Building Techoclogy » Trivia http://www.building-tech.com The Building Technology Resource Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:45:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Fire extinguisher Patent http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/fire-extinguisher-patent/ http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/fire-extinguisher-patent/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:27:08 +0000 BuildingTech http://www.building-tech.com/news/fire-extinguisher-patent/ On February 10, 1863, the fire extinguisher was patented by Alanson Crane, The steps for operating a fire extinguisher spell PASS: P – Pull the safety pin and test A – Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire S – Squeeze the handle S – Sweep the extinguisher from side to side while aiming at the base of the fire

]]> http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/fire-extinguisher-patent/feed/ 0 The first automatic sprinkler system http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-automatic-sprinkler-system/ http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-automatic-sprinkler-system/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:24:05 +0000 BuildingTech http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-automatic-sprinkler-system/ The first automatic sprinkler system was patented by Philip W. Pratt of Abington, MA, in 1872.

]]> http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-automatic-sprinkler-system/feed/ 0 The world’s first recognizable sprinkler system http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-worlds-first-recognizable-sprinkler-system/ http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-worlds-first-recognizable-sprinkler-system/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:22:00 +0000 BuildingTech http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-worlds-first-recognizable-sprinkler-system/ The world’s first recognizable sprinkler system was installed in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the United Kingdom in 1812 by its architect Benjamen Wyatt FSA. The system which was designed by Col William Congreve (qv) was covered by a patent No 3606 dated the same year. The apparatus consisted of a cylindrical airtight reservoir of 400 hogsheads (~95,000 litres) fed by a 10in (250 mm) water main which branched to all parts of the theatre. A series of smaller pipes feed from the distribution pipe were pierced with a series of 1/2″ (15 mm) holes which pour water in the event of a fire.

]]> http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-worlds-first-recognizable-sprinkler-system/feed/ 0 The First Building Code http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-building-code/ http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-building-code/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:59:49 +0000 BuildingTech http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-building-code/ Code of Hammurabi is considered to be the First Building code which specified:

  • If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.
  • If it kills the son of the owner, the son of that builder shall be put to death.
  • If it kills a slave of the owner, then he shall pay, slave for slave, to the owner of the house.
  • If it ruins goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct roperly this house which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house from his own means.
  • If a builder builds a house for someone, even though he has not yet completed it; if then the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the walls solid from his own means.
]]> http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/the-first-building-code/feed/ 0 First closed Head Fire Sprinkler http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/first-closed-head-fire-sprinkler/ http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/first-closed-head-fire-sprinkler/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:42:48 +0000 BuildingTech http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/first-closed-head-fire-sprinkler/ Henry S. Parmelee of New Haven, CT created and installed the first closed head fire sprinkler in 1874 to protect The Mathusek Piano Works. At the time he was the president of piano company. Parmelee invented the closed head sprinkler in response to exhorbitantly high insurance rates. Parmelee patented his idea and had great success with it in the U.S. Parmelee called his invention the "automatic fire extinguisher". He then traveled to Europe to show people that there was finally a way to help stop a building fire before everything was destroyed.

His invention did not get as much attention as he had planned. Most people could not afford to install a sprinkler system. Once Parmelee realized this, he turned his efforts on educating the insurance companies about his system. He talked about how the sprinkler system would reduce the loss ratio, thus saving money for the insurance companies. He knew that he could never succeed in obtaining contracts from the business owners to install his system unless he could at the same time ensure for them a reasonable return in the shape of reduced premiums.

]]> http://www.building-tech.com/reference/trivia/first-closed-head-fire-sprinkler/feed/ 0