Patent ID: 11872425
Assignee: MINIMAX VIKING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT GMBH
Field: Environmental technology (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A  F | IPC A

Claim 22:
23. A branch connector for coupling a fire protection fluid distribution device to a supply pipe header, the branch connector comprises:
an annular seal member having a first end seal surface, a second end seal surface, an inner surface defining an inner gasket diameter and a peripheral surface defining an outer gasket diameter, the inner and peripheral surface extending between the first and second end seal surfaces; and
a tubular member having an inlet for connection to the supply pipe header, an outlet for connection to the fluid distribution device, and an internal surface defining an internal passageway extending along a central longitudinal axis from the inlet to the outlet, the internal passageway defining a minimum diameter for firefighting fluid to flow therethrough, the internal passageway including a gasket chamber formed between the inlet and the outlet with the annular seal member disposed in the gasket chamber, the gasket chamber defining:
a first restriction proximate the inlet;
a second restriction proximate the outlet; and
a relief wall between the first restriction and the second restriction, the first and second restriction engaging the peripheral surface of the annular seal member to support the annular member within the gasket chamber such that the relief wall circumscribes the peripheral surface to define an expansion volume therebetween and a fluid flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet and through the inner surface of the annular seal member.