Patent ID: 7516800

Claim:
A dry sprinkler comprising: a structure defining a passageway extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, the structure having a rated K-factor defining an expected flow of fluid in gallons per minute from the outlet divided by the square root of the pressure of the flow of fluid fed into the inlet of the passageway in pounds per square inch gauge; a fluid deflecting structure proximate the outlet; a metallic disc annulus having a face disposed about a central axis between an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; a support member for the metallic disc annulus; first means for translating the metallic disc annulus along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position; and second means for repositioning the central axis of the face skewed to the longitudinal axis within the passageway between the first position and the second position, the second means being located between the first and the second position and longitudinally spaced from the support member for the metallic disc annulus when the annulus is in either one of the first and second positions so that a flow of fluid in gallons per minute from the outlet of the structure is at least 95 percent of the rated K-factor multiplied by the square root of the pressure of the flow of fluid fed into the inlet of the structure in pounds per square inch gauge.