Slow close hydrant check valve

Claim 1

A hammerless, automatic shut-off valve for cooperating with a wet barrel hydrant mounted downstream of the hydrant riser comprising, a shut-off valve body adapted to be mounted between the hydrant and the hydrant riser and having a flow passageway therethrough, a valve seat in the valve body about the flow passageway, a valve closure member pivotably mounted in the valve body laterally of the flow passageway and pivotable from an out-of-the-way position from the flow passageway to a closed position engaging said valve seat to close said flow passageway, holding means engaging said valve closure member for maintaining it in the out-of-the-way position, said holding means being mounted upon break-away structure active upon lateral impact to the hydrant serving to disengage said holding means from said closure member, spring means serving to bias said valve closure member towards the closed position, said valve body including a chamber disposed laterally of said flow passageway, dash-pot assembly means disposed in said chamber and acting between said valve body and said valve closure member serving to permit a controlled valve closure action upon disengagement of said holding means with said valve closure member, and connection means arranged between said dash-pot means and said valve body operatively permitting said dash-pot means to move as a unit toward the flow passageway in response to movement of the valve closure member into the flow stream to commence a damping action upon the valve closure member for gradual closing of the valve, said spring means serving to pivot said closure member into said flow passageway for impingement with the fluid stream moving therethrough.