GB2279997A - Standpipes - Google Patents

Abstract

A vandal proof standpipe for installation where severe periodic frost conditions occur has a galvanised, steel casing 10, and a padlock lid 11, which when opened exposes a valve cover 12 secured to a steel plate 14 and a valve key 16 for operating a squarehead of an extended valve spindle 15 connected to headwork of an underground stopvalve 41 supplying the standpipe. Drainage may be effected by supplying compressed air through a dip pipe 38, or, in an alternative embodiment (Fig. 4) for slight frost areas, gravity drainage can be used. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO STANDPIPES This invention relates to improvements to standpipes.

Standpipes developed since the EEC requirements were originated, have needed continuel revision, improvement and an elimination of the difficulties that occur.

Secause a discharge point of a standpipe is invariably an open end exposed orifice for general use it is also the first point which transmits minusclimatie temperatures to valve systems and protective valves against contamination which can be damaged by frost.

Protection against backflow and harmful substances prevent air entering the discharge point and cause difficulty in draining a standpipe in such a manner that severe and continuous drost conditions can damage the valve system, the difficulty of locating and operating underground stopvalves and standpipes is accepted as normal but impossible in severe weather conditions.

In view of the changing social conditions of society in general, with increasing numbers of 'wanderers' and families dispossessed, the need for water is so essential that vandalism and theft is the only way to satisfy the need, Water authorities have found that the sealing off of underground stop valves is not sufficient to prevent contamination, misuse and theft of the public water supply. The stop valve and part of the connecting pipe at the boundary fence are removed where vacant properties are at risk of unlawful habitation. Replacement costs are considerable.

There is an increasing need of the public to be reassured of the quality of water from a public water supply which has to be maintained to strict EEC requirements. It is suggested the installation of vandalproof wall fixed or standpipes discharge points with authorised symbols of potability in public places and buildings having vehicle accessibility would be ideal positions for starting on an advertising campaign that would attract attention to the problem of need and cost of production at discharge points.

Attention should be given to the development of an owner-user installation in areas where discharge water points from public water mains can attract public attention either on private property or public areas and where the actual testing of valves and sampling of water could be undertaken without difficulty. Periodic testing would be a criteria of potability.

A modern standpipe should be a billar of public respect and needfulness and should be designed for the following: a) To safety@ EEC and Water-Authority Requirements b) Protected against vandalism, misuse and theft of water c) Protected against frost damage where local climatic conditions vary from severe and continuous frost to short periode of frost d) For instant and trouble free testing and sampling procedures e) For one owner having a key controlling an underground stop valve without difficulty f) A combination of owner-user agreements with owner having pa@lock key to underground stop valve and user having keys for discharge valve and drainage point.

DESCRIPTION According to the present invention there is provided a standpipe assembly of differing perts that when assembled there is no observable difference as every part is physically identical but will be marketed for installation in areas where severe periodic frost conditions occur which require total drainage from an underground stopvalve to a discharge point and a second type will be marketed for installation in areas where light or no frosts occur with the difference caused by the inclusion or exclusion of a micro bore elbow with dip pipe from the underground stop valve to a discharge point with both assemblies comprising a rectangular metal casing preferably galvanised steel with a flanged hinged lid or cap having a padlock lug welded to a flange and with the lid opened a lock.shield valve cover enclosing a squared top of a valve spindle is exposed secured to a metal flangen support tray and also a loose or chained held lockshield valve key to fit the square head of the spindle and when the key is inserted in the cover and operated it opens and closes an underground stopvalve when connected to an underground supply pipe at a statutory depth from a public water supply. With the stopvalve supported on an internal flanged base of the casing in a diagonal position for security and torque purposes a vertical supply pipe with union connection to an elbow of the stopvalve terminates above ground surface in a pipe tee with a branch securing an internal and external thread insert having a central bore, internal and external threads a drainage plug and secured by locknuts to an aperture of a wall of the standpipe together with a backplate of a hinged lockable protective cover to the plug and the tee secured in a co axial position within the casing of the bore of the insert has a threaded micro bore elbow with a dip pipe projecting into the flow line of the pipe tee extending to an INVERT of an elbow secured to an underground stop valve and with the outlet of the tee having a union joint for maintenance and accessibility through a flanged opening of the casing having a removable cover and with the union joint connected to a 10::0/2 control valve with air inlet valve the headwork and crutch head enclosed within a hinged metal valve box with padlock lugs and secured to a removable access plate attached to the valve casing by security fasteners within the valve box the control valve is connected to a double check valve with test plug and the outlet of the valve connected to an elbow having a threaded nipple secured through an aperture in the casing by a 45 angled elbow with a threaded discharge outlet for a hose union connection and the elbow protected by a metal shield against theft and chill winds.With the access panel to the valve system removed from the casing a bolted shackle to the spindle of the underground valve is exposed and with the bolt removed the upper section of the valve spindle can be withdrawn from the lockshield cover under the lid and with the underground valve closed the section taken away, the control valve open and the access panel replaced and locked together with lid locked access to water would be difficult.According to statutory recuirements the internal pipe work and fittings are insulated against frost by preformed tubular insulation from an internal underground base panel to the lockshield panel under the lid allowing the spindle of the underground valve operating in an open enclosure between an inner corner of the rectangular casing and the periphery of the preformed insulation or where total drainage is required, the underground stop valve closed the control valve open the plug removed and compressed air injected into aperture the dip pipe expels all water from the underground elbow to the discharge point. If partial drainage is required the dip pipe is not included in the system but with the drainage plug removed and inlet valve in a body of a discharge control valve is released from its seating, GRAVITY drainage will occur from the air valve to the drainage point, A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the following drawing Figure 1 shows a section of a standpipe with total drainage unit Figure 2 shows a front view with valve cover removed Figure 3 shows a plan view of the internal base Figure 4 shows a section of a standpipe with partial drainage unit Referring to the drawing the standpipe assembly comprising of a rectangular casing 10 preferably galvanised steel having a hinged lid with padlock lug 11 exposing a non ferrous lockshield valve cover 12 secured by threaded nuts 13 in an aperture of a flanged steel plate 14 secured to the casing 10 by fasteners, enclosed within the cover 12 a square head of an extended valve spindle 15 centralised for rotation, The open valve lid aiso exposes a lockenield valve key 16 with or without a caotive chain which rests on the plate 14 Figure 1@ and shown in a suspended position above the cover 12. The key 16 is one of the main features of a vandalproo@ security system inasmuch as it can establish the ownership of the stancpipe unit, the second feature is the ownership of the ninged lid badlock key.

Reference to Figure 2 the illustratior shows a welded @ectangular section 18 of the casing 10 having flanged access apertures 19 Figures 2 - 2A and 28 with removaple cover 20-23 which nas a padlock lug 21 matching the lid lug 12 and when in position the cover cennot be removed unless the lid 11 is unlocked.At the base of the cover 20 security screws 22 within a hinged valve box 23 are threaded into a security plate 24 attached to flanges 19 and with the cover 22 affixed in its correct position the hinged valve box 23 with matching badlock lugs 24-25 in the open position can be the only means of operating a crutch of a control valve 26 with air inlet 27 with the valve outlet connected to a double check valve with test plug 28 and its outlet connected to a pipe elbow 29 Figure 2 secured in en aperture of the casing 10 by means of a threaded angled discharge elbow with nose union connection 30 protected from vandalism by a steel security shield 31.Means for providing removal and reinstatement of the valve system, the control valve 27 inlet Figure 1 is secured by a union joint 32 to a drainage tee 33 which is established in a co-axial position of the casing 10 by means of internal and external threaded back nuts 34 securing a threaded drainage insert with plug 37, in addition to securing the insert into the casing the backnuts 34 also secure a backplate with a hinged security cover 35 to the casing 10 and shown in the open position in Figures 1-2 and 28 but when closed as snown in Figure 4, @ spring bracket 36 holds the cover in a position and when a padlock is inserted into the matching padlock lugs 2425 access to the plug can only occur when the padlock is removed.With the padlock removed and the plug 37 withdrawn from the insert the threaded aperture continues througn the insert having a central bore and terminates with a micro-elbow with dip pipe 38 secured by threaded means in the flow line of a vertical supply pipe 39 with the dip pipe terminating at the invent level of a pipe elbow 40 securely threaded into the outlet of an underground service/stop valve 41 with a female threaded inlet 42 projecting an octagon profile 42 for a union joint to a water supply pipe.

With the stop valve 41 supported on a flanged metal base 43 secured to the casing 10 the stopvalve has a standard spindle with a crutch head and shaped to receive a shackle 44 with a metal extension spindle 45 welded to the enackle which is secured to the head by bolts 46. Referring to Figure 3 the diagonal position of the stopvalve 41 and elbow 40 provide a secure and anti-torque position when connection is made to a water supply and prevents distortion of the vertical spindle 45 which is secured within an aberture 47 to a flanged metal base 48 secured by fasteners to casing 10 with the base supporting a bubular column of statutory sized insulation meterial 49.

Figure 3A terminating at base plate 14 the spindle 45 is free to rotate in a gap between the periohery of the insulation and a corner of the casing 10 with the spindle extending from the plate 48 to a second shackle 49 Figure 1-4. The reason for this is twofolo (a) the square head of the valve spindle 15 must be in a precise position within the lock shield when the stop valve 41 is fully open and only suitable for the standpipe in which it is fixed (b) in case of defining owner control this section can be removed from the stanopipe.

With reference to Figure 4 with closed cao this unit is identical in every feature to Figures 1-2-3 except for the omission of the microbore elbow and die pipe 4. This unit is for installation in regions where light frosts only occur and partial drainage reguired, As the drainage tee can be incorporated in a selected position of the standpipe above ground surface a padlock cover is needed and drainage from the tee 33 to the discharge outlet 30 can be achieved by compressed air or gravity when an air inlet 27 in the control valve 26 is opened.

Note: The drainage tee with security cover is the subject of a Patent Application No. 9312092-1 filed 11 June 1993.

Claims (3)

1. According to the present invention there is provided a standpipe assembly of differing parts that when assemoled there is no observable difference as avery part is physically identical but will be marketed for installation in areas wnere severe periodic frost conditions occur which require total drainage from an underground stopvalve to a discharge point and a second type will be marketed for installation in areas where light or no frosts occur with the difference caused by the inclusion or exclusion of a micro bore elbow with dip pipe from the uncerground stop valve to a discharge point with both assemblies comprising a rectangular metal casing preferacly galvanised steel with a flanged hinged lid or cap having a padlock lug welded to a flange and with the lid opened a lock shield vaive cover enclosing a squared top of a valve spindle is exposed secured to a metal flanged support tray and also a loose or chained held lockshield valve key to fit the square head of the spinole and when the key is inserted in the cover and operated it opens and closes an underground stopvalve when connected to an underground supply pipe at a statutory de@th from a public water supply.With the stopvalve supported on an internal flanged base of the casing in a diagonal position for security and torque purposes a vertical supply pipe with union connection to an elbow of the stopvalve terminates above ground surface in a pipe tee with a pranch securing an internal and external thread insert having a central core, internal and external threads a crainage plug and securec by locknuts to an aperture of a wall of the standpipe together with a backplate of a @inged lockaple protective cover to the plug and the tee securec in a co axial position within the casing of the bore of the insert has a threaded micro bore elbow with a dip pipe projecting into the flow line of the pipe tee extending to an INVERT of an elbow secured to an underground stop valve and with the outlet of the tee having a union joint for maintenance and accessibility through a flanged opening of the casing having a removable cover and with the union joint connected to a 1010/2 control valve with air inlet valve the headwork and crutch head enclosed within a hinged metal valve box with padlock lugs and secured to a removable access plate attached to the valve casing by security fasteners within the valve @@x the control valve is connected to a double check valve with test plug and the outlet of the valve connected to an elbow having a threaden nipple secured through an aperture in the casing by a 45 angled elbow with a threaded discharge outlet for a hose union connection and the elbow protected by a metal shield against theft and chill winds.With the access panel to the valve system removed from the casing a bolted shackle to the spindle of the undergroun@@valve is exposed and with the polt removed the upper section of the valve spindle can be withdrawn from the lockshield cover under the lid and with the underground valve closed the section taken away, the control valve open and the access panel replaced and locked together with lid locked access to water would be difficult, According to statutory requirements the internal pipe work and fittings are insulated against @rost by preformed tupular insulation from an internal underground base panel to the lockshield panel under the lid allowing the spindle of the @nderground valve operating in an open enclosure between an inner corner of the rectangular casing and the periphery of the preformed insulation or where total drainage is required, the underground stop valve closed the control valve open the plug removed and compressed air injected into aperture the dip pipe expels all water from the underground elbow to the discharge point.If partial orainage is required the dip pipe is not included in the system but with the grainage plug removed and inlet valve in a body of a discharge control valve is released from its seating, GRAVITY drainage will occur from the air valve to the drainage point.
2. 2. A standpipe assembly as claimed in Claim @ wherein protective means are brovided for preventing vandalism and misuse of operating systems by means of a lockable lid, hinged valve box and drainage plug cover with paclock lugs and locksnield key to an extended underground spindle of a stopvalve.
3. 3. A standpipe assemply as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein total drainage means are provided for standpipes installed in areas where severe periodi@ frost conditions occur and total drainage is achieved by means of a drainage tee secured in a vertical supply pipe having a branch of the tee enclosing or securing an insert with a drainage plug secured in a wall of the standpipe casing and a micro bore elbow with dip pipe secured in the flow line of the supply pipe with the dip pipe terminating in an elbow secured to an underground standpipe and with the stop valve closed and compressed air injected into the drainage plug aperture all water is expelled at a discharge point of the standpipe.

   4, A standpipe assembly as claimed in preceding claims wherein partial drainage means are provided for stand@ices installec @n areas where only light @eriodic frost conditions occur the microbore albow with cip pipe as described in Claim 3 are omitted from the core of the insert secured in a branc@ of the crainage tee and with the plug from the insert removed and an air inlet plug in a body of a discharge control released from its seating Partial crainage will occur from the air clug to the drainage plug aperture wherever situated above ground surface 5. A standpipe assembly as claimed in preceding Claims wherein protective means are proviced to prevent the operation of the extended valve soindle of the @nderground sto@valve by removing a top section of the spindle from the scuare end to a shackle within an access manel of the casing and transferred the section to safe keepind @ntil the need for replacement is necessa@v 6. A standpipe assembly supstantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-@ of the accompanying drawing.