US831207A - Automatic sprinkler system. - Google Patents

Description

No. 881,207. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906.

W. BAUER.

A-UTOMATICSPRINKLER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED M1312, 1906.

v/wmww UNITED sT rns PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BAUER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- SEVENTH TO MINOR C. PETER, ONE-SEVENTH TO WARREN H.

RICHARDSON, ONE-SEVENTH TO ALBERT RUETLINGER, ONE- SEVENTH TO EDWARD J. l\ IILLER,'AND

OF LOUISVILLE,

NEAT, OF NEW ALBANY, INDIANA.

LANDO C. RICHARDSON, SEVENTH TO BENJAMIN C.

ONE-SEVENTH TO OR- KENTUCKY, AND ONE- AUTOIVIATI C SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

No. s31,2o7.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BAUER, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sprinkler Systems; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in automatic sprinkler systems for extinguishing fires in buildings, in which a system of piping is distributed throughout the building and equipped with a series of sprinkler-heads, which are closed with some material fusible at a comparatively low temperature, so that if a fire occurs in the vicinity of the sprinklerhead the seal is fused and water is admitted into the apartment. Such apparatus are customarily provided with some means intended to close an electrical circuit and transmit notice of the fire to some distant point, as to a fire department, so that unnecessary loss by water can be prevented if the fire is automatically extinguished, or the apparatus may be supplemented by the work of the department The most usual means of closing the circuit is to employ a plunger which is moved outward by the inrush of water and operates an electric switch which closes the alarm-circuit. The present invention relates more particularly to this part of the system.

Where such systems are installed, the rate of premium on fire-insurance is reduced; but the fire-insurance underwriters, however, require that the alarm part of the system be tested at stated intervals to maintain the risks in force, but when making such tests it is very desirable that the water system be not disturbed.

In order to test the electrical circuit in the apparatus as now constructed, a short-circuiting switch is installed in the alarm system, and by closing this switch the alarm will be sounded if the electrical connections are in roper condition; but this short-circuiting switch merely tests the electrical part of the system and does not show whether or not any p articularly does 'rupt the sprinkling system in from the main, and

other part of the system is out of order and i not determine whether or not. the water-operated plunger for closing I the main switch is or is not in working order, and in order to test this it is necessary to disby emptying it of water or airby opening the drainage-pipe, which will cause the unseating of the pressure-controlled valve and allow water to flow thus operate the plunger in the same way that it would be operated if a sprinklenhead was unsealed in the intended automatic action of the apparatus. This action of course temporarily puts the entire distributing system out of action, and

for the period of time during which such a test is made the apparatus is temporarily useless; Such method of testing is therefore impractical, inconvenient, and troublesome, and for these reasons the operativeness of the plunger cannot be or is not tested in the present systems, and as they sometimes are not called into action at all and generally not for months at a time it frequently happens that when a fire occurs the plunger has become stuck in its cylinder by corrosion or other cause, and although the hydraulic part of the system may operate perfectly and water is supplied to the apartment where the fire occurs the alarm is not given, and the fire sometimes gains such headway that great loss results, or, on the other hand, the fire may be extinguished; but the water continuing to flow unchecked produces greater damage than the fire.

The object of this invention is to enable the operativeness of the entire alarm part of the system to be tested at will without disturbing the sprinkler system at all and to dispense with the short-circuiting switch, if desired, and thus by my invention such test can be made without disturbing the water system as expeditiously and as conveniently as the present partial test of the merely electrical parts of the system can be made.

In the accompanying drawings vI have illustrated my invention the present known acceptable and satisfactorily working sprinkler systems, and the invention will be fully understood from the as applied to one of IOO following description in connection with said drawing, and summarized in the claims.

The drawing represents, partly in section and partly in diagrammatical elevation, a sprinkler system embodying my invention and showing the means for testing the operativeness of the plunger and electrical alarmcircuit.

The main water-supply pipe A is connected to the still main or tank containing a constant supply of water. The distributingpipe D is connected to pipe A by an automaticallycontrolled pressure-valve C, which is of well-known construction and is therefore simply diagrammatically illustrated in the drawing, and B is a manually-operated valve between main pipe A and valve 0, by which the water can be manually cut off whenever it is desired as, forinstance,when removing or renewing the sprinkler-heads.

E designates one of the subsidiary distributing-pipes connected to pipe D and customarily arranged along the ceiling of the apartment and provided with a series of sprinkler-heads e, sealed by a material fusible at a low temperature, as customary.

d is an indicator-gage for pipe D, and a an indicator-gage for pipe A.

The pipes D E can be filled with water or air and water under a pressure suflicient to keep valve C closed against the pressure of water in main A until the pressure in pipe D is reduced by the opening of one or more of the sprinkler-heads.

The distributing system may be drained by a pipe 0, having a valve 0, said pipe being preferably connected with the pressure-valve casing, and when opened it will drain the water out of the distributing system during repairs thereon.

In order to send an alarm automatically when the sprinkler system is put in operation by the opening of one of the sprinkler-heads, an electrical circuit is provided which usually comprises a main switch F, having opposite terminals 9 h, connected to conductors G H, which lead to an alarm or indicator I, located wherever desired. The circuit can be closed by a switch-piece f, which can be moved so as to close the circuit between 9 h by means of a rod j on a plunger J, confined in a cylinder K, located adjacent to switch F. Cylinder K is connected with the casing of valve 0 above the water-inlet by a pipe 7: and has a drain-pipe k, by which it can be em tied. The cylinder K is normally empty and plunger J retracted and switch F open; but if a sprinkler-head e is unsealed and valve C unseated, thereby admitting water into pipe D, water flows through pipe is into cylinder K and forces plunger J outward and its stem j engages and actuates switch-piecef, closing the circuit through the alarm.

Customarily a short-circuiting switch L is placed near switch F, so that the electrical alarm-circuit can be readily tested; but obviously the closing of this switch would not indicate at all whether or not plunger J was in operative condition, and heretofore in order to test it it would require opening of drain-valve O to allow the water to be drained out of the distributing system and also permit the inrush of water from watermain A through valve B and valve G into pipe 7c and into cylinder K, raising plunger J, thereby actuating switch F and closing the alarm-circuit.

To enable switch L to be dispensed with and to accurately test the operativeness of plunger J without disturbing the hydraulic system or the connections between the electrical and hydraulic system, I employ the following devices or their equivalents. A pipe M is connected with the pipe A and with the cylinder K directly or indirectly, it being conveniently connected with cylinder Kby joining it to pipe is near the cylinder. Pipe M is provided with a hand-valve or stop-cock m, which is kept closed except when it is desired to test the plunger and electrical parts of the apparatus. To make such a test, it is merely necessary to open stop-cock m,whereupon water enters cylinder K, and if the plunger is in working order the latter is forced out, closing switch F and transmitting the alarm.

The pipe 7c may be provided with a turningplug 7c", which plug is normally open, but should be closed during the time the testvalve m is open and especially when drainpipe is is opened to avoid disturbing the equilibrium of the distributing system during a test of the signaling device.

The utility of the invention is obvious from the foregoing and removes a great many practical objections to such fire-extinguishing systems, facilitates testing of the apparatus, and does not disturb the electrical or hydraulic connections of the system at all while demonstrating and testing the practicalworking efficiency of the system simply and thoroughly. After the test is made stop-cock m is closed and the cylinder drained through pipe is until another test is made or the hydraulic system comes into play automatically.

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

1. In an automatic fire-extinguishing system the combination of the water-supply pipe, the distributin -pipes, the electrical alarm system, a cylin er and a plunger therein adapted to close the circuit of the electrical system when forced outward; with a pipe connection between the distributingpipes and the cylinder adapted to admit water into the cylinder when the distributingplpes are opened; and a pipe connecting to the main water-supply and to the cylinder,

whereby the plunger may be operated to test the alarm system without disturbing the distributing system, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic fireextinguishing sprinkling apparatus, the combination of the main supply pipe, the distributing pipe, sprinkler-heads connected with the distributing-pipe; an electrical alarm-circuit, a switch for closing the circuit, a cylinder, a plunger therein adapted to close said switch, and a pipe connecting said cylinder with the distributingpipe; with a valved pipe connecting the water-supply pipe with the cylinder and adapted to admit water thereto independently of the distributing-pipe system, whereby the plunger may be operated to test the electrical circuit, Without disturbing the distributing system, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In an automatic fireextinguishing sprinkler system, the combination of the main water-supply pipe, the distributingpipes, the pressure-controlled valve between said pipes, sprinkler-heads connected with the distributing-pipe; an electrical alarmcircuit, a switch for closing the circuit, a cylinder, a plunger therein adapted to close said switch, and a pipe connecting said cylinder with the pressure-valve casing; with a valved pipe connecting the water-supply pipe with the cylinder and adapted to admit water thereto independently ofthe pressure-valve or distributing-pipe system, whereby the plunger may be operated to test the electrical circuit, without disturbing the distributing system, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I a'll'iX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BAUER. In presence of HENRY KRAUSGILL, IDA L. GRANT.

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