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Dry pipe/deluge valve for automatic sprinkler systems

  • US 10,201,723 B2
  • Filed: 07/14/2015
  • Issued: 02/12/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A dry pipe valve configured to switch between an open state and a closed state, the dry pipe valve comprising:

  • (A) a valve body including;

    (a) a main body including a main chamber;

    (b) an input port configured to connect to a supply line to receive a fluid from the supply line;

    (c) an output port configured to connect to a system of sprinkler conduits, the input port and the output port being centered on and aligned on a fluid flow axis;

    (d) a valve body supervisory gas inlet configured to receive a supervisory gas from a supervisory gas supply;

    (e) a cylindrical mounting portion that is centered on a pushrod axis that is perpendicular to the fluid flow axis, and that is provided between the input port and the output port; and

    (f) a cylindrical pushrod chamber opening centered on the pushrod axis and provided within the cylindrical mounting portion;

    (B) a clapper assembly provided in the main chamber of the main body, the clapper assembly including;

    (a) a first hinge, connected to the main body on a first side of the main chamber;

    (b) a clapper, mounted on the first hinge, and configured to rotate on the first hinge between (i) a first clapper position, in which the clapper seals the input port to prevent flow of the fluid through the main body when the dry pipe valve is in the closed state, (ii) a second clapper position, in which the clapper is open to permit flow of the fluid through the main body when the dry pipe valve is in the open state, and (iii) a third clapper position, in which the clapper is open and is prevented from sealing the input port;

    (c) a second hinge, connected to the main body on a second side of the main chamber, the second side being opposite to the first side of the main chamber with respect to the input port; and

    (d) a lever, mounted on the second hinge, and configured to rotate between (i) a first lever position, in which the lever holds the clapper in the first clapper position, and (ii) a second lever position, in which the lever does not hold the clapper in the first clapper position;

    (C) a pushrod assembly including;

    (a) a pushrod housing centered on the pushrod axis, the pushrod housing including;

    (i) a first side cylindrical portion having (1) a first flange at one end along the pushrod axis, the first flange being configured to be mounted on the cylindrical mounting portion of the valve body, (2) a pushrod chamber inlet, provided on one side of the pushrod housing relative to the pushrod axis, and extending through the first flange along an axis that is perpendicular to the pushrod axis, the pushrod chamber inlet being configured to receive the fluid from the supply line, and (3) a first inner diameter;

    (ii) a second side cylindrical portion having (1) a second flange at one end along the pushrod axis, opposite to the end having the first flange, (2) a pushrod chamber outlet, provided on the one side of the pushrod housing relative to the pushrod axis, and extending through the second flange along an axis that is perpendicular to the pushrod axis, and (3) a second inner diameter that is less than the first inner diameter; and

    (iii) a central cylindrical portion provided between the first side cylindrical portion and the second side cylindrical portion, the central cylindrical portion having a third inner diameter that is less than the second inner diameter, the central cylindrical portion of the pushrod housing, the first side cylindrical portion of the pushrod housing, and the cylindrical mounting portion of the valve body defining a pushrod chamber,the first side cylindrical portion, the second side cylindrical portion, and the central cylindrical portion of the pushrod housing being formed as a singular housing;

    (b) a seat positioned in the central cylindrical portion of the pushrod housing, and having a central port that extends along the pushrod axis, the central port having a first opening to the first side cylindrical portion and a second opening to the second side cylindrical portion;

    (c) a pushrod guide having (i) a threaded portion that is threadably inserted into the cylindrical pushrod chamber opening of the valve body, (ii) an extension portion that extends from the threaded portion away from the main chamber and into the pushrod chamber, and (iii) a central bore along the pushrod axis through the threaded portion and the extension portion;

    (d) a pushrod mounted in the central bore of the pushrod guide and extending along the pushrod axis, and configured to move along the pushrod axis between (i) a first pushrod position, in which a first end of the pushrod contacts and urges the lever of the clapper assembly to hold the lever in the first lever position, and (ii) a second pushrod position, in which the first end of the pushrod does not contact the lever of the clapper assembly;

    (e) a piston attached to a second end of the pushrod in the pushrod chamber, the piston being configured to move with the pushrod, and to retain the second end of the pushrod in the pushrod chamber; and

    (f) a pushrod diaphragm provided between the cylindrical mounting portion of the valve body and the first side cylindrical portion of the pushrod housing, the pushrod diaphragm separating a first portion of the pushrod chamber configured to contain the fluid supplied through the pushrod chamber inlet, from a second portion of the pushrod chamber that includes the pushrod guide, the pushrod, and the piston,the pushrod assembly being configured to switch between (i) a pressurized state in which the first portion of the pushrod chamber is filled with the fluid, and the pushrod diaphragm causes the piston and the pushrod to move toward the valve body, so that the pushrod is in the first pushrod position, and (ii) a released state, in which the first portion of the pushrod chamber is not filled with the fluid, and the pushrod diaphragm, the piston, and the pushrod move away from the valve body, so that the pushrod is in the second pushrod position; and

    (D) a dry valve actuator including;

    (a) a dry valve actuator housing having a cup shape that defines a dry valve actuator chamber, and including (i) an open end that is directly attached to the second flange of the pushrod housing, and (ii) a dry valve actuator supervisory gas inlet provided near a second end that is opposite to the open end with respect to the pushrod axis, and extending in a direction that is perpendicular to the pushrod axis, from a side of the dry valve actuator housing that is opposite to the one side of the pushrod chamber housing relative to the pushrod axis, the dry valve actuator supervisory gas inlet being configured to receive the supervisory gas from the supervisory gas supply;

    (b) a seal configured to seal the second opening of the central port of the seat when the seal is positioned in the seat; and

    (c) a dry valve actuator diaphragm provided between the open end of the dry valve actuator housing and the second side cylindrical portion of the pushrod housing, the dry valve actuator diaphragm being attached to the seal, and defining a first portion of the dry valve actuator chamber that includes the dry valve actuator supervisory gas inlet, and a second portion of the dry valve actuator chamber that includes the second opening of the central port,the dry valve actuator being configured to switch between (i) a pressurized state, in which the first portion of the dry valve actuator chamber is filled with the supervisory gas, causing the dry valve actuator diaphragm to position the seal in the seat, and thereby seal the second opening of the central port of the seat, and (ii) a released state, in which the first portion of the dry valve actuator chamber is not filled with the supervisory gas, and the dry valve actuator diaphragm and the seal move away from the seat to open the second opening of the central port of the seat,wherein, when the dry valve actuator is in the pressurized state, the pushrod assembly is in the pressurized state, and, when the dry valve actuator is in the released state, the pushrod assembly is in the released state.

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