Improvements in or connected with Fire-hydrants.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1895-Accepted. 16th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Fire-hydrants.
We, CHARLES SCANDER BROUGH, Electrical Engineer, and WILLIAM
BROMFIELD BROUGH, Director of the Universal Water Meter Company Limited,
both of 6 and 8 Eastcheap in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more especially to fire-hydrants through which it is
sometimes desired to draw water for purposes other than that of extinguishing fire,
such as for road flushing, flushing sewers, supplying water carts and so forth; and the
object of the improvements is to provide means for measuring the quantity of
water delivered through the hydrant for such other purposes, while water for fire
extinguishing purposes can be passed through the hydrant, as at present, without
being measured.
For this purpose I provide the hydrant with a second or supplementary full-way
valve placed between the ordinary stop valve and the outlet nozzle of the hydrant,
and a bye-pass passage or pipe, one end of which opens into the space between
the above mentioned two valves, and the other end into the hydrant at a point
between the supplementary valve and the outlet nozzle. In this bye-pass passage
or pipeplace a water meter of any suitable construction adapted to measure the
quantity of water passing through the bye-pass.
It will now be understood that when the supplementary valve is closed, and the
ordinary stop valve is opened, water will flow through the bye-pass to the nozzle
of the hydrant, and its quantity will be measured by the aforesaid meter; but
when both the supplementary and ordinary stop valves are opened there will be a
full flow of water direct through the hydrant, available for fire extinguishing
purposes, which will not pass through the bye-pass, and will not therefore be
measured by the meter.
The supplementary valve may be of any suitable construction, but preferably one
that will open so as to give a full clear way for the passage of water for fire
extinguishing purposes; for example it may consist of a flap valve opening away
from the stop valve, but held to its seat, when in its closed position, by means of a
sliding wedge or other suitable mechanism; when however the valve is released by
the withdrawal of the said wedge, or otherwise, the pressure of the water in the
main opens the flap valve automatically as soon as the stop valve is opened.
When the supplementary valve is in its closed position the lever or other device
by which alone it can be released or opened may be normally sealed up, so that the
said valve cannot be released or opened without breaking the seal, thereby affording
security against water being obtained surreptitiously without passing it through
the bye-pass and meter by opening the supplementary valve.
The bye-pass and meter may be made separate and distinct from the body
of the hydrant, and be bolted or otherwise fixed thereto, or the bye-pass and
meter casing, or either of them, may be cast in one piece with the body of the
hydrant.
A valve of any suitable kind may also be placed in the bye-pass to cut off the
flow to the meter when the supplementary valve is open, and when preferred this

page_text: valve may be arranged so that it is automatically closed when the supplementary
valve is opened, and opened when the supplementary valve is closed.
Dated this 14th day of January 1895.
Improvements in or connected with Fire-hydrants.
We, CHARLES SCANDER BROUGH, Electrical Engineer. and WILLIAM
BROMFIELD BROUGH, Director of the Universal Water Meter Company Limited,
both of 6 and 8 Eastcheap in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates more especially to fire-hydrants through which it is
sometimes desired to draw water for purposes other than that of extinguishing fire,
such as for road flushing, flushing sewers, supplying water carts and so forth, and the
object of the improvements is to provide means for measuring the quantity of
water delivered through the hydrant for such other purposes; while water for fire
extinguishing purposes can be passed through the hydrant, as at present, without
being measured.
For this purpose we provide the hydrant with a second or supplementary full-
way valve placed between the ordinary stop valve and the outlet nuzzle of the
hydrant, and a by-pass passage or pipe, one end of which opens into the space
between the abovementioned two valves, and the other end into the hydrant at a
point between the supplementary valve and the outlet nozzle. In this by-pass
passage or pipe we place a water meter of any suitable construction adapted to
measure the quantity of water passing through the by-pass.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood we will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a plan of a hydrant with part of the improvements applied thereto,
Figure 2 an elevation of same partly in section taken at lines X-X and Y-Y
of Figure 1,
Figure 3 a sectional elevation taken on line Z-Z of Figures 1 and 2, and
Figure 4 a sectional elevation showing a modification not included in Figure 2.
A is the main body of the bydrant with outlet nozzles B for the attachment of
the fire-hose in the usual way and C is the ordinary stop valve bolted to the lower
end of the hydrant as usual. D is the second or supplementary valve above
mentioned placed between the stop valve C and the outlet nozzles B. This
supplementary valve may be of any suitable construction but preferably one that
will open so as to give a full clear way for the passage of water for fire extinguishing
purposes such as a sluice valve operated by a screw for example; but we prefer to
employ a hinged flap-valve as shown in the drawings opening away from the stop
valve C, but held to its seat E, when in the closed position, by means of a sliding
wedge bearing against the inclined back surface of the valve D, and guided at its
ends in guide grooves G in the sides of the hydrant body. When however the
wedge F is raised into the position shown in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3 by
means of the stem H passing through the stuffing box 1, and the lever J pin-
jointed thereto, or by any other suitable means, the valve D is released, and the
pressure of the water in the main opens the valve D automatically, as soon as the
stop valve C is opened, see dotted lines in Figure 2.

page_text: K is the by-pass passage or pipe one end of which opens into the L between
the supplementary valve D and the stop valve C, and the other end into the
inlet M of a water meter bolted to or formed with the body of the hydrant. The
outlet N from this meter opens into the body of the hydrant at a point between
the supplementary valve D and the outlet nozzles B. The water meter may be of
any suitable construction adapted to measure the quantity of water which passes
through the by-pass. In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings O represents the casing
of a rotatory meter of well known construction, the moving parts being omitted as
they are not necessary to the elucidation of the present invention.
It will now be understood that when the supplementary valve D is closed, and
the ordinary stop valve C is opened, water will flow through the by-pass to the
nozzle of the hydrant, and its quantity will be measured by the aforesaid meter; but
when both the supplementary valve D and the stop valve C are opened, there will
be a full flow of water direct through the hydrant, available for fire extinguishing
purposes, which will not pass through the by-pass K, and will not, therefore, be
measured by the meter.
When the supplementary valve D is in its closed position the lever J, or other
device by which alone it can be released or opened, may be normally sealed up, so
that the said valve cannot be released or opened without breaking the seal, thereby
affording security against water being obtained surreptitiously, without passing it
through the by-pass and meter, by opening the supplementary valve. But when
water for fire extinguishing purposes is required the lever J or other device must
he unsealed and the valve D released.
In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings the by-pass passage is shown cast in the
body of the hydrant; but it is obvious that it may be inade as a separate pipe
bolted to the hydrant and to the meter, or that it may be formed along with the
casing of the meter, and be bolted along with it to the body of the hydrant.
A valve of any suitable kind or a tap may also be placed at any convenient part
of the by-pass K to cut off the flow to or from the meter when the supplementary
valve D is open to ensure that no water shall pass through the meter at that time.
This valve or tap may be provided with suitable appliances by means of which it
may be opened and closed by hand from outside the hydrant like any ordinary
valve or tap, or it may be arranged so as to be automatically closed when the
supplementary valve is opened, and opened when the supplementary valve is closed.
Figure 4 shows one arrangement by which this can be accomplished. P is a hinged
flap valve, which falls to its seat, into the position shown in dotted lines in the
figure, and closes the end of the by-pass passage K when the supplementary
valve D is opened, as also shown by dotted lines, so that none of the water passing
through the hydrant can then enter the passage K; but when the valve D is in its
closed position and forced against its seat, as shown in full lines, a projection Q
on it comes in contact with the valve P and opens the latter, as shown in full lines
leaving the passage K free for water to pass to the meter.
The above described arrangement for automatically operating the by-pass valve
is only given by way of example; it is obvious that the automatic operation of the
valve or tap may be effected in a variety of ways, but we have not deemed it
necessary to describe other methods because they will readily occur to any one
conversant with the manufacture of this class of apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim 18:-
First. In a fire-hydrant a supplementary valve placed between the stop valve
and the outlet or nozzle, and a meter the inlet to which communicates by a by-pass
passage or pipe with the space between the said supplementary and stop valves,
and the outlet from which communicates with the interior of the hydrant between
the supplementary valve and the outlet or nozzle, substantially as described.
Second. In a fire-hydrant provided with a supplementary valve a by-pass and a

page_text: meter as herein described, the use of a valve or tap in connection with the by-pass
for preventing the passage of water to or from the meter when the supplementary
valve is open, substantially as described.
Third. In a fire-hydrant provided with a supplementary valve, a by-pass and a
meter as herein described, the use of a valve or tap in connection with the by-pass
so arranged and automatically operated that it is open when the supplementary
valve is closed, and shut when the supplementary valve is open, substantially as
described.
จ
100K
1030
C. S. BROUGH,
W. B. BROUGH,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.