US1482260A - Automatic sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

Jam 29, 1924.. V 1,482,260-

A. c. ROWLEY AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER Filed April 26. 1923 Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

STATE- ARTHUR G. ROWLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AS$IGNOB T GLOBE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER- Application filed April 2c, 1923. Serial No. 634,901.

' an Automatic Sprinkler, of which the following is a specification.

()ne object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple and efiicient form of sprinkler head which while possessing all the advantages inherent in both the lever and diaphragm types of heads, shall-be free of their objectional features, andthe invention more especially contemplates the provlsion of a sprinkler head which shall be compact, substantial and certain in action, and which shallinclude such anarrangement' of parts that when subjected to a predetermined temperature, itrwill'ce'rtainly separateinto its several piecesso as to release its valve and permit delivery-of water.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a novel form of .fusibleor temperature responsive link of the compression type Y which shall include novelmeans for insurz5 ing the complete and'instan'taneoussepara- 7 tion of its elements when, these are sub jectedto'more than a predetermined degree of heat. a

These objects and other advantageous ends Iattain as hereinafter setforth, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in

which, i t t Fig. 1 is a front elevation of asprinkler ihead embodying my invention;

8 Fig. is a vertical'sectionfon. the line 22,

v Fig. 1;

f Fig. 3 is a vertical section on a larger scale than Fig; 2, illustrating in detail the construction and arrangement of parts of the fusible link forming part of my invention; V Figs. 4

two main plates of my fusible link; i

Fig, 6 is a perspective view of the platecontrolling key;

Fig. 7 1s a perspective view of the keycontrolling element; p

Fig. 8 is aperspective view of the spring; and,

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views respectively of the valve and valve washer used for normally closing the outlet of my sprinkler head.

In the above drawings, 1 represents a and 5 areperspective views of the V threaded nipple having an outlet designed for the reception of a washer 2, with a valve 3 and having integral yoke 1. The latter in the center line of the nipple 1 has threaded into it a screw 5 carrying a water spreader 6 and designed to have confined between its inner'end and the valve a fusible link hereinafter described.

In accordance with my invention, this link includes a pair of substantially flat parallel plates 7 and 8, of which the latter has its upper end 9 over-hung and preferably provided w1th a depression 10 for the reception for the suitably formed inner end of the screw 5. The upper end of the plate 7 is preferably formed with a somewhatsharpenededge designed to fit under the over hanglng portion 9 in the plate 8, so as to engage the same between its face and a line drawn parallel with said face through the center of the recess '10.

Between the top face of the valve 3 and lower end of the (plate 7, I mount a Ushaped spring 11 the en of Whose arms are preferably formed with notches or recesses 12 for the reception of lateral extensions 13 con stituting trunnions at the ends of the top edge of the plate 7 For suitably positioning the plate 7 and spring 11 on the'valve 3, the lower end of said plate preferably has a projection 14, while the center of the bottom of the spring 11 is provided with a recess 15 for said projection, the middle of said spring being projected in line with said recess to enter a depression 16 in the center of the top face of the valve 3.

The plates 7 and 8 are formed with longitudinally extending aligned slots respectively indicated at 17 and 18 for the reception of a flat key 19 andsaid slots are of such dimensions and are relatively so placed that their lower ends are at cliiferent levels or are out of alignment as shown in Fig. 3. The lower edge of the key 19 is preferably stepped or offset as indicated at 20 so that its flat surfaces lie parallel with and so engage the flat ends of theslots that a swinging movement of the key out of said slots is impossible without a corresponding upward movement of said keylongitudinally of the slots.

For normally preventing or resisting such an upward movement of the key in the slots 17 and 18, I transversely recess the adjacent faces oit' :theplates Iand S for the reception of a key-controllingelement in the form of a roller 21 (Fig. 7) so mounted as to intersect the i-ipper portions of the slots 17 and 18 and lie Within anotch 22 in the top edge of the key 19.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the two plates 7 and 8 with the key 19 and key-controlling element 21 are 10 all sweated or soldered together with a suit able metal I or alloy, ol, such composition as tolg fuse when ,lieated to a relatively low degree, for example 165? 4 Under normal conditions, however, thismet'al -firmly binds together inparallel relationthe two plates '7 and,8,. maintains the element 21 in posisaid element in holding thekeyh19 in'the positi,on shown in ,Fig. 3 so that it cannot @fusible link formed, by these flour members nay be mtrodueed between the spr ng ll and the inner orpointed end otthe screw 25,eausedmo ententhe notches ,12 of the arms ..,ol;;,tl1e spring, wh le, said ser ew. 1s .set up SO..tl1 8it;ltSg1DI1(-3I end enters the depression "1 of the li letefi e5; Pl s d? si s hinde ,com res n h h winef t lat e Pro" 30. .-jee t-ing 1,0wer end 161 oi the plate? 1s toreed' into the depression 15 ofsaich epi ingf flhe latter, as'preyionsly. indioatecl and as shown in 3, isseated centrally of the top of fthie valve 3 and is,iioted that its armsw th 36 tl1e two plates T and S lie in',or parallel .with theplane of .theyoke {While the I keyf, .-19 iextends ,trai sversely pl this plane,

' it projects butlittle anybeyoiid theplanes defined, by the side edges of the spring.

40 Obviously when i the parts are. assembled ,asebov e described, not only 'thespring 11 but also thetusible l nk as a whole i's under stress; At, the same; time the various parts ,under normal, conditions retaintheirgiven relativepositions against air, or water pressure exerted upon the valve 3 from the pipsystem to which tliejni'pple 1' is eon- .nected. 1f, however, the-' tmperature of the Q i'usible link or of the atmosphere in its vicinity rises above 165*? or exc eeds whatvever other temperature is required to fuse the metal connecting the parts of said link, the plate8 fulcrums on the top edge of the plate 7, when the fusible metal conneeting ,,it.,with ,said ,secondplate is melted. The outward, swinging of I said plate 8, while noifmally prevented bythe key 19, is now ,.possiblefsincethe melting of the fusible metal allows, the key-controlling element 60,21 to.move or be forced ,llpwardly between the plates 7 and 8, by reason of 'thejorce exerted upon it by the key 19, which tends to move upward ow' ing to the. tendency of theplates 'Z and 8 to separate. ".The separation of the plates 7 and 8 is still further valve. A a consequence of the above action,

tion between, said plates and eoacts with I element in the former a plateext'ending I a plane'atright aiiglestii said first mentioned plate; and a key normally" held'by said element nrpositionio revent'frdanormally engaging the k'ey'to holdjit in key having t ppedf erpio -erfgagingthe "plates; an elemenflntirmally li'olding the key w th its stepped portion in positionto accelerated and is made certain' by the action of the spring "11, which" is now tree "to forcibly move the plate 7 upon whose trunnions 18 it acts so that this is raised awayfroni the the fusing of the metal connecting the parts of the link results in what is practically an instantaneous and forcible separation or" the parts of the latter and the unseating oil the valve 3 with its washer 2, so that air or water under pressure within the system of, which the sprinkler fol-me apart, is allowed to escape'tlirough theinipplef 1. By

reason o-l-fthe above noted forcible separati'on ot theparts of'thc fusible link thereiisfno possibility of their being held in partially released or separated position by i'ea'sonot the sudden pooling ot the tusibleinetal by water escapind from thenipple; siiice the construot ion o'I'the parts of the'link as Well as: the spring 11 insures "the certain and ,-l'.p.'..':. "we

rap d action 01 the spr nkler head whenever I I Iandasfsoon as temperature in its vicin- 5, and the vtrumnons .13 of lts plate 7 are ity', ri ses to or above"tl1e predetermined p' 'int I'c1aim a II 1. A fiisible "link comprising twoplates; a key extendingthrongh"said/plates; fij'lliQIltrolling element mounted between the plates to normally preventdnovementfo't the'fkey; and fusible material bin'dingf to -ether said plates, key, andfcontrolllin g'element.

2. A fusible linkfedmprising two plates fulcrumed one upon' the other ,a controlling tive movement of the plates; with relatively fusible material normally binding said parts I together. i

3. A fusible link coinpi ising'- two slotted plates; a key extending through thef fslots ofsaid plates; an element between the plates position to prevent relative movementof the plates; and relativelyfusible material separablyconnecting said parts. I

' 4. A fuible 11111; comprisingtwoplates;

prevent'movezrient of theplates and'i'fiisible material s'e'para'bly connecting the plates.

5'. A fusible link' comprising t'wo"plates; a key having a stepped portion engagingthe plates; an elongated elementbetween the I plates normally, preventing movement ofthe key; and fusible material separably connecting said parts. v

said portion; an elongated element mounted between the' plates, and akeyextending D0 through the plates and normally maintained by said element in position to prevent their relative movement; with relatively fusible material separably connecting the plates, key and element.

7. The combination in a fusible link of two slotted links fulcrumed one on the other;

a key extending through the slots of said plates and having an edge portion engaging adjacent ends of said slots to normally prevent relative movement of the plates; an elongated member mounted between the plates and positioned to normally prevent movement of the key; and fusible material separably connecting said parts.

the outlet of said nipple; a fusible link having trunnions; and spring operative on the trunnions of the fusible link tending to release the valve.

10. Thecombination in a sprinkler head of a nipple; a yoke; a valve closing the outlet of the nipple; a U-shaped spring operative on the valve; with a fusible link confined between the yoke and the spring andincluding trunnions engaged by the arms of said spring.

11. The combination in a sprinkler head of a nipple; a yoke; a valve normally closing the outlet of the nipple; U-shaped spring mounted on the valve; a fusible link confined between the yoke and the spring and including projecting portions acted on by the spring, said link comprising two parallel plates fulcrumed one upon the other; a key normally preventing relative movement of the plates; and fusible material normally binding together said ke and plates.

. ART R C. ROWLEY.

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