FIRE SUPPRESSION SPRINKLER AND DEFLECTOR

A fire suppression sprinkler (10) has a deflector (42) with two slots (50,52) aligned with the deflector support arms (22, 24). The two slots (50,52) extend from opposite sides of a periphery (54) of the deflector (42) along a common line which passes through the sprinkler's flow axis (16). The two slots (50,52) extend to a point (56,58) which underlies the sprinkler's nose (26) at the ends of the support arms (22,24) to which the deflector (42) is attached. Other slots (46) extend from the periphery (54) of the deflector (42) along lines which do not pass through the sprinkler flow axis (16). The other slots extend to points in spaced relation to the nose (26). Regions of the deflector (42) periphery (54) surrounding the first and second slots (50,52) are closer to the flow axis (16) than other regions of the periphery (54). The area of each of the first and second slots (50,52) is greater than the area of any other slot (46) in the deflector (42) plate (44).