Ground hydrant and method for operating same

A ground hydrant comprising:

• an outlet nozzle;
• a drain water system comprising a cylinder having a piston therein dividing said cylinder into a pressure chamber and a drain water chamber on opposite sides of said piston, a pressure opening being in said cylinder for permitting water to enter and exit said pressure chamber, a drain opening being in said cylinder for permitting water to enter and exit said drain water chamber, a drain line being connected to said drain opening,
• said piston being movable from a drain position to a purge position for causing water to be forced out of said drain water chamber through said drain opening and said drain line, and being movable from said purge position to said drain position to permit water to drain into said drain water opening;
• a selective valve means connected to both of said drain opening and said pressure opening of said cylinder;
• main valve means adapted for fluid connection to a source of water pressure, and also being fluidly connected to said outlet nozzle, said second valve means, and said drain opening of said cylinder,
• said main valve means being movable to an off position, wherein selective valve means is connected to said water source and said outlet nozzle is closed off from said water source and said drain opening of said cylinder,
• said main valve means also being movable to an on position wherein said outlet nozzle, said selective valve means, and said water source are in communication with one another and are closed off from said drain opening of said cylinder;
• said main valve means also being movable to a drain position wherein said outlet nozzle and said drain opening of said cylinder are connected to one another and are closed off from said water source;
• said selective valve means being movable from a purge position connecting said main valve means to said pressure opening of said cylinder to a drain fill position connecting said pressure opening of said cylinder to said drain opening of said cylinder;
• manually operable mechanism connected to said main valve means and said selective valve means for selectively moving said main valve means to said on, off, and drain positions, and for selectively moving said selective valve means to said purge and drain fill positions.