Abstract: A product useful in extinguishing fires and preventing explosions has a continuous sheet of metal foil having discontinuous slits arranged in a specified way, and in particular embodiments comprises magnesium alloys which may be coated with an oleate or an alkaline bichromate.

Abstract: A method of producing an ellipsoid form from an expanded metal foil net teaches the steps of placing a sheet of expanded metal net on a work surface adjacent an open-ended hollow cylinder having the interior shape of a semi-ellipsoid, moving a first piston having the exterior shape of a semi-ellipsoid against the expanded metal sheet and into said open-ended cylinder to form the sheet into a semi-ellipsoid piece having a closed end and an open end, and subsequently moving a second piston into the open-ended cylinder to close the open end of the semi-ellipsoid piece and thus complete formation of the ellipsoid form. The metal foil may be a continuous sheet transversely slip and fed in unstretched form from a roll to the edge of said work surface, then stretched across the work surface and detached from the continuous sheet to provide the expanded metal net sheet to be formed into an ellipsoid.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an apparatus for producing ellipsoid forms from an expanded metal net. The apparatus includes a first frame defining a path of travel for a continuous sheet of slitted metal foil, an input feed roller for holding the continuous sheet of slitted metal foil in roll form, multiple work stations located on the frame, and forming pistons which cooperate with forming cylinders to shape cut expanded metal foil into an ellipsoid configuration.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an apparatus for making an expandable metal product for use in extinguishing fires and controlling explosions by means of revolving cylinders equipped with slitting knives. The apparatus has opposing cylinders with spaced, discontinuous knives and corresponding base members cooperating with the knives and take up means. The apparatus has piston means that also produce a floatable, ellipsoid for nestling in fuel containers.

Abstract: A method of extinguishing surface fires wherein, alternatively unexpanded, slit sheets of magnesium alloy foil are transported to the site of the fire and expanded while unrolling to provide coverage of the fire by the greatly expanded surface area of the sheets, which may be laid down from an aircraft and which may be made floatable; where applying ellipsoidal balls of the metal nets by means of containers thereof, rupturable by heat of fire, thereby releasing the balls to form a continuous fire extinguishing layer over the fire.