US1204327A - Alarm-controlling means for sprinkler systems. - Google Patents

Description

N. H. SUREN.

ALARM CONTROLLING MEANS FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-28,1915.

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application filed January 28, 1915. Serial No. 4,925.

To aZZn'o/wm it may concern Be it known that I, NATHAN H. SUREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Needham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Alarm-Controlling Means for Sprinkler Systems, or" which the following is a specification.

- T his invention relates to an improvement in alarm-controlling means designed to be used in connection with sprinkler-systems and the like.

The invention is designed primarily for indicating the flow of water as by sounding an alarm, when a subnormal pressure condition is produced in the sprinkler-pipes, as by the opening of a sprinkler-head or by a broken sprinkler-pipe, and to avoid sounding the alarm upon the occurrence of a sudden rise or fluctuation in the pressure, due for example to' the condition known as water-hammer, or to a subnormal pressure condition in the supply-pipe, such for instance as may be due to the opening of a hydrant, or to a break in said pipe, whereby false alarms are obviated.

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The invention, broadly stated, comprehendsa check-valve controlling direct com,-\

munication between, what may be termed,

-the supply and service-pipes of the system,

and a circuit-controller associated with it,

which is arranged foroperation by it, and

a pressure-controlled element arranged in the service-pipe, and a circuit-controller associated withit and arranged for operation by it, said circuit-controllers being arranged to control a circuit in such manner that only upon operation. of both circuit-controllers will an alarm be sounded.

Figure 1 represents a portion of a sprinkler-system having a check-valve with assoclated circuit-controller, arranged between the supply and service pipes, and having a pressure-controlled element with associated circuit-controller, arranged in the servicepipe, both circuit-controllers being arranged to control the operation of the same alarm .circuit. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the check-valve with associated circuit-controller. Fig. 3V is a sectional view 01": the

pressure-controlled element with associated circuit-controller.

represents the supply-pipe and 1-2 the service-pipe from which branches 14; are extended bearing the sprinkler-heads, all of- 1 which parts are or may be of any usual or suitable construction, and form a part of a sprinkler-system. At the junction of the supply-pipe and service-pipe a check-valve held with the contact-members in engagement with each other, thereby closing the circuit 26, 27, but when said valve-plate is moved away from its seat said lever 23 is moved on its pivot by the contractile spring connected with it and the contactmembers are permitted to separate, thereby opening said circuit, 26, 27. This check-valve is arranged to be opened upon a reduction of the pressure in the servicepipe, due to a flow of, water from the service-pipe or branches connected therewith, and operates to admit water from the supply-pipe, and upon move ment of its valve-plate at such time will operate the circuit-controller 24, Said checlcvalve remains closed when balanced by equal pressures at both sides of it and also upon a subnormal condition in the sup- Y ply-pipe, due to a reduction in the pressure in said pipe. It is a fact that said valve-plate is frequently suddenly and momentarily opened by a rise in pressure in the supply-pipe due to a water-hammer,

resulting in a momentary operation of the circuit-controller, 2t, 25, and the sounding 'ofa false alarm, and it is this. condition that my present invention seeks to overcome.

Herein a pressure-gage 40, is connected with the service-pipe, and said gage may be of any well-known or suitable construction, as for instance, a gage having an ordinary Bourbon spring is here shown, which spring is in open communication with the pressure; and said spring has connected with it a contact-member 42, arranged for engagement with a contact-member 43, which-is insulated from the shell or case of the gage, and a circuit-wire is connected with said contact-member 43, and a circuitwire 45 is connected with the shell-or case ,of the gage, and upon predetermined :inovements of said contact-member l2 bythe spring of the gage the circuit 44, 4:5 is opened and closed. The normal pressure contained in the service-pipe is sufiicient to cause the contact-member 42 to engage the contact-member 43, so that the circuit 44, 45, is normally closed. Upon a reduction of the pressure, due to a flow of water from the service-pipe or branches connected therewith, the spring 41 is caused to move the contact-member 42 to disengage the contactmember 43, and thereby open the circuit. Upon the occurrence of a water-hammer and consequent sudden opening movement of the check-valve, the pressure gage will not be aifected except that there may be a slight increase in pressure in the servicepipe, and such increase in pressure will act to more firmly hold the contact-member 42 in engagement with the contactmember 43. The spring of said pressure-gage, however, will not be'caused to fluctuate by the waterhammer. However, if a check-valve was not employed, then the pressure-gage would fluctuate in response to the occurrence of such a condition. By employing both a check-valve and a pressure-gage, arrangedin combination and connected, respectively, with the supply-pipe and service-pipe, as herein shown and described, and arranging both circuit-controllers which are to be operated by them so as to control the sounding of the alarm only upon the operation of both said I circuit-controllers, then falsealarms from this cause are obviated. As for instance, the two circuit-controllers may be arranged in parallel in a circuit, and said circuit will not be opened unless both circuit-controllers are opened; or, as is well understood, both circuit-controllers may be normally open and arranged in series and only when both are closed will the alarm circuit be closed. Said check-valve and pressure-gage, each having a circuit-controller arranged for operation by it, may have associated with them other circuit-controllers, and the circuit-controllers may be arranged to control the operation of a self-starting signal-transmitter, the starting-magnet or magnets of which are responslve only upon operation of both circuit-controllers, thereby to transmit a signal to a suitable signalrecorder as is represented in my application, No. 23,777.

The pressure-gage here shown has a dial and pointer for indicating the pressure, but,

as far as my invention is concerned, this is immaterial.

I claim:

1. In an alarm-controlling means for sprinkler-systems, the combination with the supply-pipe and service-pipe of a sprinklersystem, of a check-valve arranged to open and close communication between said supply-pipe and service-pipe, and a pressurecontrolled element connected with the service-pipe, circuit-controllers associated, respectively, with said check-valve and said pressure-controlled element, and a circuit in which said circuit-controllers are arranged in parallel relation, whereby the alarm-circuit will be controlled only upon operation of both circuit-controllers, substantially as described.

2. In an alarm-controlling means for sprinkler-systems, the combination with. the supply-pipe and service-pipe of a sprinklersystem, of a check-valve arranged to open and close-communication between the supply-pipe and service-pipe, a pressure-gage connected with the service-pipe, circuit-controllers associated, respectively, with said check-valve and pressure-gage, a circuit in which said circuit-controllers are arranged in parallel relation, whereby the circuit will be controlled only upon operation of both circuit-controllers, substantially as described.

3. In an alarm-controlling means for sprinkler-systems, the combination, with the supply-pipe and service-pipe of a sprinklersystem of means controlling the flow of water from the supply-pipe to the servicepipe and a circuit-controller associated with said means and responsive to the operation thereof, a pressure-controlled element connected with the service-pipe, and responsive to variations in the pressure therein, a circuit-controller associated with said element, and a circuit arranged to be controlled by and only upon coincident operation of both said circuit-controllers, substantially as described.

4. In an alarm-controlling,rmeans for sprinkler-systems, the combination with the supply-pipe and service-pipe of a sprinklersystem, of means responsive to. a reduction in the pressure in the service-pipe and also to a rise in pressure in the supply-pipe, anda circuitcontroller associated with said means and responsive to the operation thereof, a pressure-controlled element connected with the service-pipe and responsive to variations in the pressure therein, and a circuit-controller associated with said element, and a circuit arranged to be controlled by and only upon coincident operation of both said circuit-controllers substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

NATHAN H. SUREN.

'Witnesses E. P. WALDRON, C. C. BISSE'IT.

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