US3532108A - Tamper proof fire hydrant - Google Patents

Description

U mte w States atent [72] Inventor Edward J. Sullivan 853 W. 129th Place, Chicago, Illinois 60643 [21] Appl. No. 719,402 [22] Filed April 8, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 6, 1970 [54] TAMPER PROOF FIRE HYDRANT 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. C1 137/296, 251/62, 251/291 [51] Int. Cl... E03b 9/02, F16k 31/143 [50] Field ofSearch 251/128, 291,62; 137/272, 280-285, 289, 294-296, 298302, 322

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 797,384 8/1905 Thurs on 137/299 1,124,455 1/1915 Kemp et al 137/283 2,596,532 5/1952 Coolidge e1 251/291X 3,070,115 12/1962 Jester 25 l/291X Primary Examinerwilliam F. ODea Assistant Examiner-Richard Gerard Attorney-Cushman, Darby and Cushman ABSTRACT: A tamper proof fire hydrant which can only be operated with use of a special operating device or tool, thus preventing the opening of the hydrant by unauthorized persons for unauthorized use. The fire hydrant is provided with valve means operable against pressure of water, the valve means utilizing a stem and operating means which are only reciprocable.

Patented Oct. 6, 1970 'INVJENTOR.

Za nezrJrl alZz'van TAMPER PROOF FIRE HYDRANT The present invention relates to improvements in fire hydrants and, more particularly, to improvements in those types of fire hydrants having a vertical barrel, a hydrant shoe with a hydrant valve positioned therein and a closure bonnet to which may be detachably attached a special tool or operating member.

In recent years municipalities have found increasing unauthorized use of fire hydrants by persons during hot weather, civil disturbances, and the like. The unauthorized use has caused considerable waste of water which is both costly and dangerous during seasons of the year when reservoirs are heavily taxed through normal use. Additionally, the unauthorized use has resulted in breaking of the hydrant operating mechanism without notification to the proper authorities. Hence, occasions have occurred when use of the hydrant was necessary but users have found the same inoperable.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a fire hydrant which is capable of operation only by authorized personnel having special tools or operating devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydrant structure in which the self-contained operating devices, such as the operating nut, are eliminated and the hydrant utilizes only a vertical valve stem movable by means detachablyconnected to the hydrant.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a hydrant utilizing a detachable valve operator means capable of opening the hydrant against the fluid pressure of the main, the valve of the hydrant being closed by the pressure of the fluid in the main when the operator means is released and/or removed.

Ancillary to the immediately preceding object of the present invention it is a further object to provide a fire hydrant with valve means that is normally urged toward its closed position by spring means and/or water pressure.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydrant structure which is cheaper to manufacture and easier to repair or replace as the operating means for the valve stem is eliminated as a part of the in situ hydrant structure.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in the specification, claims and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a fire hydrant embodying the principles of the invention, the fire hydrant being shown with the detachable valve operator means secured thereto;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with the operator removed;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the detachable valve operating means attached to the bonnet of the fire hydrant, the view looking from the left of FIG. 1 toward the right.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like character or reference numerals represent like or similar parts, the fire hydrant of the present invention includes a hydrant shoe 10 adapted to be connected to a water main (not shown), the shoe 10 having an upwardly facing opening or mouth surrounded by a peripheral flange 12. A barrel 14, which is made in two sections, 16 and 18, is provided at its lower end with a peripheral flange 20 which is bolted to the flange 12 of the shoe 10 by bolt means 22. The shoe 10, which is normally formed of cast iron, may be similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,l04,554, issued September 24, 1963, to Frank H. Mueller and John J. Smith, the patent having a common assignee with the instant application.

A reciprocable valve element generally designated at 24 is carried on the lower end of the an upwardly extending valve stem 26 by a cap nut 28 and a lock washer 30, the valve element having an upwardly facing frustoconical seating surface arranged to cooperate and seal with a frustoconical downwardly facing hydrant main valve seat 34. The upper portion 36 of the valve element 24 is provided with vertically extending rib elements 38 arranged to cooperate with longitudinal grooves in the ring seat of the shoe: in the usual manner. As will now be evident, the ribs 38 prevent the valve element 24 as well as the valve stem 26 from rotating but they permit the same to reciprocate vertically to open and close the valve.

The barrel sections 16 and 18 of barrel 14 are detachably connected together by means of a frangible connection generally designated at 40 and described in detail in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,554. At. this point, it should also be mentioned that the valve stem 26 is made of two parts, a lower stern part 42 and an upper stern part 44 connected together by a frangible sleeve connection 46 having a weakening groove 48 thereon. Thus, if the hydrant is subjected to a severe blow, such as from an automobile striking the same, the frangible connection 40 permits the upper barrel section 18 to be knocked over without damage whereas the frangible connection 46 permits separation of the valve stem parts so that the valve element 24 in the shoe is not damaged.

The upper barrel section 18 is provided with a peripheral flange 50 for receiving a bonnet or closure member 52. The bonnet or closure member 52 is preferably cast iron and is provided with a downwardly extending centrally positioned interior boss 54 and with a circumferential flange 56. Bolt means 58 or the like secure the bonnet 52 to the barrel 14, as clearly shown.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the boss 54 of the bonnet 52 is provided with a bore 60 therethrough. The bore 60, which opens to the exterior of the bonnet, is provided with spaced annular grooves 62 arranged to receive O-ring seals or the like for sealing engagement with the upper end of the valve stem 26. The upper end of the valve stem 26 extends through the bore 60 and terminates at or just below the exterior surface of the bonnet 52 so that a wrench or other conventional tool cannot operatively engage the same.

On the exterior surface of the bonnet 52 there is provided a male projection generally indicated at 64, the male projection having an enlarged flanged end 66 surrounding the outer end of the bore 60 as shown.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 in addition to the previously mentioned FIGS. 1 and 4, the valve operating means generally designated at 68 is shown detachably connected to the bonnet or closure member 52. The valve operating means includes a hydraulic jack assembly 70 having the usual operating handle 72 for causing its hydraulic ram 74 to extend from its cylinder. The hydraulic ram 74 is provided with a reduced end portion 76 for fitting into a circular closed end bore 78 provided in the end of the valve stem 26. Note that there can be no relative vertical movement between the jack assembly 70 and the hydrant when it is desired to use the jack assembly. In order to accomplish this, the jack assembly 70 is provided with a U- shaped female portion 80 having an opening at one side thereof as indicated at 82, FIG. 3, so that the same can be slid sideways onto the male projection 64 on the bonnet 52. The U-shaped section 80 on the housing is so designed that when it is slipped sideways onto the male projection 64 and is bottomed against the same, the ram 74 of the jack means 70 will be directly aligned with the upper end of the valve stem 26.

The valve operating means 68 will be carried by authorized personnel for use on hydrants. When they desire to operate a hydrant it is merely necessary for them to attach the valve operating means 68 to the top of the hydrant and then operate the jack means 70 by the handle 72 to extend the ram 74 and push downwardly on the stem 26. This will cause the valve 24 to move downwardly against the liquid pressure of the main. Of course, the usual hydrant nozzles 82 will be opened in the usual manner and connected to hose equipment or the like. When it is desired to turn off the hydrant, it is merely necessary to relieve the pressure on the hydraulic jack means so that the water pressure in the main and spring 84 will push the valve 24 upwardly against the downwardly facing seat 34.

In situations where water pressure is low and would not be sufficient to close the valve when the valve operator 70 was released or removed, the valve 24 can be spring urged to the closed position by providing a coil spring 84 between the valve 24 and the bottom of the shoe as shown in FIG. 1. The shoe 10 may be cast with an upwardly extending lug 86 for receiving and centering one end of the coil spring 84 whereas the other end of the coil spring may be received on the reduced end of the cap nut 28.

Having set forth the nature and objects and advantages of the present invention, it will be perceived that certain changes, adjustments and modifications may be made without departing from the principle and spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A tamper proof fire hydrant: comprising a barrel, a shoe connected to the lower end of said barrel and having valve meanstherein arranged to be opened against fluid pressure of a main; a bonnet member detachably secured to and closing the upper end of said barrel, said bonnet member having an interior downwardly extending boss with a bore therethrough, said bonnet further having a male projection on the exterior thereof surrounding the end of the bore therein, said exterior male projection defining an annular flange; a vertical reciprocating valve stem connected at its lower end to said valve means and extending upwardly through said barrel, said valve stem having its upper end extending through the bore in said bonnet and terminating substantially flush with the exterior of said bonnet when the valve means is closed; and operating means quickly detachable t0 the exterior of said bonnet member, said operating means including a hydraulic jack member having a housing with a ram arranged to extend therefrom and abut the upper end of said valve stem to move the stem vertically downwardly, said housing having a U shaped female fitting at the end thereof, from which the ram extends for mating with said male fitting by horizontal movement of said housing.

2. A tamper proof fire hydrant as claimed in claim 1 including spring means for urging said valve means toward its closed position.

3. A tamper proof fire hydrant as claimed in claim 2 in which said spring means includes a coil spring positioned in said shoe and operatively engaging said valve means from beneath the same.

4. A tamper proof fire hydrant as claimed in claim 1, in which the upper end of said valve stem includes a circular closed end bore and in which the end of said ram arranged to abut said valve stem includes a reduced end portion for fitting into said circular closed end bore.

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