Patent US3742446A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3776313A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Temperature responsive automatic fire extinguisher
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-02-04
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1992-02-04
Abstract
Abstract An automatic fire extinguisher having a heat-sensitive assembly mounted on a conventional fire extinguisher container. Heat sensors are operably connected to a housing which contains a bellows and valve arrangement. Within the sensors, housing and surrounding the bellows is a fluid which expands in response to heat which causes the bellows to collapse and move a valve to an open position permitting fire extinguisher material to excape through a nozzle provided in the container. A squeeze grip manual actuator is provided for manipulating the valve at any time.
Inventors
- 👤 Palma J De
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:16
CPC Classifications
A; A62; A62C; A62C35/00; A62C35/02; A62C35/10; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/1842; Y10T137/1939; Y10T137/1963; Y10T137/1987
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A fire extinguisher comprising a container for receiving fire extinguishing material, a valve body mounted on said container, said valve body including a valve seat therein, a valve member engaging said valve seat, a discharge nozzle in said valve body for discharging fire extinguishing material from the container when the valve member is opened, and temperature responsive means for opening said valve member in response to ambient temperature rise to a predetermined temperature, said temperature responsive means including heat sensor means having an expansible fluid therein oriented for sensing a rise in ambient temperature, and bellows means connected with the valve member and oriented for movement of the valve member from one position to another in response to expansion of the expansible fluid in the heat sensor means, said valve member including an elongated valve stem extending outwardly from said valve body in sealed relation thereto, said bellows means including a bellows having one end attached to the valve body and the other end attached to the valve stem with the valve stem extending axially of the bellows, a housing surrounding said bellows in sealed relation to the valve body and enclosing the bellows in spaced relation thereto, said sensor means being communicated with the housing with the space between the bellows and housing being filled with expansible fluid whereby expansion of the expansible fluid in the heat sensor means will collapse the bellows longitudinally thus moving the valve stem and opening the valve member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
A fire extinguisher comprising a container for receiving fire extinguishing material, a valve body mounted on said container, said valve body including a valve seat therein, a valve member engaging said valve seat, a discharge nozzle in said valve body for discharging fire extinguishing material from the container when the valve member is opened, and temperature responsive means for opening said valve member in response to ambient temperature rise to a predetermined temperature, said temperature responsive means including heat sensor means having an expansible fluid therein oriented for sensing a rise in ambient temperature, and bellows means connected with the valve member and oriented for movement of the valve member from one position to another in response to expansion of the expansible fluid in the heat sensor means, said valve member including an elongated valve stem extending outwardly from said valve body in sealed relation thereto, said bellows means including a bellows having one end attached to the valve body and the other end attached to the valve stem with the valve stem extending axially of the bellows, a housing surrounding said bellows in sealed relation to the valve body and enclosing the bellows in spaced relation thereto, said sensor means being communicated with the housing with the space between the bellows and housing being filled with expansible fluid whereby expansion of the expansible fluid in the heat sensor means will collapse the bellows longitudinally thus moving the valve stem and opening the valve member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said heat sensor means includes at least one heat sensor arm extending outwardly from the housing, said housing including an orifice of predetermined size communicating the heat sensor arm with the housing for controlling expansion of the expansible fluid into the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The structure as defined in claim 1 together with a manual actuating means mounted on said housing for engagement with the end of the bellows having the valve stem attached thereto thereby enabling inward movement of the bellows for manually opening the valve member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said manual actuating means includes a screw threaded member threaded through the housing and having an inner end engaging the bellows, handle means on the outer end thereof to enable actuation of the screw threaded member for opening the valve member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said threaded member having the handle means thereon is hollow and provided with a spring biased valve assembly in communication with the interior of the housing, said handle means being removable to enable access to the interior of the hollow member and valve assembly to enable filling of the housing and sensor means with expansible fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said discharge nozzle includes a tubular member screw threaded into the valve body to enable removal of and interchange of the nozzle, and a deflector removably mounted on the tubular member to deflect fire extinguishing material in a predetermined pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
The structure a defined in claim 1 together with a pressure gauge assembly screw threaded into the valve body, a valve assembly in said valve body to communicate the gauge assembly with the interior of the container when the gauge assembly is threaded inwardly for measuring the pressure of fire extinguishing material in the container, said pressure gauge assembly being removable to enable the container to be filled with fire extinguishing material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said heat sensor means includes a plurality of hollow tubular members filled with expansible fluid and operatively associated with the housing to actuate the bEllows and valve member in response to heat applied to the tubular members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The fire extinguisher as defined in claim 1 together with handle means connected to the container to facilitate handling and carrying thereof to provide a portable fire extinguisher, and manually actuated valve operating means mounted in said valve body and engaging said valve member to manually open said valve member independent of actuation of the temperature responsive means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The fire extinguisher as defined in claim 9 wherein said manually actuated valve operating means includes a pivotally mounted squeeze handle disposed exteriorly of the valve body, releasable means retaining the squeeze handle in inoperative position, but releasable to enable the squeeze handle to move to a position for opening the valve member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The fire extinguisher as defined in claim 10 wherein said valve member and manually actuated valve operating means includes coating cam surfaces for reciprocating the valve member in response to lateral movement of the manually actuated valve operating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
191 words
A thermally resposive fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a valve body including a valve seat therein, a valve member engaging said valve seat, a discharge nozzle communicated with said valve body for discharging fire extinguishing material when the valve member is moved away from the valve seat, and temperature responsive means for opening said valve member in response to ambient temperature rise to a predetermined temperature, said temperature responsive means including bellows means connected with the valve member and oriented for movement of the valve member from one position to another upon collapse of the bellows means, said bellows means including a bellows having one end attached to the valve body and the other end attached to the valve member in sealed relation thereto, a housing surounding said bellows in sealed relation to the valve body and enclosing the bellows in spaced relation thereto the space between the bellows and housing being filled with expansible fluid whereby expansion of the expansible fluid caused by a rise in ambient temperature above a predetermined temperature will collapse the bellows thus moving the valve member away from the valve seat for discharging fire extinguishing material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
191 words
A thermally resposive fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a valve body including a valve seat therein, a valve member engaging said valve seat, a discharge nozzle communicated with said valve body for discharging fire extinguishing material when the valve member is moved away from the valve seat, and temperature responsive means for opening said valve member in response to ambient temperature rise to a predetermined temperature, said temperature responsive means including bellows means connected with the valve member and oriented for movement of the valve member from one position to another upon collapse of the bellows means, said bellows means including a bellows having one end attached to the valve body and the other end attached to the valve member in sealed relation thereto, a housing surounding said bellows in sealed relation to the valve body and enclosing the bellows in spaced relation thereto the space between the bellows and housing being filled with expansible fluid whereby expansion of the expansible fluid caused by a rise in ambient temperature above a predetermined temperature will collapse the bellows thus moving the valve member away from the valve seat for discharging fire extinguishing material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
142 words
The structure as defined in claim 12 wherein said bellows is constructed of flexible, resilient material, said valve member including spring means biasing the valve member toward the valve seat whereby reduction in ambient temperature will reduce the volume of the expansible fluid enabling the bellows to return to normal condition and the valve member to automatically return to a closed position upon reduction in ambient temperature, said valve member including a stem extending axially into the bellows and having a terminal end attached to the end of the bellows remote from the valve body, the other end of the bellows being attached to the valve body whereby inward collapse of the bellows will move the ends of the bellows towards each other thereby moving the valve stem and valve member longitudinally for moving the valve member away from the valve seat.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |