Spray nozzle assembly

Abstract

A spray nozzle of a fire protection system is provided for discharging a hollow cone spray pattern. The nozzle generally includes a hollow, elongated body and an integral core subassembly which may be preassembled. The integral subassembly configuration simplifies the subsequent assembly, disassembly or service of the overall nozzle in the field. In an exemplary embodiment, the subassembly includes a unitary core holder having a plate portion and an annular wall portion, with a discharge orifice disposed centrally in the plate portion. Additionally, the subassembly includes a disc-shaped core having a plurality of sloped passages. The core and core holder are cooperatively shaped to define generally cylindrical a whirl chamber in a space between a downstream surface of the core and the plate portion of the core holder. For fixing the core and core holder together, the core holder includes a lip which projects around the annular wall, the lip being deformed by a peening operation to extend partially over an upstream surface of the core. The integral, preassembled core subassembly is mounted to the discharge end of the nozzle body. When fluid is delivered to the nozzle, the fluid passes through the nozzle body, the sloped passages, whirl chamber, and discharges from the orifice in a hollow cone pattern.