Fire hydrant anti-tamper device
OwnerMichael Zorattiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A detection and signaling apparatus is mountable in a fire hydrant to detect a parameter, such as unauthorized movement of a discharge nozzle cap relative to the fire hydrant. A housing carrying a sensor, such as a motion detector, is mounted inside of the cap. The sensor has an output connected to a transmitter. Movement of the cap relative to the fire hydrant activates the motion detector which generates an output signal causing the transmitter to remotely transmit a tamper detection signal and, also, a fire hydrant location identification code. A pressure sensor can also be coupled to the transmitter to sense water supply main pressure and water flow through the fire hydrant.
Claims40
A tamper detection apparatus for a fire hydrant having a discharge nozzle, the apparatus comprising:
- a cap mountable on a discharge nozzle of a fire hydrant;
- a cap movement detector mounted to a fire hydrant discharge nozzle cap, the cap movement detector generating an output upon detecting removal movement of the cap relative to the fire hydrant;
- and
- transmitter means, mounted to a fire hydrant cap and responsive to an output of the cap movement detector, for transmitting a tamper detection signal remotely from the fire hydrant.
A tamper detection apparatus for a fire hydrant having a discharge nozzle, the apparatus comprising:
- a discharge nozzle cap mountable on a discharge nozzle of a fire hydrant;
- a discharge nozzle cap movement detector mounted to the discharge nozzle cap to detect movement of the cap relative to the fire hydrant;
- a transmitter, responsive to an output of the detector, for transmitting a tamper signal remotely from the fire hydrant;
- a housing, the detector and the transmitter carried in the housing, the housing mounted in the fire hydrant cap;
- and
- a stored fire hydrant location identification, the transmitter transmitting the fire hydrant identification when transmitting the tamper signal.
A fire hydrant comprising:
- a housing fluidically connected to a water supply conduit;
- a discharge outlet carried in the housing;
- a cap threadingly mountable over the discharge outlet to removably close the discharge outlet;
- a cap movement detector coupled to the fire hydrant cap to detect movement of the cap relative to the fire hydrant;
- and
- a transmitter, coupled to the cap and responsive to an output of the cap movement detector, for transmitting a tamper detection signal remotely from the fire hydrant.
A method of detecting tampering with a fire hydrant having a discharge outlet comprising the steps of:
- providing a discharge outlet cap for a discharge outlet;
- coupling a discharge outlet cap movement detector to the cap to detect movement of the cap relative to the housing;
- and
- coupling a signal transmitter to the detector wherein the transmitter, in response to an output from the detector, transmits a tamper signal remotely from the fire hydrant.
A method of monitoring a parameter of a fire hydrant having a discharge outlet and a valve opening the fire hydrant to water flow, the method comprising the steps of:
- coupling a parameter sensor to at least one of a discharge outlet cap and a valve to detect an operating parameter of the fire hydrant;
- and
- coupling a signal transmitter to the parameter sensor wherein the transmitter, in response to an output from the parameter sensor, remotely transmits a data signal corresponding to the sensed operating parameter from the fire hydrant.
A cap for a fire hydrant having a fluid discharge outlet, the cap comprising:
- a body having a first end and a second end, a bore extending from the first end into the body;
- threads formed adjacent the first end of the body adapted for engagement with a fluid outlet of a fire hydrant;
- a housing fixedly mountable in the bore in the cap;
- a sensor, carried by the housing, for detecting at least one operating parameter of a fire hydrant in which the housing is mounted;
- and
- a transmitter carried in the housing, the transmitter, when receiving an output from the sensor, transmitting a remote signal containing data corresponding to the sensor output.
A method of detecting an operating parameter of a fire hydrant having a discharge outlet, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a cap for the discharge outlet;
- storing a unique fire hydrant identification in a housing mountable within the cap;
- storing the geographical coordinates of the fire hydrant along with the unique fire hydrant identification;
- and
- providing a transmitter in the housing for transmitting a signal from the housing in the fire hydrant to a remote processor, the signal containing at least the fire hydrant identification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.