US1831880A - Fire-protective and roof-cooling device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1931.

C. T. PIERCE FIRE PROTECTIVE AND ROOF COOLING DEVICE Filed March 25. 1929 S .w re T #MC MA .n H e A V M 8 0 Q cm VI ID Patented Nov. 17, 1931 CARLOS m. PIERCE, or nnw'ron, MASSACHUSETTS FIRE-PROTECTIVE AND ROOF-COOLING DEVICE Application filed March 25, 1929. Serial No. 349,555.

This invention relates to improvements in lire-protective and roof-cooling devices for buildings, and the object thereof is to provide a device for projecting jets 01": Water 5 upon the roof of a house in such a manner as substantially to moisten the entire roof, thereby protecting an inflammable roof from ignition by burning brands from another building.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character specified adapted to provide a flow of water across the roof which in dropping to the ground from the eaves thereof will provide a protective apron or the sides of the building which will protect it from fire.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described for inoistening the roof of a building during hot weather so that the evaporation of the water from the roof will produce a very substantial cooling effect upon the roof and the air of theupper chambers of the house and also will cool the air in the vicinity of the house. A further object of the invention istoprovide a fire-protective and roof-cooling device of the character specified made in sections which can be readily constructed and assembled.

A further object of the invention is to'provide a construction comprising a sheet metal saddle board, for the ridge of a. roof, formed in sections, each having rigid therewith a fluid-conducting conduit perforated at intervals to provide jet-producing orifices, with means for coupling the endsof the conduit sections together in such a manner as to assemble and maintain the adjacent saddle J board sections in overlapping relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide sucha construction that the overlapping ends of adjacent sections of saddle boards will prevent water from flowing there-i between without the necessity of soldering or otherwise sealing the joint between the sections. j 7

Another object of the invention is to pro.- vide such a construction that one of the sections of saddle board and conduit can be readshortened if necessary or desirable.

Another object of the invention is to provide sadd is board sections each having a plurality of pipe-receiving brackets, with means for rigidly securing the pipeto the respective brackets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a housing for the pipe with su1table means for securing the housing to the pipesupporting bracket.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointcd out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1

having applied roof-cooling tion Fi 2 is a is a perspective View of a house thereto a fire-protective and device embodying the invendetail view illustrating a pluralitj of saddle board sections having rigid therewith a rated at intervals and illustrating a pre fluid-conducting conduit perfoerred means for connecting adjacent sections of the conduit together, with the ends of the saddle boards in overlapping relation;

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing two saddle boardsectlons with the fluid conducting conduits secured thereto in separated position, with a coupling intermediate of the conduit sections adapted to assemble the sections in overlappi ng relation, as illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a side elevation showing a suitable housing or cover-111g for the conduit; and,

Fig. 5 ferre d me is a detail view illustrating preans for supporting the conduit upon the saddle board and the housing upon the conduit.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings applied to a building such as a factory, oifice building or dwelling and comprises a saddle board which is mounted on the ridge of the roof and of which iormlng which is formed in sections each -lS provided with a pipe section a fluid-conducting means extending longitudinally of the saddle board section and perforate d at intervals with suitable means coupling the adjacent ends of sections together in such a manner that the end of one saddle board section overlies the adjacent end of another.

The saddle board is formed in sections 1, desirably of sheet metal preferably copper, of inverted V-shaped cross section and having the required angularity to correspond to the pitch of the roof.

One end of each section, which may be termed the front end 2, desirably is mitred or cut on an angle rearwardly from the apex 3 of the saddle board. The opposite end 4 of each section of the saddle board desirably is cut at right angles to the apex or ridge of the section. Each saddle board section is provided wh fluid-conducting means such as a pipe section 5 which may be secured to the saddle board section in any suitable man ner.

In the preferred construction illustrated herein the saddle board section is provided with a plurality or series of brackets having a circular pipe-embracing section 6 and dowrnvardly extending legs 7 diverging from each other at the same angle as the sides of the saddle board section 1. The legs of the brackets may be secured to the saddle board section in any desired manner as by bolts 8 or soldering 9. The circular portions 6 of the brackets are in alinement and desirably are vertically over the apex or ridge of the saddle board. I

The pipe sections are provided with a series of narrowly spaced apertureslO located in the lower portion of the pipe and so positioned as to direct jets of fluid from the pipe upon or in substantial parallelism with the faces of the saddle board 1.

In order properly to position the pipeand prevent rotation thereof about its axis, means desirably are provided for securing the pipe to the brackets 6. Any suitable means may be employed. The preferred means illustrated herein comprises screws 11 which eutend' through suitable apertures in the brackets and are seated in screw threaded walls of apertures in the pipe 5. The screws 11 may also be employed to secure a cover or housing upon the brackets as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 for purposes which will hereinafter appear.

The front end 12 of the pipe section 5 desirably terminates short of the front end 2 of the saddle board section and is provided with a screw threaded end. The rear end 13 of the pipe desirably extends beyond the rear end 4 of the saddle board and is provided with screw threads of opposite upon the front end 12. The front and rear ends of adjacent pipe sections are coupled togetherby a nipple or coupling 14 provided at its respective ends with internal screw threads of reverse pitch which are complementary to the. threads of the front and rear ends 12- and 13 of the pipe sections; When,

pitch to those therefore, the coupling 14 is applied and screwed up, the adjacent ends of the saddle board sections will be drawn into telescoping arrangement.

Desirably the bevel of the front end of each saddle board section is such that when the nipple is screwed up it will overlap the rear end of the adjacent section sufliciently to bring the squared end well behind the beveled front end, so that any fluid which is projected upon the overlying front end of the saddle board section will run down u on the face of the overlapped section and e shed from such face without danger of causing an accumulation of the fluid which will cause it to enter between the adjacent faces of said sections and to flow around the squared rear end of the overlapped section. By thus bevelling the end of the overlapping section, water is prevented from accumulating between the lower face of the overlapping section and the one beneath it which in cold weather would freeze and turn up the corner of the section as may be observed in usual V- shaped saddle board constructions.

It has heretofore been pointed out that it is desirable that the rear end of each section shall extend at right angles to the apex or ridge of the. section and that the rear end 13 of the pipe. shall extend beyond the rear end of the section. This is particularly desirable in order that the rear end of any section may be cut off when necessary or desirable to finish the saddle board flush with the end of the ridge of the roof.

By virtue of such construction the saddle boards with the attached pipes or conduits may be constructed in sections of standard length and if, when assembled upon a roof, the rear end of the saddle board projects beyond the end of the ridge of the roof, it may be sheared off flush with the end of the roof and the pipethereafter sawed off by a. hack saw, or otherwise, and screw threaded with a common screw threading tool to receive a coupling for a conduit for supplying water to the pipe or to receive an internally screw threaded cap to close the end of the pipe as the case may be.

Obviously the front end of the saddle board may also. be cut off to receive a cap or a nipple or elbow leading to a water supply as may be desired.

WVhen the device is to be assembled upon a house, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the first saddle board section 15 is applied to the ridge of the roof and secured thereupon by nails or otherwise. The seconc section 16 is then placed upon the roof. The coupling 14 is then applied to the screw threaded rear end of, the section 15 and the front end 12 of the section 16. Upon the setting up of the nipple or coupling 14, the front end of the section 15 will'be caused to overlap the rear end of the saddle board 15. The overlapping sections may then be nailed to theroof. Other saddle board sections 17 and 18 with their respective pipesections will be similarly as; sembled and secured to the roof to extend the full length thereof. A suitable nipple or fitting 19 may be connected to the rear end 13 of. the pipe 5 and a suitable pipe or conduit 20, connected to the fitting 19, may extend downwardly in any convenient way as beneath the roof and downwardly adjacent a corner of the house where its lower end may be coupled with any suitable water-supplying means, such as a service pipe leading to a sill cock 21. The pipe 20 may be provided with a suitable valve 22 which may be opened when the sill cook 21 is closed, to supply water through the pipe 20 and fitting 19 to the distributing pipe or.conduit 5 which extends along the ridge of the roof of the build- When water under pressure is thus supplied to the conduit 5 it is projected from the pipe or conduit in small jets at uniform distances throughout the length of the roof and both sides of the roof thereof. Thus-water may be distributed with substantial uniformity over practically the entire area of the roof.

The pressure and volume of the water may be controlled by the valve 22 so that a relatively small amount of water may be used when it is desired merely to cool the roof alone, or a much larger quantity may be discharged when it is desired to protect the roof from fire.

By discharging a large quantity of water from the pipe or conduit 5 a blanket of water may be caused todescend from the eaves of he roof, (if there is no gutter present) which will protect the side of the house from flames of an adjacent burning house. Furthermore, the sheetof water thus projected from the roof may be used in the summer to increase evaporation of moisture in the vicinity of the house for the purpose of cooling the surrounding air.

In some instances it may be desirable to provide the pipe or conduit 5 with a cover or housing which will act not only to conceal the pipe and provide a more pleasing appearance, but which will also to a great measure protect the jet orifices against the action of heavy wind. Such a housing 23 or covering is illustrated in Figs. 4: and 5 and comprises a plate of sheet metal bent into V-shape preferably corresponding substantially in angularit-y to the form of the saddle board. This cover or housing desirably is secured to the brackets 6 and may be conveniently connected thereto by the screws 11. In such case suitable tapering washers 2 l may be placed between the cylindrical upper end of the bracket 6 and the under face of the cover or housing 23. ()ther washers 25 having re-entrant under faces and a flat upper face may be interposed between the upper side of the housing 23 and the head 26 of the screw 11.

While the invention has heretofore been described as providing means for projecting water upon the roof for fire prevention purposes and for the purpose of coolingthe roof and airing the vicinity of the building, it is obvious that it may be employed to conduct other fluids which may be more elfective for extinguishing fires by providing a suitable coupling at the lower end of the pipe 20, or where a reservoir is located upon the top of the factory for fire prevention purposes, as is quite common, the inlet pipe 20 may lead from the reservoir with a suitable valve for controllingthe delivery of water from the reservoir to the inlet pipe 20.

The presence of the sheet metal saddle board and the pipe upon the ridge of the roof with the metallic connection therefrom to the ground also provides in efiect a lightning rod which will protect the roof of the buildingfrom being struck by lightning.

it will, therefore, be understood that the term saddle board is used herein in a broad sense to include not only a member having angularly disposed sides or flanges to embrace the ridge of the roof, but also angularly disposed-members adapted to embrace the edge of a roof, such as a flat roof, or any other ridge or corner of a building.

\Vhile the fluid-conducting means illustrated in the accompanying drawings is in the form of a pipe or conduit which is carried by brackets upon the pipe section, it will be obvious that other forms of conduits may be employed and that such other forms of conduit sections may be otherwise attached to or formed integral with the saddle board section;

It will, therefore, be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive of the scope or meaning of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedas new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A fire-protective and roof-cooling device comprising a sheet metal saddle board, for the ridge of a roof, formed in sections each having a fluid-conducting conduit section rigidly mounted thereupon and extending longitudinally thereof and perforated at intervals, and means for coupling the sec tions of said fluid-conducting conduits together operable to retain said saddle board sections in overlapping assembled position,

2. A fire-protectiveand roof-cooling device comprising a Vshaped sheet metal saddle board formed in sections, each having a fluid-conducting conduit section rigidly mounted thereupon and extending longitudinally thereof, andperforated at intervals andat one end terminating short of the same end of the -saddle board, and means for coupling said conduit sections together operable to assemble and secure the adjacent ends of saddle board sections in. overlapping relation.

3. A fire-protective and roof-cooling device comprising a V.-shaped sheet metal sad-, dle board formed in sections, each having a fluid-conducting conduit section rigidly mounted thereupon and extending longitudinally thereof and perforated at intervals and at one end terminating short of the same end of the saddle board, right hand and left hand screw threads upon the respective ends of the conduit, and a nipple having its ends provided with right hand and left hand screw threads complementary to those of said conduit, and operable to couple said conduit sections together and to assemble and maintain said saddle board sections in overlap-ping relation.

4. A fire-protective and roof-cooling device comprising a V-shaped sheet metal saddle board formed in sections, one end of each section being squared with, and the other end beveled backwardly from, the ridge of the section, a plurality of brackets rigid with said saddle board, a at intervals mounted in said brackets and terminating short of the beveled end of said saddle board section, and coupling means operable toconnect the ends of pipe sections together and to assemble and maintain the beveled end of one saddle board section in overlapping relation relatively to the squared end of another section. v

5. A fire-protective and roof-cooling device comprising a V-shaped sheet metal saddle board formed in sections, one end of each section being squared with, and the other end beveled backwardly from, the ridge of the section, a plurality of brackets rigid with said saddle board, a pipe section perforated at intervals mounted in said brackets, extending longitudinally of said saddle board section and terminating short of the beveled end and extending beyond the squared end 7 of said saddle board section, and coupling vice comprising a V-shaped metal means operable to connect the ends of the pipe sections together and to assemble said sections with the beveled end of one section overlapping the squared end of another section.

6. A fire-protective and roof-cooling desaddle board formed in sections, a plurality of brackets having legs rigidly secured to each of said saddle board sections and having pipereceiving loops spaced from the ridge of said saddle board, means securing said loops to said pipe, and means for coupling the ends of adjacent pipe sections together in longitudinal alinement.

7. A fire-protective and roof-cooling device comprising a V-shaped metal saddle pipe section perforated board formed in sections, a plurality of brackets having legs rigidly secured to said saddle board, pipe-receiving loops spaced from the ridge of said saddle board, an inverted V-shaped housing mounted on said brackets and covering said pipe, and coupling means for connecting adjacent pipe sections in longitudinal alinement operable also to assemble the ends of said saddle board sections and the ends of said housing sections together in overlapping relation.

8. A fire-protective and roof-cooling device comprising a V-shaped metal saddle boa-rd formed in sections, a plurality of brackets having legs rigidly secured to said saddle board, pipe-receiving loops spaced from the ridge of said saddle board, an inverted V-shaped'housing mounted on said brackets and covering said pipe, machine screws extending through the ridge of said housing and the loops of said brackets therebeneath into said pipe sections, and coupling means operable to connect the ends of said pipe sections together and to assemble the ends of the saddle board sections and the ends of said housing sections in overlapping relation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CARLOS T. PIERCE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION,

Patent No. 1,831,880. Granted November 17, 1931, to

CARLOS T. PIERCE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, strike out lines 54 to 63, comprising claim 6, and for the ordinals of claims 7 and 8 read 6 and 7; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may coniorm to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of February, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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