US1762010A - Protecting device for bleed passages - Google Patents

Description

'H. G. CARLSON PROTECTING DEVICE FOR BLEED PASSAGES June 3', 1930.

Filed Oct. 51, 1927 Patented June 3, 1930 I A S 1 e mromczi HJALMAR a. crimson, or woncnsrs'a, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSiGNOR 'ro'nookwoon j SPRINKLER COMPANYVOZF,MASSACHUSETTS, on wononsrnn, -1vrAssAoHUs rTs, "A

' LCQBPORATIQNV onMAssAo UsEr'rs V rnorric'rme nEvIqE' FOR stnnn rassaen's Application filed 'flctob'er; 31(1 '2'7. Serial in, 229,988.

This invention relates ,to means for pro tecting a bleed .passage particularly adapted for use in a dry-pipe sprinkler system. 7

vIn freezing weather air under pressure is 5 maintained in the sprinkler system, its pressure automatically, holding. its dry-pipe valve shut, If heat meltso en one of the sprinklers, the'suddenreleaslng of this air causes thesystem pressure to go down sudchamber of the exhauster causes it to open its valve, thereby discharging the compressed. air from the system and hence shortwater to the fire. Tosaveair pumping during the warm weather it is more or less the custom to set the dry-pipe valve open and fine silt-that merely testing the, system by opening it when set dry may plug the filter and render the device useless.

.The principal object of myinvention is to provide a simple automatic means'for protecting the bleed passages in devices operatingin this manner from being obstructed 3 by the deposition therein, or in the passages leading thereto, of substances such as 'dirt I i designed to protect itfroms'olid particles or silt.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in' which Fig. l is a central sectional View of an air Y exhauster for use with a dry-pipe valve for a sprinkler system illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention, and

Fig; 2 is a central sectional view of the protector for the bleedopeningg on enlarged scale. V

I have illustrated the invention as applied to a type of air exhauster such as that set forth in prior Patento. l,504,811, patdenly when the bottled up air in the lower ening the period of time. required to get I This is shown as a simple self-contained ele-' 'ment adapted to be placed on the head o'fthe entedAugust"l2, 1924 and in thepatent [to George I. Rockwood, No. 1,502,879, patented Ju1y.29,1924; a w

' Asset forth in the said patents the invention is" shown as appliedto a sprinkler sys tem having an a r ,exhauster comprlsing a casing 15 in two parts, as shown, provided. 'withhan exhaustchamber 16 and an air storagechamber 17.. The chamber'16 will 30 be understood to be 7 connected with the sprinkler: system as in said patents and this chamber'also has an exhaust passage 19' adapted to be closed by a valve 20mountcd on a pivoted lever 21'and adjustable in any usual way thereon. This frame ispivoted on a stud 22 in the casing and chamber 16.

As described in said patents the chambers 16 and 17 are separated by a diaphragm-23 on which is mounted a valve lifter 24:. This valve lifter is pivoted to the lever 21 at a point 25 so that when the pressure in the chamber 17 exceeds "that in the'chambe'r l6 'plus'the Weight of the water onthediaphragm, the valve 20 will'open; The valve lifter24t is provided with apassage 26- ex tending up through from the chamber '17 to the chamber 16. At the upper end this passage is substantially closed by a filter 27...

valve lifter 24 which is shaped to receive it.

It is shown as provided with' two filters and V asmall plate 28 having a center .bleed passage of very fine dimensions. 'Tl1e'se fil s5 ters, or at least the one on the outside, are

wh'ich might'be deposited in the very small passage and plug it up. It is shown'jwith two filters so as to be reversible; Heretofore material 40 which is porous and will'expand,

when wet. This may be in one piece or several, if desired, but it is desirable to fill loo 7 the entire interior of this head clear down to the screen of the filter 27.

I have shown the invention as used with substantially the same means for retaining the quick closing of the exhaust valve and eliminating the hammering action due to any vibration thereof as shown in the above mentioned Rockwood patent. Forthis'puras provided with a mushroom plate 31 having a plate 32 secured to the sameand both having chambers therein. One of these chambers is connected by a pipe '33'to the drain chamber of the dry-pipe valve. A. diaphragm 34 extends across the space between these two chambers. It carries a stem 35 which is provided with a relief valve 36. This cooperates with the plate 31 which'has a surface forming a valve seat. A. spring 85 37 is arranged to keep the valve 36 closed. This operates in substantially themanner shown in the above mentioned patent, although its details are different.

When water has been admitted to a drycelerator provided with the bleeder protector herein described the sponge is immediately swollen with water andgently presses against the interior surfaces of the casing 29. Therefore, any deposition of silt or dirt would simply tend to fill the holes with a wet mass. On withdrawing the water and admitting the air under pressure, no deformation of the sponge would occur unless 100 all of the small holes, those on the bottom of the circumference as well as those more exposed to gravity, are plugged. If such should be the case, however, then the air would slightly compress the spongeat one or more holes andpenetrate it, through the greater surface thus exposed, to the filter and bleed hole. Thus the use of spongy material automatically supplies just the right increase of surface to the entering air 'to prevent its material exclusion, without exposing that surface to the action of float ing silt.

The effect of such an arrangement is to greatly prolong the useful-life of the sponge, 115 for the casing, surrounding as it does, the spongy particles, protects them from continual infiltration of the circulating dirt and the dirt itself seals only those sponge surfaces directly opposite and protruding into 120 the holes. The gentle elasticity of the wet sponge precludes any material loss .of air pressure when air is being forced through it. When once wet the sponge would remain wet throughout its life, as the relative humidity of the atmosphere in a dry-pipe system is 100%, owing to the presence of .the .priming water in both the exhauster and the dry-pipe valve.

cleaning or reversal of the screens in the pose the bottom of the casing is shown pipe system containing an exhauster or ac The casing 29 can be removed readily for filter 27 and for the replacement of the sponge material if that should prove to be desirable. This element will have great durability on account of the material. used and need be replaced only very seldom. When used for a long period of time without operation of the device due to the opening of any sprinkler heads it will still retain its relative properties without inspection-of anykind.

Although I haveill-ustratedand described the invention as used in connection withconstructions similar to those shown in the above mentioned patents, that is simply for convenience, and I donot wish to be limited to these particular constructions or particular systems to which they relate. Furthermore, changes int-he construction of the invention itself can be made by any person skilled .in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in these respects but what I do claim is 1. The combination of a member having a passage through it for air and provided with an externally threaded head, of a filter located on the outside of the head for protecting a fine bleed passage, and a perforated'casing screwed onto the head to hold the filter in place and filled with porous compressible material to protect the bleed passage from impurities of air and water.

2. The combination of a member having a passage through it for air and provided with a head, of a filter screen located on the head, a plate spaced from thescreen and having a fine bleed passage, and a perforated casing on the head filled up to said screen with sponge to protect the bleed passage from lmpurities.

In testimony whereof I have' hereunto aflixed my signature.

' HJALMAR G. CARLSON.

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