Patent US4383155A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3765842A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3765842A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fire alarm signalling system
Assignee: Cerberus AG
•
Filing: 1971-07-21
•
Granted: 1973-10-16
•
Expires: 1991-07-21
Abstract
Abstract Air samples are removed through ducts connected to the spaces to be supervised on the one hand, and to a distribution valve on the other, which selectively switches the ducts through to a pump, which applies the sample from a selected space, through dust, water vapor, and carbon dioxide removing filters, as well as through other filters, to a carbon monixide (CO) detector which, upon detection, gives an alarm signal and further preferably controls the pump and the control valve to pump out more sample air from the particular space in which an increased CO content was detected. The CO detector may be an infrared (IR) spectroscope, a gas chromatograph, a system catalytically oxidizing CO to CO2, and then detecting CO2, a hot-wire detector, chemical detectors, of a fuel cell, or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 G Purt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:26
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N31/00; G01N31/02; G01N27/00; G01N27/02; G01N27/04; G01N27/12; G01N33/00; G01N33/0004; G01N33/0009; G01N33/0011; G01N33/0027; G01N33/0036; G01N33/004; G08; G08B; G08B17/00; G08B17/10; G08B17/117; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/12; Y10T436/20; Y10T436/204998; Y10T436/205831
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the alarm signal from the CO responsive means is connected to said switching control means (18) to control said co-responsible means to maintain a passage through the valve in communication with the detection chamber for a longer than normal period if the CO responsive means has sensed a CO presence in excess of said predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the alarm signal from the CO responsive means is connected to the pump and controls said pump for a higher pumping effort if said CO responsive means has sensed a CO presence in excess of said predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the pump is continuously operating to apply suction to said ducts and connected to apply air, as switched by said valve, to the detection chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
System according to claim 1, including alarm means (12, 13, 14, 15, 16) connected and responsive to said electrical alarm signal when presence of CO is sensed in excess of said predetermined level, said alarm means indicating from which one of the ducts connected to the switchable valve air was obtained causing said detection of excess CO level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
System according to claim 1, wherein said means removing non-gaseous components includes a mechanical filter system having a pass width less than about 10 lambda (microns).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the filter means (8) is equipped to remove water vapor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the filter means is equipped to also remove CO2.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the filter means is equipped to also remove SO2, H2S, and hydrocarbons.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
System according to claim 1, wherein said CO responsive means comprises means (37) providing a carrier gas; a mixer element (36) mixing air samples from said space with said carrier gas; and a gas chromatographic column (38); an analyzer (39); and a controller (40), the controller being connected to control the mixer (36) and the gas chromatograph to provide an output signal only if the analyzer (39) records a carbon monoxide component in the air passing through the gas chromatographic column.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means catalytically converting CO with hydrogen to methane; and means indicating the presence of methane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means including palladium chloride and water for reaction with CO; and means indicating the presence of palladium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means including iodine pentoxide and means reacting CO with iodine pentoxide and indicating the presence of iodine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means including mercury oxide and reacting CO with the mercury oxide, and means indicating the presence of mercury.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means including a silver salt solution and means reacting the silver salt solution with carbon monoxide to determine precipitated silver.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises a fuel cell having CO applied thereto, the delivery of current by the fuel cell being an indication of the presence of CO.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the means in said detection chamber responsive to the presence of carbon monoxide include replaceable cartridges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
95 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the alarm signal from the CO responsive means is connected to said switching control means to control said means to maintain a passage through the valve in communication with the detection chamber for a longer than normal period if the CO responsive means has sensed a CO presence in excess of said predetermined level, and said alarm signal is additionally connected to the pump (7) to control said pump for higher pumping effort if said CO responsive means has sensed a CO presence in excess of said predeteRmined level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises a sensing chamber through which air from said spaces is passed; and an IR spectroscope responsive to CO in said chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
System according to claim 19, wherein said IR spectroscope comprises a second chamber having non-contaminated air placed therein and forming a reference chamber; means alternately applying IR radiation to said reference chamber and to the sensing chamber; and means sensing the difference in IR radiation passing through said chambers and providing said electrical alarm signal when the difference exceeds a predetermined level.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means including a metallic surface, and means sensing the electrical properties of the metallic surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
System according to claim 21, wherein the metallic surface comprises a heated platinum wire; and the means sensing the electrical properties comprises means determining the resistance change upon the presence of CO in the heated platinum wire.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
System according to claim 1, wherein the CO responsive means comprises means for catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
System according to claim 23, including means to sense heat liberated upon catalytic oxidation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
System according to claim 23, including means sensing carbon dioxide formed upon catalytic oxidation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
90 words
Method of sensing the presence of a fire in a plurality of spaces comprising removing atmosphere samples from the spaces to be supervised for the presence of fire; selectively, sequentially switching atmosphere samples removed from various ones of said spaces; removing by filtering at least non-gaseous components from the atmosphere samples so removed; testing the filtered atmosphere for carbon monoxide content; and controlling the removing step to apply a greater amount of sampled atmosphere from a space in which an excess CO content has been determined, than from other spaces.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
Method according to claim 26, wherein said filtering step comprises filtering with respect to at least one of: mechanical with a mesh width of about 10 Mu or less; absorption of water vapor; absorption of carbon dioxide; absorption of sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, or hydrocarbons.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
Method according to claim 26, wherein the testing step comprises at least one of infrared spectroscopy; gas chromatographic analysis in a gas chromatographic column; selective adsorption of a metallic surface, and determination of the electrical characteristics of the surface; direct conversion to electrical energy in a fuel cell.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
114 words
Method according to claim 26, wherein the testing step comprises the step of reacting CO with another, predetermined substance and testing for the physical, or chemical characteristics of the reaction or the reaction product, said testing step comprising at least one of: reacting CO by catalytic reaction to CO2 and testing for reaction heat; reacting CO by catalytic reaction to CO2 and testing for CO2; reacting CO with hydrogen and testing for methane; reacting CO with palladium chloride and water, and testing for palladium; reacting CO with iodine pentoxide, and testing for iodine; reacting CO with mercury oxide and testing for mercury; reacting CO with a silver salt solution and testing for precipitated silver.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
Method according to claim 26, wherein the testing step comprises modifying a substance by the CO content of the atmosphere and detecting the modified substance; and further including the step of providing said substance in cartridge form, and periodically replacing said cartridge.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1891429A
Cited
US1908202A
Cited
US2384463A
Cited
US2443427A
Cited
US2833629A
Cited
US2813010A
Cited
US3027552A
Cited
US3028490A
Cited
US3209343A
Cited
US3284165A
Cited
US3420636A
Cited
US3553461A
Cited
US3545929A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |