FIRE EXTINGUISHER VALVE BODY

Abstract

A valve body (5) for a cartridge-operated fire extinguisher includes a first socket (51) configured to have an end of a cartridge (11) filled with propellant installed therein; and a latch (57) movable relative to the first socket (51) between a first position and a second position; in the first position the latch (57) is configured to permit an end of a cartridge (11) filled with propellant to be installed within and removed from the first socket (51); and in the second position the latch (57) is configured to engage with an end of a cartridge (11) installed within the first socket (51) to thereby lock and retain the end of the cartridge (11) within the first socket (51).

Claims

1. A valve body (5) for a cartridge-operated fire extinguisher (1), the valve body (5) comprising: a first socket (51) configured to have an end of a cartridge (11) installed therein; and a latch (57) movable relative to the first socket (51) between a first position and a second position; wherein in the first position the latch (57) is configured to permit an end of a cartridge (11) to be installed within and removed from the first socket (51); and wherein in the second position the latch (57) is configured to engage with a cartridge (11) installed within the first socket (51) to thereby lock and retain the cartridge (11) within the first socket (51).

2. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch (57) is configured to engage with a collar (14a, 14b) provided at an end of a cartridge (11) installed within the first socket (51).

3. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first socket (51) comprises a wall (51a) configured to surround an end of a cartridge (11) once installed therein, and wherein the latch (57) is configured to move through a slot (52) in the wall (51a) as it moves between the first position and the second position.

4. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, comprising biasing means (63) configured to bias the latch (57) toward the first position.

5. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, comprising fastening means (61) configured to reversibly fasten the latch (57) in the second position.

6. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fastening means (61) comprises a screw or bolt (61) having a head (61a) and a shank (61b), wherein a threading on the shank (61b) is configured to engage with a counterpart threading in a portion of the valve body (5), and wherein engagement between the threading on the shank (61b) and the counterpart threading permits fastening of the latch (57) in the second position.

7. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve body (5) comprises a second socket (53) configured to have an end of a dip tube (13) installed therein.

8. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 7, wherein in the first position the latch (57) is configured to permit an end of a dip tube (13) to be installed within and removed from the second socket (53), and wherein in the second position the latch (57) is configured to engage with a dip tube (13) installed in the second socket (53) to thereby lock and retain the dip tube (13) within the second socket (53).

9. A valve body as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second socket (53) comprises a wall (53a) configured to surround an end of a dip tube (13) installed therein, and wherein the latch (57) is configured to move through a slot (54) in the second socket wall (53a) as it moves between the first position and second position.

10. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a third socket (55) configured to have an end of a blow pipe (15) or a shutter valve installed therein.

11. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve body (5) is arranged to provide a visual indication when the latch (57) is in the second position.

12. A valve body (5) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the valve body comprises a marker (67) that is arranged to provide the visual indication and/or wherein the visual indication comprises abutment of the latch (57) against a prominence (65) of the valve body (5).

13. A cartridge-operated fire extinguisher (1) comprising: a cylinder (3) with an opening at an end of the cylinder (3); a valve body (5) as claimed in claim 1 fixed to the cylinder (3) to seal the opening; and a cartridge (11) housed within the cylinder, wherein an end of the cartridge (11) is installed within the first socket (51), and wherein the latch (57) is in the second position such that the cartridge (11) is locked and retained within the first socket (51).

14. A method of assembling a cartridge-operated fire extinguisher (1) comprising: installing an end of a cartridge (11) into a first socket (51) of a valve body (5) in accordance claim 1 whilst the latch (57) is in the first position; moving the latch (57) into the second position such that the cartridge (11) is locked and retained within the first socket (51); and fixing the valve body (5) having the cartridge (11) locked thereto to an end of a cylinder (3) in order to seal an opening in the end of the cylinder (3), wherein the cartridge (11) is housed within the cylinder (3) when the valve body (5) is fixed to the cylinder (3).

15. A method of disassembling a cartridge-operated fire extinguisher (1) comprising: detaching a valve body (5) in accordance with claim 1 from an end of a cylinder (3) of the fire extinguisher (1), wherein the valve body (5) has a cartridge (11) locked thereto; moving the latch (57) of the valve body (5) from the second position and into the first position such that the cartridge (11) is no longer locked within the first socket (51); and removing the end of the cartridge (11) from the first socket (51).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] Certain preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a cartridge operated fire extinguisher;

[0066] FIG. 2 shows the cartridge operated fire extinguisher of FIG. 1 in a partly disassembled state;

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a valve body, a cartridge, a dip tube and a blow pipe of the cartridge operated fire extinguisher in a disassembled state;

[0068] FIG. 4 shows the valve body, the cartridge, the dip tube and the blow pipe in an assembled state;

[0069] FIG. 5 shows an adapter for a gas cartridge; and

[0070] FIG. 6 shows a latch of the valve body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a cartridge-operated fire extinguisher 1. The fire extinguisher 1 comprises a cylinder 3 that is filled with a powder suppressant, a valve body 5, a hose connector 7 and a hose 9. The valve body 5 is mounted on the top of the cylinder 3 so as to seal an opening at a top of the cylinder 3 and thereby provide an internal space therein that can be pressurised. The hose connector 7 is connected to the valve body 5, and the hose 9 is connected to the hose connector 7. In this way, the hose 9 is fluidly connected to the internal space within the cylinder 3.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows the cartridge operated fire extinguisher 1 in a partly disassembled state where the valve body 5 has been removed from the opening at the top of the cylinder 3 and the hose connector 7 has been disconnected from the valve body 5. Attached to the valve body 5 and held internal to the cylinder 3 of the fire extinguisher 1 in its assembled state (i.e. as in FIG. 1) are a cartridge 11 filled with propellant (e.g. carbon dioxide) under pressure, a dip tube 13 and a blow pipe 15 (which is largely obstructed from view in FIG. 2). An end of each of the cartridge 11, dip tube 13 and blow pipe 15 are installed in respective sockets within the valve body 5, further detail of which can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the valve body 5 comprises a first socket 51, a second socket 53 and a third socket 55. The first socket 51, which is defined by an annular wall 51a, is configured to receive an end of the cartridge 11 (see FIG. 4), specifically an adapter 12 connected at the end of a conventional gas cartridge 11a (more on these features below). The first socket 51 is sized so as to closely conform to the dimensions of the end of the cartridge 11 (i.e. the adapter 12) so as to provide a close fit therebetween once the end of the cartridge 11 is installed therein.

[0074] The second socket 53 is similarly defined by an annular wall 53a, is configured to receive an end of the dip tube 13 (see FIG. 4) and is sized so as to closely conform to the dimensions of the end of the dip tube 13 so as to provide a close fit therebetween once the dip tube 13 is installed therein.

[0075] The third socket 55 is shaped so as to have the blow pipe 15 installed therein. Again, the third socket 55 is sized so as to closely conform to the dimensions of the blow pipe 15 to thereby provide a close fit once the blow pipe is installed 15 therein.

[0076] The valve body 5 additionally comprises a cartridge piercer 59 positioned within the first socket 51 and operatively moveable relative to and within the first socket 51. When the fire extinguisher 1 is in its assembled form, the cartridge piercer 59 is configured to pierce a seal at the end of the cartridge 11 installed in the first socket 51 upon activation of the fire extinguisher 1 by an operative. When the seal at the end of the cartridge 11 is pierced, the pressurised propellant is released from the cartridge 11 via the adapter 12 and through the valve body 5. The propellant then passes into the blow pipe 15 and then into the internal space of the cylinder 3 where the powder suppressant is stored. The suppressant is then forced up through the dip tube 13 by the pressure of the propellant and to the hose 9 where it is expelled from the fire extinguisher 1.

[0077] The cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13 are releasably fixed to the valve body 5 by a slidably actuable latch 57. The latch 57 comprises an aperture 57a having a bolt 61 extending therethrough such that a head 61a of the bolt 61 is situated on a first side of the latch 57 and a shank 61b of the bolt 61 is situated on a second side of the latch 57.

[0078] The latch 57 is slidable between a first position (as shown in FIG. 3) and a second position (as shown in FIG. 4). As the latch 57 is moved from the first position to the second position, the latch 57 passes (in part) through slots 52, 54 in the first socket 51 and second socket 53, respectively, such that when in the second position the latch 57 partly protrudes into the interior of the first socket 51 and second socket 53.

[0079] The latch 57, once in the second position, may be fastened in the second position by the bolt 61 being screwed into a portion of the valve body 5 on the second side of the latch 57 having a counterpart threading therein. This fastening maintains the latch 57 in the second position as depicted in FIG. 4.

[0080] A coiled compression spring 63 is provided along the shank 61b of the bolt 61 on the second side of the latch 57 and is configured to abut against the latch 57 and a portion of the valve body 5 so as to bias the latch 57 toward the first position (as in FIG. 3) and away from the second position (as in FIG. 4).

[0081] The installation of the cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13 into the valve body comprises installing the adapter 12 attached at the end of the gas cartridge 11a into the first socket 51 and installing the end of the dip tube 13 into the second socket 53 whilst the latch 57 is in the first position (i.e. as in FIG. 3) as urged by the bias of the spring 63. Once installed, the latch 57 is moved by an operative manually to the second position.

[0082] When in the second position, the latch 57 penetrates through the slots 52, 54 and into an interior of the sockets 51, 53 as defined by the annular walls 51a, 53a. In this second position, once the cartridge 11 and dip tube 13 have been installed in the first socket 51 and the second socket 53, respectively, the latch 57 engages with the adapter 12 forming the end of the cartridge 11 and the end of dip tube 13. Specifically, the latch 57 is received within recesses 14 and 16 defined on the cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13, respectively, by collars 14a, 14b and collars 16a, 16b. Receipt of the latch 57 within the recesses 14, 16 locks the cartridge 11 and dip tube 13 in their installed position within the first socket 51 and the second socket 53 in view of the abutment of the collars 14a, 14b and collars 16a, 16b with the latch 57.

[0083] Once the latch 57 is in the second position such that it has locked the cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13 to the valve body 5, the bolt 61 can be screwed into the counterpart threaded portion of the valve body 5 in order fasten the latch 57 in the second position. The bolt 61 may comprise a standard shaped slot so that an allen key, hex key, screwdriver or the like may be used to adjust it.

[0084] To uninstall the cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13 from the valve body 5, the above process is reversed. That is, the bolt 61 is unscrewed to unfasten the latch 57 from the second position. The bias of the compression spring 63 then forces the latch 57 into the first position and away from the second position. In the first position there is no longer engagement between the latch 57 and the recesses 14, 16 on the cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13, respectively, and thus the retention of the cartridge 11 and the dip tube within the first socket 51 and the second socket 53 is removed. The cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13 may then be removed manually from the first socket 51 and the second socket 53.

[0085] To ensure proper installation and retention of the cartridge 11 and the dip tube 13 to the valve body, a prominence 65 and marker 67 are provided on the valve body 5. When in the second position, the prominence 65 is configured to abut a leading edge of the latch 57 whilst the marker 67 is configured to highlight this abutment (see FIG. 4). If either the cartridge 11 or dip tube 13 are not installed properly then the latch 57 will be prevented from reaching the second position since the recesses 14, 16 will not be aligned with the latch 57 to permit the latch 57 to reach the second position. It can be readily identified when the latch 57 is not in the second position since there would not be an abutment adjacent the marker 67 between prominence 65 and the leading edge of the latch 57. An operative can therefore use the visual indication provided by the prominence 65 and marker 67 to ensure proper installation and retention of the cartridge 11 and dip tube 13 to the valve body 5.

[0086] As mentioned above, the cartridge 11 of the depicted embodiment comprises an adapter 12 at its end, an enlarged view of which can be seen in FIG. 5. It is the adapter 12 at the end of the conventional gas cartridge 11a that comprises the recess 14 defined by the collars 14a, 14b. The adapter 12 has a threaded interior bore (not shown) such that it can be fitted at the end of the conventional cartridge 11a (e.g. the type used in connection with the prior art cartridge operated fire extinguishers discussed above) having a counterpart threading provided at its end. In that way, a conventional cartridge 11a can be converted for use with the valve body 5 of the current invention.

[0087] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the slidable latch 57 of the above described embodiment of the valve body.