Patent Application
20140131056
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to single-operation particulate discharge apparatus such as fire extinguishers and fire suppression apparatus, and in particular, to an apparatus for discharge of particulate under pressure such that the apparatus can be operated in multiple orientations.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Pressurized vessels are often used for discharge of particulate such as fire suppression powders. However, prior art particulate discharge vessels do not perform well when inverted from their normal upright operating position, and frequently leave substantial particulate within the vessel.
Some prior art vessels for holding a fire extinguishing particulate and its pressurizing agent (typically, Nitrogen gas) include, in most cases, an internal siphon tube that draws the fire extinguishing material and nitrogen from the bottom of the pressurized vessel and discharges the mixture from the top. While such a prior art vessel is effective when operated in an upright position with the siphon tube extending into the bottom of the vessel and discharge being from the top of the vessel, such a prior art vessel will not work effectively when in the inverted position.
Another type of prior art pressure vessel has the discharge outlet at the bottom of its vessel, and can be effective to discharge more than 95% of its contents provided that the vessel is operated in its upright position such that discharge occurs from the discharge outlet at the bottom of the vessel. Such prior art solutions include Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,471 (issued Apr. 27, 2010), fully included by reference herein, and Edwards et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,740,081 (issued Jun. 22, 2010), also fully included by reference herein. Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,471, discloses a single-action discharge valve that could preferably be used with the present invention. Edwards et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,740,081, discloses use of a single-action discharge valve within a fire-extinguishing apparatus and the control circuitry therefor, as could be used with the present invention. However, these bottom-discharge prior art vessels are also ineffective when operated in an inverted position because substantial particulate remains within the vessel after the discharge cycle occurs.
Additionally, Butz, James R., et al., “Fine-Water-Mist Multiple-Orientation-Discharge Fire Extinguisher”, NASA Tech Briefs (January 2010), p. 50, Vol. 34 No. 1 (National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.), discloses a fine-water-mist multiple-orientation-discharge fire suppression device that can be used on spacecraft and airplanes in multiple orientations.
None of these references, either singly or in combination, discloses or suggests the present invention.
It is therefore desirable to provide a particulate discharge vessel that can operate effectively in multiple orientations, inverted, non-inverted, and horizontal, and that will discharge substantially all of the particulate within the vessel regardless of orientation.
The present invention is a multiple orientation particulate discharge vessel for rapidly discharging particulate, such as fire-extinguishing chemical powder, from a pressurized vessel that can be used in multiple orientations.
The apparatus of the present invention includes an outer vessel, having first and second ends, and an interior vessel forming a void and substantially sealed to the outer vessel proximate the first end. A single-action discharge valve selectively seals an outlet through the outer vessel. An outlet manifold spans the outlet and has a plurality of radial passageways that place the outlet in communication with the void. An inlet with an inflation valve is provided into the void through the outer vessel for filling the interior vessel with particulate and for pressurizing the interior and outer vessels. A plate proximate the second end has a plurality of angled bores and is interposed between the outer and interior vessels.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a particulate discharge vessel that operates effectively in multiple orientations, inverted, non-inverted, and horizontal, and that effectively discharges more of the particulate from within the vessel than possible with prior art solutions when the vessel is inverted.
Referring to
Interior vessel 28 forms a void 36 therewithin and is substantially sealed to outer vessel 22 proximate first end 24 as by being closely received at its lower end into a circular recess 38 within base 30. Outer vessel 22 has an outlet 40 through its first end 24 that is in communication with void 36.
A single-action discharge valve 42, preferably such as the single-action discharge valve disclosed in Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,471 (issued Apr. 27, 2010), fully incorporated by reference herein, selectively seals outlet 40. Valve 42 may include, for example, a glass plate 44 that is broken by the impact of teeth 46 of valve 42 that are caused to reciprocate in a single-stroke action by an armature, so as to quickly and fully open outlet 40 for discharge of the contents of void 36.
Apparatus 20 further includes an outlet manifold 48 within interior vessel 28 and with outlet manifold 48 spanning outlet 40. Outlet manifold 48 includes a cap 50 and has a plurality of radially-directed passageways 52 interposed between cap 50 and first end 24, with radial passageways 52 causing outlet 40 to be in communication with void 36. Radial passageways 52 may be formed by milling a plurality of radial grooves 0.078 inch (0.198 cm) wide and 0.130 inch (0.330 cm) deep into manifold 48. Preferably, the sharp inwardly-pointing points of the separating walls 54 of radial passageways 52 are removed by machining a 1.125 inch (2.86 cm) centered counterbore 56 into manifold 48. Radial passageways 52 are preferably sized so that the total passageway cross-sectional area of all passageways 52 is not less than the cross-sectional area of outlet 40, and preferably 20% larger than the cross-sectional area of outlet 40, so that the escaping particulate and gas from within void 36 is not impeded as it passes through passageways 52 into outlet 40. Manifold 48 is preferably attached to first end 24 of outer vessel 22 as by screws 58 received into base 30 through holes 60 in manifold 48. Manifold 48 was found by testing to prevent dry particulate from piling up during discharge around the inside of interior vessel 28 at base 30 adjacent recess 38 by forcing the dry particulate to enter through passageways 52 by gas flowing radially inward and substantially parallel to base 30 at first end 24 during discharge, creating a turbulent flow at first end 24 that evacuates dry particulate adjacent the junction of interior vessel 28 with base 30.
Apparatus 20 further has an inlet 62 extending into void 36 through outer vessel 22, preferably axially located at second end 26. Inlet 62 is preferably threaded and a fill valve assembly 64, best seen in
Apparatus 20 further comprises a plate 80 proximate second end 26 and interposed between outer vessel 22 and interior vessel 28. Plate 80 is spaced from second end 26 by a plurality of legs 82 and has a central hole 84 (1.25 inch (3.175 cm) in diameter) through which fill valve assembly 64 is closely received. Plate 80 has a plurality of bores 86 therethrough, with each bore 86 being at an acute angle 88, preferably 45 degrees, with respect to plate 80 as best seen in
Apparatus 20 may also preferably be provided with a pressure switch fitting 92 in communication with the interior of outer vessel 22, with a well-known pressure switch 94 being received into fitting 92 and connected as by wires 96 to monitoring circuitry (not shown) for ensuring that there is sufficient pressure within apparatus 20 for correct operation.
After apparatus 20 has been assembled as described above, and has been pressure tested to ensure that there are no leaks, fill valve assembly 64 is removed from the apparatus and interior vessel 28 is filled with particulate 98, such as well-known dry powder fire extinguishing material, through inlet 62. Fill valve assembly 64 is then screwingly fitted into inlet 62 in second end 26 so as to seal the apparatus, and the apparatus is then pressurized to about 220 to 225 pounds per square inch (7.46 to 7.63 kg per square meter) of nitrogen through Schrader valve 70, and valve cap 72 is fitted onto the Schrader valve. When the single-action discharge valve 42 is actuated, the apparatus 20 will discharge the particulate 98 through outlet 40.
As a comparison of the present invention with the same structure but without interior vessel 28, plate 80, and outlet manifold 48 (i.e., the configuration of the prior art without the features of the present invention), over 95% of the particulate was discharged when the apparatus 20 was in the non-inverted position, about 60% of the particulate was discharged when the apparatus was in the inverted position, and about 64% of the particulate was discharged when the apparatus was in a horizontal position. This compares to the present invention with interior vessel 28, plate 80, and outlet manifold 48 showing a discharge of about 90% or greater when in the upright position, inverted position, or horizontal position.
The apparatus of the present invention is used to rapidly discharge particulate, such as dry powder fire extinguishing material, from within a pressurized vessel when the apparatus is in multiple orientations (non-inverted, inverted, or horizontal), producing improved completeness of discharge of particulate, regardless of the orientation, as compared with the prior art.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred use therefor, it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.
