Scientific American Supplement, No. 520, December 19, 1885 by Various
page 17 of 123 (13%)
page 17 of 123 (13%)
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provided in the runway, so that the doors may not, as I have frequently
seen them, overrun the opening which it is to protect. Doors should overlap the edges of the openings on all sides. Large projecting jambs should never be used. All doors contained in "fire walls" should have springs or weights attached to them, so as to be at all times closed. Fire doors can be shut automatically by a weight, which is released by the melting of a piece of very fusible solder employed for this purpose. So sensitive is this solder that a fire door has been made to shut by holding a lamp some distance beneath the soldered link and holding an open handkerchief between the lamp and link. Though the handkerchief was not charred, hot air enough had reached the metal to fuse the solder and allow the apparatus to start into operation. These solders are alloys more fusible than the most fusible of their component metals. A few of them are: Wood's alloy, consisting of: cadmium, 1 to 2 parts; tin, 2 parts; lead, 4 parts; bismuth, 7 to 8 parts. This alloy is fusible between 150° and 159° Fahr. The fusible metal of D'Arcet is composed of: bismuth, 8 parts; lead, 5 parts; tin, 3 parts. It melts at 173.3°. We can, therefore, by proper mixture, form a solder which will melt at any desirable temperature. Numerous devices for closing doors automatically have been constructed, all depending upon the use of the fusible solder catch. * * * * * |
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