US1347611A - Support for fire-extinguishers - Google Patents

Description

w. 1. mmm. SUPPORT' FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

AFPLICATION FlLED AUG-2. 1919- rlmltefl July 27, 1920.

IOIUPIII [uw 1 5 ru OO INVENTOR WALTER J. BLENKO, OF LANCASTER, OHIO.

SUPPORT FOR FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

Application 1ed August 2, 1919.

To all @from z'zf may concern.'

Be 1t known that I, YWALTER J. BLENKO, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Lancaster, in the county of Fairfield and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Supports for Fire- Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a bracket or support for fire-extinguishers.

The principal objection to the use of the one quart type of fire-extinguisher in buildings and manufacturing plants is the fact that these extinguishers, being so small, are frequently tampered with, or are used by employees to see how they work.7 In the event of a lire it is often found that the extinguisher has lost its contents for these reasons, or because of evaporation or leakage if the machine has not been properly sealed. In plants where these extinguishers are frequently used it is not an uncommon thing to find a number of extinguishers that have been used on a fire and then returned to their brackets empty.

This condition is a positive menace, because it gives a false sense of security and means a loss of time in trying to use an empty extinguisher in case of re.

My invention is a bracket, or holder, which removes this danger by automatically and positively indicatingl at all times whether 'the extinguisher contains its full charge.

As the effectiveness of the one-quart machine depends on the contents (carbon tetrachlorid-a very heavy liquid as a base) rather than actual mechanical construction, it will be seen that if the extinguisher is refilled with water, as is frequently done by persons ignorant of the original contents, it will be almost valueless as a fire extinguisher, besides being dangerous to use around .electrical machinery. My device will also indicate the fact that the machine is not in working order in the event that it is filled with water or any liquid lighter than the original charge. It will also operate if the machine'is only partly filled with the proper charge. y

My invention comprises the novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of my improved support or bracket showing the parts in normal position; and Fig. 2 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1920.

Serial No. 315,008.

like view showing the position of the parts where the extinguisher is empty or needs refilling. Fig. 3 is detail of signal.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 2 designates the bracket or support for the extinguisher 2a, said support being of any suitable construction to hold the extinguisher securely therein whether in vertical position or in an inclined position, and accordingly said bracket has the lower arm or flange 2b and the upper clamp 2 connected by the rear plate 2d.

The bracket 2 is connected to the wallplate 3 by the hinge-member'a, one strap 4L of the hinge being secured to the back plate 2d of the bracket, and the other strap 4b being connected to the plate 3 by rivets 4", said rivets engaging the slots 3 in the Wallplate 3, thereby providing for the vertical movement of the hinge strap 4b.

A spring 6 is connected to the upper end of the hinge strap lb the upper end of said spring being secured to the bolt 7 passing through the bracket 7b, and the nut 7 is applied to the upper end of the bolt for adjusting the tension of the spring 6.

Secured to the wall-plate 3 is the latchhook 8 which is adapted to register with the opening 9 in the back-plate 2d ofthe bracket 2 to support the extinguisher in vertical or normal position. Y

Secured to the upperend of the bracket 2 is the linkage 5 which is connected to the wall-plate 3 so as to have an up and down movement with reference thereto, and accordingly the strap 5fL lof said linkage is connected to the wall-plate 3 by a rivet 5b which moves in the slot 5C in said wallplate. Y

A target or signal 10 is connected to the linkage 5 and when the extinguisher is in normal `position this signal is held out of sight between the links of the linkage 5 as clearly shown in Fig. l. When the extinguisher falls from its normal position this signal moves into view and is held erect by the spring legs llvwhich bear against the linkage on opposite sides of the pivotal points of the links.

When the filled extinguisher is inserted in the bracket 2, which in its empty state hangs forward, the extinguisher is pushed back against the wall until the latch 8 enters the opening 9, whereupon the latch holds the bracket and extinguisher in the position indicated in Fig. 1. rlhe weight of the extinguisher expands thespring 6. The hinged member t and the linkage slide down in the slots 3a and 5b of the wallplate 3. The linkage 5 folds up with the signal l0 held between the same. If, for any reason, the extinguisherloses a portion of its contents-the weight of which por'- tion may be predetermined by the adjustment ofthe nut T-the spring 6 overcomes the action ofv gravity and raises the mechanism so that the latch 8 releases the bracket and the extinguisher falls forward to the position indicated in Fig. 2. This extends the linkage 5 and throws the signal down into position indicated in Fig. 2 so that not only the position of the extinguisher but the signal as well is a warning that the extinguisher is either empty or lacks the proper amount of fluid, or may contain a lighter liquid such as water:

y my invention I provide a safety bracket which will positively indicate that the extinguisher is out of working order by making the extinguisher itself move automatically from its normal to abnormal position, and in addition the signal operates automatically and is much more effective than a spring dial which is ordinarily-too small to be seen from any distance, and in many plants is soon covered with a layer of dirt or scale.

What I claim is Y '1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a vertically arranged tiltable bracket or support for the extinguisher, means for maintaining the bracket in normal position by the weight of the extinguisher, and means operative by the 'decrease in the weight of the extin` guisher, whereby the support or bracket moves to tilted position.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a tiltable bracket or support for supporting the fire-extinguisher, a latch for holding said bracket in Y normal position, and means operative by the decrease in weight of the extinguisher for releasing said bracket from said latch, whereby the bracket moves into tilted position. Y

3. In an apparatus of theV character described, the combination of a tiltable support or bracket for supporting the lire-extinguisher, a wall-plate, said bracket mov-V able vertical with reference to said plate, a

latch engaging said bracket when in normal position, and a spring operative by the decrease in weight of the extinguisher adapted to lift saidy bracket whereby said bracket is released from said latch and moved to tilted position.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a support or bracket for supporting the fire extinguisher, a wall-plate, a vertically movable hinge member secured to said plate, and to said bracket, a linkage connecting the upper end of said bracket with Vsaid wall-plate, said linkage having a vertically movable connection with said plate, a latch engaging said bracket to hold the same in vertical position, and a spring connected to said hinge member, a support for the otherV end of said spring, whereby when the weight of said extinguisher is decreased said spring operates-to release said bracket from said latch.

In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a support or bracket for supporting the lire-extinguisher, a wall plate, a vertically movable hinge member secured to said wall plate and to said bracket, a linkage connecting the upper end of said bracket to said plate by a vertically movable connection, a latch adapted to engage said bracket, a spring secured to said hinge member, a support for the other end of said spring, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

G. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a vertically arranged tiltable support or bracket for supporting the lire-extinguisher, means for maintaining the bracket in normal position by the weight of the extinguisher, means operative by the decrease in weight of the extinguisher whereby the support or bracket moves to tilted position, and a signal exposed by the tilting of said bracket.

7. ln apparatus of the character described,

the combination of a support or bracket for supporting the fire-extinguisher, a wallplate, a vertically movable hinge member connected to said wall-plate and to said bracket, a linkage connecting the upper end of said bracket to said wall-plate by vertically movable connection, a latch engaging said bracket, a spring connected to said hinge member, a support for the other end of said spring, and a signal connected to said linkage and held between said linkage when in f folded pcsition, and means for swinging said signal into the same vertical plane as said linkage when extended, and means for supporting said signal in this position.

In testimony whereof, I, the said I*VAL'LER J. BLnNxo, have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER J. stanno.

lVitnesses I H. B. EYM-AN, DELBERT MGCLAIR;

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