Flushing attachment for hydrant

1. A portable, self-contained device for automatically flushing existing above-ground hydrants, the device being adapted to be removably installed to an outlet of an existing above-ground hydrant, the device comprising:

a valve for controlling flow from the hydrant through the valve;

a control for automatically operating the valve; and

a lockable box containing at least one of the valve and the control, the box allowing water to pass from the hydrant into the box and allowing water from the valve to pass to the exterior of the box during a flushing operation.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a hose or pipe extends through a wall of the box to expel water.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the hose or pipe is physically connected to an outlet of the valve.

4. In combination,

a hydrant, the hydrant having a below-ground inlet adapted to be connected to an underground water distribution system, an above-ground outlet, and a manually operable valve between the inlet and the outlet, and

a device for automatically flushing the hydrant, the device comprising a wall having a swivel coupling secured thereto, the coupling being attached to the outlet of the hydrant; a valve for controlling flow from the hydrant through the valve, the valve being positioned on an opposite side of the wall from the hydrant; and a control for automatically operating the valve.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the wall is a part of a box, the box enclosing the valve but not the hydrant.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein a hose or pipe extends through a wall of the box to expel water.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the hose or pipe is physically connected to an outlet of the valve.

8. A method of automatically flushing a portion of a water distribution system, the system including a plurality of pre-existing hydrants, each hydrant having a below-ground inlet connected to the water distribution system, an above-ground outlet, and a manually operable valve between the inlet and the outlet, the method comprising bringing a portable, self-contained device to the hydrant; installing the device to the outlet of the hydrant, the device comprising an electrically operable valve and a control for periodically operating the electrically operable valve; opening the manually operable valve to allow water to flow through the hydrant into the device, thereafter allowing the control to open the electrically operable valve periodically to cause water to flow from the water distribution system through the hydrant and through the electrically operable valve to flush a portion of the water distribution system; and thereafter removing the device from the hydrant and installing the device to another of the plurality of hydrants.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the control is mounted internally of a box, the method including programming the control to select at least one of time and duration of opening the valve in the box.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the outlet of the hydrant is threaded, and wherein attaching the device to the hydrant comprises threading a threaded coupling to the outlet of the hydrant, the threaded coupling being rotatably mounted to the box.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the coupling is a collar mounted to a nipple, externally of the box.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the box includes a perforate lower wall, the perforate wall diffusing water expelled through it.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the hydrant supports the box and holds it above the ground.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein a hose or pipe is provided, the hose or pipe carrying water from the valve to the exterior of the box.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the hydrant is a fire hydrant.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the hydrant is a flushing hydrant.