US1815355A

US1815355A - Sprinkler system

Info

Publication number: US1815355A
Application number: US173231A
Authority: US
Inventors: John R Hamilton
Original assignee: Automatic Sprinkler Corp
Current assignee: Automatic Sprinkler Corp
Priority date: 1927-03-07
Filing date: 1927-03-07
Publication date: 1931-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 1948-07-21

Description

atented July 21, 1931 JOHN R. HAMILTON,

OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OI-IO, ASSGNOR reussi PATENT OFFICE TO AUTOMATIC SPRNKLER COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF CLEVELAND, OHTO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SPRINKLER SYSTEM Application filed March 7,

This invention relates to automatic sprinkler systems and, more particularly, to dry pipe systems.

lt is one of the objects of the invention to provide an improved form of automatic water valve that will be held in its closed position by an air valve of smaller size than it has been the custom to employ. In sprinkler systems, of the type referred to, it has been common 1 practice to so proportion the parts of the automatic valve that an air pressure of approximately one-sixth of that of the water pressure will be capable of maintaining the water valve in its closed position and this has usually been accomplished by using an air valve which is very much larger than the water valve and this has required a relatively large and expensive construction which it is the object of this invention to avoid.

According to the present invention, the size of the air valve is very much reduced, as compared with prior devices of this nature, and the air and water valves are connected by a lever mechanism that will permit the rela tively low air pressure on the air valve to hold back the relatively high pressure on the water valve.

Other objects of the invention and the features of novelty will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

F ig. 1 is a longitudinal section through an automatic valve embodying my invention, certain parts of the pipe system being shown r in elevation;

Y pipe system., a branch line of the dry pipe system being shown at 12 and having a spr1`nkler head 13 thereon. The usual shut-olf valve for the water system is shown at 14 and the casing 15, ofthe automatic valve, is arranged between the valve 14 and the riser 1927. Serial No. 173,231.

pipe 11, being suitably bolted to the same in accordance with the `usual practice.

Nithin the casing 15, there is a seat member 16 with which the automatic water valve 1? cooperates. rlhere is also arranged ithin the casing a seat member 18 for the clapper valve 19 which is mounted to swing on the pivot pfn 20, the latter being mounted in

bosses

21 and 22, on the casing 15, as shown in Fig. 2. rlhe clapper valve 19 has two arms 23 which engage wi tn the pivot pin 2O and also has a rubber gasket 24, preferably of Llshaped cross-section, which cooperates with the seat member 1S. As will be seen from Fig. 1, the scat members 16 and 18 are arranged in non-parallel planes which intersect adjacent the pivot pin 20.

Onv the upper side of the water valve 17, there is a centrally arranged heini-spherical boss 25 with which a socket member 26 cooperates, this socket member having a peripheral lange 27 which engages with the under side of a threaded ring 28, carried by the valve 17 and serving to secure the socket member 2G to the valve 17 but permitting a certain amount of universal movement between these parts. The upper end of the socket member 26 is externally threaded and se-V cured in a recess 29 in a lever 30. One end of the lever 30 projects into a cavity 31, formed in the lower side of the clapper valve 19. A pivot pin 32 connects this end of the lever 30 with a pair of links 38, the lower ends of which are carried by a pivot pin 34 on the clapper valve`19. As will be seen from Fig. 1, the pivot pin 34 is parallel with the pin 20 and positioned approximately midway between the latter and the axis of the valve 19, this arrangement having the eect of multiplying the air load on the valve 19 by two so thatthe downward force applied to the pin 82, as the result of the load of the valve 19, is substantially double such load` A screw 35 is secured in the casing 15 and, when the

valve

17 and 19 are in their closed position, the inner end of this screw engages with a notch 36 in the end of the lever 30, thereby forming a fulcrum point for the latter. The screw 35 is positioned as shown in Fig. 1, after the

valves

17 and 19 have been seated.

The space between the

valves

17 and 19 may be vented, for the purpose of eliminating any air or water leakage, by means of a pipe 37, which is provided with a valve seat 38. A ball 39 is normally arranged in the bend 40, in the pipe 37 and away from the seat 38, so that there is normally a vent opening through-'the pipe 37 but, in the case of an eir'cessive flow of air or water, the ball 39 would be carried along by the current of air or water against the seat 3S and thus close this vent so as to prevent the escape of any abnormal leakage and also prevent the escape of water, through the pipe 37, when the automatic valve opens in response to the opening of one or more of the sprinkler heads 13. For the purpose of draining` the dry pipe system, after it has been filled with water, and for the purpose of testing the adequacy of the water supply, there is a passage 41, in the casing 15, with which there is connected a drain pipe 42 having a control valve 48 therein. The usual air pipe, for supplying air to the system, is shown at 44 and has a valve 45 therein. Y

As will be seen from Fig. 1, the connection between the valve 17 and the lever 30 is substantially midway between the ends ofthe lever 30, and since the latter is fulcrumed on the screw 35, the force that is applied to the pin 3Q will be capable of counteracting a force substantially twice as great, exerted on the under side of the valve 17 bythe water pressure' in the water main'. lt will, therefore, be seen that the lever mechanism, wh-ich l connects the

valves

17 and 19, will cause the force applied to theupper side of the valve 19 to be multipliedbyifour so that, if the valves were .of equal size, this lever mechanisml would enable a given air pressure in the air pipe system to hold back a pressure of sub stantially four times that amount in the water pipe; Since it is the custom to have the valve operate when the air pressure drops to about one-sixth of that of the water pressure, I have made the air valve 19 somewhat larger than the valve 1 7 and, theoretically, the areal of the valve 19 should be aboutfifty percent greater than thatofthe valve 17in order to provide this desired diiferential between the pressures. However, the lever mechanism permits the valve 19 to be relatively small, as compared with valves heretofore used and this, in turn, permits of a much smaller casingdfor the valves, than has heretofore been use The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Assuming that the valve 14 is closed and that the system has been drained by means of the valve 43, the

valves

17 and 19 may then be closed. rlhe screw 35, having previously been backed out suiiiciently to clear the lever 30, is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 where it engages in the recess 86 in the lever 30. The valve 45 may then be opened to fill the system with air to a pressure in excess of one-sixth of the water pressure, which, acting on the upper surface of the valve 19, forces the valve 17 tirhtly against its seat. The valve 14 may then be opened to admit the high pressure water to the space below the valve 17 and, so long as the pressure on the under side of the valve 17 does not exceed sin' times the pressure on the valve 19, the latter will hold the valve 17 closed against the water pressure thereon.

lVhile l prefer, in accordance with the usual practice, to lemploy a ratio of water pressure air pressure of 6 to 1, it will be understood that other ratios may be used by varyinv the proportions of the

valves

17 and 19, provided the leverage of mechanism connecting these valves is maintained at 4 to 1, as previously described. TWhen one or more of the sprinkler heads 13 is opened by a fire or for any other reason, the pressure in the dry pipe system will be reduced and when the load on the valve 19 becomes insufficient to counteract the load on the under side of the valve 17, the latte-r will be lifted from its seat and, on account of the lever being fulcrumed on the screw 35, the initial movement of the valve 17 will be about this fulcrum point. The lever 30 will be raised by the valve 17 and this, in turn, will lift the valve 19 from its seat, the valve 19 swinging about the pivot 20. lt will thus be apparent that, on their initial movements, the

valves

17 and 19 will swing in opposite directions.

When the valve 17 opens, the water will rush into the space between the valves and then both valves will be swung to their fully open position, shown in dotted lines in F ig. 1. The movement of the valve 19 causes the abutment 46, on the lever 30, to engage with lug 47, in the cavity 31 and then the lever 30 will be moved to the left, in Fig. 1, and disengage the screw from the notch 36, such disengagement permitting the free movement of the

valves

17 and 19, with their connecting linkage, to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. An arm 48, carried by a shaft 49, that is mounted in the casing 15, is swung to the left by the valve 19, as the latter moves to its fully open position, and then the arm 48 drops to the position shown in Fig. l, where itis adapted to prevent the return of the

valves

17 and 19 to their closed position until such time as it is desired to reset the mechanism. lt will be noted that the arm 48, while freely movable to the left, in Fig. 1, has a very restricted movement to the right because it will with the surface 50. However, when it is desired to reset the mechanism, the cover plate may be removed and the arm 48 swung up to a position where it will not interfere with the return of the valve 19 to its seat. For the purpose oit draining' water from the lower part of the casing l5, a piple 52, having a normally closed control valve 53, is provided.

While I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts, as well as their proportions, may be made to suit varying conditions and without d-eparting from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In dry pipe valves Jfor spinklersystems, the combination of a easing having two valve seats, a water valve cooperating with one of said seats, a lever on which said valve is carried, means 'for releasably fulcruming one end of said lever, a clapper valve having a lixed pivot and cooperating with the other of said seats, and means operatively connecting said clapper valve with said lever at a point remote from said ulcruming means.

2. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a water valv cooperating with one of said seats, a lever having a universal joint connection with said valve, means for releasably ulcruming one end ot said lever, a pivot in said casing, a clapper valve carried by said pivot and cooperating with the other of said seats, and means operatively connecting said clapper valve with the other end of said lever, said connecting means being pivoted to said clapper valve at a point between the axis of the latter and the axis of said pivot.

3. In dry pipe valves Jfor sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a water valve cooperating with one of said seats, a lever having a universal joint connection with said valve, means for releasably uleruming one end of said lever, a pivot in said casing, a clapper valve carried by said pivot and cooperating with the other of said seats, and a link pivotally connected with said elapper valve and with the other end of said lever and through which the load on the clapper valve is transmitted to said lever to hold said water valve Closed, the connection of said link with said clapper valve being at a point between the axis of the latter and the axis of said pivot.

4. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a water valve cooperating with one of said seats, a elapper valve cooperating with the other of said seats, a lever arranged between said valves and having one f' end releasably fulcrumed on a part carried 5..In dry Ypipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a pivot mounted in said casing with its axis parallel to the plane of oneof said seats, a clapper valve carried by said pivot and cooperating with the last-mentioned seat, a water valve cooperating with the other of said seats, a lever arranged between said valves and having one end fulcrumed, a link pivotally Connected with the other end of said lever and with said clapper valve at a point between the axis of said valve and the axis of said pivot, and means connecting said water valve with said lever between its ulcrum and the connection with said link.

6. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a easing having two valve seats, a pivot mounted in said casing with its axis parallel to the plane of one of said seats, a elapper valve carried by said pivot and cooperating with the last-inentioned seat, a water valve cooperating with the other of said seats, a lever arranged between said valves and having one end releasably fulerumed, means connecting said water valve with said lever, and means operatively connecting the other end of said lever with said clapper valve at a point between the axis oit' the latter and the axis of said pivot.

7. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a pivot mounted in said casing with its axis parallel to the plane of one of said seats, a elapper valve carried by said pivot and cooperating with the last-mentioned seat, a water valve cooperating with the other of said seats, a lever arranged between said valves, a member adjustably mounted on said casing and engaging one end of said lever when said valves are seated to form a fulcrum for the lever, means connecting the other end of said lever with a point on said clapper valve between its axis and the axis of said pivot, and a universal joint connection between said water valve and said lever intermediate the ends of the lever.A

8. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats arranged in nonparallel planes, a water valve cooperating with one of said seats and an air valve cooperating with the other, means for-venting the space between said valve seats, and lever mechanism conneoting said valves andV whereby the air load on said air valve will hold said water valve seated against a greater water load thereon comprising a lever releasably fulcrumed at one end and having a universal joint connection intermediate its ends with said water valve, and means connecting the other end of said lever with said air valve.

9. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a water valve cooperating with CII one of said seats and an air valve cooperating with the other, and lever mechanism arranged between said valves and comprisin r a lever releasably tule'rumed at one end afneconnected intermediate its ends to said water valve ano a linlr connecting the other end of said lever with said air valve, said lever mechanism being so proportioned and arranged that the air load on said air valve will hold said water valve seated against a greater water load thereon.

l0. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a pivot in said casing, an

1 air valve mounted on said pivot and cooperatlng with one of said seats, av lever arranged between said valves and having one end tul- Crumed, means connecting said` valves with said lever at ditferent distances from the lever tulcrum and whereby said valves move relatively during the early part of their opening movements, and means tor limiting such relative movement of said valves and whereby both valves are caused to swing about said pivot throughout the major part of their opening movement.

1l. In dry pipe valves for sprinkler systems, the combination of a casing having two valve seats, a pivot in said casing, an air valve mounted on said pivot and cooperatQ ing with one of said seats, a lever arranged between said valves and having one end fulcrumed on said casing on the opposite side ot said valves from said pivot, means connecting said water valve with said lever at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, means operatively connecting the other end of said lever with said air valve and whereby, upon their initial opening movements, said valves are permitted to swing in opposite directions, and means for limiting the relative movement between said lever and said air valve and whereby, after their initial` opening movements, said valves are causedr to swing together about said pivot in reaching their fully open positions.

12. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing having an air valve seat and a water valve seat formed therein, a clapper vmounted within the casing, an air valve upon the clapper adapted to close upon the air valve seat, a water valve adapted to close upon the water valve seat, a part upon the casing located adj aeent to the air valve seat adapted to form a stop, a bell-erank-lever having one lend pivotally associated with the clapper, said lever having its other end adapted to abut said stop when the air valve is closed, and a bearing part upon the central portion of said lever in engagement with the water valve.

- 13. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing, an air valve seat and a water valve seat formed within the casing, a clapper mounted within the Casing, an air valve upon the clapper adapted to close upon the air valve seat, a water valve adapted to close upon the water valve seat, a part located upon the easing adjacent to the air valve seat adapted to form a stop, a bell-erank-lever having one arm pivotally mounted upon the clapper, said lever having the other arm adapted to abut against said stop when the air valve is upon the air valve seat, and a pivotal connection between the water valve and said lever.

lt. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing having an air valve seat and a water valve seat formed therein, a clapper pivoted upon the casing, an air valve upon said clapper, a lever pivotall-y associated with the clapper, a part located upon the opposite side of the casing relatively to the pivot point of said clapper `and adjacent to the air valve seat forming a stop against which one end o1c said lever is adapted to fulcrum, a water valve, a bearing part upon the central portion of said lever, and a pivotal connection between said bearing part and the water valve.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto atlix my signature. l

JCI-IN R. HAMILTON.