Fluid handling – With indicator – register – recorder – alarm or inspection means – Plural
Patent
1986-03-06
1987-09-29
Cohan, Alan
Fluid handling
With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
Plural
137554, F16K 3700
Patent
active
046963251
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to sensing fire installation water valves being closed.
In the art of fire alarm installations such as sprinkler installations, it is normal that there be a plurality of gate valves or the like valves in the water supply lines to sprinklers or like extinguishing devices. During service of such fire installations, it is normal to close the valves and occasionally the valves are accidentally left closed which can have disastrous consequences if there is a fire. Additionally, the valves can be accidentally closed by non-experienced personnel working at the fire alarm installation. i.e. the valves can be left partly closed and not fully open or they can be left full closed. Additionally the valves can be full closed with malicious intent i.e. to inhibit the flow of water should there be a fire.
Hitherto, it has been proposed, to sense when the valves are closed and to cause an alarm to be triggered thereby alerting personnel to the danger. The valves have been sensed closed by inserting a magnetically operable switch within the valve chamber of the main body of the valve, so that it can sense when the gate of the valve is not in the fully open position. A problem with such installations is that the housing from which the valve is made must be drilled so that a suitable sensing element can be placed into the valve chamber. Apart from the problem of sealing such opening to prevent the escape of water therefrom, there is a further problem that because such sensing elements are magnetically operable, they attract metal objects and it is well known that normal town water can often contain a large amount of metal particles. Accordingly, after a period of time, metal particles accumulate around the sensor, and even if the valve is shut, the presence of such magnetic particles prevents the sensors from giving an indication that the valve is closed. Additionally, said sensing elements are inherently difficult to install by reason of the requirement to bleed water from the system prior to installation and the subsequent requirement to effectively seal any holes which may be provided in the valve casings to enable the switches to be fitted. I have discovered that the same object can be achieved by employing a magnetic switch, external of the valve housing which senses movement of some magnetic part of the valve, rather than sensing a closing of the gate of the valve by a sensor in the valve chamber. By sensing movement of the magnetic part it is possible to modify an existing installation without the need to drain the water therefrom. Further, the installation, when completed, is not affected by the presence of any metal particles which maybe in the town water and further the system is not difficult to install.
Accordingly one aspect of the present invention may reside in a method of sensing when a water supply valve is closed in a fire installation, said water supply valve being of the type which normally allows water to flow in the event of fire, said method comprising placing a magnetically operable sensor, externally of the valve chamber and in proximity to a magnetic part associated with said water supply valve, said magnetic part being moveable as the valve gate of said valve is opened or closed, and arranging for said magnetically operable sensor to sense when the valve gate is closed and to trigger an alarm.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there may be provided an improved water supply valve for a fire installation where water is to be supplied through said water supply valve in the event of fire, said valve including a sensor external of the valve chamber which can magnetically sense the gate of the valve being closed and being usable to provide an alarm activating output signal therefrom in such circumstances, said sensor being, in use, connectable to a fire installation to give an alarm indication in response to said output signal when the gate is closed.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there may be provided a fire installation having a magne
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patent: 3719203 (1973-03-01), Wettre
patent: 3859619 (1975-01-01), Ishihara et al.
patent: 4093000 (1978-06-01), Poff
Cohan Alan
Rivell John A.
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