Anchor valve for security

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9534359-B2
Application number	US-201414259887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2014
Priority date	Jun 21, 2007
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A system for protecting a fluid supply from a contaminant includes an anchor check valve having an inlet end and an exit end, the anchor check valve adapted to allow fluid flow through the anchor check valve from the inlet end to the exit end but prevent fluid flow through the check valve from the exit end to the inlet end; a dry-barrel fire hydrant in proximate fluid communication with the anchor check valve, the dry-barrel fire hydrant having a valve operating mechanism; and a hydrant shoe coupled to the anchor check valve, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly adjustably connected to the valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A system for protecting a fluid supply from a contaminant, comprising:
an anchor check valve having an inlet end and an exit end, the anchor check valve adapted to allow fluid flow through the anchor check valve from the inlet end to the exit end but prevent fluid flow through the anchor check valve from the exit end to the inlet end, the inlet end and the exit end of the anchor check valve facing a horizontal direction, the exit end including an exit end flange;
a dry-barrel fire hydrant in proximate fluid communication with the anchor check valve, the dry-barrel fire hydrant having a valve operating mechanism; and
a hydrant shoe having an inlet end and an exit end, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe coupled to the exit end of the anchor check valve by the exit end flange of the anchor check valve, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly adjustably connected to the valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the hydrant shoe facing a vertical direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anchor check valve includes a flapper in communication with a sealing surface and wherein the flapper pivots away from the sealing surface as the fluid flows through the anchor check valve from the inlet end to the exit end.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anchor check valve includes an access cover.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inlet end and the exit end swivels.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anchor check valve includes a non-threaded male mechanical joint in at least one of the inlet end and the exit end.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the exit end of the anchor check valve includes an insertion portion, the hydrant shoe sized to accept the insertion portion within the hydrant shoe and having a hydrant shoe flange to engage the exit end flange of the anchor check valve.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve operating mechanism is rotatable.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly of the hydrant shoe includes a valve seat, a hydrant valve, an upper plate, and a lower plate.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly is connected to the valve operating mechanism by an operating stem.

10. A method of installing an anchor check valve on a dry-barrel fire hydrant, comprising the steps of:
removing a section of pipe from piping connected to a hydrant shoe, the hydrant shoe having an inlet end and an exit end, the hydrant shoe connected to the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly, the hydrant shoe adjustably connected to a valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the hydrant shoe facing a vertical direction, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe defining a female connection portion;
replacing the section of pipe with the anchor check valve, the anchor check valve including an inlet end, an exit end, and a flapper in communication with a sealing surface, the inlet end and the exit end of the anchor check valve facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the anchor check valve defining a male connection portion, the male connection portion of the anchor check valve extending into the female connection portion of the inlet end of the hydrant shoe; and
securing the anchor check valve to a remaining piping.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the anchor check valve includes a non-threaded male mechanical joint in at least one of the inlet end and the exit end.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-threaded male mechanical joint swivels.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of closing a gate valve coupled to the piping.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the valve assembly of the hydrant shoe includes a valve seat, a hydrant valve, an upper plate, and a lower plate, and the valve operating mechanism is rotatable.

15. A method of preventing a contaminant from entering a fluid source via a dry-barrel fire hydrant, comprising the steps of:
drawing a desired amount of a fluid from the fluid source through a dry-barrel fire hydrant system including the dry-barrel fire hydrant, a hydrant shoe having an inlet end and an exit end, and an anchor check valve having an inlet end and an exit end, the anchor check valve coupled to the inlet end of the hydrant shoe by a flange on the exit end of the anchor check valve, the hydrant shoe having a valve assembly adjustably connected to a valve operating mechanism of the dry-barrel fire hydrant, the inlet end and the exit end of the anchor check valve facing a horizontal direction, the inlet end of the hydrant shoe facing a horizontal direction, the exit end of the hydrant shoe facing a vertical direction;
maintaining a remaining portion of the fluid on an exit side of the anchor check valve after the desired amount of the fluid is withdrawn from the fluid source;
preventing the remaining portion of the fluid from reentering the fluid source via the anchor check valve, thereby preventing the contaminant from entering the fluid source; and
expelling the remaining portion of the fluid and contaminant from the dry-barrel fire hydrant system upon a further withdrawal of the fluid from the fluid source.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fluid is maintained on the exit side of the anchor check valve by a flapper in communication with a sealing surface of the anchor check valve.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the inlet end and the exit end swivels.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anchor check valve includes a male mechanical joint in at least one of the inlet end and the exit end.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of opening a hydrant valve in the valve assembly of the hydrant shoe.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the exit end of the anchor check valve includes an insertion portion and wherein the hydrant shoe is sized to accept the insertion portion within the hydrant shoe and has a hydrant shoe flange to engage the flange on the exit end of the anchor check valve.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Peyton Nicholaus J

Classifications

• Y10T137/5491

  With supplemental valve · CPC title

• Y10T137/7854

  In couplings for coaxial conduits, e.g., drill pipe check valves · CPC title

• Y10T137/8359

  Inspection means · CPC title

• Y10T137/87989

  Delivery cock with terminal valve · CPC title

• Y10T137/7903

  Weight biased · CPC title