US2567720A

US2567720A - Fire check

Info

Publication number: US2567720A
Authority: US
Inventors: Madden Joseph
Original assignee: United States Steel Corp
Current assignee: United States Steel Corp
Priority date: 1948-05-21
Filing date: 1948-05-21
Publication date: 1951-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1968-09-11

Description

J. MADDEN FIRE CHECK Sept. 1 l, 1951 Filed May 21, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIE-1- FIG. 2.

I 1]: INVENTOR.

manna Sept. 11, 1951 J. MADDE N FIRE CHECK 2 Sheets-$heet '2 Filed May 21, 1948 FIEA- m0 w mm w MM Mw A fif L Patented Sept. 11,1951

FIRE CHECK Joseph Madden, Gary, Ind., assignor to United States Steel Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 21, 1948, Serial No. 28,449

6 Claims. 1

j This invention relates to a fire check and more particularly to a fire check adapted to be installed in a pipe line which conveys a mixture of gas and air from the point of generating 'to the point of burning. The fire check of the invention is an improvement over the type of fire check shown in the patent to Van Horn No. 2,085,485. In the fire check disclosed in the Van Horn patent it is impossible to check the fuse or the free operation of the valve unless the fuse cap is removed and the fuse disconnected from the lever arm which operates the valve. It is also difficult to replace the fuse because of the inaccessibility thereof and the necessity of overcoming the tension of the valve spring. It has been suggested to place the fuse outside of the casing of the fire check for the above reasons. However such fire checks are not satisfactory since the fuse does not function until the casing of the fire check is heated by backfired flame.

It is an object of my invention to provide a fire check in which the fuse and the free operation of the valve can be readily checked.

Another object is to provide such a fire check in which the fuse can readily be replaced.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the fire check of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates the casing or housing of the fire check which is provided with an inlet 4 and outlet 6. Adjacent the inlet 4 is a self-closing valve 8 which is provided with a spring ID for urging the valve toward the valve seat l2. A valve stem [4 extends through the valve opening and has its end slidably mounted in the bore l6. A similar bore I8 is provided in the valve cap for receiving the other end of the valve stem l4. Adjacent the valve stem I 4 is a rotatable lever shaft 22 which extends through the wall of the casing. For the purpose of convenience a removable cap 24 forms the wall of the casing at this point. A valve lever 26 is connected to the inner end of the shaft 22 and is provided with a bifurcated free end 28, which surrounds the valve stem l4 and contacts a shoulder 30 thereon. A lever arm 32 is connected to the outer end of the shaft 22 and extends toward the outlet 6 with its free end extending over an opening 34 in the casing 2. The opening 34 is covered with a fuse cap 36. Fastened to the free end of lever 32 is a link 38 which consists of two parts connected by a pin 40. A rotatable shaft 42 extends through a packing gland 44 in the cap 36. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 42 is the external trip lever 46. The free end of the lever 46 is bifurcated at" 48 for receiving the link 38. A notch 59 is provided in the bifurcated end 48 for receiving a pin 52 which is mounted on the link 38. Mounted on the inner end of the shaft 42 is an internal trip lever 54. A bolt 56 is threaded into the cap 36 and extends inwardly therefrom] A heat responsive device or fuse 58 fits over the free end of bolt 56 and is fastened thereto by means of a nut 60. The other end of fuse 58 has a T-shaped head 62 which fits into a groove 64 in the lever 54. Adjacent the fuse cap 36 is the flame interrupting means 66 which may be made of metal gauze or fine wire arranged within a tubular shell.

The operation'of the device is as follows:

With the parts in the position shown in the drawings, the fire check is ready for operation. Free operation of the valve 8 is checked by sliding the link 38 off the end of the external trip lever 46. If the lever arm 32 flies up, that is, in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, the valve is workingproperly and does not require attention. The fuse can be checked by observing the position of lever arm 32 or by checking the external trip lever 46. If the lever 46 rotates freely, the fuse requires replacement. In case of backfire the flame immediately flashes back to the fire check and is arrested momentarily by the fiame resisting insert 66. Fuse 58, which is constructed of two pieces of brass soldered together, is exposed to the flame and in a few seconds the solder melts causing the fuse to separate. When this occurs the lever arm 32 loses its anchor and the spring [0 will close the valve 8. When it is desired to replace a fuse, the cap 36 is removed and the fuse 58 is easily placed in position since no tension is being applied to lever 46. After the cap 36 is replaced, the lever arm 32 is pulled down and the end of link 38 is hooked onto the trip lever 46.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combination including a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closing valve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within the casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith and the other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to the end of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a flame interrupting means within the casing ad;- jacent said outlet, a rotatable shaft extending through said casing adjacent said flame inter: rupting means, means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting it to said lever arm, a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet, and holding means for said heat responsive device on the inner wall of said casing, said heat responsive device having one end connected to the inner end of said last named rotatable shaft and the other end connected to said holding means to normally hold the valve in open position.

2. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combination including a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closing valve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within the casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith and the other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to the end of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a rlame interrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, a rotatable shaft extending through said casing adjacent said flame interrupting means, means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting it to said lever arm, a lever attached to the end of said last named rotatable shaft within said casing, a bolt attached to the inner wall of said casing, and a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet connected to said bolt and said last named lever to normally hold the valve in open position.

3. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combination including a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closing valve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within the casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith and the other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to the end of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a flame interrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, a rotatable shaft extending through said casing adjacent said flame interruptingmeans, a link connected to the free end of said lever arm, a trip lever on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft detachably connected to said link for'holding the valve in open'position, a lever attached to the end of said last named rotatable shaft'within said casing, a bolt attached to the inner wall of said casing, and a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet connected to said bolt andsaid last named lever to normally hold the valve in open position.

4. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combination including a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closing valve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within the casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith and the other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to the end of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a flame interrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, said casing having an opening 4 therein adjacent said flame interrupting means, a fuse cap over said opening, a rotatable shaft extending, through said cap,- means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting it to said lever arm, a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet, and holding means for said heat responsive device on the inner wall of said casing, said heat responsive device having one end connected to the inner end of 0 said rotatable shaft and the other end connected to said holding means to normally hold the valve in open position.

5. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combination including a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closing valve within the casing between said'passages, a rotatable lever shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within the casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement -10 therewith andthe other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to the end of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a name interrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, said casing having an opening therein adjacent said flame interrupting means, a fuse cap over said opening, a rotatable shaft extending through said cap, means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting it to said leverarm, a lever attached to :m the end of said last named rotatable shaft within said casing, a bolt attached to said cap within ,:said casing, and a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet connected to said bolt and said last named lever to normally hold (:3 the valve in open position.

6. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combination including a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closing valve within the casing between said passages, a rotatn7 able lever shaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within the casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith and the other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to the end :5 of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a

flame interrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, said casing having an opening therein adjacent said iiame interrupting means, a fuse cap over said opening, a rotatable so shaft extending through said cap, a link connected to the free end of said lever arm, a trip lever on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft detachably connected to said link for holding the valve in open position, a lever attached to the end of said last named rotatable shaft within said casing, a bolt attached to said cap within said casing, and a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet connected to said bolt and said last named lever to normally hold the valve in open position.

JOSEPH MADDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS