PRIORITY CLAIM AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 application of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/068032, filed Jul. 4, 2018, which claims the benefit of German Application No. 10 2017 116 117.1, filed Jul. 18, 2017, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns a fire extinguishing system valve comprising a housing, a fluid inlet chamber in the housing, a fluid outlet chamber in the housing, and a closing body reciprocable between a blocking state and a release state and which in the blocking state prevents a direct flow of fluid between the fluid inlet chamber and the fluid outlet chamber and in the release state connects the fluid inlet chamber directly in fluid-conducting relationship to the fluid outlet chamber.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Fire extinguishing system valves of the above-indicated kind are generally known. They are used either as passive or active valves in order in a fire situation to enable a flow of fluid through the valve and to ensure same for extinguishing a fire. Such fire extinguishing system valves can be used in the form of wet alarm valves, dry alarm valves or spray fluid valves. Frequently, one or more manometers are provided for monitoring the pressure in the fluid inlet chamber and/or in the fluid outlet chamber. If the fire extinguishing system valve is not shut off at the inlet or outlet side then those manometers on the inlet side display the supply pressure of the extinguishing agent while on the outlet side they display the pressure in the downstream-disposed piping network of the fire extinguishing system.

In practice fire extinguishing systems with the above-indicated fire extinguishing system valves are installed in a building or on an installation over very long periods of time without ever having to extinguish a fire in an emergency. It is therefore necessary to check the mode of operation of the fire extinguishing system valves at regular intervals. That also applies to the manometers provided in the fire extinguishing system valves. Thus for example some regulations require that the manometers have to be checked for proper functioning annually.

According to the state of the art, for checking the correct functioning of the manometers the pressure at the manometer is shut off by means of a ball valve provided externally specifically for that purpose. Subsequently the volume closed off by the ball valve is opened to the environment whereby the volume monitored by the manometer is vented. The manometer is functioning correctly if the pressure falls to the ambient pressure during venting and after fresh closing and opening of the ball valve rises again to the proper pressure in the extinguishing system. The solutions known in the state of the art using ball valves take up a great deal of installation space and require comparatively high installation work in regard to the fitments around the fire extinguishing system valve.

On the application from which the present application claims priority the German Patent and Trade Mark Office searched the following state of the art: WO 2017/070 369 A1, DE 39 37 778 A1, US 372 219A, WO 2016/097 335 A1, EP 2 409 773 A2, WO 2016/179 406 A1 and WO 2017/114 615 A1.

Accordingly the object of the invention was to improve a fire extinguishing system valve of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification to the effect that the disadvantages encountered in the state of the art are overcome to the best possible extent. In particular the object of the invention was to improve a fire extinguishing system valve such that function monitoring of the fitted manometers is a possibility in a smaller installation space.

The object of the invention is attained in a fire extinguishing system valve of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification insofar as fitted to the housing is at least one manometer which is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber and there is provided a venting device integrated into the housing for the at least one manometer.

The approach adopted by the invention provides that the use of external fittings is avoided by virtue of integration of the venting function into the housing of the fire extinguishing system valve and linked thereto the installation space otherwise required in the state of the art is no longer needed. The increase in functional complexity of the fire extinguishing system valve housing, which in the past was generally perceived to be a disadvantage, is surprisingly particularly advantageous precisely in regard to the integrated venting device according to the invention as both the manometer and also the venting device are arranged directly at the fire extinguishing system valve and it is therefore immediately apparent to the operator how the manometer is to be vented.

The venting device according to the invention is preferably designed to separate the volume directly connected to the manometer in fluid-conducting relationship from the fluid inlet chamber as a result of its actuation and to communicate it with the environment.

An advantageous development of the invention provides the housing has a main body and a housing cover which is reversibly releasably connected to the main body and the venting device is integrated into the housing cover.

By virtue of the integration of the venting device into the housing cover it is now possible for the housing main body to be produced in identical form for a large number of fire extinguishing installation valves and for the venting function to be incorporated or retro-fitted according to needs by subsequent fitment of the housing cover. Preferably the at least one manometer is also mounted to the housing cover. By virtue thereof the manometer and the venting device are arranged in immediate proximity with each other, which makes operation of the venting device intuitive.

In a preferred embodiment the venting device has a plunger which is mounted displaceably within the housing and which is reciprocable between a pressure transmission position and a venting position, wherein in the pressure transmission position a fluid-conducting connection is made between the at least one manometer and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber and in the venting position the fluid-conducting connection between the at least one manometer and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber is interrupted.

In a further preferred embodiment the plunger has an inner through opening connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the environment. The at least one manometer is preferably connected in the venting position in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening while in the pressure transmission position of the plunger the fluid-conducting connection between the manometer and the inner through opening is interrupted. The through opening through the plunger can extend for example from a first end to a second end of the plunger entirely through the plunger body.

Further preferably the venting device has an actuating element which extends outside the housing and which is connected to the plunger to cause a movement of the plunger by means of pushing or pulling actuation. Preferably the actuating element is spring-assisted in order in the absence of an actuating force to be moved into a normal position or to remain therein. That normal position is preferably the pressure transmission position.

The actuating element preferably has a drain opening connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening of the plunger and to the environment. That is particularly advantageous when the manometer to be vented is arranged to act on the fluid inlet side of the fire extinguishing system valve. In the pressure transmission position extinguishing agent is applied at the manometer, which can then be removed during venting through the drain opening from the fire extinguishing system valve. That proceeds particularly easily with a continuous fluid passage which extends through the through opening of the plunger and the actuating element.

In a further embodiment of the invention the plunger is arranged in a plunger chamber which has a wall and a portion of an outside diameter which is so reduced that an annular space is formed with the wall of the plunger chamber, that is opposite to the plunger.

Preferably the annular space in the pressure transmission position of the plunger is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the manometer on the one hand and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber on the other hand and the fluid-conducting connection of the annular space to the manometer and/or the fluid inlet or fluid outlet chamber is interrupted in the venting position.

Preferably the plunger is sealed off in relation to the wall on both sides of the portion of reduced outside diameter. The provision of an annular space around the plunger, for transporting the fluid to the manometer in the pressure transmission position, provides for particularly short distances from the fluid inlet or outlet chamber to the manometer.

The advantages of the fire extinguishing system valve according to the invention with its venting device integrated into the housing are already enjoyed when using a single manometer on the fire extinguishing system valve.

In a preferred embodiment the fire extinguishing system valve has a first manometer and also a second manometer, wherein one of the two manometers is operatively connected to the fluid inlet chamber and the other of the two manometers is operatively connected to the fluid outlet chamber.

In this embodiment in accordance with a preferred configuration the venting device for each manometer has a plunger which is mounted displaceably within the housing and which is reciprocable between a pressure transmission position and a venting position, wherein in the pressure transmission position one of the plungers makes a fluid-conducting connection between one of the manometers and the fluid inlet chamber and the other plunger makes a fluid-conducting connection between the other manometer and the fluid outlet chamber and in the venting position the fluid-conducting connection between the respective manometer and the fluid inlet chamber and fluid outlet chamber is respectively interrupted.

Preferably each of the plungers has an inner through opening connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the environment, each manometer in the venting position of the respective plunger is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening thereof, and in the pressure transmission position of the respective plunger the fluid-conducting connection between the respective manometer and the inner through opening of the plunger associated therewith is interrupted.

Preferably the venting device for each plunger has an actuating element which extends outside the housing and which is connected to the plunger associated therewith in order to cause a movement of the respective plunger by means of pushing or pulling actuation.

Preferably each actuating element has a drain opening which is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening of the plunger associated with it and the environment.

Preferably the plungers are respectively arranged in a plunger chamber or in a common plunger chamber which (respectively) have a wall and respectively have a portion of an outside diameter so reduced that an annular space is formed with the wall of the plunger chamber, that is opposite to the plunger.

Preferably the respective annular space in the pressure transmission position of the respective plunger is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the manometer associated with it on the one hand and the fluid inlet chamber or fluid outlet chamber on the other hand and the fluid-conducting connection of the respective annular space to the respective manometer and/or to the fluid inlet or outlet chamber is interrupted in the venting position.

Preferably the plungers are sealed off in relation to the wall on both sides of the respective portion of reduced outside diameter.

The foregoing preferred configuration provided a separate plunger for the venting operation for each manometer. It will be noted however that the invention also enjoys its advantage in a structure in which the venting device for both manometers has a common plunger which is mounted displaceably within the housing and is reciprocable between a pressure transmission and a venting position, wherein in the pressure transmission position a fluid-conducting connection is made between one of the manometers and the fluid inlet chamber and between the other manometer and the fluid outlet chamber and in the venting position the fluid-conducting connection between the respective manometer and the fluid inlet chamber and fluid outlet chamber is respectively interrupted.

Preferably the common plunger has an inner through opening connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the environment, the manometers in the venting position are connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening and in the pressure transmission position of the common plunger the fluid-conducting connection between the manometers and the inner through opening is interrupted.

Preferably the venting device has an actuating element which extends outside the housing and which is connected to the common plunger in order to cause a movement of the plunger by means of pushing or pulling actuation.

Preferably the actuating element has a drain opening connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the inner through opening of the common plunger and to the environment.

Preferably the common plunger is arranged in a plunger chamber which has a wall and has a first portion and a second portion each of an outside diameter so reduced that a respective annular space is formed with the wall of the plunger chamber, opposite to the plunger.

Preferably one of the annular spaces in the pressure transmission position of the plunger is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to one of the manometers on the one hand and the fluid inlet chamber on the other hand and the other annular space is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the other manometer on the one hand and the fluid outlet chamber on the other hand, wherein the fluid-conducting connection of the respective annular space to the respective manometer and the fluid inlet or fluid outlet chamber is interrupted in the venting position.

Preferably the common plunger is sealed off against the wall on both sides of the respective portion of reduced outside diameter.

The invention has been described hereinbefore with reference to a fire extinguishing system valve. In a further aspect the invention also concerns a fire extinguishing system comprising a piping network, a number of sprinklers and/or extinguishing nozzles arranged in the piping network, a water supply, and a fire extinguishing system valve connecting the water supply to the piping network.

The above-specified object of the invention is achieved in a fire extinguishing system of the above-indicated kind in that the fire extinguishing system valve is designed in accordance with one of the above-described preferred embodiments. The fire extinguishing system thereby benefits from the advantages of the fire extinguishing system valve according to the invention so that reference is made in that respect to the foregoing description.

The fire extinguishing system according to the invention has the same preferred embodiments as the fire extinguishing system valve according to the invention.

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by means of two preferred embodiments by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

