Abstract: The protective device prevents overheating, in particular by fire, of individual or batteries of pressure vessels of length equal to at least 1,5 m, employed for storage and/or transportation of gases under high pressure. The essentially cylindrical pressure vessels have at least one closure cap with a valve or a closure plug. Mounted on one closure cap is a pressure pipe which communicates with the interior of the pressure vessel, and is fitted with a controllable venting valve that under normal conditions closes off the pressure pipe or a common pressure pipe and has a venting pipe which terminates outwith the region of the pressrue vessel/vessels. Temperature sensitive actuating means are provdied in the axial direciton of the pressure vessel/vessels a spacing apart and connected to the venting valve. These means can individually actuate the venting valve should overheating occur.

Abstract: The protective device against an overheating, in particular by fire, of individual or batteries of pressure vessels (10) of a length (1) of at least 1.5 m serves for the storage and/or transportation of high- pressure gases. The pressure vessels (10) have at least one end cap (14) with a valve (18) or an end plug (20) with a melting plug (22) of an alloy melting at a low temperature. On at least one end cap (14) a pressure pipe (24), communicating constantly with the interior of a pressure vessel (10) branches off, which pressure pipe is led in axial direction (A) along at least a part of the pressure vessel (10). At intervals (a), essentially T-shaped fittings (26) are installed in the pressure pipe (24), which fittings have in their branching-off leg a melting plug (22) of an alloy melting at a low temperature. A blindly ending pressure pipe (24) is closed off by such a melting plug (22).