GB352599A - Improvements in or relating to means for preventing or extinguishing fire - Google Patents

Abstract

352,599. Preventing and extinguishing fires in vehicles. LEADER, S. A., 18, Lonsdale Gardens, Ilford, Essex. April 30, 1930, Nos. 13371 and 14750. [Class 47 (ii).] Means for preventing or extinguishing fires in vehicles by distributing automatically fire-extinguishing medium at danger points in the vehicle, comprises a chamber E, Fig. 1, for the medium, and a chamber F for compressed gas, the chambers communicating by a passage G<2>, E6 which is normally closed by a device E'. The gas moves a piston E<3> to expel the medium by an outlet E<1> normally closed by a frangible diaphragm E<2> The medium may be expelled through a vaporizing or atomizing chamber. The closure device E' is automatically opened electrically in the event of the vehicle being involved in a collision, overturning, or catching fire. It may comprise an electromagnetically-operated valve or a piercer for a compressed gas cartridge, or a fusible or explosive plug adapted to be destroyed electrically. Escape of the gas may be arranged to move a piston to reopen the operating electric circuit. Where a bursting plug M, Fig. 5, is employed, a small auxiliary gas passage M<4> closed by a valve M<5> may be provided. This valve is hand-operated by a flexible cable M<7>, and the small gas pressure in this case expels the medium from the chamber E by a nozzle M<10> adapted to be directed by hand. For closing the electric circuit of the device E<7> at H, H<1>, a pendulum J<6> is adapted normally to hold apart spring contacts J, J<1>, but to allow them to engage in the event of a collision. Other contacts K<2> are adapted to be closed by mercury K<1> in a vessel K in the event of the vehicle overturning. In addition, a thermal switch across terminals is provided in the circuit, and this switch may also be hand-operated. The mercury K<1> may also be arranged to break the ignition circuit of the vehicle. Particularly for aircraft, the release of the medium may be controlled by a piston in a vacuum cylinder, the vacuum at one side of the piston being destroyed electrically to cause movement of the piston to release the medium. In another modification, the medium is expelled from the chamber E by a pump adapted to be operated electrically by any of the devices already described. The passageway G<2>, E<6> may be arranged as a bracket to support the chamber E and other parts. One of the Provisional Specifications describes an arrangement wherein the petrol tank is divided by a partition into a petrol chamber and an upper chamber containing a fire-extinguishing medium. The partition comprises a glass portion adapted to be broken, if the vehicle is suddenly arrested, by an inertia-operated pendulum normally restrained by adjustable springs. The other Provisional Specification describes the provision of a pressure-gas chamber and a medium chamber connected by a passageway closed by a glass partition adapted to be broken by a pendulum.