Improvements to a portable fire extinguisher are disclosed. The improvements allow for frequent and simplified inspection and maintenance of a fire extinguisher with minimal training and without need for custom equipment. The improvements include an anti-bridging mechanism that can be articulated from the exterior of the chamber to fluff, mix or stir the powder within the chamber to keep it in a liquefied state. Additional improvements include a larger opening to more quickly fill and inspect the powder within the chamber. Another improvement includes the use of a CO.sub.2 cartridge located external to the chamber to allow easier servicing or replacement of just the CO.sub.2 cartridge as well as the ability to maintain the chamber in an un-pressurized condition, allows for non-HASMAT shipping. These features will extend the service intervals while maintaining the fire extinguisher in a ready condition.

A fire suppression system having a first triggering mechanism capable of being remotely triggered in response to a fire condition and a second manual triggering mechanism. More particularly, the fire extinguisher includes a valve for a fire extinguisher capable of manual and automatic operation. The system further includes a mechanism to notify of inoperable local status. During automatic operation, the system can be being triggered by a control panel in electrical communication, such as in response to a signal from smoke detectors. This system may also be manually triggered or in response to a temperature threshold sensor or other sensors. The valve includes an actuator that provides a separate area to place a safety pin for storing securely, and which provides feedback to the control system that the safety pin is properly stored and therefore, the fire extinguisher is active.

A dry chemical closed recovery system for servicing fire extinguishers including first and second tanks, ball valves, and a pressure relief valve. The dry chemical closed recovery system accepts the high-pressure discharge from a dry chemical fire extinguisher and refills the fire extinguisher with dry chemical using low pressure. By manipulating the ball valves, the fire extinguisher can be refilled incrementally or all at once.

There is provided a valve for controlling the release of fire suppressant from a pressurized container, said valve comprising a diaphragm configured to perforate upon action of a shockwave directed onto the surface of said diaphragm, a pyrotechnic charge arranged and adapted to combust to produce combustion products that form a shockwave directed onto the surface of said diaphragm, and a device encasing said pyrotechnic charge. The device comprises a hollow, elongate channel located over said pyrotechnic charge and directed at the center of said diaphragm so as to focus or direct said combustion products onto the center of said diaphragm. The elongate channel has a length that is at least 1.5 times its smallest width.

Disclosed herein is an example method for expelling a fire suppressant from a container into a distribution manifold. The method includes generating a propellant gas that flows into the container via a first port of the container, thereby causing a pressure within the container to increase. The container includes the fire suppressant prior to the generation of the propellant gas. The method further includes, in response to the pressure within the container exceeding a threshold pressure, expelling the fire suppressant from a second port of the container into the distribution manifold. The generated propellant gas continues to flow into the container via the first port at least until substantially all of the fire suppressant included within the container prior to the generation of the propellant gas is expelled from the container via the second port. Example fire suppression systems are also disclosed herein.

A pressure gauge for an aerosol container includes a scale attached to the container body and a pointer associated with and movable relative to the scale. The pointer is operatively coupled to a valve assembly of the aerosol container. The pointer moves relative to the scale in response to movement of at least a portion of the valve assembly due to internal pressure in the container body to provide a reading.

A fire extinguisher includes a main dome partially surrounding an internal space housing agent. A secondary dome is mounted to the main dome and is inverted with respect to the main dome. The secondary dome can have a radius of curvature that is equal to, greater than, or less than that of the main dome. The discharge outlet can include a discharge outlet configured to discharge laterally relative to an axis of symmetry of the main dome and the secondary dome.

A fire extinguisher includes a main dome partially surrounding an internal space housing agent. A secondary dome is mounted to the main dome and is inverted with respect to the main dome. The secondary dome can have a radius of curvature that is equal to, greater than, or less than that of the main dome. The discharge outlet can include a discharge outlet configured to discharge laterally relative to an axis of symmetry of the main dome and the secondary dome.

A fire extinguisher includes a main dome surrounding an interior. An internal plate is mounted inside the interior of the main dome, dividing the interior into an internal space housing agent and a secondary internal space. The internal space housing agent and the secondary internal space are both pressurized above ambient. The secondary internal space is free of agent, and can be pressurized, e.g., to no less than the total pressure of the internal space housing agent.

A fire extinguisher includes a main dome surrounding an interior. An internal plate is mounted inside the interior of the main dome, dividing the interior into an internal space housing agent and a secondary internal space. The internal space housing agent and the secondary internal space are both pressurized above ambient. The secondary internal space is free of agent, and can be pressurized, e.g., to no less than the total pressure of the internal space housing agent.