Fire suppression device

Abstract

A portable fire extinguishing device capable of suppressing a fire in a room or other enclosed area comprises a housing containing a pyrotechnic composition and a delay fuze. Upon initiation, the pyrotechnic composition burns and generates combustion byproducts that include an inorganic halogen compound that is dispersed as a aerosol of fine particles, or a gas that rapidly condenses into an aerosol of fine particles, the particle size of which is so small that the free-fall velocity of the particles is less than the average air currents in the room. Accordingly, the fire suppression aerosol remains suspended for several hours to act as a fire suppressant and because of its persistence will seek out and suppress even hidden fires.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which like references designate like elements and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a representation of a potential application of the fire suppression apparatus incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fire suppression apparatus incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a close-up of the handle end of the apparatus of FIG. 2 in the “safe” position;

FIG. 5 is a close-up of the handle end of FIG. 4 with the apparatus in the ready-to-fire configuration; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a fire suppression apparatus incorporating features of the present invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire comprising: a housing;a pyrotechnic fire suppression composition contained within said housing, said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition comprising a composition that combusts to form combustion products that include an aerosol comprising at least one inorganic halogen containing constituent; anda manually actuated delay fuze for initiating said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition after a predetermined delay.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition comprises an inorganic halogen oxidizer and a combustible organic or metal-organic fuel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said manually actuated delay fuze comprises: a trigger, delay means, and an ignition compound, said trigger comprising an actuator capable of being initiated by manual manipulation and having an output capable of initiating said delay means, said delay means having input means for receiving a signal from said actuator and a pyrotechnic output capable of initiating said ignition compound after a predetermined delay, said ignition compound having input means for receiving the pyrotechnic output of said delay means and an output in fluid communication with said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition, said output of said ignition composition having sufficient heat transfer to ignite said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said fire suppression composition is a solid body.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: said solid body comprises a wet pressed solid mixture further comprising an organic binder resin, and a plasticizer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said aerosol is an alkali metal halide.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said aerosol is a alkali metal carbonate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said aerosol is potassium bromide.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said aerosol comprises a dispersion fine particulates, wherein the average particle size is less than 0.5 micron.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said aerosol comprises a dispersion of fine particulates, wherein the average particle size is less than 1.0 micron.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said aerosol comprises a dispersion of fine particulates, wherein the average particle size is between 0.1 and 1.0 micron.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said housing comprises a non-frangible container having a plurality of apertures therein, said apertures being sealed from said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition by a diaphragm that ruptures at a predetermined pressure to release said aerosol.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said housing includes a handle extending therefrom, said handle having a proximal end attached to said housing, an interior chamber and a distal end sealed with a cap, wherein said manually actuated delay fuze comprises a lanyard disposed in said interior chamber for actuating said manually actuated delay fuze, said lanyard being accessible for initiating said manually actuated delay fuze by removing said cap.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: said housing is substantially cylindrical and said handle is substantially coaxial to said cylindrical housing.

15. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire comprising: a housing;a pyrotechnic fire suppression composition contained within said housing, said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition comprising a composition that is capable of combusting to form combustion products that include an aerosol of fire suppression particles the average particle size of which is less than 10 microns; anda manually actuated delay fuze for initiating said pyrotechnic fire suppression composition after a predetermined delay.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: said aerosol of fire suppression particles comprises an aerosol of fire suppression particles the average particle size of which is less than 0.5 micron.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: said aerosol of fire suppression particles comprise particles of an inorganic halogen compound.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: said aerosol of fire suppression particles comprises an aerosol of fire suppression particles the average particle size of which is less than 1.0 micron.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: said aerosol of fire suppression particles comprise particles of an inorganic halogen compound.