Liquid flow indicator

• US 4,282,413 A
• Filed: 07/02/1979
• Issued: 08/04/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grinnell LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Grunau Co., Inc. (APi Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fenske, John W., Simons, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US06/054,299
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 200/81.9 R, 200/81.9 M, 200/61.04, 200/82 E, 335/205-207, 340/606, 340/610, 73/194 E, 73/228, 73/186
• US Class Current: 200/81.90M
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/405 the switch being of the reed switch type

Abstract

A liquid flow indicator for use in an automatic sprinkler system. The indicator is adapted to be attached to a water line and includes a non-metallic vane retainer or support which is mounted within an opening in the water line. A flexible one-piece plastic vane is pivoted to the retainer and has a generally circular body portion which is disposed transversely within the pipe. If the water line is opened downstream of the indicator, the flow of water within the line will pivot the vane, causing a magnet in the upper end of the vane to move into proximity with a sensor to complete an electrical circuit and generate a signal indicating that the water line has been opened. The retainer is formed with a pair of aligned recesses which are sealed apart by a central wall and the upper head of the vane which contains the magnet, is located in one recess, while the sensor is in the other recess.

Claims

1. A water flow indicator for use in an automatic sprinkler system, comprising clamping means to be clamped to the outer surface of a water pipe having an aperture, said clamping means having an opening disposed in alignment with said aperture in said pipe, a vane retainer having a head disposed against the outer surface of the clamping member and having a generally cylindrical stem portion disposed within the aligned opening and aperture, said retainer having an inner axial recess and an outer axial well and a wall separating said recess and said well, a one-piece flexible plastic vane having a head disposed within the recess and pivotally connected to said stem portion and having a generally circular body portion disposed within said pipe, a magnet carried by the head of said vane and disposed on the inner side of said wall, a holder disposed within said well, a sensor carried by the holder and disposed within the well and in contact with said wall, said sensor being connected in an electrical circuit, biasing means for urging the vane to an upstream angular position under non-flow conditions, and a stop on said vane retainer and disposed to be engaged by said vane when said vane is in said upstream angular position, opening of said water pipe downstream causing flow within said pipe to pivot the vane in a downstream direction and thereby move the magnet into proximate relation with said sensor to thereby close the electrical circuit and generate a signal.

2. A fluid flow indicator comprising a vane retainer disposed within an opening in a fluid flow line and having an inner axial recess and an outer axial well separated by a transverse wall, a one-piece flexible plastic vane having a head disposed within the recess and having a generally circular body portion disposed within the fluid flow line, means for pivotally connecting said head to the vane retainer, a magnet carried by the head of said vane and disposed on the inner side of said wall, a holder disposed within said well, magnetic switch means carried by the holder and disposed within the well in contact with said wall, said magnetic switch means being connected in an electrical circuit, and biasing means for urging the magnetic switch means against said wall, opening of said fluid flow line downstream causing flow within said line to pivot the vane in a downstream direction under predetermined flow conditions and thereby move the magnet into proximate relation with said switch means to thereby close the electrical circuit and generate a signal.

3. The indicator of claim 2, wherein said body portion of the vane is provided with a series of spaced concentric markings to enable the vane to be cut to various sizes for use in different size liquid lines.

4. The indicator of claim 2, wherein the inner surface of said holder has a dovetailed guideway receiving said switch means, said switch means having complementary dovetail walls mating with the guideway.

5. The indicator of claim 2, and including a plurality of electrical leads connecting the magnetic switch means and the electrical circuit, and positioning means on said holder for isolating said electrical leads from each other.

6. The indicator of claim 2, wherein said biasing means comprises a flexible arm on said holder, said arm being engaged in a flexed condition with a stationary object to thereby provide a biasing force on said holder to urge the magnetic switch means into contact with said wall.

7. The indicator of claim 2, and including second biasing means for urging the vane to an upstream angular position under non-flow conditions, and stop means disposed to be engaged by said vane for precisely positioning said vane in said upstream angular position.

8. The indicator of claim 2, wherein the cross sectional area of said recess is substantially greater than the cross sectional area of said well.