US 5,366,022 A · Extended coverage ceiling sprinklers and systems

Abstract

Ceiling sprinklers and sprinkler systems provide extended areas of coverage through a combination of extra large and super large orifices and deflectors which extend radial distributions with acceptable uniform average and absolute distribution densities all around and beneath the sprinklers. Described deflectors are circular and substantially flat, being essentially flat in pendent style and slightly fructoconical in upright style. Slots of alternating length are provided extending inwardly towards the center of the deflector from the circular perimeter to within no more than one-half inch and preferably no more than 0.6 of an inch from the center of the deflector. The upright sprinkler deflector includes central circular planar areas at least one inch and preferably at least 1.2 inch in diameter while the outer annular peripheral portion of such deflectors are coned back towards their supporting tubular bodies at an included cone angle of about one hundred forty degrees or more. Sprinkler systems of the present invention can be installed with closest adjoining pairs of sprinklers and branch lines spaced more than fifteen feet apart when the sprinklers are located within at least seven feet six inches and as close as only three feet to the protected area.

Claims80

Dependent claims

A ceiling sprinkler comprising:

a generally tubular body having an outlet orifice at one end, the tubular body having a K factor greater than 8.7, where K equals the flow of water in gallons per minute through the tubular body divided by the square root of the pressure of the water fed into the tubular body in pounds per square inch;
a plug at least generally closing the orifice;
a triggering element releasably retaining the plug closing the orifice;
a deflector having a major surface facing the orifice;
and
a support coupling the deflector and the sprinkler body with the major surface spaced from and generally aligned with the orifice so as to be impacted by a flow of water issuing in a column from the orifice upon release of the plug, the major surface being substantially planar with a generally circular outer perimeter, a plurality of slots angularly spaced around a center of the major surface, each of the slots extending through the deflector and at least generally radially inwardly from the perimeter to no closer than one-half inch from the center of the major surface, the major surface having an outer diametric dimension of at least 1.7 inches and a central annular flat area facing the outlet with an outer diametric dimension greater than 0.8 inches.

3 more elements

A ceiling sprinkler comprising:

a generally tubular body having an outlet orifice at one end, the tubular body having a K factor greater than 9 where K equals the flow of water in gallons per minute through the tubular body divided by the square root of the pressure of the water fed into the tubular body in pounds per square inch;
a plug closing the outlet orifice;
a trigger releasably retaining the plug closing the outlet orifice;
and
a deflecting structure located on an outlet end of the body positioned opposite and spaced from the outlet orifice so as to be impacted by and to deflect water flowing from the outlet orifice, the deflecting structure including a central area and an outer area, the central area being located directly opposite the outlet and at least essentially lacking openings therethrough which permit water flowing from the outlet orifice to pass from the outlet orifice and axially through the central area, the outer area surrounding the central area and including a plurality of openings extending entirely through the deflecting structure, the outlet orifice having a central axis and a projection of the central area on a plane perpendicular to the central axis at least essentially completely overlapping the outlet orifice, the projection of the central area having an outer diametric dimension of at least 1.0 inch, and diametrically opposed pairs of projections extending tangentially from between adjoining pairs of openings on an outlet orifice facing side of the outer area of the deflecting structure intersecting one another at the central axis of the outlet orifice and defining included angles of at least 140.degree. facing the outlet orifice.

2 more elements

A ceiling sprinkler comprising:

a generally tubular body having an outlet orifice at one end, the tubular body having a K factor greater than 9 where K equals the flow of water in gallons per minute through the tubular body divided by the square root of the pressure of the water fed into the tubular body in pounds per square inch;
a plug closing the outlet orifice;
a trigger releasably retaining the plug closing the outlet orifice;
and
a deflecting structure located on an outlet orifice end of the body positioned opposite and spaced from the outlet orifice so as to be impacted by and to deflect water flowing from the outlet orifice, the deflecting structure including a central area located directly opposite the outlet orifice and at least essentially lacking in openings therethrough which permit water flowing from the outlet orifice to pass from the sprinkler axially through the central area, the outlet orifice having a central axis and a projection of the central area on a plane perpendicular to the central axis at least essentially completely overlapping the outlet orifice, and the deflecting structure further including a plurality of slots extending from an outer periphery of the deflecting structure radially inwardly towards the central axis through the outlet orifice and axially entirely through the deflecting structure, the slots permitting water to flow from an outlet orifice facing side of the deflecting structure axially through the deflecting structure and away from the outlet orifice and the slots being about 0.03 inches or more in width and about 0.2 or more inches in radial length as measured perpendicularly to the central axis.

2 more elements

A ceiling sprinkler comprising:

a generally tubular body having an outlet orifice at one end, the tubular body having a K factor greater than 9 where K equals the flow of water in gallons per minute through the tubular body divided by the square root of the pressure of water fed into the tubular body in pounds per square inch;
a plug closing the outlet orifice;
a trigger releasably retaining the plug closing the outlet orifice;
and
a deflecting structure located on an outlet end of the body positioned opposite and spaced from the outlet orifice so as to be impacted by and to deflect water flowing from the outlet orifice, the deflecting structure including a central area located directly opposite the outlet orifice and at least essentially lacking in openings which permit water flowing from the outlet orifice to pass from the sprinkler axially through the central area, the deflecting structure further including a plurality of openings spaced around the central area and extending from an outer periphery of the deflecting structure generally radially inwardly towards a central axis of the outlet orifice and axially entirely through the deflecting structure, the openings permitting water to flow from an outlet orifice facing side of the deflecting structure axially through the deflecting structure and away from the outlet orifice, the deflecting structure further having an outer diameter apart from the plurality of openings in a plane perpendicular to the central axis and ratios of the outer diameter to radial lengths as measured perpendicularly to the central axis of the plurality of openings being greater than 3 and no greater than 11.5.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Extended coverage ceiling sprinklers and systems

Life of this patent

Extended coverage ceiling sprinklers and systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims80