Fire sprinkler with actuator
AssigneeTyco Fire Products LP
InventorScott Thomas Macomber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sprinkler includes a frame, a deflector member, a sealing assembly, and a releasing mechanism for a controlled actuation. The releasing mechanism includes a hook member, a strut member, a load member, a link member, and an actuator. The link member surrounds or frames the strut and hook members and holds the members in a static relationship of an unactuated configuration. A preferred link member includes a single central slot through which each of the hook member and the strut member extend. The actuator is arranged with respect to the link member to separate the hook and strut members and break the link member upon operation of the actuator.
Claims20
A sprinkler, comprising:
- a frame having a first end and a second end spaced apart along a longitudinal sprinkler axis;
- a body disposed at the first end to prevent the flow of a fluid through the sprinkler;
- and
- a releasing mechanism having an unactuated state to support the body and an actuated state to release support from the body, the releasing mechanism including:
- a hook member having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion comprising a through opening;
- a strut member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the strut member in contact with the first end portion of the hook member, the second end of the strut member in contact with the body;
- a link member having a fracture region and a central slot, the strut member and the hook member extending through the central slot and the fracture region extending from an outer peripheral edge of the link member toward the central slot;
- and
- an actuator comprising a piston to separate the hook and strut members in the actuated state of the releasing mechanism to break the link member along the fracture region, the actuator coupled with the hook member via the through opening, the through opening disposed axially between the link member and the second end of the strut member.
A method, comprising:
- supporting a body in a closed position via a releasing mechanism, the body disposed at a first end of a frame of a sprinkler, the frame comprising the first end and a second end spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the releasing mechanism having an unactuated state to support the body and an actuated state to release support from the body, the releasing mechanism comprising:
- a hook member having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion comprising a through opening;
- a strut member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the strut member in contact with the first end portion of the hook member, the second end of the strut member in contact with the body;
- a link member having a fracture region and a central slot, the strut member and the hook member extending through the central slot;
- and
- an actuator comprising a piston to separate the hook and strut members in the actuated state of the releasing mechanism, the actuator coupled with the hook member via the through opening, the through opening disposed axially between the link member and the second end of the strut member;
- extending the piston from an end of the actuator to contact the strut member of the releasing mechanism;
- breaking the link member of the releasing mechanism at the fracture region by pushing the strut member away from the hook member of the releasing mechanism, the fracture region extending from an outer peripheral edge of the link member toward the central slot;
- and
- releasing the body from the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.