any other form that will effectually withstand internal pressure.- This casing has an aperture at top, into which is screwed a plug, B, having attached to it a cylinder, 0, closedat the'bottom by'a cork, D. The plug B has also an aperture, into which is screwed asecond plug, E. to the lower end of which is attached a metal rod, F, having a button, G, at its extremity. To the upper end of this plug E is fixed aperforated stem, H, havin g a stop-cock, h, and arranged at top to receive a pressure-gauge. passes through the plug- E, as shown, communicates with A, so that when the pfessuregauge is screwed ontothe stem H, and the cock -h is open, the pressure-gauge will indicate the pressure existing inside the casing.

At the lower extremity the casing or vessel A and , is provided with a stop-cock, I, the inner open ing of which is covered by a perforated shield,

J, in order to prevent any solid substances from entering the same. Upon the outer end of the stop-cock is fixed a length of flexible tubing 4r hose, K, hav'ng a suitably-formed delivery-nozzle, L, attached, to it. To the ex terior of the casing A are fixed handles or loops M M, serving either to carry the apparatus by or to receive the hooks of shoulder-' straps, so as to be slung on the back of aperson.

The mode of charging the apparatus is as follows: The plug B being removed, the vessel A is filled with water, to wl ch is added one of the ingredients employed in generating carbonic-acid gas, such as biearbonatcof soda. The tube 0 being held in a reversed position, and the plug E and rod F being in the posiothcr of the ingredients employed for generating carbonic-acid gas, such'as tartaric ac d. The open end of the tube is then closcd'with the cork D, and it is inserted in the vessel A,

i the plug B being screwed into the opening ot- If required, a pressure the same, as shown.

gauge is fixed to the stem ll of the plug E,

Its form is The perforation the interior of the vessel filled with the and this'latter is then screwed down into the position as shown at Fig. 3; by which the buttonG at the end of the rod F will have pushed to the tube- 0 and mixing'with the'ihgredi-1 ents contained therein, carboniefacid gaswill be generatedin great quantities, and will be taken up or dissolved by the water to an extent and at a' pressure correspondingwith and depending on the quantity of ingredients em-' ployed for generatingthe same.

In the portable apparatus just described such quantities of the ingredients maybe employed as will generate a pressure of about six atmospheres, or about ninety pounds to the square inch, when, as before stated, the water will absorb thecarbonio-acid gas in the proportion of about nine volumes of gas to one of water, and this pressure will be efl'ective in discharging a stream of water containing gas as soon as the stop-cock is'opened.

- The apparatus, as described, may be made ornamental externally, and placed, ready charged, at or near the locality which it is desired to protect from fire.

If a fire occurs the apparatus is slung upon the back of,a person by means'of shoulderstraps, as shown at Fig. 4, and he, regulating the opening of the cock with the left hand, as

shown, directs .the delivery-nozzlewith his right handand burning object, when the exceedingly-energetic action of the carbonic-acid gas with that of the water will speedily and most -elt'ectually extinguish the fire.

In some cases, instead .of fixing the pressure-ga'uge to'the top of the plug E, as described, it may be arranged as shown in Fig. 5, where the plug E is not perforated, and a separate tube, H, with the cock h, is provided,

into which the pressure-gauge is screwed. The

object of the pressure-gauge is principally to ascertain, from time to time, whether the req uisite pressure is still maintained in the vessel, so as to render it fit for instantaneous use,

as without this precaution a leakage, if ever so small, might occurunknown, and the gas might nearly all escape, so as to render the apparatus useless when it wasv wanted. 1f,

however, the requisite ingredients were kept ready at hand, even in such a case this defect might be quickly remedied by the introduction of fresh materialsfor generating the gas.

Sometimes several of the before-described apparatus are arranged upon a truck running on wheels, as shown at 1 igs.6 and 7, which show, respectively, a front view and an end view of the truck. The apparatus may either be made use of while on the truck or they may be removed from the same and carried on the back, as described; or, instead of having sevthe opening by means of the screws N equivalents of the causes the contents of the ap-' 'paratus to be thrown in a stream upon the combined valve D, as shown,

Fig. 8 shows the arrangement which ispre ferred to be employed as a stationary apparatus, fixed at or near the locality which it is de-' sired to protect from fire. The general arrangeinent of th'esame is similar to that of the portable apparatus before described, the principaldifi'erence being'thatit is of much larger and that the details require, in

diflerently ardimensions, consequence, to be somewhat ranged. y p

A is the casing, of sheet-steel or other suit able materiahfor withstanding considerable pressure. 'It has an opening at top, which is closed by a suitable lid, B, pressed down over working in the "bridge-piece P, which are the one of the ingredients for generating carbonicaeid gas, which tube has an opening, a, at bottom, capable of being closed by the valve D fixed to the rod F, working up and down in a threaded hole formed in the cover. The valve- D is the cq uivalent of the cork'D, The bridgepiece P is formed with hinges, so as to turn a d L the delivering-nozzle. I Q is the pressure-gauge.

In charging this apparatus the tube or cylindrical A is filled with water in which one of the ingredients for generating carbonic-acid gas-is dissolved. The tube 0 is then filled through the opening c'with-the other ingredients, and the valve 1) being closed it is placed into the vessel A again, the cover B being pressed tightly onto its seat by the screws N N The rod F is then screwed down so as to open" the when the generation and absorption of carbonieacid gaswill take place, as already described with, reference to the other arrangement. The rod F is in both the portable and fixed apparatus a rod which slides .or moves and wise in the outer casing, and by means-of it power exerted outside the vessel may be trans? .mitted to. the interiorthereof in such manner as to cause the escape of the contents of the inner vessel thereby mingling the ingredients, which, when mingled, generate carbonic-acid as.. .l g Such fixed apparatus may be made of any suitable dimensions or form, according to the requirements of the localities where it is to be v employed. If the apparatus is of so great a capacity that the pressure in the same would vary very considerably during the discharge of the solution, in that case it is preferred to employ an auxiliary p'paratus, as shown at R,

connected at the casin g A by means of a tube "and stop-cock, S. This auxiliary apparatus serves to generate carbOnie acid gas, which Is g allowed to pass into .the main apparatus durplug B. To this'lid is a-tvtached the tube or cylinder 0, for containing.

vessel (3 is removed, and the vessel I screw-plug, as also a able force through al a time that the latter isin action, iilbe mainapparatus, and it is provided with a tube, '1, for containing one. of the ingredients, a

valve, U, and valve-rod V, attached to the perforated stem, Y, for a pressure-gauge, as described'with reference to the other apparatus. It is only filledto such an extent with water as will efi'ectually cause the greatest possible amount of the carbonic-acid gas to be evolved. Besides serving to replenish the main apparatus with gas ing action, this auxiliary apparatus may also be employed to supply the former with gas while charging, by which the water would be agitated, and thereby the absorption of the gas by the same facilitated; The cock Xin the auxiliary apparatus serves to discharge the water from the same after action.

The above-described improved means and apparatus, whether portable or fixed, may be withgreat advantage applied on board ships, particularly where these are dividedinto water-tight compartments; and they may,

in such cases, be efiectnally made use of to check spontaneous combustion in the hold or other part of the vessel, by leading one or more tubes from the apparatus to such locality, and connecting them there to other tubes provided with numerous perforations, and arranged in a zigzag manner over the space whichit is required to protect. Then, if it' is suspected that, spontaneous combustion is taking place among the materlals stowed in the hold, by opening the communication between the apparatus containing the solution of water and carbonic-acidgas at a high pressure and the perforated tubes placed in such locality the mixture will pass and the carbonic-acid gas,

the perforated tubes,

the energetic action of ,together with that of the water, will immediately and efi'ectually check the spontaneous combustion and extinguish any ignited portions, and the carbonic-acid gas, being considerably heavier than the atmospheric air, will displace the latter from that compartment of the hold, and, thus preventing the access of oxygen tothe materials, will protect them from further spontaneous combustion.

Having now described the nature of this invention, and the best means of performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we in no way limit ourselves to the precise arrangements, forms, and dimensions of apparatus for preparing, containing, lution as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing; neither to any particular ingredients for or method of preparing the solution of carbonic-acid gas in water; nor do we claim the use of carbonic'acid gas dur-.

with consider-' and. delivering the so-' What we claim is- I 1. The improvement in the art of extinguishfires, hereinbefore described, by throwin gupon the, fire ,or confla'gration a-properly-directed stream of mingled carbonic-acid gas and water by means of the pressure or expansive force exerted by the inass of mingled gas and water from which the stream is derived I provided with a proper plug or lid for closing an orifice in it,

another vessel or tube, the combination being substantially such as specified, and the construction being substantially such as described, so that the vessels may keep separately the ingredients for making carbonic-acid gas, that when their contents are mingled they gas and water. i 4. We claim, in combination with the vessels lid or plug and stop-cock combined, and capable of operating as in the above third claim, a hose and nozzle, so applied, as described, that the mingled stream of carbonic acid gas and water may be suitably directed, as hereinbefore set forth.

- 5. As the preferred arrangement of our apbottom thereof, in combination with a vessel or tube arranged in the interior thereof, the arrangement being substantially as described. 6. We claim a strong vessel, provided with a lid or plug and a'stop-cock, in combination with a vessel or tube arranged in the interior thereof, and arod passing through the wall of the outer vessel, and capable of operatic g substantially as described. i

7.. We claim a strong vessel, provided with a lid or plug and a stop-cock, in combination with a vessel or tube arranged inthe interior thereof, and a rod and cork or valve, the whole bin g and operatingsubstantiall y as described. 8. We claimthe elements or parts of awhole apparatus specified in the fifth claim, and arranged as therein specified, in combination with a flexible hose and nozzle, and with hau dies or loops, whereby the apparatus may be supported and tially as specified.

9. We claim, in combination, a strong vesnozzle, and handles or loops,

ume of water charged with carbonic-acid gas fwhen employed by itself for extin guishin g fires 2. We claim a strong jvessel,.provided with and also with a stop-cock, in'. combination with I and may be discharged in astream of carbonicacid paratus, we claim a strong vessel providerh with a lid or plug and a stop-cock near the the stream directed, substanmay be confined and transported, a stream thereof directed in the manner and for'the purposes described.

a 10. The keeping of the acid and alkali or al- "kaline solution in separate and distinct vessels, but insuch proximityto each other that they may be immediately brought intoeontactwhen the apparatus is required for use," v one mode of accomplishing which we have aboveset forth. 7

11, A closed receptacle, made of suitable material, containing one of the gas-generating ingredients, placed within the main reservoir containingtheothergas-generatingingredient,

to be discharged of its contents in the manner' herein set Iortn, .or by other equivalent means. t

- DAWSON MILES, e Administrator of the estate o Phiur' em earlier;

'ALPH. VIGNO 'Witnesm to the lsignaturev of DAWSON- Gno. F. Pnnmnr, I L. W. Lo'VELL. I -Witnesses to the signature of A A. O .=YrG NON: v

H. Dnemz, G. Jamn.

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