Fire bag for cotton bale
OR 3s87+1457 United States Patent 1 1 3,874,457 Thrash Apr. 1, 1975 FIRE BAG FOR COTTON BALE Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. [75] Inventor. Tommy K. Thrash, Lubbock, Tex. Assistant Examiner Michael Mar [73] Asslgnee: Kwik-Out Manufacturing Attorney, Agent, or FirmWendell Coffee Company, Lubbock, Tex. 22 Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [571 ABSTRACT A bale of cotton with fire therein is laced in a liable 21 A P P l PP No 437,510 bag of impervious, fire resistant fabric. The bag is sealed. A hollow spear is inserted through a sealable [52] US. Cl. 169/47, 169/50 opening in the side of the bag and into the bale of cot- [51] Int. Cl ..A62c1/18 ton. Fire suppressant such as carbon dioxide is in- [58] Field of Search 169/48, 49, 50, 46, 47 jected into the bale near the fire spot through the hollow spear. Thereafter, the spear hole is closed, the fire [56] References Cited being extinguished through a combination of suffica- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion and the presence of the tire suppressant. 2,260,515 10/1941 Ensminger et a1. 169/2 R X 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 3,177,947 4/1965 Thompson 169/46 X 3,361,214 l/l968 Elliott 169/2 R ATENTED APR sum 1 0F 4 PAYENTEU APR U95 SHEET 2 OF 4 PATENTED APR 1 I975 sum 3 o g PMENTED R 1 sumun g Fig FIRE BAG FOR COTTON BALE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS None. However, Disclosure Document No. 022,060 was filed on or about Sept. 3, 1973, and transfer of that document to this patent application file is respectfully requested.  
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to fire extinguishers and more particularly to a sack or container to smother a fire in a cotton bale.  
 2. Description of the Prior Art In the ginning of cotton, it is not unusual to ignite some of the cotton being processed. Upon completion of the ginning of the cotton, the cotton is formed into a batt, the batt is folded into a press where it is pressed into a bale of cotton. A covering or bagging is placed over the front, back and around the ends of the pressed cotton and is secured by ties or steel bands. The sides of the bale are left uncovered and they will have certain ridges formed by the folds of the batt entering the press. By trade standards, a bale of cotton weighs 500 pounds. In actual practice, it will vary in weight from 450 to 600 pounds. Normally, standard bales as produced by the gin have dimensions of approximately 30 inches wide across the front and back, 40 inches wide across the sides, and about 60 inches in height.  
  It has been suggested that hollow spears be inserted into the bale at a point into or adjacent to the spot of fire in the bale and fire suppressants be introduced. One suppressant is water, but as mentioned above, water does not penetrate the cotton readily. It has been suggested that various surfactants be included in the water so it more quickly wets and soaks through thecotton. Others have suggested that the cotton be placed in sealed steel boxes. Examples of such developments are shown in the following US. Pat. Nos.: Hammett 2,596,399, Thompson 3,177,947, Vickers 477,875, Linehard 1,599,826, Ferguson 2,740,163.  
  I feel one of the reasons the box has not been commerically feasible is because of the difficulty in handling. As stated above, the cotton bale itself weighs about 500 pounds and. although rigid in structure, it still has soft, rounded corners, making it difficult to handle. Also, the box structures themselves are of awkward size and have considerable weight.  
  ELLIOTT US. Pat. No. 3,361,214, has suggested to extinguish fires in bedding that an air impervious cover be placed over first one side and then the other of a mattress and fire suppressants injected into the mattress through small holes in the air impervious covers to extinguish a fire therein.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1 New and Different Function 1 have discovered that the bale of cotton can be easily encapsulated or sealed within a pliable, flexible bag. If the bag is made of an impervious material and is sealed after the bale of cotton is placed therein, it will smother the fire. The smothering action is speeded if carbon dioxide is injected into the bale by hollow spears.  
  This is a process that can be done by one or two persons rather easily. The bag, the spear and the source of carbon dioxide is the only equipment required.  
  There is no danger of the fire spreading as occurs when the bale is broken open.  
 2 Objects of this Invention An object of this invention is to extinguish fires in cotton bales.  
  Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, apply, and maintain.  
  Other objects are to achieve the above with a method that is rapid, efficient, and inexpensive, and does not require skilled people to apply.  
  The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bale of cotton with schematic indications that fire is present therein.  
  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of said bale of cotton partially encapsulated with a bag according to this invention.  
  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bale completely enclosed with two spears inserted through the openings.  
  FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view through the cotton and the bag showing the spear in place.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there may be seen represented standard bale 10 of cotton. As stated before and is conventional in industry, the bale is covered with bagging 12 and the bagging is tied with metal straps 14. As stated before, the process of ginning and packing causes ridges along side 16. For points of reference, shorter side 18 is covered with bagging and is called front or back. Side 20, having the smallest dimensions, is called the top.  
  According to this invention, if the bale catches fire, bag 22 is used to enclose the burning bale. As shown in FIG. 2, the bag would include top 24 which has a slightly larger dimension than the top 20 of the bale 10. Also, the bag would have front 26, having slightly larger dimensions than the front 18 of the bale 10 and, also the bag 22 would have side panel 28, having slightly larger dimensions than the side 16 of the bale. The bag would be pulled over the bale as far as it would go. Then, the bale rolled by turning it first on its front 18 and then on its top 20 and, thereafter, the bag 22 completely enclosing the bale 10. The bag is then closed by use of zipper 32.  
  Openings in the side panel 28 of the bag 22 are normally closed by patches 34. Each hole through the side panel 28 is surrounded by Velcro and the patches 34 also have Velcro around the edge so each hole can be closed by a patch 34. After the bale 10 has been completely encapsulated by the bag 22, the holes are opened by removing the patches 34 and hollow spear 36 inserted into the bale. It is necessary that the spear be inserted through the sides 16 of the bale because of the way the bale is made; it is difficult if not impossible to insert the spear through the front 18 of the bale.  
  The spear 36 has sharp point 38 and a plurality of holes 40. At least one of the holes 40 is quite close to the point 38. Handle 42 on the spear with crossbar 34 on the handle aids in inserting the spear into the bale. Guard or seal 46 is located on the handle at the point the hollow tube or spear 36 is attached thereto. The seal 46 is adapted to be pressed firmly against the bag 22, surrounding the hole to close the opening except where the spear is inserted. After the spear is inserted, connection 48 is used to connect conduit 50 in the form of tubing to a source 52 of carbon dioxide. Through valves (not shown) the carbon dioxide is admitted to the spear whereby it is introduced into the bale.  
  The effect of carbon dioxide upon fire is well known and tends to extinguish the fire. In addition, as seen in FIG. 3, the carbon dioxide under pressure will tend to blow up or puff out the bag 22. After the carbon dioxide has been inserted, the spear 36 is withdrawn and the patch 34 applied over the hole to keep the bag 22 sealed as nearly as possible.  
  If it is not necessary to ship the bale cotton immediately, it can be left in the bag for any period of time such as 24 to 48 hours. I have found that, normally, all the fire is extinguished when the burning bale is left in the bag for about 30 minutes.  
  After the spear has been withdrawn, it is desirable that the conduit 50 be inserted through the hole, the patch 34 placed around it and then a small amount of carbon dioxide continued to be injected into the bag 22 so it is certain there is a positive pressure within the bag, thereby, expelling all oxygen from within the bag.  
  The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.  
 SUBJECT MATTER CLAIMED FOR PROTECTION I claim as my invention: 1. The method of extinguishing fires in bales of cotton comprising:  
 a. enveloping the bale of cotton in air impervious, pliable material, b. slipping a fabric bag partially over the bale,  
  c. rolling the partially bagged bale, then d. completing the bagging, and e. sealing an opening in the bag. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with an additional limitation of f. injecting a tire suppressant fluid into the bale after evelopment. 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the injection of the fire suppressant fluid is accomplished by g. inserting a spear through an opening in the bag and h. pressing a guard on the spear against the bag to seal the opening therein. 4. Structure for extinguishing fires in bales of cotton comprising:  
 a. a bag of fire resistant, pliable material impervious to air, b. the bag having dimensions so it fits loosely over a standard bale of cotton, c. all openings in the bag having sealable closures thereover. 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein the following openings are in the bag:  
 d. a large opening for inserting the bale of cotton into the bag, and  
 e. smaller openings in the bag for inserting a hollow spear therethrough.  
 6. An article of manufacture comprising:  
 a. a bale of cotton with fire therein,  
 b. the bale having ends, sides, top and bottom,  
 0. a bag of fire resistant, pliable material encapsulating said bale,  
 d. said bag having a sealed opening at one of the ends thereof wherein the bale was inserted into the bag,  
 e. said bag having small spear openings along one of the sides of the bale,  
 f. each spear opening having a sealable flap attached to the bag adjacent thereto,  
 g. a sharp pointed hollow spear inserted into the bale through one of said openings,  
 h. an opening in the spear near the pointed end,  
 j. a source of fire suppressant fluid, and  
 k. a fluid connection from said source to the spear,  
 m. whereby fire suppressant is injected into the bale adjacent the fire while the bale is substantially sealed within the bag.  
 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 with an additional limitation of n. a guard upon the spear, said guard pressed against the bag around the opening therein, forming a seal between the spear and the bag to reduce the escape of gasses through the opening. l l