US3675854A

US3675854A - Snap-off tab nozzle

Info

Publication number: US3675854A
Application number: US102651A
Authority: US
Inventors: William L Livingston
Original assignee: Factory Mutual Research Corp
Current assignee: Factory Mutual Research Corp
Priority date: 1970-12-30
Filing date: 1970-12-30
Publication date: 1972-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-11

Abstract

A snap-off tab nozzle consisting of a hollow body member having an inlet adapted for connection to a source of fluid, and an outlet for discharging the fluid. The outlet is formed by at least one separable tab to enable its axial length to be varied to regulate the discharge angle of the fluid.

Description

United States Patent 9/1960 Reggio ...222/54l X Livingston [4 1 July 1 1, 1972 [54] SNAP-OFF TAB NOZZLE 3,275,248 9/1966 O'Brien et al ..239/490 X 3,289,686 12/1966 Tyer, Jr 72 lnventor. William L. Llvln ton Shar n, Mass. gs 0 2,193,365 3/1940 Cantoni ..222/54i X [73] Assignee: Factory Mutual Research Corporation,

Norwood, Mass Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1970 Assistant Examiner-Thomas C. Culp, Jr. 1 pp No: 102,651 Attorney-Lane, Artken, Dunner & Zrems [57] ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl ..2 4 l 4 1 39/ 69/37 47 A snap-off tab nozzle consisting of a hollow body member [51] Int. Cl ..B05b 1/34 having an inlet adapted for connection to a source of fluid 58] Field f Search 239/309, 589, 596 600, 602, and an outlet for discharging the fluid. The outlet is formed by 239/490; 222/541; 169/37, 38, 39, 42 at least one separable tab to enable its axial length to be varied to regulate the discharge angle of the fluid.

[56] References Cited 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS P'ATENTEUJUL 1 1 m2 INVENTOR WILLIAM L.L|VINGSTON SNAP-OFF TAB NOZZLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a discharge noule, and more particularly, to a nozzle for discharging fluid in a predetermined pattern which can be varied.

Discharge nozzles for fluid have enjoyed wide use in various industrial applications. A typical nozzle of this'type is provided with an internal chamber for receiving the fluid, and with a reduced diameter axial discharge orifice at one end of the chamber for discharging the fluid. Vane means are often disposed in the chamber to impart a swirling motion to the fluid so that it is discharged from the orifice in a conical spray pattern with a uniform distribution of the fluid particles throughout the transverse cross-sectional area of the spray.

In this, and other similar types of nozzles, the dimensions of the orifice and internal chamber as well as the shape, dimen sions, and locations of the vanes constitute parameters that contribute to the desired result. Due to the fact that these parameters must often vary with each particular application, it

becomes necessary for a user or seller of these type nozzles to stock a very large amount of the nozzles.

A typical application of this problem is in the use of fixed fire extinguishing systems utilizing a large number of overhead noules for discharging extinguishant to the fire, since the layout or structure to be protected by the system varies in size from location to location. Since the optimum size of the discharge spray pattern for each noule may vary according to the size of the location, a supplier of these nozzles would have to stock an almost unlimited supply of nozzles to cover each particular location. This problem is compounded when different types of spray patterns are required for different locations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a nozzle of the above type which can be adapted to vary the pattern of the discharge spray from the nozzle.

Toward the fulfillment of these objects, the nozzle of the present invention comprises a body member having an inlet portion and an outlet portion for receiving and discharging the fluid, respectively. The outlet portion is formed by at least one separable tab to enable the axial length of the outlet portion to be varied to regulate the discharge angle of the fluid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention. The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the objects of the invention and are not to be construed as restrictions or limitations on its scope. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the nozzle of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial bottom plane view of the nozzle of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the various spray patterns that can be obtained by the nozzle of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The nozzle of the present invention will be described by way of example in connection with a fixed fire extinguishing system, wherein the nozzle is adapted for receiving and discharging a fire extinguishant in response to information received from a fire occurring in a particular structure in which the nozzle is mounted. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the nozzle head is shown in general by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a cylindrical body 12 having an upper end portion 14 which is internally threaded for connection to a source of extinguishant, and a lower end portion 16 which defines an outlet orifice of a reduced cross-section. A pair of

spiral vanes

18a and 18b are fixed within the body 12 for imparting a swirling motion to water flowing downwardly therethrough in a conventional manner. The

vanes

18a and 18b support a hollow central hub 20 which, in turn, slidably supports a rod 22 having a piston head 24 fixed on its lower end. A pair of sealing rings 26 and 28 are positioned about the periphery of the head 22 and sealingly engage in the inner wall of the body 12 near the lower end portion 16.

The rod 22 is latched in the position shown in FIG. 1 by a rod 32 which extends slidably through an externally threaded boss 34 projecting from the side of the body 12. One end of the rod 32 extends through the vane 18a and the wall of the central hub 20 into a slot 36 in the rod 22 to latch it in the position shown in FIG. 1.

A sleeve 38 is threaded on the end of the boss 34. The outer end of the sleeve is closed off by an externally threaded stub shaft 40 having a ring or yoke 42 thereon. The rod 32 slidably extends through the stub shaft 40, and the other end of the rod engages a conventional thermal fuse element 44 positioned within the ring 42. The fuse element prevents movement of the rod 32 to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, until the heat of a fire fuses the element 44 so that it collapses. Since the thermal fuse element 44 is the standard type commonly used in conventional sprinkler heads now on the market, it will not be described in greater detail.

The rod 32 has a piston head 46 mounted thereon which slidably engages the internal wall of the sleeve 38. A spring 48 is positioned between the boss 34 and the piston head 46 to bias the piston head and the rod 32 to the right with a predetermined biasing force.

With this arrangement, the piston head 46 and the rod 32 will be driven to the right under the action of the spring 48 upon the fuse element 44 collapsing in response to the head of the fire. This unlatches the rod 22 and allows it, along with the piston head 24, to be expelled from the lower end portion 16 of the body 12, and permit the water to spray out through the latter end portion.

According to a feature of the present invention, the lower end portion 16 of the body 12 is formed by a plurality of

annular tabs

60, 62, and 64. The tab 60 extends from the body member 12 and is easily separable therefrom along a score line 66, while the tab 62 extends from the tab 60 and is separable therefrom along a score line 68, and the tab 64 extends from the tab 62 and is separable therefrom along a score line 70.

As shownin connection with tab 64 in FIG. 2, each

tab

60, 62, and 64 has four tapered notches 72 formed therein, the four notches of each tab being circumferentially spaced at intervals around the tab. Four flanges 74 are provided around the periphery of the body portion 12 adjacent the tab 60, and

' extend slightly below the score line 66.

The provision of the notches 72 on the

tabs

60, 62, and 64, as well as the flanges 74 on the body 12, is to enable fluid to be discharged from the body 12 in the square pattern shown in FIG. 3.

In particular, the reference letter A" depicts the square pattern achieved by fluid discharging from the nozzle 10 in the form depicted in FIG. 1, that is, with all the

tabs

60, 62, and 64 left on the lower end portion 16 of the body 12. The corners of the square corresponds to the four notches 72 provided in the tab 64, since at these points the discharge of spray is slightly greater due to the reduced frictional resistance encountered by the fluid as it discharges.

In the event a spray pattern covering a slightly larger area, such as area B, is desired, the tab 64 may simply be removed from the tab 62 by separating the tabs along the score line 70. This can be achieved by simply striking a blow in a horizontal direction as viewed in FIG. 1 against the tab 64 or, alternately, providing a snap ring or the like which can be pulled to break off the tab 64 along the score line, in a conventional manner. The spray pattern C is achieved by removing the tab 62 from the tab 60 in a similar manner. Of course, the notches 72 formed in both of the

tabs

62 and 60 cause the discharge to be slightly greater at these points and results in the square patterns shown.

ln the-event the largest spray pattern D" is desired, the tab 60 is removed from the body 12 along the score line 66 in the manner described above and the fluid swirling outwardly from the end of the body will be directed to the four corners of the square pattern D by the flanges 74.

It is emphasized that the nozzle described above is not limited to fire extinguishing systems, but can be adapted to any environment requiring a similar type discharge of fluid. Also, each tab does not necessarily have to have the four notches formed therein, but rather, can have a different configuration depending on the particular spray pattern desired.

Of course, other variations of the specific construction and arrangement of the snap-off tab nozzle disclosed above can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A nozzle comprising a hollow body member having inlet means adapted to receive a source of fluid and outlet means for discharging said fluid in a predetermined discharge pattern, said outlet means including a tubular portion for providing a predetermined resistance to fluid flow through said outlet means, said tubular portion being formed by at least one separable tab to enable the axial length of said tubular portion to be reduced in a relatively easy and precise manner, said reduction in said axial length causing a corresponding reduction in said resistance and therefore in the size of said discharge pattern, the inner wall of said tubular portion being of a constant diameter through the entire length thereof so that said discharge pattern maintains a constant shape despite said reduction in size.

2. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein a plurality of tubular tabs are provided, said tabs being separated by means of a circumferential score line.

3. The nozzle of claim 1, further comprising means connected to said body member for imparting a swirling motion to said fluid so that it diverges as it discharges from said body member.

4. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein there are four notches formed in each of said tabs in a manner to form a rectangular discharge pattern.

* 1 I! l l