Tamper resistant construction for hydrant

• US 5,722,450 A
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 03/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: McGard LLC
• Original Assignee: McGard LLC
• Inventors: Julicher, Bradley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/822,396
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 81/124.3, 81/125, 81/125.1, 137/296, 137/371, 137/377, 137/381, 137/382, 137/382.5, 137/800, 220/284, 220/725, 220/726, 220/727, 251/291, 251/292
• US Class Current: 137/296
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/06 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 35/06 using a removable actuating or locking member, e.g. a key F16K35/10, F16K35/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5468 Cap, cover or hood
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7065 With means for accommodating a detachable actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9247 With closure

Abstract

A tamper resistant construction for a fire hydrant including a hydrant nut actuating body for mounting on a hydrant nut, a shroud rotatably mounted on a first end portion of the hydrant nut actuating body, a cap rotatably mounted on a second end portion of the hydrant nut actuating body, a wrench-receiving portion on the hydrant nut actuating body, a spring mounted within the hydrant nut actuating body and secured to the cap for biasing the cap over the wrench-receiving portion, and a specialized wrench for retracting the cap and engaging the wrench-receiving portion on the hydrant nut actuating body to thereby turn the hydrant nut actuating body and a hydrant nut coupled thereto. The shroud may be removably mounted on the hydrant nut actuating body to permit access to set screws which secure the hydrant nut actuating body to the hydrant nut.

Claims

1. A tamper resistant construction for a fire hydrant comprising a hydrant nut actuating body having first and second end portions, a shroud rotatably mounted on and removable from said first end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, a cap rotatably mounted on said second end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, a wrench-receiving portion on said hydrant nut actuating body, and a spring biasing said cap over said wrench-receiving portion.

2. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 1 including a first bore in said upper portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, and wherein said spring is located within said first bore, a second bore in communication with said first bore and extending through said upper portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, a bolt extending through said spring and said second bore, a first end on said bolt received in said cap, and a second end on said bolt bearing against said spring.

3. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shroud is rotatably and removably mounted on said first end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body by a snap ring.

4. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 3 including a gap in said snap ring, and a bore in said shroud alignable with said gap.

5. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 4 including a plug for insertion into said bore.

6. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 4 including a first groove in said hydrant nut actuating body, and a second groove in said shroud, and wherein said snap ring is self biased into said first groove and bridges said first and second grooves.

7. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 1 including a wrench, a wrench head on said wrench, an opening in said wrench head, lips on said wrench head facing said opening for engaging said wrench receiving portion, a wrench handle, and an end on said wrench handle movable into said wrench head in effective opposition to said lips.

8. A tamper resistant construction for a fire hydrant comprising a hydrant nut actuating body having first and second end portions, a cap rotatably mounted on said first end portion, a shroud, and a disengageable rotatable connection between said shroud and said second end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body to permit removal of said shroud from said hydrant nut actuating body.

9. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 8 wherein said disengageable rotatable connection comprises a snap ring.

10. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 9 including a first groove in said hydrant nut actuating body, a second groove in said shroud in alignment with said first groove, and wherein said snap ring bridges said first and second grooves when said shroud is assembled on said hydrant nut actuating body.

11. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein said snap ring is self-biased into said first groove.

12. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 11 including a bore in said shroud for obtaining access to said snap ring.

13. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 9 including a bore in said shroud for obtaining access to said snap ring.

14. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 13 including a gap in said snap ring, and wherein said bore is alignable with said gap.

15. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said cap has a first diameter, and an opening in said shroud which encircles said hydrant nut actuating body, said opening having a second diameter which is larger than said first diameter for permitting said shroud to pass over said cap after it has been disengaged from said hydrant nut actuating body.

16. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 8 including a plurality of circumferentially spaced threaded bores in said second end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, and a plurality of set screws in said plurality of threaded bores.

17. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 16 wherein said disengageable rotatable connection comprises a snap ring which permits axial movement of said shroud relative to said hydrant nut actuating body to obtain access to said plurality of set screws.

18. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 17 wherein said cap has a first diameter, and an opening in said shroud which encircles said hydrant nut actuating body, said opening having a second diameter which is larger than said first diameter for permitting said shroud to pass over said cap after it has been disengaged from said hydrant nut actuating body.

19. A tamper resistant construction for a fire hydrant comprising a hydrant nut actuating body having first and second end portions, a shroud rotatably mounted on and removable from said first end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, a cap rotatably mounted on said second end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body, and a wrench-receiving portion on said hydrant nut actuating body.

20. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 19 wherein said shroud is rotatably and removably mounted on said first end portion of said hydrant nut actuating body by a snap ring.

21. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 20 including a gap in said snap ring, and a bore in said shroud alignable with said gap.

22. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 21 including a plug for insertion into said bore.

23. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 21 including a first groove in said hydrant nut actuating body, and a second groove in said shroud, and wherein said snap ring is self biased into said first groove and bridges said first and second grooves.

24. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 19 including a wrench, a wrench head on said wrench, an opening in said wrench head, lips on said wrench head facing said opening for engaging said wrench receiving portion, a wrench handle, and an end on said wrench handle movable into said wrench head in effective opposition to said lips.

25. A tamper resistant construction for a fire hydrant comprising a hydrant nut actuating body having a shroud mounting portion, a shroud, and a disengageable rotatable connection between said shroud and said shroud mounting portion of said hydrant nut actuating body.

26. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 25 wherein said disengageable rotatable connection comprises a snap ring.

27. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 26 including a first groove in said hydrant nut actuating body, a second groove in said shroud in alignment with said first groove, and wherein said snap ring bridges said first and second grooves when said shroud is assembled on said hydrant nut actuating body.

28. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 26 including a bore in said shroud for obtaining access to said snap ring.

29. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 28 including a gap in said snap ring, and wherein said bore is alignable with said gap.

30. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 27 wherein said snap ring is self-biased into said first groove.

31. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 30 including a bore in said shroud for obtaining access to said snap ring.

32. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 25 including a plurality of circumferentially spaced threaded bores in said hydrant nut actuating body, and a plurality of set screws in said plurality of threaded bores.

33. A tamper resistant construction as set forth in claim 32 wherein said disengageable rotatable connection comprises a snap ring which permits axial movement of said shroud relative to said hydrant nut actuating body to obtain access to said plurality of set screws.