APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF TAMPERING WITH AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER ASSEMBLIES

• US 20100089597A1
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Neeb, Thomas P. Montalto
• Original Assignee: Daniel Neeb, Thomas P. Montalto
• Inventors: Montalto, Thomas P., Neeb, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,002,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/37
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/10 Releasing means, e.g. electrically released

Abstract

A fire sprinkler head anti tamper canopy discourages hanging objects from a sprinkler head, or otherwise tampering or accidentally activating a sprinkler head. The canopy encloses the projecting portion of a sprinkler head, at least around the sides of the sprinkler head, and allows heat to enter and activate the sprinkler head, and water to escape from the sprinkler head for fire suppression. The canopy is magnetically secured to the wall or ceiling surface, without a requirement for physical attachment to the sprinkler head. Upon sprinkler head activation, water pressure dislodges the canopy, the latter returnable to an anti-tamper position once the fire sprinkler system has been reset.

Claims

1. An apparatus for discouraging tampering with a sprinkler head of the type activated to discharge water when the sprinkler head is exposed to a predefined temperature or a trigger is moved, where the sprinkler head projects from a surface into an area to be protected from fire, the apparatus comprising:

magnetically active mounting means mountable to the surface;

an enclosure sized to substantially impede access to a trigger of the sprinkler head, at least a portion of said enclosure disposed to lie within an expected path of water discharged by the activated sprinkler head, and further including at least one aperture operative to admit heat from the area to the sprinkler head; and

magnetically active coupling means connected to said enclosure, sized and disposed to magnetically engage at least a portion of said mounting means, whereupon said enclosure is magnetically retained upon the surface to impede access to a trigger of the sprinkler head;

wherein when said sprinkler head is activated, said enclosure is pushed by discharged water, and said enclosure is thereby detached from the surface; and

wherein tampering is discouraged in that a tamperer must remove said enclosure in order to readily tamper with the sprinkler head by moving the sprinkler head trigger to cause activation of the sprinkler head.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising indicia disposed upon said enclosure, operative to warn against disconnecting said enclosure from said mounting means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a magnetically active material and adhesive, the adhesive operative to connect said magnetically active material to the surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure has a frustoconical shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is fabricated with wire mesh.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said mounting means and said coupling means includes magnetized material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said magnetically active coupling means includes a flange connected to said enclosure, shaped to form a contact surface mateable to said mounting means.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of said flange and said mounting means includes magnetized material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is sized to prevent insertion of a clothing hanger hook therewithin.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a sprinkler head defines one or more sides through which a trigger may be accessed and moved, and an end portion, and said enclosure further includes

a side portion substantially impeding access to said one or more sprinkler sides, and

an end panel substantially impeding access to said sprinkler end.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure substantially surrounds that portion of the sprinkler head which projects from the surface into the area.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting means are affixed to the surface using means selected from the group consisting of:

double sided adhesive foam, double sided tape, mechanical fastener, pin, screw, nail, nut and bolt, glue, adhesive.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of:

plastic, wire, stainless steel, stainless steel wire, metalized plastic, injection molded plastic, galvanized metal, metal.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting means and said coupling means are magnetized metal.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling means further include a flange;

at least one magnet;

means for retaining said at least one magnet in contact with said flange.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprise a magnetically active metal ring, and said coupling means comprise a magnetically active metal flange extending from said enclosure, at least one of said ring or flange being magnetized.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said enclosure is a frustoconical shaped wire mesh, further including an end plate.

17. An apparatus for discouraging tampering with a sprinkler head of the type activated to discharge water when the sprinkler head is exposed to a predefined temperature or a trigger is moved, where the sprinkler head projects from a surface into an area to be protected from fire, the apparatus comprising:

at least one magnetically active mounting plate affixable to the surface;

an enclosure sized to substantially surround that portion of the sprinkler head that projects from the surface, thereby impeding access to a trigger of the sprinkler head, at least a portion of said enclosure disposed to lie within an expected path of water discharged by the activated sprinkler head, and further including at least one aperture operative to admit heat from the area to the sprinkler head; and

at least one magnetically active enclosure flange connected to said enclosure, sized to magnetically and matingly engage said at least one mounting plate, whereupon said enclosure is magnetically retained upon the surface to surround that portion of the sprinkler head which projects from the surface;

wherein when said sprinkler head is activated, said enclosure is pushed by discharged water, and said enclosure is thereby detached from the surface; and

wherein tampering is discouraged in that a tamperer must remove said enclosure in order to readily tamper with the sprinkler head by moving the sprinkler head trigger to cause activation of the sprinkler head.

19. A method for discouraging tampering with a sprinkler head of the type activated to discharge water when the sprinkler head is exposed to a predefined temperature or a trigger is moved, where the sprinkler head projects from a surface into an area to be protected from fire, comprising the steps of:

affixing at least one magnetically active mounting plate to the surface;

impeding access to a trigger of the sprinkler head by substantially surrounding that portion of the sprinkler head that projects from the surface with an enclosure, at least a portion of the enclosure disposed to lie within an expected path of water discharged by the activated sprinkler head, the enclosure further including at least one aperture operative to admit heat from the area to the sprinkler head; and

connecting the enclosure to the at least one magnetically active mounting plate using an enclosure flange connected to said enclosure, sized to magnetically and matingly engage the at least one mounting plate, whereupon the enclosure is magnetically retained upon the surface to surround that portion of the sprinkler head which projects from the surface;

wherein when said sprinkler head is activated, said enclosure is pushed by discharged water, and said enclosure is thereby detached from the surface; and

wherein tampering is discouraged in that a tamperer must remove said enclosure in order to readily tamper with the sprinkler head by moving the sprinkler head trigger to cause activation of the sprinkler head.