Sunday 20 January 2013

Grinnell dry pipe valve E2

I went down to the Lonsdale pier to draw this afternoon, which wasn't very clever as there was pea-soup fog.  But this dry pipe valve stood out.  Fans of dry pipe valves will immediately recognize it as a 1953 Grinnell model E2.  With its prominently labeled 150WSP Canada, 6 AC37 and 209-344 ALT, it is widely acknowledged as one of the most sophisticated and stylish of the dry pipe valves.

"Um", you say, "what is a dry pipe valve?"  I'm sure Google knows, but I asked knowledgeable passers-by instead.  Apparently dry pipe valves are used for unloading oil from ships, loading wheat, cleaning barnacles, fighting fires ("On a concrete wharf in the middle of the ocean?"), making fog, mixing cocktails, and are there purely for their aesthetic value (but brass fittings would look better).  So, a multi-purpose apparatus.


2 comments:

  1. Dave,
    Great drawing. The Grinnell Model E2 DPV is actually a sprinkler system for fire protection. The valve is actually the multi bolted section. The device above it is called a Grinnell Model A-6 Accelerator, basically without getting technical the accelerator allows the Dry Pipe Valve to activate faster. Want any more let me know.

    Cheers and Thanks.

    Alan Kavanaugh

    akavanaugh@telus.net

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