Fire hydrant

Claim 2

A safety coupling for connecting two vertically positioned sections of a standard-like member, the upper of said sections being intended to move when subjected to a lateral shock from any angle without damage to the lower section, and the two sections having abutting ends with peripheral flanges, the flange of the upper section overlapping the flange of the lower section and having apertures angularly spaced relative to the axis of the standard-like member, said safety coupling comprising: a plurality of frangible apertured clips angularly spaced around the standard-like member, each clip engaging the undersurface of both flanges, each of said clips having a weakening zone so as to be frangible upon upward and/or sidewise movement of said upper section in the area of the particular clip; and bolt means for retaining the upper section on the lowe section, said bolt means including a bolt extending through the angularly spaced apart apertures in the upper flange and aligned apertures in said clips and nuts on said bolts bearing against said clips, each said bolt having a circumferential weakening groove positioned in a plane between the clips and the undersurfaces of the flanges.

Claim 3

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which said weakening zone in each frangible clip includes a first weakening groove extending in a radial direction with respect to the standard-like member and a second groove extending in a direction transverse to said first groove and having an axis lying in the same plane as an axis of said first groove.

Claim 4

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which axes of said grooves intersect an axis of the aperture through said clip.

Claim 5

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 2 in which said grooves are located in a side of said clip furthest from the side engaging the undersurfaces of said flanges.

Claim 6

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which the peripheral flange of the upper section is provided with a Downwardly extending skirt outwardly of said clips, said skirt having an interior tapered surface for eliminating the catching of the skirt on the end of the lower section.

Claim 7

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said bolts having a head bearing on the upper surface of the flange of said upper section, and in which each clip is provided with a recess on its surface furtherest away from the flanges, said recess being complementary in shape to each of said nuts received on the end of the bolts.

Claim 8

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which the peripheral flange of the upper section is substantially rectangular shaped in plan elevation and in which said clips are positioned at each corner area of the flange of said upper section.

Claim 9

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said frangible clips is triangular shaped in plan elevation, and in which said weakening zone includes a first weakening groove extending in a radial direction with respect to the standard-like member from one triangle edge of and in one side of the clip to the aperture through the clip and a second groove comprising two groove sections respectively extending from the other two triangular edges and in said one side to the aperture in the clip, said first and second grooves having axes intersecting the axis of the aperture through said clip.

Claim 10

A safety coupling as claimed in claim 8 in which said first and second grooves are located in a side of said clip furthest from the side engaging the undersurfaces of said flanges and wherein spaced pads are provided on the side on the clip bearing against the undersurface of one of said flanges, said pads being spaced outwardly of a plane extending through the first weakening groove whereby the bearing load on the clip is evenly distributed away from the first groove.

Claim 11

A fire hydrant comprising: a lower hydrant barrel section having a peripheral flange at its upper end; an upper hydrant barrel section having a peripheral flange at its lower end for abutting with the flange of the lower barrel section, said flange of said upper barrel section overlapping said flange of said lower barrel section and having angularly spaced apart apertures therein, said upper barrel section having at least one radially extending nozzle; sealing means between the flanges of said upper and lower barrel sections; and a safety coupling for connecting said upper barrel section to said lower barrel section, said safety coupling including a plurality of frangible apertured clips angularly spaced apart around the upper and lower barrel sections, each clip engaging the undersurfaces of both flanges, and each of said clips having a weakening zone on its downwardly facing surface so as to be frangible upon upward and/or sidewise movement of said upper barrel section in the area of the particular clip, and bolt means for retaining the upper barrel section on the lower barrel section, said bolt means including bolts extending through the angularly spaced apart apertures in the upper flange and aligned apertures in said clips and nuts bearing against the downwardly facing surface of said clips, each bolt having a weakening groove positioned in a plane substantially between the clips and the undersurfaces of the flanges.

Claim 12

A fire hydrant comprising: a lower hydrant barrel section having a peripheral flange at its upper end; an upper hydrant barrel section having a peripheral flange at its lower end for abutting with the flange of the lower barrel section, said flange of said upper barrel section overlapping said flange of said lower barrel section and having angularly spaced apart apertures therein, said upper barrel section having at least one radially extending nozzle; sealing means between the flanges of said upper and lower barrel sections; and a safety coupling for connecting said upper barrel section to said lower barrel section, said safety coupling including a plurality of frangible apertured clips angularly spaced apart around the upper and lower barrel sections, each clip engaging the undersurfaces of both flanges, and each of said clips having a weakening zone on its downwardly facing surface so as to be frangible upon upward and/or sidewise movement of said upper barrel section in the area of the particular clip, and bolt means for retaining the upper barrel section on the lower barrel section, said bolt means including bolts extending through the angularly spaced apart apertures in the upper flange and aligned apertures in said clips and nuts bearing against the downwardly facing surface of said clips, each bolt having a weakening groove positioned in a plane substantially between the clips and the undersurfaces of the flanges.

Claim 13

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 10 in which said weakening zone in each frangible clip includes a first weakening groove extending in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the barrel sections and a second groove extending in a direction transverse to the first groove.

Claim 14

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 11 in which the peripheral flange of the upper barrel section is provided with a downwardly extending skirt outwardly of said clips, said skirt having an interior tapered surface for eliminating the catching of the skirt on the flange of the lower barrel section.

Claim 15

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 11 in which the peripheral flange of the upper barrel section is substantiAlly rectangular shaped in plan elevation and in which said clips are positioned at each corner area of the flange of the upper barrel section.

Claim 16

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 13 in which said flange of said lower barrel section is circular whereby said upper barrel section may be assembled on said lower barrel section with its nozzle pointing in a predetermined direction.

Claim 17

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 14 wherein said sealing means includes a circular groove in the lower surface of the flange of the upper barrel section, said groove being rectangular in cross-section and a ring gasket in said groove, said ring gasket being rectangular in cross-section and complementary in shape to said groove and having an interior diameter prior to installation slightly less than the diameter of said groove whereby said gasket must be extended slightly to be inserted into said groove and is held in place when the upper barrel section is installed.

Claim 18

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 15 including upper and lower valve stem sections within said upper and lower barrel sections, and frangible coupling means between said valve stem sections.

Claim 19

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 10 in which each of said frangible clips is triangular shaped in plan elevation, and in which each of said clips weakening zone includes a weakening groove extending in a radial direction with respect to the barrel sections from one edge of the clip to the aperture through the clip and a second groove comprising two grooved sections respectively, the two grooved sections extending from the other two edges of the clip to the aperture in the clip, said first and second grooves have axes intersecting the axis of the aperture through said clip.

Claim 20

A fire hydrant as claimed in claim 17 wherein spaced pads are provided on each said clip for bearing against the undersurface of the flange of said lower barrel section, said pads being spaced outwardly of a plane extending through said first weakening groove whereby the bearing load on the clip is evenly distributed and away from the first groove.