GB2322298A

GB2322298A - Discharge valve arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2322298A
Application number: GB9703504A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Craig Barnes
Original assignee: Kidde Thorn Fire Protection Ltd
Current assignee: TG Products Ltd
Priority date: 1997-02-20
Filing date: 1997-02-20
Publication date: 1998-08-26
Also published as: GB9703504D0

Abstract

A discharge valve arrangement for controlling discharge of extinguishant from an extinguishant container (18) has a handle (60) which can only be depressed when a safety clip (65) is forcibly removed, its removal breaking off a retaining leg (68). Depression of the handle (60) causes a pin (50) to be forced downardly by a spindle (44) so that its distal end (52) pierces a diaphragm (38) of a gas cartridge (36). Gas under pressure flows through a dip tube (54) and forces extinguishant through a throat (40), now opened by downward movement of a sealing ring (57), and thence through a discharge outlet (42). A USED indicator flag (74) normally lies invisibly within the interior of the handle (60) and is held in that position against the bias of a spring by engagement of a pin (76) under the nose (65A) of the safety clip (65). The flag (74) springs up through an aperture (72) in the handle (60) when the safety clip (65) is removed and cannot thereafter be held in the concealed position.

Description

DISCHARGE VALVE ARRANGEMENT The invention relates to discharge valve arrangements. A discharge valve arrangement embodying the invention, and to be described in more detail below by way of example only, is a manually operable valve for causing discharge of fire extinguishant from a fire extinguisher bottle or other relatively portable container. However, the invention may be applied to other discharge valve arrangements.

According to the invention, there is provided a discharge valve arrangement, having operating means manually movable from an inoperative position to an operative position, movable safety means which when in an interlocking position prevents movement of the operating means from the inoperative to the operative position, and indicator means movable from a non-indicating position to an indicating position and held in the non-indicating position by latching means interacting with the safety means, whereby movement of the safety means out of the interlocking position releases the latching means, allows the indicating means to move into the indicating position and allows the operating means to be moved into the operating position.

According to the invention, there is further provided a discharge valve arrangement, comprising a body including a passageway leading between an inlet and an outlet, valve means mounted within the passageway for movement between a closed position in which the passage is closed and an open position in which the inlet is connected to the outlet, an operating handle operatively connected to the valve means and mounted on the body to be movable between an inoperative position in which the valve means is in the closed position and an operative position in which the valve means is moved into the open position, a safety member positionable on the body in an interlocking position in which it blocks movement of the handle means out of the inoperative position, the safety member being movable by application of at least a predetermined force out of the interlocking position to enable the handle to be moved towards the operative position, and indicating means which is movably mounted on the body, is biassed from a non-indicating position to an indicating position and is held in the non-indicating position against the bias by latching means which is released only when the safety member is moved out of the interlocking position.

An extinguisher discharge valve arrangement embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through one of the valve arrangements before discharge of the extinguishant; Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 and shows the valve arrangement ready to cause discharge of the extinguishant; Figure 3 is a side view of a warning flag used in the extinguisher; and Figure 4 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow IV of Figure 3.

The discharge valve arrangement 10 shown in Figure 1 has a body 12 made of metal or suitable plastics material having a portion externally threaded at 14 which engages with an internal thread on a neck 16 welded to the top of an extinguisher bottle 18. The body 12 has a hollow interior 20 which is open to the interior of the bottle 18. An integral downwardly depending skirt 22 extends into the hollow interior 20 and is internally threaded at 24 to receive a cartridge adapter 26. The cartridge adapter 26 has a hollow interior 28 connecting via a throat 30 with an open-ended cylindrical recess 32 internally threaded at 34. The cylindrical recess 32 extends into the interior of the extinguisher bottle 18 and receives a cartridge 36 filled with carbon dioxide or other suitable gas under pressure. The upper end of the cartridge threadedly engages with the screw thread 34 and is closed off by a diaphragm 38.

The volume defined within the depending skirt 22 of the valve body 12 is connected to a horizontal passage 39 via a throat 40.

Passage 38 opens into a nozzle shown generally at 42.

An operating spindle 44 is slidably mounted within the body 12.

It has a head 46 and passes downwardly through a bore 48, across the passage 38, through the throat 40 and thence downwardly through the interior of the cartridge adapter 26. Its lower end is hollow and has an interior thread to receive a piercing pin 50 whose pointed end 52 is positioned immediately above the diaphragm 38. The spindle 44 is held in the position illustrated by a compression spring. The spring is omitted for clarity and acts between the base 28A of the hollow interior of the cartridge adaptor 26 and a flange 53 attached to the spindle 44.

A dip tube 54 extends downwardly in the extinguisher bottle to terminate in an open end (not shown) near the base of the bottle.

Its upper end is connected via a neck 56 to the interior 28 of the cartridge adapter 26.

The spindle 56 carries a sealing ring 57 which (in the position shown in Figure 1) closes the throat 40.

The upper face of the body 12 defines an upstanding boss 58 carrying a pivot pin 59 on which is pivotally mounted an operating handle 60 having a top 62 and integral side skirts of which one, referenced 64, is visible in Figure 1.

A safety clip 64 (shown more clearly in Figure 2) is positioned between the underside of the handle 60 and a projection 66 integrally extending from the body 12. The projection 66 has upwardly extending side portions of which one, reference 68, is shown in the Figures. The safety clip 64 is made of plastics material and has a short downwardly depending leg 68 the distal end of which engages behind a shoulder 70 on the projection 66 and secures the safety clip 64 in position.

With the safety clip 64 in position, handle 60 cannot be depressed.

The top surface 62 of the handle 60 has a slit-shaped aperture 72. An indicating "flag" 74 is pivotted on the pivot pin 59 and is illustrated in more detail in Figures 3 and 4. It carries a generally horizontally positioned pin 76 which, as shown in Figure 1, engages under the nose 65A of the safety clip 65. A spiral spring 80 is wound round the pivot pin 59 and has an arm 82 contacting the top surface of the body 12 and a second arm 84 which extends under the safety clip 74 and has an end contacting the pin 76. The spring 80 thus urges the flag 74 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in the Figures) around pivot pin 59.

However, such movement is prevented by engagement of the pin 76 with the nose 65A of the safety clip 65. The flag 74 thus closes off the aperture 72 and its side surfaces are hidden within the handle 60.

In use, the extinguisher bottle 18 is partially filled with extinguishant such as water or other suitable extinguishant liquid, gas or powder.

The spring (not shown) engaging the flange 53 urges the spindle 44 upwardly (into the position shown in Figure 1) so that the throat 40 is closed off by the sealing ring 57. The extinguishant is thus sealed within the bottle 18.

When it is desired to discharge extinguishant, the user first has to remove the safety clip 65, using the finger hole 86. A sufficient outwardly pulling force exerted on the safety clip 65 causes the leg 68 to break off, thus allowing the safety clip to be removed as shown in Figure 2. As soon as the safety clip is removed, the flag 74 springs upwardly, turning in a clockwise direction about pivot pin 59 under the action of the spring 80.

Its legend "USED" is now visible above the top surface 62 of the handle 60.

The user can now operate the extinguisher by depressing handle 60. Corresponding downward movement of the operating spindle 64 causes the sharp distal end 52 of the pin 50 to pierce the diaphragm 38. The pressurised gas within the cartridge 36 passes rapidly into throat 30 and thence passes through holes (one shown at 90) into the interior of the bottle 18 above the extinguishant. The gas pressurises the extinguishant and forces it up the dip tube 54 so that it passes into the hollow interior 28 via the neck 56. The gas pressure forces the extinguishant through the throat 40, which is now opened by downward separation of the sealing ring 57 from the throat, and the extinguishant exits under pressure through the passage 39 and the discharge nozzle 42. The user can regulate the amount of extinguishant discharge by means of the operating handle 60. Release of downward pressure on the handle 60 causes the spring acting on flange 53 to push the spindle 44 upwardly, into the position shown in Figure 1, whereupon the throat 40 is closed off again by the sealing ring 57. Repeated operation in this way is possible until the extinguishant is completely discharged.

The safety clip 65 of course prevents inadvertent operation of the valve.

Because the "USED" flag 74 is only held in the inoperative position (shown in Figure 1) by engagement of the pin 76 under the nose 65A of the safety clip 65, the flag 74 cannot be held in the inoperative position after removal of the safety clip but remains in the raised position shown in Figure 2. The safety clip 65 cannot be placed back into position, because its leg 68 is now broken off. In this way, therefore, a permanent warning is given that the extinguisher has been discharged; it is not possible through inadvertent or deliberate action for the flag 74 to be moved back into, and then- held in, the inoperative position, thus giving a false, and possibly dangerous indication that the extinguisher is full and ready for discharge.

The bottle 18 is re-filled by unscrewing the valve arrangement 10 from the top of the bottle 18 (after all residual pressure is removed)

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A discharge valve arrangement, having operating means manually movable from an inoperative position to an operative position, movable safety means which when in an interlocking position prevents movement of the operating means from the inoperative to the operative position, and indicator means movable from a non-indicating position to an indicating position and held in the non-indicating position by latching means interacting with the safety means, whereby movement of the safety means out of the interlocking position releases the latching means, allows the indicating means to move into the indicating position and allows the operating means to be moved into the operating position.
2. A valve arrangement according to claim 1, in which the safety means is held in the interlocking position by a frangible part which has to be broken to allow the safety means to be moved out of the interlocking position, the breakage of the frangible means thereafter preventing the safety means from being held in the interlocking position.
3. A valve arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, in which the operating means comprises a handle mounted on a body and movable thereon towards and away from a body portion, the handle being held away from the body portion by the safety means and movable into the operating position relatively closer to the body portion when the safety means is moved out of the interlocking position.
4. A valve arrangement according to claim 3, in which the safety means comprises a safety clip which in the interlocking position is positioned between the handle and the body portion and which is moved out of the interlocking position by being removed completely from between the handle and the body portion.
5. A valve arrangement according to claim 3 or 4, in which the indicating means is mounted on the body so as to be pivotable between the non-indicating and the indicating positions.
6. A valve arrangement according to claim 5, in which the handle is pivotted on the body and the indicating means is pivotted on the body about the same pivot axis as the handle.
7. A valve arrangement according to any one of claims 3 to 6, in which the indicating means moves through an aperture in the handle when moving into the indicating position.
8. A valve arrangement according to any one of claim 3 to 7, in which the body defines a passageway for the passage of a substance to be controlled by the valve arrangement, the passageway including valve means normally closing the passageway but connected to be moved by movement of the handle towards the operating position, thereby opening the passageway and permitting the passage of the substance.
9. A valve arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, adapted to be sealingly attached to a container of extinguishant and for controlling discharge of the extinguishant.
10. A valve arrangement according to claim 8, adapted to be sealingly attached to a container of extinguishant the said substance, the passageway connecting the interior of the container to an extinguishant discharge outlet when the valve means opens the passageway.
11. A valve arrangement according to claim 10, including means for receiving a source of gas under pressure, the gas normally being confined but being released by gas pressure releasing means operative upon movement of the handle towards the operating position, whereby to pressurise the extinguishant in the container for discharge through the discharge outlet when the valve means opens the passageway.
12. A valve arrangement according to claim 11, in which the gas pressure releasing means is mechanically linked to the valve means so as to release the gas pressure when the valve means opens the passageway.
13. A discharge valve arrangement, comprising a body including a passageway leading between an inlet and an outlet, valve means mounted within the passageway for movement between a closed position in which the passage is closed and an open position in which the inlet is connected to the outlet, an operating handle operatively connected to the valve means and mounted on the body to be movable between an inoperative position in which the valve means is in the closed position and an operative position in which the valve means is moved into the open position, a safety member positionable on the body in an interlocking position in which it blocks movement of the handle means out of the inoperative position, the safety member being movable by application of at least a predetermined force out of the interlocking position to enable the handle to be moved towards the operative position, and indicating means which is movably mounted on the body, is biassed from a non-indicating position to an indicating position and is held in the non-indicating position against the bias by latching means which is released only when the safety member is moved out of the interlocking position.
14. A valve arrangement according to claim 13, in which the safety member is held in the interlocking position by a frangible part which becomes broken off when at least the predetermined force is applied to the safety member and allows the safety member to be moved out of the interlocking position.
15. A valve arrangement according to claim 13 or 14, in which the latching means comprises a part of the safety means with which the indicating means engages when the safety means is in the interlocking position.
16. A valve arrangement according to any one of claims 13 to 15, in which the body is adapted to be sealingly secured to an extinguishant container so that the interior of the container is connected to the outlet of the passageway when the valve means is moved into the open position.
17. A valve arrangement according to claim 16, including means for mounting a sealed source of gas pressure on the body, unsealing means operative when the handle is moved towards the operating position to unseal the source of gas pressure and thereby to discharge the gas pressure into the interior of the container of extinguishant when the extinguishant container is secured on the body, thereby to cause discharge of the extinguishant from the interior of the container and outwardly through the outlet when the valve means is in the open position.
18. A valve arrangement according to claim 17, in which the sealed source of gas pressure is a gas cartridge.
19. A valve arrangement according to any one of claims 13 to 18, in which indicating means is mounted so as to be movable into the indicating position through an aperture in the handle.
20. A discharge valve arrangement, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.