STANDARDS FOR THE INSTALLATION,
MAINTENANCE AND USE OF GASOLINE
VAPOR GAS MACHINES, LAMPS
AND SYSTEMS.

CLASS A-Machines having Outside Carbureters. CLASS B-Machines having Inside Carbureters. CLASS C-Systems having Outside Tanks and Inside Flame-Heated Generators.

CLASS D-Gasoline Vapor Lamps (Stationary and Portable).

CLASS E-Systems having Inside Tanks and Inside Flame-Heated Generators.

CLASS A.

MACHINES HAVING OUTSIDE
CARBURETERS.

These machines, which do not introduce liquid gasoline into the building, are regarded from the fire protection viewpoint as constituting the least dangerous type of gasoline gas machine.

When used, the following regulations should be rigidly observed:

1. Carbureters.

a. Shall be located outside the building, under ground, at least 10 feet removed from all buildings, and the top thereof shall be below the level of the lowest pipe in the building used in connection with the apparatus.

b. Shall be located well below the frost line in all cases and be set level on a firm foundation and surrounded with soft earth or sand, well tamped in place or encased in concrete.

C. Shall be thoroughly coated on the outside with tar, asphaltum or other suitable rust-resisting material.

NOTE. The protection required for carbureters will depend upon the condition of the soil in which they are installed. When the soil is impregnated with corrosive materials, carbureters should be made of heavier metal in addition to being protected as specified above.

d. Shall be provided with a permanently open vent or with a combination fill and vent fitting so arranged that the fill pipe cannot be opened without opening the vent pipe.

e. Vent openings shall be screened (40 mesh per lineal inch brass or equivalent non-corrodible metal) and shall provide sufficient area for allowing proper flow of liquid during the filling operation. A permanently open vent pipe shall be provided with a weatherproof hood and shall terminate at a point at least twelve feet above the top of the fill pipe and never within less than three feet, measured horizontally and vertically, from any window or other building opening.

f. Fill pipe shall be screened and shall terminate in a metal box or casting provided with means for locking, and when installed in the vicinity of a building shall not be located within five feet of any door or other opening.

2. Pressure Supply.

a. Pressure supply for machines of this type shall, so far as practicable, be continuous in order to avoid the possible hazards following the interruption of the pressure while burners are open.

b. Weight driven blowers shall be installed with ample head room for the travel of the weight in order to secure a period of operation to conform to a regular time for re-winding, as specified in Rule 7 c.

C. Water motor or electric motor driven blowers shall operate automatically to furnish a continuous pressure supply, and shall be provided with a suitable safety shut-off to prevent the automatic re-start

of the blower following any interruption of the power supply.

d. Manually operated switches or water control valves, if used in connection with blowers, shall be installed only between the source of power supply and the automatic shut-off of the blower.

e. Blowers shall be installed on a solid, level foundation.

f. If water sealed blowers or parts are used, they shall be located in a room where the temperature does not fall to the freezing point.

g. Electrically operated blowers shall be installed and grounded in accordance with the National Electrical Code.

3. Mixer.

a. Shall have no open connection to the outside air except through the blower.

b. Mixers containing water sealed chambers shall be provided with a relief or safety blow-off, constructed without valves or other mechanical working parts, and arranged to discharge through an escape or relief pipe of at least three-quarters of an inch internal diameter. This pipe shall be installed without traps and carried to a suitable point outside the building and terminate in an approved hood located out of reach and never within less than three feet, measured horizontally and vertically, from any window or other building opening.

4. Pressure Regulator.

Shall be installed between valves in such a manner as to facilitate inspection and repairs.

a. Piping shall be standard full-weight wrought iron or steel. Joints shall be welded or made up with substantial threaded fittings.

b. Connections to outside tank or carbureter shall not be located near nor placed in the same trench with other piping.

C. The piping to the building shall have an incline toward the carbureter of not less than one inch in ten feet.

d. All piping shall be laid below the frost line on solid earth. Propping the pipes on wooden blocks or sticks in the trench shall be avoided.

e. Openings for pipes through outside walls shall be securely cemented and made watertight.

f. Fill, vent and transfer pipes extending to the surface of the ground shall be boxed or provided with enclosing sleeves to prevent the freezing of earth about them and consequent loosening or breaking of connections.

g. In connecting air and gas pipes to the tank or carbureter, an adjustable or swing joint can be made with tee or elbow fittings which will compensate for settling of the carbureter or pipes.

6. Inside Piping.

(Material-See Rule 5 a.)

α.

The air pipe from the pump shall be carried at least twenty-four inches higher than the top of the filler pipes of the carbureter.

b. Joints shall be welded or made up with substantial threaded fittings.

C. Under no circumstances should there be sags or traps. The piping system shall have an unbroken and untrapped continuous incline from the most distant fixture connection back and into the main riser, and thence out to the carbureter.

d. All side brackets shall be supplied from the horizontal pipe in the floor below and not from the horizontal pipe in the ceiling above, and all ceiling fixtures shall connect to the side or top of the supply pipe.

e. Main risers shall be located as near the machine as practicable, and shall be run up through an inside partition, if possible, and not upon an outside wall

where cold air may strike them. Chimneys shall not be used as pipe chases or channels.

NOTE.-When risers or branch pipes must be run up on the outside walls or where exposed to the cold, they shall be wrapped with suitable insulating material, or carefully boxed to properly protect them.

f. No pipe used in any portion of the building, even though it is only to supply one light, shall be less than 3%-inch inside diameter.

g. All piping shall be tested and proven tight at 11⁄2 times the maximum working pressure.

h. Piping and connections shall be installed only by experienced persons.

i. A readily accessible brass wire gauze having a mesh of at least 40 per lineal inch, or its equivalent, shall be provided between the service pipe and the machine.

7. Care and Attendance.

a. Filling of carbureters shall always be done by daylight; no blaze or artificial lights shall be allowed in the vicinity.

b. Empty gasoline drums or barrels shall be put in a safe place in the open air and shall have caps, plugs, or bungs replaced immediately after contents are removed.

C. A regular time should be set for attending to the apparatus and keeping the same in proper working conditions.

d. Water seals of blowers or mixers shall always be kept filled with clean water to the indicated level.

e. Never test the apparatus or piping for leaks with a flame, and never apply flame to an outlet from which the burner has been removed.

f. Gasoline gas machines shall never be started without first ascertaining that all burner valves are closed. The operation of these machines shall be strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's directions.