Claims
- 1. An accelerator for venting a pressurized gas source to the ambient, said accelerator comprising:a first gas compartment having an inlet orifice connectable to said pressurized gas source and an outlet providing fluid communication with the ambient; a second gas compartment positioned adjacent to said first gas compartment and having a closable opening providing fluid communication with the ambient; a flexible diaphragm positioned between said first and said second gas compartments, said diaphragm being deflectable in response to relative gas pressure within said compartments; a one-way valve positioned in said diaphragm allowing gas to pass from said first gas compartment to said second gas compartment; a restrictor orifice positioned in said diaphragm allowing gas to pass between said first and said second gas compartments at a predetermined rate; and a valve member attached to said diaphragm and extending to a position engaging said outlet, said valve member being movable upon deflection of said diaphragm between a closed position closing said outlet and an open position opening said outlet to the ambient, said valve member being normally in said closed position and moving to said open position upon deflection of said diaphragm toward said first gas compartment in response to a pressure drop of said pressurized gas source of a predetermined magnitude, thereby venting said pressurized gas source to the ambient through said outlet.
- 2. An accelerator according to claim 1, further comprising a spring engaging and biasing said valve member into said closed position with a predetermined biasing force.
- 3. An accelerator according to claim 2, further comprising a valve seat surrounding said outlet, said valve member comprising:an elongated piston having an end distal to said diaphragm and extending outwardly of said first gas compartment through said outlet; a sealing member positioned on said end of said piston sealingly engageable with said valve seat to open and close said outlet; and said spring being positioned within said first gas compartment between said diaphragm and said outlet and biasing said sealing member into engagement with said valve seat thereby closing said outlet, said sealing member being movable out of engagement with said seat when gas pressure within said second gas compartment exerts a force on said diaphragm exceeding the force exerted by gas pressure within said first gas compartment and said predetermined biasing force of said spring.
- 4. An accelerator according to claim 3, further comprising an adjusting nut surrounding said outlet and threadably engaging said upper chamber, rotation of said adjusting nut effecting movement of said piston relatively to said outlet for compressing and de-compressing said spring and thereby adjusting said predetermined biasing force.
- 5. An accelerator according to claim 1, wherein said closable opening comprises a removable plug sealingly engaging said opening, removal of said plug venting said second gas compartment to the ambient and allowing gas pressure within said first gas compartment to deflect said diaphragm and move said valve member from said open to said closed position thereby effecting a resetting of said accelerator.
- 6. An accelerator according to claim 5, wherein said closable opening comprises a threaded nipple extending outwardly from said second gas compartment, said plug having threads engageable with said nipple.
- 7. An accelerator according to claim 1, wherein said valve member comprises:a piston positioned within said first gas compartment and extending into said outlet; a flange extending radially outwardly from said piston and engaging said diaphragm; and a retainer plate positioned within said second gas compartment and attached to said piston, said diaphragm being sandwiched between said flange and said retainer plate.
- 8. An accelerator according to claim 7, wherein said one way valve comprises:a first aperture extending through said flange and positioned so as to be covered by said diaphragm; a second aperture extending through said diaphragm and located in a position offset from said first aperture; and a third aperture extending through said retainer plate, said third aperture being sized and positioned so as to overlie both said first and second apertures, relatively higher gas pressure within said first gas compartment acting through said first aperture and deflecting said diaphragm into said third aperture thereby uncovering said first aperture and allowing gas to pass from said first compartment through said first, second and third apertures and into said second gas compartment, and relatively higher gas pressure in said second compartment acting through said third aperture and forcing said diaphragm against said flange and thereby covering said first aperture and preventing gas from passing from said second to said first gas compartment.
- 9. An accelerator according to claim 8, wherein said diaphragm comprises a polymer material.
- 10. In a fire suppression sprinkler system having piping connected to a plurality of sprinkler heads in fluid communication with a source of pressurized water through a control valve actuated by an actuator connected with a pressurized gas source, an accelerator operatively associated with said actuator and connected with said pressurized gas source, said accelerator causing the actuator to open said control valve in response to a decrease in pressure of said pressurized gas source, said accelerator comprising:a first gas compartment having an inlet orifice connected to said pressurized gas source and an outlet providing fluid communication with the ambient; a second gas compartment positioned adjacent to said first gas compartment and having a closable opening providing fluid communication with the ambient; a flexible diaphragm positioned between said first and said second gas compartments, said diaphragm being deflectable in response to relative gas pressure within said compartments; a one-way valve cooperating with said diaphragm allowing gas to pass from said first gas compartment to said second gas compartment; a restrictor orifice positioned in said diaphragm allowing gas to pass between said first and said second gas compartments at a predetermined rate; and a valve member attached to said diaphragm and extending to a position engaging said outlet, said valve member being movable upon deflection of said diaphragm between a closed position closing said outlet and an open position opening said outlet to the ambient, said valve member being normally in said closed position and moving to said open position upon deflection of said diaphragm toward said first gas, compartment in response to said decrease in pressure of said pressurized gas source of a predetermined magnitude, thereby venting said pressurized gas source to the ambient through said outlet and causing said actuator to actuate said control valve, thereby providing water from said pressurized water source to said piping and said sprinkler heads.
- 11. A fire suppression sprinkler system according to claim 10, wherein said source of pressurized gas comprises gas at a predetermined pressure trapped in said piping, said decrease in gas pressure within said piping occurring when at least one of said sprinkler heads opens in response to heat from a fire.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 09/526,250, filed Mar. 16, 2000 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/361,777, filed Mar. 5, 2002.
US Referenced Citations (26)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
39 40 446 |
Jun 1990 |
DE |
2 334 032 |
Jul 1977 |
FR |
WO 9959678 |
Nov 1999 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/526,250, filed Mar. 16, 2002, entitled “Dry Accelerator for Sprinkler System” (Reilly). |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/361777 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/526250 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
10/242791 |
|
US |