US2047719A

US2047719A - Dry pipe valve and accelerator for sprinkler systems

Info

Publication number: US2047719A
Application number: US487810A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wallace John Eugene; Dumas Charles
Original assignee: FRANCIS V MCCARTHY
Current assignee: FRANCIS V MCCARTHY
Priority date: 1930-10-10
Filing date: 1930-10-10
Publication date: 1936-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 1953-07-14

Description

July 14, 19 6- v E. WALLACE ET AL v 2,047,719"

DRY PIPE VALVE AND ACCELERATOR FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l a 1. B l-w III/III l JOHNEUGENE WALLACE- CHARLES DUMAS INVENTORS.

v ATTORNEY.

y 1936- J. E. WALLACE ET AL 7,7

DRY PIPE VALVE AND ACCELERATOR FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T fl/arrr) 1 fa air I sup fan/r I i x v llll JOHN EUGENE WALLACE CHARLES DUMAS 1 INVENTORS.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 14, 1936 DRY PIPE VALVE AND ACGELERATOR FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS John, Eugene Wallace,. Foxbnrm. and. Charles.

l a Worcester, Mass, assignors by mesne assrgmnents, to Francis V; McCarthm, Eynn,

Mass;

Application October 19.30,:Scrial' No. 487,810.

1':- Claims. .(cli ice -2r) Our invention pertains to; a sprinkler. system used for. the protection of buildings from fire andv has for an object to provide means; whereby any reduction of pressure in the sprinkler system causes a differential action. to; open. the, sprinkler system to free flow of water from thesource of Water supply.

Another object is totprovidequicker; opening: of the: flood valve of the system to the opening of a sprinkler haird-v than has been heretoliemobtained.

Another object is to provide: maintenance of closure of the flood valve by means of lower pressure than. heretofore.

Another object isto provide. a. lower degree of pressurein the sprinkler system when in static action than heretofore. and practically instan-- taneous creation of a differential and resulting Opening of the, flood. valve to service pressure upon the opening: of a. sprinkler. head.

Another object is. to provide a, means of 'quick operation of the flood. valve. in. the event! that the pressure. in the sprinkler system, falls below the pressure normally required to maintain the flood valve in closed position.

Other objects are toprovide a combination of flood valves which may-- be changed readily for low or high pressure; to; provide a combination of flood valves in whichthe ratios are stabilized by a toggle system; to provide a combination of flood valves control-led by a toggle system whereby differences inthe size of the. valvesand valve openings is made unnecessary; andto pro vide a system whereby acceleration of action iscreated in the operation of. the sprinkler system.

Another object is to provide means: forgiving an alarm immediately upon operation of thesystem.

Another object isr to provide a; convertible sprinkler alarm system which may be. interchangeably as a dry or wet system;

Another object is to provide a sprinkler system with an air differential affiordi-ng adequate pro-' tection of the sprinkler system from: freezing in. cold weather. 1

Our device. may be used either-as all-dry pipe system or wet pipe system. and, maybe. changed; from one to the other inthe manner hereinaiter described. This interchangeable: feature is on particular desirability in latitudes. Where freezing temperatures prevail. during; a part of the year, for the reason that during such part of i the year freezing of the sprinkler. system is prebuildings not adequately protected byartificial heat, and; also in. water curtain pipes on the. outside of buildings.

In. the drawings that accompany and are made; a; part of this; application for a. patent, Figure 11 is 32,. detailshowing; a. valve in section, at rightv angles to section shown in Figure 2; Figure 2. is: a, view partly in section; Figure-3 is a diagrammatic representation of the toggle of forces in: opposition at 9e: of the. diagram. Figure 4. is: a detail showing; construction of valve 35;;- Figure: 5 is e," detail: (full size): of port, l'tand surrounding construction; Figure 6'. is a detail (full size).- otconnection between valve 6. and; arm 61;...

Reierring; t0 the. drawings;v |-l is the riser leading-fromthe water-main (not shown) to the sprinkler system; to isthe inlet chamber of the casing; into. which. water first enters from the. service main; la is a drainage outlet in the inlet chamber" l.c;threaded. tor connecting. by the. use 20,, of. a. pipe nipple anystandard shut-offv valve of gate or globe construction, as; is understood and required: those skilled in the art; lb is a-portleading from: the-inlet: chamber lc through the casine'to the seat. of. hand hole cover. 401; 25, 2; is the valve casing; 3 is. the pressure chamber; 3a; is; a. port, in the pressure chamber; 311- is the hand hole and 3-cthe. hand. hole cover to pressure chamber 3 31% is a priming and drip outlet; l= is the; intermediate chamber; 411.- is a port in the intermediate chamber; 4a a. drip. from the intermediate: chamber 4);; 4c the hand hole. and 4d. the hand: hole: cover of intermediate chamher 4;; 5', is the watervalve. seat; 6 is. a clapper valve for; co-operating. with water seat fi, said 35 valve being inclusive of; a. lever arm 6w pivoted on; clapperarm pin 61) whereby the valve is mounted for swinging movement to; open and closed position; 60 and 611 an adjusting bolt and lock nut. by which clapper 6. and lever arm 611 are flexibly held. together; 1 ist-he water clapper latch mounted on. water: clapper latch. pin. la; ii is: the air valve seat; 9 the air clapper valve inclusive of an arm 9a mounted on air clapper. armpi-n .91); 9c. is a downwardly projecting toggle; arm under clapper valve 9; 9d is a toggle post on arm 9e mounted'thercon by the toggle post. pin 9e and adapted ta swing. into a recess, 9.1- in the armflewhenthe; valve 9 is. opened; 9f; is an apron of rubber or other suitable. material afiixedto the clapper to insure tight closure of thea-ir valve against; its seat; 9h. is. a. bolt threaded intoypart 9e holding thereto parts. 9; 9c, 9d, and 9;! rigidly together in. a complete assembly as,

one. piece; in isthe air clapper; latch; mounhei on latch pin Ifla; II is the alarm port, used when the system is wet, leading to approved wet system mechanical alarm devices, not shown; I2 is a pipe connecting ports 3a and 4a; I3 is a globe valve in pipe l2; I4 is the valve stem of valve I3; 14a is a bearing on valve stem I4; I5 is a lever in bearing l4a mounted on lever pin l5a; [5b is a recess in lever I5; I50 is a Weight on lever I5; |5d is a stop for lever l5; I6 is the air difierential action casing; [6a is the diaphragm; l 6b is a rod aflixed to diaphragm l6a and movably supported in walls of the casing at I60, the diaphragm l6a is sustained as shown in the drawings by a metal bellows of the usual type; Fla is a port leading from retention chamber l'l; Illa is a port leading from chamber pressure [6; I9 is a bearing; 20 is a latch movably mounted in bearing l9 by means of latch pin 20a; 2| is a yoke pin in yoke Zla aifixing latch 26 to rod I61); 22 is a bearing arm affixed to valve casing 2; 23 is a bearing mounted on bearing arm 22 and having a flexible member 23a; 24 is a toggle lever mounted on flexible member 23a by lever pin 24a; 25 is threaded bolt for adjusting pressure on toggle lever 24; 26 is port l8a on sprinkler side of the check valve 28;

30is a three way valve with ports 30a therein; 3| is a pipe leading from priming and drip outlet 3d tovalve 30; 32 is a drip pipe leading from pipe 26 to valve 30; 33 is a drip pipe leading from valve 30 to open air; 34 is a pipe leading from pipe l2 as at 34a through which pressure will reach alarm devices and the automatic shutoff valve 35; 34b is a pipe leading from pipe 34 to hydraulically operated alarm gongs of any approved pattern which may be located some distance away, if the system is being operated as a wet system this pipe is closed by a shut-off valve of any approved pattern located therein; 35 is an automatically operated shut-off valve in pipe 21 closing pipe 21 to the passage of pressure should pressure exist in pipe 34; 36 is a pipe leading from pipe 34 to diaphragm chamber in valve 35 so that service pressure in pipe 36 from pipe 34 will cause closing of the valve 35 against pressure passing through pipe 21 to the difierential bellows in casing H5.

The inter-relation of the parts shown in Figure 1 areas follows: the water pressure in the inlet chamber lc under the clapper valve 6 transmits itself through the bolt 6d to the lever arm 6a which bolt is threaded into the lever arm and held at adjustment by the locking nut 60, the lever arm being held fixed at one end by the pin 61) a reduced pressure is transmitted to the toggle post 9d and through the toggle post to the pin 9e afiixed in the toggle arm 90; the toggle arm 90, air clapper valve 9' and the air clapper arm 9a being rigidly assembled together as' one piece by the bolt 9h, any pressure transmitted by the post to the pin 9e will, in efiect, transmit itself to the clapper arm 911 at a point on a straight line projected through the point F on the center line of the toggle post and the point at the center of the pin 9e to the clapper arm 9a; the distance from the center of the pin 91) to this projected line, multiplied by the force transmitted by the toggle post constitutes the equivalent turning moment that will act to swing the air valve assembly around the pivot 9b and thus clear the valve seat 8, which turning moment is resisted by the air pressure in chamber 3 acting on the air clapper 9, this latter force multiplied by the distance from the center of the clapper 9 to the pivotal point 92) makes the moment of resistance against the upward thrust from the toggle post 9d, if sufficient pressure does not exist in chamber 3 to make the resisting moment equal to or greater than the overturning moment set up by the thrust from the post 9d movement will take place, the water pushing the lever arm 6a to rotate around the pin 61), the toggle post 951 tilting on the lever arm at F and rotating on the pin 9e as the air assembly, carried by the air clapper arm 9a, rotates around the pivot 9b, clearing valve seat 8; if, however, sufiicient pressure exists to make the resisting moment fully equal to or greater than the overturning moment all parts remain stationary. There should be some excess of resisting moment so that the water clapper valve 6 will be held sufiiciently tight to prevent leaking.

Adjustment to the purpose that pressure from the pressure chamber 3 shall act to firmly hold clapper valve 6 to valve seat 5 is accomplished through bolt 6d threaded into lever arm 6a and loosely attached to clapper valve 6, said bolt having a hexagon shank and button head the latter fitting into a recess in the water clapper 6 and being held therein by the ring Be, the ring being firmly attached to the clapper and clearances F between the button head of the bolt and the ring 6e enables the water clapper 6 to adjust itself to its seat with varying adjustments of the lever arm 6a; so, adjustment to apply pressure from chamber 3 to the water clapper valve 6 is effected by loosening check nut 60, applying a wrench to the hexagonal shank and turning bolt 6d downward against the clapper and thusly raising lever arm 6a which in turn will raise toggle post 9d and the latter thrusting against the pin 9e will raise the air valve assembly until it tightens against the pin 91; to rotate therearound until all metal contacts are cleared and only the flexible rubber apron 9f of the air valve assembly remains in contact with valve seat 8, which rubber apron hanging at a downward angle will seal the opening between the pressure chamber 3 and the intermediate chamber 4 when the lip of the air clapper 9 is considerably above the level of valve seat 8.

,Latches l and I0 serve to prevent closing of the flood valves if a low service pressure fails to throw them wide open in the event of operation, otherwise the system could not be drained by opening the shut-off valve at drainage outlet la.

To prepare the sprinkler system for operation asfa dry pipe system the water is shut oil in the water main in the usual manner and the water in the system is drawn oil? by opening the shutoff valve at drainage outlet I a; hand hole covers having been removed the valve seats 5 and 8 and clapper valves 6 and 9 are cleaned through the hand holes 319 and 40, after which the clapper valves are swung on their seats and latches l and In and the toggle post 9d are positioned properly, as shown in Figure l; globe valve I3 is then closed and lever l5, latch 20 and toggle lever 24 positioned properly as shown in Figure 2; priming water is then put in chamber 3 to the level of port 3d, hand hole cover 30 is then put in place as shown in Figure 2 and vents in the chamber closed, air from some source of pressure supply is then admitted to a predetermined pressure into the riser above valve casing 2 filling the sprinkler system, the pressure chamber 3 and V 2, 042 ,2191 therdifierentiallsystem,entering.thelatter through" pipes 21;. 29.,1 and-i 2dcheck: valve- 28 m: pipe. 21 being: "open: to. the. passage" of air. to pipe 2.6 but closed to such passage in the opposite. dimetion; pressures im chamber 33 now holds. clapper valve 61 tightly closed ready' to prevent the passage of water under pressure from. the inlet chamben l and: service main and, in: the event ofrtheishut-r-off at'outletr' lit having been properlyclosedirexcept'for' the existence ofiport lh-from:

the" ini'ettchambert In; such: pressure could: be admitted into the inlet chamber ready for operas tion, l in which 'eventithe: sprinkler system, in. case of; operation;. would: .beineffective due: to. the; great venting: of: pressure through hand. hole. 40:

in: the: inter-mediate chamber. 4;, hence: port 1b" serves" as" a safeguard. to warn: workmen; should theyrforget, that. handhole cover- 4d is not. in placetowproperly"closei'the hand hole 40 and incidentally the port 1b.;

The pressure? in the" system, through-pressure chamber 3;;excludes pressure water fromthe in' termediate; chamber: by means of themechanical adjustment of the toggle' (Figure 1) as .previ-,

I ously described :andzthei ratiosindicatedin Figure 3-show'thatlowpressurerin chamber 3 will main-.

tain: closure offthe; valve 6: a-gainstservice-pres sure: and that slight-alteration: in the :toggle will greatly; change the: pressure requiredv in pressure chamber 3;, s i

operationofa thedifferential system is asfollows: inrther event that one'or moresprinkler heads open. because of. fire or any other reasonthe? pressure in the sprinkler system imme-- diately reducesandscommunicatessuch reduction tor the-riser and reaches thepressure chamber l8 throughwpipes: 21; and 291 and port [8a, the check valve 2l8z-ini pipe Z-l holdsvthe air pressure-in pipe 2t.- with: the result that no reduction takes placein" the: retention chamber L1 and a differential pressure: is created: on" thetwo :sides of diaphragmltu inia manner thatw-ill-beunderstood readily by those skilledrin: the art, whereupon the diaphragm l fia'is forcedi'towards and into pressure chamber l8 and the accumulated-pressure in the j. of the. diaphragm. taking place with small reduction! of pressure in the sprinkler systeml pulls rod Nib-with it and. releases latch from: lever I5 the consequent pressure of. weight 150. in: combination with the toggle lever,

2. 1" causes; lever l-5-toi swing outwards and downward-t0 a contact. with-stop= [5d, acceleratingthe action onvalve-stemJd thusincreasing the speed of opening; valve I3 Upon-the opening of valve ltwtheprimingc water and air inpressure cham-- her 3% passthroughi pipe I 2 into intermediate chamber. 4 to equalize the pressure in the twochambers whichrin effect removes the force hold ing; valve (i closed: with a resulting opening of valvesfi and to 'thepassageof pressure water tothe sprinkler system and topipe 34 and mechanicalialarmsattachedvthereto. Pressure water entering pipe 36. from pipe 34 closes automaticshut off. valve; 35- to passage of pressurewater: froms riser to pipe 21, thusly preventing injurytothe differentialabell'ows; Any reduction of pres-- sure-rooming from; slow 'seepage or. the openingof a sprinkler head will: eventually reduce pressure in chamber 31 permittingvalves Band-'9 to open as hereinbefore described and admit pressure water regardless oftthe operation on inoperat-ionsure per square inch in the servicemain.

of the ain differential. device: hereinbefore: fleescribedl.

In: changing: a; system in accordance. with our invention fromla; dry'system-toarwetsystem this may: readily be effected as'follows: The latch. l0; 5 is blocked' up sothat it: will not interfere with: the closing of the air'clapper 9. The water clapper valve 6 is thrown: back into the casing wide cpenrwhere it will'remai'n. Any of. the usual types. of wet. alarm devices may be connected with the 10' port- H. whichleadsfrom the valve seat 8 out through the casing. This-port H is closed bytheclapper valve 9'- when that valve-is seated by gravity; The, pipe. 34b'leading to the dry valve alarmis closed cfi. The system may then be 15..

itself-into componentsproducing pressure against 20..-

9b" and& torque: around 91) which in its turning moment can be representedby, arforcealongthe; line c--C of force times the distance 9b-c. The actuating power to move the valves comes'from the service pressure in the lowest chamber l-c: of Figure 1, which pressure will be represented by S, therefore, the force along the line. cis; S times the valve area and. the component thrust along M--n is the force; times distance Sh -C. divided by 6b'M. Letting'RIrepresent" the ratio of pressure difference at. which valves of this character operate, the pressure in the top cham her 3 of Figure- 1' becomes S/R and the force along c--C becomes S/R times the valve area and the turning moment is as just above de scribed;

The fullline diagram in Figure 3- shows the moment of force in balance from the air pressure in chamber 3 at HR. of the pressure in the service main, R-beinglthe ratio-ofpressure difference be tween water in the'serviceemainand air in the sprinkler system". Thepressure in the service: main exerts a lift to raise the water clapper 6, shown in Figure 1, whichlift canbeexpressedas P=A.S where P'represents the lifting force and. A represents the area in square inches of thewater clapper valve and S represents the pres-- The force exerted through lie of the toggle, along the line M-m in the diagram of Figure 3, equals P times 6lJ--C divided by 6bl\/f of thediagram. P1=A1.S/R is the force downward from pressure in chamber 3 holding the air clapper closed against its seat, A1 representing the area of the air clapper and P1 representing force as aforesaid; therefore, Pl times 912-0 divided by lb-m equals the forcealongthe line M-m and opposed to the force set up by P on the same line. Pressure in the pressure chamber 3 at S/R makes the two forces equal (and opposed) when the-dis-eo tances Bb-M. and Sir-moo-ordinate in accord ance with the diagram of Figure 3tomake A.S times. 6bC divided by Gb-M equal to Al-S/R times 9b--c divided by 9bm. A greater pressure than S/R should be maintained to insure no leakageat. the water clapper valve 6. In case of the air pressure in; the pressure chamber 3-fa1ling. below S/R movementwill take place. the pivotal point 9e traveling along the arc to eand similarly F traveling along the. 70 are around 6b to- J: and: relatively the movement will'ccntinue until F slips on the lever arm 6a: and swings up through. the valve port carriedby the toggle arm 90 to. come to rest in the recess9r ofthesaidarm, The ratio of balancing pressures heretofore in common use has been 6 to 1 because of the great size of the air clappers required to make the ratio greater and thus reduce the pressure of air required to keep the system closed. Such increase of air pressure offers two evils: slowing up the delivery of water to quench fire and aggravating the fire with the greater volume of air blown upon it. The dotted lines in the diagram at Figure 3 show the angles of a toggle that balance at a greater air pressure, I /R1 of that in the service main. It will be noted that the dotted line swing on the focal point F and passes through the point T on the are it around point 91). To change the operation of the valve and obtain other ratios it is required to substitute for parts 90 and 9d other parts in which the point 9e coincides with a proper point T in the diagram, whereupon the moments of force become A.S times 6b-C divided by 6bN equal A1.S/R1 times 9b-c divided by 9bn. Other ratios can be obtained by changing in a similar manner the angle through the focal point F.

We claim:

1. A valve for use in a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and an outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means dividing said easing into separate chambers located between said inlet and said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted outside of the projected area of the port for swinging movement to an open position in the direction of the outlet, and means whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inlet controlling valve against a higher pressure, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extending through the port, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm outside the projected area of the port and to the same side of the port as the pivot of the port controlling valve, said strut at its other end engaging the inlet controlling valve at a point to the opposite side of the axis of the inlet from the pivot of the inlet controlling valve, when both valves are closed.

2. A valve for use in sprinkler systems comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and an outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means for dividing said casing into separate chambers located between said inlet and said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted outside the projected area of the port for swinging movement to an open position in the direction of the outlet, the said pivoting being at points oppositely located from the axis of the valves, and means whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inlet controlling valve closed against a higher pressure, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extending through the port, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm and at its other end engaging the inlet valve at a point to the opposite side of the axis of the inlet valve from the pivot of the inlet controlling valve, the pivot between said arm and said strut being located in toggling reference to a straight line passing through the point of engagement of the strut with the inlet controlling valve and thepivot of the port controlling valve when both valves are closed.

3. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the inlet and the port and their controlling valves are axially alined.

4. A valve as set forth in claim 2 in which the inlet and the port and their controlling valves are axially alined.

5. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the inlet and the port and their controlling valvesare axially alined and in which the valves are pivoted to opposite sides of their common axis, respectively.

6. A valve as set forth in claim 1 in which the arm and the strut are provided with cooperating formations to limit pivotal movement of the strut relative to the arm under the influence of opening swinging movement of the inlet controlling valve.

7. A valve for use in sprinkler systems comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting to a source of water supply under pressure and an outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means dividing said casing into separate chambers located between said inlet and said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted to one side of the port for swinging movement to an open position in the direction of the outlet, the said pivoting being at points oppositely located from valve affects opening of the port controlling valve,

said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extending towards the inlet controlling valve, a strut pivoted at one end to said arm, and a seat on the inlet controlling valve accommodating the other end of said strut, the pivot between said strut and said arm being disposed outwardly of a straight line passing through the adjacent side of the port and the point of seating of the strut on the inlet valve when both valves are closed.

8. A valve for use in sprinkler systems comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and an outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means dividing said casing into separate chambers located between said outlet and said inlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement to an open position, a port controlling valve pivoted for swinging movement to an open position in the direction of the outlet, the said pivoting being at points oppositely located from the axis of the valves, and means whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inlet controlling valve closed against a higher pressure, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extending through the port, a strut pivoted at one end to said arm on the side of the axis of the port adjacent to the pivot of the port controlling valve, said strut when the valves are closed engaging at its other end the inlet controlling valve at a point to the opposite side of the axis of the inlet from the pivot of the inlet control valve, said inlet control valve including a rigid lever arm and an adjusting screw flexibly connecting said lever arm and inlet valve whereby the port controlling valve and said arm rigid thereto extending through the port transmits a pressure through the said strut to the lever :arm to :hold the valve closed;saidenressure being transmitted by the adjustment of thezsaidscrew connecting the lever arm "andinletvalve, :aslafore- LEG/id...

.9. .A valve for use insprinklersystems :compris- :ing a casing having an inlet for connecting with .a source of water supplyunder pressure;iand: an

outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means for dividing said' casin into separate chambers located between saidi inlet and outlet, :said partition rmeanszhavingia :port

approximately .alined with said inlet, inlet and between said valves whereby pressure exerted 1.011 the port controlling valve maintains the inlet valve closedagainstaehigher pressure and whereby, for any given opening force applied to the inlet valve, the power applied thereby to the port controlling valve to open the same progressively increases with opening movement of the valves, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve extending towards the inlet valve, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm and having its other end free and seating against said inlet valve.

10. A valve for use in sprinklersystems comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting with a source of water supply under pressure and an outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means dividing said easing into separate chambers located between said inlet and outlet, said partition means'having a port approximately alined with said inlet, inlet and port controlling valves pivoted to opposite sides of the inlet and the port, respectively, for inward swinging movement to open position, and means between said valves whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inlet valve closed against a higher pressure and whereby, for any given opening force applied to the inlet valve, the power applied thereby to the port controlling valve to open the same progressively increases with opening movement of the valves, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve extending towards the inlet valve, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm and having its other end free and seating against said inlet valve, the center line of the strut extending, when both valves are closed, in divergent relationship to the axis of the port from the point of engagement of the strut with the inlet valve towards the strut pivot, and the strut pivot being disposed between the axis of the port and a straight line passing through the pivot of the port controlling valve and the point of engagement of the strut with the inlet valve, whereby the connection under closing pressure exerted on the port valve acts in the nature of a toggle to hold the inlet valve closed, and whereby the pivot approaches the axis of the port during opening of the valves thus to progressively increase the power applied to the port controlling valve by the inlet valve as the valves are opened by a predominating opening pressure exerted against the inlet valve.

11. A valve for use in a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting with a source of Water supply under pressure and an outlet for connecting with water distributing pipes, partition means dividing said easing into separate chambers located between said inlet and said outlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valve pivoted for invalve maintains the inlet controlling V valve =;,clo se d against a higher pressure, said means comprising an armrigidwith the port controlling Valve and extending throu h the port, and a strut pivoted at :one end to said arm and at its tether :end engaging the inlet controlling valve when both valves are closed, the arm having-a recess into which the strut is swung when the valves are opened. 4

12. A valve for usein a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an inlet for connecting with assume 10: water supply nder pre sur and an outlet for conne in with wa r di t ibutin pines, partition mean dividing :said ca ing int separate chambers v:located :betweensaid inlet and outlet, said partition means having a port, an inlet controlling valve pivoted to one side of the inlet for inward swinging movement to open position, a port controlling valve pivoted to one side of the port for swinging movement to an open position in the direction of the outlet and means whereby pressure exerted on the port controlling valve maintains the inlet controlling valve closed against a higher pressure, said means comprising an arm rigid with the port controlling valve and extending through the port, and a strut pivoted at one end to said arm and at its other end engaging the inlet controlling valve at a point to the opposite side of the axis of the inlet from the pivot of the inlet controlling valve, the said pivoting between the arm and strut and the said point of engagement of the strut with the inlet controlling valve being both located away from the axis of the valves on the side adjacent to the pivoting of the port controllingvalve when both valves are closed.

13. A valve as set forth in claim 2 including, the said arm and attached strut moving through and out of the port when the valves swing to open position.

14. A valve as set forth in claim 12 including, the said arm and attached strut moving through and out of the port when the valves swing to open position.

15; A valve as set forth in claim 12 including, the said pivot attaching the arm and the strut and the said point of engagement of the strut with the inlet controlling valve being in a correlation that slight moving of the pivot attaching the arm and the strut produce greatchange in the required pressure exerted on the port controlling valve to maintain theinlet valve closed against a higher pressure.

16. In a device of the class described, a valve casing for use in a sprinkler system comprising an inlet chamber communicating with a source of Water supply under pressure, an outlet communicating with a riser leading to water distributing pipes, an intermediate chamber between the inlet and outlet, ports between the chambers, valves for controlling the passage of water from the inlet to the outlet, means whereby pressure in the outlet against atmospheric pressure in the intermediate chamber maintains the valves closed against pressure from the inlet, communicating means between the outlet and the intermediate chamber and having therein a globe valve, the combination of a housing, a lever flexibly attached 7 to the stem of the globe valve, a latch flexibly attached to the housing, a strut with one end pivoted to a fixed arm and the other end free, the

said lever held in position by the latch creating an interlocking with the free end of the strut to hold the globe valve closed, a rod flexibly attached to the latch and actuated by a diaphragm within the housing to release the lever and interlock holding the valve closed whereby the globe valve will open and pressure will equalize between the outlet and the intermediate chamber with result that the controlling valves will open for the passage of Water as aforesaid.

17. In a device of the class described, a casing having an inlet chamber communicating with a source of water supply under pressure, an outlet chamber communicating with distributing pipes constituting a fire extinguishing system, an intermediate chamber between the inlet chamber and outlet chamber with ports and port controlling valves controlling the passage of water under pressure from the inlet chamber through the intermediate chamberto the outlet chamber, means whereby pressure in the outlet chamber against atmospheric pressure in the intermediate chamber maintains the port controlling valves closed against pressure in the inlet chamber, a hand hole in the intermediate chamber, a cover to close the hand hole and means for indicating that the cover is not in position closing the hand hole, the said means comprising a port leading from the inlet chamber to the seat of the cover, the said port closed when the cover is in position and open when the cover is not in position whereby water under pressure admitted to the inlet chamber will pass through the said port and cause discomfort to workmen if the hand hole in the intermediate 15 chamber is not closed.

J. EUGENE WALLACE. CHARLES DUMAS.