US1142520A - Fire apparatus for oil-tanks. - Google Patents

Description

O. J. HOLMES.

- FIRE APPARATUS FOR OIL- TANKS. I

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2| I913.

Patented J une' 8, 1915.

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FI'RE APPARATUS FOR OIL TANKS. APPLICATION mm SEPT.2. 1913.

1,142,520. PatentedJune 8,1915.

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FIRE APPARATUS FOR OIL-TANKS.

ratus tor Gil-Tanks, of which the following is a specification containing .a full, clear, and exact description, reference being. had to'the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relatesto improvements in fire apparatus for oil tanks, andthe object of my invention is to construct a fire apparatus especially designed for use in connection with oil tanks, whichcomprises a cover for the oil which will rise and fall with the oil and is arranged to at all times expose a. minimum of oil surface, and further constructed so that there will be a minimum of space between the cover and the oil surface in order to minimize the generation of gases, and associated with such a cover is a plurality of extinguishers which will rise and fall with the oil and are so an ranged that they will be thermally operated.

With the above purposes in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in elevation a fragment of a tank equipped with my improved fire apparatus; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of an oil tank showing the relative arrangement of the fire extinguisher. and the internal braces of the tank; Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the elements of my improved cover; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation .of one of the 'elements of the cover; Fig. 5 is a detail elevation partly in section showing one of the extinguishers employed in my apparatus;

and Fig. 6 is a plan of the extinguisher shown in Fig. 5.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 7 designates the oil tank having internal bracing structure 8.

- 9 and 10 designate fire extinguisherseach of which is arran ed to float in the body of oil and each o the ty es shown is ar ranged to contain a frangi le bottle 11 provided with a gravity-actuated means 12 for breaking the bottle. Each of the gravityactuated means is normally held elevated by means of a fusible use 13. In the one Specification of Lettersflatent.

r tested June a, rats.

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form of extinguisher designated 9 thereare eyesl l seouredto the extinguisher arranged to ride over guide rods 15 extended nertically throughout the height of the tank. In the form designated 10 there is'a rope 16 extended over direction pulleys 17 to the exterior of the tank and each rope carries at its outer end a balancing weightl'l. These -eatinguishers are arranged in such manner relative to the bracing structure 8 that they may move withont coming in contact with the braces, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

19 designates the floating cover for the oil. This cover is preferably made up of .a plurality of hollow bodies'20 convexo-convex in cross section provided with annular flanges 21.

Each of the fire extinguishers is provided w1th a tube 22 in communication with the interior of the extinguisher and extending to and terminating in a cap 23 provided with a plurality of radially arranged nozzles 24.

In the practical operation of my improved apparatus, assuming the elements of the apparatus to be set for use as described, it is obvious that by reason of the buoyancy of the extinguishers as well as the cover, the extinguishers and cover will always be in their most eficient positions.

By reason of the fixed guides for both forms of extinguishers it IS- obvious that they may rise and fall without coming in. contact with the bracing structure within the tank and, by reason of the cover being made up of a plurality of hollow bodies, it

is obvious that the cover as a whole may rise and lower above and below said bracing structures and be in operative or efficient condition after having passed the bracing structure.

In the event of fire in the upper portion of the tank the fusible link 13 will melt and permit the gravity-actuated means 12 to break the bottle 11, thereby setting the extinguisher in operation.

The form of extinguishers designated as 9 will discharge their fire extinguishing gases into the zone next adjacent the surface of the oil while the form of extinguishers designated 10 will discharge their gases into the zone next adjacent the surface of the oil for a limited period of time only when, due to the releasing of the contents of the extinguishers and the consequent loss of ice weight, the balance Weight 18 connected therewith will cause the extinguishers to be drawn upwardly toward the top of the tank, thereby discharging the fire extinguishing gases throughout the tank to extinguish the bracing structures which are usually made of Wood. By this arrangement it is obvious that the cover is of such nature to at all times expose a minimum of oil surface and that the extinguishers have sufficient capacity and are of such nature as to automatically extinguish the fires in the tank above the oil surface.

It claim:

1. In a fire apparatus for oil tanks, a plurality of hue ant fire extinguishers, a thermally contro led discharge for the contents of each extinguisher, and a counterbalance for certain of the extinguishers, whereby certain of the extinguishers will discharge their contents, when thermally released, into thevicinity of the oil surface, and other ex- Lmaseo tinguishers will be elevated by the counter balances as their contents are discharged.

2. In a fire apparatus for oil tanks, buoyant cover for the oil for the purpose cf minimizing the gasifying of the oil, a buoyant fire extinguisher, arranged to rise and fall as the level of the oil varies, a thermally controlled discharge for the contents of the extinguisher, arranged in the immediate vicinity of and above said cover, and a second like constructed extinguisher having a counterbalance arranged to cause the extinguisher to rise in the tank as its contents are discharged.

in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR J. HOLMES.

Witnesses E. L. lVALLAon, E. M. HARRINGTON.

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