Fire Extinguisher, circa 1959

Summary

Pressurized fire extinguishers, which propel fire-suppressing chemicals with compressed gas, have been in use since the mid-19th century. Improved designs used less toxic chemicals, or specific chemicals that were most effective against certain types of fires. In all cases, a fire extinguisher was intended to stop or slow a small fire before it grew into something more dangerous.

Artifact

Fire extinguisher

Date Made

circa 1959

Creators

General Air Products Corporation

Xerox Corporation

Place of Creation

United States, Illinois, Chicago

United States, New York, Rochester

Creator Notes

Made by General Air Products Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. Distibuted by Xerox Corporation of Rochester, New York.

Keywords

Fire extinguishers

Firefighting equipment

Photocopying machines

Firefighting (Discipline)

Xerox Corporation

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2020.52.6

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Xerox Corporation.

Material

Metal
Plastic

Color

Brown
Black (Color)
Yellow (Color)
Red

Dimensions

Height: 18.125 in

Diameter: 2 in (@ widest point)

Inscriptions

on front: DIRECTIONS FOR USE / HOLD NOZZLE DOWNWARD. OPEN VALVE WIDE / AND DIRE[CT S]TREAM TO BASE OF FIRE. ESPECIALLY / EFFECTIVE ON OIL, GAS AND ELECTRICAL FIRES. / LIFT VALVE HANDLE / THEN TWIST / CAPACITY - 10 OZ. CO2 (CARBON DIOXIDE) CLEAN, / SAFE, ODORLESS, NON-STAINING, NON-TOXIC. / W[EI]GHT OF FULL EXTINGUISHER (LESS NOZZLE) IS / STAMPED ON CYLINDER. EMPTY EXTINGUISHER / WEIGHS 10 OZ. LESS. WHEN EXTINGUISHER IS / SIX OZ. BELOW STAMPED WEIGHT IT SHOULD BE / REFILLED. / REFILLS ARE OBTAI[NA]BLE FROM ANY C[?]FIRE EX- / TINGUISHER REFIL[?]ATION. THIS UNIT EQUIPPED / WITH SAF[TE]Y [?] / WARRANTY - CYLINDER CONFORMS TO I.C.C. REGU- / LATIONS. / MANUFACTURED BY / GENERAL AIR PRODUCTS CORP. / CHICAGO 25, IL[LI]NOIS