Water saver fire hydrant
OwnerRichard Honigsbauminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Water saver fire hydrants save water by delivering their initial flow from a pilot valve to a collection of holes in the gasket faces of their hose and pumper outlet nozzles. These holes are normally closed off by the gaskets in caps and hoses, and the water that flows from those holes in the absence of those caps or hoses activates a mechanism inside the hydrant that either blocks attempts to obtain full flow from the hydrant or powers a hydraulic motor that closes the hydrant valves.
Claims40
An apparatus for use in and for limiting unauthorized water flow from a fire hydrant of the type having an outlet nozzle having a bore for accommodating water flow from said hydrant, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one hole in said outlet nozzle, said hole having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle;
- a pilot valve for controlling water flow to said at least one hole;
- a dedicated water flow path from said pilot valve to said downstream end of said at least one hole;
- a water flow sensing means for sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- a main valve for controlling water flow to said outlet nozzle bore;
- a valve operating means for opening and closing said pilot valve and said main valve, said valve operating means opening said valves sequentially with said pilot valve opening first;
- and
- a stop means for preventing said valve operating means from opening said main valve when said water flow sensing means senses a water flow exceeding a predetermined rate.
A process for limiting the flow of water from a fire hydrant having a pilot valve, a main valve, and at least one outlet nozzle having at least one hole having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle, the process comprising the steps of:
- operating a valve operating means common to said pilot valve and said main valve for opening said valves in the sequence pilot valve first;
- delivering water to the downstream end of said hole via a dedicated water flow path from said pilot valve to said downstream end of said hole;
- sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- and
- preventing the opening of said main valve when said sensed water flow exceeds a predetermined rate.
An apparatus for use in and for limiting unauthorized water flow from a fire hydrant of the type having an outlet nozzle having a bore for accommodating water flow from said hydrant, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one hole in said outlet nozzle, said hole having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle;
- a water flow sensing means for sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- a dedicated water flow path from at least the inlet of the water flow sensing means to the downstream end of said at least one hole
- a main valve for controlling water flow to said at least one outlet nozzle;
- and
- a stop means for preventing the opening of said main valve when said water flow sensing means senses a water flow exceeding a predetermined rate.
A process for limiting the flow of water from a fire hydrant of the type having a main valve for controlling water flow to an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle having at least one hole therein having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said nozzle, and a water flow sensor in a dedicated water flow path, said dedicated water flow path extending from at least the inlet of said water flow sensor to the downstream end of said at least one hole, the process comprising the steps of:
- delivering water to the downstream end of said at least one hole via said dedicated water flow path;
- sensing the water flow in said dedicated water flow path;
- preventing the opening of said main valve when the water flow sensed by said water flow sensor exceeds a predetermined rate.
An apparatus for use in and for limiting unauthorized water flow from a fire hydrant of the type having an outlet nozzle having a bore for accommodating water flow from said hydrant, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one hole in said outlet nozzle, said hole having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle;
- a pilot valve for controlling water flow to said at least one hole;
- a dedicated water flow path from said pilot valve to said downstream end of said at least one hole;
- a water flow sensing means for sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- a main valve for controlling water flow to said outlet nozzle bore;
- at least one seal valve;
- a valve operating means for opening and closing said pilot valve, said main valve and said seal valve, said valve operating means opening said valves sequentially with said seal valve opening first, then said pilot valve, then said main valve;
- and
- a stop means for preventing said valve operating means from opening said main valve when said water flow sensing means senses a water flow exceeding a predetermined rate.
A process for limiting the flow of water from a fire hydrant having a seal valve, a pilot valve, a main valve, and at least one outlet nozzle having at least one hole therein having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle, the process comprising the steps of:
- operating a valve operating means for opening said seal valve, said valve operating means being common to said seal valve, said pilot valve and said main valve for opening said valves in the sequence seal valve first, then said pilot valve, then said main valve;
- opening said pilot valve;
- delivering water to the downstream end of said at least one hole via a dedicated water flow path from said pilot valve to said downstream end of said hole;
- sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- and
- preventing the opening of said main valve when said sensed water flow exceeds a predetermined rate.
An apparatus for use in and for limiting unauthorized water flow from a fire hydrant of the type having an outlet nozzle having a bore for accommodating water flow from said hydrant, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one hole in said outlet nozzle, said hole having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle;
- a pilot valve for controlling water flow to said at least one hole;
- a dedicated water flow path from said pilot valve to said downstream end of said at least one hole;
- a water flow sensing means for sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- a main valve for controlling water flow to said outlet nozzle bore;
- a valve operating means common to said pilot valve and said main valve for opening and closing said pilot valve and said main valve, said valve operating means opening said valves sequentially with said pilot valve opening first;
- and
- a closing means for closing said main valve when said water flow sensing means senses a water flow exceeding a predetermined rate.
A process for limiting the flow of water from a fire hydrant having a pilot valve, a main valve, and at least one outlet nozzle having at least one hole therein having a downstream end which may be obstructed by a device securable to said outlet nozzle, the process comprising the steps of:
- operating a valve operating means for opening said pilot valve, said valve operating means being common to said pilot valve and said main valve for opening and closing said valves, said valves being opened in the sequence pilot valve first;
- delivering water to the downstream end of said at least one hole via a dedicated water flow path from said pilot valve to said downstream end of said hole;
- sensing water flow via said dedicated water flow path;
- and
- closing said main valve when said sensed water flow exceeds a predetermined rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.