US2594951A - Gas alarm device - Google Patents

Description

April zu, 1952 G. MANCINI GAS ALARM DEVICE 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed DeC. 16, 1948 Wm l Nv Nw muv mv Geo/i7@ Mana/'721' INVENTOR.

BY MRI/077% 3.*

prl 29, 1952 G. MANCINI 2,594,951

GAS ALARM DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 george Mano/i721' I N V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNTED STATES PATENT FFHCE 2,594,951 GAS ALARM DEVICE George Mancini, New York, N. Y.

Application December 16, 1948, Serial No. 65,613

The present invention relates to an apparatus for signaling the presence of escaping illuminating gas from a high pressure gas supply leaking into homes and buildings, and is intended to provide an audible signal that is actuatable by escaping gas.

One of the essential features of a high-pressure gas system for domestic use is the provision of governing instrumentalities for controlling the flow of gas from the intake main to the gas meter and thence to gas-consuming appliances. This governor is disposed intermediate the intake and a vent p-ipe, the latter leading to the atmosphere outside of the building and to which the gas is supplied, and in the event of abnormal conditions existing in the system, the governor is adapted to by-pass the incoming gas to thevent pipe, for preventing leakage into the building. It has been found in practice, that the provision of an audible alarm which will serve notice to passers-by or the household of the existence of such abnormal conditions in the gas system is of paramount importance as a safety feature.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an audible gas alarm for operating, when the usually-provided seal associated with the aforementioned governor, becomes broken incident to the existence of abnormal operating conditions in the supply system.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a gas vent and an improved audible alarm, said alarm being so constructed and arranged as to minimize ignition of the escaping gas by tending to prevent the creation of a static spark from a static electrical charge which might be built up in connection with said alarm.

A still further object of this invention is. to provide an audible alarm device involving a minimum of moving parts, thus minimizing wear and assuring the constant maintenance of the alarm device in operative condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an alarm device which will operate on low gas pressure, and will by-pass any excess gas into the atmosphere while continuing to operate to giveI a continuous audible alarm.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an audible alarm device which is simple in construction and inexpensive in character and which will remain in continuous operative condition without attention or servicing over indefinitely long periods of time.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, and the 3 claims. (ci. 11s-7o) features of novelty will be pointed out in particularity in the appended claims.

The invention will be understood more readily by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, partially in perspective, showing a high-pressure gas supply system entering a home or other building and. em- Eodying the improvements of the present invenion.

Fig. 2` is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of the governor control unit of the system of Fig.'l.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation 1ilnrough'the alarm device of the present invenion.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and rst to Fig. l, reference character A represents a foundation wall through which a highpressure gas supply line B enters beneath the grade line of the ground C. The gas supply line B connects with a riser D which leads to a gas meter E. The control governor unit F is connected between the riser D and the vent-riser G through a seal H. The vent-riser G connects by an elbow with vent pipe I on the outer end of which, and positioned above the grade line is the audible alarm K, which is adapted to sound a continuous whistle alarm if gas is escaping through the vent pipe I due to abnormal conditions existing in the gas system. The seal I-l is connected operatively to the governor unit F, Fig. 2 showing an illustrative form of construction of a typical governor control unit. The high pressure gas supply line B connects with a supply control valve 5 associated with the governor F, which seats on a seat 6 in which is located an intake orice 'I leading from a high pressure gas inlet 8 to which is connected the supply line B. A leaf spring 9 mounted inthe end II) of housing I I of the governor control unit F presses against the valve 5, tending to urge, the valve against the seat Ii. The housing II of the governor vcontrol unit includes the low pressure outlet I2 which communicates with the riser D that leads to the meter E. The governor control unit F comprises a diaphragm I3 mounted in housing II beneath removable cover I4 providing accessl to the diaphragm I3. This resilient diaphragm carries a weight I5 secured thereto by a stem I6, the weight I5 being adapted to engage 9, lever arm I'I which is pivoted at I8 to the housing II, one end of said lever arm being pivotally connected to said weight structure as at I9, the other` end 20 of the lever I'I being adapted to 1 engage the valve 5. During normal operation of the system, gas passes around the valve to the low pressure outlet I2; but when abnormal conditions exist such as the entrance of high pressure gas enters beneath and expands the diaphragm I3 which lifts weight I5 away from the lever arm I'I, which permits said arm to pivot around the pivot I8, thereby causing the lever arm end to depress the valve 5, and in conjunction with the leaf spring 9 close said valve tightly on the seat 6, thereby stopping the further admittance of high pressure gas. This action regulates the gas pressure, since when the pressure drops, the weight falls permitting more gas to enter. The diaphragm I3, of leather or other suitable resilient material defines the underlying chamber 2| which communicates through channel 22 with chamber 22 wherein the mercury seal 23 is retained in the open end container 24 that connects through ports 25 and 26 with outlet 2l which receives and is connected to the lower end of the vent riser G. The seal 23 is designed to blow out at any pressure above the low pressure of gas in the riser D leading to the meter E, thus releasing gas accumulated beneath the diaphragm I3 through the ventI and thence through the alarm K, which will continue to sound as long as the gas pressure beneath the diaphragm I3 exceeds the house pressure. Also if the valve 5 does not close tightly against the seat 6 for any reason, for example, if there is dirt on the seat, or wearing of the seat, or through faulty operation of the parts, the mercury seal will blow, and the alarm K will continue to sound to advise those in the vicinity of the escaping gas from the vent I. Therefore, in case the seat 6 or the mercury seal 23 becomes faulty or blows within the governor, due to excessive pressure, the gas is released to the atmosphere through ventline G and alarm K and not held within the enclosure of the house.

The alarm K is shown in Fig. 3, and comprises a plastic body or housing 28 formed at its upper end with a reduced portion or neck 29 formed with external threads 30 which are adapted to engage in complemental external threads in the end of elbow 3I mounted on the free end of vent pipe I. The neck 29 has a tubular passage 32 through which the escaping gas passes to the expanding intermediate passage 33 and into the enlarged passage or bore 34 extending to the lower end 35 of the body 28. Said body 28 at the upper end of bore 34 is formed with a flange or shoulder 36 against which is seated and suitably secured the annular thickened flange 36' surrounding the upper open end of a plastic inverted thimble element 31 which latter from a point 31', spaced from its upper end 36 decreases in diameter towards its lower end 38 which is positioned intermediate the diagonally extending ports 39 formed in the housing 28 adjacent to its open end 35, and in diagonal alignment with the ports 40. Extending across said thimble 3'I above the ports 40 is a plastic plate 4I having small ports 42 in the ends thereof, these ports being of small diameter and just above the ports 40, so that gas passing through said ports 42 and 40 and through ports 39 in the housing 28, will produce a whistling sound to give audible alarm of escaping gas.

The neck portion 29 of the body or housing portion 28 is provided with an outlet or by-pass port 43 communicating with passage 32 and an enlarged countersunk opening 44 in which one end of a plastic cylindrical casing 45 is adapted to seat and be secured therein. The casing or valve structure 45 is formed with a spring seat 46 surrounding the gas outlet port 4l opening to the outside air. Said countersunk opening 44 forms a Valve seat 48 for the plastic valve member 49 having a central upstanding plug portion 50 adapted to engage in one end of the plastic or insulated spring 5I the other end engaging seat 46.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the alarm device K will indicate the existence of any gas pressure caused by a faulty seating of the inlet valve 5 of the gas governor F, or the rupture of its diaphragm, the blowing of its mercury seal, etc., and effects the utilization of escaping gas to produce an accoustic alarm or whistle when the occurence of any gas pressure is evident in the vented end of the gas governor. The mercury seal will also blow if the gas is shut off at any time and the total line pressure is suddenly turned on. This tends to blow the mercury seal because the action of the governor to regulate the gas pressure lags behind the sudden flow of high pressure gas. The construction and arrangement of said alarm device is such that it will operate to sound an alarm when any pressure, no matter how small, escapes the governor and enters the vent line G. Such escaping gas from the vent line enters the alarm device K through passage 33 to the thimble Whistle structure 3l, and through the openings 42 and 40, effecting the whistle alarm and escaping through the discharge openings 39 to the atmosphere.

It will be noted that the escaping gas entering the alarm device K, if the pressure is low enough, will escape through ports 42 causing a whistle, but if the full line pressure is escaping, a portion of the gas will be by-passed through valve structure 45 causing valve member 49 to be displaced from its seat 48 against the action of spring 5I and discharging through exit port 4l to the atmosphere. The opening of this valve 49 tends to relieve the excessive pressure, and the whistle continues to sound throughout this cycle because the opening of the valve causes an immediate reduction of pressure within the body of the alarm device.

It will be apparent that the alarm structure presents many advantages such as being operable by any low pressure Vescape of gas through the vent line to sound an audible alarm, and by the escape of full line high pressure in a manner not to cause a back up or restriction of gas flow within the device or through the vent line, by a by-passing of a suicient amount of the high pressure flow from the device, the alarm however being continuous, said alarm being manufacturable at a minimum of cost, adapted by reason of its construction to reduce to a minimum the likelihood of the creation of a static spark incident to the flow of the escaping gas therethrough, yet being simple in construction, comprising few parts, readily installable, pleasing in appearance and eflicient for the purposes intended.

It will beiseen from the foregoing that the invention comprises means for rendering known to individuals in the neighborhood that gas actually is escaping from the vent pipe I, and therefore that abnormal conditions are existent in the gas system in the house, the Whistle alarm therefore decreasing the likelihood of danger because of the escaping gas and the abnormal conditions in the gas system of the house. The alarm structure, being of a plastic construction, minimizes the possibility of a static spark igniting the gas passing through it and gives an audible signal under any quantity of escaping gas, and renders negligible any danger from static electricity. However, it will be apparent that structural details of the alarm may be varied without departing from the inventive concept, as will become apparent readily to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and accordingly it Will be understood that it is intended and desired to embrace within the scope of the invention such modicaticns and changes as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses, as devfined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims:

1. In a gas system including a high pressure gas inlet pipe, governor control means connected to the inlet pipe for controlling passage of gas to consuming units in a house, a gas vent connected to the governor control means for venting gas from the inlet pipe to air outside of tthe house, the improvements which consist in an audible whistle alarm mounted on the gas vent adapted to sound a whistle when gas is escaping through the vent, the alarm including a plastic housing having a gas passage therethrough and having an open free end, the housing having a plurality of ports adjacent to the open free end, a plastic thimble mounted in the housing and having a closed end with gas passage ports adjacent to the closed end, a plastic plate mounted in the thimble having ports in the ends thereof adjacent to the thimble, and valve means for the housing operable under excess gas pressure in the housing for ley-passing excess gas from the housing.

2. In a gas system including a high pressure gas inlet pipe, governor control means connected to the inlet pipe for controlling passage of gas to consuming units in a house, a gas vent connected to the governor for venting gas from the inlet pipe to air outside of the house, the improvements which consist in a Whistle alarm device mounted on the gas vent adapted to sound an audible whistling alarm when gas is escaping through the vent, said alarm including a plastic housing having a gas pressure therethrough and having an open free end, the housing and passage enlarging intermediate the ends, the housing having a plurality df ports adjacent to the open free end, a plastic thimble mounted in the housing and having a closed end provided with gas passage ports adjacent to the closed end, a plastic plate mounted in the thimble across the thimble adjacent to the ports therein, the said plate having ports adjacent to its ends and to the ports in the thimble, a by-pass port in the housing, a plastic valve for closing the port, and resilient mounting means for the valve adapted to permit the valve to open under pressure in excess of a predetermined amount for ley-passing the excess gas out of the housing.

3. In a gas system including a high pressure gas inlet pipe, governor control means connected to the inlet pipe for controlling passage of gas to consuming units in a house, a gas vent connected to the governor control means for venting gas from the inlet pipe to air outside of the house, the improvements which consist in an audible whistle alarm mounted on the gas vent adapted to sound a` whistling alarm when gas is escaping through the vent, the whistle including a plastic housing having a gas passage therethrough and having an open free end, the housing and passage enlarging intermediate the ends, the housing having a plurality of ports adjacent to the open free end, a plastic thimble mounted in the housing and having a closed end provided with gas passage ports adjacent to the closed end, a plastic plate mounted transversely across the thimble adjacent to the ports therein, the said plate having ports adjacent to the ports in the thimble, a by-pass port in the housing, a plastic valve for closing the port, resilient mounting means-'for the valve adapted to permit the valve to open responsive to excess pressure of gas over a predetermined pressure, and a plastic housing for the spring enabling lay-passing of excess gas from the alarm housing.

GEORGE MANCINI.

REFERENCES CETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,779,795 Backstatter Oct. 28, 1930 1,855,682 MacLean Apr. 2 6, 1932

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