Hydrant lock

• US 8,770,220 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Embry
• Original Assignee: King Embry
• Inventors: Embry, King
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRY, DAPHNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/475,546
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 137382-385, 70174-180, 701/58, 701/63, 701/64, 70229-232, 220/210
• US Class Current: 137/385
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/20 Hydrants, e.g. wall-hoses, wall units, plug-in cabinets hydrants in streets E03B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/02 Hydrants; Arrangements of valves therein; Keys for hydrants
• 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: F16K 35/10 with locking caps or locking bars
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0025 Electrical or magnetic means F16K37/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7062 Valve guards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7256 Locks against rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5637 With padlock

Abstract

A hydrant locking device inhibiting unauthorized operation of a fire hydrant. The hydrant locking device includes a housing rotatably engaging an extension. The extension includes a rotatable staple extending through the housing. A locking device may engage the rotatable staple. The housing may also include one or more markers on a surface thereof.

Claims

1. A fire hydrant locking device for use on a hydrant operating nut comprising:

an extension having a first connector and a second connector, said extension having a staple post extending vertically from said extension, wherein said staple post is rotatably connected to said extension, said staple post includes a downward facing opening at a lower end of said staple post, one or more threaded bores intersect said downward facing opening of said staple post;

wherein said first connector is a actuator nut positioned at an upper end of said extension, wherein said actuator nut includes an upwardly extending pin, wherein said pin includes a circumferential groove, and wherein said staple post extends vertically from said actuator nut at said extension upper end and is disposed over said pin such that said downward facing opening of said staple post receives said pin, and one or more set screws extend inwardly within each of said one or more threaded bores of said staple post and inserts into said circumferential groove of said pin creating an interference fit between said set screw and said circumferential groove allowing said staple post to rotate relative to said actuator nut while limiting axial movement therebetween;

wherein said second connector includes a downwardly facing inner opening at a lower end of said extension, wherein said inner opening is a complementary shape corresponding to a standard hydrant operating nut, and a plurality of threaded bores intersect said inner opening wherein a set screw within each one of said plurality of threaded bores are designed to be operably tightened into a compressive engagement against said hydrant operating nut received within said inner opening;

a housing having a top opening therein, wherein said housing being capable of being disposed over said extension thereby said staple post extends through said top opening of said housing; and

said housing interacting with said extension between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein said housing may be axially removed from said extension when in said unlocked configuration, and wherein said housing rotates relative to said extension, said staple post rotates relative to said extension and said housing, and said housing may not be axially removed from said extension when said housing is in said locked configuration, and said housing is circumferentially disposed over both of said one or more set screws within said staple post and said set screws of said second connector when said housing is in said locked configuration to make inaccessible to unauthorized access.

2. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 1 wherein said staple post rotates about a longitudinal axis of said extension, wherein said longitudinal axis extends between said upper end and said lower end of said extension.

3. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 2 wherein each of said staple post and said housing rotates about said longitudinal axis of said extension.

4. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 1 wherein said locked configuration further includes a locking device engaging said staple post thereby limiting axial movement of said housing relative to said extension.

5. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 1 wherein said housing includes one or more markers on an outer periphery of said housing.

6. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 5 wherein said one or more markers indicate a hydrant flow rate, a reflector, or combinations of said hydrant flow rate and said reflector.

7. A fire hydrant locking device for use on a hydrant operating nut comprising:

a generally cylindrical extension having an upper end and a lower end relative to an longitudinal axis, said upper end includes an actuator nut with a pin extending from said actuator nut, wherein said pin includes a circumferential groove;

a rotatable staple post having a downward facing opening at a lower end of said staple post, one or more threaded bores intersect said downward facing opening of said staple post, wherein said staple post is disposed over said pin such that said downward facing opening of said staple post receives said pin, and one or more set screws extend inwardly within each of said one or more threaded bores of said staple post and inserts into said circumferential groove of said pin creating an interference fit between said set screw and said circumferential groove allowing said staple post to rotate relative to said actuator nut about said longitudinal axis while limiting axial movement therebetween;

wherein said lower end of said extension includes an inner opening with a plurality of bores intersecting said inner opening, wherein a plurality of set screws threadably engage said plurality of bores to travel into and out of said inner opening;

a housing having a top wall with a depending cylindrical skirt, wherein said top wall includes an opening, and a cylindrical neck portion extending upwardly from said top wall and further defining said opening; and

said housing rotatably engages said extension, said housing being rotatable about said longitudinal axis when assembled on said extension of said housing, wherein said top wall opening receives said rotatable staple post of said extension and said rotatable staple post rotates about said longitudinal axis relative to each one of said housing and said extension, and said cylindrical neck portion is circumferentially disposed over said one or more set screws of said staple post when said depending cylindrical skirt is circumferentially disposed over said plurality of set screws of said lower end of said extension.

8. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 7 further comprising a locking device engaging said rotatable staple post, said locking device limits vertical movement between said extension and said housing.

9. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 8 wherein said locking device is tamper evident.

10. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 7 wherein said housing and said staple post rotate independently of each other.

11. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 7 wherein said actuator nut of said extension is capable of being engaged by a tool and said lower end of said extension fixedly engages to a hydrant operating nut.

12. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 7 wherein said rotatable staple post includes an aperture therethrough.

13. The fire hydrant locking device of claim 7 wherein said housing includes one or more visual markers, wherein said one or more visual markers are each placed 360 degrees about said depending cylindrical skirt of said housing.