Frederick Grinnell
Encyclopedia
Frederick Grinnell was a pioneer in fire safety.
. In 1855, he graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
. Inventor, engineer, and industrialist, Grinnell was the creator of the first practical automatic fire sprinkler
, which made an enormous contribution to fire safety
. Earlier in his career, he was draftsman, construction engineer, and manager for various railroad manufacturers. He designed and oversaw construction of more than 100 locomotive
s. In 1869 he purchased a controlling interest in a company that manufactured fire-extinguishing apparatus. Grinnell licensed a sprinkler device patented by Henry S. Parmalee
, then worked to improve the invention, and in 1881 patented the automatic sprinkler that bears his name. He continued to improve the device and in 1890 invented the glass disc sprinkler, essentially the same as that in use today. Such sprinklers are called le Grinnells in France. He secured some 40 distinct patents for improvements on his sprinklers and invented a dry pipe valve and automatic fire-alarm system as well.
In 1892, Grinnell organized the General Fire Extinguisher Co. in Providence, R.I., an amalgamation of several smaller companies, which became the foremost organization in its field of manufacture. Grinnell died in 1905 in his home town of New Bedford. In 1919, General Fire Extinguisher Co. was renamed Grinnell Co. In 1969, Grinnell Co. was purchased by ITT (International Telephone & Telegraph) and became ITT Grinnell. A few years later, ITT Grinnell sold its US industrial activities to Tyco International
. Grinnell remains today a trade mark inside the Tyco group. In 2001, Grinnell Fire Protection was merged with the Simplex Time Recorder Company to form SimplexGrinnell
, which is the largest fire protection company in the world. ITT Grinnell supporting products are still sold today by ANVIL in the US and PSS in Germany.
Grinnell was a director of several banks and manufacturing companies. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 1984.
Improved fire sprinkler
He was born in New Bedford, MassachusettsNew Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
. In 1855, he graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
. Inventor, engineer, and industrialist, Grinnell was the creator of the first practical automatic fire sprinkler
Fire sprinkler
A fire sprinkler system is an active fire protection measure, consisting of a water supply system, providing adequate pressure and flowrate to a water distribution piping system, onto which fire sprinklers are connected...
, which made an enormous contribution to fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
. Earlier in his career, he was draftsman, construction engineer, and manager for various railroad manufacturers. He designed and oversaw construction of more than 100 locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s. In 1869 he purchased a controlling interest in a company that manufactured fire-extinguishing apparatus. Grinnell licensed a sprinkler device patented by Henry S. Parmalee
Henry S. Parmalee
Henry S. Parmalee, a piano maker from New Haven, Connecticut, invented a fire sprinkler system in 1874 to protect his piano factory. While other patents for fire sprinklers predated Parmalee's work, he is credited with the first practical automated sprinkler head.His piano company The Mathushek...
, then worked to improve the invention, and in 1881 patented the automatic sprinkler that bears his name. He continued to improve the device and in 1890 invented the glass disc sprinkler, essentially the same as that in use today. Such sprinklers are called le Grinnells in France. He secured some 40 distinct patents for improvements on his sprinklers and invented a dry pipe valve and automatic fire-alarm system as well.
In 1892, Grinnell organized the General Fire Extinguisher Co. in Providence, R.I., an amalgamation of several smaller companies, which became the foremost organization in its field of manufacture. Grinnell died in 1905 in his home town of New Bedford. In 1919, General Fire Extinguisher Co. was renamed Grinnell Co. In 1969, Grinnell Co. was purchased by ITT (International Telephone & Telegraph) and became ITT Grinnell. A few years later, ITT Grinnell sold its US industrial activities to Tyco International
Tyco International
Tyco International Ltd. is a highly diversified global manufacturing company incorporated in Switzerland, with United States operational headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey...
. Grinnell remains today a trade mark inside the Tyco group. In 2001, Grinnell Fire Protection was merged with the Simplex Time Recorder Company to form SimplexGrinnell
SimplexGrinnell
SimplexGrinnell, a subsidiary of Tyco International, is an American company specializing in active fire protection systems, communication systems and testing, inspection and maintenance services...
, which is the largest fire protection company in the world. ITT Grinnell supporting products are still sold today by ANVIL in the US and PSS in Germany.
Grinnell was a director of several banks and manufacturing companies. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 1984.