USRE30493E - Apparatus for the prevention or limitation of water damage - Google Patents

Apparatus for the prevention or limitation of water damage Download PDF

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Publication number
USRE30493E
USRE30493E US06/049,184 US4918479A USRE30493E US RE30493 E USRE30493 E US RE30493E US 4918479 A US4918479 A US 4918479A US RE30493 E USRE30493 E US RE30493E
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
heating element
water
relay
sensing
sensing body
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US06/049,184
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English (en)
Inventor
Bengt G. A. E. Kullberg
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from SE7602561A external-priority patent/SE391389B/xx
Priority claimed from SE7605806A external-priority patent/SE401410B/xx
Application filed filed Critical
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of USRE30493E publication Critical patent/USRE30493E/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
    • D06F39/08—Liquid supply or discharge arrangements
    • D06F39/081—Safety arrangements for preventing water damage
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/02—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
    • G01M3/04—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
    • G01M3/042—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point by using materials which expand, contract, disintegrate, or decompose in contact with a fluid
    • G01M3/045—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point by using materials which expand, contract, disintegrate, or decompose in contact with a fluid with electrical detection means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/40—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using electric means, e.g. by observing electric discharges
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/5762—With leakage or drip collecting

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an apparatus for preventing or limiting water damage on structural floors with covering floors when there is leakage from such water carrying means as pipes and armatures in circulation piping or distribution networks for central heating or consumable water and appliances connected to such piping, e.g. hot water radiators and washing machines.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a simple and cheap apparatus to prevent or at least limit such damage.
  • FIG. 1 shows schematically a view of a portion of a circulation circuit in a central heating installation for pumped hot water on one floor of a multistorey building.
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a radiator according to FIG. 1 with a sensing device arranged for detecting possible leaks.
  • FIG. 3 is a principle sketch clarifying the coaction between the sensing device and a closing valve to the supply pipe for the radiators according to FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • FIG. 4 shows the principle for a more developed thermostat valve.
  • FIG. 5 shows a still further embodiment of the invention.
  • a number of radiators 1, of which three are shown in FIG. 1, are connected to a supply pipe 4 and a return pipe 5 via horizontal pipes 2, 3.
  • a direct-acting thermostat valve 6 In the delivery pipe 2 there is arranged a direct-acting thermostat valve 6.
  • the bellows or piston acting on the valve body is connected, via a narrow bore pipe 7, to the sensing body 8 of the valve, this body being placed in a suitable location in a room heated by the radiators 1, to regulate room temperature in all the rooms where the radiators are connected to the delivery pipe 2 and are thus affected by the valve 6.
  • Each radiator 1 has a valve 9 on the delivery side for manual throttling or closing.
  • FIG. 2 the central heating plant is indicated, while excluding the piping, by a lower portion of one of the radiators 1.
  • the concrete structural floor 10 is provided with a sand bed 12 on which subflooring 13 is laid out to carry top flooring 14.
  • a skirting board 15 is fitted round the wall 11 in a conventional manner, and nailed to the wall.
  • a moisture sensing device 16 is placed under the skirting board 15 on or in the sand bed 12 between the wall 11 and the flooring layers 13, 14.
  • the sensing device 16 is electrically connected to a relay 17.
  • Said relay is arranged to close a current circuit, on an impulse from the sensing device indicating that a predetermined moisture limit has been exceeded, over its switch 18 to feed an electric heating element 19 arranged to heat the sensing body 8 on the direct-acting thermostat valve 6 to actuate the valve for closing.
  • a necessary number of sensing devices 16 are placed at floor level to sense leakage from any place along the piping 2, 3 before amounts of water large enough to cause a risk of the occurrance of damage which is difficult to repair have leaked out.
  • Two such sensing devices are shown in FIG. 3. From the same figure it is further apparent that the control circuit is provided with current from a mains-connected transformer 21. A suitable voltage is 12 or 24 V.
  • a number of sensing devices 16 (two are shown) which are distributed in the rooms served by the pipes 2, 3 are all supplied with the low-voltage current via a switch 22 in the relay 17. In this supply circuit there is also the operating coil 23 of the relay 17. The circuit is normally kept broken by the surroundings of the sensing device being dry.
  • the sensing device closes the circuit whereby the relay, which has a bistable function and must be manually reset, closes the current to the heating element 19 by means of its switch 18 and simultaneously breaks the current to the sensing device 16 by means of its switch 22.
  • the sensing body 8 is heated, this results in the valve 6 closing the hot water supply to the pipe 2 from the main supply pipe 4.
  • the relay can naturally be arranged to light a lamp 24 or actuate some other signal device to indicate that a leak has occurred. After the leaking detail has been repaired, the condition of the sensing device 16 is checked with an eye to possibly exchanging it whereafter the relay 17 is reset manually by means of the button 25.
  • Each of the shown sensing devices 16 are of the kind consisting of two spaced electrical conductors 26 running one alongside the other bedded in a non-conducting moisture-absorbing material 27, e.g. cellular plastic or fibre composition. This material is in communication with the surroundings for taking up water and thereby become conducting. The relay breaks the current to these sensing devices after an impulse from one of them, to prevent the risk of fire during a drying stage.
  • a non-conducting moisture-absorbing material e.g. cellular plastic or fibre composition.
  • the sensing device 16 is placed as a reposing double conductor, while the sensing devices 16 in FIG. 3 are indicated as bar-like vertical bodies intended to be inserted into the sand bed 12 through drill holes in the flooring 13, 14 in front of the skirting board 15.
  • the electrical heating element 19 is to advantage built in to the sensitive body 8 for rapidly warming up the medium therein.
  • the relay can be of electromagnetic or electronic type and must naturally have a sensitivity suitable to the construction of the sensing device 16.
  • thermostat valves In known thermostat valves the heat sensitive body is arranged to sense the temperature of some medium surrounding the body. In order to provide a sufficiently great regulating force for actuating the regulating valve, these known thermostat valves, which must be able to give a regulating function for small variations in temperature, have been provided with mechanical amplifying means in the form of springs and the like. This has resulted in that the thermostat valves have necessarily been given a voluminous form. In spite of this amplification it has been found that the known valves have too small a regulating effect in certain cases. In normal operating conditions when the pressure in the pipe on both sides of the valve is substantially the same, there are no problems. If, on the other hand, the pressure drop across the valve is large due to a pipe break, greater regulating power is required on the valve, and this is thus difficult to achieve with valves known at present.
  • a thermostat valve which has been further developed to obviate said drawbacks has the heat sensitive body enclosed in a chamber, the inner temperature of which is independent of the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the chamber, the heating element supplied with electricity being arranged in the chamber to give heat to the heat sensitive body.
  • the heating element is connected to at least one electrical control means for regulating the valve compulsively.
  • valve With the further developed valve there is obtained the opportunity of compulsory regulation with different parallel and/or series-connected regulating means which are electrically connected in the supply circuit of the heating element.
  • valve regulating possibilities for different factors such as time, light, dampness and the like.
  • the supply circuit of the heating element can be opened or closed by a time switch at different times, and the said circuit can be closed and opened with a photocell in response to light and darkness.
  • Other factors are also conceivable for regulating the valve, which is particularly well-suited for utilization in the apparatus according to the invention for preventing or limiting water damage.
  • valve 6 The principle of the valve 6 is shown in FIG. 4, which also shows it fitted to the hot water delivery pipe 2 in a radiator installation (not shown).
  • the valve 6 is operated by an arm 7 connected with a bimetal means 30 in a sensing body 8.
  • the interior space in the sensing body 8 is suitably completely insulated from the surrounding atmosphere so that the temperature occurring on the bimetal means 30 is solely dependent on a heating element 19 in the sensing body 8.
  • the sensing body 8 can also be conceived made as a chamber enclosing a medium, such as a fluid, into which the heating element 19 is inserted as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the medium expands on heating and this expansion is utilized to actuate the valve 6 by the portion denoted by the numeral 7 constituting a pipe in communication with a bellows or piston for operating the valve 6.
  • the heating element 19 consists of an electrical resistance coupled into a supply circuit with terminals 21.
  • a current source (not shown) is connected to the terminals 21.
  • the supply circuit to the resistance 19 is provided with a switch 31 incorporated in a relay with the coil 32.
  • the relay coil 32 is part of a control circuit with regulating means which are actuatable by different factors. There is thus shown a regulating means 33 in the form of a clock having the ability of being set to open and close the control current to the coil 32 at different times.
  • the clock 33 is coupled in parallel with the series-coupled thermistor and photocell unit 34-35.
  • the coil 32 can thus be supplied with current either at the times set on the clock 33 for closing the control current circuit, or when both the thermistor 34 and the photocell 35 are conducting.
  • Other circuitry is naturally conceivable for obtaining other control conditions. It is thus conceivable to connect each of the regulating means 33, 34 and 35 in parallel or to couple two or more of them in series. Other regulating means, sensitive to other factors such as humidity, cold or the like, can also be included for control.
  • FIG. 5 there is shown a circuiting device for an apparatus according to the invention for preventing water damage.
  • the moisture sensing devices 16 are connected via a bistable relay 17.
  • the relay 17 When one of the devices 16 becomes conducting due to the presence of moisture, the relay 17 is switched to deliver current to the heating element 19 in the sensing body 8, a control lamp 24 being supplied with current simultaneously.
  • the supply circuit of the heating element 19 will also comprise the switch 31 with a control circuit of the kind described in conjunction with FIG. 4.
  • the relay coil 32 operating the switch 31 is controlled by the clock 33 in the embodiment shown, but the clock can be exchanged or supplemented by one or more of the control means described in conjunction with FIG. 4.
  • the relay coil 32 is also connected so that it can be supplied with current via one pair of contacts 18 of the bistable relay 17. Consequently, the switch 31 is energizable either by the circuit comprising the bistable relay 17 or by the control circuit with the control means 33.
  • the valve can be modified in different ways.
  • a further modification is that the sensing body 8 is provided with separate heating elements 19 for different control circuits, whereat separate light indication is achieved by inserting different control lamps 24 in the different control circuits.
  • the control lamp 24 shown in FIG. 5 By placing the control lamp 24 shown in FIG. 5 on the other side of the bistable relay and introducing a further control lamp connected to the control circuit by the control means 33, separate light indication can be obtained.
  • the direct-acting thermostat valve which in this case only serves as an automatic closing valve, constitutes an extra component in comparison with conventional installations.
  • the valve type is simple and cheap, and the variant having a heating element for heating up the sensing body as required for the application of the invention, is therefore suitable for use as a standard type of valve independent of whether it is to affect a flow in the circulation of water, hot water for consumption or cold water for consumption.
  • consumption water it can in certain cases be sufficient with such a valve in the cold water pipe before the water heater to close off both hot and cold consumption water.
  • the invention can naturally also be applied to a single-pipe system just as well as the two-pipe system shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the heating elements in the sensing bodies of several valves can be supplied via the switch 18 of the relay 17, in spite of only one such heating element being shown in FIG. 3. If there is a risk of leakage from both heating system and consuming system for hot and cold water in one and the same room, it may be necessary to close three valves of the kind in question from one and the same sensing device 16.
  • the invention is thus not limited to the embodiment shown and can be considerably varied within the scope of the claims.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Steam Or Hot-Water Central Heating Systems (AREA)
  • Control Of Resistance Heating (AREA)
  • Control Of Temperature (AREA)
  • Examining Or Testing Airtightness (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Paper (AREA)
  • Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
US06/049,184 1976-02-26 1979-06-18 Apparatus for the prevention or limitation of water damage Expired - Lifetime USRE30493E (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE7602561 1976-02-26
SE7602561A SE391389B (sv) 1976-02-26 1976-02-26 Anordning for forebyggande eller begrensning av vattenskador
SE7605806A SE401410B (sv) 1976-05-21 1976-05-21 Elektriskt styrd reglerventil
SE7605806 1976-05-21

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US05/769,667 Reissue US4136823A (en) 1976-02-26 1977-02-17 Apparatus for the prevention or limitation of water damage

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
USRE30493E true USRE30493E (en) 1981-01-27

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ID=26656699

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/049,184 Expired - Lifetime USRE30493E (en) 1976-02-26 1979-06-18 Apparatus for the prevention or limitation of water damage

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) USRE30493E (enExample)
JP (1) JPS52122178A (enExample)
CH (1) CH604100A5 (enExample)
DE (1) DE2707555A1 (enExample)
DK (1) DK66877A (enExample)
FI (1) FI61961C (enExample)
GB (1) GB1571131A (enExample)
NO (1) NO142637C (enExample)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100186926A1 (en) * 2009-01-26 2010-07-29 George Alfonso Varlaro Wasted heat recovery

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS58158218U (ja) * 1982-04-16 1983-10-21 三菱電機株式会社 床暖房システムの熱媒回路
JPS60165433A (ja) * 1984-02-08 1985-08-28 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 給湯暖房機の水検知装置

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2538221A (en) * 1951-01-16 Thermostatically controlled valve
US3770002A (en) * 1971-11-01 1973-11-06 L Brown Automatic water shut-off system
US3818874A (en) * 1973-04-02 1974-06-25 P Tria Safety switch assembly for a relief valve
US3920031A (en) * 1969-04-18 1975-11-18 Don A Maxfield Safety shutoff device
US3943983A (en) * 1974-05-23 1976-03-16 Buchler Instruments, Div. Of Searle Analytic, Inc. Moisture sensing systems for electrically operated liquid-handling devices
US3945564A (en) * 1974-06-24 1976-03-23 Novo Products, Inc. Temperature control system
US4041557A (en) * 1976-09-29 1977-08-16 Aluminum Plumbing Fixture Corporation Toilet flushing device with overflow inhibitor

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2538221A (en) * 1951-01-16 Thermostatically controlled valve
US3920031A (en) * 1969-04-18 1975-11-18 Don A Maxfield Safety shutoff device
US3770002A (en) * 1971-11-01 1973-11-06 L Brown Automatic water shut-off system
US3818874A (en) * 1973-04-02 1974-06-25 P Tria Safety switch assembly for a relief valve
US3943983A (en) * 1974-05-23 1976-03-16 Buchler Instruments, Div. Of Searle Analytic, Inc. Moisture sensing systems for electrically operated liquid-handling devices
US3945564A (en) * 1974-06-24 1976-03-23 Novo Products, Inc. Temperature control system
US4041557A (en) * 1976-09-29 1977-08-16 Aluminum Plumbing Fixture Corporation Toilet flushing device with overflow inhibitor

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100186926A1 (en) * 2009-01-26 2010-07-29 George Alfonso Varlaro Wasted heat recovery

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS52122178A (en) 1977-10-14
FI61961C (fi) 1982-10-11
FI770584A7 (enExample) 1977-08-27
NO142637B (no) 1980-06-09
DK66877A (da) 1977-08-27
GB1571131A (en) 1980-07-09
CH604100A5 (enExample) 1978-08-31
FI61961B (fi) 1982-06-30
DE2707555A1 (de) 1977-09-01
NO770630L (no) 1977-08-29
NO142637C (no) 1980-09-17

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