Control valve assembly with test, drain and adjustable pressure relief valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517779-B2
Application number	US-202016824359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2020
Priority date	Jan 6, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A test, drain and adjustable pressure relief module for a sprinkler system has a single body with three independent and fluidly connectable flow ports. A first port of the three flow ports is fluidly connectable at an inlet side thereof to the sprinkler system. A second port of the three flow ports has an adjustable pressure relief valve removably mounted to an outlet thereof. The valve is biased into a closed position and a threshold pressure is required to open the valve and discharge fluid is selectively adjustable. A third port of the three flow ports has an open outlet end configured to removably connect with a drainage pipe. The three ports form a Tee connection and have a flow valve therebetween to selectively direct flow between an outlet of the first port and at least one of the respective inlets of the second and third ports.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wet piping system modular valve assembly configured to branch off of a wet standpipe extending generally vertically through floors of a multi-floor property, at a respective floor of the multi-floor property, to control water flow from the wet standpipe to sprinklers on the respective floor, the modular valve assembly comprising:
a valve body having a single inlet, a single sprinkler outlet leading to and fluidly connected to the sprinklers, and a fluid flow channel therebetween;
a check valve positioned within the fluid flow channel of the valve body, the check valve being movable between a closed position and an open position according to a pressure differential across the check valve;
a test, drain and adjustable pressure relief module comprising:
a single body having three independent and fluidly connectable flow ports;
a first port of the three flow ports mounted at an inlet side thereof to the valve body and fluidly connected with the fluid flow channel thereof downstream of the check valve, the inlet side of the first port being an inlet of the module;
a second port of the three flow ports having a user adjustable pressure relief valve mounted to an outlet of the second port, the adjustable pressure relief valve being biased into a closed position and having a threshold pressure required to open the adjustable pressure relief valve and discharge fluid via a discharge channel of the adjustable pressure relief valve, the threshold pressure being selectively adjustable while the adjustable pressure relief valve remains attached to the outlet of the second port; and
a third port of the three flow ports having an open outlet end configured to removably connect with a drainage pipe, the discharge channel being fluidly connected with the third port for discharging fluid exiting the adjustable pressure relief valve via the third port, the outlet end of the third port being an exit port of the module; and
the first, second and third ports being selectively fluidly communicated via an internal flow valve therebetween, wherein:
the internal flow valve is oriented to be fully open between the first and third ports and fully closed to the second port in a drain position, to direct flow from an outlet of the first port, through the internal flow valve, and to an inlet of the third port, and
the internal flow valve is oriented to be open between the first and second ports, and fully closed to the third port in an off position, to direct flow from the outlet of the first port, through the internal flow valve, and to an inlet of the second port;

a flow detection switch mounted to the valve body and fluidly connected with the fluid flow channel of the valve body upstream of the test, drain and adjustable pressure relief module, the flow detection switch being configured to detect water flow within the fluid flow channel and output a notification;
an opening in a sidewall of the fluid flow channel for accessing the fluid flow channel, the opening being located downstream of the flow detection switch; and
a mounting plate removably and sealingly mountable on the valve body to cover the opening.

2. The wet piping system modular valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable pressure relief valve comprises:
a valve inlet defining an annular valve seat;
a valve member biased against the valve seat by a loading force of a loading member to maintain the adjustable pressure relief valve in the closed position; and
a pressure adjusting screw selectively movable to adjust the loading force of the loading member, thereby adjusting the pressure required to disengage the valve member from the valve seat and open the adjustable pressure relief valve.

3. The wet piping system modular valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising piping external to the single body of the test, drain and adjustable pressure relief module, fluidly connecting the discharge channel of the adjustable pressure relieve valve with the third port.

4. The wet piping system modular valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the check valve is a clapper valve.

5. The wet piping system modular valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the check valve, the flow detection switch and the test, drain and adjustable pressure relief module comprise a check valve assembly, and wherein the modular valve assembly further comprises a control assembly connected to the check valve assembly and positioned upstream thereof, the control assembly including a valve body having a control valve therein, and a selectively rotatable control arm operatively coupled with the control valve to move the control valve between an open position, permitting fluid flow through the control valve, and a closed position, substantially preventing fluid flow through the control valve irrespective of a pressure differential across the control valve.

6. The wet piping system modular valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the first, second and third ports form a Tee connection.

7. The wet piping system modular valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening is angularly spaced from the first port of the test, drain and adjustable pressure relief module about the fluid flow channel.

Assignees

• Victaulic Co Of America

Inventors

• Meyer Stephen J
• Archibald Thomas Edwin
• MAUGHAN Kevin Desmond

Classifications

• A62C35/64

  pressurised · CPC title

• A62C37/50 Primary

  Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment · CPC title

• A62C35/68 Primary

  Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title