Utilities shutoff system

• US 5,267,587 A
• Filed: 04/07/1992
• Issued: 12/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brown, Geoffrey P.
• Original Assignee: Brown, Geoffrey P.
• Inventors: Brown, Geoffrey P.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US07/864,677
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 137/486, 137/495, 137/624.12, 137/487.5, 137/456
• US Class Current: 137/624.12
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/00 Water flushing devices with cisterns ; Setting up a range of flushing devices or water-closets; Combinations of several flushing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2815 using pressure measurements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7782 With manual or external control for line valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86397 With independent valve controller

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic monitoring and shutoff system for utilities which allows the user to set the system to permit certain uses of gas or water without triggering the shutoff, depending on whether the user is home or away, and is able to provide for specific usual or unusual uses.

Claims

1. An automatic shutoff system for a water or gas supply line comprising:

a) valve means for opening and closing said water or gas supply line;

b) control means for controlling said valve means;

c) means for sensing a pressure change in said water or gas supply line caused by flow in said water or gas supply line;

d) means for said sensing means to send a signal to said control means;

e) system arming means to selectively cause said control means to close said valve in response to a signal indicating a flow in said water or gas supply line;

f) first trigger time delay means for activating said control means to close said valve after a predetermined duration of flow in said water or gas supply line;

g) second trigger time delay means for overriding said first trigger time delay with second trigger time delay for a predetermined period of time; and

h) means for setting a variable time period for which said second trigger time delay overrides said first trigger time delay.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

j) means for automatically analyzing supply line pressure and calibrating control means for varying supply line pressures.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

k) water pulse disarming means to selectively disarm said system arming in response to a signal indicative of a flow in said line for a predetermined period of time.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising

l) means for remote activation of said system arming means.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

m) means for magnetically maintaining said valve in its open or closed position.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

n) monitoring panel means for operation and display of said system and automatic arming and each said time delay means.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

o) means for overriding said system arming means by a control signal.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

p) means for manually opening said valve.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said control means and sensing means are electrically operated, further comprising a source of AC power and auxiliary battery means, and means for selective monitoring of said pressure sensing means when said system is operating on said battery power.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

q) monitoring means for determining whether said valve is in its magnetically maintained open or closed position.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

i) automatic arming means to selectively activate said system arming means and each said time delay means in response to a signal indicative of lack of flow in said supply line.

12. The system of claim 1 comprising both water and gas supply lines.