# US 10,865,918 B2 · Break-away traffic flange for a hydrant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,918 B2 - Document ID: US10865918B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/799,214 - Filed: 2017-10-31 - Published: 2019-05-02 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-31 - Assignees: Mueller International, LLC - Applicants: Mueller International, LLC - Inventors: Alan Channell; Christopher Joseph Duckett; Paul S. Gifford; Gary Wayne Hadley; Nelson Sanders McClure, Jr.; Walter Pierce Wojick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865918B2 ## CPC - F16L 23/032: characterised by the shape or composition of the flanges - E03B 9/04: Column hydrants - F16K 27/006: {of hydrants} - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A traffic flange for a hydrant includes: a body portion defining an arcuate shape and including an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner radial surface, and an outer radial surface, the body portion defining a body portion width in a radial direction relative to a main axis of the traffic flange, the body portion further defining a plurality of holes extending in an axial direction of the traffic flange relative to the main axis from the upper surface to the lower surface; and a break-away portion including a plurality of tabs extending radially inward in the radial direction from the inner radial surface of the body portion, a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction of the traffic flange at each of the plurality of tabs greater than the body portion width. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hydrant comprising: a hydrant body; a lower barrel detachably secured to the hydrant body, a top end of the lower barrel contacting a lower end of the hydrant body; a traffic flange comprising a body portion defining an arcuate shape defining a non-whole fraction of a circle, the body portion comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner radial surface, and an outer radial surface, the body portion defining a body portion width in a radial direction relative to a main axis of the traffic flange, the body portion further defining a plurality of fastening holes extending in an axial direction of the traffic flange relative to the main axis from the upper surface to the lower surface; and a break-away portion extending from the body portion and comprising a plurality of tabs extending radially inward in the radial direction from the inner radial surface of the body portion, a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction of the traffic flange at each of the plurality of tabs greater than a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction of the traffic flange between adjacent tabs of the plurality of tabs; and a plurality of fasteners securing the hydrant body to the lower barrel, each of the plurality of fasteners extending through a one of the plurality of fastening holes of the traffic flange, wherein each tab of the plurality of tabs, positioned in a radial direction, is adjacent to a corresponding fastening hole of the plurality of fastening holes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hydrant of claim 1, wherein the body portion of the traffic flange is semicircular in shape, the body portion being a first body portion, the traffic flange further comprising a second body portion defining a semicircular shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hydrant of claim 1, wherein the traffic flange comprises a material having a tensile strength of at least about 60,000 psi. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hydrant of claim 1, each of the plurality of tabs defining a notch proximate to a base of the respective tab defined at an intersection between the tab and the body portion, each of the plurality of tabs defining a minimum tab thickness at a bottom of the corresponding notch that is less than a total tab thickness of the tab distal from the base of the tab. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The hydrant of claim 4, wherein the notch tapers in cross-section toward the bottom of the notch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hydrant of claim 1, wherein an angular tab width of each of the plurality of tabs is 17.5 degrees. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hydrant of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of tabs is aligned along the radial direction of the traffic flange with a one of the plurality of fasteners. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hydrant of claim 1, wherein an angular tab width of each of the plurality of tabs is in a range of 13 to 20 degrees. ### Claim 9 A traffic flange for a hydrant, the traffic flange comprising: a body portion defining an arcuate shape and comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner radial surface, and an outer radial surface, the body portion defining a body portion width in a radial direction relative to a main axis of the traffic flange, the body portion further defining a plurality of holes extending in an axial direction of the traffic flange relative to the main axis from the upper surface to the lower surface; and a break-away portion extending from the body portion and comprising a plurality of tabs extending radially inward in the radial direction from the inner radial surface of the body portion, a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction of the traffic flange at each of the plurality of tabs greater than a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction of the traffic flange between adjacent tabs of the plurality of tabs, wherein each tab of the plurality of tabs, positioned in a radial direction, is adjacent to a corresponding fastening hole of the plurality of fastening holes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The traffic flange of claim 9, wherein the body portion of the traffic flange defines a semicircular shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The traffic flange of claim 9, wherein the traffic flange comprises ductile iron. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The traffic flange of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of tabs defines a notch proximate to a base of the tab defined at an intersection between the tab and the body portion, each of the plurality of tabs defining a minimum tab thickness at a bottom of the corresponding notch that is less than a total tab thickness of the tab distal from the base of the tab. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The traffic flange of claim 9, wherein an angular tab width of each of the plurality of tabs is in a range of 13 to 20 degrees. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The traffic flange of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of tabs is aligned along the radial direction with a one of the plurality of holes of the body portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The traffic flange of claim 9, wherein the body portion of the traffic flange defines a circular shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The traffic flange of claim 15, wherein the body portion defines a first half and a second half defining a monolithic whole, the first half and the second half defining a first notch at a first connection between the first half and the second half and a second notch at a second connection between the first half and the second half, each of the first notch and the second notch aligned with the radial direction. ### Claim 17 A traffic flange for a hydrant, the traffic flange comprising: a monolithic body portion defining an arcuate shape comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner radial surface, and an outer radial surface, the body portion defining a body portion width in a radial direction relative to a main axis of the traffic flange, the body portion further defining a plurality of holes extending in an axial direction of the traffic flange relative to the main axis from the upper surface to the lower surface; and a break-away portion extending from the body portion and comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite from the upper surface, the break-away portion extending radially inward in the radial direction from the inner radial surface of the body portion, the break-away portion defining a notch proximate to a base of the break-away portion defined at an intersection between the break-away portion and the body portion, the break-away portion further defining one of a plurality of tabs and a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of tabs extending radially inward in the radial direction from the inner radial surface of the body portion and each of the plurality of openings extending from the upper surface of the break-away portion to the lower surface of the break-away portion, each of the plurality of openings configured to weaken the traffic flange against loads applied to the break-away portion in the axial direction of the traffic flange. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The traffic flange of claim 17, wherein the body portion defines a semicircular shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The traffic flange of claim 17, wherein the notch is a first notch defined in the upper surface of the break-away portion, the break-away portion further defining a second notch in the lower surface of the break-away portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The traffic flange of claim 17, wherein the break-away portion defines the plurality of openings. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The traffic flange of claim 17, wherein the break-away portion comprises the plurality of tabs, a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction at each of the plurality of tabs greater than a total width of the traffic flange in the radial direction of the traffic flange between adjacent tabs of the plurality of tabs. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The traffic flange of claim 17, wherein the traffic flange comprises ductile iron.