US 11,980,786 B2
Proportioner for a fire protection system
Derek John Scheffers, Mattawan, MI (US); Marc Serge Ferere, Washington, DC (US); and Shawn J. Feenstra, Caledonia, MI (US)
Assigned to Minimax Viking Research & Development GmbH, Bad Oldesloe (DE)
Filed by Minimax Viking Research & Development GmbH, Bad Oldesloe (DE)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/160,090.
Application 18/160,090 is a continuation of application No. 15/930,052, filed on May 12, 2020, granted, now 11,596,821.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/848,192, filed on May 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0264056 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A62C 5/02 (2006.01); A62C 5/00 (2006.01); A62D 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC A62C 5/024 (2013.01) [A62C 5/002 (2013.01); A62D 1/0078 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A proportioner, comprising:
a body portion, the body portion defining,
a foam passage for transporting a foam concentrate, and
a fluid passage for transporting a fire protection fluid;
a restrictor assembly having a restrictor disk and an orifice plate, the orifice plate having an opening for receiving the restrictor disk, the restrictor assembly configured such that a flow of the foam concentrate through the foam passage is based on a distance of the restrictor disk from the orifice plate;
a rod member connected to the restrictor disk;
a first guide configured to accept the rod member, the first guide disposed in the body portion to position the rod member so as to align the restrictor disk to the orifice plate; and
a clapper assembly connected to the rod member via a sliding interface, the clapper assembly configured to control a flow of the foam concentrate through the foam passage in proportion to a flow of the fire protection fluid through the fluid passage by moving the rod member to vary the distance between the restrictor disk and the orifice plate;
wherein the sliding interface is disposed within the fluid passage, and
wherein at least a portion of the restrictor disk is disposed in the opening.