| US 7,530,402 B2 | ||
| Water column supervisory switch | ||
| Michael F. Cabral, Wildwood, Mo. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC, St. Louis, Mo. (US) | ||
| Filed on May 06, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/418,777. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/678853, filed on May 06, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0260822 A1, Nov. 23, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. A62C 35/00 (2006.01); A62C 37/36 (2006.01); A62C 35/60 (2006.01); A62C 3/06 (2006.01); A62C 37/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 169—17 [169/19; 169/20; 169/23; 169/56] | 11 Claims |

| 1. A water column supervisory switch in combination with a sprinkler system comprising:
a valve casing defining a chamber and a valve seat that divides the chamber into a upstream side in communication with a water
supply and a downstream side in communication with a plurality of sprinklers,
a clapper valve arrangement comprising a clapper body adapted to engage the valve seat and being operable between a normally-closed
position wherein fluid flow communication is prevented between the upstream and the downstream side, and a fully open position
wherein fluid flow communication is permitted between the upstream and the downstream side, the chamber being in communication
with a conduit defined by a stack, and
a probe arrangement operatively associated with the stack, the probe arrangement being positioned at a predetermined level
along the stack relative to the clapper valve body, and including a probe; the probe including:
a conductive threaded portion in conductive communication with a conductive medium through the stack for introducing an electrical
signal through the stack and into the conductive medium;
a conductive electrode portion for detecting the electrical signal in the conductive medium when the conductive medium contacts
the probe arrangement at a predetermined level; and
an electrically insulating stand-off sleeve between the conductive electrode portion and the conductive threaded portion
wherein an alarm is activated when the conductive medium in the stack contacts the probe arrangement at the predetermined
level.
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