Patent ID: 8151897
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: A62C

Abstract:
1. An extended coverage sidewall automatic fire sprinkler comprising: a generally tubular body with a central passageway and a central axis, one end of the passageway forming an outlet at one end of the tubular body, a closure at the one end of the tubular body at least essentially generally closing the passageway, a trigger positioned to releasably retain the closure at the outlet closing the passageway, and a deflector at a discharge end of the sprinkler, the deflector being coupled with the tubular body adjoining a yoke, the yoke having a knuckle with a boss, the deflector facing and spaced axially away from the outlet and intersecting the central axis, the tubular body having a K factor greater than 9, the deflector being symmetrical about an imaginary vertical plane passing through the central axis, the deflector including a first arm, a second arm and a generally planar face portion generally orthogonal to the central axis, the face portion having a perimeter that circumscribes a single face portion opening within the perimeter axially aligned with the central axis and engaged with the boss of the knuckle so that the boss extends through the single face portion opening to space the face portion from the outlet, the deflector being further divided by an imaginary horizontal plane passing through the central axis and orthogonal to the vertical plane, the face portion further including an upper edge above the horizontal plane and a lower edge that extends parallel to and below the horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical plane, the face portion having a bottom center extending below the horizontal plane and centrally axially aligned along the vertical plane with the face portion opening so as to locate the lower edge as a portion of the deflector most remotely below the horizontal plane, the deflector further including a canopy portion spaced from the upper edge so as to define a perimeter of a flow passage through the deflector, the flow passage consisting of a single flow opening in the deflector for fluid to pass the canopy portion being supported by the first and second arms and being coupled to the face portion at a first canopy end and extending generally along the central axis away from the outlet towards a free end, the first canopy end being spaced at a first distance from the outlet, the free end defining a linear profile the entire length from the first arm to the second arm extending parallel to the horizontal plane and spaced from the outlet at a second distance greater than the first distance, and the deflector being shaped and positioned so that upon release of the closure by the trigger, the deflector transforms water discharged horizontally from the outlet into a spray pattern of water droplets dispersed over a generally horizontal, generally rectangularly-shaped extended coverage area of more than one hundred square feet located on one side of the sprinkler effective to control an ordinary hazard fire in the coverage area, and when the sidewall fire sprinkler is paired with an identical sidewall fire sprinkler mounted approximately sixteen feet apart on a generally planar wall surface with a collection area of approximately sixteen feet between the sprinklers and sixteen feet away from one of the sprinklers, the collection area located at either one of a distance of about thirty-six inches and a distance of approximately six feet and 7.5 inches below each of the sidewall fire sprinklers so that water is delivered to the collection area at an average density of at least about 0.15 gallons per minute per square feet.