US1697223A

US1697223A - Means for automatically controlling the flow of liquid in pipes

Info

Publication number: US1697223A
Application number: US558920A
Authority: US
Inventors: John H Brumbaugh
Original assignee: ALFRED FRITZSCHE
Current assignee: ALFRED FRITZSCHE
Priority date: 1922-05-06
Filing date: 1922-05-06
Publication date: 1929-01-01
Anticipated expiration: 1946-01-01

Description

Jan. 1,1929. 1,697,223

J. H. BRUMBAUGH' MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUID IN PIPES Filed May 6. 1922 5 3 Znveruan' 7 rent controlling switch, or other-starting de- Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE.

JOHN H. BB'UMBAUGH, OF WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'I O ALFRED FRITZSCHE, 0F

. CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MEANS FOR Afi'lOMZATICALI-Y CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUID IN' PIPES.

Application filed May 6,

or fluid through a pipe for controlling ameans by which the initial fiow may be increased and accelerated and continued until manually stopped.

Another object is the provision of means, responsive to fiowof'water, and to drop of pressure in a pipe, whereby to control a source of water supply to raise the pressure to nor mal and which will continue uninterruptedly to supply water to the pipe until thefiow movement thereof, through the pipe ceases.

Another object is to provide an electric c'urvice, for starting an engine, electric motor,' or the-like, by means automatically respons ve to flow of waterthru a pipe, whereby to operate a booster pump as an auxiliary to another source of water supply for "passing water thru the pipe to acceleratethe flow and to increase the quantity thereof;

Other objects and advantages of the invention willhereinafter appear from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a more or less schematic arrangement of devices and circuits constituting-one system for supplying water toa water distributing pipe.

Fi 2 is an elevation of the opposite side of the c eck valve shown in section in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the circuit closing lever attached to the valve stem, which is also shown in Figs. 1 and 2. a

I In the drawings chosen to exemplify my invention 5 is a water distributing pipe normally maintained at a pressure within a certain range. Connected to the pipe 5 are a plurality of sprinkler heads 6 held" closed by a fuse element 7 and adapted to be opened upon the occurrence of fire. V

8 is a. check valve casing having a swinging check valves therein, as at 9, pivoted on a a valve stem 10. Secured to the valve stem is 1922. Serial No. 558,920.

lated ormoved to a point determined by the extent to which the valve is open. At the end of the lever 11 is connected a piston rod 13 connected to a piston 14 in the dash pot 15, the object being to prevent spasmodic movement of the valve 9 by a Water-hammer or the like.

The dash pot 15 is oscillatable upon a pivot 16. A water supply pipe 17 is connected to the pipe 5 and may be connected to a suitable source of water supply such as a pressure tank, or tank elevated'upon the roof of the building of the risk in which the system is employed for protection.

Another water supply pipe 18 is in like manner connected to the pipe 5 and is also connected to a centrifugal pump 19. A water supply pipe 20 may be connected to the same or to another source 'of water supply. .-The pipes 17 and 20 both contribute to supply water to the distribution pipe 5. The pump 19 may be operated byan engine of any character or by an electric motor 21, the armature of which is directly connected to the rotor of the pump.

,An electric starter 22 for a direct current m'otor consists ofthe coil 23, the core .24 which is movable axially thereof and which is con nected to a lever 25,- pivoted at 26, and bearing" on a starting rheostat commutator 27. A dash pot28 is provided with a piston 29, and piston rod 30, which is pivoted to the lever 25, as at 31, and to a link 32 which is pivoted at 33 tothe core 24.

The main or' live wires, 35 and 36, are connected to any suitable source of current sup ply. The wire 35 is connected to the binding post 37 of the motor 21 and the binding post 38 of the motor is connected by a wlre 39A to the lever 25, as at 26.

The end of the rheostat commutator 27 is connected by a wire 39 to the wire 36, so that when the lever 25 moves .over, the commutator circuit is thus closed thru the motor 21 which is properly started into operation, the rotation of the armature of which rotates the rotor of the pump 19 and causes water to flow thru the pipes 1.8,and 20 into the pipe 5.

Vater in the pipe 17 usually maintains normal pressure that obtains in the pipe 5, so that normally the valve 9 in the casing 8 is sub- .stantially balanced but closed, as shown in Fig. 1. Should the pipe 5 leak or have a slow drip, then the diaphragm 40, closing the casing 11, is moved inwardly of the casing and a contact lever 42 which is pivoted at 43 is drawn downwardly by the diaphragm until the end of the lever 12 connects with the contact 14;, which closes the circuit thru the wire v 15, thru the solenoid 23, thru the wire 46' and ing additional water into the pipe 5 and raising the pressure therein to thenormal predetermined extent.

If water is not leaving the pipe 5 rapidly then the diaphragm 40 will be bulged outwardly as the pressure in pipe 5 increases and the circuit between the contact lever 4E2 and contact 44 will be opened and the motor will stop provided, however, that the check valve 9, as a result of the cessation of'water flow will be closed and also open the circuit.

If water flows thru the pipe 5 sufiicientlyto unseat the check valve 9, then the lever 12 will make cont-act with the plate 46 and the circuit will be closed as before thru the solenoid coil 23, and-the motor again starts. The motor will thus continue to supply water to the pipe 5,-from the pipe 20 thru the instrumentality of the pump 19, so long as the check valve 9 remains open, because during this time the lever 12 is in contact with the plate '46 and the circuit is maintained closed thru the solenoid coil 23, and the motor is therefore in condition to continue its motion to operate the pump. The pressure responsive device 41 will initiate the operation of the motor 21 independ ently of the movement of the valve 9, but after the water has begun to pass into the pipe 5 from either of the pipes 17 or 20 the valve 9 will be opened and so long as the valve 9 remains open the motor will continue to run. I have, however, provided a manually operable switch 47 which may be opened and which will have the effect of stopping the operation of the motor.

The pressure-responsive device 41 will initiate the operation of the flow-responsive device including the check valve 9' and the circuit controlled thereby, but the pressureresponsive'device will have no further modifying effect upon the flow-responsive device so long as the water thru the pipe 5 is in mo tion.

The object of using the safeguarding effect of the pressure-responsive device 41 is to provide against'leak from the pipe 5 and depreciation of the pressure therein which will not have suflicient effect to open the valve 9 by flow of water from the pipe 17 into the pipe 5.

Any sort of-remote alarm initiated by flow of water or by movement of a part of the.

sponsive device may be included in the system. I have shown one such alarm consisting of the bell 48 energized by a local battery 49 when the electro-magnet 50 is energized. The 'electro-magnet 50 is placed in series with the coil 23 to close contacts 51 and 52 when coil 23 is energized. This closes the local circuit thru wires 53 and 5 1 and the battery 19. The alarm bell 48 will therefore ring whenthe pressure in pipe 5 is below normal or when water begins to flow in pipe 5. This does away with the necessity of an additional alarm valve or other means for establishing an alarm remote from the apparatus shown.

My invention is susceptible to considerable modifications and variations and disposition of the parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire extinguishing system a pipe for conducting a fire extinguishing liquid; a

source of supply of said liquid, another source of supply of fire extinguishing liquid; means responsive to decrease of pressure in .said pipe and means responsive to themovesource of supply of fire extinguishing liquid;

means responsive directly to the movement of liquid in its flow fromsaid first source to cause liquid from the second source to flow into said pipe with liquid flowing from the first source and means responsive to fall of pressure in said pipe to initiate the operation of said first mentioned means.

3. In a sprinkler system, a liquid distributing pipe, a liquid su ply source, means connected to said distri uting pipe and aseparate liquid supply source for augmenting the flow of liquid in said distributing pipe, means responsive to the flow of llquid through said distributing pipe for initiating the operation of said first mentioned means, and means responsive to pressure'in said distributing pipe for initiating the operation of said first mentioned means when'said pressupply, switch means actuated by movement of said check valve for initiating the operatlon of sald means, a second casing 1n commumcatlon with said first mentloned casing,

a diaphragm in said second casing responslve to pressure therem, swltch means actutioned means when the pressure in said sec- 0nd casing drops below a predetermlned value, and means for supplying liquid to said distributing pipe at a point to the rear of said first mentioned casing from a second source of supply.

5. In a sprinkler system, a-liquid distributing pipe, means to cause liquid to flow into said pipe, auxiliary means to causeliquid to flow into said .pipe,'flow responsive means connected to said pipe in advance of said first mentioned means and said auxiliary means for initiating the operation of the latter, and pressure responsive means in communication with said pipe in advance ofsaid first mentioned means and said auxiliary means for initiating the operation of the latter when the pressure in said pipe falls below a predetermined value. H

6. In a sprinkler system, a liquid distributing pipe, supply means to cause liquid to flow into said pipe, auxiliary means to cause an additional flow of liquid to said pipe, flow responsive means in communication with said pipe in advance of said supply means and said auxiliary meansfor initiating the operation of the latter, pressure responsive means in communication with said pipe in advance of said supplymeans and sand auxiliary means for initiating the operation of the latter when the pressure in said pipe falls below a predetermined value, and alarm means initiated by either of said responsive means. 7. In a sprinkler system, a liquid distributmg pipe, means to cause water to flow in sai pipe, signal mean's,.flow-responsive means in communication with said pipe for initiating the operation of said signal means, and pressure responsve means in communication with said pipe for initiating the operation of said signal means when the pressure in said pipe falls below a predetermined value.

8. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combination with a water distributing pipe, of water flow-responsive means and pressureresponsive means; means to cause water to flow in said pipe and auxiliary means to cause additional flow of water in said pipe; said auxiliary means being controlled independently by said responsive means.

9. An automatic s rinkler system comprising a water distri supply water thereto from a given source, another means to supply additional water thereto from another source to augment the flow of water supplied by the first mentioned source; a pressure-responsive means and a flow-responsive means in said pipe independently operable to control the water supply augmenting means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe m name.

- JOHN H. BRUMBAUGH.

uting pipe; means to v