US2541554A - Dry powder fire extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13, 1951 c. H. SMITH 2,541

DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 2, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CECIL H. SMITH 1951 c. H. SMITH 2,

' DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 2, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N l I ll 14 II lll ll'l Z7 M 1 Will] N1 13 I m- H W 1 24 CECIL H. SMITH LVVENTOR.

Feb. 13, 1951 c. H. SMITH DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 2, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 M Z, ggdwggmmy jfy 24 CECIL H. SMIT H INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES QFFI'CE 2,541,554 DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Cecil H. Smith, Elmira, N. -Y., assignorto Amerlean-La. France-Foamite Corporation, Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,643

10 Claims.

V This invention relates to extinguishers'of the type in which a'container is charged with a dry powder extinguishing medium and in which a bottle of compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide, is associated with the container, provision being made for liberating the'gas within the container in such manner "as to expel the powder byway of a'discharge-hose and nozzle by which it is directed at the fire.

The primary objectof'the invention is an extinguisher of this type in which thevarious components are so constructed and related as to simplify both the assembly of theparts and their disassembly for recharging purposes. In its preferred form, the extinguisher of the invention is characterized by the fact that these operations can be performedwithout requiring the making and breaking of tubing connections and hence with less likelihood of faulty operation or failure of the extinguisher in time of need.

With the foregoing'and other objects in view, as'will later be apparent, the invention comprises the arrangements and combinations-hereinafter described in preferred form in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partially-sectioned, broken-out elevation of an extinguisher embodying the invention, certain of the parts being shown in-dotted outline;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper' part of the extinguisher;

Fig. 3 18am elevation of the gas'distributor unit;

"Fig. 4 is a plan'view of such-unit;

'Fig. 5 is an enlarged scale, partially-sectioned elevation'of the container closure and gas supply components and associated-parts; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on-the line VI-VI of Fig. 5, certain of the background parts being omitted.

The container I is shown as being closed at its lower end by a part-spherical bottom 2 and having, at its open upper end, an exteriorly threaded neck 3 (Fig. 5). The charge of powder in the container is expelled through a tube 4 extending down close to the container bottom' and outwardly through the container shoulder by way of an elbow 5, which carries a length of hose 5 terminating in a valve controlled nozzle 6. These elements may be of any appropriate constru'ction.

Suspended within the container is what, for convenience, will be termed a gas distributor unit, consisting of a length of tubing l,a1soextending down close to the container bottom'but adjacent its periphery and having its lower end directed more or less tangentially. At its upper end, the gas tube depends from a spider -8 which is secured to the inside of the container neck, as by a sweated joint. The'hub Q of the spider, which has a through bore, serves as an inlet fitting through which the powder-expelling gas is admitted to tube 1, as belowdescribed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the reference l6 generally identifies what, for convenience, will be referred to as a gas supply unit. This unit, which is more or less cup-shaped, includes a base portion II, having a central aperture I2 therethrough and an upstanding, annular portion !3 in which is located an inverted, compressed gas bottle'l i. The shoulder of the bottle is shown seated on a rubber gasket l5 encircling the rim of the annular bottle holding portion I3. Screwed into the bottle is a neck fitting It which incorporates a gas control valve [7 of any standard or preferred construction. For present purposes, the valve is shown as including a projecting actuating stem it, it being assumed that the valve proper is spring-biased to its closed position and is opened to release gas from the bottle when stem I8 is pushed inwardly.

Means are provided for ensuring a fixed angular orientation of the valve stem with respect 'to the gas supply unit, the construction being such that in orderfully to seat the bottle in its holder, it must be turned about its axis to a predetermined position.

In the preferred form illustrated, it will be noted (Fig. 6) that a safety plug [9 projects from the valve housing at right angles to the valve stem, giving the valve housing a more or less T- shape as viewed in plan; and that upstanding from the base portion ll of the gas supply unit, adjacent its central aperture, are three spaced locating lugs 21] so placed as to receive the valve housing in one position only, as shown in Fig. 6. When the bottle is so positioned, the neck fitting protrudes through aperture I2, the joint at the aperture being rendered gas-tight by a gasket 2! set in a counter-bore at the upper end of the aperture. The threaded section 22 of the neck receives a clamping nut 23 which, when turned up tight against the underside of base portion l securely locks the bottle to the gas supply unit.

The pre-assembled gas supply unit and bottle are designed to seat directly on the container neck as a closure for the container, a gasket 23 sealing the joint and a clamping ring 24, arranged to be drawn down on the neck threads, serving to clamp the closure-to the container,

The construction is such that when these two assemblies are thus brought together, the lower end portion 25 of neck [6 of the bottle telescopes into the inlet fitting or hub 9 of the gas distributor unit, thus connecting the outlet from the gas bottle with tube 7 without requiring any union to be tightened or other separate connections to be made. Obviously, for disassembly when the extinguisher is to be re-charged, the same advantage obtains. A gasket 26 may be employed to ensure a tight joint between the bottle neck and the tube inlet fitting.

The gas supply unit or closure serves also as a convenient mounting for actuating means for the gas valve and for a carrying handle for the extinguisher as a whole. Thus, as shown, an actuating lever 2? may be pivotally mounted on the unit as by means of a hinge pin 28, the inner end of the lever serving to push the valve stem 18 inwardly to release the gas when the outer end of lever 27 is depressed. It will be reco nized that the above-described orientation of the gas bottle and. its valve with respect to the unit, ensures the proper placement of the valve stem in relation to the actuating lever. rying handle 29 may be mounted on the same hinge pin 28.

In order to ensure a location of the carrying handle and actuating lever convenient for the manipulation of the discharge hose, provision is made for interlocking the bottle-carrying unit ill and its appurtenances in predetermined angular relation to the container or, more specifically, in relation to the hose elbow 5. As shown in Fig. 5, this purpose may be served by a boss 33 depending from the unit It and adapted to enter a notch 3i formed in the rim of the gas distributor unit.

In Figs. 4 and, 5, a flap or cover 32 is shown hinged to the gas distributor unit. During the filling operation this flap or cover can be swung over the hub bore to close ofi the entrance to tube '4 and prevent the tube from clogging with powder.

It will thus be apparent not only that the assembly of the extinguisher, and its disassembly for inspection or recharging, can be effected without the making and breaking of any tubing connections, which are always sources of possible leakage unless carefully handled, but also that the assembly operations are virtually foolproof, since there is only one way in which the bottle can be applied to the closure unit and such unit, in turn, tothe container; and each of these assembly operations is completed by the :1;

tightening up of a single threaded member. For these reasons, the extin uisher can be recharged without requiring skilled personnel and without the hazard of the extinguisher being found to be improperly assembled or inoperative in time of need.

In the light of the foregoing description of a preferred form of the invention, the following is claimed:

1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having an exteriorly threaded neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit within the container, including a tube extending down into the container and an inlet fitting secured to the container neck; a gas supply fitting including a container closure portion resting on said neck and an upstanding, annular, bottle-holding portion, the closure portion having an aperture therethrough; an inverted, compressed gas bottle mounted exteriorly of the container on said. bot- A cartle-holding portion and having a discharge neck extending through said aperture in the closure portion into the container and telescoped with said inlet fitting; a clamping nut on said discharge neck, on the lower side of said closure portion, clamping the bottle to the supply fitting in gas-tight relation thereto; a threaded clamping ring locking the supply fitting to the container neck in gas-tight relation thereto; and valve means controlling the fiow of gas from the bottle to the inlet fitting.

2. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a threaded neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit suspended within the container, including a tube extending down into the container and an inlet fitting adjacent the container neck; a gas supply fitting including a container closure portion resting on said neck and an upstanding, annular, bottle-holding portion, the closure portion having an aperture therethrough; a compressed gas bottle mounted exteriorly of the container on said bottle-holding portion and having a discharge neck extending through said aperture in the closure portion into the container into communication with said inlet fitting; clamping means securing the bottle to the supply fitting in gas-tight relation thereto; a threaded clamping ring locking the supply fitting to the container neck in gas-tight rela tion thereto; and valve means controlling the fiow of gas from the bottle to the inlet fitting.

3. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a threaded neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit suspended within the container, including a tube extending down into the container and an inlet fitting adjacent the container neck; a gas supply fitting including a container closure portion and a bottle-holding portion, the closure portion having an aperture therethrough; a compressed gas bottle mounted exteriorly of the container on said bottle-holding portion and having a discharge neck extending through said aperture in the closure portion into the container into communication with said inlet fitting; clamping means securing the bottle to the supply fitting in gas-tight relation thereto; clamping means engaging the threaded neck locking the supply fitting to the container in gastight relation thereto; and valve means controlling the flow of gas from the bottle to the inlet fitting.

4. In a fire extinguisher of the kind including a container having a neck at its upper end and an outlet elbow adjacent the neck, the combination of: a container closure unit removably secured to the said neck; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck protruding through the closure unit into the container; 2, gas control valve in said neck; valve actuating means mounted on the closure unit; positioning means interlocking the bottle to the closure unit with the valve in predetermined angular relation to the valve control means; a gas distributor unit supported in the container in gas-receiving relation to the protruding bottle neck; and positioning means locating the container closurev unit in predetermined angular relation to said elbow.

5. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neck at its upper end; a container closure unit removably secured to the said neck; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck protruding through the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container; a valve in said neck on the outer side of the closure unit; valve actuating means mounted on the closure unit; positioning means on the closure unit adapted to locate the valve in predetermined relation to the valve actuating means; and a gas distributor unit supported in the container in position to receive gas discharged from the protruding bottle neck under the control of said valve.

6. In a life extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neck at its upper end; a container closure unit removably secured to the said neck in sealing engagement therewith; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck protruding through the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container; a valve in said. neck on the outer side of the closure unit; valve actuating means mounted on the closure unit; a gas distributor unit supported in the container in position to receive gas discharged from the protruding bottle neck under the control of said valve; and extinguishing medium outlet means carried by the container independently of the closure unit.

7 In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit including a tube extending down into the container and. an inlet fitting adjacent the container neck and secured to the container; a container closure unit adapted to seat on and removably secured to the said neck; an inverted, compressed gas bottle seated on the closure unit exteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck protruding through the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container and seating in said inlet fitting; means on the underside of the closure unit engaging the bottle the said neck and secured to the container; a container closure unit removably secured to the said neck in sealing engagement therewith; a compressed gas bottle secured to the closure unit, said bottle being mounted exteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck extend.- ing through the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container and into communication with the said inlet fitting; and extinguishing medium outlet means carried by the container independently of the closure unit.

9. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neck at its upper end; a container closure unit removably secured to the said neck; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck protruding through the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container; a valve in said neck; and a gas distributor unit supported in the container independently of said closure unit, said gas distributor unit being adapted to receive gas discharged from said protruding bottle neck.

10. In an extinguisher of the character described: a container closure unit comprising a cup-shaped bottle holder having a centrally apertured bottom and an upstanding circular wall; an inverted, cylindrical, compressed gas bottle partially telescoped into the cup, the bottle having a tapered shoulder seating on the rim of said wall; said bottle having a neck protruding through the centrally apertured bottom of the cup; a valve in said neck; a gasket sealing the joint between the bottle neck and the cup bottom; and a clamping nut on the bottle neck, on the underside of the cup bottom.

CECIL H. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED Country Date France Nov. 10, 1924 Number

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