Portable fire extinguisher construction

Claim 2

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said container occupying at least one-quarter quarter of the total volume of the interior of said container and having one end which is facing the discharge which is closed and an opposite end which is open, a fire extinguishing powder in the container in a powder space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening, said container being charged wIth gas under pressure in said powder space and in the space between said piston and the opposite side of said container, and sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting only limited gas flow and powder flow from the powder space to the space within said piston on the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening and also permitting flow but to a lesser degree in the opposite direction in order to provide a gas in the powder space for discharging the powder with the gas.

Claim 3

A fire extinguisher, according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a sliding gasket around said piston.

Claim 4

A fire extinguisher, according to claim 1, including a nozzle member associated with said container and having a striking pin portion which may be moved against the closed discharge opening to open said closed discharge opening and communicate the interior of the container with said nozzle member.

Claim 5

A fire extinguisher, according to claim 1, wherein said container includes a raised neck portion adjacent said discharge opening, the discharge opening being closed by a sealing membrane, a nozzle engageable with the neck portion and having a discharge passage defined therethrough, said nozzle carrying a striking pin which projects in a direction toward the discharge opening, said nozzle cap member being movable toward the discharge opening to engage the striking pin with the membrane to puncture the membrane and permit discharge of the material within the container through the nozzle member.

Claim 6

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said container occupying at least one-quarter of the total volume of the interior of said container and having an end which is facing the discharge which is closed and an opposite end which is open, a fire extinguishing powder in the container in the space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening, said container being charged with gas under pressure, sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting gas flow from the space containing the powder to the space within said piston and the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening but at a lesser degree than it will flow in the opposite direction, and means for holding said piston at a spaced location from the discharge opening but permitting release thereof when the pressure within said piston exceeds that within the space between said piston and the discharge opening by a predetermined amount.

Claim 7

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said container occupying at least one-quarter of the total volume of the interior of said container and having an end which is facing the discharge which is closed and an opposite end which is open, a fire extinguishing powder in the container in the space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening, said container being charged with gas under pressure, sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting gas flow from the space containing the powder to the space within said piston and the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening but at a lesser degree than it will flow in the opposite direction, and means for holding said piston at a spaced location from the discharge opening but permitting release thereof when the pressure within said piston exceeds that within the space between said piston and the discharge opening by a predetermined amount.

Claim 8

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said container occupying at least one-quarter of the total volume of the interior of said container and having an end which is facing the discharge opening which is closed and an opposite end which is open, a fire extinguishing powder in the container in the space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening, said container being charged with gas under pressure, sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting gas flow from the space containing the powder to the space within said piston and the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening but at a lesser degree than it will flow in the opposite direction, and a spring clip carried on the interior of said container adjacent the wall thereof which is opposite to said discharge opening, said piston being engageable by said spring clip to hold said position adjacent the opposite wall but permitting release of said piston during the discharge of the contents from the container when the pressure within the piston exceeds that in the space between the piston and the discharge opening.

Claim 9

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said container occupying at least one-quarter of the total volume of the interior of said container and having an end which is facing the discharge opening which is closed and an opposite end which is open, a fire extinguishing powder in the container in the space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening, said container being charged with gas under pressure, sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting gas flow from the space containing the powder to the space within said piston and the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening but at a lesser degree than it will flow in the opposite direction, and a spring clip carried on the interior of said container adjacent the wall thereof which is opposite to said discharge opening, said piston being engageable by said spring clip to hold said position adjacent the opposite wall but permitting release of said piston during the discharge of the contents from the container when the pressure within the piston exceeds that in the space between the piston and the discharge opening.

Claim 10

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said conTainer having an end which is facing the discharge opening which is closed and an opposite end which is open, the space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening being adapted to contain a fire extinguishing material and charged with gas under pressure, and sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting gas flow and limited powder flow from the space above said piston to the space within said piston and the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening but at a lesser rate than it will flow in the opposite direction.

Claim 11

A fire extinguisher, comprising a container having a discharge opening at one end which is sealed when not in operation, a hollow piston in said conTainer having an end which is facing the discharge opening which is closed and an opposite end which is open, the space between the piston closed end and the discharge opening being adapted to contain a fire extinguishing material and charged with gas under pressure, and sealing means around said piston between said piston and said container permitting gas flow and limited powder flow from the space above said piston to the space within said piston and the opposite side of said container from the discharge opening but at a lesser rate than it will flow in the opposite direction.