Protection device and tool for fire hydrant

Claim 2

Protective apparatus for a fire hydrant or the like having a cylindrical body and at least one cylindrical outlet extending laterally therefrom, said apparatus comprising a cover for hydraulically sealing said outlet, said cover having a side adapted to face said cylindrical outlet, a clamp means coupled to said side of the cover and having an extended condition in which the clamp means is too large to pass through said outlet and a retracted condition in which the clamp means is sufficiently small to pass through said outlet, and control means extending through said cover and operable to control said clamp means to assume one of said conditions, said clamp means being insertable in retracted condition through said outlet into said body whereat said clamp means is modified by said control means to assume extended condition to prevent withdrawal thereof through said outlet whereby said cover, on which said clamp means is mounted, is locked to said outlet, said control means including a part detachably engageable with said cover, said cover having a limited passage therethrough, said part including means to pass through said passage and engage said clamp means, said part including a section which is detachably connectible to said cover in fixed position, a threaded member extending in threaded engagement through said section, a handle on said threaded member to rotate the latter and a rod on said threaded member to extend through the limited passage in said cover, the rod obturating the passage and having an outer end flush with the cover with the clamp means in extended condition.

Claim 3

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cover is provided with an annular groove and said part includes groove engaging members to hold the said section on said cover.

Claim 4

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the groove engaging members are displaceable towards and away from each other to enable positioning and holding the same in said groove.

Claim 5

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the groove engaging members are fixed on said part and the grooves provided with key ways to enable insertion of the groove engaging members into said groove whereafter a turning of said part holds the groove engaging members in said groove.

Claim 6

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamp means includes displaceable tongs, spring means loading said tongs towards maximum spacing from each other, and force transfer means to act on said tongs against said spring means in response to said rod to urge said tongs towards each other to enable insertion of the clamps means through said outlet.

Claim 7

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cover includes a skirt threadably engaging said outlet.

Claim 8

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cover includes a skirt which slips freely over said outlet.

Claim 9

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cover and section include interengaging means preventing rotation therebetween.

Claim 10

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said tongs include toes which move further away from and closer to said cover as the tongs move towards and away from each other respectively.

Claim 11

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 5 comprising means pivoting said tongs on said cover.

Claim 12

Protective apparatus as claimeD in claim 5 wherein said tongs are provided with slots and said clamp means include pins engaged in said slots to control the movement of the tongs towards and away from each other.

Claim 13

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said slots are generally L-shaped with legs connected at an obtuse angle.

Claim 14

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a second cylindrical outlet on said cylindrical body, said apparatus further comprising a second cover, said second cover being adapted for covering and hydraulically sealing said second outlet, and locking means on the first said cover to engage and lock the second cover on said second outlet.

Claim 15

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said second cover includes a threaded skirt for threadably engaging said second outlet, comprising an extension laterally protruding from said second cover, said locking means including a member on the first said cover to conceal said extension and to prevent movement of said extension to prevent unscrewing said second cover from said second outlet.

Claim 16

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said extension is a handle pivotally connected to said second cover and displaceable in part into a peripheral slot provided in said second cover.

Claim 17

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said member is a semi-tubular part rigidly mounted on the first said cover to extend along the first said outlet.

Claim 18

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said handle is respectively displaceable transversely and longitudinally of said threaded skirt.

Claim 19

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said spring means includes two helical springs in parallel and said force transfer means includes a bridge between said springs and extending transversely of the latter and a rod connected to said bridge and aligned with the first said rod to be axially engaged by the latter, the second said rod being adapted to obturate the passage extending through the cover, said bridge engaging said tongs and being acted on by said helical springs, said bridge normally urging said tongs to maximum spacing from each other under the action of said springs.

Claim 20

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 18, comprising a second cylindrical outlet on said cylindrical body, said apparatus further comprising a second cover, said second cover being adapted for covering and hydraulically sealing said second outlet, and locking means on the first said cover to engage and lock the second cover on said second outlet.

Claim 21

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second cover includes a threaded skirt for threadably engaging said second outlet, comprising an extension on said second cover, said locking means including a member on the first said cover to conceal said extension and to prevent movement of said extension to prevent unscrewing said second cover from said second outlet.

Claim 22

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein said extension is a handle pivotally connected to said second cover and displaceable in part into a peripheral slot provided in said second cover.

Claim 23

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said member is a semi-tubular part rigidly mounted on the first said cover to extend along the first said outlet.

Claim 24

Protective apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein said handle is respectively displaceable transversely and longitudinally of said threaded skirt.

Claim 25

Protective apparatus for a fire hydrant or the like having a cylindrical body and at least one cylindrical outlet extending laterally therefrom, said apparatus comprising a cover for hydraulically sealing said outlet, said cover having a side adapted to face said cylindrical outlet, a clamp means coupled to said side of the cover and having an extended condition in which the clamp means is too large to pass through said outlet and a retracted condition in which the clamp means is sufficiently small to pass through said outleT, and control means extending through said cover and operable to control said clamp means to assume one of said conditions, said clamp means being insertable in retracted condition through said outlet into said body whereat said clamp means is modified by said control means to assume extended condition to prevent withdrawal thereof through said outlet whereby said cover, on which said clamp means is mounted, is locked to said outlet; said control means including a part detachably engageable with said cover, said cover having a limited passage therethrough, said part including means to pass through said passage and engage said clamp means; said part including a section which is detachably connectible to said cover in fixed position, a threaded member extending in threaded engagement through said section, a handle on said threaded member to rotate the latter and a rod on said threaded member to extend through the limited passage in said cover; said clamp means including displaceable tongs, spring means loading said tongs towards maximum spacing from each other, and force transfer means to act on said tongs against said spring means in response to said rod to urge said tongs towards each other to enable insertion of the clamp means through said outlet; said spring means including two helical springs in parallel and said force transfer means including a bridge between said springs and extending transversely of the latter and a rod connected to said bridge and aligned with the first said rod to be axially engaged by the latter, the second said rod being adapted to obturate the passage extending through the cover, said bridge engaging said tongs and being acted on by said helical springs, said bridge normally urging said tongs to maximum spacing from each other under the action of said springs.

Claim 26

Protective apparatus for a fire hydrant or the like having a cylindrical body and at least one cylindrical outlet extending laterally therefrom, said apparatus comprising a cover for hydraulically sealing said outlet, said cover having a side adapted to face said cylindrical outlet, a clamp means coupled to said side of the cover and having an extended condition in which the clamp means is too large to pass through said outlet and a retracted condition in which the clamp means is sufficiently small to pass through said outleT, and control means extending through said cover and operable to control said clamp means to assume one of said conditions, said clamp means being insertable in retracted condition through said outlet into said body whereat said clamp means is modified by said control means to assume extended condition to prevent withdrawal thereof through said outlet whereby said cover, on which said clamp means is mounted, is locked to said outlet; said control means including a part detachably engageable with said cover, said cover having a limited passage therethrough, said part including means to pass through said passage and engage said clamp means; said part including a section which is detachably connectible to said cover in fixed position, a threaded member extending in threaded engagement through said section, a handle on said threaded member to rotate the latter and a rod on said threaded member to extend through the limited passage in said cover; said clamp means including displaceable tongs, spring means loading said tongs towards maximum spacing from each other, and force transfer means to act on said tongs against said spring means in response to said rod to urge said tongs towards each other to enable insertion of the clamp means through said outlet; said spring means including two helical springs in parallel and said force transfer means including a bridge between said springs and extending transversely of the latter and a rod connected to said bridge and aligned with the first said rod to be axially engaged by the latter, the second said rod being adapted to obturate the passage extending through the cover, said bridge engaging said tongs and being acted on by said helical springs, said bridge normally urging said tongs to maximum spacing from each other under the action of said springs.