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US 7,255,539 B1Granted
Pump pressure limiting engine speed control
AssigneeClarke Fire Protection Products, Inc.
InventorsKevin J. Kunkler, John T. Whitney, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sprinkler system for building includes an internal combustion engine which operates a water pump. The water pump in turn forces water through pipes to sprinkler heads. The engine is at least in part controlled by a throttle control mechanism which includes a spring biased piston which is moved in response to the output pressure of the pump. This prevents the pump from exceeding the rated pressure of the system components.
Claims11
A throttle control mechanism for an engine driven pump, said pump having a fluid intake port and a fluid discharge port, said throttle control mechanism comprising:
- a) an elongate cylinder having a first open end and a second closed end, said first end closed and fluidly sealed by an end block,
- b) a fluid chamber within said end block, said fluid chamber in fluid communication with said cylinder,
- c) a sliding piston within said cylinder, said piston including an axially extending throttle activation rod extending through said end block, said throttle activation rod connected to the throttle of said engine whereby movement of said piston, within said cylinder, causes movement of said throttle activation rod and said engine throttle,
- d) sealing means between said piston and said cylinder,
- e) biasing means between said piston and said closed end of said cylinder whereby said piston is biased against said end block,
- f) a first fluid communicating conduit between said fluid chamber, within said end block, and the discharge port of said pump,
- g) said first fluid communicating conduit having a pressure relief valve therein whereby fluid will flow from said pump discharge port to said fluid chamber within said end block, when the fluid pressure within said pump discharge port exceeds a predetermined pressure,
- h) a second fluid communicating conduit fluidly communicating with said first fluid communicating conduit between said relief valve and said fluid chamber within said end block, said second fluid communicating conduit fluidly communicating between said first fluid communicating conduit and the atmosphere,
- i) a fluid restricting orifice within said second fluid communicating conduit whereby said orifice creates a reduced fluid pressure within said first and second fluid communicating conduits and said fluid chamber, within said end block, as fluid passes therethrough.
6 more elements
A throttle control mechanism for an engine driven pump, said pump having an intake port and a discharge port, said throttle control mechanism comprising:
- a movable member, the movable member operatively connected with a throttle link and biased to place the throttle into a standard operating position,
- a liquid chamber adjacent the movable member,
- a liquid input in communication with liquid discharged from the discharge port,
- a path in communication with liquid that enters the liquid input, the path leading to the liquid chamber;
- a liquid output path for diverting some liquid that enters the liquid input to a liquid output, and
- the throttle control mechanism configured to respond to liquid pressure applied at the liquid input so that when liquid pressure applied at the liquid input reaches a threshold high pressure:
- (i) liquid communication between the liquid input and the path is provided, and
- (ii) liquid communication between the liquid input and the liquid output via the liquid output path is provided, with the liquid output responsively releasing some liquid so that a pressure condition produced in the liquid chamber via the path is reduced as compared to the threshold high pressure;
- and
- (iii) the pressure condition overcomes bias on the movable member and causes the movable member to move thereby causing the throttle activation rod to move in a throttle speed reducing direction;
- wherein the liquid chamber is at one side of the movable member and the mechanism further includes a damping reservoir in fluid communication with an opposite side of the movable member.
8 more elements
A throttle control mechanism for an engine driven pump, said pump having an intake port and a discharge port, said throttle control mechanism comprising:
- a movable member, the movable member operatively connected with a throttle link and biased to place the throttle into a standard operating position,
- a liquid chamber adjacent the movable member, and
- a liquid input in communication with liquid discharged from the discharge port,
- a path in communication with liquid that enters the liquid input, the path leading to the liquid chamber;
- a liquid output path for diverting some liquid that enters the liquid input to a liquid output, and
- the throttle control mechanism configured to respond to liquid pressure applied at the liquid input so that when liquid pressure applied at the liquid input reaches a threshold high pressure:
- (i) liquid communication between the liquid input and the is provided, and
- (ii) liquid communication between the liquid input and the liquid output via the liquid output path is provided, with the liquid output responsively releasing some liquid so that a pressure condition produced in the liquid chamber via the path is reduced as compared to the threshold high pressure;
- and
- (iii) the pressure condition overcomes bias on the movable member and causes the movable member to move thereby causing the throttle activation rod to move in a throttle speed reducing direction;
- wherein the liquid input comprises a relief valve having a pressure limit set at the threshold high pressure, the liquid output comprises a flow limiting orifice.
8 more elements
A throttle control mechanism for an engine driven pump, said pump having an intake port and a discharge port, said throttle control mechanism comprising:
- a movable member, the movable member operatively connected with a throttle link and biased to place the throttle into a standard operating position,
- a liquid chamber adjacent the movable member, and
- a liquid input in communication with liquid discharged from the discharge port,
- a path in communication with liquid that enters the liquid input, the path leading to the liquid chamber;
- a liquid output path for diverting some liquid that enters the liquid input to a liquid output, and
- the throttle control mechanism configured to respond to liquid pressure applied at the liquid input so that when liquid pressure applied at the liquid input reaches a threshold high pressure:
- (i) liquid communication between the liquid input and the path is provided, and
- (ii) liquid communication between the liquid input and the liquid output via the liquid output path is provided, with the liquid output responsively releasing some liquid so that a pressure condition produced in the liquid chamber via the path is reduced as compared to the threshold high pressure;
- and
- (iii) the pressure condition overcomes bias on the movable member and causes the movable member to move thereby causing the throttle activation rod to move in a throttle speed reducing direction.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.