US2869576A

US2869576A - Key-operated fire hydrant

Info

Publication number: US2869576A
Authority: US
Inventors: William C Kennedy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-03-07
Filing date: 1958-03-07
Publication date: 1959-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 1976-01-20

Description

Jan. 20, 1959 w. c. KENNEDY 2,869,576

KEY-OPERATED FIRE HYDRANT Filed March 7, 1958 J8 INVENTOR. \mLuAM C. KENNEDY United States Patent 2,869,576 KEY-OPERATED FIRE HYDRANT William C. Kennedy, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 7, 1958, Serial No. 719,794

2 Claims. (Cl. 137Z96) This invention relates to water hydrants, and more particularly to an improved fire hydrant.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved fire hydrant which is simple in construction, which is neat in appearance, and which is protected against operation by unauthorized persons.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved fire hydrant which is inexpensive to fabricate, which is arranged so that it may not be operated by unauthorized persons, which is attractive in appearance, and which can be operated only by the use of a key member, the hydrant being so arranged that the outlets thereof are normally covered and can-only be uncovered when the hydrant is unlocked.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved fire hydrant constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown in normal locked position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 1,

showing the fire hydrant in unlocked position, ready for use.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional detail view showing a modification of the hydrant wherein a pivoted flap member is provided which normally covers the aperture in the hand wheel skirt member.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, 11 generally designates a fire hydrant constructed in accordance with the present invention, the hydrant 11 comprising a conventional internal hydrant member 12 which extends vertically, as shown in Figure 3, and which is provided on its upper portion with a plurality of manually removable caps-13, allowing water to be discharged from the hydrant when said caps are removed. The main hydrant member 12 is also provided with a vertical valve-operating shaft 14 which projects axially from its top end. The main hydrant member 12 is opened to allow water to discharge therefrom responsive to the rotation of the valve shaft 14 from its normal closed position to its open position.

In accordance with the present invention, the shaft 14 is formed at its top end with a squared portion 15, and rigidly secured to the squared portion 15 at its top end is a generally circular skirt member 16, said skirt member being fastened rigidly at its center to the squared shaft element 15. Skirt member 16 has the depending annular Wall portion 17, the bottom rim of said wall portion 17 being formed with the radial spaced, inwardly directed lugs 18. Designated at 19 is a sleeve member which surrounds the main hydrant element 12 and which is vertically movable thereon, the sleeve member 19 being of suflicient height to cover the upper portion of the hydrant, namely, the portion containing the caps 13 and their associated discharge spouts. The sleeve member 19 is formed at its top end with the evenly spaced, outwardly projecting lugs 20, said lugs 20 being engageable over the lugs 18 of skirt member 16, whereby to support the sleeve 19 in its elevated position, shown in Figure 3. The width of the lugs 20 is slightly less than the distance between the lugs 18 of the skirt member, so that the skirt member may be disengaged from the sleeve member 19 to allowthe sleeve member to be lowered to the dotted view position thereof shown in Figure 3 and the full line view thereof shown in Figure 2, exposing the cap elements 13, and allowing connections to be made to their associated discharge conduit elements.

Rigidly secured to the top of the-main. hydrant member 12 is a bracket 21 having the upstanding portion 22 through which is threadedly engaged a set screw 23 which is lockingly engageable with the squared valve shaft portion 15, as shown in Figure 3. Set screw 23 is provided with the squared outer end portion 24 adapted to be engaged by the correspondingly shaped socket portion of a suitable key member 25 which is ensertable through an aperture 26 formedin the annular depending wall portion 17 of skirt member 16 said aperture being located so that it may be substantially registered with the set screw 23. ;Thus, by inserting the key 25 and loosening the set screw 23, the valve shaft 14 may be released, and the valve may be opened by rotating the skirt member 16, which serves as a hand wheel. Access to the caps 13 may be obtained by rotating the sleeve member 19 sufliciently to disengage the lugs 20 from the lugs 18, allowing the lugs 20 to pass downwardly through the spaces between the lugs 18, whereby the sleeves 19 may be lowered to the position thereof shown in Figure 2, and whereby the caps 13 may be exposed.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a flap member 27 may be pivoted to the inside surface of the depending annular wall 17, as by providing a pair of

pivot lugs

28, 28 adjacent the upper corners of the aperture 26, the flap 27 being provided with a pivot pin 29 secured to its top margin and projecting laterally therefrom at the opposite ends of the flap member, the pin 29 extending rotatably through the

pivot lugs

28, 28. The flap member 27 is substantially larger than the aperture 26 and is provided at its bottom edge with a depending, rectangular lug 30. The lug 30 engages between a pair of adjacent lugs 20, locking the sleeve 19 against rotation with respect to the skirt member 16. However, when a suitable key 25 is inserted through the aperture 26, the flap member 27 is swung upwardly, allowing the key to be engaged on the squared end 24 of the set screw 23 and releasing the sleeve 19 so that it may be rotated relative to the skirt member 16.

While the top portion 15 of shaft 14 is illustrated as being squared, it may have any other desired crosssectional shape, Within the spirit of the present invention, such that it may be lockingly engaged by the set screw 23.

The sleeve or barrel member 19 constitutes a protective device which guards against the theft of the nozzle caps of the main hydrant member'12, concealing same, and making tampering with the nozzle caps difiicult and conspicuous. Thus the use of the sleeve or barrel member 19 is a deterrent to malicious mischief and prevents damage to the hydrant and theft of parts thereof by vandals. The substitution of the handwheel skirt member 16 for an operating wrench prevents unauthorized operation of the hydrant by a makeshift wrench, as has often occurred heretofore with conventional hydrants. By the use of the key and set screw arrangement of the present invention, unauthorized persons cannot operate the hydrant, and tampering therewith is reduced to a minimum.

drant has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a vertical hydrant having an axial rotatable valve shaft projecting from its top end and having manually removable caps mounted on its upper portion, a generally circular skirt member secured to the top end of said valve shaft, said skirt member being formed with an aperture, a plurality of inwardly directed lugs on the rim of said skirt member, a cover sleeve surrounding said hydrant and being vertically movable thereon, said sleeve being of sufiicient height to cover the upper portion of said hydrant, outwardly projecting lugs on the top portion of said sleeve engageable over said first-named lugs, said skirt member being rotatable to at times disengage the first-named lugs from the second-named lugs to release said cover sleeve, whereby to allow the sleeve to descend and expose said caps, a closure flap hinged to the inside wall of said-skirt member and normally overlying said aperture, and aprojection'on said flap engage'able between I the pair of adjacent lugs on the top portion of the sleeve in the position of said flapoverlying said aperture for preventing relative rotation of said skirt member and said cover sleeve.

2. In combination, a vertical hydrant having an axial rotatable valve shaft projecting from its top end and having manually removable caps mounted on its upper portion, the top end of said shaft having a squared portion, a vertical bracket member on the top of the hydrant adjacent said valve shaft, a horizontal set screw threaded through said bracket member and being lockingly engageable with said squared portion for preventing rotation of I said shaft, a generally circular skirt member axially secured to the top end of said valve shaft, said skirt member being formed with an aperture'registrable with said set screw, a closure flap hinged to the inside wall of said skirt member and normally overlying said aperture, a plurality of inwardly directed, evenly spaced lugs on the rim of said skirt member, a cover sleeve surrounding said hydrant and being vertically movable thereon, said sleeve being of sufiicient height to cover the upper portion of said hydrant, outwardly projecting, evenly spaced lugs on the top portion of said sleeve engageable over said firstnamed lugs, said skirt member being rotatable to at times disengage the first-named lugs from the second-named lugs to release said cover sleeve, whereby to allow the sleeve to descend and expose said caps, and a projection on said flap engageable between a pair of adjacent lugs on the top portion of the sleeve in the position of said flap overlying said aperture for preventing relative rotation of said skirt member and said cover sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS