Fire extinguishers – Sprinkler heads
Patent
1994-06-01
1996-03-26
Avila, Stephen
Fire extinguishers
Sprinkler heads
A62C 3708
Patent
active
055012825
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a fire-fighting equipment with a number of means for spraying extinguishing liquid, at least a part of said means being, in inactive state, covered by a shield.
In the patent publications U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,714,989, 4,066,129, 4,508,175, 4,880,063 and 4,976,320 are described conventionl low pressure sprinklers, which mainly for esthetical reasons are provided with a cover on ceiling level. The respective cover is kept in place by means of a soldered joint, which shall melt while the temperature, after a fire has started, rises to the activating temperature of the sprinkler.
The object of the invention is to provide a new fire-fighting equipment which is of a simple structure and enables a plurality of advantageous applications.
The fire-fighting equipment according to the invention is mainly characterized in
that the means for spraying extinguishing liquid are spray heads capable of operating with a high drive pressure, preferably producing concentrated fog sprays with strong penetration power, and
that the respective shield is arranged, upon activation of the respective spray head, to be removed by the action of the extinguishing liquid.
By a high drive pressure, i.e. operating pressure, is in this context meant a pressure which is considerably higher than ordinary water pipe pressure of 6-7 bar. A limit value is difficult to present, but preferably an operating pressure of at least 100 bar, often up to near 300 bar, is employed. Upon activating the spray head, the extinguishing liquid can be made to exert, directly or indirectly, a very great force upon the shield in front of the spray head, so that the shield is removed in spite of firm mounting, e.g. by means of a form fitting and/or a press fitting, or a great holding load from the outside. By employing a liquid under high pressure for removing the shield of the spray head is achieved, in addition, that the shield is not shot off like a projectile in spite of a great removing force.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention at least one of said spray heads provided with a shield is movably mounted in such a way in a holder fastened in a floor that the spray head, upon activation, is lifted up by the liquid pressure and removes the shield arranged in front of the spray head, whereat the spray head preferably is arranged to be lifted up to such an extent that the nozzles of the spray head rise a little higher than the surface of the floor.
Concentrated fog sprays with a strong power of penetration can be achieved by constructing the nozzles of the spray head and by arranging them mutually in accordance to what is presented in the Finnish patent applications 913059, 914704 and 915078 in such a way that the fog sprays of the individual nozzles grip into each other and produce a concentrating suction. Necessary access to suction air is secured by the spray head rising a little above the floor, so that air can flow in from the space between the nozzles and the floor.
As will appear further on in the description, the spray head and its holder in the floor can be brought to interact like a hydraulic cylinder, whereat is obtained such a great lifting force on the covering shield or cover that it is lifted up even if a wheel of a loaded truck stood on the cover, which may be the case on a vehicle deck in a ship.
Location in a floor is a good solution for purely technical fire-fighting reasons as well, partly because fire often breaks out on floor level and partly because a water fog sprayed upwards is well spread and is airborne for a relatively long time before falling down on the floor, which brings about a good cooling effect.
If an automatic fire-fighting system is to be installed later in already completed buildings or ships, ceiling installation work is connected with great difficulties, among other things because ceiling structures often are light, with a limited capability of enduring mechanical loads.
Floor structures are steady, which facilitates the installation work. General accessability is, further, considerably bet
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Kudrov, G. A., Derwent's abstract No. G52 83 E/22, publ. week 8222.
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