\
| |
RED COMET & AUTO FIYR : FIRE GRENADE BLUBS The fire grenade bulbs basically are second generation of the fire grenade bottles. Fire grenade bulbs were used just like its predecessor but resembled more like a light bulb made out of a very thin glass. Most come with a metal hanger so they could be hung on the wall. When thrown these bulbs were so thin of glass they would always brake. Unlike its predecessor which sometime the glass was made to thick and would not break. Some of these bulbs also come with a special bracket with a spring device held by a fusible link. When the fusible link would melt, usually around 160 degrees the spring would release and break the thin glass. A major producer of these bulb style grenades was called Red Comet. The Red Comet Original Automatic Fire Extinguisher from Littleton, Colorado. The company started in Denver, Colorado in 1919. The company would relocate to Littleton, Colorado in 1933 and is still in business today. Below is a sales man carrying case from the Red Comet Incorporated Littleton, Colorado.
There are several styles of Red Comet extinguisher bulbs that they produced. Below is a photo of two of the common styles. These are flash red transparent paint on clear glass. The metal hanger label says RED COMET / THE ORIGINAL AUTOMATIC / FIRE EXTINGUISHER / FOR MAUAL USE- THROW TO SPLASH OVER BURNING AREA / RED COMET INCORPORATED LITTLETON, COLORADO. Along with a add from a 1948 Littleton Independent Newspaper.
Above are photos of several early style hanger brackets. (These brackets are not from our collection.) Below is a photo of a different style of a fire grenade bulb made by the Auto Fiyr Company. The label says AUTO FIYR STOP / CARE FREE COMBINED UNIVERSAL / AUTO AND OR MANUAL FIRE ALARM / EXTINGUISHER / SUPER UNIT WITH CBM. The color is a white frosted glass with hunger.
References: Littleton, Colorado Historical Museum. The 1948 Littleton Independent Paper. Frank & Frank Jr. (Wicker) Bottle Collection. |
|---|---|
.
