Fire protection apparatus

Claim 2

A fire protection system comprising: a. a plurality of independently portable suppressor units distributed throughout a protected zone; each of said units comprising a container, a fire extinguishing agent within said container, a discharge means defining a discharge orifice, an actuator for automatically inducing a discharge of said fire extinguishing agent from said container and out of said discharge orifice, and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said discharge means and said actuator; b. condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition in the protected zone; and c. control system means for actuating each of said actuators to induce discharge of said extinguishing agent in response to detection of an abnormal condition by said condition responsive means.

Claim 3

A fire protection system comprising: a. a plurality of independently portable suppressor units distributed throughout a protected zone; each of said units comprising a container, a fire extinguishing agent within said container, a discharge means defining a discharge orifice, an actuator for automatically inducing a discharge of said fire extinguishing agent from said container and out of said discharge orifice, and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said discharge means and said actuator; b. condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition in the protected zone; and c. control system means for actuating each of said actuators to induce discharge of said extinguishing agent in response to detection of an abnormal condition by said condition responsive means.

Claim 4

A fire protection system comprising: a. a plurality of independently portable suppressor units distributed throughout a protected zone; each of said units comprising a container, a fire extinguishing agent within said container, a discharge means defining a discharge orifice, an actuator for automatically inducing a discharge of said fire extinguishing agent from said container and out of said discharge orifice, and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said discharge means and said actuator; b. condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition in the protected zone; and c. control system means for actuating each of said actuators to induce discharge of said extinguishing agent in response to detection of an abnormal condition by said condition responsive means.

Claim 5

A fire protection system according to claim 1 wherein said condition responsive means comprises a fire detection means.

Claim 6

A fire protection system according to claim 1 wherein said condition responsive means comprises a separate fire detector for each of said units, said detector being also mounted on said portable base.

Claim 7

A fire protection system according to claim 3 wherein each of said units further comprises a hollow mast providing a fluid communication path between said container and said discharge orifice, said mast being also mounted on said portable base.

Claim 8

A fire protection system according to claim 4 wherein each of said hollow masts comprises adjustment means for alternately elongating or contracting said fluid communication path.

Claim 9

A fire protection system according to claim 5 wherein said actuators are electrically operated and said control system comprises control circuits adapted to activate said actuators in response to detection of a fire by said fire detectors.

Claim 10

A fire protection system according to claim 6 wherein said control circuits comprise self-contained sources of electrical power.

Claim 11

A fire protection system according to claim 7 wherein said control circuits are connected together to form a control circuit network.

Claim 12

A fire protection system according to claim 8 wherein said control circuit comprises electrical connector means for connecting an external electrical power source to said separate power sources.

Claim 13

A fire protection system according to claim 9 wherein said control circuit means includes trouble circuit means for producing an electrical trouble signal in response to abnormalities in said control circuit means.

Claim 14

A fire protection system according to claim 10 whErein said trouble circuit means comprises electrical switch means for producing said trouble signal in response to the absence of operating electrical power at any of said suppressor units.

Claim 15

A fire protection system according to claim 11 wherein said condition responsive means comprises further a smoke detection means and said trouble circuit network is adapted further to produce an electrical trouble signal in response to detection of smoke by said smoke detection means.

Claim 16

A portable fire suppressor comprising a container for a fire extinguishing medium; valve means for controlling discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container; condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition; an actuator means for opening said valve means to produce discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container; a control circuit for electrically activating said actuator means in response to detection of the abnormal condition by said condition responsive means; and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said valve means, said control circuit, said condition responsive means and said actuator means.

Claim 17

A portable fire suppressor comprising a container for a fire extinguishing medium; valve means for controlling discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container; condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition; an actuator means for opening said valve means to produce discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container; a control circuit for electrically activating said actuator means in response to detection of the abnormal condition by said condition responsive means; and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said valve means, said control circuit, said condition responsive means and said actuator means.

Claim 18

A portable fire suppressor according to claim 13 including a discharge means defining a discharge orifice for the extinguishing medium, a hollow mast providing a fluid communication path between said container and said discharge means, said discharge means and said hollow mast also being integrally mounted on said portable base and wherein said hollow mast comprises adjustment means for elongating or contracting said fluid communication path.

Claim 19

A portable fire suppressor according to claim 14 wherein said condition responsive means comprises a fire detector mounted on the discharge orifice end of said hollow mast.

Claim 20

A portable fire suppressor according to claim 15 wherein said discharge means comprises a discharge head mounted on said hollow mast and having a plurality of openings that form the discharge orifice.

Claim 21

A portable fire suppressor comprising a container for a fire extinguishing medium, valve means for controlling discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container; a discharge means defining a discharge orifice for the extinguishing medium; a hollow mast providing a fluid communication path between said container and said discharge means, said hollow mast comprising adjustment means for elongating or contracting said fluid communication path; condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition; an actuator means for opening said valve means to produce discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container and out of said discharge means in response to detection of said abnormal condition by said condition responsive means; and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said valve means, said discharge means, said hollow mast, said condition responsive means and said actuator means.

Claim 22

A portable fire suppressor comprising a container for a fire extinguishing medium, valve means for controlling discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container; a discharge means defining a discharge orifice for the extinguishing medium; a hollow mast providing a fluid communication path between said container and said discharge means, said hollow mast comprising adjustment means for elongating or contracting said fluid communication path; condition responsive means for detecting an abnormal condition; an actuator means for opening said valve means to produce discharge of the fire extinguishing medium from said container and out of said discharge means in response to detection of said abnormal condition by said condition responsive means; and a portable base upon which are integrally mounted said container, said valve means, said discharge means, said hollow mast, said condition responsive means and said actuator means.

Claim 23

A portable fire suppressor according to claim 17 wherein said control circuit comprises a self-contained source of electrical power.

Claim 24

A portable fire suppressor according to claim 18 including electrical terminals adapted for connection to corresponding terminals of similar suppressors so as to form a fire suppressor system.

Claim 25

A portable fire suppressor according to claim 19 wherein said container is filled with a liquified gas fire extinguishing medium and said discharge orifice forms the restriction to fluid flow in the discharge path including said valve means and said hollow mast.