Dry sprinkler with a diverter seal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744390-B2
Application number	US-201615348421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2016
Priority date	Dec 1, 2004
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A dry sprinkler is provided that includes a structure, a fluid deflecting structure, a locator, a metallic annulus and a shield. The structure defines a passageway extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet. The structure has 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. The fluid deflecting structure is proximate the outlet. The locator is movable along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position. The locator supports the metallic annulus. The metallic annulus includes first and second metallic surfaces spaced apart along the longitudinal axis between an inner and outer circumference with respect to the longitudinal axis. The shield has a first face exposed to the inlet and a second face confronting the first metallic surface to define a gap there between. Various methods are also described.

First claim

What I claim is:

1. A dry sprinkler having an unactuated state and an actuated state, the sprinkler comprising:
an inlet fitting having an inner fitting surface defining an inlet of the dry sprinkler and a sealing surface, and an outer fitting surface having fitting threads for coupling the dry sprinkler to a piping network;
an outlet frame having an inner surface defining an outlet of the dry sprinkler;
a casing tube having an inner casing tube surface, the casing tube coupling the inlet fitting to the outlet frame such that the inner fitting surface of the inlet fitting, the inner surface of the outlet frame and the inner casing tube surface of the casing tube define a passageway extending along a longitudinal axis between the inlet and the outlet of the dry sprinkler, the inner fitting surface of the inlet fitting defining a first diameter of the passageway about the longitudinal axis and the inner casing tube surface of the casing tube defining a second diameter different from the first diameter, the passageway defining a rated K-factor being 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 located at a fixed axial distance from the outlet such that the axial distance is the same in both the unactuated state and the actuated state;
a sealing member having a first metallic surface facing the inlet of the dry sprinkler and a second metallic surface axially spaced apart between an inner circumference and outer circumference of the sealing member, the inner and outer circumferences being centered about a sealing member axis;
an inner assembly including a fluid tube; and
a locator coupled to the inner assembly and disposed in the passageway to locate the sealing member along the longitudinal axis such that in the unactuated state the first metallic surface of the sealing member is engaged with the sealing surface with the inner circumference of the sealing member being circumscribed about the longitudinal axis, and in the actuated state the sealing member is located along a portion of the passageway spaced from the sealing surface, the locator further being fixed to the sealing member such that in the actuated state, the inner circumference of the sealing member remains circumscribed about the longitudinal axis, the locator having a frontal surface that diverts fluid flow into a generally symmetrical flow path so that a majority of flow does not impinge upon the first metallic surface, the frontal surface being located within the inlet fitting in the unactuated and actuated states of the dry sprinkler.

2. The dry sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein, in the unactuated and actuated state, the sealing member is located within the inlet fitting.

3. The dry sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the outer inlet fitting surface for coupling the dry sprinkler to a piping network comprises a generally cylindrical outer surface having the fitting threads formed thereon.

4. The dry sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the rated K factor comprises one of a nominal K-factor of 8.0, 11.2, 14.0 and 16.8.

5. The dry sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the frontal surface establishes the generally symmetrical fluid flow path about the longitudinal axis through the outlet at a flow rate of at least 95 percent of the rated K-factor multiplied by the square root of the pressure of the fluid flow fed into the inlet in pounds per square inch gauge.

6. The dry sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the locator includes a diverter assembly, the diverter assembly having a mounting portion, the sealing member being disposed on the mounting portion, and the mounting portion being fixed to the locator via a connector.

7. The dry sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein locator comprises a shield, the shield providing the frontal surface.

8. A dry sprinkler having an unactuated state and an actuated state, the sprinkler comprising:
an inlet fitting having an inner surface defining an inlet of the dry sprinkler, the inlet including a sealing surface; the inlet fitting having an outer fitting surface for coupling the dry sprinkler to a piping network;
an outlet frame having an inner surface defining an outlet of the dry sprinkler;
a casing tube having an inner surface, the casing tube coupling the inlet fitting to the outlet frame such that the inner surface of the inlet fitting, the inner surface of the outlet frame and the inner surface of the casing tube define a passageway extending along a longitudinal axis between the inlet and the outlet, the inner surface of the inlet fitting defining a first diameter of the passageway about the longitudinal axis and the inner surface of the casing tube defining a second diameter different from the first, the passageway defining a rated K-factor being 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 located at a fixed axial distance from the outlet such that the axial distance is the same in both the unactuated state and the actuated state;
a sealing member having first and second metallic surfaces, one of the first and second metallic surfaces providing a sealing member surface facing the sealing surface and defining an outer peripheral edge of the sealing member disposed about the longitudinal axis; and
a locator coupled to a tubular inner assembly, the locator disposed in the passageway to locate the sealing member outer peripheral edge to circumscribe the longitudinal axis in both the unactuated and actuated states, with the sealing member engaged with the sealing surface in the unactuated state, and with the sealing member located along a portion of the passageway spaced from the sealing surface in the actuated state, the locator further being fixed to the sealing member such that fluid flow through the outlet in the actuated state is at a flow rate of at least 95 percent of the rated K-factor multiplied by the square root of the pressure of the fluid flow fed into the inlet in pounds per square inch gauge.

9. The dry sprinkler of claim 8 , wherein the sealing member comprises a compressed configuration in the unactuated state and an uncompressed configuration in the actuated state.

10. The dry sprinkler of claim 8 , wherein the outer peripheral edge of the sealing member extends toward the sealing surface when the sealing member is in an uncompressed configuration.

11. The dry sprinkler of claim 8 , wherein the outer peripheral edge is located along the longitudinal axis between the sealing surface and an inner peripheral edge of the sealing member in the actuated state.

12. The dry sprinkler of claim 8 , the locator fixed to the sealing member with a projection disposed on the longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the projection being disposed on a side of the sealing member having the sealing member surface.

13. The dry sprinkler of claim 12 , the projection having a conical surface defining a tip portion disposed on the longitudinal axis in the actuated state.

14. The dry sprinkler of claim 13 , wherein the projection comprises a portion of a shield.

15. The dry sprinkler of claim 8 , wherein the outer fitting surface comprises threads for coupling the dry sprinkler to the piping network.

16. The dry sprinkler of claim 8 , wherein, in the unactuated and actuated state, the sealing member is located within the inlet fitting.

17. The dry sprinkler of

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Silva Jr Manuel R

Classifications

• A62C37/14 Primary

  with frangible vessels · CPC title

• A62C35/62 Primary

  dry, i.e. empty of extinguishing material when not in use · CPC title

• A62C37/11

  heat-sensitive · CPC title

• A62C37/10

  Releasing means, e.g. electrically released · CPC title

• A62C37/08

  comprising an outlet device containing a sensor, or itself being the sensor, i.e. self-contained sprinklers · CPC title