Ganged fire extinguisher system

1. A non-electrically actuated ganged fire extinguisher system for use in an enclosure requiring the fire extinguisher capacity of at least two pre-engineered fire extinguishers, the system comprising:

at least two pre-engineered fire extinguishers positioned at spaced locations in the enclosure, each fire extinguisher comprising a tank filled with pressurized fire extinguishing agent and an outlet for discharging the agent;

an actuation valve mounted on the outlet of each fire extinguisher, the actuation valve having a movable valve member that opens the valve when in an actuated state and closes the valve when in a deactuated state;

a fluid operated valve actuator for each valve, the valve actuator being drivingly connected to the valve and being operated by fluid pressure, the valve actuator retaining the valve in a closed state when the actuator is pressurized and opening the valve when the actuator is depressurized, at least one actuator being in fluid communication with the pressurized fire extinguishing agent in a tank so as to be pressurized thereby;

a vent line connecting the valve actuators and providing fluid communication therebetween, such that the actuators are maintained at the same pressure state; and

at least one non-electrical temperature sensor mounted in fluid communication with the vent line, the temperature sensor being responsive to temperature so as to become actuated and open an outlet to the vent line and release the pressure therein when the temperature in the vicinity of the sensor reaches a predetermined value indicative of a fire hazard, the release of pressure in the vent line in turn causing substantially simultaneous actuation of all fire extinguishers connected to the vent line.

2. A non-electrically actuated, ganged fire extinguisher system comprising a plurality of pre-engineered fire extinguishers operably interconnected by a pressurizable vent line, one or more non-electrical thermal sensors being connected in fluid communication with the vent line, the vent line being pressurized when in a deactuated state and outlet valves in the fire extinguishers being maintained in a closed condition when the vent line is pressurized, the one or more sensors releasing the pressure in the vent line when the one or more sensors are actuated by an excessive temperature condition, the release of pressure in the vent line causing the outlet valves to become actuated, releasing pressurized fire extinguishing agent from the fire extinguisher, the fire extinguisher system further including valve locks that secure the outlet valves in their closed conditions until the valve locks are manually released, the valve locks preventing inadvertent actuation of the fire extinguishers until the fire extinguisher system has been installed and activated.

3. The fire extinguisher system defined in claim 2 wherein the outlet valves further include a poppet and an extinguisher outlet, the poppet and the extinguisher outlet cooperating in the closed condition to contain the pressurized fire extinguishing agent, and wherein the vent line is operatively connected with the poppet whereby the poppet is biased toward the closed condition when the vent line is pressurized.

4. The fire extinguisher system defined in claim 3 wherein the poppet is connected with a shaft, the shaft having a length and being slidable along the length to a valve open position from the valve closed condition, and wherein the valve lock engages the shaft and holds the shaft in the valve closed condition, the valve lock being releasible to permit the valve to open.

5. The fire extinguisher system defined in claim 2 wherein the outlet valves further include a poppet and an extinguisher outlet, the poppet and the extinguisher outlet cooperating in the closed condition to contain the pressurized fire extinguishing agent, wherein the poppet is connected with a shaft, the shaft having a length and being slidable along the length to a valve open position from the valve closed condition, the shaft also having a screw threaded end, the valve lock comprising a cooperating screw threaded nut that engages the shaft and secures the valve in the closed condition by tightening the nut.

6. The fire extinguisher system defined in claim 1 further including a valve lock that secures the actuation valve in the deactuated state, the valve lock being releasible so as to permit the actuation valve to be actuated by the temperature sensor.

7. The fire extinguisher system defined in claim 1 wherein the movable valve member is connected with a shaft, the shaft having a length and being slidable along the length to the actuated state from the deactuated state, and wherein the system further includes a valve lock that engages the shaft and holds it in the deactuated state until the valve lock is manually released.

8. The fire extinguisher system of claim 6 wherein the movable valve member is connected with a shaft, the shaft having a length and being slidable along the length to the actuated state from the deactuated state, the shaft also having a screw threaded end, and wherein the system further includes a cooperating screw threaded nut that engages the shaft and secures the valve in the deactuated state, the shaft being releasible so as to permit movement to the actuated state by releasing the nut.