Conical fire extinguisher Model AW
This image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseConical fire extinguisher Model AW
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Conical fire extinguisher Model AW, water-type(gas pressure) capacity 10 pints. Manufactured to BS 1382, pat nos 728857, 846101, 851242, by Chubb Fire Security Ltd, Pyrene House, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex
These conical fire extinguishers were unique to the Minimax company, with the design known as ‘The Minimax’. Minimax was founded in 1903, opening a factory in 1911 that produced 1000 extinguishers a month with worldwide orders – including an order from the Czar of Russia. The Siberian Railway was stocked with Minimax extinguishers.
The factory continued producing throughout both World Wars, producing 200 extinguishers a month in WW1.
Minimax was taken over by The Pyrene Company in 1955, who were then taken over by Chubb security in 1967. The Feltham factory remained famous for its art-deco design, with the gateway retained as public art when the building was demolished in the 1980s. A number of nearby roads are named in the company’s honour.
