Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
AUTOMATIC DRAINING FREEZELESS WALL FAUCET
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally related to a wall hydrant for delivering
fluid.
Some embodiments of the present invention employ an inlet valve with a
flattened
plunger and/or a stem screw that substantially prevents rotation of a control
rod and
associated plunger.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 4, wall hydrants 2 are commonly used for
supplying
water and are usually associated with an outside of a structure. As such, wall
hydrants
are exposed to the elements, most notably, reduced temperatures that may
damage the
hydrant during freezing. Hydrants 2 generally include a partially-hollow
housing 6 with
a handle 10 rotatably interconnected thereto. The hollow portion, or bore 14
provides a
fluid path from a fluid inlet pipe 18 to an outlet. To initiate or cease fluid
flow, the
handle 10 is turned, which transitions a control rod 26 located within the
housing 6 and
the pipe 18. An end of the control rod 26 is associated with a plunger 30 that
selectively
engages an inlet fitting 34 to form an inlet valve 38 that opens and closes
the hydrant 2.
The plunger 30 is spaced from the inlet fitting 34 to create a fluid path. To
cease fluid
flow the inlet valve 38 is shut wherein the plunger 30 is located at least
partially within
the inlet valve 3 8.
Often, the plunger 30 includes a hemispherical portion that interfaces with
the
inlet fitting 34. Such plungers 30 are prone to compress and extrude into
inlet fitting 34
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
when increased pressure from the control rod 26 is applied. That is, most
users do not
appreciate when the hydrant 2 is in a closed position, some fluid will
naturally leak from
the outlet and/or other ports of the housing to prevent fluid. As one skilled
in the art will
appreciate, fluid within the pipe 18 and housing 6 must be drained in order to
prevent
damage caused by freezing. After the hydrant 2 is closed, this draining fluid
is often
viewed by the user as an indication that the hydrant is not completely closed
and
additional rotational force is applied to the handle 2 to "close" the inlet
valve 38.
Generally, when the user subsequently tightens the handle, any fluid that was
located
within the pipe 18 and/or housing 6 has been expelled and, thus, the user
believes that the
subsequent tightening achieved the desired effect. What is often accomplished,
however,
is that the plunger 30 has been extruded into the inlet fitting 34, thereby
potentially
damaging the plunger 30 and possibly preventing subsequent closure of the
inlet valve
38. More specifically, when attempts are subsequently made to open the hydrant
a
portion of the plunger may be sheared therefrom, a stem screw that
interconnects the
handle 10 to the drain valve 50 may snap, etc.
The inlet valves 38 of prior art hydrants 2 include an inlet fitting 34 that
receives
the plunger 30 to cease flow of fluid therethrough. The inlet fitting 34 thus
includes a
cavity therein having sidewalls 42. Contact of the plunger 30 to the sidewalls
42
somewhat obstructs fluid flow through the inlet valve 38. This
sidewall/plunger
interaction is often referred to as a "blind spot". For example, the plunger
30 can travel
approximately 0.25 inches into the cavity without completely closing the inlet
valve 38.
As the plunger 30 travels through the blind spot and to its ultimate
engagement with an
end of the cavity, i.e., the "seat" 46, a drain valve 50 (See Fig. 4)
positioned on the end of
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
the hydrant 2 adjacent to the outlet is opened to allow non-pressurized fluid
to drain
through holes 54 associated with the housing 6. The drain valve 50 is often
employed
within a hydrant and situated adjacent to a stem screw 66. Rotation of the
handle 10
initially closes the drain valve 50 and opens the inlet valve 38, the handle
10 is rotated in
the opposite direction, to close the hydrant, which initially closes the inlet
valve 38 and
then opens the drain valve 50 to allow any fluid located within the pipe 18
and/or housing
6 to drain through the drain hole 54 of the housing 6.
The drawback of the blind spot of the prior art is that when the plunger 30
initially
contacts the blind spot, some users believe that the hydrant 2 is closed. As
explained
above, this may be the case, but fluid trapped within the pipe is not able to
drain since
further rotation of the handle 10 is required to open the drain valve 50. That
is, further
rotation of the handle is needed to completely close the inlet valve 38 and to
allow the
drain valve 54 to open such that substantially all fluid within the pipe 18
and/or housing 6
can drain. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, if the plunger 30 is not
completely
sealed, the fluid may continue to enter the pipe 18 and that fluid will remain
trapped
within the housing 6 and the pipe 18 which leads to freezing and bursting of
the hydrant
2.
Prior art hydrants 2 also include a large nut 58 or, i.e. "head", that seals
the
housing 6 and provides a location for operable interconnection of the handle
10. One
drawback of nuts 58 of the prior art is that leak paths are present due to the
complicated
interconnection of the nut 58 and the housing 6. Furthermore, a plurality of
drain holes
54 are often provided that require a splash guard 62 to prevent pressurized
fluid from
exiting the hydrant 2 and soaking the user.
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
Another drawback of hydrants 2 of the prior art are that they employ stem
screws
66 that are made of a brittle material. Stem screws 66 are devices that are
interconnected
between the handle 10 and the control rod 26. As the handle 10 is rotated, the
stem screw
66, which is threadingly engaged within the nut 58, also rotates. The
rotational motion
causes the stem screw 66 to translate along the axis 70 of the pipe 18 by way
of a
threaded interconnection with the nut 58. The stem screw 66 is slidingly and
rotatably
interconnected to the drain valve 54 such that rotation of the stem screw 66
does not
impart substantial rotation onto the drain valve 54. The drain valve 54 is
also
interconnected to the control rod 26. Stem screws 66 of the prior art are
constructed of
Delrin, a material that is similar to plastic and thus is susceptible to
cracking.
Although the stem screw 66 has been described as being slidably and rotatably
interconnected to the drain valve 50, one skilled in the art will appreciate
that some
rotation may be imparted from the stem screw 66 due to frictional contact
between the
two components. Any rotation of the drain valve 50 will necessarily impart
rotation on
the control rod 26 and thus the plunger 30. Rotation of the plunger 30 will
increase wear
as it is inserted and removed from the inlet fitting 34. That is, one skilled
in the art will
appreciate that a rotating and translating plunger 30 wears more quickly than
a plunger 30
that simply translates into the inlet fitting 34 without substantial rotation.
Thus it is a long felt need to provide a hydrant that includes a control rod
that
does not substantially rotate relative to the rotation of the handle. It is
also a long felt
need to provide a plunger that is wear resistant and that allows a user to
quickly ascertain
whether closure of the inlet valve is complete. The following disclosure
describes an
improved hydrant having a unique stem screw and plunger design that addresses
at least
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
the above-identified issues. Other advantages of the hydrant described herein
will be
readily apparent to those of skill in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a hydrant. More
specifically,
hydrants of embodiments of the present invention are generally comprised of a
housing
that possesses a bore for the transportation of fluid therethrough. The bore
is also in
fluidic communication with a fluid outlet. Rotation of the handle moves a
control rod
located within a pipe associated with the housing that opens or closes an
inlet valve. One
end of the control rod is interconnected to a drain valve, which selectively
blocks or
allows fluid through a drain hole of the housing. The drain valve is also
threadingly
interconnected to a stem screw that is rotated by rotation of the handle. In
some
embodiments, the stem screw is rotatably associated with the housing by a nut,
which
also caps the housing. The stem screw is also positioned by a washer that is
spaced from
the nut. An insert interconnects the control rod to the plunger that is
designed to.
selectively enter and exit an inlet fitting associated with the pipe to form
the inlet valve.
It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a plunger with a
generally flat
face for selective engagement with a valve seat with a generally flat portion.
The face
provides a "solid" stop against the inlet fitting, thereby indicating to the
user that the
hydrant is completely closed. The flat face also helps prevents extrusion of
the plunger
into the inlet fitting after additional force is applied by the user, Since
the plunger can
not extrude into the inlet valve, the force applied to the handle to open and
close the inlet
valve is generally the same. To further prevent such extrusion, the distance
between the
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CA 02690252 2011-12-09
insert and the face is minimized over that of the prior art. More
specifically, a 20
percent reduction of the material between the insert and the face of the
plunger with
respect to that of the prior art is realized. Furthermore, embodiments of the
present
invention may include an inlet with a reduced sidewall. Reduction of the
sidewall, i.e.,
"blind spot", is conducive to indicate to the user that the hydrant is shut
off. That is, the
deeper the blind spot, the more turns subsequent to fluid shut off are needed
to
completely close the fluid flow and to open the drain valve. Thus by reducing
the
"blind spot", less handle turns are required to open the drain valve and the
chances are
increased that the fluid located within the pipe and/or housing will be
drained.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an ergonomic housing.
More specifically, embodiments of the present invention position a fluid
outlet on the
right side of the handle, thereby making it easier for operation by right
handed users. In
addition, the outlet may be curved somewhat to enable the positioning of an
anti-siphon
valve away from the handle to facilitate interconnection of a hose, for
example. Such
anti-siphon devices are described in U.S. published patent application
US2009/0288722
Al. One skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the outlet may be
positioned on
the left hand side of the handle, above the handle or below the handle.
Furthermore, a
plurality of handles may be incorporated onto the housing to provide a hot and
cold
water through the outlet as shown, for example in U.S. Pat. No. RE 39,235.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an air vent, i.e., a
hole in
the housing to allow air to enter the bore. More specifically, embodiments of
the present
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
invention employ a hole through an upper portion of the hydrant that is,
preferably,
capped with a plug, such that air can enter into the housing and splash
associated with the
expulsion of a pressurized fluid from the bore is prevented by the plug.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a hydrant employing a
smaller nut. More specifically, as described above, a nut is used to
interconnect the
handle to the housing. Nuts of the prior art are screwed into the housing and
threadingly
interconnected to the stem screw by a fastener. The handle is also
interconnected to the
stem screw such that rotation of the handle will impart rotation of the stem
screw, which
is threadingly engaged to an inner portion of the nut. Thus, two leak paths
exist. One
between the housing and the nut and one between the nut and the stem screw.
Alternatively, the nut of embodiments of the present invention are shorter and
less
complex than the nuts of the prior art. The nut of the embodiments of the
present
invention are threadingly engaged onto the housing and include hole
therethrough. The
hole receives and rotatably engages the stem screw, which is interconnected to
the handle
via a fastener. Thus, the nut of embodiments of the present invention are
smaller and
weigh about 80 percent less than those of the prior art, which translates into
material
savings and part complexity reduction.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide an improved
handle.
Embodiments of the present invention achieve interconnection of the handle to
the stem
screw via a spine connection and screw. Alternatively, hydrants of the prior
art employ a
handle with a square recess that receives a portion of the stem screw.
Further, handles of
embodiments of the present invention are enlarged, and preferably oval, which
increases
grip and the torque applied to the stem screw.
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an improved stem
screw.
Embodiments of the present invention employ a stem screw made of brass or
other rigid
metallic material that is not brittle and thus is not prone to cracking. One
of skill in the
art will appreciate that plastic or other similar material may be employed.
The stem
screw also includes a portion, i.e. "shoulder", that resides between an inner
surface of the
nut and a washer, which is spaced from the nut within the housing. This
configuration
captivates the stem screw and prevents substantial longitudinal movement
thereof when
rotated. Preferably, the stem screw rotates within the nut, as opposed to
being threadingly
interconnected thereto, which reduces complexity of the stem screw and the
nut. The
stem screw is threadingly interconnected to the drain valve such that rotation
of the stem
screw will impart translational motion onto the drain valve and the control
rod. Prior art
devices, alternatively, employed a stem screw that translated along with the
drain valve
and the rod. Other mechanisms are employed within the housing that help
prevent the
rotation of the drain valve. For example, the drain valve may include flats
that
selectively interact with flats inside the housing to prevent rotation of the
drain valve,
which will be described in further detail below. Finally, the thread pitch of
the stem
screw may be decreased over that of the prior art such that the number of
turns required
to open the hydrant is substantially reduced. For example, in one embodiment,
the pitch
of the threads is changed from about 8 threads per inch to about 10 threads
per inch, an
about 20 percent change over stem screws of the prior art.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a hydrant that has
ease of
assembly. More specifically, the hydrants of the prior art require that the
handle, nut and
stem screw be interconnected in a subassembly prior to assemblage into the
housing.
8
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
Alternatively, embodiments of the present invention have been designed with
interior
diameters that step down so assembly may be accomplished from the front of the
hydrant.
That is, a subassembly comprising the control rod, the plunger and the drain
valve may
be initially placed within the housing and the pipe. Next, the washer, the
stem screw, the
nut and the handle may be added to complete the hydrant assembly.
The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as
being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention.
Moreover,
references made herein to "the present invention" or aspects thereof should be
understood
to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not
necessarily be
construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present
invention
is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as
well as in the
attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no
limitation as to
the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-
inclusion of
elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional
aspects of the
present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail
Description,
particularly when taken together with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of
the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with
the general
description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the
drawings
given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions.
9
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hydrant of one embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional detailed view of the inlet valve of prior art
hydrants;
Fig. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of an inlet valve of one embodiment
of
the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the hydrant of the prior art;
Fig. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a hydrant of one embodiments of
the
present invention;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of Fig. 5; and
Fig. 7 is a partial exploded perspective view of components of one embodiments
of the present invention.
To assist in the understanding of the present invention the following list of
components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:
# Components # Components
2 Hydrant 78 Valve
6 Housing 82 Vent
10 Handle 86 Face
14 Bore 90 Outer surface
18 Pipe 94 Seal
22 Outlet 98 Screw
26 Control rod 102 Washer
Plunger 106 Inner surface
34 Inlet fitting 110 Handle
25 38 Inlet valve 114 Shoulder
42 Side wall 118 Sealing ring
46 Seat 122 Drain valve flat
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
50 Drain valve 126 Housing flat
54 Drain hole 130 Plunger
58 Nut 146 Seat
62 Splash guard 150 Drain valve
66 Stem screw 158 Nut
70 Longitudinal axis 166 Stem screw
74 Insert
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In
certain
instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the
invention or that
render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be
understood,
of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular
embodiments
illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7, one embodiment of a hydrant 2 the
present invention is provided that generally includes a housing 6 that is
interconnected to
a handle 110 on one end and a pipe 18 on the other end. The pipe 18 is also
interconnected to an inlet fitting 34 that is associated with the fluid source
of a building.
The pipe 18 also includes a centrally-located control rod 26 that is
interconnected on one
end to an insert 74 that is also interconnected to a plunger 130 that
selectively moves into
and out of the inlet fitting 34 to form an inlet valve 38. The other end of
the control rod
26 is interconnected to a drain valve 150 that is threadingly interconnected
to a stem
screw 166. The stem screw 166 is interconnected on another end to the handle
110 that is
held in place by a nut 159. Rotation of the handle 110 rotates the stem screw
166, which
11
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
transitions the drain valve 150 along a longitudinally axis 70 of the pipe 18.
The
transition of the drain valve 150 also translates the control rod 26 and thus
moves the
plunger 130 into or out of the inlet 34 to cease or begin the flow of fluid
through the pipe,
respectively.
Referring now to Fig. 1, the housing 6 is generally constructed of cast metal.
One
skilled in the art will appreciate however, that the housing 6 may be machined
or
otherwise formed of a rigid material. The housing 6 is designed to fasten to
an exterior
portion of a structure, wherein the pipe 18 is then interconnected thereto.
The housing 6
includes an outlet 22 that may be designed to threadingly receive an anti-
siphon valve 78
or other backflow prevention device. The housing 6 also includes a vent 82
positioned on
the upper end thereof to allow air to enter therethrough to prevent a vacuum
being created
within the housing and/or to aid in the expulsion of fluid through a drain
hole (not
shown), when the flow of fluid is ceased.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the inlet valve 38 of the hydrant 2 of one embodiment
of
the present invention is shown. Fig. 2 shows the inlet valve of the hydrant of
the.prior art
for comparison purposes. The plunger 130 includes a generally flat (or semi-
flat) face 86
that selectively engages a seat 46 of the inlet fitting 34. Other shapes can
also be
employed. The face 86 provides a stop that helps users identify when the inlet
valve is
completely closed. The inlet fitting 34 also includes a sidewall 42 then
interfaces with an
outer surface 90 plunger to initially close the inlet valve 38. As the plunger
130 is fully
inserted, the drain valve 150 is opened to allow fluid to exit the hydrant.
The inlet fitting
34 is threadingly engaged to the pipe 18. Preferably, however, the inlet
fitting 34 is
interference fit onto the pipe 18 wherein a seal 94 provides additional leak
prevention.
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CA 02690252 2010-01-14
Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, the stem screw 166 and drain valve 150 of one
embodiment of the present invention is shown. Fig. 4 shows the prior art and
is provided
for comparison purposes. The handle 110 of one embodiment of the present
invention is
interconnected to the stem screw 166 via a spline connection and further
interconnected
thereto via a screw 98. A nut 158 is provided with an aperture therethrough
that is
interconnected to the housing 6. A portion of the stem screw 166 is rotatably
engaged
within the nut 158. A washer 102 is spaced a predetermined distance from an
inner
surface 106 of the nut 158. The stem screw 166 includes a shoulder 114 that is
positioned within the space between the washer 102 and the inner surface 106
such that
longitudinal movement of the stem screw 166 is substantially prevented.
Further, the
stem screw 166 includes a plurality of threads that operably interconnect the
stem screw
166 to the drain valve 150. The housing 6 includes at least one drain hole 54,
slot or
opening and an air vent 32 that allows fluid to exit the housing 6.
Alternatively, with
reference to Fig. 4, hydrants of the prior art employ a nut 58 having a
plurality of drain
holes 54 and a splash guard 62. Of course, embodiments may employ the draining
scheme of the prior art.
The drain valve 150, which is operably interconnected to the stem screw 166 on
one end, is also interconnected to the control rod 26. The drain valve 150
includes a
sealing ring 118 when closed. When closed, the sealing ring 118 engages the
inner
surface of the housing to prevent fluid from escaping from the drain hole 54
and directing
fluid from the pipe 18 to the outlet 22 of the housing and the valve 78 if
applicable.
When opened, the drain valve 150 is positioned such that the sealing surface
118 is
positioned away from the inner surface of the housing 6 such that fluid can
both escape
13
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
from the outlet 22 and the drain hole 54, which allows any trapped fluid
within the pipe
and/or the housing to escape.
In operation, with reference to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, when the handle 110 is
turned in a
clockwise position, the stem screw 166 is also rotated. Rotation of the stem
screw 166
imparts a rotational motion which pushes, via the threaded interconnection
between the
stem screw 166 and the drain valve 150, the drain valve 150 to an open
position, thereby
allowing fluid to escape from the outlet 22 and the drain hole 54. Initially,
rotation of the
stem screw 156, via the drain valve 150, translates the control rod 26
longitudinally to
place the outer surface 90 of the plunger 150 and engagement with sidewalls 42
of the
inlet fitting 34, to cease pressurized flow of fluid through the pipe 18. It
will be apparent
to one of skill in the art that embodiments of the present invention may not
employ a
drain valve wherein the stem screw is associated directly with the control rod
or
associated with the control rod by way of another member that imparts
translational
motion onto the control rod when the stem screw is rotated. As rotation of the
handle 110
continues, the drain valve 150 is further transitioned until the control rod
26 pushes the
plunger 130 completely into the inlet fitting 34 wherein the face 86 is
sealingly engaged
onto the seat 46, thereby completely preventing flow through the hydrant. Any
fluid
trapped within the pipe 18 and/or housing 6 is thus allowed to drain through
the drain
hole 54 and/or the outlet 22 and interconnected valve 78, if applicable. As
one skilled in
the art will appreciate, the stem screw 166 is captivated between the washer
102 and
inner surface 106 of the nut 158 such that rotation of the stem screw 166 does
not impart
substantial translation thereof
14
CA 02690252 2010-01-14
In order to open the hydrant 2, the handle is rotated clockwise, thereby
rotating
the stem screw 166 to pull the drain valve 150 towards the handle 110 via the
threaded
interconnection between the stem screw 166 and the drain valve 150. This
action also
pulls the. control rod 26 towards the handle 110 and disengages the face 86 of
the plunger
130 and the seat 46 of the inlet fitting 34. It is important to note that the
outer surface 90
of the plunger 130 of the side wall 42 of the inlet fitting are at this point
still engaged, not
interconnected, thereby preventing substantial fluid flow from the pipe 18. As
the handle
110 continues to be rotated, the drain valve 150 is further pulled towards the
handle 110,
thereby placing the sealing ring 118 in contact with the inner surface of the
housing 6,
which prevents fluid from exiting the drain hole 54. Prior to or just
subsequent thereof,
the plunger 130 is completely removed from the inlet fitting 34 which allows
pressurized
fluid to flow through the outlet 22 of the hydrant 2.
Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, in order to ensure that the control rod 26
does
not rotate, which imparts possible damaging, rotation on the plunger 130, the
drain valve
150 of embodiments of the present invention include flats 122. More
specifically,
described herein, the threaded interconnection between the drain valve 150 and
the stem
screw 160 may impart some rotation onto the control rod 26, which would rotate
the
plunger 134 and cause wear thereof. In order to avoid this possible rotation,
the drain
valve 150 may include at least one flat 122 that cooperates with a flat 126
within the
bore 14 of the housing 6 to prevent substantial rotation of the drain valve
150. One
skilled in the art will appreciate that other mechanisms may be used to
achieve this goal
such as the use of a key and keyway.
CA 02690252 2011-12-09
The hydrant 2 and associated hardware may be integrated into any faucet
assembly. Preferably, the faucet assembly are those manufactured by WCM
Industries,
Inc., which hold various patents and published patent applications. For
example, the
following are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: U.S. Pat.
No. 7,249,609
entitled "Yard hydrant with closure valve check valve", U.S. Pat. No.
7,111,875
entitled "Wall hydrant with slip clutch assembly", U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,637
entitled
"Wall hydrant having backflow preventor", RE39,235 entitled "Freezerless wall
hydrant for delivery of hot or cold water through a single discharge conduit",
U.S. Pat.
No. 7,059,337 entitled "Fluid hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,518 entitled
"Escutcheon
for wall mounted faucets and hydrants", U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,509 entitled
"Fluid
hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,534 entitled "Freeze protection device for wall
hydrants/faucets", U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,442 entitled "Freeze protection device
for wall
hydrants/faucets", U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,063 entitled "Freezeless protection
device for
wall hydrants/faucets", U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,154 entitled "Freeze protection
device for
wall hydrants/faucets", U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,446 entitled "Freeze protection
device for
wall hydrants/faucets", U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,473 entitled "Push and turn
hydrant for
delivery of hot or cold water through a single discharge conduit", D482,431
entitled
"Wall hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,986 entitled "Freeze protection device for
wall
hydrants/faucets", D470,915 entitled "Wall hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,204
entitled
"Solenoid actuated wall hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,039 entitled "Freezeless
wall
hydrant for delivery of hot or cold water through a single discharge conduit",
U.S. Pat.
No. 6,142,172 entitled "Freeze protection device for wall hydrants/faucets",
U. S. Pat.
No. 6,135,359 entitled "Heated yard hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,428 entitled
"Combination wall hydrant and backflow preventor", U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,925
entitled
"Sanitary yard hydrant", U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,303 entitled "Wall water hydrant
having
16
CA 02690252 2011-12-09
backflow and back siphonage preventor", U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,679 entitled "Wall
water
hydrant having backflow and back siphonage preventor", U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,028
entitled "Sanitary yard hydrant", 20080047615 entitled "Yard hydrant with
check
valve", 20080047612 entitled "Automatic draining double check vacuum breaker",
20080006327 entitled "Hydrant Roof Mount", 20070095396 entitled "Assembly to
mount a hydrant to a roof', 20070044840 entitled "Motor actuated wall hydrant"
20070044838 entitled "Yard hydrant with closure valve check valve",
20070039649
entitled "Yard hydrant with drain port air line" 20060254647 entitled "Yard
hydrant
with drain port check valve", 20060196561 entitled "Wall hydrant having a
backflow
preventor", 20060108804 entitled "Wall hydrant with slip clutch assembly",
20060086921 entitled "Wall hydrant assembly with a rotatable connector",
20050067833 entitled "Pipe coupling for joining pipes of varying diameters",
20050034757 entitled "Freeze protection device for wall hydrants/faucets", and
20040194395 entitled "Round wall-mounted hydrant housing for freezeless wall
hydrants and method of installation thereof'.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in
detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments
will occur
to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that
such
modifications and alterations are within the scope of the present invention,
as set forth
in the following claims.
17
