Fire extinguisher and alarm apparatus

A fire extinguisher and alarm apparatus for a container having a rim and a cavity to retain combustible materials, comprising:

• a reservoir having a chamber for retaining a fire extinguishing liquid and a gas under pressure;
• an elongated hollow nozzle having an outer end portion;
• means defining an elongated channel including a portion in said nozzle;
• a temperature sensitive plug which softens in the presence of heat frictionally engaged against the inside of the outer end portion of the nozzle and closing the channel;
• an alarm which issues an audible signal responsive to gas under pressure;
• first means for establishing communication with the fire extinguishing liquid in the reservoir;
• second means for establishing communication with the gas in the reservoir;
• a valve element slidably received in the channel and having a first lumen in an outer end portion thereof and a second spaced lumen in an inner portion thereof and communicating with the alarm, said valve element being movable between a first inner position with the outer end portion engaged against an inner surface of the plug, with the first establishing means disconnected from the first lumen, and with the second establishing means disconnected from the second lumen, and a second outer position with the outer end portion of the valve element located adjacent the outer end portion of the nozzle, with the first establishing means connected to the first lumen to eject the fire extinguishing liquid through the first establishing means and first lumen, and with the second establishing means connected to the second lumen to permit passage of the gas through the second establishing means and second lumen in order to actuate the alarm;
• means for biasing the valve element from the first to second position such that the biasing means drives the plug by the valve element out of the nozzle when it softens and moves the valve element from the first to second position;
• and
• means for removably mounting the apparatus on the rim of the container with the nozzle located generally tangentially to the cavity.

A fire extinguisher and alarm apparatus for a container having a rim and a cavity to retain combustible materials, comprising:

• a reservoir having a chamber for retaining a fire extinguishing liquid and a gas under pressure;
• a closure member releasably attached to an upper end of the reservoir and having a channel extending therethrough and a bore communicating between the channel and the chamber of the reservoir;
• a tubular section depending from the closure member and communicating between a lower portion of the reservoir and the channel of the closure member;
• an elongated hollow nozzle having an outer end portion and an inner end portion connected to the closure member, said nozzle defining an extension of the channel of the closure member;
• a temperature sensitive plug which softens in the presence of heat frictionally engaged against the inside of the outer end portion of the nozzle and closing the channel in the nozzle;
• a hollow tubular section having an outer end portion and an inner end portion connected to the closure member on a side opposite the nozzle, said tubular section defining an extension of the channel of the closure member;
• an alarm connected to the outer end portion of the tubular section and communicating with the channel, said alarm issuing an audible signal responsive to gas under pressure;
• an elongated valve element slidably received in the channel and having a first lumen extending from an intermediate portion of the valve element to an outer end thereof, a first annular groove in an outer surface of the valve element adjacent an inner end of the first lumen, and a first aperture extending between the first groove and the inner end of the first lumen, said valve element having a second lumen spaced from the first lumen and extending from the intermediate portion of the valve element to an inner end thereof, a second annular groove in the outer surface of the valve element adjacent an inner end of the second lumen, and a second aperture communicating between the second groove and the inner end of the second lumen, said valve element being movable between a first position with the outer end thereof engaged against an inner surface of the plug with the first groove disconnected from the reservoir tubular section, and with the second groove disconnected from the bore, and a second position with the outer end of the valve element located adjacent the outer end of the nozzle with the first groove connected to the reservoir tubular section, and with the second groove connected to the bore;
• a helical spring engaged between the outer end portion of the tubular section and the valve element to bias the valve element from the first to second position and drive the plug from the nozzle when it softens in the pressure of heat;
• and
• means for removably mounting the apparatus on the rim of the container with the nozzle located directly tangentially to the cavity.