Patent ID: 11959260
Assignee: MUELLER INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC E  F  Y | IPC E  F

Claim 0:
1. A nozzle cap spacer for a hydrant nozzle cap comprising:
a substantially planar spacer body defining an outer body edge; and
a resilient spacer spring arm extending from the outer body edge at a proximal arm end, the spacer spring arm configurable in an extended orientation and a compressed orientation, the spacer spring arm biased to the extended orientation;
wherein, in the extended orientation, the nozzle cap spacer defines a spacer length that is greater than a spacer width of the nozzle cap spacer, and in the compressed orientation, the nozzle cap spacer defines a substantially circular shape wherein the spacer length is about equal to the spacer width; and
wherein:
the outer body edge defines a length (La) corresponding to the spacer spring arm;
an inward step is formed in the outer body edge at a distal length end of the length (La);
a body recess is formed in the outer body edge along the length (La); and
the spacer spring arm is received in the body recess in the compressed orientation.