Patent ID: 6089253
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: E03B,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A fire hydrant security system for mounting on a standpipe of a fire hydrant having a mounting surface with bolt holes therethrough as well as a bonnet mounted on the mounting surface, the bonnet surrounding a valve operating spindle assembly, which includes a spindle, the arrangement comprisinga security cap disposed over the operating spindle assembly, the security cap including a normally disengaged coupler for normally preventing rotation of the spindle by the security cap so that the security cap rotates freely thereon, the security cap having a selected diameter and height;a protective collar having a diameter greater than the security cap to provide an annular gap of a selected width between the security cap and protective collar, the protective collar, having a height greater than the security cap and completely surrounding the security cap;at least a pair of legs each having a foot with a laterally extending land, the legs being rigidly associated with the protective collar and the lands being bolted to the mounting surface on the standpipe; anda tool for turning the spindle including an activator for cooperatively activating the coupler to rotationally couple the security cap to the spindle, the tool including a socket having a wall of an inner diameter greater than the security cap and an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the protective collar, wherein the socket slides axially into the gap surrounding the security cap, whereby the protective collar shields the security cap by totally surrounding the security cap while allowing the socket of the tool to surround the security cap for rotating the spindle upon activating the coupler between the security cap and spindle so that the security cap does not rotate freely with respect to the spindle.