Fire extinguishing system valve, and fire extinguishing system having same

Abstract

The invention concerns a fire extinguishing system valve (1) comprising a housing (2), a fluid inlet chamber (11) in the housing (2), a fluid outlet chamber (13) in the housing (2), and a closing body (9) reciprocable between a blocking state and a release state and which in the blocking state prevents a direct flow of fluid between the fluid inlet chamber (11) and the fluid outlet chamber (13) and in the release state connects the fluid inlet chamber (11) directly in fluid-conducting relationship to the fluid outlet chamber (13). According to the invention the fire extinguishing system valve (1) has at least one manometer (15, 17) which is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber (11) or the fluid outlet chamber (13) and which is mounted to the housing (2), and a venting device (21) integrated into the housing (2) for the at least one manometer (15, 17).

Claims

1. A fire extinguishing system valve, comprising: a housing, a fluid inlet chamber in the housing, a fluid outlet chamber in the housing, and a closing body reciprocable between a blocking state and a release state and which in the blocking state prevents a direct flow of fluid between the fluid inlet chamber and the fluid outlet chamber and in the release state connects the fluid inlet chamber directly in fluid-conducting relationship to the fluid outlet chamber, at least one manometer which is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber or the fluid outlet chamber and which is mounted to the housing, and a venting device integrated into the housing for the at least one manometer; the venting device including a plunger which is mounted displaceably within the housing and which is reciprocable between a pressure transmission position and a venting position, wherein, in the pressure transmission position, a fluid-conducting connection is made between the at least one manometer and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber, wherein, in the venting position, the fluid-conducting connection between the at least one manometer and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber is interrupted; wherein the plunger has an inner through opening connected to an environment surrounding the housing in fluid-conducting relationship, wherein the at least one manometer in the venting position is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening, and wherein in the pressure transmission position of the plunger the fluid-conducting connection between the manometer and the inner through opening is interrupted.

2. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a main body and a housing cover which is reversibly releasably connected to the main body and the venting device is integrated into the housing cover.

3. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 2, wherein the at least one manometer is mounted to the housing cover.

4. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 1, wherein the venting device has an actuating element which extends outside the housing and which is connected to the plunger to cause a movement of the plunger by pushing or pulling actuation.

5. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 4, wherein the actuating element has a drain opening connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening of the plunger and the environment.

6. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 1, wherein the plunger is arranged in a plunger chamber which has a wall, wherein the plunger has a portion of an outside diameter which is so reduced that an annular space is formed with the wall of the plunger chamber.

7. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 6, wherein the annular space in the pressure transmission position of the plunger is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the manometer and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber and the fluid-conducting connection of the annular space to the manometer and/or the fluid inlet or fluid outlet chamber is interrupted in the venting position.

8. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 6, wherein the plunger is sealed off in relation to the wall of the plunger chamber on both sides of the portion of reduced outside diameter.

9. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one manometer comprises a first manometer and a second manometer, and wherein one of the first and second manometers is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber and the other of the first and second manometers is operatively connected to the fluid outlet chamber.

10. The fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 9, wherein the venting device for each manometer has a plunger which is mounted displaceably within the housing and which is reciprocable between a pressure transmission position and a venting position, wherein in the pressure transmission position one of the plungers makes a fluid-conducting connection between one of the first and second manometers and the fluid inlet chamber and the other plunger makes a fluid-conducting connection between the other of the first and second manometers and the fluid outlet chamber and in the venting position the fluid-conducting connection between the respective manometer and the fluid inlet chamber and fluid outlet chamber is respectively interrupted.

11. A fire extinguishing system comprising a piping network, a number of sprinklers or extinguishing nozzles arranged in the piping network, an extinguishing agent supply, and a fire extinguishing system valve connecting the extinguishing agent supply to the piping network, wherein the fire extinguishing system valve is in accordance with claim 1.

12. A fire extinguishing system valve according to claim 11, comprising: a housing, a fluid inlet chamber in the housing, a fluid outlet chamber in the housing, and a closing body reciprocable between a blocking state and a release state and which in the blocking state prevents a direct flow of fluid between the fluid inlet chamber and the fluid outlet chamber and in the release state connects the fluid inlet chamber directly in fluid-conducting relationship to the fluid outlet chamber, at least one manometer which is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber or the fluid outlet chamber and which is mounted to the housing, a venting device integrated into the housing for the at least one manometer; wherein the at least one manometer comprises a first manometer and a second manometer, and wherein one of the first and second manometers is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber and the other of the first and second manometers is operatively connected to the fluid outlet chamber; and wherein the venting device for the first and second manometers has a common plunger which is mounted displaceably within the housing and is reciprocable between a pressure transmission position and a venting position, wherein in the pressure transmission position a fluid-conducting connection is made between one of the first and second manometers and the fluid inlet chamber and between the other of the first and second manometers and the fluid outlet chamber and in the venting position the fluid-conducting connection between the respective manometer and the fluid inlet chamber and fluid outlet chamber is respectively interrupted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a fire extinguishing system valve according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention,

(2) FIG. 2a shows a detail view of a fire extinguishing system valve according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention in a first operating state, and

(3) FIG. 2b shows a detail view of the fire extinguishing system valve according to the second embodiment in a second operating state.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 firstly shows a fire extinguishing system valve 1 for use in a fire extinguishing system according to the invention. The fire extinguishing system valve 1 has a housing 3. The housing 3 has a main body 5 on which there are provided a fluid inlet 6 and a fluid outlet 8. A housing cover 7 is reversibly releasably mounted to the main body 5.

(5) Provided in the interior of the housing 3 are a fluid inlet chamber 11 and a fluid outlet chamber 13. A closing body 9 which is in a blocking state in FIG. 1 is arranged between the fluid inlet chamber 11 and the fluid outlet chamber 13 and is adapted to prevent the direct flow between the two chambers 11, 13 in the illustrated blocking state. The closing body 9 is preferably designed in the manner of a non-return valve and is moveable from the illustrated blocking state into a release position by an increased pressure on the part of the fluid inlet chamber 11. In the release position fluid flows in the direction of the pressure gradient from the fluid inlet chamber 11 directly into the fluid outlet chamber 13.

(6) The fire extinguishing system valve 1 is adapted to be connected with the fluid outlet 8 to a piping network supplying a number of sprinklers. In addition the fire extinguishing system valve 1 is adapted to be connected with its fluid inlet 6 to an extinguishing agent supply which provides the extinguishing agent for the fire extinguishing system.

(7) A first manometer 15 and a second manometer 17 are mounted to the housing 3 of the fire extinguishing system valve 1 for monitoring the pressure states in the fluid inlet chamber 11 and the fluid outlet chamber 13. Preferably the first and second manometers 15, 17 are reversibly releasably mounted to the housing cover 7. The manometers 15, 17 can be respectively connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the fluid inlet chamber 11 and the fluid outlet chamber 13 respectively by means of a tap line 19a, 19b and are adapted to display the pressure prevailing in the respective chamber 11, 13 when there is a fluid-conducting connection.

(8) The fire extinguishing system valve 1 further has a venting device 21 adapted to vent tap lines 19a at the manometers 15, 17 to the environment.

(9) The venting device 21 has for each manometer 15, 17 a plunger 23a, b which is respectively coupled to an actuating element 25a, b (it can also be of a one-part structure). The plunger 23a, b is respectively mounted displaceably in a plunger chamber 27a, b, in particular being floatingly mounted therein.

(10) Within the respective plunger chamber 27a, b the respective plunger 23a, b is reciprocable between a venting position and a pressure transmission position. In the illustrated configuration in FIG. 1 the first plunger 23a is in the venting position and the second plunger 23b is in the pressure transmission position.

(11) The plunger 23a, b has a portion of reduced outside diameter, by means of which an annular space 29a, b is formed with the wall disposed oppositely in the respective plunger chamber 27a, b. The plunger 23a, b is respectively sealed off in relation to the plunger chamber 27a, b on both sides of the portion 29a, b.

(12) In the venting position the fluid-conducting connection between the manometer 15 and the fluid outlet chamber 13 is interrupted insofar as the annular space 29a is admittedly connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the chamber-side part 19b of the tap line, but separated from the manometer-side part 19a of the tap line. In return the manometer-side part 19a of the tap line is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to an inner through opening 31 in the plunger 23a, b and in turn connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the environment by way of a drain opening 33 in the actuating element 25a. Accordingly the ambient pressure prevails in the illustrated venting position at the first manometer 15 and the fluid can flow away in 33.

(13) In the pressure transmission position shown by way of example for the second manometer 17 the annular space 29b is connected in fluid-conducting relationship both to the manometer-side part 19a of the tap line and also to the chamber-side part 19b of the tap line so that the pressure in the fluid inlet chamber 11 is transmitted to the manometer 17. The inner through opening 31 of the second plunger 23b is however not fluid-conductingly connected to the manometer 17.

(14) Preferably the first and second plunger chambers 27a, b are fluid-conductingly connected by means of a fluid passage 35. If the fluid passage 35 and the through openings 31 as well as drain openings 33 are arranged with an inclination relative to the horizontal then any extinguishing agent which is within the venting device 21 can flow away at any time in the direction of the force of gravity through the inner through opening 31 and the drain opening 33.

(15) FIG. 1 having shown an embodiment in which in the fire extinguishing system valve having two manometers 15, 17 a separate plunger was provided for each manometer, FIGS. 2a, b are directed to a second preferred embodiment which embodies the same inventive concept in a different fashion. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a, b uses the same valve structure as the embodiment of FIG. 1, and for that reason only the housing cover 7′ which is of a differing configuration is shown. Identical references refer to elements which are structurally or functionally identical in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

(16) Provided in the housing cover 7′ is a single plunger chamber 27c in which there is a single common plunger 23c. The common plunger 23c is mounted linearly moveably, preferably floatingly, and is reciprocable between a pressure transmission position (FIG. 2a) and a venting position (FIG. 2b). As in FIG. 1 the housing cover 7′ has a two-part tap line 19a, b for each of the manometers 15, 17, by means of which the manometer 15, 17 can respectively communicate with the fluid inlet chamber 11 or the fluid outlet chamber 13 in order to display the pressure prevailing there.

(17) For each manometer 15, 17 the plunger 23 has a portion of reduced outside diameter, whereby a respective annular space 29a, b is formed with the wall of the plunger chamber 27c.

(18) In the pressure transmission position shown in FIG. 2a the annular space 29a, b is respectively disposed in fluid-conducting communication with both parts 19a, b of the tap line. A fluid-conducting connection between the manometers 15, 17 and the environment is thus interrupted while however pressure transmission can take place between the manometers 15, 17 and the fluid inlet or fluid outlet chamber 11, 13. The plunger 23c is respectively sealed off in relation to the wall of the plunger chamber 27c on both sides of the annular spaces 29a, b.

(19) If the common plunger 23c is moved out of the position shown in FIG. 2a into the position shown in FIG. 2b (by for example pulling) actuation of an actuating element 25c the fluid-conducting connection is made between the annular spaces 29a, b and the manometer-side parts 19a of the tap lines is interrupted so that there is no longer a fluid-conducting connection in relation to the fluid inlet chamber 11 and fluid outlet chamber 13 and the manometer 15 and 17 respectively. In return however the fluid-conducting connection is made between the manometer-side parts 19a of the tap lines and the inner through opening 31 or drain opening 33 of the common plunger 23c, that in turn is fluid-conductingly connected to the environment, so that both manometers 15, 17 can be vented simultaneously with one hand movement. The second manometer 17 is vented by means of a branch bore 37 which opens into the inner through opening 31 while the first manometer 15 is vented by way of an end of the common plunger 23c, into which the through opening 31 opens.

(20) It will be seen from the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2a, b how a venting function can be implemented with a minimum installation space on a fire extinguishing system valve 1 with manometers mounted thereto.

(21) In the same way the advantages according to the invention can also be achieved in relation to a fire extinguishing system valve which is not shown here in the Figures and which has only a single manometer and consequently ensures monitoring of only a respective one of the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber 11, 13.

LIST OF UTILIZED REFERENCE NUMBERS

(22) 1 fire extinguishing system valve 3 housing 5 main body 6 fluid inlet 7, 7′ housing cover 8 fluid outlet 9 closing body 11 fluid inlet chamber 13 fluid outlet chamber 15 first manometer 17 second manometer 19a part of the tap line, manometer side 19b part of the tap line, chamber side 21 venting device 23a first plunger 23b second plunger 23c common plunger 25a first actuating element 25b second actuating element 25c common actuating element 27a first plunger chamber 27b second plunger chamber 27c common plunger chamber 29a, b annular space 31 through opening 33 drain opening 35 fluid passage 37 branch bore