Abstract: A pendent-type diffuser impingement water mist fire protection nozzle has a body defining an orifice and an outlet for flow of fluid from a source, and a diffuser positioned for impingement of the flow of fluid thereupon, the outlet and diffuser being disposed generally coaxial with the orifice. The diffuser defines an inner surface opposed to water flow from the outlet and an opposite outer surface. The diffuser inner surface defines a generally horizontal base area facing the nozzle outlet, an outer area spaced radially outwardly from, and disposed further from the outlet relative to, the base area, the outer area defining a generally continuous, circumferential peripheral edge, and an intermediate region extending between the base area and the outer area, the intermediate region defining a slanted surface disposed at a predetermined acute angle to the horizontal. The slanted surface defines a plurality of through holes from the inner surface of the diffuser to the opposite outer surface.

Abstract: A horizontal-type fire protection sprinkler has a body defining an orifice and outlet for flow of fluid from a source, and a deflector disposed generally along an axis of the orifice and positioned for impingement of the flow of fluid from the outlet thereupon. The deflector has a generally vertical portion and a generally horizontal flow confining element. A substantial portion of the generally horizontal flow confining element is disposed relatively closer to the orifice than the generally vertical portion.

Abstract: A positioning roller assembly for use when cold rolling a tube includes first and second positioning rollers disposed for initial contact with a tube surface, and a mechanism for maintaining contact of the first and second positioning rollers relative to the tube surface during groove rolling. The first positioning roller is positioned to apply a first initial predetermined load to the tube and the second positioning roller is positioned to apply a second, smaller initial predetermined load to the tube. The mechanism acts on the tube in a manner to equalize the loads to offset the tube during cold rolling. The positioning rollers also apply a downward load to the tube during cold rolling to, e.g., reduce tube end flaring when cold rolling a groove in a steel pipe and stabilize a cold rolling machine when cold rolling outward steps in a copper pipe.

Abstract: A check valve or backflow preventer has a valve mechanism mounted to a valve cover for removal and replacement as a unit. The valve clapper is resiliently supported to accommodate variations in tolerance. The valve seat is removably secured within the valve body by compression of a resilient seal ring to engage opposed walls of the seat and body. A spring pretensioning member facilitates safe replacement and removal of the valve mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving data regeneration in an asynchronous communication network is described where data is received on a two wire connection bus at a node in a communication network and is immediately retransmitted to another node therein. Incoming serial data is sampled at the time center of the serial data bit and is then immediately retransmitted based on the sampled data. The delay associated with buffering one full byte of data is reduced by a factor of 20 since the improved data regeneration technique of the present invention immediately retransmits the regenerated data one-half bit after it is received. Therefore, the network throughput is increased by a factor of 2000% and the network transmission media length is increased by a factor corresponding to the number of network nodes.

Abstract: An apparatus for cold rolling a piping element connection with multiple outward steps has first and second rollers, a driver for the second roller, and a positioning roller. The first roller rotates about a first axis, with first and second upper surfaces of rotation centered thereabout, the first surface mean diameter being less than that of the second surface. The first roller has an upper leading edge between the first and second upper surfaces. The second roller is mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to the first axis, with first and second lower surfaces of rotation centered thereabout, the first surface mean diameter being less than that of the second surface, and the second roller having a lower trailing edge between the first and second lower surfaces.

Abstract: A fire protection sprinkler is coupled to a pressurized fire extinguishing fluid supply line and positioned generally above a predetermined area to be protected against damage by fire. The sprinkler has a body with an inlet and at least one outlet, a divider defining bias and outlet chambers within the body, and a pilot valve assembly, forming an integral part of the body, is in communication with the bias chamber. The divider has a first "off" position substantially preventing fluid from exiting the outlet chamber and a second "on" position allowing fluid flow from the outlet chamber to be distributed over the area being protected. The pilot valve assembly includes a thermally responsive sensing element, e.g. a bimetal snap disc, disposed in a relatively horizontal plane generally below a main portion of the body for exposure to heat from all regions of the predetermined area to be protected by the sprinkler device.

Abstract: A fire protection nozzle has a base, an orifice, defined by the base and having a predetermined diameter, through which fire-retardant fluid can flow, a inlet section having an upstream end and defining a conduit for flow of the fire-retardant fluid along a conduit axis and leading to an upstream end of the orifice, a diffuser element positioned coaxially with and downstream of the orifice, and one or more arms extending from the base and supporting the diffuser element in a position, where, when flow of the fire-retardant fluid from the inlet section through the orifice is established, the fire-retardant fluid emerges from the orifice in a stream which impinges on a diffuser surface defined by the diffuser element to be distributed in a spray pattern. The diffuser surface defined by the diffuser element is generally spherical in shape in a region extending from an upstream end closest to the orifice to at least downstream of an equatorial plane of the diffuser element transverse to the conduit axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a piping element connection with multiple outward steps has first and second rollers, a driver for the second roller, and a positioning roller. The first roller rotates about a first axis, with first and second upper surfaces of rotation centered thereabout, the first surface mean diameter being less than that of the second surface. The first roller has an upper leading edge between the first and second upper surfaces. The second roller is mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to the first axis, with first and second lower surfaces of rotation centered thereabout, the first surface mean diameter being greater than that of the second surface, and the second roller having a lower trailing edge between the first and second lower surfaces. The first and second rollers are mounted for movement together and apart in a plane of the first and second axes for engagement and forming of multiple outward steps in the piping element connection placed therebetween.

Abstract: A fire protection nozzle of this invention has a base defining an orifice and an inlet section defining a conduit for flow of fire-retardant fluid, leading to an upstream end of the orifice. A diffuser is supported by arms extending from the base in a position downstream of the orifice where fire-retardant fluid flowing from the inlet section emerges from the orifice in a coherent stream which impinges on the diffuser to be deflected in a spray pattern. The inlet section, in the direction of the fire-retardant fluid flow, has a cross-sectional shape of an inwardly convex curvilinear arc with a length equal to or greater than the diameter of the orifice. In a preferred embodiment, the diffuser defines two or more slots, each having a cross-sectional open area equal to at least eight percent of the total cross-sectional area of the diffuser measured in a plane transverse to the direction of fire-retardant fluid flow from the orifice.

Abstract: A fluid meter totalizing register assembly suitable for submerged service includes a fluid meter totalizing register and a register case. The register case has a housing comprising a water impermeable elastomeric material defining at least one wall of a cavity for receiving the fluid meter totalizing register. The register case includes a transparent lens of water impermeable material closing a top opening of the cavity in a water-tight seal with the wall of the housing, and a magnetic-force transmitting element of water impermeable material closing a bottom opening of the cavity in a water tight seal with the wall of the housing. The register includes a rotatable register element disposed within the cavity adjacent an inner surface of the magnetic-force transmitting element. The rotatable register element is driven by magnetic coupling with a rotatable meter element disposed adjacent an opposite, outer surface of the magnetic-force transmitting element.

Abstract: A domestic water supply shutoff valve for use with fire protection system water supply piping has a body defining a volume for flow of water through the valve, with a supply inlet for connection to a supply of water, a first outlet for connection to fire protection system water supply piping, and a second outlet for connection to domestic system supply piping. A first passageway is defined within the body for flow of water from the supply inlet toward the first outlet. A second passageway is defined within the body for flow of water from the supply inlet toward the second outlet. A poppet valve is disposed within the body and mounted for movement between a first position for permitting flow of water from the inlet toward the first outlet and a second position for permitting flow of water from the inlet toward the second outlet, the poppet valve being biased toward the second position.

Abstract: A clevis pipe hanger having upper and lower yokes and a clevis bolt or stud defines a pipe support aperture with an inner diameter of predetermined range, measured along a horizontal plane through the center axis of the pipe and parallel to the axis of the clevis bolt, that is greater than the predetermined distance between opposed, inner surfaces of the ends of the upstanding arms of the lower yoke, whereby, in the regions near and below the horizontal plane, the inner surface of the lower yoke engages the outer surface of the pipe. In the regions above the horizontal plane, segments of the inner surfaces of the upstanding arms lie generally tangent to the outer surface of the pipe and extend generally toward each other. In the region of the arms lie approximately parallel to each other.

Abstract: A dry sprinkler for mounting on a piping system in a fire protection installation including an outer tube structure having an inlet end with an inlet opening, an outlet end having an outlet opening, and a tube axis that passes through the inlet opening and along the tube structure, a connecting structure that is mounted for movement along the axis within the tube structure, a thermally responsive component supported by the tube structure at the outlet end and supporting the connecting structure under normal temperature conditions and releasing the connecting structure during abnormal temperature conditions to permit it to move, a seal member that is caused by the connecting structure to seal the inlet opening when the connecting structure is supported by the thermally responsive component, the seal member being constrained to move towards one side of the tube axis when the connecting structure is released in order to provide a relatively large unobstructed flow area to permit passage of foreign matter on the

Abstract: A fire protection sprinkler including a frame having an outlet opening for fire extinguishing fluid and spaced apart frame arms extending from the outlet opening to provide a support at a location spaced from the outlet opening, a sealing member covering the opening, a thermally responsive member connected between the sealing member and the support to seal off the opening during normal temperature conditions and to release the sealing member during abnornally high temperature conditions, an adapter member attached to the frame, one or more pins that are supported by the adapter member, and a deflector that is slidably mounted with respect to the adapter member via the pin or pins. Also disclosed is a clip that retains the deflector in the retracted position in a releasable fashion.

Abstract: A sight flow indicator for visually indicating fluid flow through a conduit including a housing that has an inlet and an outlet and defines a flow passage between the two, the flow passage including a sighting region and a downstream restricted region that has a smaller flow area than said sighting region, a window in the housing providing viewing of the sighting region, and an elongated member that is located in the sighting region that is too long to move from the sighting region into the restricted region and is sufficiently smaller than the sighting region so as to be capable of vibrating about in the sighting region in response to flow of fluid therethrough.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fire protection sprinkler head having a base constructed for connection to a source of fire retardant fluid under pressure, a throat in the base through which fire retardant fluid can flow, a valve seat defined by the base about the periphery of the throat, and a resiliently flexible valve disk disposed across the throat and impressed upon the valve seat in sealing engagement. The valve seat has an arcuate profile segment, with a protuberant ridge disposed about the periphery of the throat and adjacent thereto. The ridge, in the region of its crest, defines a valve seat surface. The valve seat further has a recessed surface segment disposed radially outwardly of the throat, and divergent from a plane of the crest of the protuberant ridge.

Abstract: A heat-responsive element has two links joined with a thin solder layer in a face-to-face relationship over an extended surface area. The components of opposed surfaces of the links in contact with the solder layer and the solder layer are adapted to alloy with each other in the regions immediately adjacent each opposed surface to form alloy bonds between the opposed surfaces and the solder layer. The strength of these bonds is greater than the strength of the solder layer. At least the opposed surfaces of the links consist, at least in part, of an alloy-forming amount of nickel, cobalt, chromium or iron, or an alloy of nickel, cobalt, chromium, or iron.