Freezeproof valve assembly

An improved freezeproof valve assembly is provided for a water hydrant, such as an outdoor drinking fountain or the like. The valve assembly comprises a sump housing for installation below the ground frost line and for connection between a water supply pipe and a standpipe, the latter being coupled in turn to a fountain bubbler head or the like. A control valve within the sump housing is opened pneumatically upon depression of an actuator button on the fountain to permit water flow from the supply pipe through a main jet pump which draws an induced water flow from within the sump housing through an induction port thereby providing a combined water flow through the standpipe to the bubbler head. This combined water flow is maintained substantially constant by a float-activated refill valve which permits a refill water flow from the supply pipe into the sump housing sufficient to maintain the housing water level above the main jet pump induction port. This refill water flow passes through a refill jet pump having an induction port through which a vacuum is drawn within a control line for pneumatically closing the control valve when the actuator button is released. When the control valve is closed, water within the standpipe drains through the main jet pump induction port into the sump housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to valve devices and freeze prevention 
systems for use with water hydrants, such as drinking fountains, emergency 
showers, eye wash stations, and the like. More particularly, this 
invention relates to an improved freezeproof valve assembly for 
maintaining water flow from a fountain or the like substantially constant 
when the fountain is turned on but insuring positive water drainage to a 
freezeproof position each time the fountain is turned off. 
Water hydrant valve devices are well known of the type for draining water 
from within the hydrant to a position where it will not freeze when the 
hydrant is turned off. Typically, such valve devices include an on-off 
valve installed below the ground frost line and operated from above the 
ground by an elongated rigid actuator rod to control water flow from a 
buried water supply pipe to a hydrant standpipe having its upper end 
connected, for example, to the bubbler head of an outdoor drinking 
fountain or the like. A pressure-responsive relief valve is commonly 
associated with the on-off valve to confine water flow to the standpipe 
when the on-off valve is opended but to permit standpipe water to drain 
into the surrounding soil when the on-off valve is closed, thereby 
preventing water from remaining within the standpipe above the ground 
frost line where it might otherwise freeze. 
A variety of problems and disadvantages are encountered with freezeproof 
valve devices of the type described above. For example, the elongated 
valve actuator rod must be custom-fitted to the particular buried depth of 
the on-off valve thereby substantially increasing the cost of hydrant 
installation. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, drainage valve 
malfunction can result in water failing to drain from the standpipe 
thereby presenting a substantial freezing hazard when the drainage valve 
sticks in a closed position. Alternatively, the drainage valve can stick 
in an open position thereby presenting a significant danger of siphoning 
potentially contaminated ground water into the standpipe for flow to the 
foundation bubbler head. Still further, in soil areas wherein the water 
table is unusually high, or wherein the soil is contaminated with certain 
types of pollutants, the water within the standpipe may not drain 
satisfactorily into the surrounding soil notwithstanding proper drain 
valve operation. 
Several freezeproof valve arrangements have been proposed wherein standpipe 
communication with the surrounding soil is eliminated thereby avoiding the 
above-discussed problems associated with drainage into the surrounding 
soil. In many of these arrangements, water remaining within a standpipe 
when an on-off valve is closed is drained into an underground sump tank 
isolated from the surrounding soil and ground water. When the on-off valve 
is subsequently opened for hydrant operation, water flow to the standpipe 
is directed through a jet pump or the like adapted to draw water from 
within the tank for flow to the standpipe, thereby partially emptying the 
tank to accommodate subsequent drainage thereinto of water within the 
standpipe when the on-off valve is closed. However, in such systems, 
repeated opening of the on-off valve for short time periods can result in 
overfilling of the sump tank to prevent standpipe water from draining into 
the tank. In addition, when the on-off valve is held open for an extended 
time period, the sump tank water level can fall below the jet pump such 
that the combined standpipe water flow decreases substantially and becomes 
a mixture of water and air. Such flow alteration is highly undesirable and 
is particularly annoying with drinking fountains and the like in that the 
height and flow rate of a water stream projected from a bubbler head can 
drop substantially and unexpectedly while a person is taking a drink. 
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved valve assembly 
for water hydrants, such as drinking fountains and the like, which 
provides positive isolation from ground water and surrounding soil, which 
protects the hydrant against freezing, and which provides substantially 
constant water flow during operation. The present invention fulfills these 
needs and provides further related advantages. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the invention, a freeze-proof valve assembly is provided 
for use with a water hydrant, such as an outdoor water drinking fountain, 
for draining water remaining within a standpipe to a position protected 
against freezing and isolated from the ground water and surrounding soil 
at the conclusion of each use. During operation of the hydrant, the valve 
assembly of the present invention maintains water flow rate through the 
standpipe substantially constant, irrespective of the time period of 
operation. 
In accordance with one preferred form of the invention, the valves assembly 
comprises a sump housing for installation between a water supply pipe and 
a hydrant standpipe at a position protected against freezing, such as a 
buried position below the ground frost line. The housing encases a primary 
flow conduit coupled between the water supply pipe and the standpipe, and 
a refill flow conduit coupled between the water supply pipe and the 
interior of the sump housing. In addition, a vent line vents an upper 
region of the sump housing to atmosphere, and a pneumatic control line 
extends between the sump housing and a spring-loaded actuator button 
mounted at an appropriate position above the ground, such as on the frame 
of an outdoor drinking fountain or the like. 
Depression of the actuator button releases a vacuum within the pneumatic 
control line to permit spring-biased movement of a control valve within 
the sump housing to an open position. In the open position, the control 
valve permits water flow from the supply line through a main jet pump 
along the primary flow conduit and further through the standpipe for 
discharge, for example, through the bubbler head of a fountain. Water flow 
through the main jet pump draws or induces an additional water flow from 
within the sump housing through a jet pump induction port and further 
upwardly through the standpipe. Accordingly, water flow through the 
standpipe to the bubbler head consists of a direct flow from the water 
supply pipe and an indirect or induced flow from the sump housing. 
The water level within the sump housing is maintained above the main jet 
pump induction port during all conditions of valve assembly operation to 
insure substantially constant flow to the fountain bubbler head whenever 
the control valve is opened. More particularly, a refill valve along the 
refill flow conduit is opened in response to movement of a float when the 
water level within the sump housing reaches a predetermined lower limit. 
Opening of the refill valve permits water flow through the refill flow 
conduit until the sump housing water level reaches a predetermined upper 
limit whereat the float closes the refill valve. 
Water refilling the sump housing flows through a refill jet pump which 
includes an induction port coupled through a check valve to the pneumatic 
control line. Accordingly, refill water flow draws a vacuum upon the 
control line. When the actuator button on the drinking fountain is 
released for spring-biased return movement closing the control line 
against communication to atmosphere, this vacuum drawn by the refill jet 
pump returns the control valve along the primary flow conduit to a closed 
position preventing further water flow through the main jet pump to the 
standpipe. When this occurs, water remaining within the standpipe drainns 
by gravity through the main jet pump induction port into the sump housing, 
with the float-controlled water level upper limit being selected to permit 
drainage of the standpipe water. 
In accordance with further features of the invention, momentary depression 
of the actuator button releases the control line vacuum to initiate flow 
through the main jet pump to the standpipe. This standpipe flow will 
continue for a predetermined minimum time of at least several seconds 
until the float opens the refill valve to initiate refill flow thereby 
drawing a vacuum on the control line to close the control valve. Refill 
flow will continue, however, through the refill valve until the sump 
housing water level reaches the predetermined upper limit at which time 
the float closes the refill valve. Accordingly, repeated momentary 
depression of the actuator button will not result in sump housing overflow 
which could otherwise prevent standpipe drainage to pose a freezing 
hazard. 
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more 
apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction 
with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the 
principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As shown in the exemplary drawings, a freezeproof valve assembly referred 
to generally by the reference numeral 10 is provided for controlling water 
flow from a water supply pipe 12 to a hydrant, such as an outdoor drinking 
fountain 14 depicted in FIG. 1. The valve assembly 10 maintains water flow 
to the fountain 14 substantially constant at all times during fountain 
operation and, when the fountain is subsequently turned off, insures 
positive drainage of water remaining within fountain flow lines to a 
position protected against freezing. 
The freezeproof valve assembly 10 of the present invention provides a 
relatively simple, inexpensive, and highly compact self-contained unit for 
safeguarding a variety of different types of water hydrants, such as 
drinking fountains, emergency showers, eye wash stations, and the like, 
against freezing. The compact valve assembly unit is adapted for 
convenient, rapid installation between the water supply pipe 12 and a 
hydrant standpipe 16 which in turn has its upper end connected to an 
appropriate hydrant discharge outlet, such as a drinking fountain bubbler 
head 18, as viewed in FIG. 1. Importantly, the valve assembly 10 is 
positioned where it will not be subjected to subfreezing temperatures, 
such as at a buried position connected to the supply pipe 12 which is 
buried well below the ground frost line 20, as viewed in FIG. 1. 
Alternatively, in a drinking fountain or the like installed against an 
exterior wall of a building (not shown), the valve assembly 10 can be 
positioned inside the building where it will not be exposed to subfreezing 
temperatures. In either case, however, the valve assembly 10 insures 
positive drainage of water remaining within the standpipe, when the 
fountain is turned off, to a position protected against freezing and 
isolated from exposure to the surrounding soil and contaminants and/or 
ground water therein. In addition, the valve assembly advantageously 
permits the use of a flexible standpipe 16 as well as other conduits and 
lines to be described, to facilitate installation procedures and to 
provide broad mounting versatility permitting, for example, the fountain 
14 and its bubbler head 18 to be vertically offset relative to the valve 
assembly 10, if desired. 
In the illustrative drinking fountain embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the valve 
assembly 10 is adapted for installation at the bottom of a mounting tube 
22 installed into the ground 24 and defining an open column 26 extending 
between the buried water supply pipe 12 and the drinking fountain 14. As 
shown in detail in the enlarged portion of FIG. 1, the valve assembly 10 
comprises a generally closed valve or sump housing 28 having a 
cannister-like shape to include a lower inlet connector 30, such as an 
appropriate quick-connect coupling, for connecting an inlet end of an 
inlet conduit 32 with the water supply pipe 12. This inlet conduit 32 
extends from the supply pipe 12 into a sump chamber 34 within the housing 
28 through a conventional filter component, such as a screen strainer 36, 
for connection to the upstream ends of a primary flow conduit 38 and a 
refill flow conduit 40. The primary conduit 38 extends through the sump 
chamber 34 and has its downstream end appropriately joined at the top of 
the housing 28 to the lower end of the standpipe 16, whereas the refill 
conduit 40 terminates with an open end 41 for flow of water into the sump 
chamber 34. 
The upper region of the sump chamber is vented by a vent line 42 which 
projects upwardly through the open tubular column 26 into the interior of 
the frame 44 of the water fountain 14. This vent line upper end opens to 
atmosphere at a concealed position protected against undesired entry of 
debris or particulate. The vent line permits ingress and egress of air 
with respect to the sump chamber 34 upon changes in the level of water 46 
within the sump chamber, as will be described in more detail. 
Water supply from the supply pipe 12 to the fountain bubbler head 18 is 
controlled by a primary control valve 48 installed along the length of the 
primary flow conduit 38 within the sump chamber 34. This control valve 48 
is normally retained in a closed position, as viewed in FIG. 1, by a 
vacuum drawn within a pneumatic control line 50 having a lower end opening 
into a cylinder 52 such that the vacuum therein draws a piston 54 in 
compressive engagement with a spring 56 to correspondingly draw the 
control valve 48 to the closed position via a piston rod 58. The upper end 
of this control line 50 extends through the top of the sump housing 28 
through the mounting tube 22 to an actuator button 60 on the fountain 
frame 44 which includes a valve member 62 biased by a spring 64 to close 
the control line from communication with atmosphere conveniently at a 
position within the frame 44 protected against undesired entry of debris 
or particulate into the control line. 
When the actuator button 60 is depressed against the spring 64, as viewed 
in FIG. 2, the valve member 62 is moved to an open position permitting 
entry of air into the control line 50 thereby releasing the vacuum 
therein. This vacuum release permits the control spring 56 acting against 
the piston 54 to shift the main control valve 48 to the open position 
permitting water flow through the primary conduit 38. Accordingly, water 
flows from the supply pipe 12 through the inlet conduit 32 and further 
through the primary conduit 38 and the associated control valve 48 for 
passage upwardly through the standpipe 16 to the fountain bubbler head 18. 
Conveniently, a pressure regulator valve 66 is included along the primary 
conduit 38 for controlling the pressure of the water discharged at the 
bubbler head 18, and this discharged water is directed over a conventional 
basin 65 having a drain line 67 through which the water is disposed in any 
known manner. 
With the main control valve 48 in the open position, as shown in FIG. 2, 
water is allowed to flow through a main jet pump 68 mounted along the 
primary conduit 38 downstream from the control valve and within the sump 
chamber 34. This main jet pump includes an induction port 70 opening into 
the throat region of the pump wherein this induction port is associated 
with an intake tube 71 having an inlet end opening into the sump chamber 
34 below the surface of the water 46 therein. Accordingly, water flowing 
upwardly through the standpipe consists of combined water flow including a 
direct flow from the supply pipe 12 and an indirect or induced flow drawn 
through the induction port 70. The flow rate of this combined flow may 
vary widely, of course, depending upon the type of hydrant and its 
application, with a flow of about 0.4 to about 0.7 gallons per minute 
being typical for a drinking fountain. In the preferred form of the 
invention, the main jet pump 68 is designed to provide this combined flow 
from roughly equal direct and induced flows. 
A refill valve 72 is provided along the refill conduit 40 for maintaining 
water flow to the bubbler head 18 substantially constant at all times by 
maintaining the water level within the sump chamber 34 at least above the 
height of the intake tube 71 of the main jet pump 68. More particularly, 
the refill valve 72 is connected by a valve link 74 with a float 76 
mounted pivotally within the sump chamber for response to the water level 
within the sump chamber to move the refill valve from a closed position, 
shown in FIG. 2, to an open position when the sump chamber water level 
falls to a predetermined lower limit, as viewed in FIG. 3. 
With the refill valve 72 open, a refill water flow from the supply pipe 12 
is permitted through the refill conduit 40 for discharge into and 
refilling of the sump chamber 34 at a flow rate greater than withdrawal 
through the main jet pump induction port 70. Conveniently, this refill 
conduit 40 includes a pressure regulating valve 76 to balance the 
pressures of the water flows through the primary and refill conduits 38 
and 40. When the water level within the sump chamber 34 reaches a 
predetermined upper limit in accordance with the setting of the float 76, 
the float returns the refill valve 72 to the closed position, as shown in 
FIG. 2, irrespective of continued flow through the primary conduit 38. 
The refill conduit 40 also includes a refill jet pump 78 downstream from 
the valve 72 through which the refill water flow passes prior to discharge 
into the sump chamber 34. The throat region of this jet pump 78 includes 
an induction port 80 coupled through a one-way inlet check valve 82 with 
the pneumatic control line 50. Accordingly, during refill flow, as viewed 
in FIG. 3, while the actuator button 60 is held in the depressed 
condition, the refill jet pump 78 draws air through the control line 50 
for admixture with the refill water and discharge into the upper region of 
the sump chamber 34. Chamber pressurization is prevented, however, by the 
vent line 42 which vents the chamber to atmosphere, as previously 
described. 
When the actuator button 60 is released, as viewed in FIG. 4, the 
spring-loaded actuator valve member 62 returns to the closed position to 
close the control line 50 from communication to atmosphere. When this 
occurs, the refill jet pump 78 draws a vacuum on the control line 50 for 
returning the primary control valve 48 to the closed position. The control 
valve 48 thus halts water flow through the primary conduit 38 to the 
standpipe 16, and water remaining within the standpipe 16 is permitted to 
fall by gravity downwardly to the main jet pump 68 for discharge through 
its induction port 70 into the sump chamber 34. Water does not remain, 
therefore, in the standpipe 16 at a position above the ground frost line 
20 (FIG. 1) whereby the fountain is protected against freezing. 
In operation, the actuator button 60 can be released at any time 
irrespective of the operative state of the refill valve 72 in accordance 
with the sump chamber water level. For example, the actuator button can be 
released while the refill valve 72 is open, as viewed in FIG. 4, in which 
case the refill jet pump 78 immediately begins drawing a vacuum on the 
control line 50 to close the primary control valve 48 within a few 
seconds. Flow to the bubbler head 18 thereupon ceases and water remaining 
within the standpipe drains into the sump chamber 34 as described to 
increase the water level within the chamber ultimately to at least the 
upper level float limit thereby quickly displacing the float 76 to a 
position closing the refill valve 72. 
Alternatively, the actuator button 60 can be released when the refill valve 
72 is in a closed position. In this event, drawing of a vacuum on the 
control line 50 by the refill jet pump 78 will be delayed until the sump 
chamber water level drops to a position causing float-activated opening of 
the refill valve 72. When the refill valve opens, the jet pump 78 draws a 
vacuum on the control line which becomes sufficient within a few seconds 
to return the control valve 48 to the closed position. The draining 
standpipe water and the refill water flow quickly fill the sump chamber to 
the predetermined upper float limit to close the refill valve 72 and 
standpipe drainage continues to fill the sump chamber until the standpipe 
water has completely drained. In this regard, the float-controlled upper 
water level limit is chosen in relation to total chamber volume to provide 
sufficient remaining chamber volume to accommodate the draining standpipe 
water regardless of the operational status of the valve assembly at the 
time the actuator button is released. 
The above-described time delayed closure of the control valve 48 is 
particularly advantageous when the actuator button 60 is depressed 
momentarily and then released. Such momentary button depression opens the 
primary control valve 48 thereby initiating water flow to the bubbler head 
18 for at least several seconds until the sump chamber level drops 
sufficiently for refill valve opening. Such refill valve opening, of 
course, draws a vacuum on the control line 50 to reclose the primary 
control valve 48. Accordingly, each time the actuator button is depressed 
even momentarily, a predetermined minimum water flow is discharged from 
the bubbler head and thereby also drawn from within the sump chamber 34 to 
prevent chamber overfilling which might otherwise occur upon repeated 
momentary actuator button depression. 
The freezeproof valve assembly 10 of the present invention thus provides a 
relatively simple and compact integrated valve assembly unit for 
maintaining hydrant water flow substantially constant during all 
conditions of operation. When the hydrant is turned off, however, water 
from within a standpipe is drained to a position where the water will not 
freeze and further wherein the drained water is positively isolated from 
the soil and surrounding ground water. This valve operation is 
advantageoulsy obtained without requiring mechanical actuator rods for the 
valve while permitting use of flexible hydrant flow lines of plastic or 
the like. As a result, wide versatility in bubbler head position is 
available, such as, for example, mounting of the bubbler head in an 
overhang position for easy access by persons in wheelchairs or the like. 
Access and use by handicapped persons is further enhanced by the minimum 
flow period each time the actuator button is depressed. 
A variety of modifications and improvements to the invention described 
herein are believed to be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
Accordingly, no limitation on the invention is intended, except by way of 
the appended claims.