Breaker strap for fire hydrant breaker assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9938699-B2
Application number	US-201615254162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Sep 1, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Breaker straps, preferably made of steel, include holes that line up with the holes in breaker rings, to keep the breaker rings in place on a fire hydrant. A collision kit includes breaker straps, the breaker rings, a coupling, and coupling pins.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A breaker mechanism for repair of a fire hydrant upon impact, wherein the fire hydrant comprises a hollow upper barrel comprising an outer bottom ledge, an upper stem located on a center axis of the upper barrel, a hollow lower barrel comprising an upper flange, and a lower stem located on a center axis of the lower barrel, comprising:
a) two half-moon shaped breaker rings shaped to sit on the outer bottom ledge of the upper barrel and having a plurality of holes;
b) two curved breaker straps having a plurality of holes and shaped to connect the two breaker rings, wherein the holes are placed to line up with outermost holes of the breaker rings and holes in the upper flange;
c) a stem breaker coupling partially located within the upper barrel and partially located within the lower barrel that couples the upper stem to the lower stem such that a bottommost portion of the upper stem and a topmost portion of the lower stem are located within a hollow chamber of the breaker coupling;
d) a first coupling pin to connect the stem breaker coupling to the upper stem; and
e) a second coupling pin to connect the stem breaker coupling to the lower stem.

2. The breaker mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising at least one mechanical seal located between the upper barrel and the lower barrel.

3. The breaker mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a cap located above the upper barrel and at least one mechanical seal located between the upper barrel and the cap.

4. A collision repair kit for a fire hydrant comprising a hollow upper barrel comprising an outer bottom ledge, an upper stem located on a center axis of the upper barrel, a hollow lower barrel comprising an upper flange, and a lower stem located on a center axis of the lower barrel, the collision repair kit comprising:
a) two half-moon shaped breaker rings shaped to sit on the outer bottom ledge of the upper barrel and having a plurality of holes;
b) two curved breaker straps shaped to connect the two breaker rings, wherein the holes are placed to line up with outermost holes of the breaker rings and holes in the upper flange;
c) a stem breaker coupling that couples the upper stem to the lower stem such that a bottommost portion of the upper stem and a topmost portion of the lower stem are located within a hollow chamber of the breaker coupling;
d) a first coupling pin to connect the stem breaker coupling to the upper stem; and
e) a second coupling pin to connect the stem breaker coupling to the lower stem.

5. The collision repair kit of claim 4 , further comprising at least one seal shaped to seal the upper barrel to the lower barrel.

6. The collision repair kit of claim 4 , further comprising at least one seal shaped to seal the upper barrel to a cap of the fire hydrant.

7. A method of repairing a fire hydrant after an impact, wherein the hydrant comprises a hollow upper barrel comprising an outer bottom ledge, an upper stem located on a center axis of the upper barrel, a hollow lower barrel comprising an upper flange, a lower stem located on a center axis of the lower barrel, and a breaker mechanism comprising two half-moon shaped breaker rings shaped to sit on the outer bottom ledge of the upper barrel and having a plurality of holes, two curved breaker straps having a plurality of holes and shaped to connect the two breaker rings, wherein the holes are placed to line up with outermost holes of the breaker rings and holes in the upper flange, a stem breaker coupling that couples the upper stem to the lower stem such that a bottommost portion of the upper stem and a topmost portion of the lower stem are located within a hollow chamber of the breaker coupling, a first coupling pin to connect the stem breaker coupling to the upper stem, and a second coupling pin to connect the stem breaker coupling to the lower stem, the method comprising the steps of:
a) removing a broken stem breaker coupling, the breaker straps and the breaker rings;
b) installing a new stem breaker coupling; and
c) reassembling the fire hydrant.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of checking the fire hydrant for correct operation after reassembly.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein step c) comprises the substep of installing new breaker straps and new breaker rings by aligning a hole on each end of the breaker straps with a hole on an end of the breaker rings and placing fasteners in the holes of the breaker straps, the breaker rings and holes in the upper flange.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein step c) comprises the substep of replacing a seal on a bottom of the lower barrel.

Assignees

• Kennedy Valve Company

Inventors

• Kennedy Paul

Classifications

• Y10T137/5327

  Hydrant type · CPC title

• E03B9/04 Primary

  Column hydrants · CPC title

• F16L23/02

  the flanges being connected by members tensioned axially (F16L23/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/0407

  Repairing or assembling hydrant [e.g., fireplug, etc.] · CPC title

• F16B7/0426

  for rods or for tubes without using the innerside thereof · CPC title