Improvements in Leak Detectors for Pipes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 6th May, 1889-Accepted, 29th June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Leak Detectors for Pipes.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Ada Francis Peterson, of 18 Abingdou Square, in the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of America, Housewife), to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is provide a new and improved automatic device for
detecting leaks in water pipes in hotels, and other houses, and for preventing foul
gases from passing from one room or apartment to another by means of the waste
pipe.
The Invention consists of a valve held in a closed position until sufficient leak water
accumulates on the valve to open the same whereupon the valve closes an electrical
circuit connected with an annunciator.
The water pipes of a room or the several rooms of a floor or of one apartment, are
passed over a drip pan so that on any leak occurring in any one of the pipes in or
near the respective room, floor, or apartment, the water accumulates in the said pan.
In the bottom of the latter is fixed a head provided with a strainer on its top and in
the pan so that the water dripping into the pan passes through the strainer into the
head. The latter is connected at its lower end with a pipe leading to a vertical pipe,
passing through the several floors of the house and into which lead similar pipes
from the several rooms, floors, or apartments, of the building. The lower end of the
pipe terminating preferably a short distance above the cellar floor, so that the leak
water passes down the pipe and flows into the cellar until the leak is stopped. In
the head is fixed an apertured partition having a valve seat screwed in it for a valve
closing against the under side of the seat and attached to a stem jointed at its upper
end to a lever weighted to hold the valve up to its seat. The other end of the lever is
provided with an insulated contact point adapted to be thrown in contact with a fixed
contact, the two contacts being respectively connected with an annunciator of any
approved construction and preferably located in the cellar or in the office of the janitor
of the building.
The operation is as follows: When one of the pipes leaks, the water drips into the
As soon as
pan from which it flows through the strainer into the water head.
sufficient water has accumulated in the head on top of the valve, the latter opens
by overbalancing the weighted end of the lever and the latter consequently, brings
the insulated contact point in contact with the fixed one and an electric circuit is
established with the annunciator. The alarm given by the annunciator attracts the
attention of the person in charge of the building and at the same time indicates in
which room, apartment, or floor, the leak has occurred.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & W. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Leak Detectors for Pipes.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wmn Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Lustitute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Ada Francis Peterson, of 18, Abingdon Square, in the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of America, Housewife) and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :—
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved automatic device for
detecting leaks in water pipes in hotels and other houses, and for preventing foul
gases from passing from one room or apartment to another by means of the waste pipe.
The Invention consists of a valve held in a closed position until sufficient leak-
water accumulates on the valve to open the same, whereupon the valve closes an
electrical circuit connected with an annunciator.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifi-
cation, in which figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied,
and figure 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the improvement. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.
The water-pipes A, of a room or the several rooms of a floor or of one apartment
are passed over a drip-pan B, so that on any leak occurring in any one of the pipes A,
in or near the respective room floor or apartment the water accumulates in the said
pan. In the bottom of the latter is fixed a head C, provided with a strainer D, on
its top and in the pan B, so that the water dripping into the pan B, passes through
the strainer D, into the head C. The latter is connected at its lower end E, with a
pipe F, leading to a vertical pipe G, passing through the several floors of the house,
and into which lead similar pipes F from the several floors, rooms or apartments of
the building. The lower end of the pipe G terminates, preferably, a short distance
above the cellar floor, so that the leak water passes down the pipe G. and flows into
the cellar until the leak is stopped. In the head C, is fixed an apertured partition H,
having a valve seat H' screwed in it for the valve closing against the under side
of the seat H' and attached to a stem J passing through a cross-bar (, fixed in the
top of the head C, and the said stem is jointed at its upper end to a lever K
fulcrumed on a suitable post secured on the cross-bar . One end of the lever is
provided with a weight K¹, to hold the valve I up to its seat. The other end of the
lever K is provided with an insulated contact point N adapted to be thrown into
contact with an arm O held on the cross-bar C. The insulated point N, and the arm
are connected by the wires P and P respectively with an annunciator Q of any
approved construction and preferably located in the cellar or in the office of the janitor
of the building.
The operation is as follows:-When one of the pipes A leaks, the water drips into
the pan B, from which it flows through the strainer D into the water-head C. As
soon as sufficient water has accumulated in the head C on top of the valve I, the
latter opens by overbalancing the weighted end of the lever K, and the latter con-
sequently brings the insulated contact point N in contact with the fixed one O and an
electric circuit is established by the wires P and P with the annunciator Q. The
alarm given by the annunciator attracts the attention of the janitor or other person
in charge of the building and at the same time indicates in which room apartment
or floor the leak has occurred, so that preparations can be made immediately to stop
the leak in the respective apartment.
It is to be understood that one end of the lever K can be weighted to any extent
so as to hold the valve I on its seat H¹ until a considerable quantity of water has
accumulated in the head C above the partition H. It will further be seen that the
valve I is always beld on its seat H', until a leak occurs and consequently foul gases in
the pipe G are prevented from passing into any room, floor, or apartment, by the
pipe P, and the head C. As the water flows into the cellar through the pipe G, the
janitor or other attendant of the building is obliged to have the leak repaired as soon
as possible.
Having now particularly described andascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A leak-detector for pipes, comprising a head into which passes the leak-water
and a valve held in the said head and opened by the accumulated leak water,
substantially as shewn and described.

page_text: 2. A. leak-detector for pipes, comprising a head into which passes the leak water, a
valve held in the said head and opened by the accumulated leak water, and an annun-.
ciator connected with the said valve and actuated when the latter opens, substantially
as shewn and described.
3. A leak-detector for pipes, comprising a drip-pan over which pass the various
pipes, a head held in the said drip-pan and connected with a pipe, a valve held closed
in the said head until a sufficient amount of water accumulates in the said head, and
a lever supporting the said valve and weighted to hold it on its seat in the head,
substantially as shewn and described.
4. A leak-detector for pipes, comprising a drip-pan over which the various pipes
pass, a head held in the said drip-pan and connected with a waste-pipe, a valve held
closed in the said head until a sufficient amount of leak water accumulates in the said
head, a lever supporting the said valve and weighted to hold it on its seat in the
head, a contact point held on the said lever, an arm held below the said contact
point, and an annunciator connected with the said contact point and the said arm to
establish an electric current when the said valve is opened, substantially as shewn and
described.
5. The combination with a drip-pan a head held in the said drip-pan and a waste
pipe connected with the said head, of a valve held on its seat in the said head a lever
pivotally connected with the said valve and weighted to hold the valve closed, a post
on which the free end of the said lever plays, an arm beld on the said post, wires
leading from the said arm and the said lever, and an annunciator connected with
the said wires and actuated when the said valve opens and throws the free end of the
said lever in contact with the said arm to establish an electric current, substantially
as shewn and described.
6. The combination with one or more service or waste pipes and a receptacle so
placed as to receive leakage from such pipe or pipes, of an electric circuit-closer
located in an outlet from said receptacle and operated by leakage discharged from
said receptacle, substantially as specified.
Dated this 6th day of May 1889.
Dated eis on day of may 1003.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.