US1633107A - Testing device for booster-pump dry-pipe systems - Google Patents

Description

i 1,633,107 jme 21 1927 l. W. KNIGHT TESTING DEVICE FOR BOOSTER PUMP DRY PIPE SYSTEMS Filed March 28. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 50 N VE N TOR.

M57 w ,wv/@HT BY Maha?, eZ am fc rifa/nf @la .57 y ATTORNEYS June' 21 192'?.`

l. wfKNIGHT TESTING DEVICE FOR BOOSTER PUMP DRY PIPE SYSTEMS Filed March 28, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 l N VEN TOR. #Fi nf /f/V/G/f/ 7" nwe-ah;

ATToRNEY.

Patented June 2li, 1927.

maaier STATES PATENT oEElcE.

IRA. W. KNIGHT, F CRANSTON, RHODE ISILAND, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL FIRE EXTIN- GUISHER COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELA- TESTING DEVICE FOR BOOSTEBr-PUMP DRY-PIPE SYSTEMS.

Application led March 28, 1925. Serial No. 19,184.

` This invention relates to improvements in supervisory devices for automatic sprinkler systems and Vthe like. relates to apparatus for testing sprinkler sys- 5 tems having a soecalled booster pump that goes 'into action automaticallywhen needed -to maintain an effective pressure during, a discharge through one or more sprinklers. Such systems are particularly applicable to risks Where the municipal water pressure is too low for eHective sprinkler service, and Where the structure itself is too Weak tol support a suitably large storage tank. .When these conditions exist it is nevertheless possible to have sprinkler protection by insert ing a booster pump-between the lon7 pressure supply main and the distributing pipes, and by providing automatic control means for starting the pumpupon the happening of a fall of system pressure to a predetermineddegree such as occurs upon the opening fof a sprinklerl .by a fire. But as reliability of operation is of the very essence of a booster pump system and numerous possibilities exist for the system to get out of order, it is necessary to test the apparatus rather frequently in some manner closely simulatingv a Working performance.A vThe expense of expert personal supervision and attendance for ,such tests isvery great, and. for this reason alone a great many buildings are still without sprinkler protection.

Itis anv object of the present invention to provide a supervisory device by which a boosted sprinkler system may be tested from a remote control station at the will of the operator in charge, Without anyone personally visiting the apparatus tested. As a measure of maintaining low costs and high capable of being grouped with a considerable number of them lin a single electrical circuit, f

More particularly it eiiiciency it is desirable that such devices be' 'of areas or leverage, it is desirable that this valve continue` closed and that the air pressure be maintained, vinstead of tripping the valve or reducing' the air pressure to initiate a test, because this saves the considerable task of re-setting the Valve and of replacing the air, the formerl requiring personal visit to the system, andl because it keeps the system ready to respond instantly in case a re occurs coincidently With the making of the test. .Yet the test should be made as conclusive, as regards the power, pump and Water supply, as though a fire were occurring, with air pressure reduced and the dry pipe valve opened by the opening of -a sprinkler. And there may also be advantages in testing a Wet pipe system Without reduction of its pressure.

It is among the features `of the present invention to start the pump by a rise of pressure in the controlling apparatus. This may be brought about as though by the opening of a sprinkler', although really there is no, or

nov appreciable, resulting reduction. of pres-v sure in the system. And in the case of a dry pipe system, the invention also provides for the stopping of the pump during a testbefore the pressure boosted thereby gets near-the degree at which it might overcome the air pressure and open the valve.

Incidentally, the apparatus provides for the transmission of suitable signals by which the operator at a central station initiates the test and receives automatic report indicating that the sequence of steps in the test are occurring, or not occurring, as the case ma be.

part of the apparatus disclosed herein is shown in my (so-pending applications Serial Nos. 754,847 and 7 54,848, wherein are claimed features relating to the initiation and mainte-nance of discharge which are not claimed herein. To these the present invention adds a testing valve, which may be of ordinary solenoid type responsive to' energizing impulses instituted by the operator at the central station', and which, when e cned, permits How of fluid from the source o pressure to Which-it is connected -(be it the distributing pipes in a wet pipe system or either the air pipes or water main in a dry pipe known as a differential valve.

system) to a circuit closer which brings about the starting of the pump. The increase ot pressure, which normally promptly follows, actuates a pressure-rise signalling apparatus that sends a signal to the central statlon showing that pressure has risen, which means thatthe pump has been started. Upon receipt of this signal, or earlierif desired, the operator closes the testing valve, thereby cutting ofi' the fiow'to the circuit closer; or this may be closed automatically. The Huid thus entrapped escapes through a small vent, thereby permitting the circuit closer to resume its initial position, stopping the pump. Thereafter the boosted water pressure falls to its customary degree, as water leaks back past the pump packings, a fact which 1s signalled to the central ot'tice by the apparatus. i

lt is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelt exist in the invention disclosed.

In t e accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a dry pipe booster system with the supervisory device of the present invention applied thereto and shown somewhat diagrammatically;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of a dry pipe system like that of Figure 1, but modified so that the source of pressure :tor initiating the test is the air side of the system;

Figure 3 is an enlarged View of a detail of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of a wet pipe booster system, with the supervisory device of the present invention applied thereto; but with portions of the electrical circuits and apparatus omitted;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary. view of a wet pipe system like that in Figure 4, but with the test valve connected thereto on the distriuting side of the system check valve; an

Figure 6 is an enlargement of a detail of Figures 4 and 5.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings the water stands in the supply main 10, the idle booster pump 12 and riser 14 up to the water clapper 16 of a dry pipe valve 18, at whatever pressure the supply has; the dry pipe `valve chosen for illustration being of the extremely simple type Beyond the air clapper 20 of the dry pipe valve', the distributing pipes 22 leading to the sprinklers24 are illedwith air at a predetermined pressure suiiicient to hold the valve closed.

Thewater supply pressure is assumed to be too low for effective sprinkler `service and may be zero or less at the time of a fire, if there are heavy demands upon `it in the neighborhood of the risk, so that when an effective sprinkler discharge is needed, the booster pump mustl be started. For re extinguishing operation, when the opening of a sprinkler head lets the air pressure down lthe dry pipe valve opens whenever the closing .eect ofthe air pressure on it is less than the opening effect of the water pressure thereon. If the water pressure be very low, or if it be zero, this comesabout through the action of a circuit closer 44 which responds to .fall of air pressure by setting its switch 46 to -energize a solenoid 36 and thus to connect at 38 a power .circuit S that starts the pump, whose action, 1n

turn, raises the water pressure enough to.

open the valve. rllhe water which-then flows into the intermediate chamber will close the usual vent 26, and will supply the system. Incidentally water will How from the intermediate lchamber through pipe28 to another circuit closer 30 (which through a small.

vent is open to atmospheric pressure while inactive) which responds to rise inpressure, and, as shown herein, will close its switch 32 which is in another and parallel circuit through the same solenoid 36 and thus will hold the solenoid in position to keep the pump operating, so long as the pressure remains up.

As shown in Figure l, the invention provides for the making of a test of the system to demonstrate that it is in operative condition, including the pumpand its connections for power and for supply, up to the dry pipe valve, but without disturbing the dry pipe valve or the air side of the system. A bypassage 48 leads Afrom. the supply main, on the water side of the dry pipe valve, to the circuit closer 30, connecting with pipe 28 beyond a check valve 50 therein. The latter opens freely upon flow from the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve, but closes against flow through pipe 28 from the bypassage toward the intermediate chamber. This check valve (see Fig. 3) has a small vent 52 through it, smal'lenough to be ineffective when the circuit closer is connected to the main supply through test valve 54, in which case the main. pressure is .applied to the circuit closer30`and operates it; Aand large enough to release this pressure by permitting slow escape of the water to the intermediate chamber and thence through drip lim.

26, when the flow into the by-passage ranged solas to be closed automatically after an inspector or by a suitable mechanism located there, the water from the supply flows through'theby-passage 48 and pipes 28, closes the check 50, and ,by its pressure closes the switchy 3 2 of circuit-closer 30. The circuit S thus becomes closed, and the pump started, thereby boosting the water pressure in the vriser 14. yThis rise in pressure is signalled to the central station by a pressure controlled dc'vice-58 which sets into operation signalling lapparatus y60 which may be of well known type. That illustrated has a suitable detent 62 and spring operated star wheel 64 to give a ldistinctive signal indicating the rise'of lpressure in the particular risk which is being tested, to wit: lfrom some predetermined--pressurewhich may be called a zero.l level for that apparatus but which is above the supply pressure (which varies according to the circumstances'at'each particular installation) to some indicated level above which indicated levelv the booster pump raises the system, when it is operating. Upon receipt of this signal 'from 60, the

inspector may send another impulse along the line- L to'close thetest valve 54; or the latter-may have been constructed andara predetermined interval of time after Opening, or coincidently with the operation ofl the pump starter. vvIn 'either event, its closing cults off the flow to the circuit closer 30, and thewater thus trappedbeyond it and above the check valve 5()v escapes through the small vent 52 thereby lowering Ato atmosphere the pressure on the circuit closer 30 so that the latter is permitted to assume its initial positiom'whereupon the solenoid cir-- pcuit 36 will be' de-energized, its armature will fall, and the circuit'through the lrheo'-` -stat 40 be broken. In consequence they pump will stop and'the boosted pressure lin the riser -14 will gradually fall as the Water therein leaks away through the pump glands, (they being tight enough to hold the normally low suppliypressure, andfloose enough to permit slow eakage of the "boosted-'pressure) and such fall will be signalled bythe apparatus 60.

In operation, in the event of a sprinkler opening and the air pressure falling in the p ipes 22, a signal is sent to lthe central vstation by a device 66 responsive topressure` fall. This device closes the circuit which actuates the signalling apparatus 68, similar in detail and function to apparatus 60 but adapted to send a dilferent signal,'indicat ing that the pressure in the airy pipes has fallen. As the testing devicedoes not reduce pressure in the system, a test of the pump and connections as herein described sends no signal by this lapparatus 66; and the arrival of a slgnal from it indicates the opening of vl'a sprinklerhead or other relief for pressure., usually signifying a fire.' If,

thereafter, within a reasonable time, a signal arrives from ap aratus 60, the observer is linformed that t e pump has gone into action and has boosted the supply pressure .to

extinguish thel fire. v The operation, as disthewater valve 54, which under all ordinary circumstances will be'supplied with water at least equallin atmosphericV pressure. This should start t e ump, producing a rise-ofpressure signal rom apparatus 60. If no such signal is received, it will show that the apparatus hasl failed to initiate thel pump actlon, or, at least, that vsomething' is out of order. But the receipt of suchv a signal Shows that everything is in working order, up to the dry p1pe'valve'.

In Figure 2 the testing apparatus is also shown applied to a dry pipe system, but

of pressure supply or initiating the st of the water system. .The passage 48 through test' valve 54 leads from the air riserg 22A to the pipe 28 beyond the valve 50, the latter having the vented check as before described whereby the `circuit closer 30 is normally under atmospheric ressure. Upon the openin of the test va ve 54, pressure of air from t je sprinkler system sets the circuit Closer 30 in operative position, and so starts the pump. Thequantity' of air taken will not f'appreciablyreduce the system pressure. After the test valve 54 is closed, the air pressure in the circuit closer 46 1 will escape through the vent, 50, 52, 26. This arrange# ment can be used in cases where the'pressure in the water sup ly is or may possibly be zero,-as where t e ump-cl2 o erates -on a low level supply, sucli as a pon -In' Figures 4, 5 and 6 the invention is shownv as 'applied to a wet pipe booster system in which the distributing pipes 22 are entirely filled withy water at supply pressure, and there is at 44 a ressure operated yswitch which closes upon all of the system pressure to a predetermined degree, such as ollows the opening of a sprinkler, and is vso constructed that it thereafter remains For-test of t e booster pump and sup-ply connections under these circumstances, a second circuit closer 30, wired in parallel -with the switch 44 and responsive to pressure rise, is connected with the system on the supply side of the usual system'check valve ump, until .here thel a1r filled pi es constitute the peource which may be an alarm valve, by pipey 48 through the normally closed test valve 54. This closer is vented to atmosphere through an outlet 50 having a restricted Vent 52- (see Figure 6) preferably close by the' circuit 'closer 30. To ascertain that the electrical circuits and pump operating apto com lete' the circuit that energizes the solenoi .switch 37.. lThe pump 12 starts and boosts the system pressure, and this 'result is 'signalled to the operator by device 58,

who thereupon 4closes thetest valve 54, unless automatic means have\ been provided.4 The pressure then remaining in the pipe 48 beyond the valve falls as the water escapes through the vent '52 until the lcircuit closer 30 resets itself to break the circuit its closing previously made. The pump is thereupon stop ed and when the boosted pressure has leake away through the pump glands the return of the system pressure to normal will be indicated to the central oiice by another signal through device 58.

In Figure 5 the pipe 48 is shown connected with the system on the distributing side of the check valve 70, in which arrangement the test vcan be made even thou `h the opera tion' of lire en ines in the vicinity'may have drawn down t e supply lpressure in pipe 14 to zero .or below, it being understood that there is usually a quantity of air trapped in a wet pipe distribution system which will maintain a pressure therein against the check valve -70. Otherwise the action of the system and testin apparatus is' identical with that previous y described in connection with Figure 4.

.Although described particularly in its aplication to sprinkler systems, the invention 1sv adapted for testing any system employing a normally uiescent pump which operates automatical y to restore a predetermined tluid pressure condition.

I claim as my invention:

/1. Supervisory testing apparatus for a system having a booster pumpv comprising, in combination with the system, a device adapted to respond to rise of pressure toestart the pump, and means operable independently of. the operation of the system for admitting pressure to said device.

2. Supervise testing .apparatus for a system having a oosterpump comprising, in combination, a device'a apted to respond -to rise of pressurev to start the pump; a test valve operable independently of the operation of the system for admitting pressure to said device; and a restricted vent for said device adapted upon closure of said valve'to release said pressure and thereby stop the pump. f Y 3. Supervisory testing apparatus for a system having a. booster pump comprising, in combination, a- Adevice connected to the system and adapted. to respond to rise of pressure to start 'the pump; a test valve inv said connection for admitting pressure to said device; and meaiis operable independently of the o eration of said system for opening said va ve.

4. Supervisory testing apparatus for a sprinkler system having -a supply valve, seated bypressurein the distributing pipes, and a booster pump between the supply main and said valve, comprising, inv combination, a. device, connected with the system on one side ofA said valve, adapted to respond to rise of pressure to start the pump; a test valve in said connection, for admittin pressure to said device; and means opera. le independently of-operation of said system for controlling the test valve. 'v

5. Supervisory testing apparatus for a dry pipe sprinklerv system having a booster pump between the `supply main and the dry pipe valve comprising, in combination, a

device connected with a vented intermediateI chamber of said valve .and adapted to respond to rise of pressure to start thepump; aby-passage past said chamber from the system on one side of' the d l pipe valve to said device; and means opera le independently of the operation of the system for admitting pressure through the. by-passage to said device; there being meansin the connection' between the device and the intermediate chamber, for restricting the flow of by-passed pressure to the chamber.

6. Supervisory testing apparatus for a dry pipe sprinkler system having a booster pump between the supply main and thedry pipe valve, comprising, in combination, a device connected with a vented'intermediate chamber of said valve and adapted to respond to rise of pressure in said chamber to start the pump; ,a ny-passage past said chamber from the system on one side'of the dry pipe valve to said device; and means operable independetly 'ofthe operation of the s stem for admitting ressure through the y-passage to said device; there being a check valve in the connection between the device and the intermediate chamber having a restricted vent whereby theby-passed pressure is held back from' said intermediate chamber to cause startingv or said pum?, and upon shutting oil r of the Alay-passage. om .the system is released through said intermediate chamber to atmosphere to stop the pump.

7. Supervisory testing apparatus for a ist sprinkler system having a booster pump and f an electrical power circuit controlling the pumpisoperation; 4comprising 1n combination, a device, constituting a part of said circuit, adapted to respond to rise of pressure to set said circuit 'to starrt thepump; a connection from said device to the system; a

valve normally closed, controlling said co11` nection, having electrical connections with the said power circuit for the operatingof the valve; anda supervisory circuit from ae distant point controlling the part of said power circuit which operates the valve, 10 whereby the valve may be operated from said distant oint.

Signe a't Providence, Rhode Island, this 17th day of October, 1924.

IRA W. KNIGHT.

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