# US 10,864,397 B2 · Fire protection system manifold > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,397 B2 - Document ID: US10864397B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/048,955 - Filed: 2018-07-30 - Published: 2019-01-31 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-31 - Applicants: Ronald Beasley - Inventors: Ronald Beasley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864397B2 ## CPC - A62C 35/68: Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems (valves in general F16K) - A62C 35/02: with containers for delivering the extinguishing substance - F17C 13/00: Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels - Y10T 137/794: With means for separating solid material from the fluid - Y10T 137/85938: Non-valved flow dividers - Y10T 137/87249: Multiple inlet with multiple outlet - A62C: FIRE-FIGHTING (fire-extinguishing compositions, use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires A62D1/00; spraying, applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarms actuated by smoke or gases G08B17/10) - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A manifold for supplying multiple water streams, which streams may be used in connection with fire protection systems, from a single water supply source. The system includes an elongate body portion for holding water. Body portion has spaced apart first and second ends and a wall having a non-circular cross section with a top portion and converging side portions join the top portion and a bottom portion. A water inlet extends from the bottom of the body portion. A pair of water outlets extend from the top of the body portion and are located proximate the first and second ends of the body portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manifold for providing two water streams from a single water supply, the manifold comprising: an elongate body portion for holding water and having spaced apart first and second ends and including a wall having a non-circular cross section and including a top portion and converging side portions that join the top portion to a bottom portion; an inlet in fluid communication with the body portion and configured for allowing water to flow into the body portion, the inlet extending from the bottom of the body portion; a first outlet in fluid communication with the body portion and configured for allowing water to flow out of the body portion, the first outlet extending from the top of the body portion and located proximate the first end; and a second outlet in fluid communication with the body portion and configured for allowing water to flow out of the body portion, the second outlet extending from the top of the body portion and located proximate the second end and having a center that is spaced a distance L from a center of the first outlet, said inlet and said first and second outlets being oriented so that water flows into the inlet and out of the first and second outlets in substantially the same direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 wherein the top portion has a width WT and the bottom portion has a width WB, and wherein width WB is narrower than width WT. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 wherein the inlet has an opening with an internal diameter of IID and the first and second outlets each have openings with internal diameters of OID, wherein internal diameter IID is larger than internal diameter OID. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The manifold of claim 3 wherein internal diameter IID is at least twice as wide as internal diameter OID. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 further comprising an open end formed at either the first or second end of the body portion and a removable end cover configured to mount over and to enclose the open end of the body portion and to be removed from the body portion to provide access inside the body portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The manifold of claim 5 further comprising a removable strainer configured for insertion into the body portion via the open end and to filter debris out of a fluid stream carried into the manifold via the inlet before the fluid leaves the manifold via at least one of said first and second outlets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The manifold of claim 6 wherein the manifold is provided with a first filter section and a second filter section and wherein debris carried by the fluid stream is first filtered by the first filter section and then smaller debris that was not filtered by the first filter section is subsequently filtered by the second filter section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The manifold of claim 7 wherein the first filter section is located proximate the inlet and wherein a section filter section is located proximate each outlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The manifold of claim 6 wherein the strainer is in the form of an enclosure formed by a wall and having a hollow center, wherein the wall includes a plurality of openings that allows the fluid stream to pass into and out of the hollow center of the strainer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The manifold of claim 9 wherein the wall includes an opening that is positioned adjacent the inlet when the strainer is correctly located within the manifold, wherein the opening allows the fluid stream to enter the strainer without being filtered. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The manifold of claim 6 further comprising guides for guiding and facilitating the insertion of the strainer into the body portion of the manifold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 further comprising a first filter section for filtering debris carried through the manifold by the water flowing through the body portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The manifold of claim 12 further comprising a second filter section placed sequentially after the first filter section such that debris carried by the water flowing through the body portion is first filtered by the first filter section and then smaller debris that was not filtered by the first filter section is subsequently filtered by the second filter section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 wherein the top portion is flat and is joined to a top end of the converging sides by continuous rounded transition sections and wherein a bottom end of the converging sides is joined to the bottom end by a continuous rounded transition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 further comprising a drain located proximate the bottom portion of the left end or right end of the body portion for enabling the manifold to be drained. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 further comprising a supplemental inlet configured for allowing water to flow into the body portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The manifold of claim 16 wherein the supplemental inlet is located in the first end or second end of the body portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The manifold of claim 16 wherein the inlet, first outlet, and second outlet are parallel with one another in a vertical orientation and wherein the supplemental inlet is orthogonal to the inlet, first outlet, and second outlet in a horizontal orientation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The manifold of claim 1 wherein the distance L is at least 30 inches. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The manifold of claim 19 wherein the inlet is located midway between the first and second outlets, such that a distance of L/2 separates a center of the inlet from the center of each of the outlets.