US1185543A - Valve for automatic sprinkler systems, &c. - Google Patents

Description

G. l. ROCKWOOD & H. G. CARLSON VALVE FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, m.

Patented May 30, 1916.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.3I.1913.

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enonen I. ROCKWOOD AND n'JALi/mn e. CARLSON, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS;

SAID Canteen ASSIGNOR To ROCKWOOD SPRINKLER COMPANY or MASSACHU- SETTS, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE 'ron AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, m.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE I. ROCK- woon and HJALMAR G. CARLsoN, citizens of the United States, both residing at Worcester', in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented anew and useful Valve for Automatic Sprinkler Systems, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to subject matter similar to that set forth in the application for patent on controlling apparatus for alarms for fire extinguisher systems and the like filed on even date herewith,by George I. Rockwood, Serial No. .w809,744, and especially to a constructionof valve and operating mechanism therefor for use in automatic sprinkler systems .andsimilar places where an alarm has to be given or a signal shown when the pressure in a system of sprinkler water pipes is reduced, as for example, by the operation of a sprinkler head connected therewith, but where it is to be withheld if water is admitted to the alarm system as a result of a water hammer,

The principal objects of this invention are to simplify-the construction of such devices and yet to cause the valve parts to be operated directly by the pressure from the alarm device to discharge the water which has accumulated as a result of water hammer, or otherwise, as soon as the water main of the sprinkler system is no longer connected with the valve, also to provide a practicable way of controlling the waste port valve by-means of diaphragms, and to provide other improvements as'will appear.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which V F'gure '1 is a side elevationof a valve constructed in accordance with this invention,

showing its connections with a sprinkler system and alarm device; Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectionalview of the valve on enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion thereof on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2 ShOW ing a modification.

The drawings show a well known type of sprinkler system involving a main 10 and a ipe 11 for feeding the sprinkler heads 12, the latter being constantly connected with this pipe, This feed is controlled by a check valve 13 which works in a well known Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May so, rare.

Application filed December 31, 1913. Serial No. 809,639.

' alarm device through a pipe 15 or the like whenever the valve 13 opens. In'the form shown this pipe extends to a valve casing 16 which has a waste outlet 17, but the caslng normally discharges intoa vertical alarm pipe 19. This pipe 19 is provided with a receiving chamber 20 at the top which, when the water rises to the top thereof, discharges the water through a nozzle 21 against a wheel 22. In thiscase,

this operates the alarm when water is fed,

continuously out of the sprinklersystem through the port14. It will be understood, of course, that any other form of alarm, either electric or otherwise, can be substivention can be applied to any other type of sprinkler system, these two features being shown for the purpose of illustrating the operation of this invention.

In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the

'valve casing 16 is shown as made up of two partsv having chambers 23 and 24 between which are a pair of flexible diaphragms 25 and 26 separated by a partition 27 which may be either solid or skeleton. This partition and the edges of the diaphragm are held between the two parts of the casing which are secured at their flanges in any well known way. The two diaphragms are connected to a valve 28, held in position by a nut 29 and collar 30 secured on the valve. v

In this way' the valve moves with the diaphragms. -.The valve is provided with a central perforation 28 and with a conical en'd 31 constituting a. waste port valve In the center ofone .of the mom-- the chamber 23 under the diaphragms receives the water-directly from the sprinkler 75 tuted for the one shown, and that the in= system through the inlet pipe 15; that the second chamber 24 above the diaphragms is in direct and free communication with the discharge outlet 17, and that there is a small chamber 36 at the top which is normally kept out of communication with the cham-= ber 24 by the waste port valve28 which is held. up by a slight permanent set, which is given the flexible diaphragms, except when.

there is an excess of pressure in the chamber 36. A removableplug 37 is shown for.

the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2. Whenever water under pressure enters the chamber 23 through the pipe 15, some of it, of course, will drain out through the passage into the outlet, but as this passage is relatively small the pressure of the water on the diaphragm 25 will hold it stationary, in the position shown in Fig. 2 so as to keep closed the connection between the pipe 19 and the chamber 24. The valve 34 in this case is held by the current of water up from the end of the waste port valve28. Most of the water then will flow past this valve 34 and,

out into the pipe 19. If these conditions remain'the same for a considerable period the water will rise in the pipe 19 and in the chamber 20 until it operates the alarm: It willcontinue to operate the alarm until the conditions change.

By the use of two diaphragms the valve 28 is properly supported and accurately held in position. The partition 27 limits the motion of the diaphragms alternately and by the drainage is prevented from hindering their free motion.

Whenever the valve 13 closes, no matter what the cause, thefirst effect is to cause the ball valve 34 to drop, because almost immediately'the pressure in the chamber 36 will exceed that-inthe chamber 23 on account of the drainage of a part of the water from the latter through the passage35. When this occurs the entire pressure in-the pipe 19 is directed against the valve 28, or rather so much of it as is located inside the bushing 32-. The head of water in the pipe 19 thus tends to force the diaphragms down and exerts pressure on the water in the chamber 23, thus forcing leakage through the, port 7 35. Thus this valve and the diaphragms are-5f allowed to drop. This allows free passage,

of the water from the pipe 19 into the discharge'chamber 24. After which the set of the diaphragms and the head of water forcing in the valve 28 will cause the valve face 31 to move up to its seat and reestablish the direct connection between the port 14: and

hammers occurs the discharge of water will take efiect between each two successive hammers and prevent the accumulation of enough water in the chamber 20 to operate the alarm. The operation of the valve therefore is not dependent upon any varying differential filling of the chamber 20, nor does the opening of the valve 13 itselfcause the operation of the valve 28, because ordinarily, after the pipe 19 is emptied, this valve will be closed in the position shown in Fig. 2' by the set of the diaphragms or the pressure of water under the same, or both, and the position of these parts does not change when the valve 13 opens.

Thus it will be seen that the receiving -chamber is connected with a waste port valve, which is closed at all times except during the emptying period so that no change in its position takes place upon the opening of the channel check valve and the entrance of water to the chamber, and, subsequently, to the alarm mechanism, and which opens only upon the reversal of the flow of water from passing up, to passing down, the pipe 19. As the waste port valve 28 is normally closed water cannot waste through it while the receiving chamber is filling, except, of course, the small amoun passing through the port 35.

As the normal position of the parts is such that the entrance of water operates the alarm without moving the parts, except the ball valve 34, it will be seen that they are not likely to get into a position in which they will be prevented from operating the alarm under the proper conditions.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 a similar situation exists, but the device is shown in a difi'erent position and there is only one diaphragm 45 forming the boundary of the pressure chamber 46. A waste port. valve 48'is connected with the diaphragm 45 and it. engages a bushing 49 opposite the open connection 19 in the chamber 50. The diaphragm is preventedjrom operating too far, and the valve 48 is, guided, by 'a skeleton frame-47;. An auxillary ball valve 51 is shown operating horizontally, but otherwise like'the valve 34. On the left side of the diaphragm is a waste chamber 52 communicating with the waste outlet 17. In this case the diaphragm need not have a permanent set as the water entrapped below the central passage through the Waste port valve will hold the same normally closed. The operation of this form of the device need not be described, in view of the fact that it is so similar to that of the form shown in Fig. 2.

Although we have illustrated and described only two forms of the invention, we

closed pipe for supplying water to the cas-.

ing on one side of the diaphragm, a waste outlet from the casing on the other side of said diaphragm, a valve in the casing held normally closed by the diaphragm for normally preventing the maximum discharge of waste water from the first named side of the diaphragm in the easing into said waste out-.

let but movable with the diaphragm and having means for allowing the water to flow freely from the first named side of the diaphragm in the casing to the alarm device, an alarm device connectedwith the casing on the other side of the diaphragm, from the first named side, and means whereby only when the pressure from the alarm device exceeds that on the first named side of the diaphragm, said valvewill be opened to allow water to be discharged freely from the alarm device.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having three chambers therein, a diaphragm separating the first and second of saidkchambers, a valve movable with said diaphragm for normally disconnecting the second chamber fromthe other two, said valve having a passage .for connecting the first and third chambers, an inlet into the first chamber, and an open connection from the third chamber to an alarm system.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casinghaving three chambers therein, a diaphragm separating the first and second of said chambers, a valve movable with said diaphragm for disconnecting the second chamber from the other two, said valve having a passage for connecting the first and third chambers, an inlet into the first chamber, an open connection from the third chamber to an alarm system, and an auxiliary valve in position to close said passage when the pressure in the third chamber exceeds the pressure in the first chamber, whereby said auxiliary valve and mainvalve will be pushed back to permit the third chamber to discharge into the waste chamber.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having three chambers therein, the first chamber having an inlet, a diaphragm separating the first and second of said chambers, a valve movable with said diaphragm for disconnecting the second I chamber from the other two, said valve having a passage for connecting the first and third chambers, and a connection from the third chamber to an alarm system, said valve normally closing said connection, and including means in position to close said passage in the valve when the pressure in the third chamber exceeds the pressure in the first chamber, whereby said means and main valve will be pushed back to permit the third chamber to discharge into the second chamber. v

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having three chambers therein, the first chamber having an inlet, a diaphragm separating the first and second of said chambers, a valve move able with said diaphragm for disconnecting the second chamber from the other two, said valve having a passage for connecting the first and third chambers and a drain port,

and an open connection from the third chamber to an alarm system, said valve includlng an auxlhary ball valve in position to close said passage in the valve when the pressure in the third chamber exceeds the pressure in the first chamber, the diaphragm having a set in adirection to cause the valve normally to close.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a twopartcasing, a diaphragm, avalve supported by said diaphragm, said valve having a passage therethrough and a drain port, means for admitting water into the casing at one side of said diaphragm, a waste outlet from the casing at the other side of said diaphragm, an open connection from the casing to an alarm system, said diaphragm havinga permanent set whereby said valve closes communication between said open connection and the waste outlet chamber except when there is excess pressure on the valve from.

longitudinal passage, means for admittingv water into the casing at one side of said diaphragm, a waste outlet from the casing at the other side of said diaphragm, an open connection from the casing to an alarm system, and means whereby said valve closes communication between said open connection and the waste outlet chamber except when there is excess pressure on the valve from the alarm system.

8. The combination with a valve casing, and a normally closed supply pipe therefor, said casing having three chambers therein, one for receiving the water from said supply pipe, a waste outlet connected with the second chamber, and an open connection to an alarm system connected with the third chamber, of a diaphragm separating the first and second chambers, a valve in said casing normally closing the free connection between the second and third chambers, but movable with said diaphragm, said diaphragm constituting means whereby when the water enters the first named chamber the valve will be held stationary in its normal closed position, means for allowing the passage of water from the first chamber to the third chamber, and means whereby when the pressure in the third chamber exceeds that in the first chamber said valve will be opened only until the third chamber has discharged into the chamber which is connected to the waste pipe outlet.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a two-part casing, a partition secured between the two parts of the casing and extending into the interior thereof, a diaphragm on each side of said partition, said diaphragms being movable toward and from the partition, a valve supported by said diaphragms, said valve having a passage therethrough and a drain port, means for admitting water into the casing at one side of said diaphragms, a waste outlet from the asing at the other side of said diaphragms, an open connection from the using to an alarm system, and means whereby said valve closes communication between said open connection and the waste outlet chamber except when there is excess pressure on the valve from said open connection.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing, a partition extending into the interior thereof and having grooves extending to the exterior of the casing for draining purposes, a diaphragm on each side of said partition, said diaphragms being movable toward and from the partition, a valve supported by said diaphragms, said valve having a passage therethrough and a drain port, means for admitting water into the casing at one side of said diaphragms. a waste outlet from the casing at the other side of said diaphragms, and an open connection from the casing to an alarm system.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands. in the presence of two sub-- scribing witnesses.

GEORGE I. ROCKVVOOD. HJALMAR G. CARLSON. \Vitnesses:

G. Fonnnsr IVEssoN, CATHARINE I. HARTNETT.

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