Mueller Co.

Daniel A Ellis

Joseph L Daghe

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluids, the gate valve structure being provided with an improved valve seat arrangement. The gate valve includes a casing having an unobstructed through-bore and a substantially rectangular shape or elongated chamber communicating with the through-bore in which a gate or disc member reciprocates between closed and opened positions of the valve. The valve casing is provided with a valve seat surrounding one of the ports in the casing defined at the intersection of the through-bore by the elongated chamber, the valve seat lying generally in a plane which converges at an acute angle to a plane normal to the axis of the through-bore and the seat has an upper planar portion facing the other of the ports except at the bottom portion where it merges smoothly into and forms a portion of the unobstructed through-bore. The gate member is provided with a resilient seal member for seating on the valve seat, the seal member having a configuration to conform to the seat so that the seal member is not damaged during opening or closing of the valve by edges in the interior of the valve resulting from the machining of the valve seat. Further, because of the irregular shape of the resilient seal member, means are provided so that the seal member may be properly oriented onto the gate member during assembly and the gate member is provided with ears which cooperate with guideways in the valve casing in such a manner as to minimize rock of the gate member during opening and closing of the valve regardless of the direction of flow of fluid through the valve and, thus, eliminating problems resulting in damaging of the resilient seal member from the wedging action in closing.

Resilient seated gate valve with improved seat arrangement

A fire hydrant having a unitized bonnet configuration or assembly which includes a bonnet member, operating mechanism, external driving attachment and lubricant reservoir and which may be installed and removed from the hydrant barrel without the loss of lubricant from the lubricant reservoir therein or without the major disassembly of parts. Additionally, the unitized bonnet assembly is provided with a stop nut member which may be adjustably secured to the end of the valve stem to compensate for small variations in barrel lengths and/or valve stem lengths. The stop nut member is carried within the lubricant reservoir of the bonnet member and is at all times sealed from water in the hydrant and, thus, it may be made of a non-corrosive resistant material such as ductile iron or steel which is less expensive than corrosive resistant material such as brass, bronze or stainless steel. The adjustable connection between the stop nut member and the end of the valve stem is likewise protected from exposure to the water system by being fully contained in the lubricant reservoir system and thus the joint between the two is not subject to corrosion. The stop nut member which reciprocates upon rotation of the operating nut assumes the torsional loads rather than the valve stem.

Fire hydrants with improved unitized bonnet configuration

A fire hydrant either of the 'wet' barrel type or the 'dry' barrel type having an improved hydrant nozzle construction. The barrel of the fire hydrant is provided with an internally threaded boss for receiving a replaceable externally threaded nozzle. Means for locking the nozzle to the boss of the barrel is provided so that the nozzle may not be removed by unauthorized personnel. Sealing means are provided between the nozzle and the boss of the barrel which can not lose its effectiveness due to cold flow and thus will not reduce the gripping effect of the nozzle to the barrel when the nozzle has been threaded therein with an initial torque.

Means for locking replaceable nozzles to fire hydrants

A fire hydrant having a hydrant valve seat assembly positioned between the flanged lower end of the hydrant barrel and the flanged end of the hydrant shoe. The hydrant valve seat assembly and the hydrant valve element may be retained with the hydrant shoe when the hydrant barrel is removed and replaced or the hydrant valve seat assembly and the hydrant valve element, when in the closed position, may be retained with the hydrant barrel when the hydrant shoe is removed and replaced from the barrel. The fire hydrant includes an improved valve seat ring and seat ring housing, both of which may be made of brass so as to provide easy removal of the valve seat. The hydrant is provided with an improved drain valve facing strip for cooperating with the drain passage when the hydrant valve is open.

Fire hydrant

A fire hydrant of the 'dry' barrel type having an improved means of draining the barrel after the hydrant has been used and the main hydrant valve closed. The hydrant is provided with a drain passageway from the interior of the barrel above the main hydrant valve to the exterior of the valve. A first valve means, which is automatically opened or closed by actuation of the main hydrant valve element, is arranged to close the drain passageway when the main hydrant valve element is open and to open the drain passageway when the main hydrant valve element is closed. A pressure responsive one-way check valve in series with the valve means in said drain passage is automatically actuated to open position by pressure of water when there is water in the hydrant barrel and the valve means in series therewith in the drain passageway is open. The one-way check valve automatically closes when the barrel is dry and prevents ingress of water and dirt, grit or other foreign matter from the exterior of each to the interior, thereby protecting the main hydrant valve and its associated operating mechanism.

Growing community of inventors

Decatur, IL, United States of America

Daniel A Ellis