US1609930A - Gas-detector alarm and valve-actuating means - Google Patents

Description

D e c. 7 1926. 1,609,930

I A. COHEN GAS DETECTOR ALARM 'AND ALVE ACTUATING MEANS Filed Feb. 14,-- 1925 INVEN TOR HBRAHAM COHEN V .4 TTORNEYS l atented near, 1926.

UNITED STATES ABRAHAM connm or NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-DETECTOR ALARM AND VALVE-ACTUATING MEANS.

Application filed February This invention relates to a simple and eflicient apparatus whereby the escape of gas from a system will so affect the apparatus as to cause a valve controlling the supply of gas to be shut off.

Another object concerns the provision of means whereby the closing of'the valve can and a signal such as a bell, is closed.

'electrom'agnetlc device operates an element 'WlHCll releases the gas valve, which 15 then be effected from any one of a number of points throughout the system.

A further object concerns the provision of means whereby the mere presence of gas in ever so small quantities in the vicinity of the detector will cause it to be actuated.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus and the circuits involved; and

' Figure 2 is a modified form of part of the invention.

In view of the fact that so many accidents occur through the leakage of gas in houses and buildings, it is highly desirable to provide an apparatus which will detect the presence of unburned gas, especially illuminating gas, an instantly operate to cut off the supply, Oftentimes a circulation of air through a room will blow out a dim gas flame unknown to the persons in the house, or the gas pressure may vary sufficiently to cause the extinguishment of the flame without giving any notice of its action so that proper persons can turn off the supply. For these reasons it is very important that a de-, tector device capable of being sensibly affected by the mere presence of unburned gas be established at one or more places throughout the system so that whenever a leak occurs in any part of the system the main supply will preferably be cutoff.

To this end I have provided an electrical circuit which is normally open. The circuit is open at a switch, preferably a resilient member, which is held open by a fusible connection, the resiliency of the switch when re leased normally tending to move it to its closed position,.immediately upon which the circuit, through an electromagnetic devilcle T e closed by a spring action.

In order to cause the fusing of the link holding the circuit switch normally open. I have provided a substance-which will become warm or sufficiently heated by the mere presence of unburned gas to heat the 14, 1925. Serial 1%. 9,228.

fusible connection sufiiciently to cause it to break. This action however takes place without tlie generation of sufficient heat to achieve an incandescent state. This state is not desired because the gas must not be ignited. This substance referred to is preferably platinum sponge.

In Figure 1 there is disposed a gas pipe, part of asystem,- in which a valve casin'g 2 is disposed having a valve handle 3 engaged by a spring 4 tending normally to move the valveto its closed position. This valve is preferably held in its open position by the engagement with the handle 3 of a detent bar 5. This bar acts as an armature for an electric magnet 6 and is moved to such a position when said magnet is energized as to remove it from the path, of engagement with the handle 3. This electromagnet is in circuit with a bell 7, a battery 8 and switch members 9 and 10. The switch member 9 can be adjusted, and the switch member 10 is mounted preferably on a resilient arm 11 which is held in such a position by a fusible flexiblelink 12 as to keep the member 10 out of contact with the member 9. The other end of the, fusible element 12 is engaged with an adjustable member 13 so that the degree of separation between the,

switch elements or members can be adjusted. Likewise the switch element 9 is mounted on an adjustable member 14. Adjacent an intermediate point of the fusible element 12 is a detector element 15 which is suitably mounted on a support 16 of any type. This detector element 15 may be directly in contact with the fusible element 12 as shown in Figure 1 or may be merely in close proxim' ity thereto. However, the-element 15 is of such material as will become heated by the mere presence of gas, an extent that the, preferably, very fine fusible element or filament 12 will break and permit the switch element. 10to spring into contact with the switch element 9, whereby closed position immediately by the action of spring 4. Figure and heated to suchthe circuit through the electromagnet 6 and the bell or signal 7 is closed, cans-"f 2 shows a magnet 17 in which the bell clapper 18 is rovided with a projection 19 acting as a gized the clapper rings a bell and removes the projection 19 from the valve lever so that the s ring 21 will close the valve. In this modillcation, therefore, the clapper performs the function of a bell ringin device and a valve releasing device at t e same time. 1

It will be observed that this device is inex nsive sim la in its construction and operation and 1s capable of bein actuated immediately upon the escape o sufiicient gas to actuate the detector. The operation of the detector and its relation to the fusible element can be so designed that the valve will be closed almost immediately upon the escape of any gas whatsoever;

What I claim is zetent in the path of the valve lever 20, and when the magnet is ener-' A as detector and alarm device, which inclu es a gas valve, spring means engaging with a ortion of said move it to c osed position, detent means normally lying in the path of a portion of said valve to hold it in an open position, an elecopen, said gas detector disposed in proxim-,

ity to said fusible member and affected by the presence of unburned gas to generate suflicient heat to fuse said member, said switch adapted to close when released by the fusing of said member.

ABRAHAM COHEN.

valve tending, to

Images