US399520A - Island - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1. F. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC PIRE BXTINGUISHBR.

No. 399,520. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

n Illu .SIIII N. PETERS, Pnmamnugnpher, wnhinglun. D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. GRINNELL. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 399,520. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

N. PETERS, Photo-Lithogmphnr. Wningon. D, C.

Anwen/U UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,520, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed February 3, 1888. Serial No. 262,958. (No niodeLl To all whom it 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire- Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

)Iy present invention relates, primarily, to j l ing defiector 5 attached to it. The delector means for protecting the more sensitive parts of an automa-tic fire-extinguisher from corrosion or the accumulation of dirt, dec.; and to this end the most essential feature of the invention consists of a protecting-cap fitted air-tight to the extinguisher and held from within by a device adapted to be operated by heat in such manner as to release or throw off the cap when a (ieitain temperature is attained.

The protecting-cap maybe held onto the sprinkler or extinguisher by a heat-actuated device independent of that which holds the valve closing the wateroutlet; or I may use the cap for holding the valve, or the valve for holding the cap, in the former case the cap being held by the said device, and in the latter case the valve being so held.

In whatever form I apply my invention it is my intention 1o have the heat-actuated dcvice entirely within the space closed by the cap, so as to be protect ed thereby, and to accomplish this I prefer to add a mechanical connection between the said device and the cap or sprinkler, so that the cap may be attached after the said lieataictuaied device has been adj usted.

The heat-actuated device may be the wellknown soldered joint or any other suitable heat-actuated device. The joint between the projecting cap and the sprinkler is made aiihtight, and may be sealed with wax oi' other non-corrodble packing; but this sealing plays no part in holding the cap in place7 the heatactuated device which is depended upon for this purpose being placed, preferably, as far froiii the body of the sprinkler and the said joint as possible, so as to be less influenced b v the cooling action of the metal of the sprinkler and of the water contained therein. The protectingcap may be made in whole or in part of imn-f'orrmlil)le or heat-insulating material.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional view of an extinguisher, showing the composite protecting-cap. Figs. 2, 3, EL, and 5 are similar views of modifications hereinafter described.

Referring first to Fig. l, the base 1 of the extinguisher is of the usual pattern, having water-passage Q and liexiblc valve-seat 3. The valve 4 is also of the usual pattern, havis guided by screwstuds 6, which .support a cross-piece, 7, the studs and cross-piece forniin g what I call the yoke. A post, S, screws into the cross-piece, and the angle of the en d of the post is soldered at fl to a metallic cap, 10, fitted and sealed into a hole in the cap 1l. This cap 1l is of glass or other iioncorrodible substance, and it is preferably, also, of a character that will conductheat poorly. It is seated with an air-t1ghtvjoiiit to the periphery of the base of the extinguisher, and it is provided with a liange or lugs, 12, that project far enough inward to bear upon the defiector, and thereby hold the valve closed. rlhe meeting edges of the base and cap inay be iared, as shown, and iii the crevice thus formed twine, yarn, or the like, la, saturated with parafline or other non-corrodi blc and fusible substance, maybe wrapped to make the joint air-tight. 'lhe cap l0 maybe sealed into the glass ca p by plastcr-of-parls, sealing-wax, or the like, and it maybe coated with or made of a non-corrmlible substance.

In Fig. QI have shown a modification of in v invention, `in which a rigid valve-Seat is used together with an adjustable cap-seat. rlhe latter is formed by a ring, ll, screwed onto the periphery of the base and capable of be ing turned thereon until it seats up against the cap. The defectoi is in this case shown secured to the cap by a screwtliread, and the studs G are shown adjustable from the ontside, so as to permit the adjustment of the valve without distnrbingthe cap. The heatactuated device is here shown as consisting of a hook, 8, engaging under a dog, l5, on the voke and formed of two metals, which expand differently with heat, so that when subjected to an abnormal temperature the hook will be bent out and free from the dog l5, and 'tlius release the cap and valve. rlhe cap is supposed iii this case to be of nietal, and the hook is riveted or otherwise secured to the crown IOO of the cap,' as shown. A lug, 9, on crosspiece 7 serves to limit the motion of dog 15, so that while the latter can swing freely upon the cross-piece for normal movements of the hook 8, yet when the hook is bent beyond the ordinary by an abnormal increase in temperature the dog will rest against the lug 9 and allow the hook to be forced free of the dog. The ring 14 may be made of vulcanized ber or other non-metallic substance, so as to, first, prevent sticking by corrosion, and, second, to preventl the liow of heat from the cap to the base. The deliector 5 may have between it and the cap a ring, 16, of a similar heat-in sulatin g m aterial.

In Fig. 3 l have shown a modification in which the valve or defiector holds the cap, and in this case the cap may be oi glass with interior lugs, 12, engaging under arms or anges extending out from the dellector 5. The valve and detlector are in this case held by yoke 7, levers 8, and soldered joint 9, in the well-known way. The lugs 12 do not eX- tend all around the cap, but are sufficiently far apart to allow the arms 17 to pass up between them, when a slight turn of the cap is all that is necessary to lock it into place like a bayonet-joint The lugs 12 or the arms 17 should be inclined slightly, so as to wedge the cap down to its seat as it is turned.

In Fig. 4C is shown a modification similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but differing in the fact that it shows a glass globe or cap instead of a metallic one. The lugs 12 are made wedgeshaped, and serve, by being forced in under cross-piece 18, to hold the cap to its seat. The same lugs, by being wedged in over the deflector, will hold the valve toits scat. The cross-piece 18 may be soldered to the yoke 7 by fusible solder.

ln 5 the cap is shown tlattened out into a disk, and is made one with the deliector and valve. In this 'figure l have shown two soldered latch devices, 8, engaging under the inclined lip 19 of the adjustable seat 14 and soldered at 2O to the cap. There are two of these devices shown, one on each side; but one could be dispensed with, for the reason that when one of the devices S is sufficiently released the pressure yin the pipe will throw the valve from its seat. The valve-seat may i be of the flexible kind; or it maybe made adl justable by a screw-thread, as shown.

dirt, or mechanical injury in the most perfect manner, and at the same time allowing the water when released by the valve to exert its pressure upon the extended surface of the cap, thereby insuring its prompt and complete removal.

Sprinklers have been heretofore constructed with protectingcaps; but these caps, when made air-tight, were always sealed by a soldered joint exposed more or less to the corrosive laction of. the atmosphere. I do not intend that -my present claims shall cover such devices, as it is an essential feature of this invention that the soldered joint or other sensitive heat-actuated device be independent of the joint between the cap and its seat, the object being to completely protect such device from corrosion.

I claiml. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination of the vvalve closing the waterpassage with a protecting-cap fitted with an air-tight joint to the extinguisher-base, and a heat-actuated device independent of said joint located entirely within the cap and holding said capto its seat until released by heat.

2. In an automatic lire-extinguisher, the combination of the valve closing the waterpassage with a protecting-cap fitted with an air-tight joint to the extinguisher-base, and a heat-actuated device independent of said joint located in the space between the valve and cap, and secured to both valve and cap, so as to hold them to their respective seats until released by heat.

3. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination of the valve closing the waterpassage with a protecting-cap covering the valve, and inclosing a heat-actuated device adapted to hold the cap to its seat until re leased by heat, the said cap made partly of heat-conducting material and partly of heatinsulating material, and the said device secured to the heat-conducting part.

FREDERICK GRINNELL.

Vitnesses:

RICHARD XV. GRINNELL, XVILMARTH H. THURsToN.

lOO

Images