CA1173814A - Valve for fire extinguishing systems - Google Patents
Valve for fire extinguishing systemsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1173814A CA1173814A CA000418061A CA418061A CA1173814A CA 1173814 A CA1173814 A CA 1173814A CA 000418061 A CA000418061 A CA 000418061A CA 418061 A CA418061 A CA 418061A CA 1173814 A CA1173814 A CA 1173814A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- arm
- valve
- closure member
- closure
- closed position
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Safety Valves (AREA)
Abstract
CASE 2, DIV 2 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A valve for sealing off pressurized fluid for an extended period has a body defining a fluid flow passageway, and closure structure in the passageway having a condition in which it closes off the latter against fluid flow. The closure structure includes an arm mounted to the body for pivotal movement to and from a valve closed position in which the closure structure closes off the passageway.
A sealing ring is located between the closure structure and the body so that when the closure structure is in its passageway closing off condition, it axially clamps the sealing ring between the closure structure and the body under pressure applied by the arm.
Catch means releasably retains the arm in its valve closed position.
A valve for sealing off pressurized fluid for an extended period has a body defining a fluid flow passageway, and closure structure in the passageway having a condition in which it closes off the latter against fluid flow. The closure structure includes an arm mounted to the body for pivotal movement to and from a valve closed position in which the closure structure closes off the passageway.
A sealing ring is located between the closure structure and the body so that when the closure structure is in its passageway closing off condition, it axially clamps the sealing ring between the closure structure and the body under pressure applied by the arm.
Catch means releasably retains the arm in its valve closed position.
Description
This application ~s a division of Canadian Application 357,762 filed August 7, 1980.
This invention relates to valves for use in sealing off pressurized fluid for extended periods.
Such valves have particular application in association with pressurized fluid vessels such as those to be found in automatic fire extinguishing systems.
Automatic fire extinguishing systems typically include a bank of upright pressure cylinders containing freon or other gaseous fire extinguishing medium. Each cylinder is closed at its top by a rapid release valve which is held closed by leaked differential back pressure. Such valves are typically fitted with flexible '0' ring seals associated with movable pistons. These arrangements have been known to fail in the sensP that they have not reliably sealed off the ~ire extinguishing medium for t~e necessary extended period, perhaps 5 to lO years. Gradual loss of the medium has been known to occur past the 'O' ring or through the controlled bleed typically employed to open the valve by relieving the leaked back pressure.
Failure can of course have expensive and potentially dangerous results in the case of a fire protection system rendered subs-tantially inoperative by the loss 25 of most of its extinguishing medium.
~' :
.
1~73~1 ~
Known valves potentially suitable for this application include those having a diaphragm which extends across and divides an outflow passageway and which is arranged to hurst when it is su~]ect to a sufficient pressure differential in the absence of reinforcement for the diaphragm. The arm carries a backing plate which, in the valve closed condition of the arm, is superimpositioned against one face of the diaphragm to provide the necessary reinforcement and so prevent it from bursting~ It is an objective of this invention to provide an alternative valve particularly adapted to use as a rapid release valve for pressurized gas vessels, but which is less expensive to manufacture than the aforesaid backed diaphragm valves.
The invention accordingly provides in a valve for sealing off pressurized fluid for an extended period, a valve body defining a fluid passageway therethrough, and closure means for said passageway, said closure means comprising an arm, a valve closure member carried by the arm, said arm and closure member being pivotal between a valve closed position in which the closure member acts to retain the pressurized fluid and a valve open position, resilient sealing ring means, said closure member, in the valve closed position, being held by ~he arm against the resilient sealing ring means, releasable catch means for retaining the arm in the valve closed position, and an adjustable mounting supporting the closure member from the arm, said adjustable mounting comprising screw means for displacing the closure member relative to the arm whereby to adjust the closure force applied by the closure member, and the retaining force between the arm and the catch means.
\
3 173~
Preferably~ the closure structure further includes a member coupled to said arm so that, in the valve closed position, the arm clamps -the member onto the sealing ring.
Means is advantagously provided for adjusting the displacement of the closure memher with respect to the arm whereby to vary the clamping pressure on said sealing ring.
The catch means may comprise a pivotally mounted 10 latch having a relieved portion to firmly seat the arm.
It may be associated with means for communicating an actuating signal to the catch means to release its engagement with the arm and so open the valve.
The invention will be further described, by way o 15 example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is an axial cross-section of part of a gas cylinder cap assembly incorporating a valve constructed according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the valve forming part of the assembly shown in Figure l; and Figure ~ is a cross-section on the line 3-3 in Figure 2, showing only ~he principal components of the val~e.
- 25 The illustrated gas cylinder cap assembly - incorporating valve 20 includes a valve body 10 which defines a straight, substantially uniform fluid flow passageway 12. Valve body 10 comprises a tubular portion 13 screw threadingly secured, at one end, with 30 gasket 14b, into a neck 14 and at the other to a complementary annular housing 15 for the valve mechanism. Neck 14 is fixed by welding 14c into -3 ~ ~ ~
a~ --the outlet port 14a of an upright high pressure gas cylinder 8. Thus, when in situ, valve body 10 is typically arranged wi.th the axis of passageway 12 v~rtical. Annular housing 15 incorporates a screw 5 threaded socket 17 which may be connected to a suitable flexible conduit along which the released gas is to be fed. Tubular portion 13 of valve hody 10 is provided with a pressure gauge 13a and a relief plug 13b, and receives a conduit 13c from the interior 10 of ~essel 8.
The principal components of valve 20 are a closure plate 26, a~ elastomeric sealing ring 40, typically an O-ring, a pivotally mounted arm 28 supporting plate 26, and catch means for arm 28 in the form of a latch 30.
A counterbore 36 formed in the top of tubular portion 13 of valve body 10 and an annular external relief 25 on plate 26 aford opposed complementary shoulders which co-operate to define an annular cavi~y 38 in which sealing ring 40 is trapped and axially 2Q compressively clamped by plate 26 when held in its closed position by the action of latch 30 on arm 28.
Closure plate 26 is suspended from arm 28 by an adjustable-male/female coupling 42 (Figure 3) comprising 25 an internally anlarged socket 42a~in plate 26 and a T-projection 42b integrally formed as the head of an upstanding screw 44 which engages a complementary screw threaded aperture 45 in arm 28. The opposite, and uppermost, end face of screw 44 is formed with a tool 30 engaging formation such as a screwdriver slot 46 to allow rotation of screw 44 to finely adjust the :~ 1 7 3 ~
displacement of pla~e 26 with respect to arm 28.
Coupling 42 may alternatively comprise, for example, a simple ball and socket coupliny.
Arm 28 is pivotally mounted, on a pin 48, in one S of a pair of opposed vertical slots 50, 51 in the side wall of passageway 12. Slots 50, 51 are defined within longitudinally elongate radial extensions 54, 55 of housing 15 above diaphragm 22. Latch 30 is similarly mounted on a pin 52 in th~ other slot 51.
10 An inside lower corner edge of latch 30 is relieved at 58 to provide a substantially upright abutment face 59 inside the axis of pin 52 and a seat 60 for chamfered surface 62 formed at the opposed upper edge of arm 28. Seat 60 is radiused with respect -to the 15 axis of pin 52. Latch 30 is shaped to have its weight distributed with respect to pin 52 in such a manner that upward pressure on arm 28 tightly locks surface 62 against seat 60 and tends to rotate latch 30 in a direction which brings face 59 into firm engagement 20 against the outer extremity of arm 28. Thus, arm 28 and latch 30 are geometrically locked against disengagement.
Means for rotating latch 30 to disengage seat 60 from surface 62 is indicated at 70. Means 70 includes 25 a screw threaded spigo-t 72 for securement in a complementary lateral hole in housing 15 of valve body 10 to communicate an actuation signal to latch 30. For example, an internal push rod (not shown) may be forced through spigot 72 against the upper end of 30 latch 30 by any suitable trigger device such as of pneumatic, hydraulic, electronic or manual type, mounted to the outer end of release means 70.
~3~1 4 In the event of a fire the trigger device actuates the push rod which in turn rotates latch 30 to disengage seat 60 rom face 62 and so release arm ?8. The gas pressure on the plate 26 will then 5 no longer be restrained: the assembly of arm and closure plate will therefore immediately rotate upwardly to allow the gas to burst out from the cylinder.
It is believed that the valve illustrated can be 10 relied upon ~o retain the gaseous medium within the cylinder for an extended period of time such as for example, 5 to 10 years. The pressurized sealing ring prevents leakage at the primary port and the suspension of plate 26 for free angular adjustment in 15 any dimension, at least within limits determined by the relative sizes of the neck of socket 42a and the screw 44, ensures that the plate is uniformly in contact with the sealing ring.
The straight form of the passayeway 12 maximises 20 pressure, perhaps re~uired at distant locations.
Moreover, in the normal operational position of the valve at the top of a gas cylinder, plate Z6 will drop back onto ring 40 once the gas is exhausted from the cylinder and thus ac-t as a check valve to prevent 25~re~illing of the cylinder by gas sequentially released from associated cylinders in a multiple cylinder protection system. At present, check valves are required as separate items. The check action of plate 26 may be aided where required by provision oE
30 a return spring acting on arm 28. Sealing ring 40 may be supplemented as a train of similarly trapped rings.
-,
This invention relates to valves for use in sealing off pressurized fluid for extended periods.
Such valves have particular application in association with pressurized fluid vessels such as those to be found in automatic fire extinguishing systems.
Automatic fire extinguishing systems typically include a bank of upright pressure cylinders containing freon or other gaseous fire extinguishing medium. Each cylinder is closed at its top by a rapid release valve which is held closed by leaked differential back pressure. Such valves are typically fitted with flexible '0' ring seals associated with movable pistons. These arrangements have been known to fail in the sensP that they have not reliably sealed off the ~ire extinguishing medium for t~e necessary extended period, perhaps 5 to lO years. Gradual loss of the medium has been known to occur past the 'O' ring or through the controlled bleed typically employed to open the valve by relieving the leaked back pressure.
Failure can of course have expensive and potentially dangerous results in the case of a fire protection system rendered subs-tantially inoperative by the loss 25 of most of its extinguishing medium.
~' :
.
1~73~1 ~
Known valves potentially suitable for this application include those having a diaphragm which extends across and divides an outflow passageway and which is arranged to hurst when it is su~]ect to a sufficient pressure differential in the absence of reinforcement for the diaphragm. The arm carries a backing plate which, in the valve closed condition of the arm, is superimpositioned against one face of the diaphragm to provide the necessary reinforcement and so prevent it from bursting~ It is an objective of this invention to provide an alternative valve particularly adapted to use as a rapid release valve for pressurized gas vessels, but which is less expensive to manufacture than the aforesaid backed diaphragm valves.
The invention accordingly provides in a valve for sealing off pressurized fluid for an extended period, a valve body defining a fluid passageway therethrough, and closure means for said passageway, said closure means comprising an arm, a valve closure member carried by the arm, said arm and closure member being pivotal between a valve closed position in which the closure member acts to retain the pressurized fluid and a valve open position, resilient sealing ring means, said closure member, in the valve closed position, being held by ~he arm against the resilient sealing ring means, releasable catch means for retaining the arm in the valve closed position, and an adjustable mounting supporting the closure member from the arm, said adjustable mounting comprising screw means for displacing the closure member relative to the arm whereby to adjust the closure force applied by the closure member, and the retaining force between the arm and the catch means.
\
3 173~
Preferably~ the closure structure further includes a member coupled to said arm so that, in the valve closed position, the arm clamps -the member onto the sealing ring.
Means is advantagously provided for adjusting the displacement of the closure memher with respect to the arm whereby to vary the clamping pressure on said sealing ring.
The catch means may comprise a pivotally mounted 10 latch having a relieved portion to firmly seat the arm.
It may be associated with means for communicating an actuating signal to the catch means to release its engagement with the arm and so open the valve.
The invention will be further described, by way o 15 example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is an axial cross-section of part of a gas cylinder cap assembly incorporating a valve constructed according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the valve forming part of the assembly shown in Figure l; and Figure ~ is a cross-section on the line 3-3 in Figure 2, showing only ~he principal components of the val~e.
- 25 The illustrated gas cylinder cap assembly - incorporating valve 20 includes a valve body 10 which defines a straight, substantially uniform fluid flow passageway 12. Valve body 10 comprises a tubular portion 13 screw threadingly secured, at one end, with 30 gasket 14b, into a neck 14 and at the other to a complementary annular housing 15 for the valve mechanism. Neck 14 is fixed by welding 14c into -3 ~ ~ ~
a~ --the outlet port 14a of an upright high pressure gas cylinder 8. Thus, when in situ, valve body 10 is typically arranged wi.th the axis of passageway 12 v~rtical. Annular housing 15 incorporates a screw 5 threaded socket 17 which may be connected to a suitable flexible conduit along which the released gas is to be fed. Tubular portion 13 of valve hody 10 is provided with a pressure gauge 13a and a relief plug 13b, and receives a conduit 13c from the interior 10 of ~essel 8.
The principal components of valve 20 are a closure plate 26, a~ elastomeric sealing ring 40, typically an O-ring, a pivotally mounted arm 28 supporting plate 26, and catch means for arm 28 in the form of a latch 30.
A counterbore 36 formed in the top of tubular portion 13 of valve body 10 and an annular external relief 25 on plate 26 aford opposed complementary shoulders which co-operate to define an annular cavi~y 38 in which sealing ring 40 is trapped and axially 2Q compressively clamped by plate 26 when held in its closed position by the action of latch 30 on arm 28.
Closure plate 26 is suspended from arm 28 by an adjustable-male/female coupling 42 (Figure 3) comprising 25 an internally anlarged socket 42a~in plate 26 and a T-projection 42b integrally formed as the head of an upstanding screw 44 which engages a complementary screw threaded aperture 45 in arm 28. The opposite, and uppermost, end face of screw 44 is formed with a tool 30 engaging formation such as a screwdriver slot 46 to allow rotation of screw 44 to finely adjust the :~ 1 7 3 ~
displacement of pla~e 26 with respect to arm 28.
Coupling 42 may alternatively comprise, for example, a simple ball and socket coupliny.
Arm 28 is pivotally mounted, on a pin 48, in one S of a pair of opposed vertical slots 50, 51 in the side wall of passageway 12. Slots 50, 51 are defined within longitudinally elongate radial extensions 54, 55 of housing 15 above diaphragm 22. Latch 30 is similarly mounted on a pin 52 in th~ other slot 51.
10 An inside lower corner edge of latch 30 is relieved at 58 to provide a substantially upright abutment face 59 inside the axis of pin 52 and a seat 60 for chamfered surface 62 formed at the opposed upper edge of arm 28. Seat 60 is radiused with respect -to the 15 axis of pin 52. Latch 30 is shaped to have its weight distributed with respect to pin 52 in such a manner that upward pressure on arm 28 tightly locks surface 62 against seat 60 and tends to rotate latch 30 in a direction which brings face 59 into firm engagement 20 against the outer extremity of arm 28. Thus, arm 28 and latch 30 are geometrically locked against disengagement.
Means for rotating latch 30 to disengage seat 60 from surface 62 is indicated at 70. Means 70 includes 25 a screw threaded spigo-t 72 for securement in a complementary lateral hole in housing 15 of valve body 10 to communicate an actuation signal to latch 30. For example, an internal push rod (not shown) may be forced through spigot 72 against the upper end of 30 latch 30 by any suitable trigger device such as of pneumatic, hydraulic, electronic or manual type, mounted to the outer end of release means 70.
~3~1 4 In the event of a fire the trigger device actuates the push rod which in turn rotates latch 30 to disengage seat 60 rom face 62 and so release arm ?8. The gas pressure on the plate 26 will then 5 no longer be restrained: the assembly of arm and closure plate will therefore immediately rotate upwardly to allow the gas to burst out from the cylinder.
It is believed that the valve illustrated can be 10 relied upon ~o retain the gaseous medium within the cylinder for an extended period of time such as for example, 5 to 10 years. The pressurized sealing ring prevents leakage at the primary port and the suspension of plate 26 for free angular adjustment in 15 any dimension, at least within limits determined by the relative sizes of the neck of socket 42a and the screw 44, ensures that the plate is uniformly in contact with the sealing ring.
The straight form of the passayeway 12 maximises 20 pressure, perhaps re~uired at distant locations.
Moreover, in the normal operational position of the valve at the top of a gas cylinder, plate Z6 will drop back onto ring 40 once the gas is exhausted from the cylinder and thus ac-t as a check valve to prevent 25~re~illing of the cylinder by gas sequentially released from associated cylinders in a multiple cylinder protection system. At present, check valves are required as separate items. The check action of plate 26 may be aided where required by provision oE
30 a return spring acting on arm 28. Sealing ring 40 may be supplemented as a train of similarly trapped rings.
-,
Claims (5)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. In a valve for sealing off pressurized fluid for an extended period, a valve body defining a fluid passageway therethrough, and closure means for said passageway, said closure means comprising an arm, a valve closure member carried by the arm, said arm and closure member being pivotal between a valve closed position in which the closure member acts to retain the pressurized fluid and a valve open position, resilient sealing ring means, said closure member, in the valve closed position, being held by the arm against the resilient sealing ring means, releasable catch means for retaining the arm in the valve closed position, and an adjustable mounting supporting the closure member from the arm, said adjustable mounting comprising screw means for displacing the closure member relative to the arm whereby to adjust the closure force applied by the closure member, and the retaining force between the arm and the catch means.
2. A valve according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable mounting further comprises a pivotal connection mounting the closure member for universal pivotal movement relative to the arm.
3. A valve according to claim 2, wherein the screw means is threadedly mounted in the arm, and the pivotal connection is between the screw means and the closure member.
4. A fire extinguisher having a valve according to claim 1 operable to releasably seal pressurized fire extinguishant fluid within the extinguisher.
5. A fire extinguisher according to claim 4 wherein the valve body is adapted to be connected to a conduit downstream of the closure means.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000418061A CA1173814A (en) | 1979-08-10 | 1982-12-17 | Valve for fire extinguishing systems |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU49772/79 | 1979-08-10 | ||
| AU49772/79A AU505797B3 (en) | 1979-08-10 | 1979-08-10 | Valve for automatic fire extinguishers |
| CA000357762A CA1142157A (en) | 1979-08-10 | 1980-08-07 | Valve for fire extinguishing systems |
| CA000418061A CA1173814A (en) | 1979-08-10 | 1982-12-17 | Valve for fire extinguishing systems |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000357762A Division CA1142157A (en) | 1979-08-10 | 1980-08-07 | Valve for fire extinguishing systems |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1173814A true CA1173814A (en) | 1984-09-04 |
Family
ID=27154626
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000418061A Expired CA1173814A (en) | 1979-08-10 | 1982-12-17 | Valve for fire extinguishing systems |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1173814A (en) |
-
1982
- 1982-12-17 CA CA000418061A patent/CA1173814A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |