P/00/0Il Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION - INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Fire Sprinkler Systems, Hydrant Systems, Hydronic Systems and the Like The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: Title Fire Sprinkler Systems, Hydrant Systems, Hydronic Systems and the Like Field of the invention 5 The present invention relates to fire sprinkler systems, hydrant systems, hydronic systems and the like. Background of the invention As is illustrated in figure 1 B, various known types of fire sprinkler systems and the like 10 include a valving arrangement such as is shown generally at I in that drawing. Typically for a fire sprinkler system, a large-bore mains water supply 2 connects to a mains stop valve 3 which in turn connects to an alarm valve 4 and so to a fire service feeder such as 6. The fire service feeder in turn connects to a reticulation system such as a fire sprinkler network (which is not illustrated in the drawing). 15 A drain line 7 is in turn provided as a tapping off the feeder 6 for use in both draining the reticulation system and in testing the overall system, as described below. The drain line 7 taps off the service feeder 6 through a drain valve 8. The drain valve 8 is by a test drain 9 which includes a test drain valve 11. 20 Typical structure of the alarm valve 4 is illustrated in figures IC and 1 D. The alarm valve 4 includes a valve seat 12, and a valve clapper 13. The valve clapper 13 carries a clapper rubber 16 and is pivotally mounted on pivot shaft 16. The valve clapper 13 is mounted on the pivot shaft 16 so that it can move between the position in which it is 25 shown in figure 1 C in which, with the aid of the valve rubber 16 sealing against the valve seat 12, it occludes flow of water through the alarm valve 4 and the position in which it is shown in figure 1 D in which it does not occlude the flow of water through the alarm valve 4. 30 The valve seat 12 includes an orifice 17 which is in communication with a passage 14 which in turn leads to an alarm device which is not illustrated in the drawing. When the clapper 13 is in the position shown in figure 1 C, the clapper rubber 16 seals the occludes the orifice 17. -1- In normal operation, the reticulation system is maintained at a pressure which is above mains pressure by a mechanisms which is not shown in the drawing. The pressurization of the reticulation system and gravity acting together bias the clapper 13 into the position shown in figure 1 C in which it seals. 5 On an alarm event, such as a fire sprinkler rupturing, the over-pressure in the reticulation system is released and water flows from the mains water supply 2 through the reticulation system. 10 To test the alarm system, the test drain valve 11 is opened to allow water to flow from the service feeder 6. This release of over-pressure in the reticulation system again results in flow of water from mains water supply 2, resulting in the activation of the alarm (which is not illustrated in the drawing). 15 To drain the reticulation system, the main stop valve 3 is closed, the drain valve 8 is opened and water that is in the reticulation system drains by gravity through the drain line 7. Water that drains through the drain line 7 during testing or during draining of the 20 reticulation system is discarded, resulting in waste of water. It may also result in pollution of the environment because of pollutants (such as heavy metals) carried in that water. It is also generally the case that, in municipalities in which the mains water supply is metered and consumers are charged for use of water, the water used in fire sprinkler 25 systems by-pass the metering system, leading to a potential misuse of the system. Summary of the invention In contrast, embodiments of the present invention accordingly provide a fire sprinkler system, hydrant system, hydronic system or the like which is connectable to a pressurized 30 supply of liquid, the system comprising: a reticulation system which is maintainable at a pressure which is above the pressure of the pressurized supply of liquid; a normally-closed alarm valve: which is situated between the pressurized supply of liquid and the -2reticulation system; and which is adapted to open on a release of pressure in the reticulation system to allow a flow of liquid from the pressurized supply of liquid to the reticulation system, and 5 a normally-closed test valve which is: situated downstream of the normally-closed alarm valve; openable to allow a flow of liquid from the reticulation system in order to release pressure in the reticulation system; and a waste tank which is adapted to receive liquid which is released by opening the 10 normally-closed test valve. It is preferred that the waste tank is adapted to received liquid which is drained from the reticulation system on drain-down of that system. 15 It is preferred that the supply of pressurized liquid to the main stop valve: is un-metered; and is monitored by a time delay flow switch which actuates an alarm after liquid has been flowing through the main stop valve for a pre-determined time. 20 It is preferred that a metered supply of pressurized liquid is connected to the system at a point which is between the main stop valve and the alarm valve. It is preferred that a metered supply of pressurized liquid is connected to the system at a point which is downstream of the alarm valve. 25 It is preferred that the system is adapted to supply from the waste tank to the reticulation system. It will accordingly be seen that embodiments of the present invention variously: 30 reduce waste of liquid; reduce the risk of misuse of an unmetered supply of liquid; contain pollutants for later disposal; and reduce the entry of pollutants into the storm water drainage system. -3- Brief description of the drawings So that the invention may be more readily understood, preferred embodiments of it are described below with reference to the drawings in which: figure lA is a legend which is explanatory of symbols which are used in others of 5 the figures; figure lB is an elevational view which illustrates an aspect of apparatus of known fire sprinkler systems and the like; figures IC and ID are cross-sectional views which illustrate details of the apparatus of figure IB; and 10 figures 1 to 5 are drawings (which are partly schematic and partly in elevation) which illustrate apparatus according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. Description of preferred embodiments of the invention 15 Structure of preferred embodiments An embodiment of apparatus 5 according to the present invention is illustrated (partly schematically and partially in elevation) in figure 1. The embodiment of figure 1 includes a large-bore mains water supply 2 connected to a 20 main stop valve 3 through a time delay flow switch 27. The main stop valve 3 is in turn connected to an alarm valve 4 and so to a fire service feeder such as 6. The fire service feeder 6 is in turn connected to a reticulation system such as a fire sprinkler network (which is not illustrated in the drawing). 25 The time delay flow switch 27 which is connected to the mains water supply 2 is also connected to the fire alarm system to actuate the fire alarm system after a predetermined period of water flow through the mains water supply 2. The operation of the time delay flow switch 27 ensures that the fire brigade is alerted to an emergency or to a misuse of unmetered water. 30 The mains water supply 2 is fed with unmetered water from the utility main 21. Another water supply 22 is also tapped off the utility main 21. The water supply 22 is controlled by an isolation valve 23 and includes a backflow prevention valve 34 and a water meter 26. -4- The water supply 22 supplies water to the fire service feeder 6 between the main stop valve 3 and the alarm valve 4. The water supply 22, through a branch 28, also communicates with a three-way waste-and-fill valve 32 through a normally-closed 5 isolation valve 29 and a backflow prevention valve 31. As is described in more detail below, when the three-way waste-and-fill valve 32: is in a first position (which is illustrated in figure 2) it allow water to flow from the water supply 22 to the fire service feeder 6 and allows water to flow from an ancillary pumping device 46 to the fire service feeder 6; 10 is in a second position (which is illustrated in figure 3) it allows water to flow from the fire service feeder 6 through an appropriately set three-way valve 36, through connection 42 to the tank 43 (allowing draining of the fire service). Preferred forms of the tank 43 include both temporarily installed tanks and permanently 15 installed tanks. Preferred forms of temporarily install tank include a tanks which is mounted on a trailer or the like, and an array of interconnected, large-diameter PVC pipes laid out in any suitable area, such as in a building basement. A normally-closed test valve 33 loops the three-way waste-and-fill valve 32. 20 The three-way waste-and-fill valve 32 and the test valve 33 in turn communicate through the common connection 34 with the three-way valve 36. When the three-way valve 36: is in a first position, the connection 34 is in communication with the connection 39 through backflow prevention valve 41 which allows water to flow only from the 25 connection 34 to the connection 39 and so into the tank 43; is in a second position, the connection 37 is in communication with the connection 34 through the backflow prevention valve 38 which allows water to flow only from connection 37 to connection 34 for purposes which are described in detail below. 30 Connections 44 for an ancillary pumping device 46 are shown in dashed lines. Connections 44 take a tapping off branch water supply 28 and water from the auxiliary pumping device 46 can be supplied to three-way waste-and-fill valve 32 and hence to the fire system feeder 6 above the alarm valve 4. This supply of water from the ancillary -5pumping device 46 is provided to maintain the pressure within the reticulation system at a pressure which is above mains pressure. The connection 42 to the tank 43 connects to a three-way valve 48. One port of the three 5 way valve 48 is connected to a suction pump 49 and the outlet of the suction pump 49 is connected through connector 51 to one port of a three-way valve 52, to connection 37, through backflow prevention valve 38 to a port of the three-way valve 36 as previously described. 10 Another port of the three-way valve 48 connects through connections 39 and 50, to backflow prevention valve 54 to provide suction (through operation of the pump 49) for such purposes as cleaning up water spills and for emptying a maintenance waste tank (indicated generally at 56). 15 Strainers or filters 59 are placed in the flow line 39. As will be appreciated from the description below of the operation of the system, the strainers or filters 59 operate to strain or filter all water which flows into the tank 43. Meters such as are illustrated at 61 and 62 allow for monitoring of drained water requiring 20 treatment and for monitoring of water which is recycled. Operation of preferred embodiments Test mode Figure 2 illustrates the system 5 when it is in standby mode. When the system 5 is in this 25 mode, tests are carried out by opening the test valve 33 and allowing water to flow from the fire system water 6 through three-way valve 32, through three-way valve 36 and through backflow prevention valve 39, through the filters 59 and through meter 62 into tank 43. The subsequent drop in pressure in the fire service feeder 6 and in the reticulation system allows the alarm valve 4 to open to flow of water from the mains water supply 2, 30 actuating the alarm as previously described. Recharge mode Recharging the system 5 is illustrated in figure 3. The three-way valves 32, 36 and 52 are turned to "fill" mode and the pump 49 is turned on. The pump 49 draws filtered water -6from tank 43, supplying water through three-way valve 52, through backflow prevention valve 38, three-way valve 36 and three-way valve 32 to the fire service feeder 6 until the reticulation system is pressurized to its operational pressure. The pump 49 is then turned off and the three-way valves 32, 36 and 52 are turned to "standby" mode (illustrated in 5 figure 2), the main stop valve 3 is opened, the valve 10 is closed, and the test is complete. Total drain down When the system 5 is in standby mode (illustrated in figure 2) it can be drained down by closing main stop valve 3 and turning three-way valve 32 to "drain" mode, allowing water 10 to drain from the reticulation system into the tank 43. If any residual water (such as at a low point or at a manually filled service water tank) then remains in the system 5, then the pump 49 is turned on and valves 48 and 52 are turned back to normal mode, allowing pumping of the residual water into tank 43. 15 While the present invention has been described with reference to a few specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 20 "Comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. 25 In the claims, each dependent claim is to be read as being within the scope of its parent claim or claims, in the sense that a dependent claim is not to be interpreted as infringed unless its parent claims are also interpreted as being infringed. -7-