US1422875A - Sprinkler head - Google Patents

Description

T. J. MADIGAN.

SPRINKLER HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 7, 1920.

1322,75. Patented J 13 18, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE...

THOMAS J. MADIGAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR QFONE-FOURTI-I TO,

I JAMES O. SCHWANK, OF NEW YORK, N.

SPRINKLER HEAD.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom-it mag concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. MADIGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sprinkler Heads;

and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The present invention relates to sprinkler heads of the character used with water distributing systems to protect against fire, the head having a fusible element which when overheated releases water from the system to extinguish the fire.

It is a characteristic of many sprinkler heads now on the market that after thefire has occurred and has been extinguished, and the water turned off to prevent flooding the building, there is no easy way of'putting the sprinkler heads again in condition to resist the water pressure and to afford protection again to the building against rekindling of the fire. It is not safe to drive wooden plugs into the opened sprinkler heads, though the temptation to do this is strong, and it is only by removal and re placement of the complete sprinkler head that the desired protection against water and against fire is reestablished.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sprinkler head in which the perishable elements can be renewed quickly and conveniently and at low expense, and without the aid of any special tools. This facilitates reestablishment of the sprinkler system immediately after a fire with resultant increase in the protection afforded.

To attain the foregoing object and others, which will become clear from the following description, the water channel of the sprinkler head is provided with a plug or closure held in place by a fusible disc, and the disc and plug are held against the hy drostatic pressure of the water system by adjustable means, such as a threaded collar screwing into the fitting or head, and provided with a flange engaging the edge of the disc. After fusion of the disc, and on shutting off the water thereby released, a

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1.8, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 371,907.

new plug and disc can readily be applied to the head, and the sprinklertbereby placed in its initial protecting condition.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one embodiment of the invention; Fig.

2 is a section on .theiline 2 2:l Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the plug, disc and collar separated from each other. Fig. 4; is a sectional. elevation of a modified form in which the collar is of lighter construction; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the collar illustrated in Fig. 4-

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the sprinkler head comprises a brass or bronze fitting 1, carrying screw threads 2 for attachment to the water supply pipe, and having a water passage 3 therethrough, terminating in a nipple 4. The water passage is provided with a closure or plug 5 in the form or a disc, preferably having a cylindrical portion extending backward an appreciable distance into the water passage, and having a peripheral flange 6 inside of which is an annular channel for the reception of a gasket 7 of soft metal such as lead or copper, Above this closure or plug is a disc 8 of bismuth alloy, or other low fusing metal, the edges of this disc being gripped by an inwardly extending flange on a collar 9, the upper portion of which may be made hexagonal to receive a wrench, and the lower portion of which is cylindrical and has threaded engagement with the body of the fitting, as shown in Fig. 1. Holes 10 of any desired number, may be provided in the hexagonal head to facilitate the insertion or removal of the collar, as when renewals of the fusible disc are to be made. Mounted on fitting 1 and preferably cast integral therewith is a curved arm 11 carrying the usual deflector 12 and notched bafiie 13, whereby the released water is sprayed out over a large area.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l, wherein the several parts are numbered to correspond with Fig. 1, the collar 9 is light in cross-section, thereby reducing thermal conductivity to and from the fusible disc 8, and may be made of sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 5, with a thread rolled in the cylindrical portion thereof, and With notches 10 in the upper edge to facilitate insertion or removal of the collar in the fitting.

When. a fire occurs in proximity to a sprinkler head of the present invention, the

hot gases soften disc 8 to such a degree that the hydrostatic pressure of the'water system unseats the plugor closure 5 and vforces it, together with Whatever remains of the disc, outward through collar 9, thereby releasing the water to efitinguish. the fire. And as soon as the fire is out, and the Water turned off, a Workman can unscrew the threaded collar using a Wrench or by insertinga nail or other tool in the openings ii). The presence of but a single arm 11' facilitates this removal because of the easy access afforded to the collar. no matter Where the sprinkler head may be located in the building. Then by inserting a new plug or closure 5, or restoring the old one, if it can be found, and by putting in a new disc 8, and screwing up the collar to its original position, the sprinkler head is again ready "for action and the Water can be turned 011 thus restoring the desired protection to the building. I

1. In a device of the character specified, the conbination with the discharge nipple of a fusible disc seated against the end of the nipple for closing the saine, and a collar deachahly connected with the nipple, and harmg means for engaging the disc to hold it in place, said means engaging theedge of the disc and leaving the bore of the nipple unobstructed when the disc fuses, whereby to permit the head to function with the collar left in place on' the nipple.

2. A sprinkler head, comprising; in combination a threaded fitting, a collar threaded to the interior thereof and readily removable therefrom for renewals. a plug closing the water passage of said fitting, a low fusing disc thereovcr, said collar engaging the edge of said disc and holding said plug to its seat over the Water passage.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

THOMAS J. MADIGAN.

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