Fire hydrant securing arrangements
AssigneeHydra-Shield Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorRoy Istre, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fire hydrant securing arrangement utilizes a magnetic detent to couple an outer body to a center post so that when a wrench with a permanent magnet is mated with the outer body, the magnetic detent connects the outer body to the center post. The center post has an end with a polygonal recess which complements the shape of the hydrant operating nut. The recess is within an insert that has a polygonal periphery engaged by a polygonal inner wall of the center post. The insert is interchangeable with other inserts having recesses of different sizes and configurations so that the securing arrangement is readily acceptable to fire hydrants having different operating nuts of different sizes.
Claims11
A valve operator securing arrangement for fire hydrants having a valve stem connected to a hydrant operating valve, the valve stem having a hydrant operating nut with a particular polygonal exterior shape, wherein rotation of the valve stem by gripping and rotating the hydrant operating nut opens and closes the hydrant operating valve, the arrangement including a device comprising:
- a center post having a first end with a first recess of a selected shape therein, the first recess opening outwardly therefrom, and the center post having a second end defining a first coupling element;
- at least one insert disposed non-rotatably within the recess of the center post, the insert having an axial opening therein of a polygonal shape complementing the particular polygonal exterior shape of the hydrant operating nut for non-rotatably receiving the valve nut therein, wherein rotation of the center post positively rotates the valve nut;
- an outer body rotationally mounted over and around the center post for rotation with respect to the center post, the outer body including a second coupling element, and
- a movable magnetizable element disposed in a first position for decoupling the first and second coupling elements, the magnetizable element being movable to a second position for coupling the first and second elements in a non-rotational relationship, wherein rotation of the outer body rotates the center post to rotate the valve stem and operate the valve;
- whereby upon employing a wrench with a permanent magnet and mechanically interlocking the wrench with the outer body, the outer body is enabled to rotate the hydrant operating nut when the magnetizable element is moved by the permanent magnet from the first position to the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.