US1958285A - Fire extinguishing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1934.

E. TYDEN ,958,285 FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filgd Oct, 9, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l 24 E e/2502.- Ema! zjciefi/ m May 8, 1934. E. TYDEN 1,958,285

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed 001;; 9, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 waz/ wa 48?? rugs.

Patented May 8, 1934 UNiTEfi STATES @FFEQE FIRE EXTENGUISHING APPARATUS Emil Tyden, Hastings, Mich.

Application Gctober 9,

10 Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved fire extinguishing apparatus adapted to afiord protection against fire in parts of the building to be protected, in which the fire hazard is different, by means somewhat corresponding to the difference in the nature and degree of the hazard, and utilizing fo s eh adaptation to the varying situations, dry pipe or wet pipe closed head systems and open head wet pi e system, the two pipe systems being more or less interlaced and interlocked in the different areas in which the fire hazard is diiierent for insuring the maximum protection which open head and closed head wet pipe and dry pipe systems are respectively best adapted to afford. The invention consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the general character or" the vertical section of a building equipped with an apparatus embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section upon an enlarged scale of a temperature-responsive device and valve construction controlled thereby for controlling the operation of devices for opening the closed heads upon the occurrence of fire in the vicinity of the temperature-responsive device.

Figure 3 is a section at tl e line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View of the control valve indicated in symbol in Figure l, the same being shown in operative relation to the flow and pressure passages of the system which it controls.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a system-com necting valve employed in the system and which is indicated by symbol in Figure 1, the same being shown in Figure 5 with the flow and pressure connections in accordance with Figure 1, section being in the plane of said connections.

Figure 6 is a plan View of a mechanically operated discharge head and an operating device for the same, showing the flow connection and operating connection in accordance with the showing of the same in Figure 1.

Figure '7 is an elevation of the construction shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section at the line 8-8 on Fi ure "1.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view showing a modification in which are contained features of the two systems illustrated in Figure l as installed on different floors of the building.

1931, Serial No. 567,896

(Cl. l6916) Figure 10 is a section at the line 10-40 on Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a section at the line l111 on Figure 2.

Figure 12 is a section at the line l2-12 on Figure 4.

Figure 13 is a detail section similar to Figure 12 showing a slight modification.

Figure is a sectional view of a normally discharge head similar to the disillustrated in Figure 8, but having the lever of the frangible strut consisting of two pieces soldered together so as to be fusible for releasing the strut, the strut, beside being ire, being a toggle adapted to escape lrom vah a ding position when released by the fusion of the two-part lever arm.

Figure 15 is a sectional View of another modified form of normally closed water discharge head adapted to be opened by mechanical means actto fracture a certain part, and also adapted to be opened by fusion of a part concerned in holding the valve seated.

Referring to the drawings:

A represents a customary form of water suply main valve of a wet pipe system. This valve, as shown, is of familiar commercial iorm, havng the body connected at the lower side to the water main, 0;, and at the upper side to the water delivery line, 10, and having the valve member, 11, arranged to be normally seated by gravity for opening inwardly under the supply pressure, and thus adapted to be held seated by the hydrostatic head of the water occupying the delivery line above it so as that line is closed, preventing discharge, Tout liable to be opened by supply pressure whenever the delivery line or any discharge line or branch therefrom is open for discharge.

The valve device, A, having main water inlet valve, 11, arranged to be opened by the supply pressure when the pressure in the discharge line in any manner released, is of familiar construction in that it has a slender discharge duct shown at A which is closed by the valve, 11, when the latter is at normal seated position, and which is opened to the full flow capacity of said duct by very slight opening of the valve, 11. The A connected to the duct, A may conduct the water discharge on the side opening of the valve, ii, to any fluid operable device, usually an which may hus be operated before the full opening of the valve, 11, has given opportunity for the water to reach the discharge heads of the system. This feature of the valve device, A, is not part of the present invention, being a feacharge ture in common use in fire extinguishing systems for operating an alarm or other signal.

The delivery line, 10, is shown with a branch, 10, on the first floor hereinafter referred to as the loading platform floor, said branch leading to a control valve device, 14, which is shown in outline in Figure 1 and in detail in Figure 4, as hereinafter fully described. A similar branch, 10, is shown leading from the delivery line, 10, to a horizontal supply line, 12, on an upper floor, from which a plurality of branches, l3, 13, to lead to control valves, l4, 14, 14:, said valves being so named because they control the delivery of water to the service pipe lines which they respectively connect to the supply line.

The first floor above the basement may be understood as comprising, beside enclosed aparments, an unenclosed or only partly enclosed area, as for example, a loading platform if the building is a warehouse or factory. And on this floor there is shown a system comprising a service pipe line, indicated at 20, having closed water discharge heads, 21, which are not of the automatic type, that is, of the type adapted to be opened by the action of the heat directed upon each individual head,-but are of the type adapted to be opened by mechanical means, such as hereinafter particularly described, under the control of a temperature-responsive device, indicated at 30, positioned at a location to which smoke and hot gases of fire on this floor or in the particular apartment will be most likely to arrive immediately or most quickly upon fire becoming started.

At 40 on this floor there is indicated a service pipe line having open heads, 41, which may be understood as extending in the partly unenclosed area, referred to as the loading platform, where, both on account of air draft which might keep the fire gases blown away from the discharge heads, so that heads of the automatic type would not be serviceable, and also because of the liability to freezing, it would not be satisfactory to have the service pipes in this area normally occupiied by the water, as in a wet pipe closed head system, it is most desirable and practically quite necessary that the access of water to this service line should be controlled at a point in the enclosed area, or where the pipe and control means shall not be unduly exposed to outside temperature in cold weather.

Accordingly, this service line, 40, is shown connected for deriving its water supply through the control valve device, 14, of the service line, 20, located, as mentioned, in the enclosed area of this floor, which said control valve device has both inlet and discharge valves normally closed and adapted to be opened for inlet and for discharge through the discharge connection, 16, to the open head line, 40, when the pressure in the chamber of the valve device, 14, is released for discharge through the pipe line, 15, to the closed head line, 20, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

There is also shown at 30*, in this loading platform area, a temperature-responsive device similar to the device, 30, above mentioned, said temperature-responsive device, 30*, being connected with the pipe system on this floor for insuring access of water to the open heads when the fire is in the loading platform area. For proper understanding of the operation and cooperation of the two systems shown in the first floor located respectively in the enclosed area M shown at the right hand and in the open loading platform area N at the left hand, a full understanding of the detail construction and operation of the thermostatically controlled valves and mechanically operated normally closed heads and their connections is necessary; and these elements of the construction will accordingly now be described,

The construction of the mechanically operated discharge heads and the operating means for the same may be understood from Figures 6, 7 and 8, in which it will be noted that the discharge heads, 21, and the mechanical devices for operating them for opening, constitute what may be regarded as a unitary structure which comprises a pipe coupling in the service line in which the discharge head is mounted.

This pipe coupling, 22, has a suitable boss, 23, into which the discharge head, 21, is screwed. The discharge head is formed with a yoke, 24, overhanging the discharge port, 25, at which the valve, 26, is seated, being held to its seat by a strut, 27, stepped at its lower end on the valve and stopped at its upper end in the countersunk end of a screw, 28, which is screwed through the hub or stem of the spreader cap, 29, of the discharge head. The strut, 27, is rendered displaceable by being breakable, as indicated by reduction in diameter seen at 27, and below this reduction the strut is furnished with a lever, 27 which is connected with the mechanical operating device.

This operating device, indicated in its entirety by reference character, 90, is a chambered fitting mounted by means of a stem, 92, on the pipe coupling member, 22, which for that purpose has a laterally projecting boss, 22 to which the member, 90, is firmly clamped by a bolt, 92". The cavity of the member, 90, is upwardly open and closed by a flexible diaphragm, 95, clamped in place for so closing the cavity by a plug, 96, through which the stem, 9'7, which operates as a stem of the diaphragm, extends for engagement of the end of the lever arm, 27 said stem 97 having its lower end furnished with a head, 97.

A coil spring, 98, reacting between the head of the diaphragm stem, 97, and a downwardly facing shoulder, 96 formed in the cap, 96, by counterboring the aperture through which the stem, 97, protrudes to accommodate the spring, serves for holding the diaphragm normally thrust inwardly, the diaphragm thus constituting a movable wall of the cavity in the member, 90, which may accordingly be referred to as an expansible and reducible chamber. Commrmicating with this chamber, and in fact forming a part of it, is a bore, 9%, which extends through a boss, 90 projecting laterally from the member, 90, and serving for the connection of the operating line with the expansible and reducible chamber of said member, 90.

For operating the device, 90, to displace the discharge head strut and open the head for water discharge, an operating line, 99, is provided leading from the water discharge line, 10, by way of the valve device, 14, and the discharge line, 15, as seen in the system of mechanically operated normally closed sprinkler heads carried by the pipe line, 20, in the lower right hand part of Figure 1, said operating line having a valve controlling the access of water pressure, and it will be understood that upon such access of pressure simultaneously to the diaphragm, 95, and the operating device of all the discharge heads, 24, of the line, the levers, 27*, are operated for displacing the struts, 27, releasing the valves, 26, and opening simultaneously all the discharge heads of the line. The valve referred to as controlling the access of water pressure is operated by a temperature-responsive device of the character above referred to. This valve construction will now be described.

At the proper point in the water delivery line for cooperating with the temperature-responsive device above mentioned, there is interposed in said line a fitting, 100, formed with inflow passages, 101, 102, the inflow passage turning upwardly, as seen at 103, to a port, 104, opening in the valve chamber, 105, formed by a hood member, 106, which is mounted fluid-tight on the body of the fitting, as indicated, by a packing gasket, 107, the hood being clamped to the body of the fitting by a yoke, 108, in a manner readily understood from Figure 3.

The port, 104, is encompassed by the valve seat, 109, for the valve, 110, which is held to its seat by a displaceable strut, 111, stepped at its lower end on the valve and stopped at its upper end in the countersunk end of an adjustable screw, 113, which is set through the top of the hood. The strut is made displaceable preferably by being made easily frangible, as indicated by the reduction in diameter at about the middle point of its length, as indicated at 115, and having extended from the lower part below the breaking point thus indicated, a lever arm, 116, which is extended into normal contact with a flexible or otherwise slightly movable portion of the wall of the hood, indicated at 117.

This flexible wall portion is exteriorly exposed opposite the end of the lever arm in the path of swing of the weighted lever, 81, which constitutes the operating element or the temperature-responsive device, which will now be described.

t is of the type sometimes defined as a rate of rise thermostat, being a construction adapted to respond by movement of a movable part to rapid change of temperature afiecting it, but not to respond, for any thermostatic function, to slow change of temperature. It comprises two metal bars, I and J, mounted side by side, the bar, I, being of relatively large diameter, and the bar, J, being relatively slender, so that upon exposure to slow change of temperature, the two bars will elongate at the same rate, but upon exposure to rapid change of temperature the slender bar will elongate to a very substantial extent before the heavier bar will show any appreciable elongation.

Advantage is taken of the relative change of position of the free ends of the two bars due to the elongation of the one bar in the absence of elongation of the other to operate a latch, 80, which at normal position engages a weighted lever, 81, for upholding its weighted end, the release of the latch by the movement of the free end of the lesser bar permitting the weight to fall and encounter means, hereinafter described, permitting the weight to fall and encounter the flexible wall member, 117, of the valve construct-on above described.

A housing, '70, substantially tubular but open at the lower side for a greater part of its length, as indicated at 71, mounted in any convenient manner (not shown) on the wall or ceiling or" the apartment, carries the metal rods, I and J. Both rods are made fast at one end, and slidingly engaged in a head plate, 72, of the-housing, which has mounted in it at the other end a bracket member, '73, formed with a web, '74, which constitutes the head plate of the housing at that end, in which the metal rod, 1, is fixed and the metal rod, J, is slidingly engaged. The bracket, 73, is

" shown attached to the hereinafter described valved device having a valve arranged to be opened by the action of the weighted lever controlled by the thermostat, said valved device being attached to said bracket by a bar, '75, bolted to both parts, as seen in Figure 3; and said bracket is extended for affording pivotal support, as seen at 73 for the Weighted lever, 81, which is mounted overhanging from its pivot and held normally in that position against gravity by a latch member, '76, pivoted at one end to the web, 74, of the bracket, 73, and having at the other end a catch nose, 76 which engages a catch, '77, carried by the lever, 81, all as seen in Figure 2.

The manner of operation and cooperation of the two systems shown on the first fioor in the enclosed and opened areas respectively will now be understood to be as follows:

Upon the occurrence of fire conditions in the enclosed area, seen at the lower right hand of Figure 1, the operation of the temperature-responsive element shown in detail in Figure 2, rel asing the pressure in the pipe line, 20, and the chamber of the valve device, 14, causes the simultaneous opening of the inlet valve, 17, and discharge valve, 1 (see Fig. 4) and the valve, ll, of the main valve, A; and water is delivered by the discharge line, 16, to the open head line, 40, and at the same time directly from the main delivery line, 10, by way of the discharge, 15, from the valve device, 14, to the operating line, 99, resulting in the operation of the mechanical means described for displacing the struts of the discharge heads, 21, of the closed head line 20; and simultaneously with the opening of these heads the water is delivered to said line, 20 of the discharge line, 15, from the valve device, 14. Thus the occurrence of fire heat in the closed area causes water discharge simultaneously both from the open head line, 40, in the open loading floor area, and fro n the normally closed mechanically operated heads of the closed line, 20, in the enclosed area.

Also, upon the occurrence of fire heat in the open area, the temperature-responsive element, 30 located in that area, operates for releasing the pressure in the Erie, 15 and thereby in the valve device, 14, causing opening of both valves of said valve device, 1 1, and delivery of water through line, 16, to the open head line, 10, and simultaneously causes the operation of the apparatus in the enclosed area in precisely the same manner as when the temperature-responsive element, 30, is operated by fire heat in said enclosed area.

Thus, the two systems in the two separated areas of the first floor cooperate for protection of both areas aga nst fire when fire heat occurs in either of said areas.

On an upper door it may be understood that the fire hazard at different parts of the area is 7 A plurality of said service lines of one set are indicated at 50, 51, 52, having closed heads of the automatic type indicated at 53, and a plurality of service lines of the second sort are indicated at 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, having open discharge heads indicated at 66.

loo

The service lines, 50, 51 and 52, are not directly connected in succession or series, but each of said lines is connected with the main delivery line, 10, by way of the extensions, 10 and the pipe line, 12, by a control valve indicated in certain figures of the drawings only in outline and designated in entirety by numeral, 14, and individually by 14 14 and 14. The construction of the control valve shown in detail in Figure 4 will now be described.

The valve body consists of three members of which the first member, 14, having the inlet passage, 14, is arranged for attachment to the supply line, as seen at 14.

The second member, 14, of the valve body constitutes the valve chamber, and has delivery passage arranged for connection, as seen at 14 with a delivery line, 15, leading to the closed head service line. The third body member, 14*, is arranged to be held bound between the other two body members, as indicated by bolts, 14 This member contains the delivery passage, 14 arranged for connection as seen at l4 to the delivery line, 16, which leads to the open head service pipe system.

This third member has also the continuation of the inlet passage, 14", leading to the inlet port, 14, and to the valve seat, 14. At the discharge port of the valve body or entrance port to the discharge line, indicated at 14 said third member of the body has a valve seat, 14 for the discharge control valve, 17.

' The inlet control valve, 14 is pivoted to the third member of the valve body, as seen at 14 at one side of the port, 14, and valve seat, 14, and has mounted upon it at the opposite side of the seat from its pivot, the discharge control valve, 17, which seats at the discharge port, 14 simultaneously with the seating of the valve, M

1 at its seat, 14.

For insuring substantially simultaneous seating of the two valves, 14 and 17, except as hereinafter described, the valve, 17, is mounted adjustably on the extended lever arm, 14 of the valve, 14, as indicated by the threaded bushing, 18, screwed through said extended lever arm of the valve, 14 affording engagement for the stem, 17, of the valve, 17, as clearly seen in Figure 12.

Slight modification of this construction is shown in Figure 13 for a specific purpose as hereinafter described.

From this description it may be understood that upon the admission of the supply pressure to the closed head system, without admission to the open head system (which may be effected as hereinafter described) so long as the closed head line, 20, remains closed, that is, so long as all the water discharge heads of the system remain closed, and the line is not otherwise connected for discharge, the valves, 14 and 17, will be held closed by gravity plus the water pressure, the latter operating for closing upon the area of both the valves, 14 and 1'7, against the same pressure operating for opening only on the area of the valve, 14 thus ensuring the exclusion of water from the open head system so long as the closed head system remains thus closed.

The described condition as to the water supply pressure in the closed head line is produced in the following manner. Upon the operator opening to the extent of a mere crack the usual always present shut-off valve which controls the admission of water from the water main to the entire sprinkler system, the normal looseness of the pivot, 14*, indicated by the annular space,

14 on Fig. 4 permits the valve, 14 to lift at its heel from the valve seat to the extent of a mere crack without moving bodily so as to carry the valve, 17, to any extent from its seat.

The modification referred to shown in Figure 13 consists in mounting the valve, 17 in the bushing, 18, with a very slight range of movement toward and from the valve seat, as indicated by the slight crevice shown at 17 in Figure 13. This allows the valve, 14 to be cracked open to the slight extent suitable for operating as described without causing any opening of the valve, 17.

By holding the shut-off valve thus cracked open until the water ceases to flow, full supply pressure is produced in the closed head system and operates for closing upon the area of both valves, la and 17, against the same pressure operating for opening, only upon the area of the valve, 14 and notwithstanding the subsequent opening of the shut-off valve fully, the over-balance of pressure for seating as against pressure for opening, plus the weight of the valves tending to seating, ensures the holding of both valves, l -l and 1'7, seated so long as there is no opening in the closed head system permitting discharge and venting the pressure.

The open head lines, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 are arranged for flow connection by system-connecting valves, hereinafter described, with respectively adjacent closed head lines. For understanding this connection and the manner of operation of the system by reason of this connection, the construction and operation of the system-connecting valves must be first understood, and this construction will now be described. These system-connecting valves are all indicated in totality by the numeral, 42, and individually as 42 42 42 and 42 Referring to Figure 5:

Each of these valve devices comprises a valve body in two parts, 42 and 42 the part, 42*, having a flow passage, 42*, connecting an inlet port, 42, with the outlet port, 42 with a valve seat, 42, in said flow passage at which a flowcontrolling valve, 42 is normally seated, as more particularly hereinafter described.

The two body members, 42 and 42 are formed with mated faces for clamping between them a flexible diaphragm, 42 against which the stem, 42, of the valve, 42 is stressed, at the under side of the diaphragm, a spring, 42 being provided, reacting between a disk head, 42 with which the stem is furnished for bearing on the diaphragm, and a body member, 42 for holding the valve, 42, normally seated, as mentioned.

The mated faces of the body members, i2 and 42 are recessed to form in the body member, 42*, a pressure chamber, 42 and in the body member, 42 a chamber, 42 to accommodate the movement of the diaphragm, 42*, in its fiexure for operating the valve, 42 The chamber, 42 is arranged for connection as indicated at 42 with an open head service line; and the inflow and outflow ports, 42 and 42 are arranged for connection respectively with an adjacent closed head line 42 and with another open head line 61 whose communication with each other it is the function of the system-connecting valve device to control.

The flow connections controlled by the systemconnecting valves of the open head lines, 61 and 64, are made with the closed head line, 51, by system connecting valves, 42 and 42 respectively, connected for operation respectively with the open head lines, 60 and 65. The flow contion of the open head line, 62, is made with closed head line, 52, by the system-connecting valve, 12 operated by connection with the open head line, 61. The flow connection of the open head line, 63, is made with the closed head line, 56, the system-connecting valve, 12, connected for operation with the open head line, 64.

The open head lines 60 and 65 have no direct flow connection with any closed head line, but operate for how derived from the control valves, 14 and 14 respectively, and by the iiow thus derived cause the opening of the two systemconnecting valves, 42 and 42 respectively.

The operation of this system-connecting valve device may be understood from the foregoing description, but will now be described in detail by reference to one of the several connections above indicated.

Upon the opening by heat or" any one or more of the closed heads i the line, 51, the resulting relief of pressure permitting the control valve, 14 to open, admits supply pressure to the open head lines, 51 and 64:. pressure operates by the connection of the system-controlling valve, 12 for flow connection between the closed head line, and the open head line, 62, and at the same time operates by the system-connecting valve, 42 for effecting flow connection between the closed. head line, 55, and the open head line, 63. The opening of how connection from the closed head line, 52, to the open head line, 62, operating for relief of pressure in the closed head line, 52, causes the opening of the control valve, 14 admitting water by way of the valve, 1'7, of the control valve, 14?, to the open head lines, 62 and 65, supplementing the flow admitted to the line 62 from the closed head line, 52. The opening of flow from the closed head line, 56, to the open head line, 63, relieving the pressure in the open head line, 50, causes the control valve, 14 to be opened, admitting the water past the valve, 1'7 of said control valve to the open head lines, 60, and 63.

Thus from the opening of the single closed head, 53, in the closed head line, 51, there results the discharge oi water through all the open head lines.

Similarly, assuming the opening of a close head, 53, in the closed head line, 52, the relief of pressure in the closed h ad line resulting in the opening of the control valve, 14, causing the opening also of the valve, 1'3, of the control valve, la admits the pressure to the open head line, 65, and. thus to the system-connecting valve, 42 causing the opening or flow connection between the closed head line, 51, and the open head line, 64, resulting in water discharge from the open heads of the lines, 6%, as well as from the open heads or" line, 61. And the admission of pressure by the open head lines, 64, to the system-connecting valve 12 operates for opening flow connection between the closed head line, 50, and the open head line, 63. And the resulting relief of pressure in the closed head line, 50, causes the opening of the control valve, 14 and the discharge of water past the valve, 17, of said control valve, 1 1 to the open head line, 65. And thus in the same manner as in the case of the opening of a closed head in the line, 51, water is admitted to all the open head lines and discharged from all the open heads thereof.

Similarly, assuming the opening of a closed head, 53, in the closed head line, 50, the resulting opening of the control valve, 14, causing suphe the ply pressure to operate past the valve, 1'7, of the control valve, 14 for water discharge to the open head line, 60, results by pressure from said open head line, 60, operating the system-connecting valve, 42 for opening flow connection between the closed head line, 51, and the open head line, 61, with the result that the pressure from said line, 61, operating the systeni-connecting valve, 42 opens flow communication between the closed head line, 52, and the open head line, 62; and discharge from the open heads of said line 62; and with the further result that the relier"v of pressure in the closed head line, 52, causes the control valve, 1 1 to be opened and water to be discharged past the valve, 1?, or" said control valve, 1 1 to the open head lines, 65 and 62. And thus, as in the other instances, the opening of a single closed head in the closed head line, 56, causes the discharge or"- Water from all the open heads of all the open head lines.

It may be found desirable in some cases to have one or more of the closed head service systems, 50, 51 and 52 equipped with discharge heads constructed for being opened mechanically instead or" automatically, as by employing connection, valve device, and valve-controlling and operating devices, such as shown in Figures 6, '7 and 8 above described, and employed in the closed head system connected with the open head system in the loading platform illustrated in Figure 1.

Such construction is illustrated in Figure 9 in which the closed head line, 51, is shown equipped with normally closed discharge heads operable for opening by mechanical means, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. In this installation the pipe line, 16, corresponding to the pipe line, 16, of the system shown in Figure 1 in the enclosed area of the first floor, is connected to the open head lines, 61 and 6e, and the pipe line, 15, leading from the valveless discharge of the control valve, 14 and controlled as to flow by the thermostatic device, 30 corresponds to the pipe line, 15, of the system shown in Figure 1 in the enclosed area of the first floor, and is connected to the closed head line, 51, and also to the operating line, 99, as indicated at 51 and 99 respectively. The operation of this installation it may be understood is that upon release of the pressure in the line, 15, by the operation of the thermostatic device, 30 causing opening or" both valves of the control valve device, 14 the water is delivered by the line, 15, to the two open head lines, 61 and 64;; and simultaneously water is delivered by the delivery line, 15, to the closed head line, 51, and water pressure is communicated through the operating line, 99, for displacing the struts of the discharge heads, 53, of said closed head line, 51, and opening said heads for water discharge simultaneously with the discharge from the open heads of the lines, 61 and 64.

It may also be desirable in some cases to provide for operation of certain of the closed heads in two ways, and for this purpose to supply each or" such heads with temperature-responsive means adapted to release the water upon a predetermined rise or" temperature immediately adjacent the individual head itself, and also to supply such heads with mechanical means operable by fluid pressure. Such fiuid-pressure-operating means would be controlled, as shown in Figure 1 and in Figure 9, by a temperature-responsive device positioned at any desired location in the protected area, operating to cause opening of several closed heads simultaneously upon predetermined rise of temperature at the location of such device. One construction of normally closed discharge head for this purpose is illustrated in Figure 14, showing the valve element, 26, held in place by a two-part strut composed of members, 101 and 102, reacting between the valve member, 26, and an adjustable screw, 28, supported in the frame or yoke, 24, of the device. The member, 101, is shown with a reduced neck portion, 103 so as to be easily frangible, and adjacent this portion it is embraced by an arm, 104, 105, having the two parts united by solder fusible at temperature involving fire hazard, extending laterally for support upon a diaphragm stem, 97. This stem is associated with the diaphragm, 95, similar in structure and operation to that illustrated in Figure 8, and mounted in the cavity of a fitting, 90, which is supplied with fluid pressure through its bore, 90 When the pressure is admitted, the diaphragm, 95, is bulged upwardly, forcing the stem, 97, to swing the arm, 104, upwardly at its outer end and thus snap the frangible portion, 103, of the strut member, 101. The strut, of course, drops out of position and permits the valve, 26, to be forced off its seat by the water supply pressure. The arm, 104, 105, like the usual fusible link, is adapted to fail at a predetermined temperature, so that it will then cease to hold the parts, 101 and 102, of the strut in their valve-retaining position, whereupon the water pressure will promptly dislodge said valve, putting the sprinkler head in action.

Figure 15 shows an alternative construction in which the toggle-like strut holding the valve, 26, to its seat, is composed of two members, 111 and 112, both having lateral arms, 113 and 114, respectively, which are normally connected by a fusible link, 115. When the temperature rises to a point at which the link fails, it releases the arms, 113 and 114, permitting them to separate, and allowing the breaking of the toggle joint and the collapse of the strut. The arm, 114, is formed with a hook, 116, which engages the link, 115, but the arm, 113, is provided with a frangible stem, 117, having a reduced neck portion, 118, at which the link, 115 engages it. A pressure, operated diaphragm, 95, is arranged so that its stem, 97, extends normally abutting the projecting end of the stem, 117. When the fluid pressure is applied to the diaphragm, 95, the stem, 97, is projected forcibly against said part, 117, causing it to break at the reduced neck, 118, and thus releasing it from engagement with the link, 115. It will be understood that application of pressure to the diaphragm, 95, may be controlled by a temperature-responsive device, located perhaps at some distance from the sprinkler head, and operating to provide fluid pressure to a plurality of such heads simultaneously. Thus the employment of this form of sprinkler head, or that shown in Figure 14, renders the system extremely sensitive, so that it will be placed in operation promptly under varying conditions constituting fire hazards.

I claim:

1. A fire protective apparatus comprising at least two water-delivering wet pipe systems each of said systems comprising a sub-system having normally closed discharge heads adapted to be opened automatically under fire hazard conditions and a sub-system having normally open discharge heads and each system comprising a water-supply controlling valve device having an inlet valve arranged to be opened by the supply pressure, said valve device having a valveless discharge port and a connection therefrom to the closed head sub-system said valve device having also a discharge connection therefrom to the open head sub-system equipped with a valve arranged to seat in the direction of discharge, said last mentioned valve being ree to remain seated when the inlet valve is opened suitably for admitting the water supply pressure for charging the closed head sub-system with water to the limit of supply pressure; means for opening said valve in the connection to the open head sub-system when the inlet valve is opened for discharging water from the heads of the closed head sub-system, each system having a flow passage connecting its closed head and open head sub-systems while the closed heads remain closed; a normally seated valve in each said flow passage and pressure operable means for opening said valve; and a connection for pressure flow from the open head sub-system or" each system to the pressure-operable valve-opening means of the fiowpassage of another system; whereby upon the relief of pressure in the closed head sub-system or" one i the systems by the opening of a normally closed head therein, the water pressure admitted to the corresponding open head sub-system operates the connector valve for connecting the closed head sub-system of another system with the corresponding open head sub-system of said other system and admits water for discharge at all open heads of both systems.

2. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a plurality of systems, each system comprising a water supply controlling valve having first and second discharge lines; a service line equipped with normally closed water discharge heads connected with the first discharge line; a service line equipped with normally open water discharge heads connected with the second discharge line; the closed heads being constructed, arranged and connected for bein opened upon the occurrence of predetermined temperature conditions in the protected area; said controlling valve including means normally preventing flow to the open head service line but rendered inoperative when discharge occurs from the closed head service line, the means preventing how of each system being normally held closed by pressure in the discharge line leading to the closed head service line or" that system; the closed head service line of each system having flow conection with the open head service line of the same system; a valve controllcd device making and controlling said connection; a normally seated valve in said connecting device; pressure operable means for opening said valve, and flow connection from the open head service line of another of said systems connected to said pressure operable valve opening means for opening the valve in said connection when the opening of a normally closed head in the closed head line of the second mentioned system relieves the pressure on the means preventing flow of said second system and permits said means to open and admit the water pressure to the open head line of that system.

3. A fire protective apparatus comprising a plurality of wet pipe water delivery systems each comprising a closed head wet pipe sub-system and an open head wet pipe sub-system; each of said plurality of water delivery systems containing a valved device which controls the water supply both to the closed head sub-system and to the open head sub-system, said valved device comprising a valve chamber and an infiow controlling valve which is normally seated at closed position by the pressure of water in said closed h d sub-system and arranged to be opened by the supply pressure upon the relief of said pressure in the closed head system, and a normally open outlet port having fiovv connection with the ater delivery line of the closed head sub-system, and a second outlet port having ilow connection with th water delivery line of the open sub-system; a valve at the second outlet port arranged to be opened when the first men tioned valve is open, both said valves opening inwardly with respect to the valve chamber, each system containing a connector between the closed head and open head sub-systems; a normally seated valve in said connector, and pressure op era le means for opening said valve, and flow connection for pressure to the pressure operable valve-operating means or" each connector from the ope. head sub-system of an adjacent system; whereby upon relief of pressure in any one of the closed head sub-systems the water is admitted to all the open head sub-systems for discharge from all the open headsof the entire system.

i. A fire protective apparatus comprising a series of fire protective systems arranged consecutively in the protected area, each system of the series comprising a closed head sub-system with discharge heads adapted to be opened automatically under fire hazard conditions and two open head sub-systems and a water supply controlling device having an inlet arranged for connection with a source of water tmder pressure and two outlets, the closed head sub-system having new connection with one of said outlets, and the two open head sub-systems having flow connections with the other outlet, said device including means normally preventing flow to the open head sub-systems but rendered inoperative when discharge occurs through the closed head sub-system, each system comprising also flow passages connecting its closed head sub-system with the open head sub-systems respectively, normally seated valves in said fiow passages respectively controlling fiow therethrough, pressure-operated means for opening the respective valves, and flow connections for communicating pressure for op erating said valves led respectively from the open head sub-systems of the consecutive systems respectively next adjacent the first mentioned systerns at the opposite sides thereof.

5. A fire protective apparatus comprising a series of fire protective systems arranged consecutively in the protected area, each individual system of the series comprising a closed head subsystem and at least two open head sub-systems, and a valve device through which all said subsystems of the individual system derive Water supply, said device including means normally preventing flow to the open head sub-systems but rendered inoperative when discharge occurs through the closed head sub-system, each of said systems comprising also conduit means connecting its closed head sub-system with its open head sub-systems; valve means controlling said conduit means; pressure operable means controlling said valve means and pressure-conducting means leading to one of said pressure-operable means from one of the open head systems of one of the two adjacent systems of the series.

6. In the construction defined in claim 5, in all instances of two consecutive systems of the series the connection for pressure to the pressure-operable means being made leading from the open head sub-system at the same side of the first mentioned system, whereby every intermediate system in the consecutive series has connection with the systems next adjacent at its opposite sides respectively by a pressure flow passage connecting an open head sub-system of one of the two adjacent systems with the pressure operable means of the other adjacent system.

'7. In the construction defined in claim 5, said valve means consisting of a valve body having inlet and outlet ports and a flow passage connecting them, a valve seat in said passage, the valve therein being arranged to open against the flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, the valve body having a chamber with a movable wall member by whose movement the chamber is enlarged and reduced, said chamber having a port for connection with the open head service line of the adjacent system, and the movable wall member being connected at the opposite side thereof from said last mentioned port with the valve for moving the latter in opening direction in the chamber-enlarging movement of said wall member due to the pressure from the open head service line of the adjacent system.

8. The construction defined in claim 1, the closed head sub-system of one of said Wet pipe systems having its closed heads constructed and arranged for being opened by mechanical means, mechanical means for that purpose constructed and arranged to be operated by fluid pressure, and pipe line connection to said mechanical means from the valveless discharge port of the water supply controlling valve of the system, a valve in said pipe line connection, and temperature-responsive means located in the protected apartment operatively connected for opening said last mentioned valve.

9. A fire extinguishing system having a main water controlling valve device, first and second discharge lines connected thereto, said valve device having an inlet controlling valve element and a valve controlling said second discharge line, a service line equipped with normally closed water discharge heads connected with the first discharge line, the inlet valve and the valve controlling the second discharge line being normally held seated by pressure in the first discharge line leading to said closed heads but arranged to' be opened by the supply pressure upon the relief of said pressure in the closed head service line; a service line equipped with open water discharge heads connected with the second discharge line; the normally closed heads being constructed, arranged and connected for being opened upon predetermined temperature conditions in the protected area; the normally closed heads of said system being connected for being individually opened by mechanical means; mechanical means for that purpose operatively associated with the several closed heads respectively of said system, each adapted to be operated by fluid pressure; an operating fiuid pressure line connected with the water-pressure region of the apparatus and extending to said fiuid-pressure-operated mechanical means; a valve controlling the access of water pressure to said operating line, and a temperature-responsive device positioned at selected location in the protected area connected for causing the opening of said valve upon predetermined temperature conditions at said location.

10. In a fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a main water supply controlling valve; a discharge line therefrom; a service pipe system connected with said discharge line having a plurality fluid-pressure line" connected with the water pres sure region of the apparatus and extending to said fiuid-pressure-operated mechanical means; a valve controlling the access of water-pressure to said operating line, and a temperature-responsive device positioned at selected location in the protected area connected for causing the opening of said valve upon predetermined temperature conditions at said location.

EMIL TYDEN.

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