US1766912A - Automatic fire extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1930.

H. c. LAENGEL AUTOMATIC FIRE- EXTINGUISHER Filed Dec; 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v (L fiaeizocl fifty.

June 24; 1930.. H. c. LAENGEL' 2 I v AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER- v I Filed Dec. 19, 1927 2 'Sheets-She'et 2 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES HENRI CHARLES LAENGEL, OF PARIS, FRANCE AUTOM'ATIG FIRE EXTIN'GUISHER Application filed December 19, 1927, Serial No. 241,197, and in France December 24, 1926.

The apparatus according to the invention consists of an automatic fire extinguisher which is chiefly adapted for use upon motor cars and aeroplanes.

I The said apparatus is preferably placed adjacent the carbureter, and in the case-0t improper heating, back firing, or any other action causing fire, the apparatus will act automatically, and without the aid of the driver or the'pilot, to put out the fire. In

this manner, the fire cannot 'reachthe fueltank, so that there will be no danger of an explosion which would destroy the vehicle or the aeroplane. The said automatic extinguisher is also adapted for use upon all apparatus or machines, and in all places in which flames might be communicated to tanks, cisterns, storage plants or the like, thus setting fire to the same.

The said invention consists in the use of a suitable cap, disc, washer or the like, consisting of an inflammable substance or composition, such as celluloid, whose combustion will take place at a given temperature. When 95 the saidcap (or the like) is consumed, it will release in an entirely automatic manner the devices whereby the fire extinguisher is set in action. v 7

By way of example, an apparatus based on 0 these principles is shown in the appended drawings, in which the dimensions which have been herein selected for the use of the apparatus upon motor vehicles or the like, will obviously vary with the use which is to be made of the said apparatus.

Fig.- 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a partial section showing the means for supporting the mechanism in the container.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the lower part of said apparatus showing the displacement of the parts after the burning of the cap and the exit of the liquid when discharged by the impellmg gas.

Fig. 4 shows the mechanism of said cap in the released position.-

Fig. 5 is a sectional view. on a larger scale of a modified form of construction. The said apparatus comprises a container telescoping members 4-15-16; the member 16 supports the whole mechanism and is held in said container by two rods 21 secured to the Y cover 23.v

This said mechanism consists in the percuss'ion member 4 having a central transverse opening and a pointed end adapted to rupture the gas filled cartridge. The lower end of the member 4 telescopes into the member 15 which houses a coiled spring which bears against the member 4. The intermediate member 15 has at its upper end two arms diametricallyop'posite and extending outward at an acute angle and each pivotally supporting a wing shaped trigger 14'. Extending at right angles from the member 15 are supports engaging bolts 21 which support the said ercussion mechanism. The member '16 whic telescopically houses the member 15 has two upstandingportions which engage the triggers and hold the mechanism in cocked position. Formed in, the side of the member 16 are slots 17 in which pins 18 on the intermediate member travel, thereby limiting the relative movement of themembers .15 and 16.

The whole mechanism is held in the inoperative position by the pointed member 5 which is secured against movement by the combustible or fusible cap 8. The said cap thus holds the whole mechanism in the cooked position, and when it disappears" (by combustion) the apparatus will operate. The pointed member 5 carries, as stated, a valve 6 which fits tightly upon the seat 19 of the container,

whereby all leakage of the extinguishing liquid is obviated.

The cap 8 is provided with a thickened rim which has screw threads ing the end of the container. Embedd in the thickened rim are the ends of a metallic band 29 which passes through the celluloid cap and bears against the lower end of the releas ng member 5. This prevents too rapid burning the cartridge and disc arging the of the cap and strengthens the said cap against injury from blows or through falling. Also it prevents the release of the member 5 until the cap is entirely consumed, thereb allowing the liquid to be discharged in al directions.

Connected with the interior of the container through the valve 6 is a sprinkling cap 7 through whicln the member 5 passes and which is entirely enclosedby the combustible cap 8. The said sprinkling cap is attached by the usual bayonet slot and pins 12. The sprinkling cap being entirely covered by the combustible ca the possibility of the openings of the sai cap being filled with dirt is precluded.

Carried at the top of the container is a carbonic acid gas cartridge which is adapted to be ruptured by the pointed'end'of the member 4. The said cartridge. is covered and supported by a cap 2 threading on the container. The said cap is sealed by a packin member 9to prevent the escape of the gas.

11 operation the cap 8 is entirely consumed by fire and releases the releasing member 5 which is forced downward by the spring 10. The member 16 relieved of the supporting member 5 drops through the actlon of gravity, releasing the su port on the wing shaped triggers 14 which drop and rmit the member 4 to be propelled upward y the coiled spring 10, the ointed end rupturing as under high pressure into the container. Ihe high pressure of course passes some of the as into solution and the water is discharge at the spraying cag under pressure.

The hqui there will never be any loss of liquid, or loss of expelling force.

Due to 1ts construction, the said apparatus, even when indented by a shock, will still operate, and in all positions whether vertical, horizontal or inverted. If a motor vehicle should take fire in the hood, the apparatus will come into action.

To reset the device, a new combustible cap is screwed in place forcing the releasing member upward, thereby engaging the member 16 which in turn forces the winged triggers outwardly and draws the member 4 back into cocked position. The cap 2 is then removed and a new cartridge inserted. Thus, by two simple movements the device is again ready for use.

The modification which is shown in Fig. 5 differs from the preceding by the following construction. The compressed gas cartridge is so disposed that when the cartridge is opened the gas will issue above the level of the liquid contained in the apparatus; also, the combustible closing cap is so arranged that it will hold the pointed member in place until it is entirely consumed.

In this modification, the apparatus comis never under pressure, so that prises a main body 1 provided with a lower neck 1, closed at the lower end, in'which is formed a seat 19 for the valve 6 which is carried by the releasing member 5. The top end 23-is crimped upon theedge of the main body 1, and it is provided with a central tapped hole 25 coacting with a member 26 WhlOll descends into the main body 1, and forms at its lower part a socket 15 provided with side lugs; carrying the pivot axles for the-wing-shaped members 14 whose pointed ends are disposed in an aperture in the heavy member .4 which is u wardly urged by a s ring 10 and is slida 1e in the socket 15.

he spring 10 abuts against a pin 18 extending horizontally throu h the said socket and whose ends project an .are guided in verti-v cal slots 17 'formed in a cylindrical piece 16 which coacts with said socket and rests at the bottom on the upper end of the pointed member 5 also possessing lugs to support the members 14.

The com ressed gas cartridge? is vertically place between the branches of the strap 26' and rests on the member 4'. The end of the cartridge neck thus coincides with the striker point 4 which is vertically mounted at the centre of a screw plug 27 engaged in the tapped aperture 25 in the upper end 23. The said plug 27 is made hollow in such manner, as to form a gas bell 28 above the neck of the cartridge 3, between its internal, wall and the level of the liquid in the apparatus.

At the lower part of the main bod 1, and upon the screw thread of the neo 1', is mounted a sprinkling cap or head 7 of hemispherical shape, whlch 1s apertured for the insertion of the lower end of the pointed member 5 which is disposed at the middle part of an arc-shaped spring strip 29 such as a wire; a band or the like, whereby the parts will be fastened. The ends of said curved part 29 are so sha ed as to form claws 30. Upon the outer t readed part of the sprinkling device 7 is mounted a ring 31 comprising a lower circular projection 32, annular oove 33 being formed in its upper end, o r the insertion of a rin 34 of a combustible or fusible substance w ich also engages the attaching claws 30 of the spring 29 and holds them upon the circu lar end portion, the spring 29 bein thus laced under tension. The combust1 le or usible ring 34 isprovi ed with a cap 8 consisting of a combustible substance which covers and protects the sprinkler 7, the ends of the pointed member 7, and the s ring 29.

In t e inoperative position of t e apparatus, the several parts occupy the positions shown in the drawings. 7

The operation of the apparatus is as follows.

Upon the first contact with the flame, the cap 8 is consumed, so that the inflammable or member 5, so that the valve 6 will allow the liquid to be discharged to the exterior.

At the same time, the descent of the pointed member 5 will cause the descent of the member 16 relatively to the socket 15.. The lugs of the member 16 will no longer hold the members 14; the spring 10 impels the member 4' which thus raises the cartridge 3 while at the same time the members 14 are rotated, and they will act upon the member 16 and the pointed member 5 to completely open the passage for the liquid;

t the same time, the cartridge 3 is ruptured by the striker 4; the gas enters the bell formed by the plug 27 and thus forces out the liquid through the valve 19. In this manner the liquid is expelled with violence and is sprayed in the form of. a thick cloud through the apertures in the. sprinkler 7.

The percussion of the cartridge 3 and the openingof the passage 19 for the discharge of the liquid thus form two distinct operations which occur at the same time and cannot take place separately.

I claim: 1. An automatic fire'extinguisher comprising a liquid container, a percussion mechanism carried by the container, an outlet valve for the liquid, a gas filled cartridge arranged to be ruptured by the mechanism, and a combustible means on the outside of the container which normally holds the valve in closed position and which when subjected to heat releases the percussion mechanism.

2. An automatic fire extinguisher comprising a liquid container, 2. gas filled cartridge carried above the container, the end of the cartridge projecting into the container, a cap fitting over the'cartri'dge and threading on the container, a percussion mechanism for rupturing the cartridge carried in the container, a releasing member holding the mechanism in cocked position, a combustible means holding the releasing member whereby the burning of said means releases said member, and an outlet valve carried by the releasing member. v

3. An automatic fire extinguisher comprising a liquid container, a gas filled cartridge carried above the container, the end of the cartridge projecting into the container, a cap fitting over the cartridge and threading on the container, a percussion mechanism for rupturing the cartridge carried in the container, a releasing member holding the mechanism in cocked position, a combustible means holding the releasing member whereby the burning of said means releases said member,

her, and a spraying cap covering the outlet valve.

4. An automatic fire extinguisher comprising a liquid container, a gas filled cartridge carried by the container and communicating therewith, telescoping members carried interiorly of the container, the intermediate of these members having arms projecting at an acute angle, wing shaped triggers pivotally supported on said arms, a percussion member held in cocked position by the triggers, a releasing member supporting the telescoping members, a combustible cap maintaining the releasing member in position, an outlet valve,

a spraying cap covering the valve opening whereby upon burning of the combustible cap, the releasing member is released, allowing the triggers to turn on their pivots releasing the percussion member to rupture the cartridge.

5. An automatic fire extinguisher, comprising a liquid container, a gas filled cartridge associated with the container, a percussion mechanism for rupturing the cartridge carried in the container, a releasing member holding the mechanism in cocked position, a combustible means holding the releasing member whereby the burning of said means releases said member, and an outlet valve carried by the releasing member. 6. An automatic fire extinguisher, comprising a liquid container, a combustible cap on the outside of the container, a valve normally held in closed position by the combustible cap, percussion mechanism in the container and operatively related to said valve to normally urge it to open position, said percussion mechanism including telescoped sections and an interposed spring with actuating arms between the sections, a gas filled cartridge anoutletvalvecarriodbythereleasingmem-

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