Abstract: A fire protection sprinkler system for metal buildings has horizontally oriented sprinkler heads mounted on water supply lines extending along each side of rafters supporting the roof of a metal building so as to provide protection for bays between adjacent rafters having a width up to 25 feet or more. The sprinkler heads have a vertical part facing an outlet in a sprinkler body and a hood-shaped part supported from the vertical part and having downwardly inclined side walls and a downwardly inclined front wall. The deflector arrangement is supported from the sprinkler body by a pair of frame arms which converge at a boss on which the vertical part is mounted and another deflector part having rearwardly inclined arms extending horizontally, downwardly at an angle and substantially vertically, is supported between the boss and the vertical part of the deflector.

Abstract: The sprinkler arrangements described in the specification include a sprinkler body with an axial passage and an axially movable assembly movable between a sealing position and an open position and including a Belleville washer engageable with a shoulder in the sprinkler body to seal the axial passage in the sealing position and a deflector to distribute water emerging from the passage when the movable assembly is in the open position. A locking assembly which is separable from the sprinkler body normally retains the axially movable assembly in the sealing position and is releasable by a temperature sensitive apparatus at an elevated temperature to permit the movable assembly to move to the open position. In one embodiment the axially movable member has a central post which is slidably guided by a tripod at the outer end of the axial passage.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a direct connect pressure tester arrangement has a saddle which is clamped to a pipe which may contain fluid under pressure and has a drill guide with an opening extending perpendicular to the wall of the pipe, along with a resilient member held against the outer wall of the pipe. A crosspipe is attached to a bushing mounted in the saddle and a valve is attached to the crosspipe in axial alignment with the bushing with a drill supported in axial alignment on the other side of the valve. A pressure gauge is mounted in a perpendicular passage of the crosspipe and a drain valve is attached to the cross pipe in axial alignment with the pressure gauge. After the pressure tester has been mounted on the pipe to be tested, the valve adjacent to the drill bit is turned to the open position and the drill bit is moved through the valve and the drill guide and operated to drill a hole in the pipe.

Abstract: In the particular embodiments disclosed in the specification, a residential sprinkler arrangement includes a sprinkler body with an axial passage having an outlet opening providing a K factor of about 4 to about 6 which is normally closed by a cap retained in position by a thermally responsive element and a planar deflector spaced from the outlet opening and supported from the sprinkler body by a pair of frame arms. The deflector has a circumferential array of peripheral slots, a first set of which, located in the plane of the frame arms, has a length greater than that of any of the other slot-like openings and a second set of which, located in the plane perpendicular of the plane of the frame arms, has a length less than that of the first set but greater than that of any of the other slots.

Abstract: The sprinkler arrangements described in the specification include a sprinkler body with an axial passage and an axially movable assembly movable between a sealing position and an open position and including a Belleville washer engageable with a shoulder in the sprinkler body to seal the axial passage in the sealing position and a deflector to distribute water emerging from the passage when the movable assembly is in the open position. A locking assembly which is separable from the sprinkler body normally retains the axially movable assembly in the sealing position and is releasable by a temperature sensitive device at an elevated temperature to permit the movable assembly to move to the open position. In one embodiment the axially movable member has a central post which is slidably guided by a tripod at the outer end of the axial passage.

Abstract: In the typical embodiments described in the specification, a sprinkler arrangement for protecting stored documents has a sprinkler body with an orifice providing a K factor in the range from about 1.1 to about 2.7, a pair of frame arms terminating in a boss from which a glass bulb supports a cap in position to seal the orifice in the passage, and a pair of closely spaced substantially planar deflector members having a peripheral edge spacing in a range from about 0.01 inch to about 0.60 inch. The deflector member closer to the axial passage has a plurality of slots permitting some water to pass into the space between the deflector members where it generates a very fine droplet mist and some water to be distributed outwardly in the form of fine droplets to carry the mist away from the sprinkler. A recess formed in the surface of the second deflector member facing the first deflector member provides a cavity which promotes atomization and generates turbulence.

Abstract: In the typical embodiments described in the specification, a sprinkler arrangement for protecting stored documents has a sprinkler body with an orifice providing a K factor in the range from about 1.1 to about 2.7, a pair of frame arms terminating in a boss from which a glass bulb supports a cap in position to seal the orifice in the passage, and a pair of closely spaced substantially planar deflector members having a peripheral edge spacing in a range from about 0.01 inch to about 0.60 inch. The deflector member closer to the axial passage has a plurality of slots permitting some water to pass into the space between the deflector members where it generates a very fine droplet mist and some water to be distributed outwardly in the form of fine droplets to carry the mist away from the sprinkler. A recess formed in the surface of the second deflector member facing the first deflector member provides a cavity which promotes atomization and generates turbulence.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a vertical sidewall sprinkler arrangement has a deflector supported from the junction of a pair of frame arms of the sprinkler and arranged to direct water in a generally horizontal direction. The deflector has a planar central portion substantially perpendicular to the sprinkler axis and extending in a direction parallel to the plane of the frame arms of the sprinkler on one side of the sprinkler axis; a first angled portion on the opposite side of the sprinkler axis, bent at an angle of about 50° from the planar central portion toward the sprinkler; and second and third angled portions extending outwardly from the planar central portion of the deflector and from the plane of the frame arms and bent toward the frame arms at an angle of at least 30° from the planar central portion.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a concealed horizontal sidewall sprinkler has a sprinkler body adapted to be connected to a source of fire extinguishing liquid. A cover support is mounted substantially concentrically to the sprinkler body and has a threaded cylindrical wall extending away from the source of fire extinguishing liquid. The threaded cylindrical wall engages a sleeve which at one end has a slotted cylindrical portion with helically arranged projections to be received in the threads of the threaded cylindrical wall of the cover support. The other end of the sleeve has a flange with a plurality of tabs extending away from the cylindrical portion. A cover is attached by solder to the tabs extending from the flange of the sleeve. The cover also has four slots and is spaced from the flange of the sleeve by the tabs forming an annular gap.

Abstract: In the particular embodiment disclosed in the specification, a sprinkler has a sprinkler body with a passage having an orifice providing a K factor of about 3 to 6 which is normally closed by a cap retained in position by a glass bulb thermally responsive element. A deflector spaced from the orifice and supported from the sprinkler body by a pair of frame arms has a circumferential array of tines separated by radial slot-like openings and two openings located in the plane in the frame arms have a length greater than that of the other slot-like openings while four openings located at 45° to the plane of the frame arms are shorter than the other openings. The openings in the plane of the frame arms have a width of about 25% to 75% of the width of the frame arms adjacent to the deflector and a root diameter of about 150% to 300% of the width of the frame arms adjacent to the deflector.

Abstract: A concealed extended coverage quick response sprinkler has a sprinkler body with an axial passage for water, a cap normally closing the axial passage, and a thermally responsive structure supported from a pair of frame arms retaining the cap in position. A deflector slidably supported from the sprinkler body includes a substantially planar imperforate plate with opposed peripheral edge portions disposed on opposite sides of a plane containing the frame arms which are bent away from the sprinkler body. The sprinkler has a K factor of about 11.4 and provides quick response for light hazards at spacings up to 18 feet and standard response for light hazards at spacings of 20 feet.

Abstract: In the dry pipe sprinkler valve arrangement disclosed in the specification, a dry pipe sprinkler line is normally supplied with air at a pressure in a range from about 5 psi to about 20 psi and is connected through a check valve, a dry pipe valve and a manual control valve to a water supply line. The dry pipe valve has a clapper which is normally retained in the closed position by a latch member. An actuating valve having a diaphragm which receives air pressure from the sprinkler line on one side and engages an orifice to which water from the water supply is applied on the other side permits the latch member to release the clapper when the air pressure falls as a result of opening of a sprinkler in the sprinkler line. When the system is being reset after operation the latch is either automatically movable or manually movable by an external handle to restore the clapper to its seated position without requiring opening of the dry pipe valve housing.

Abstract: In a particular embodiment disclosed in the specification a sprinkler has a sprinkler body with a passage having an orifice which is normally closed by a cap retained in position by a glass bulb thermally responsive element and a deflector spaced from the orifice and supported from the sprinkler body by a pair of arms. The deflector has a circumferential array of tines separated by openings and the openings located in the plane in the frame arms have a substantially teardrop shape with the larger end closer to the sprinkler axis having a width which is 120% to 160% of the width of the adjacent portions of the frame arms.

Abstract: In the particular embodiments described in the specification, a dry sprinkler has a tube-like section with a sprinkler head at one end and a threaded portion to be received in a water supply line at the opposite end and it includes an internal support structure extending between a sealing plug in the end to be received in the water supply line and a cap in the sprinkler head which is supported by a thermally responsive structure. In one embodiment, the support structure includes a rod on which the sealing plug is mounted at one end and having a cap-engaging tip at the opposite end which is shaped to facilitate the flow of water from the sprinkler head toward a deflector, the rod being spaced from the tube-like section by two guide members, one of which acts as a stop for motion of the structure toward the sprinkler head and the other which engages a spring urging the structure toward the sprinkler head.

Abstract: In the particular embodiments described in the specification, a sprinkler guard is formed from eight U-shaped wire members arranged uniformly about a sprinkler axis and joined at one end to a ring and at the other end to two opposed base plates which each receive four of the U-shaped members, leaving an opening through which a conventional sprinkler head can be inserted into the guard. The base plates have downwardly projecting portions with opposed surfaces to engage flat outwardly facing surfaces on the conventional sprinkler head and also have outwardly facing surfaces for receiving a wrench to mount the sprinkler head after the guard has been assembled on it.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a pendent sprinkler has a sprinkler body with an axial passage for fire extinguishing liquid and a pair of frame arms supporting a deflector at a location spaced from the end of the axial passage. In order to provide high density water with uniform distribution throughout an area to be protected, the deflector is formed with a circumferential array of slots, each of which is oriented at an angle with respect to a radius line extending through the inner end of the slot. Preferably the angle of orientation of each slot is about 35.degree..

Abstract: In the particular embodiments described in the specification, a dry sprinkler has a tube-like section with a sprinkler head at one end and a threaded portion to be received in a water supply line at the opposite end and it includes an internal support structure extending between a sealing plug in the end to be received in the water supply line and a cap in the sprinkler head which is supported by a thermally responsive structure. In one embodiment, the support structure includes a rod on which the sealing plug is mounted at one end and having a cap-engaging tip at the opposite end which is shaped to facilitate the flow of water from the sprinkler head toward a deflector, the rod being spaced from the tube-like section by two guide members, one of which acts as a stop for motion of the structure toward the sprinkler head and the other which engages a spring urging the structure toward the sprinkler head.

Abstract: The horizontal sidewall sprinkler has a sprinkler body with a passage having an outlet and a deflector with a vertical portion supported forwardly of the outlet by a diverging boss at the culmination of frame arms extending from the sprinkler body and a generally horizontal portion with a planar lower surface supported above the vertical portion by integral strips having a reverse curvature. The generally horizontal deflector portion is inclined upwardly from the sprinkler axis at an angle between 0.5.degree. and 5.degree. and the vertical deflector portion has an opening extending across the width of that portion beneath the planar surface of the horizontal portion. The vertical portion also has a central opening beneath the sprinkler axis with a forwardly directed upwardly inclined tab and two further openings on opposite sides with rearwardly directed tabs to distribute liquid in the region beneath the sprinkler.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a pendent sprinkler has a sprinkler body with an axial passage for fire extinguishing liquid and a pair of frame arms supporting a deflector at a location spaced from the end of the axial passage. In order to distribute fire extinguishing liquid substantially uniformly throughout a protected area, the deflector is provided with pairs of tines having ends which are oppositely inclined with respect to the plane of the central portion of the deflector and which extend upwardly from that plane and has further tines intersected by the plane of the sprinkler arms with end portions which are displaced downwardly from the plane of the central portion of the deflector and are inclined upwardly with respect to that plane.

Abstract: In the particular embodiment of an adjustable concealed sprinkler disclosed in the specification, a center strut sprinkler has a frame with an inlet opening at one end and a cap is normally retained in position over the inlet opening by a thermally responsive strut assembly extending between the cap and the other end of the frame. A deflector is supported by pins having tapered enlarged heads to be received in correspondingly tapered sockets formed in the frame. To retain the deflector in a retracted position and urge the strut assembly away from the cap-retaining position, a wire spring extends from an enlarged head of one of the deflector retaining pins around the strut assembly to engage a portion of the frame.