Improvements in. Valves for Automatic. Fire Extinguishers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Valves for Automatic. Fire Extinguishers. ;
I, FRANK GRAY, of 226 La Salle Street, Chicago, in the County of Cook and
State of Illinois, United States of America, Insurance Inspector, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention relates to what is known as the main valve (which is the valve
used in a dry pipe system for preventing the admission of water to the system until
the pressure within the system is reduced), and it consists in the features that are
particularly pointed out in the claims hereinafter.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Figure is a vertical section of one of the improved valves, set and in readiness
for operation.
I
Figures 2 and 3 are views of some of the parts of slightly modified construction.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the mechanism for lifting and setting the weight..
In the drawing A represents a casing, which may be of any suitable construction,
provided with an inlet opening B with which the supply main-communicates, and
an outlet opening.C with which the riser of the distributing system communicates..
Neither the supply main or any part of the distributing system is shown in, the.
drawing, because their construction and their relation to what-is shown are well
understood by those skilled in the art, and the present invention' is not in any way.
limited by or to the details in their construction. In the bottom of the casing is a
hand-hole a for giving access to an interior chamber A', said hand-hole being.
closed by a covering D.. E is a valve-seat located between the inlet and outlet
openings, and F is a valve located in the chamber A' and' seating toward the
supply main, the purpose of this valve being to control the flow of water from'
the supply main to the system. In the top side of this valve is a hollow depression f
for receiving one end of a valve-stem or strut G, the other end of which is
preferably rounded off and bears against the extremity of a block H which
occupies and fits snugly, (but so as to be capable of moving end wise) in a chamber al
formed in an 'extension A2 of the casing, which 'extension is provided with a
threaded opening a², whose axis is coincident with the axis of the strut G, for the
reception of a screw I which is adapted to bear against the block H through the
medium of a steel plate or follower.J and a block K.of resilient material, such as
rubber. By turning the screw.I any desired amount of pressure may be applied
to the valve F for holding it seated in opposition to the pressure of the water in
the main. The screw is capable of producing the necessary pressure, the block of
resilient material interposed, between the valve: and casing gives the necessary
elasticity, and the frusto-conical shape of the inner end of the block H gives a
bearing surface which is ample-so long as the parts are subjected to a strain only
in the direction of the axis of the strut G, and which at the same time permits the
dislodging of the end of said strut G when it is subjected to a force acting upon.it
laterally, as hereinafter described. If desired, however, the 'resilient block K and
the separate plate J may be dispensed with, and the screw I'made to bear directly
against the end of the block H, as shown in Figure 2. As a further modification,
all of these parts, H, I, J and K, may be dispensed with. and the valve-stem.or
strut may be formed in two parts, g, g, as shown in Figure 3 threaded and united
by a threaded coupling g', whereby it may be adjusted in length so that when one

page_text: of its ends is in engagement with the valve and the other with a seat h formed for
it on the interior of the casing, by turning the coupling in the proper direction
the valve may be forced against its seat with the necessary pressure. As a further
modification, the strut may be made of friable material and arranged to be broken
instead of being simply displaced.
It will be seen that a strut G constructed and arranged as above described may
be displaced (or broken) by a force acting against it laterally, and when so
displaced there will be nothing to hold the valve F seated, and consequently the
force of the water in the main will unseat said valve and enter the system. In
order to accomplish this lateral displacement of the strut, I provide the casing
with a vertical extension A³ having at top opening a³ communicating with the
atmosphere, and I place within this extension a part L which performs the double
duty of a hammer or weight for acting against and displacing the strut, and a
valve for closing the opening a³. In order that it may effectually perform this
latter duty it is provided upon its top side with an annular rib / preferably of
V-shape in cross-section which enters a corresponding seat formed in the under
side of the top of the extension, around the opening a³. It is the intention to
construct this weight L of such size and weight that it will be held in the position
in which it is shown in Figure 1 by the compressed fluid in the system until the
pressure falls below five lbs. per square inch. Ordinarily the pressure in the
system is maintained at about twenty pounds per square inch, so that if this weight
is conditioned to fall when the pressure is reduced to five pounds per square inch,
a margin of fifteen pounds is left for accidental leakage, resulting from bad joints
and the like. So far as I am aware, I am the first to construct a valve in which
a weight is held in elevated position by the force of the compressed fluid in
the system acting directly against it, until said fluid is reduced to a predetermined
pressure, whereupon said weight will fall and cause the unseating of the valve
which controls the flow of water to the system.
When the weight is in normal position the opening a³ is closed by a screw
plug M.
When the weight is to be set, said plug is removed, and in its place is
put a hand wheel M' having through it a threaded opening through which passes
a long screw N having at top a hand-wheel N¹, or other suitable device, whereby
it may be turned. This screw is of sufficient-length to reach to the bottom of the
casing, and when its lower end is inserted in a threaded perforation in the top of
the weight, by turning the hand wheel M¹ the weight may be drawn up into the
position for closing the opening a³. After the fluid in the system has been put
under the desired pressure, it will hold the weight in this position, and the wheel M¹
and screw N may be removed and the opening a³ closed by the plug M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a valve for automatic fire extinguishers, the combination of a casing, a
valve for controlling the admission of water thereto and means for holding the
valve seated, of a weight exposed directly to the pressure within the system,
whereby it is held normally elevated by said pressure, and conditioned to fall upon
a reduction of said pressure and release the valve, substantially as set forth.
2. In a valve for automatic fire extinguishers, the combination of a casing, a
valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, and means for holding the
valve seated, of a weight located within the casing and exposed directly to the
pressure within the system, whereby it is held normally elevated by said pressure,
and conditioned to fall upon a reduction of said pressure and release the valve,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a valve for automatic fire extinguishers, the combination of a casing,
a valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, means for holding the
valve seated, and a weight exposed directly to the pressure within the system,
whereby it is held normally elevated by said pressure, and conditioned to fall upon

page_text: a reduction of said pressure and release the valve, said weight having upon it a
surface which operates as a valve, and said casing having an opening which is
normally closed by said valve, substantially as set forth.
4. In a valve for automatic fire extinguishers, the combination with a casing
provided at top with an opening, a valve for controlling the admission of water to
the casing, and means for holding the valve normally seated, of a weight located
in the casing and having on its top side a valve-surface adapted to close the
opening aforesaid, the under side of the weight being exposed directly to the
air-pressure within the system, whereby it is held normally elevated by said
pressure until reduced, whereupon the weight will fall, the means for holding
the valve seated being located beneath the weight, substantially as set forth.
5. In a valve for. automatic fire extinguishers, the combination with a casing
and a valve for controlling the admission of water thereto, of a strut located within
the casing and engaging said valve for holding it seated, and a weight located
within the casing above the strut, said weight being exposed to the pressure
within the system whereby it is held normally elevated by said pressure and
permitted to fall and displace the strut upon a reduction of said pressure, sub-
stantially as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.