EP2109702B1 - Hydrant comprising a securing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a control tube (4) provided with a male type maneuver end fitting at one end and a gate valve at another end, where the gate valve supplies water to a vertical conduit (3) from a main water supply system. An inlet (8) is connected on the conduit to receive fire extinction pipes. The inlet has a sealing knob (9) carrying a vane (15) cooperated with the control tube or with a wall of the conduit to prohibit the breaking of the knob in the inlet.

Description

The field of the present invention is that of fire-fighting means and in particular water supply terminals, such as poles and hydrants, united under the generic term of hydrants.

A fire hydrant is, as its name suggests, a hollow pole in which is arranged a set of controls, and which allows the delivery of water, under pressure, from the main supply network, to fire-fighting officers. The pole is equipped with plugs on which firemen come to connect their pipes, which are closed by plugs outside their period of use. The controls allow, thanks to a flywheel, fixed or removable, or to a key fitting on an operating end, to move the valve of a valve, called valve, which is placed downstream of the delivery pipe of the water and whose opening causes the provision of water. The post is very often locked in a hood with a door lock to try to avoid inadvertent sampling of water.

A fire hydrant differs somewhat from a pole in that it is completely embedded in the ground so as to be less visible, but it remains almost identical in its operation, namely that it has a plug for the connection of the fire brigade hoses and a maneuvering nozzle, to which a key is fitted, to actuate the valve and allow water from the main network to flow.

Each pole, like each mouth, is always preceded upstream, just before connecting to the pipe from the water supply network, a "keyed". This one, thus designated by abuse of language, is in fact an isolation valve which makes it possible to isolate the hydrant of the main network. For this purpose, it is advisable to insert a suitable key in the head of the keyed mouth, to pass through the elongated tube which prolongs it, to reach and to maneuver the isolation valve.

The problem frequently faced by municipalities is the theft of water by an abusive connection to these hydrants. various solutions have been proposed, which aim either to prevent the rotation of the control tube of the valve or to prohibit access to the connection jacks of the pipes. In the first case it is very often locks or covers placed on the control nut of the tube or on its operating handle. In the second it is caches placed on the socket and held by a lock. None of these solutions is really effective because these devices are generally positioned outside the hydrant and therefore exposed to all kinds of aggression, they can go as far as uprooting or pure destruction and simple lock and / or cover. The documents US-A-4,280,525 , US-A-3,914,966 and US-A-6,112,761 describe fire hydrants with a safety device. In particular, the document US-A-4,280,525 is in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a locking device positioned inside the post or the mouth so as to prevent access to the water, even in case of deterioration, whether intentional or accidental, of the cap. The device interacts for this with the control tube of the valve so as to prevent the extraction of the plug either towards the outside or towards the inside of the hydrant.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a fire hydrant comprising a securing device according to claim 1.

This cooperation prevents someone from being ill-intentioned to gain access to water by damaging the plug and pushing it into the pipe.

Advantageously, at least one second retaining means deploys during its locking inside said duct.

This makes it possible to guarantee the impossibility of extracting the plug from the socket in the absence of the key, even if it is damaged.

Preferably for a fire hydrant said at least one first retaining means is adapted to deviate from the axis of the plug to position laterally with respect to the control tube and adapted to approach said tube under the action a locking device so as to, in the locking position, radially block said plug with respect to said control tube.

This variant alone makes it possible to prevent both the extraction and the depression of the plug, without the need for the bolts of a lock to perform this first function.

In a particular embodiment, the control tube carries at least one piece with which said at least one first retaining means cooperates.

This second embodiment allows, in addition to the prohibition of the depression of the plug, to prevent the rotation of the control tube by blocking a part which is attached thereto laterally.

Preferably said insert on said control tube forms at least one stud protruding from said tube and wherein at least one first retaining means bears on said at least one stud.

This configuration is used for upgrading existing fire posts, after drilling the control tube from the stake in question and insertion of a bar calibrated in length or implantation of a nipple-shaped buffer.

Advantageously for a fire hydrant at least a first retaining means is able to deviate from the axis of the plug to position laterally with respect to the control tube and is adapted to approach said tube under the action of a locking device so as to, in locked position, block in rotation in both directions said at least one insert.

This results in a prohibition of rotation in both directions from a single piece.

Preferably, said at least one first retaining means is a ring-shaped pallet in which at least one stud carried by said insert engages.

Alternatively said at least one first retaining means is a pallet having the form of a hollow cone in which engages at least one stud carried by said insert.

In a preferred embodiment for a fire hydrant, said stopper has the shape of a hollow cylinder in its upper part so as to form two lateral appendages separated from each other by a recessed portion whose bottom constitutes the first restraining means.

This shape makes it possible to grip the control tube so as to ensure the centering of the plug and, incidentally, to prevent its rotation about the axis of symmetry of the cylinder.

Advantageously, said plug is able to fit completely into the socket so as not to interfere with the placement of a cover on the hooking device of the cylindrical portion of said plug.

This configuration facilitates the installation of the invention for upgrading existing fire posts.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent in the following detailed explanatory description of several embodiments of the invention given as examples. purely illustrative and non-limiting examples, with reference to the attached schematic drawings.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe d'un poteau d'incendie (1a) et d'une bouche d'incendie (1b) selon l'art antérieur;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en coupe d'un bouchon pour un poteau d'incendie selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, en position verrouillée;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un bouchon pour un poteau d'incendie, selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, en position déverrouillée;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un bouchon pour un poteau d'incendie, selon un second mode de réalisation de l'invention, en position déverrouillée;
• les figures 5 et 6 sont des vues en coupe de face et de profil d'un bouchon pour un poteau d'incendie selon un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention;
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe de profil d'un bouchon selon le troisième mode de réalisation, en cours d'introduction dans la prise.

On these drawings:

• the figure 1 is a sectional view of a fire hydrant (1a) and a fire hydrant (1b) according to the prior art;
• the figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of a plug for a fire hydrant according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the locked position;
• the figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a plug for a fire hydrant, according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the unlocked position;
• the figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a plug for a fire hydrant, according to a second embodiment of the invention, in the unlocked position;
• the Figures 5 and 6 are sectional front and side views of a plug for a fire hydrant according to a third embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 7 is a sectional sectional view of a plug according to the third embodiment, being introduced into the socket.

Referring to the figure 1a , we see a fire pole comprising a body 1 enclosed for its upper part in a cowling 2. This body is formed essentially of a pipe 3 substantially vertical, a first portion, in the case of the fire hydrant is buried in the ground and a second part above ground. This duct carries in it a control tube 4, the upper end of which has the shape of a maneuvering endpiece 5 on which a fixed or removable control handle 6 is engaged. At the lower end the control tube carries a valve 7 making valve for the release of water from the main supply network.

The pipe 3 is fixed at its lower part on the water supply pipe coming from the main network and forms, at the level of the valve 7, a seat for the seal of the latter. At the top of the pipe 3 leads to one or more outlets 8 (usually three for a fire hydrant, one for a mouth) on which are connected the fire hose. The outlets have a cylindrical portion 10 deviating, in the case of a fire hydrant, substantially radially from the pipe 3 and terminate in an attachment device for a cap 9 which seals when the taken is not used.

On the figure 1b , the situation is similar for the fire hydrant, the same references designating the same elements.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 we see a plug 9 for fire hydrant according to a first embodiment of the invention comprising a cover 11 adapted to be fixed on the hooking device of the cylindrical portion 10 of the socket 8. This plug is a carrier of a set of elements intended to penetrate inside the socket 8 so as to prohibit its tearing or penetration. On this plug is first fixed a locking device 12 such as a lock actuated by a key (not shown) which controls bolts 13 may in the first place to deviate from the axis of the plug to prevent the removal of the plug and secondly to retract inside said cap to release of the catch. These bolts are here positioned so that they deploy in the locked position inside the pipe 3. The cap 9 also carries beyond these bolts a support 14 extending towards the control tube 4 On this support is fixed a pallet 15 which substantially abuts on the control tube 4 when the cap is locked on the socket 8. The figure 3 shows the same elements when the cap is unlocked and is being removed from the socket 8.

In a variant of the invention, which provides a better security of the hydrant, the support 14 is made in two parts 14a and 14b. These two parts 14a and 14b carry two pallets 15a and 15b which can deviate from the axis of the plug once they have penetrated inside the pipe 3; they can then, once the plug 9 has been put in place, be brought back towards one another, under the action for example of the key of the locking device 12, so as to grip the control tube 4 The shape of these two vanes 15a and 15b is such that they can, once closed, trap the control tube between them and even, if the support is strong enough, prevent the rotation thereof. In this variant the bolts 13 are useless (or maintained as redundancy) since the vanes 15a and 15b prevent, by themselves, both the extraction of the plug and its expulsion inside the pipe 3.

Referring to the figure 4 a second embodiment will now be described. The elements of the post and plug identical to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numeral and are not described again. The stopper also has a lock, equipped if necessary with bolts 13 (not shown on the figure 4 ) as in the first embodiment, for the purpose of preventing the extraction of the plug. Here, the control tube 4 is pierced radially by a bar 16, two pins 16a and 16b protrude inside the pipe 3. The support 14 is made in two parts 14a and 14b ending in pallets 15a and 15b likely to bear on the nipples 16a and 16b so as to prevent rotation of the control tube 4 when the plug is in place.

In a variant of this second mode, which again provides a better security of the hydrant, the parts 14a and 14b can deviate from the axis of the plug once they have penetrated inside the pipe 3 ; they can then, once the cap 9 has been put in place, be brought back to one another, under the action of the key of the lock 12, for example to imprison the two pins 16a and 16b . In this variant the pallets 15a and 15b have a shape adapted to the imprisonment of the nipples, such as that of a hollow ring or cone. As previously, in this variant the bolts 13 are useless (or maintained as redundancy), their function of preventing the extraction of the plug being already provided by the pallets 15a and 15b.

Referring to Figures 5 to 7 a third embodiment of the invention will now be described. This mode is particularly suitable for upgrading existing installations since it only requires tapping the control tube and setting a buffer on it, and that it does not provide for modification of the catch. The attachment of the buffer is shown in the figure by means of a screwing but could equally well be by clipping or gluing.

The plug 9 has a cylindrical shape whose upper part is recessed to form two lateral appendices 17 separated from each other by a recessed portion whose bottom constitutes the pallet 15 intended to rest on the control tube 4 and to prevent the plug from sinking into the socket. The two appendices 17 have the function of clamping the control tube 4 so as to ensure the centering of the plug and, secondarily, to prevent its rotation about the axis of symmetry of the cylinder.

On the cylindrical portion of the plug which is disposed on the side of the end opposite the appendages 17 is the bolt 13 which is actuated by a lock 12 accessible from the underside of the plug that is to say the face opposite the hollow part. On this same face also includes a device 18 for extracting the plug from the socket. The bolt 13 is positioned on the cylinder at a distance from the lower face such that after insertion of the plug into the socket 8 and bearing on the control tube 4 of the bottom 15 of the recessed portion, it is located inside the pipe 3 and that it can be operated to bear on the inner face of the pipe and thus block the extraction of the plug. the catch.

In this third configuration the control tube 4 carries a stud 16c having the form of a buffer extending substantially vertically along the control tube and positioned vis-à-vis the plug 9. It is fixed on the control tube by a fastening means such as a screw engaging in a tapped hole in the tube and is positioned on the tube at a height such that when the plug 9 is put in place, its lower part comes stand just above the 16c nipple. During an attempt to open the valve 7 by rotation of the control handle 6 the control tube is blocked in its ascent by the pin 16c which abuts on the body of the cylindrical plug 9 at the edge 20 of the junction of the recessed portion with the cylindrical portion.

In this third configuration as it appears on the Figures 5 to 7 , the cap does not carry a lid as in the previous configurations. But as it integrates entirely inside the water intake 8, it is possible to reuse the lid 11 current hydrants to ensure the protection of the plug against external aggression.

The operation of a security device according to the first embodiment will now be described. The operation of the device according to the second and third embodiments is similar.

The introduction of a plug is done in a completely conventional manner with the introduction of the pallet 15, the support 14 and the lock 12 inside the cylindrical portion 10 of the plug 8. Once that the lid 11 of the cap comes against the cylindrical portion 10, it is fixed in a known manner such as for example by a rotation which creates the necessary support on the cylindrical portion to ensure the sealing of the cap. The lock 12 is then actuated by the key which deploys the bolts 13 inside the pipe 3 and thus prevents the removal of the plug from the socket.

In the case of an attempted break-in, assuming that the opening mechanism of the valve 7 has been left open or that it could have been forced, the thief tries to unscrew the cap to gain access to the water. It encounters the blockage created by the bolts 13 which prevent the recoil of the plug relative to the socket 8 and thus its unscrewing. He can then attempt to cut the lid 11 of the cap 9 in order to retract it inside the vertical column and thus have access to the socket 8 and be able to connect a pipe. But the pallet then moves towards the control tube 4 and fills very quickly any residual play existing between these two elements. As soon as the pallet 15 bears on the control tube 4, it prevents the introduction of the plug further inwards. And so even if the thief was able to open the valve 7 he will not be able to access the water without having the key of the lock 12.

In the case of the variants mentioned above for the first two embodiments, the bolt 13 does not exist (or exists to provide redundancy) and the two parts of the support 14 are movable laterally. The two parts 14a and 14b are first tightened to enter the cylindrical portion 10 of the socket 8. When the vanes 15a and 15b have exceeded the inner wall of the pipe 3 these pallets differ, for example under the action of a spring or by a particular action on the key, so as to leave the control tube 4 and, in the second embodiment, the pins 16a and 16b, pass between them. The locking action by the key of the lock 12 triggers the bringing together of the parts 14a and 14b and, as a result, the imprisonment by the vanes 15a and 15b, of the control tube 4 in the first mode and the pins 16a and 16b in the second mode.

The configurations described above apply as a priority to the outlets of the fire hydrants. They also apply, for some of them, mutatis mutandis to the catch of fire hydrants by replacing the cooperation of the second retaining means with the control tube 4 by a cooperation of these same means with a wall of the pipe 3.

Although the invention has been described in relation to several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited and that it includes all technical equivalents. described means and combinations thereof if they fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims (10)

1. A fire hydrant comprising a conduit (3), a control tube (4) provided at one end with a maneuvering endpiece (5) and at the other end with a valve (7) capable of allowing said conduit (3) to be supplied with water from the mains network, at least one socket (8) connected on said conduit capable of receiving fire extinguisher hoses, and a securing device comprising a plug (9), said socket (8) including said leakproof plug, said plug (9) bearing at least one first retention means (15, 15a, 15b) capable of cooperating with said control tube (4) or with a wall of said conduit (3) so as to prevent said plug from being stuck into said socket characterized in that said plug (9) further bears at least one second retention means (13) intended to prevent the extraction of said plug from said socket, actuated by a locking device (12).
2. The fire hydrant according to claim 1, wherein said at least one second retention means (13) is deployed, upon its locking, inside said conduit (3).
3. The fire hydrant according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one first retention means (15, 15a, 15b) is capable of moving away from the axis of the plug (9) so as to be positioned laterally with respect to the control tube (4) and capable of moving closer to said tube under the action of a locking device (12) so as to, in the locking position, radially block said plug with respect to said control tube.
4. The fire hydrant according to claim 1, wherein the control tube (4) bears at least one part (16, 16a, 16b, 16c) with which said at least one first retention means (15, 15a, 15b) cooperates.
5. The fire hydrant according to claim 4, wherein said added part (16) on said control tube forms at least one nipple (16a, 16b, 16c) jutting out from said tube and wherein said at least one first retention means (15a, 15b) bears upon said at least one nipple.
6. The fire hydrant according to any of claims 4 or 5, wherein said at least one first retention means (15a, 15b) is capable of moving away from the axis of the plug (9) so as to be positioned laterally with respect to control tube (4) and capable of moving closer to said tube under the action of a locking device (12) so as to, in a locked position, rotationally block in both directions said at least one added part (16a, 16b, 16c).
7. The fire hydrant according to claim 6, wherein said at least one first retention means (15a, 15b) is a ring-shaped pallet into which engages at least one nipple (16a, 16b) borne by said added part (16).
8. The fire hydrant according to claim 6, wherein said at least one first retention means is a pallet (15a, 15b) having the shape of a recessed cone into which engages at least one nipple (16a, 16b) borne by said added part (16).
9. The fire hydrant according to any of claims 4 or 5, wherein said plug (9) has the shape of a recessed cylinder in its upper portion so as to form two side appendages (17) separated from each other by a recessed portion, the bottom of which forms the first retention means (15).
10. The fire hydrant according to claim 9, wherein said plug (9) is capable of being entirely inserted into the socket (8) so as not to interfere with the setting into place of a lid (11) on the attachment device of the cylindrical portion (10) of said socket (8).

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