Adjustable drain valve for dry barrel fire hydrant

• US 10,640,956 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kennedy Valve Company (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kennedy Valve Company (Mcwane Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kevin L
• Application Number:
  US15/934,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20190292755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/20 Hydrants, e.g. wall-hoses, wall units, plug-in cabinets hydrants in streets E03B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/68 Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/04 Column hydrants
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/14 Draining devices for hydrants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5497 Protection against freezing

Abstract

A drain valve to drain water from a dry barrel hydrant includes a drain valve body fixed to a main valve assembly of the hydrant, and a hollow drain hole sleeve positioned in a drain hole of an elbow of the hydrant. The drain valve body includes a drain valve facing configured to align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in an open position, and to not align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in a closed position. In another embodiment, an elbow of a fire hydrant includes a hollow body, an upper end defining a drain hole to allow water to drain out, and a hollow drain hole sleeve in the drain hole.

Claims

1. A drain valve to drain water from a dry barrel hydrant, the dry barrel hydrant including a barrel coupled to an upper end of an elbow having a hollow body, and a main valve assembly configured to seal against a seat located below a drain hole in the upper end of the elbow, the main valve assembly moving from an open position allowing water to flow from the elbow into the barrel to a closed position in which the main valve assembly seals against the seat, blocking water flow from the elbow into the barrel, the drain valve comprising:

a drain valve body fixed to the main valve assembly, the drain valve body including a drain valve facing configured to align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in the open position, and to not align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in the closed position;

a drain hole sleeve positioned in the drain hole of the elbow, the drain hole sleeve being hollow; and

a drain hole bushing positioned in the drain hole of the elbow, the drain hole bushing being hollow, the drain hole sleeve being positioned in the drain hole bushing adjustably relative to the drain hole bushing.

2. The drain valve of claim 1, wherein the drain hole sleeve is adjustable axially in the drain hole.

3. The drain valve of claim 1, wherein the drain hole of the elbow includes internal threads, the drain hole bushing includes external threads to threadingly mate with the internal threads of the drain hole of the elbow, the drain hole bushing includes internal threads, and the drain hole sleeve includes external threads to threadingly mate with the internal threads of the drain hole bushing.

4. The drain valve of claim 1, wherein the drain hole bushing includes a stop surface created by a step from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter, and the step of the drain hole bushing is configured to abut a step of the drain hole of the elbow as a result of full insertion of the drain hole bushing into the drain hole of the elbow.

5. The drain valve of claim 1, wherein the drain hole sleeve includes a non-threaded exterior portion, the drain hole bushing includes an annular slot on a radially inward facing surface.

6. The drain valve of claim 5, further comprising an O-ring in the annular slot, between the drain hole bushing and the non-threaded exterior portion of the drain hole sleeve.

7. The drain valve of claim 1, wherein a hollow of the drain hole sleeve has a diameter and an outer wall of the drain hole sleeve defining the hollow has a wall thickness, the diameter greater than the wall thickness.

8. An elbow of a fire hydrant, the elbow comprising:

a hollow body;

an upper end defining a drain hole to allow water to drain out;

a drain hole bushing positioned in the drain hole, the drain hole bushing being hollow,

a drain hole sleeve positioned in the drain hole bushing, the drain hole sleeve being adjustable relative to the drain hole bushing.

9. The elbow of claim 8, wherein a hollow of the drain hole sleeve has a diameter and an outer wall of the drain hole sleeve defining the hollow has a wall thickness, the diameter greater than the wall thickness.

10. The elbow of claim 8, wherein the drain hole sleeve is adjustable axially in the drain hole.

11. The elbow of claim 8, wherein the drain hole includes internal threads, the drain hole bushing includes external threads to threadingly mate with the internal threads of the drain hole, the drain hole bushing includes internal threads, and the drain hole sleeve includes external threads to threadingly mate with the internal threads of the drain hole bushing.

12. The elbow of claim 8, wherein the drain hole bushing includes a stop surface created by a step from a first outer diameter to a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter, and the step of the drain hole bushing is configured to abut a step of the drain hole as a result of full insertion of the drain hole bushing into the drain hole.

13. The elbow of claim 8, wherein the drain hole sleeve includes a non-threaded exterior portion, the drain hole bushing includes an annular slot on a radially inward facing surface.

14. The elbow of claim 13, further comprising an O-ring in the annular slot, between the drain hole bushing and the non-threaded exterior portion of the drain hole sleeve.

15. A drain valve to drain water from a dry barrel hydrant, the dry barrel hydrant including a barrel coupled to an upper end of an elbow having a hollow body, and a main valve assembly configured to seal against a seat located below a drain hole in the upper end of the elbow, the main valve assembly moving from an open position allowing water to flow from the elbow into the barrel to a closed position in which the main valve assembly seals against the seat, blocking water flow from the elbow into the barrel, the drain valve comprising:

a drain valve body fixed to the main valve assembly, the drain valve body including a drain valve facing configured to align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in the open position, and to not align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in the closed position; and

a drain hole sleeve positioned in the drain hole of the elbow, the drain hole sleeve being hollow, having an external circumference, and being adjustable axially in the drain hole, the drain hole sleeve configured to be sealed around the external circumference in a plurality of axially adjusted positions of the drain hole sleeve.

16. A drain valve to drain water from a dry barrel hydrant, the dry barrel hydrant including a barrel coupled to an upper end of an elbow having a hollow body, and a main valve assembly configured to seal against a seat located below a drain hole in the upper end of the elbow, the main valve assembly moving from an open position allowing water to flow from the elbow into the barrel to a closed position in which the main valve assembly seals against the seat, blocking water flow from the elbow into the barrel, the drain valve comprising:

a drain valve body fixed to the main valve assembly, the drain valve body including a drain valve facing configured to align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in the open position, and to not align with the drain hole of the elbow as a result of the main valve assembly being in the closed position;

a drain hole sleeve positioned in the drain hole of the elbow, the drain hole sleeve being hollow and having a circumference; and

an o-ring extending around the circumference.

17. An elbow of a fire hydrant, the elbow comprising:

a hollow body;

an upper end defining a drain hole to allow water to drain out;

a drain hole sleeve in the drain hole, the drain hole sleeve being hollow, having an external circumference, and being adjustable axially in the drain hole, the drain hole sleeve configured to be sealed around the external circumference in a plurality of axially adjusted positions of the drain hole sleeve.

18. An elbow of a fire hydrant, the elbow comprising:

a hollow body;

an upper end defining a drain hole to allow water to drain out;

a drain hole sleeve in the drain hole, the drain hole sleeve being hollow and having a circumference; and

an o-ring extending around the circumference.