AU2004100686A4

AU2004100686A4 - Insulated fire sprinkler extension

Info

Publication number: AU2004100686A4
Application number: AU2004100686A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Francis Wills
Original assignee: HALES AND LUNN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: HALES AND LUNN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-08-20
Filing date: 2004-08-20
Publication date: 2004-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2012-08-20

Description

1 INSULATED FIRE SPRINKLER EXTENSION Field of the Invention This invention relates to extending fire sprinkler heads through the insulated ceilings of cool rooms, freezers and refrigerated warehouses, which ceilings are constructed from insulating sandwich panels.

Background of the Invention The ceilings of cool rooms, freezers and refrigerated warehouses used by meat works and food manufacturers, are usually constructed with insulating sandwich panels. These panels are usually formed with skins of color bond steel laminated to an insulating core of expanded polystyrene, EPS.

Previously, these installations were not equipped with fire sprinklers and there have been a number of major fires especially in the food industry. Accordingly, insurers and underwriters now require the ceilings to be fitted with sprinkler systems.

The current method for installing fire sprinkler systems in cool room ceilings is to cut a cylindrical hole through the insulating panel, working either from beneath or from above or from both sides where the panel is especially thick.

The fire sprinkler head and the feed pipe is then passed through the hole from above the ceiling.

However, the feed pipe is of much smaller diameter than the sprinkler head and a hollow cavity is left around the pipe after installation. Temperature and vapour sealing of this cavity to restore the integrity of the insulation is difficult, time consuming and expensive.

2 This problem is often exacerbated by the method of cutting the cylindrical hole through the insulating panel in the first place. The cut is often not clean and chunks of polystyrene often come adrift during installation of the sprinkler.

Accordingly, the cavity left around the feeder pipe must be back filled, either by injecting polyurethane foam or by inserting off-cuts of polystyrene insulation.

This usually involves working both from above and below the hole containing .the feed pipe and the integrity of the thermal installation is often only partially restored.

Object of the Invention It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an insulated fire sprinkler extension unit which overcomes, or at least reduces the above problems or at least provides a useful alternative.

Statement of the Invention According to the present invention, an insulated fire sprinkler extension unit comprises a feed hose which connects a sprinkler head on the underside of a ceiling to the sprinkler system water supply through the insulating panel of the ceiling, and an insulated housing which accommodates the sprinkler head and the hose within the panel.

Preferably the extension unit housing is an insulated tube inserted in a mating hole through the panel and the sprinkler head is seated in a recess at the lower end of the tube flush with the underside of the ceiling.

Preferably the cavity between the feed hose and the inner wall of the tube housing is filled with an insulating core.

3 Preferably the insulating core comprises two mating semi cylindrical sections formed from polystyrene.

Preferably an adjustable annular flange is located around the outside of the housing tube which bears on the upper side of the ceiling to keep the lower end of the tube flush with the underside of the ceiling.

Preferably the unit is factory pre assembled for immediate installation.

Brief Description of the Drawings An embodiment of the invention is described by way of example only, with reference the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view from above of the assembled sprinkler extension unit and Fig 2 in an exploded perspective view of the unit of Fig 1.

Detailed Description of the Invention A sprinkler feed pipe 1 couples a fire sprinkler head, not shown, located at the lower end of tube 2, with the sprinkler system water supply via coupling 3. The body of the sprinkler head fits neatly into the recess 4 of spun metal plate which is riveted inside the lower end of tube 2.

Two semi-cylindrical mating core pieces 6 and 7 formed out of polystyrene are inserted into the tube thus insulating the cavity between feed pipe 1 and the inner wall of tube 2. Core pieces 6 and 7 are retained within tube 2 by washer 8 and retaining cap 9 which is riveted inside tube 2.

The location of a spun metal flange 11 is adjustable up and down the outside of tube 2. Accordingly, the whole unit can be pre-assembled in the factory and supplied ready for installation on site.

To install the unit, a hole slightly larger than the diameter of tube 2 is cut in the insulating panel of the ceiling. The unit is then lowered through the panel until the sprinkler head is flush with the underside of the ceiling and flange 11 is moved down the tube to bear on the upper side of the ceiling. Feed pipe 1 is then coupled to the sprinkler system water supply via coupling 3 and the sprinkler is ready for operation.

It will be obvious that the installation of the insulated sprinkler extension unit of the invention is fast and effective and preserves the appearance of the ceiling and the integrity of the insulation. There is no requirement to fill any cavity and the sprinkler head and feed hose are held securely in place.

VARIATIONS

It will be realized that the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example only and that all other modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising" are not intended to exclude other additives components integers or steps.

Claims

1. An insulated fire sprinkler extension unit comprising a feed hose which connects a sprinkler head on the underside of a ceiling to the sprinkler system water supply through the insulating panel of the ceiling and an insulated housing which accommodates the sprinkler head and the hose within the panel.

2. The unit of claim 1 in which the housing is an insulated tube inserted into a mating hole through the panel and the sprinkler head is seated in a recess at the lower end of the tube flush with the underside of the ceiling.

3. The unit of claim 2 in which the cavity between the feed hose and the inner wall of the tube housing is filled with an insulating core.

4. The unit of claim 3 in which the insulating core comprises two mating semi cylindrical sections formed from polystyrene.

5. The unit of claim 2 in which an adjustable annular flange is located around the outside of the housing tube which bears on the upper side of the ceiling to keep the lower end of the tube flush with the underside of the ceiling. SDated this 20 day August of 2004 For Hales and Lunn Pty Ltd By their Patent Attorneys Pipers Patent and Trademark Attorneys