Apparatus for producing fire extinguishing foam

1,900,482

March 7, 1933. F. L. BOYD

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIRE EXTINGUISHING FOAM

Filed March 2, 1927

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Patented Mar. 7, 1933

1,900,482

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

FISHER L. BOYD, OF HAVERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATIONAL FOAM SYSTEM, INC., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ’

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIRE EXTINGUISHING FOAM : Application filed March 2, 1927. Serial No. 171,989.

My invention relates to apparatus for producing foam for application to fires to extinguish the same.

It has been proposed to mix together foam ⁵ producing chemicals, such as aluminum sulphate and bicarbonate of soda, together with a stabilizing agent, and store the same in containers for use as occasion may arise. If it were practical to maintain the mass of ¹⁰ mixed material so stored in a thoroughly dry state or condition at all times such a practice would be desirable and satisfactory, but that is not practically possible. It has become necessary, therefore, to provide means ¹⁵ of a practical nature by the employment of which the foam producing materials may be introduced either separately and at different points into a flowing stream of water, separate solutions being thus successively ⁰ formed and mixed together to produce a foam, or to introduce the same from different containers at a common point into such flowing stream, as shown in my coperiding _2g application, Serial Number 171,988, filed ⁸ March 2, 1927, for apparatus for producing fire-extinguishing foam.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a novel means whereby the foam producing materials are maintained in con^J dition ready for use if occasion should arise and wherein the said materials are introduced separately from different containers into a flowing stream of water, the solutions ₃₅ of the said materials being formed successively and the chemicals therein reacting to produce foam which is adapted to be applied to fires for extinguishing the same.

Another general object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of novel construction whereby the materials to be employed in and for the production of a fire extinguishing foam may be stored separately and in such relation to a flowing stream of water ₄₅ that should occasion arise they may be introduced into the said stream at points spaced from each other in the direction of flow.

It also is an object of my invention to pro₅₀ vide an apparatus of novel construction in which separate storage containers are in com munication at different points with a flowing stream of water, and also comprising means common to the said containers for controlling the discharge of powdered materials therefrom which when . combined in ⁵⁵the presence of water react to produce foam adapted for use in the extinguishing of fires;

A further specific object of the invention' is to provide an apparatus of novel construction comprising separate storage containers ⁶⁰for the different ingredients necessary to be employed in the production of fire extinguishing foam, each of which containers is in communication with a flowing stream of water at different points in the length,of the ^c;jstream, and also comprising means at such points for accelerating the discharge of the material from the said storage containers.

I shall not at this point undertake to point out all of the objects and advantages ap- ⁷⁰purtenant to the invention but other and additional objects and advantages thereof will be referred to in the detailed description thereof which follows or will become apparent from such description. 75

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its manifold practical advantages appreciated reference .may be had to the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated one form of apparatus em- ⁸⁰bodying the invention. But it is to be distinctly understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction thereof without departing from the principle of the invention as defined in the. claims. ⁸⁵

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in horizontal vertical section of means embodying the invention; and

Fig.'2 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of line 2—2 of Fig. 1. 90

I have shown in the drawing a pipe 1 through which a stream of water is adapted to flow, the flow thereof being controlled by a valve at 2. I have interposed in the said pipe a tubular section 3 connected at its oppo- ⁹³site ends by means of couplings 4 to the adjoining ends of the portions of the pipe 1 in alinement therewith. The section 3 is provided with lateral openings or ports 5 and 6 surrounded by short tubular projections 7 ^10C

1,900,482 and 8 the outer ends of which are externally screw threaded, as indicated, for the reception of short tubular sections 9 and 10 into the upper ends of which the lower ends of 5 tapered containers 11 and 12 project. These containers 11 and 12 are adapted for the separate storage of the materials consisting of chemicals which when dissolved in water react to produce a foam adapted for use in ex15 tinguishing fires. One of these storage containers may contain aluminum sulphate and the other bicarbonate of soda. One or the other of these containers also includes in admixture with the chemical therein a stabiliz15 ing agent, such as extract of licorice root, oak bark extract, bran, etc. The use of stabilizers and the requisite quantities necessary to effect the object desired are known to those skilled in this art and need not be mentioned ²⁹ here. It may be stated that the materials employed are introduced into the flowing stream of water, as it flows through the section 3 in substantially equal portions.

The material within the storage containers 25. 11 and 12 is in dry powdered form and is adapted to be discharged therefrom through the lower: ends thereof and through the lateral ports or openings 5 and 6 into the passageway through the section 3 in alinement 30 with the passageway through the pipe or tube 1. Valves 15 and 16 are provided for controlling the outflow of the powdered materials from the respective containers 11 and 12. These valves are shown in closed position in 35 Fig. 1 and are adapted to be opened and closed by means of a lever 17 common to both valves. The lower -end of the said lever is pivotally connected Io a bracket 18 mounted, in the construction shown, upon the rear end of the 40 section 3. The lever is connected at a point intermediate its ends to the rear end of a link 20 the forward end of which is pivotally connected to the valve 15 as indicated at 21.

A projection 22 extends upwardly from 45_: the forward end of the link 20 and to its upper end the rear end of a link 23 is pivotally connected the forward end of which is piv otally connected to the upper end of an arm 24 which is rigidly connected at its lower end 50 to the rear end of the valve 16. It is apparent that if the lever 17 is moved toward the left, having reference to Fig. 1, both of the valves 15 and 16 are moved into open position to permit discharge of the powdered 55 material from the containers 11 and 12 which descends partly as a result of gravity through the. ports 5 and 6 into the passageway through the section 3. Movement of the lever 17 in the opposite direction causes 53 movement of the valves 15 and 16 into closing position, which is the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Mounted within the rear end of the section 3 is a nozzle 25 which is in alinement with 65 an intermediate combining tube 26 the opening in the rear end of which is enlarged as indicated at 27. The opening through the nozzle 25 tapers toward its forward end., as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The forward end of the nozzle 25 terminates 70 in a plane which extends transversely of the section 3 and which extends approximately midway of the port 5. The mixing of the material from the container 11 with the water begins in the space between the end of 75 the nozzle 25 and the adjoining end of the combining tube 26 and continues in the latter. The combining tube 26 is in alinement with a combining tube 30 the opening in the rear end of which is somewhat enlarged, as 80 indicated at 31. The forward end of the combining tube 26 terminates in a plane which extends transversely of the section 3 and which is located approximately midway of the port 6. The forward end of the com- '85 bining tube 26 is spaced sufficiently from the rear end of the combining tube 30 to facilitate the thorough mixing and intermingling of the powdered material which is discharged from the container 12 through the. port 6 into «0 the passageway through the section 3. The mixing is continued in the said combining tube 30. The material from the container 11 having been intermingled with and dissolved or par- 95 tially dissolved in the combining tube 26, it is in condition to readily intermingle and mix with the powdered material which is discharged from the container 12. The mixing or intermingling of the solution of aluminum 100 sulphate (or other material) as it is discharged from the combining tube 26 with the powdered bicarbonate of soda (or other material) from the container 12 has been found to effect the production of a foam in a 105 most efficient and satisfactory manner.. It is understood that in all cases the requisite quantity of stabilizing agent is present in admixture with one or the other of the materials or with both, and it also is to be. understood 110 that the foam producing materials may be stored in reverse relation to each other from what is described.

The discharge of the water from the nozzle 25 into the enlarged opening at the rear end 115 of the combining tube 26 and the discharge of the solution from the latter into the rear enlarged open end of the combining tube 30 create within the regions thereof and within the ports or openings 5 and 6, respectively, 12° partial vacuums which assist and cooperate with gravity to cause discharge of the materials from the containers 11 and 12 into the passageway through the section 3. .

It may be found desirable to effect adjust- 125 ments axially of the combining tube 26. In order that such adjustments may be effected the said tube is adjustably mounted in bearings, as shown, which are rendered watertight by means of packing 35. The means 130

1,900,482 provided by me for effecting such adjustments consists of a lever 36, the lower end of which is in the form of a yoke, the opposite sides of which are pivotally connected as indicated at 37 to the opposite sides of the combining tube 26 and at their lower ends are pivotally connected as indicated at 38 to a flat section 39 by means of which the opposite m P°^rtions ^^{be sec}ti°n 3 are connected to¹⁰ gether. The upper end of the lever 36 is adapted to be held in adjusted position by means of a nut and bolt 41 adjustably mounted in an arcuate slot 42 in a yoke 43 support^ed at . its opposite ends upon the inner ends ^he opposite end portions of the section 3. ihe pipe 1 is provided with a check valve 46 located in front of the section 3 which operates to prevent a return flow of water therethrough.

²⁰ It will be seen that by my invention I have provided an apparatus of simple construction by means of which the chemicals which are employed for the production of a fire extinguishing foam are introduced separately ^{and a}* different points into a stream of wacr. These chemicals dissolve in the water and when the solutions thereby formed come together they react to produce a foam which a stabilizer is present is of a character sanstactory for use in extinguishing fires.