Breaker clamp for fire hydrant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019293221-A1
Application number	US-201815934125-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Sep 26, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A breaker clamp member includes a curved body shaped to fit around a portion of an upper portion of a fire hydrant and a portion of a lower portion of the fire hydrant at a joint between the upper portion of the fire hydrant and the lower portion of the fire hydrant. The breaker clamp member also includes at least one connection element extending from the body to connect the breaker clamp member with at least one other breaker clamp member. The breaker clamp member also includes an upper rim protruding from the body and a lower rim protruding from the body. The upper protruding rim, the lower protruding rim, and the body define a concavity therebetween, the concavity being configured to receive the first ledge and the second ledge. In another embodiment, a breaker clamp includes two breaker clamp members.

First claim

1 . A breaker clamp to clamp an upper portion of a fire hydrant to a lower portion of a fire hydrant, wherein the fire hydrant comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a bottom with a first ledge and the lower portion having a top with a second ledge, the breaker clamp comprising:
two curved breaker clamp members shaped to fit around the upper portion of the fire hydrant and the lower portion of the fire hydrant at the joint between the upper portion of the fire hydrant and the lower portion of the fire hydrant, the two curved breaker clamp members each further including:
a curved body;
two connection elements to connect the two curved breaker clamp members to each other;
an upper rim protruding from the body; and

a lower rim protruding from the body,
the upper protruding rim, the lower protruding rim, and the body defining a concavity therebetween, the concavity configured to receive the first ledge and the second ledge,
the lower rim protruding farther radially inward than the upper rim.

2 . The breaker clamp of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two connection elements of each breaker clamp member comprises a connection flange with a mating face to mate with another connection flange.

3 . The breaker clamp of claim 1 , wherein each of the two connection elements of each breaker clamp member comprises a connection flange with a mating face to mate with another connection flange, and the mating faces on each breaker clamp member are coplanar.

4 . The breaker clamp of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two connection elements has a fastener hole configured to accept a fastener element to tighten together two breaker clamp members.

5 . The breaker clamp of claim 1 , wherein a clamping surface of the upper rim is configured to abut the first ledge and a first clamping surface of the lower rim is configured to abut the second ledge as a result of installation on the fire hydrant.

6 . The breaker clamp of claim 5 , wherein the breaker clamp further comprises a center axis, wherein the clamping surface of the upper rim is angled away from perpendicular with the center axis to mate with the first ledge, and wherein the first clamping surface of the lower rim is angled away from perpendicular with the center axis to mate with the second ledge.

7 . The breaker clamp of claim 5 , wherein the second ledge of the lower portion of the fire hydrant is defined by a slot, the slot defining a third ledge opposite the second ledge, and wherein a second clamping surface of the lower rim opposite the first clamping surface is configured to abut the third ledge as a result of installation on the fire hydrant.

8 . The breaker clamp of claim 7 , wherein the breaker clamp further comprises a center axis, and wherein the second clamping surface of the lower rim is angled away from perpendicular with the center axis to mate with the third ledge.

9 . The breaker clamp of claim 1 , wherein a span across the concavity from the upper rim to the lower rim increases moving from a valley of the concavity to an open end of the concavity.

10 . The breaker clamp of claim 1 , wherein the concavity has a V-shaped valley to create a seam where the breaker clamp can break under force exceeding a threshold amount.

11 . A breaker clamp member to clamp an upper portion of a fire hydrant to a lower portion of a fire hydrant, wherein the fire hydrant comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a bottom with a first ledge and the lower portion having a top with a second ledge, the breaker clamp member comprising:
a curved body shaped to fit around a portion of the upper portion of the fire hydrant and a portion of the lower portion of the fire hydrant at the joint between the upper portion of the fire hydrant and the lower portion of the fire hydrant; at least one connection element to connect the breaker clamp member with at least one other breaker clamp member, the at least one connection element extending from the body; an upper rim protruding from the body; and a lower rim protruding from the body, the upper protruding rim, the lower protruding rim, and the body defining a concavity therebetween, the concavity configured to receive the first ledge and the second ledge, the lower rim having a smaller innermost diameter than the upper rim.

12 . The breaker clamp member of claim 11 , wherein the at least one connection element is a connection flange with a mating face to mate with another connection flange.

13 . The breaker clamp member of claim 11 , wherein the at least one connection element includes two connection elements, wherein each connection element includes a connection flange with a mating face to mate with another connection flange, and wherein the mating faces are coplanar.

14 . The breaker clamp member of claim 11 , wherein the at least one connection element has a fastener hole configured to accept a fastener element to tighten together two breaker clamp members.

15 . The breaker clamp member of claim 11 , wherein a clamping surface of the upper rim is configured to abut the first ledge as a result of installation on the fire hydrant, and a first clamping surface of the lower rim is configured to abut the second ledge as a result of installation on the fire hydrant.

16 . The breaker clamp of claim 15 , wherein the breaker clamp further comprises a center axis, wherein the clamping surface of the upper rim is angled away from perpendicular with the center axis to mate with the first ledge, and wherein the first clamping surface of the lower rim is angled away from perpendicular with the center axis to mate with the second ledge.

17 . The breaker clamp of claim 15 , wherein the second ledge of the lower portion of the fire hydrant is defined by a slot, the slot defining a third ledge opposite the second ledge, and wherein a second clamping surface of the lower rim opposite the first clamping surface is configured to abut the third ledge as a result of installation on the fire hydrant.

18 . The breaker clamp of claim 17 , wherein the breaker clamp further comprises a center axis, and wherein the second clamping surface of the lower rim is angled away from perpendicular with the center axis to mate with the third ledge.

19 . The breaker clamp of claim 11 , wherein a span across the concavity from the upper rim to the lower rim increases moving from a valley of the concavity to an open end of the concavity.

20 . The breaker clamp of claim 11 , wherein the concavity has a V-shaped valley to create a seam where the breaker clamp can break under force exceeding a threshold amount.

21 . A breaker clamp to clamp an upper portion of a fire hydrant to a lower portion of a fire hydrant, wherein the fire hydrant comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a bottom with a first ledge and the lower portion having a top with a slot, the slot including a second ledge and a third ledge opposite the second ledge, the breaker clamp comprising:
two curved breaker clamp members shaped to fit around the upper portion of the fire hydrant and the lower portion of the fire hydrant at the joint between the upper portion of the fire hydrant and the lower portion of the fire hydrant, the two curved breaker clamp members including a center axis when installed around the fire hydrant, the two curved breaker clamp members each further including:
a curved body;
two connection elements to connect the two curved breaker clamp members t

Assignees

• Kennedy Valve Company

Inventors

• Kennedy Paul

Classifications

• F16L23/08 Primary

  connection by tangentially arranged pin and nut · CPC title

• F16L23/036

  characterised by the tensioning members, e.g. specially adapted bolts or C-clamps · CPC title

• F16K27/006

  of hydrants · CPC title

• F16K17/406

  the fracturing member being a generally elongated member, e.g. rod or wire, which is directly connected to a movable valve member, the breaking or buckling of the elongated member allowing the valve member to move to a closed or open position · CPC title

• F16B31/02

  for indicating {the attainment of a particular tensile load} or limiting tensile load {(apparatus for, or method of, determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member similarly stressed G01L5/24)} · CPC title