66 BULLETIN 801, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGrEICTJLTURE. 



AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM. 



The automatic sprinkler system is particularly well adapted to the 

 cotton warehouse. There are few conditions which justify a ware- 

 house of any reasonable size being without the sprinkler protection. 

 Aside from the actual reduction in fire damage throughout the 

 country by its use, the warehouse owner nearly always will find the 

 automatic sprinkler a good investment from the standpoint of reduced 

 cost of insurance. A recent survey of warehouse facilities, made by 

 the Department of Agriculture, showed that out of 1,768 cotton ware- 

 houses reporting the 133 which were sprinklered had an average in- 

 surance rate of 36 cents while those not sprinklered had an average 

 rate of $2.43 per annum per $100 valuation on contents. Moreover, 

 the record of fires held in check or extinguished by the sprinkler sys- 

 tem is most satisfactory. These facts give some idea both of the value 

 of protection and saving in cost of insurance which the warehouse- 

 man may secure by sprinkler installation. 



Automatic sprinkler installations are shown in Plates XVT, XXII, 

 XXXI. The views show the sprinkler heads, or nozzles, placed so 

 that a spray of water will be thrown over the ceiling and the cotton 

 when a fixed temperature is reached, usually 165°. As shown, the 

 piping is arranged and proportioned to give promptly an ade- 

 quate amount of water flowing from a number of heads, provided the 

 supply is satisfactory. These are the results which all requirements 

 for sprinkler equipment are aimed to secure. 



tion that water leaking past tlie valve will not rot the hose at the connection. 

 This is a potent source of deterioration. Also, if the pressure is likely to be- 

 come very high, as from direct pumping, the riser outlet should be equipped 

 with a relief valve which would discharge and so dissipate the water pressure 

 in case it exceeded the safe pressure for the hose. Usually one such valve for 

 each riser is sufficient. 



Each standpipe outlet should be provided with a complete hose station, each 

 equipped in about the same manner as the hose house previously described. 

 An exception to this equipment is that the hose may be linen, unlined, and 

 for most cases the two lengths of hose need be only 50 feet each. The exact 

 amount of hose depends, of course, on the arrangement of the system and 

 building. The size of hose usually should be the same as that for the hy- 

 drants, though frequently l^-inch hose is satisfactory. The size of the riser, 

 however, need not exceed 4 inches and frequently may be less, depending on 

 the number of stories. The water supply usually should be from the hydrant 

 system. One outlet for each floor from each riser is satisfactory for most 

 cases. A simple hose station is shown in Plate XXXII. 



Standpipe systems, like the hydrant systems, have been standardized com- 

 pletely. The arrangement and specifications should be decided after con- 

 sultation with the insurance inspection department having supervision. In 

 this way the warehousemen may secure such recognition of equipment as the 

 system entitles him to. 



