Anchor valve for security
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorNicholaus J. Peyton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for protecting a fluid supply from a contaminant includes an anchor check valve having an inlet end and an exit end, the anchor check valve adapted to allow fluid flow through the anchor check valve from the inlet end to the exit end but prevent fluid flow through the check valve from the exit end to the inlet end; a dry-barrel fire hydrant in proximate fluid communication with the anchor check valve, the dry-barrel fire hydrant having a valve operating mechanism; and a hydrant shoe coupled to the anchor check valve, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly adjustably connected to the valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant.
Claims20
A system for protecting a fluid supply from a contaminant, comprising:
- an anchor check valve having an inlet end and an exit end, the anchor check valve adapted to allow fluid flow through the anchor check valve from the inlet end to the exit end but prevent fluid flow through the anchor check valve from the exit end to the inlet end, the inlet end and the exit end of the anchor check valve facing a horizontal direction, the exit end including an exit end flange;
- a dry-barrel fire hydrant in proximate fluid communication with the anchor check valve, the dry-barrel fire hydrant having a valve operating mechanism;
- and
- a hydrant shoe having an inlet end and an exit end, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe coupled to the exit end of the anchor check valve by the exit end flange of the anchor check valve, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly adjustably connected to the valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the hydrant shoe facing a vertical direction.
A method of installing an anchor check valve on a dry-barrel fire hydrant, comprising the steps of:
- removing a section of pipe from piping connected to a hydrant shoe, the hydrant shoe having an inlet end and an exit end, the hydrant shoe connected to the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly, the hydrant shoe adjustably connected to a valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the hydrant shoe facing a vertical direction, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe defining a female connection portion;
- replacing the section of pipe with the anchor check valve, the anchor check valve including an inlet end, an exit end, and a flapper in communication with a sealing surface, the inlet end and the exit end of the anchor check valve facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the anchor check valve defining a male connection portion, the male connection portion of the anchor check valve extending into the female connection portion of the inlet end of the hydrant shoe;
- and
- securing the anchor check valve to a remaining piping.
A method of preventing a contaminant from entering a fluid source via a dry-barrel fire hydrant, comprising the steps of:
- drawing a desired amount of a fluid from the fluid source through a dry-barrel fire hydrant system including the dry-barrel fire hydrant, a hydrant shoe having an inlet end and an exit end, and an anchor check valve having an inlet end and an exit end, the anchor check valve coupled to the inlet end of the hydrant shoe by a flange on the exit end of the anchor check valve, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly adjustably connected to a valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the inlet end and the exit end of the anchor check valve facing a horizontal direction, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the hydrant shoe facing a vertical direction;
- maintaining a remaining portion of the fluid on an exit side of the anchor check valve after the desired amount of the fluid is withdrawn from the fluid source;
- preventing the remaining portion of the fluid from reentering the fluid source via the anchor check valve, thereby preventing the contaminant from entering the fluid source;
- and
- expelling the remaining portion of the fluid and contaminant from the dry-barrel fire hydrant system upon a further withdrawal of the fluid from the fluid source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.