Gas Flow Arrestor (GFA)

United States Patent Number 6,199,573

Legal Description:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A device according to the present invention, illustrated in Figure No. 1, shuts off the flow of gas to a structure 10, such as a residence, when a fire is detected in the structure 10. In a preferred embodiment, a primary electric power source 13, such as a public utility, provides electricity via a power line 16 to electricity supply lines 19A, 19B, 19C. The electricity supply line 19C provides the electricity from the power line 16 to the structure 10 for use. In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure No. 1, the electricity supply line 19C is connected to one or more fire detectors 22 and may also be connect to an actuator 25, so as to provide electricity to the fire detector 22 and actuator 25. The electricity supply line 19C may also be connected to other electrical devices (not shown), such as lights or heaters.

Also, shown in Figure No. 1 is a gas line 28, which provides gas, such as natural gas, via a gas meter 31 and a shut-off valve 34 to an appliance 37, such as an oven, stove, furnace or water heater located in the structure 10.

The steps of a method according to the present invention are illustrated in Figure No. 2 and are further described below in conjunction with the device illustrated in Figure No. 1. After providing and actuator (step 90) and providing a shut-off valve (step 92), as described above, when one or more of the fire detectors 22 detects (step 96) the presence of fire, the fire detector 22 provides a status signal along a signal line 40 to the actuator 25, and may provide the status signal via a receiver/transmitter 43. The status signal may be provided by the fire detector 22 when the fire detector 22 senses smoke or when the fire detector 22 senses a temperature above a threshold temperature. The fire detector 22 may be Model Number 2112/24AITR available from System Sensor, a division of Pittway, located in St. Charles, Illinois. Upon receipt of the status signal, the actuator 25 moves (step 98) the shut-off valve 34 from an open position to a closed position, thereby stopping the flow of gas through the gas line 28 to the structure 10. The actuator 25 may include a solenoid 46 for moving the shut-off valve 34 as described above.

The receiver/transmitter 43 may send the status signal to a first alarm indicator 49 located on or near the structure 10 for indicating the receipt of the status signal. The receiver/transmitter 43 may also send the status signal to a second alarm indicator 52 located at an office 55 having emergency assistance personnel, such as a fire department or police department. Furthermore, the alarm indicators 49, 52 may include a light and/or sound generator for indicating the receipt of the status signal to people nearby. The receiver/transmitter 43 may be a fire alarm control panel Model MP-12/24 available from the Firelite Alarms Incorporated of Northford, Connecticut.

As shown in Figure No. 1 the present invention may include disturbance prevention circuitry 58 connected to the electricity supply line 19C. The disturbance prevention circuitry 58 prevents disturbances, such as power surges or dips, in the electricity provided by the primary electric power source 13 from resulting in the fire detector 22 failing to detect fire and/or from resulting in the shut-off valve 34 failing to close upon receipt of the status signal. The disturbance prevention circuitry 58 may be obtained from Tripp Lite of Chicago, Illinois.

Also shown in Figure No. 1 is a secondary electric power source 61 connected to the electricity supply line 19c. The secondary electric power source 61 provides electricity to the electricity supply line 19C in the event that the primary electric power source 13 does not provide electricity. The secondary electric power source 61 may include a battery and may be located inside or outside the structure 10. The secondary electric power source 61 may be obtained from Trip Lite of Chicago, Illinois.

The present invention may include a position indicator 64 for indicating (see steps 94 and 96) a position of the shut-off valve 34. The position indicator 64 may be a light or sound generator connected to the actuator 25. By providing an indication of the position of the shut-off valve 34, emergency personnel will know whether they should be prepared to contend with gas inside the structure 10.

In order to further assist emergency personnel, the present invention may have a manually operated means 67 for moving the shut off valve 34 between the open and closed position. If the actuator 25 fails to close the shut-off valve 34 the manually operated means 67 may be used to stop the flow of gas through the gas line 28 to the structure 10.

It is therefore apparent that the present invention accomplishes the intended objects described above. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, the present invention is not limited to such preferred embodiments. Since various changes could be made without departing from the spirit and scope or the invention, it is intended that the foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not interpreted in a limiting sense. Furthermore, it is intended that the present invention shall be limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. __ An automatic gas shut-off device, comprising:

a.___a fire detector having an output for providing a status signal indicating a presence of a fire;

b. __an actuator having an input in communication with the fire detector output for receiving the status signal;

c.__ a shut-off valve located on a gas line and connected to the actuator such that when the status signal is received by the actuator, the actuator causes the shut-off valve to move from an open position to a closed position, thereby preventing gas from flowing through the gas line;

d. __an electricity supply line connected to a primary electric power source, the electricity supply line being connected to the fire detector for providing electricity to the fire detector; and

e. __ a secondary electric power source connected to the electricity supply line for providing electricity to the fire detector in the event that the primary electric power source does not provide electricity to the fire detector.

2. __The gas shut-off device of claim 1, wherein the fire detector provides the status signal when the fire detector senses smoke.

3. __ The gas shut-off valve device of claim 1, wherein the fire detector provides the status signal when the fire detector senses a temperature above a threshold temperature.

4. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a solenoid.

5. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 1, wherein the secondary electric power source includes a battery.

6. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 1, wherein the electricity supply line is connected to the actuator for providing electricity to the actuator.

7. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 1, further comprising disturbance prevention circuitry connected to the electricity supply line for preventing disturbances in the electricity provided by the primary electric source from causing the gas shut-off device to fail to detect the presence of fire and move the shut-off valve from the open position to the closed position.

8. __ The gas shut-off device claim 1 further comprising a position indicator connected to the actuator for indication a position of the shut-off valve.

9. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 8, wherein the position indicator includes a light.

10. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 8, wherein the position indicator includes a sound generator.

11. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 1, further comprising a alarm indicator having an input in communication with the fire detector output for receiving the status signal, such that when the status signal is received by the alarm indicator, the alarm indicator indicates receipt of the status signal.

12. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 11, wherein the alarm indicator includes a light.

13. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 11, wherein the alarm indicator includes a sound generator.

14. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 1, wherein the gas line provides gas to a residence and the fire detector, is located in the residence.

15. __ An automatic gas shut-off device, comprising:

a. __ a fire detector having an output for providing a status signal indicating a presence of fire;

b. __ an actuator having an input in communication with the fire detector output for receiving the status signal;

c. __ a shut-off valve located on a gas line and connected to the actuator such that when the status signal is received by the actuator, the actuator causes the shut-off valve to move from an open position to a closed position, thereby preventing gas from flowing through the gas line and

d. __ the actuator further having a means for manually moving the shut-off valve between the open position and the closed position.

16. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 15 further comprising a position indicator connected to the actuator for indicating a position of the shut-off valve.

17. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 15 further comprising an electricity supply line connected to the fire detector for providing electricity to the fire detector and disturbance prevention circuitry connected to the electricity supply line for preventing disturbances in the electricity provided by the electricity supply line from causing the gas shut-off device to fail to detect the presence of fire and move the shut-off valve from the open position to the closed position.

18. __ An automatic gas shut-off device, comprising:

a. __ a fire detector having an output for providing a status signal indicating a presence of fire;

b. __ an actuator having an input in communication with the fire detector output for receiving the status signal;

c. __ a shut-off located on a gas line and connected to the actuator such that when the status signal is received by the actuator, the actuator causes the shut-off valve to move from an open position to a closed position, thereby preventing gas from flowing through the gas line;

d. __ an electricity supply line connected to a primary electric power source, the electricity supply line being connected to the fire detector and the actuator for proving electricity to the fire detector and the actuator, and

e. __ disturbance prevention circuitry connected to the electricity supply line for preventing disturbances in the electricity provided by the primary electric power source from causing the gas shut-off device to fail to detect the presence of fire and move the shut-off valve from the open position to the closed position.

19. __ The gas shut-off device of claim 18 further comprising a position indicator connected to the actuator for indicating a position at the shut-off valve.

20. __ An automatic gas shut-off device, comprising:

a. __ a fire detector having an output for providing a status signal indicating a presence of fire;

b. __ an actuator having an input in communication with the fire detector output for receiving the status signal;

c. __ a shut-off valve located on a gas line and connected to the actuator such that when the status signal is received by the actuator, the actuator causes the shut-off valve to move from an open position to a closed position, thereby preventing gas from flowing through the gas line; and

d. __ a position indicator connected to the actuator for indicating a position of the shut-off valve.

21. __ A method for automatically shutting off a gas supply line, comprising:

a. __ providing an actuator having a means for receiving a status signal;

b. __ providing a shut-off valve located on a gas line and connected to the actuator;

c. __ providing an indication of a position of the shut-off valve;

d. __ detecting a fire and providing the status signal indicating a presence of fire to the actuator;

e. __ moving the shut-off valve from and open position to a closed position and;

f. __ changing the indication of the position of the shut-off valve.