Locking fire hydrant

An auxiliary cap latching mechanism on a fire hydrant comprising:

• an internal channel in a body of the fire hydrant, the internal channel being separate from and adjacent to a main outlet port of the fire hydrant, the internal channel having:
• a proximate end adjacent to the main outlet port of the fire hydrant;
• and
• a distal end in adjacent to an auxiliary outlet port;
• and
• a plunger assembly slideably disposed in the internal channel, the plunger assembly including:
• a first plunger disposed in a proximate end of the plunger assembly, the first plunger extending through the proximate end of the internal channel and into the main outlet port when in a non-depressed configuration;
• a second plunger disposed in a distal end of the plunger assembly, the second plunger extending through the distal end of the internal channel and into the auxiliary outlet port when in a non-depressed configuration;
• and
• at least one spring disposed between the first plunger and the second plunger.

A method for securing an auxiliary cap to a fire hydrant, comprising:

• applying force to a first plunger disposed proximate to a main outlet port of a fire hydrant to cause a second plunger to assume an extended position in which the second plunger extends into an area proximate to an auxiliary outlet port of the fire hydrant;
• allowing the auxiliary cap for closing off the auxiliary port to be threadably fastened to the fire hydrant by rotating the auxiliary cap in a first direction while the second plunger is in the extended position;
• preventing the auxiliary cap from being threadably removed from the fire hydrant by rotating the auxiliary cap in a second direction while the second plunger is in the extended position;
• releasing the force applied to the first plunger to cause the second plunger to retract from the extended position;
• and
• threadably removing the auxiliary cap from the fire hydrant by rotating the auxiliary cap in the second direction.