U.S. patent number 3,823,779 [Application Number 05/327,960] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-16 for fire extinguishing system nozzle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Factory Mutual Research Corporation. Invention is credited to Siavash Eshghy, Johann A. Stamm.
United States Patent |
3,823,779 |
Stamm , et al. |
July 16, 1974 |
FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM NOZZLE
Abstract
The discharge outlet plug of a fire extinguishant nozzle is
retained by an external lever system that is conditioned by the
operation of a heat fusible means in response to the presence of a
first temperature rise to permit release of the plug under fluid
pressure in the nozzle. An overriding beam arrangement is provided
to prevent release of the plug unless the nozzle fluid pressure
exceeds a predetermined pressure floor, and in some forms a
temperature responsive override arrangement is provided to disable
the overriding beam arrangement in the presence of a materially
higher temperature rise to permit the plug to be expelled by fluid
pressures below the pressure floor.
Inventors: |
Stamm; Johann A. (Export,
PA), Eshghy; Siavash (Pittsburgh, PA) |
Assignee: |
Factory Mutual Research
Corporation (Norwood, MA)
|
Family
ID: |
23278857 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/327,960 |
Filed: |
January 30, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
169/39; 169/40;
169/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A62C
37/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A62C
37/10 (20060101); A62C 37/08 (20060101); A62c
037/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;169/37-42 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wood, Jr.; M. Henson
Assistant Examiner: Love; John J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lane, Aitken, Dunner &
Ziems
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by letters Patent is:
1. Fluid dispensing nozzle means comprising a body having a passage
therethrough between an inlet adapted to be connected to a source
of fluid under pressure and a discharge outlet, plug means normally
blocking said outlet and having one side exposed to force exerted
by said inlet fluid pressure, means for retaining said plug means
in said outlet comprising a lever system mounted externally of said
body and engaging said plug means, and beam means operable in
cooperation with said lever system to prevent said plug means from
being expelled from said outlet by said fluid pressure when said
fluid pressure is below a predetermined value, said beam means
incorporating a tension element interconnecting beam sections
normally exerting a seating force on said plug means sufficient to
close said passage and adapted to break when subjected to a force
corresponding to said predetermined amount of fluid pressure to
permit displacement of said plug means from said outlet.
2. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 1, wherein
said beam means comprises spaced beam sections rockably mounted on
the body and interconnected by a metal tension strap comprising
said tension element.
3. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 1, wherein a
heat fusible connection is provided betweem said beam sections and
the tension element.
4. Fluid dispensing nozzle means comprising a body having a passage
therethrough between an inlet adapted to be connected to a source
of fluid under pressure and a discharge outlet, plug means normally
blocking said outlet and having one side exposed to force exerted
by said inlet fluid pressure, means for retaining said plug means
in said outlet comprising a lever system mounted externally of said
body and engaging said plug means, and flexible abutment means
operable in cooperation with said lever system to prevent said plug
means from being expelled from said outlet by said fluid pressure
when said fluid pressure is below a predetermined value, said
abutment means directly engaging said plug means and being stiff
enough for positively holding said plug means in a passage blocking
position when said fluid pressure is below said predetermined
amount, and being capable of flexing to permit passage opening
displacement of said plug means when the plug means is subjected to
a force corresponding to fluid pressure at or above said
predetermined amount.
5. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 4, wherein
said plug means is a closure plate extending over said passage
outlet, and said releasable means comprises at least one flexible
beam having opposite ends respectively abutting said body and the
side of said plate opposite to that exposed to said fluid pressure
exerted force, whereby said flexible beam is subjected to buckling
by force transmitted through said plug means.
6. Fluid dispensing nozzle means comprising a body having a passage
therethrough between an inlet adapted to be connected to a source
of fluid under pressure and a discharge outlet, plug means normally
blocking said outlet and having one side exposed to force exerted
by said inlet fluid pressure, means for retaining said plug means
in said outlet comprising a lever system mounted externally of said
body and engaging said plug means, and releasable means operable in
cooperation with said lever system to prevent said plug means from
being expelled from said outlet by said fluid pressure when said
fluid pressure is below a predetermined value, said releasable
means comprising mechanism normally exerting a seating force on
said plug means sufficient to close said passage but being
yieldable to permit displacement of said plug means from said
outlet when the plug means is subjected to a force corresponding to
pressure at or above said predetermined amount in said nozzle, said
mechanism being adjustable for presetting said releasable means to
yield at a desired predetermined value.
7. Fluid dispensing nozzle means comprising a body having a passage
therethrough between an inlet adapted to be connected to a source
of fluid under pressure and a discharge outlet, plug means normally
blocking said outlet and having one side exposed to force exerted
by said inlet fluid pressure, plug retainer means comprising a
lever system mounted externally of said body and engaging the other
side of said plug means, releasable means for normally retaining
said lever system in position to maintain said plug means in said
passage blocking condition, said releasable means being operable in
response to the presence of predetermined temperature to condition
said lever system to permit said plug means to be expelled from
said outlet by said fluid pressure, and means separate from said
lever system and directly engaging said plug means for normally
maintaining a seating force on said plug means sufficient to
maintain said passage closed but being yieldable to permit
displacement of said plug means from said outlet when said plug
means is subjected to force corresponding to pressure at or above a
predetermined amount in said nozzle.
8. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 7, wherein
said means directly engaging said plug means comprises an
overriding beam incorporating a tension element interconnecting
separate beam sections and adapted to break only when subjected to
a force corresponding to said predetermined amount of inlet fluid
pressure.
9. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 7, wherein
said means directly engaging said plug means comprises at least one
beam member having opposite ends respectively engaging said body
and said plug means and adapted to buckle in response to a force
corresponding to said predetermined amount of inlet fluid
pressure.
10. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 8, wherein
said beam sections are separately rockably mounted on the body and
interconnected by a metal tension strap comprising said tension
element.
11. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 10, wherein
heat fusible connections are provided between said beam sections
and opposite ends of the tension element, said heat fusible
connections being adapted to release interconnection between the
tension element and said beam sections in the presence of a
temperature that is a predetermined amount higher than said
predetermined temperature.
12. Fluid dispensing nozzle means comprising a body having a
passage therethrough between an inlet adapted to be connected to a
source of fluid under pressure and a discharge outlet, plug means
normally blocking said outlet and having one side exposed to force
exerted by said inlet fluid pressure, plug retainer means
comprising a lever system mounted externally of said body and
engaging said plug means, releasably means for normally retaining
said lever system in position to maintain said plug means in said
passage blocking condition, said releasable means being operable in
response to the presence of a first predetermined temperature to
condition said lever system to permit said plug means to be
expelled from said outlet by said fluid pressure, means for holding
the plug means in said blocking condition unless said fluid
pressure is above a predetermined amount comprising an overriding
beam incorporating a tension element interconnecting beam sections
and adapted to break only when subjected to a force corresponding
to pressure at or above said predetermined amount in said nozzle
and means responsive to a temperature higher than said first
predetermined temperature to release said last mentioned holding
means and allow said plug means to be expelled irrespective of the
value of said fluid pressure.
13. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 12, wherein
said beam comprises spaced beam sections rockably mounted on the
body and interconnected by a metal tension strap comprising said
tension element.
14. The fluid dispensing nozzle means defined in claim 12, wherein
a heat fusible connection is provided between said beam sections
and the tension element to provide said last mentioned release
means.
Description
This invention relates to spray nozzles for fire extinguishing
systems of the type used in buildings for automatically discharging
water or like liquid to an area where the ambient temperature may
rise above a predetermined value, as in the case of a fire in that
area, and is particularly directed to nozzles that are effective to
discharge only when the internal or input fluid pressure is above a
predetermined value which is sometimes identified as the pressure
floor.
Fire extinguishing systems of this pressure floor type wherein even
after a fusible control or like device has been actuated to release
condition by increased temperatures due to fire are known and have
been disclosed in the early U.S. Pats. to Doughty Nos. 1,736,255
and 1,736,256 as well as in the recently issued U.S. Pat. to
Livingston No. 3,655,136.
The invention has as a major object the provision of a fire
extinguishing system spray nozzle assembly wherein a blocking or
closure member usually in the form of a plate or a solid plug
having one side exposed to force exerted by fluid pressure in the
nozzle is maintained in the nozzle outlet by an externally mounted
lever system that includes temperature responsive retaining means
and an overriding beam holding arrangement for preventing the plug
from being expelled from the outlet if the fluid pressure in the
nozzle is below a predetermined pressure floor even though the
level system is released by the temperature responsive means.
Another object of the invention is to provide, in the foregoing,
overriding heat fusible means in the overriding beam that will act
in the presence of a temperature higher than that which releases
said temperature responsive retaining means to disable the holding
action of the overriding beam and permit the blocking member to be
expelled regardless of the degree of fluid pressure in the
nozzle.
Further objects of the invention will appear in connection with the
appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation mainly in section showing the invention
according to a preferred embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 but viewed in a
section at right angles to FIG. 1 and showing the overriding
beam;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 2 showing the overriding
beam in a further embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation showing the overriding beam feature of
the invention applied to an otherwise conventional type fire
extinguisher nozzle;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation at right angles to FIG. 4 partly broken
away and in section showing details of the pressure floor
arrangement in that embodiment;
FIG. 6 is a side elevation partly broken away and in section
similar to FIG. 5 showing another form of overriding beam
incorporated in the otherwise conventional nozzle structure;
FIG. 7 is a section substantially on line 7--7 of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 8 is a side elevation partly broken away and in section
showing another form of the embodiment of the invention illustrated
in FIG. 7.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the spray nozzle 11 comprises a tubular
body 12 having an inlet designated at 13 threadedly connected to a
supply pipe 14 that contains water under mains or pump pressure. A
bladed swirl assembly S is fixed internally within the inlet to
impart a swirling motion to water passing through the nozzle. The
nozzle outlet designated at 15 is normally blocked by closure means
in the form of a plug member 16 having an upwardly open external
annular recess 17 around its periphery containing a compressed
resilient O-ring 18 that seals against outlet passage of water
under normal pressures. Plug member 16 has a slidable sealing fit
in the outlet.
Plug 16 is retained in the nozzle outlet by an external lever
system 19 that comprises a first lever 21 intermediately directly
engaging the bottom of plug 16 and having one end hooked at 22 to
rockably mount it upon an external annular nozzle body flange 23.
The other end of lever 21 is pivoted on a fulcrum 24 on a second
parallel lever 25 having a hooked end 26 rockably mounted on flange
23. Fulcrum 24 may be the rounded end of an adjustable screw 27 as
shown. The other end of lever 25 has a lug 28 connected to a lug 29
on lever 21 by a heat fusible link 31. Link 31 preferably comprises
metal elements 32 and 33 coupled by a heat fusible solder layer
34.
The lever system 19 also comprises an override beam unit 35 which
as shown in FIG. 2 comprises laterally extending opposite sections
36 and 37 having hooked outer ends 38 and 39 respectively rockably
and releasably mounted on body flange 23. Beam unit 35 is disposed
at right angles to levers 21 and 25 and the inner ends of its
component sections 36 and 37 are spaced to provide an upwardly open
flat sided recess 41 within which is laterally snugly disposed flat
sided lever 21. A thin metal strap 42 extends across the bottom of
recess 41 to fixedly interconnect beam sections 36 and 37, and the
opposite ends of strap 42 are secured to the beam sections by heat
fusible solder layers as indicated at 43. The fusion temperature of
solder layers 43 is a predetermined amount higher than that of the
layer 34 of link 31.
In operation, should a fire occur, link 31 will first fuse at a
predetermined temperature thereby releasing and conditioning the
lever system to permit the plug 16 to be expelled by fluid
pressure. If the internal fluid pressure in the nozzle exceeds the
predetermined pressure floor, the downwardly directed force acting
through the plug and lever 21 will rupture strap 42 to break beam
35 into its separate components and permit the lever system to fall
away from the outlet.
Should the pressure in the nozzle be below the pressure floor, beam
35 will hold the lever system in place and prevent the plug from
being expelled. However, should the fire attain the higher
temperature that fuses solder layers 43, the strap 42 will separate
from the beam and allow the lever system to drop away and the plug
to be expelled regardless of the fluid pressure in the nozzle.
In order to ensure that the strap 42 will break at a desired
pressure, the beam sections 36 and 37 are formed with relatively
thin cross section substantially fixed pivot bending corners 44 and
45 respectively, and lever 21 is fitted into recess so that there
is little or no lateral movement of beam sections 36 and 37
relative to lever 21 during transmission of force from plug 16 to
strap 42. Thus the load pressure transmitted to strap 42 is
positively maintained during finite movement of plug 16 through a
predetermined distance so that rupture of strap 42 at a selected
pressure floor is reliably and accurately possible. By eliminating
lateral movement between beam sections 36 and 37 relative to lever
21, the effects of friction in the lever system are eliminated. As
the fluid pressure force F.sub.p acts downwardly on plug 16 it
urges lever 21 solidly against beam section extensions 46 and 47 at
the bottom of recess 41, so that the flexible beam sections are
oppositely rocked about their bending corners. This places strap 42
in tension, and the cross section of strap 42 is so designed that
it will break when subjected to tension force corresponding to the
pressure floor.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but wherein the
override beam 48 comprises opposed component sections 49 and 51
having their inner ends spaced at 52 to define an upwardly open
recess or space receiving lever 21, and across the lower end of
space 52 extends the thin metal strap 53 secured at opposite ends
by solder layers 54 to the beam sections. The outer ends of the
beam sections in this embodiment are connected to the nozzle body
flange 23 by wire or strap links 55 and 56 that are designed to act
as hinges to insure that a tension force is applied to strap
53.
Also as shown in FIG. 3, the inner ends of the beam sections may be
formed with upstanding projections 57 and 58 directly positively
engaging the beam sections so that the downward force exerted by
plug 16 acts directly and positively on the pressure floor release
device for optimum accuracy of operation. The operation is further
the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2 when the temperature exceeds the
fusion point of solder layers 54, as this will separate strap 53
from the override beam and release the entire lever system
regardless of the fluid pressure in the nozzle.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the invention is shown as
incorporated in a currently conventional type of fire extinguisher
nozzle assembly comprising a generally ring shaped rigid body 60
having an externally threaded hollow boss 61 for mounting it on a
water supply pipe and providing an inlet bore 62. As shown the
upper outlet end of bore 62 is surrounded by an annular rim 63 upon
which is seated closure plug means in the form of a sheet metal
plate or disc 64 that has a shallow stepped central section 65
telescoped snugly within bore 62. Below the central section 65 of
plate 64, a retainer plate 66 slidably frictionally mounted in bore
62 holds compressed a resilient O-ring seal 67 in axial contact
with plate 64 and in circumferential contact with bore 62, thus
providing a fluid tight seal normally preventing undesired passage
of water beyond plate 64 as will appear. The spring pressure of
retainer plate 66 urges ring 67 in a direction to compress ring 67
to augment the seal while plate 64 is held seated on rim 63.
At the upper end 68 of body 60 is mounted a deflector 69.
Temperature responsive retainer means for plate 64 is indicated at
70. It comprises an externally mounted lever system wherein
separate levers 71 and 72 are intermediately pivoted together at 73
and held in assembly to urge their respective vertically aligned
rounded end terminals 74 and 75 against the rigid upper body end 68
and the central section of plate 64. A heat fusible link 76
connected between outer terminals 77 and 78 respectively of the
levers holds the lever assembly in the normal arrangement shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5.
In this embodiment the overriding beam arrangement comprises at
least two relatively slender resilient metal beams 79 and 81 that
are held in place by adjustable screws 82 and 83 respectively
mounted in threaded bores 84 and 85 respectively. The beams 79 and
81 extend parallel to each other at opposite sides of the lever
system and their lower ends abut plate 64 at about 180.degree.
spaced regions to solidly urge plate 64 onto seat 63. Beams 79 and
81, which may be small diameter rods of resilient metal, tend to
hold plate 64 against displacement from seat rim 63 even when the
link 76 has fused and levers 71 and 72 no longer exert a seating
force on plate 64. Beams 79 and 81 are of such characteristics
however that they will remain substantially rigid and hold closure
plate 64 on its seat as long as the force exerted by the water
inlet pressure in bore 62 upon plate 64 is lower than a
predetermined pressure floor, but they will quickly buckle and
release plate 64 to open the inlet bore if or when the inlet
pressure exceeds the pressure floor value. Once beams 79 and 81
have buckled sufficiently to permit movement of the shallow center
section of plate 64 out of bore 62, plate 64 along with retainer 66
and seal ring 67 and beams 79 and 81 will be blown clear of the
inlet bore by water pressure and there is continuous flow of
extinguishant through the nozzle assembly.
At their upper ends beams 79 and 81 are formed with tool receiving
sockets such as screw drive slots 86 and 87 respectively, whereby
the beams may be adjusted to equal and desired holding contact with
plate 64. This adjustment predetermines the compressive force
acting in each beam and thereby accurately sets the pressure
floor.
In operation, normally link 76 biases levers 71 and 72 oppositely
about their mutual pivot to spread their inner ends 74,75 into
tight abutment with the nozzle body and plate 64 whereby plate 64
is maintained as a closure over the outlet end of bore 62. Should a
fire occur in the vicinity, link 76 will fuse at a predetermined
temperature and release levers 71,72 whereby the nozzle assembly is
conditioned to permit plate 64 to be forced out of and off the end
of bore 62 by inlet fluid pressure. Displacement of plate 64 is
however prevented by beams 79,81 unless the inlet water pressure is
at or above the pressure floor value. When the inlet pressure
exceeds the pressure floor value, beams 79,81 will buckle to permit
displacement of closure plate 64 and unrestricted opening of the
nozzle assembly for continuous passage of water therethrough.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate incorporation of an overriding beam
arrangement similar to that of FIGS. 1-3 into otherwise
conventional type fire extinguisher nozzles. In FIG. 6 the closure
member for bore 62 is in the form of a solid plug 91 having an
outer annular portion 92 seated on rim 63, a depending shallow
central boss 93 telescoped slidably within the outlet end of bore
62 and an upstanding central post 94 in abutment with the inner
terminal 75 of lever 72 of the external lever assembly 71,72 which
is the same as in FIGS. 4 and 5. Levers 71 and 72 are maintained in
tight abutment with body 60 and plug 91 respectively by a heat
fusible link (not shown) as at 76 in FIG. 4.
The overriding beam assembly 95 comprises aligned two separate
component beam sections 96 and 97 having their inner ends supported
from below at 98 and 99 respectively on plug 91 so that they define
between them an effective upwardly open flat sided recess 101
within which flat sided post 94 is laterally snugly received. The
top surfaces of the outer ends of beam sections 96 and 97 abut
inwardly projecting rigid integral lugs 102 and 103 respectively on
body 60. A thin metal strap 104 which is like strap 42 of FIG. 2
bridges the upper sides of the beam sections and opposite ends of
strap 104 are secured to beam sections 96 and 97 respectively by
heat fusible solder layers 105 and 106. Strap 104 is formed with a
central opening 107 through which the lower end of lever 72 freely
extends to abut the plug 91 as shown in FIG. 6.
A fluid pressure augmented seal is provided for bore 62, a retainer
plate 108 and resilient seal ring assembly 109 being slidably
frictionally disposed in bore 62 at the lower surface of plug
91.
In operation the parts are normally positioned as shown in FIG. 6
with levers 71 and 72 held in assembly by heat fusible link 76 with
their inner ends spread to tightly abut body 60 and plug 91 and
thereby hold plug 91 seated on rim 63 to close bore 62. Beam
sections 96,97 extend with substantially no play between the plug
and the body, the fit of post 94 in recess 101 being essentially
the same as that of lever 21 in recess 41 of FIG. 2. The resilient
seal at 109 at the lower end of the plug is augmented by inlet
fluid pressure while the plug is held seated on rim 63.
Should a fire occur, levers 71 and 72 will be released by fusion of
link 76 at a predetermined temperature, thereby conditioning the
plug 91 to be displaced by water pressure in bore 62. However,
should that pressure be below the predetermined pressure floor
value, plug 91 will be maintained on its seat by the overriding
beam to keep bore 62 closed. If the inlet pressure is at or above
the pressure floor value the force exerted on the overriding beam
through plug 91 will tension and rupture strap 104 thereby freeing
the beam sections from restraint and permitting plug 91 to be
displaced out of bore 62 by the water pressure.
The solder layers 105 and 106 correspond in function to layers 43
in FIG. 2 in that they are strong enough mechanically to secure the
strap to the beam sections while the strap is under some tension,
but they have an overriding fusion point a predetermined amount
greater than that of link 76. Thus should the fire temperature
increase to this higher amount the strap will release beam sections
96 and 97 to permit displacement of the plug 91 from its seat
regardless of the degree of fluid pressure in bore 62.
The nozzle assembly shown in FIG. 8 is the same as in FIG. 6,
except that a different seal arrangement is provided for closure
plug 91. In this embodiment the retainer plate 108 of FIG. 6 is
eliminated, and the resilient O-ring seal 109 is disposed in an
annular downwardly open shouldered recess 111 around the lower end
of the boss 93 that is slidably telescoped within bore 62.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects
as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention
being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and
range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be
embraced therein.
* * * * *