Hydrant shoe with backflow prevention assembly
View Patent ↗A fire hydrant system relating to protection of a water supply from contamination. The fire hydrant system includes a barrel adapted to communicate at least indirectly with a water supply; a nozzle extending from the barrel; a hydrant valve adapted to controllably regulate communication between the barrel and the water supply; a valve actuator adapted to allow actuation of the hydrant valve; a nozzle cap adapted to at least close off the nozzle opening; and a hydrant shoe in communication with the water supply, the hydrant shoe comprising a backflow prevention assembly, wherein water can flow from the water supply through the hydrant shoe into the barrel at an open position of the backflow prevention assembly disc, and wherein media cannot enter the water supply via the barrel when the backflow prevention assembly disc is in a closed position.
1. A water security system for protecting a water supply from contamination being inserted into a fire hydrant, the water security system comprising:
a hydrant shoe defining a cavity having a longitudinal axis, wherein the cavity is in fluid communication with the water supply and the fire hydrant; and
a backflow prevention assembly positioned in the hydrant shoe, the back flow prevention assembly comprising:
a seat positioned in the cavity at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hydrant shoe, wherein said seat defines an aperture; and
a flapper device configured to cooperate with the seat such that the flapper device is spaced apart from the seat in response to the flow of water from the water supply to the hydrant and further configured to contact the seat in response to the flow of water from the hydrant to the water supply to prevent contamination from entering the water supply from the fire hydrant, and wherein the flapper device includes a disc portion defining a plane, a short arm portion oriented at an angle relative to the plane and a resilient portion intermediate the disc portion and the short arm portion.
2. The water security system of claim 1 , wherein the flapper device is one piece.
3. The water security system of claim 1 , wherein contact between the flapper device and the seat defines a sealing diameter and wherein the disc portion is rigid and has a diameter larger than the sealing diameter.
4. The water security system of claim 3 , wherein the disc portion is encapsulated in an elastomeric material.
5. The water securing system of claim 4 , wherein the flapper device includes a sealing rib configured to selectively interact with the sealing diameter portion of the seat to form a seal preventing contamination from entering the water supply from the fire hydrant.
6. The water securing system of claim 4 , wherein the seat includes a sealing rib configured to selectively interact with the flapper device to form a seal preventing contamination from entering the water supply from the fire hydrant.
7. The water securing system of claim 1 , wherein the hydrant shoe defines a pocket configured to receive the short arm portion of the flapper device to position and secure the flapper device in the hydrant shoe.
8. The water securing system of claim 7 , wherein the hydrant shoe includes a removable cover that aids in securing the short arm portion of the flapper device.
9. The water securing system of claim 1 , wherein the flapper device includes a reinforcement position at the transition between the short arm portion and the disc portion.
10. The water securing system of claim 1 , wherein the short arm portion of the flapper device includes a locking lip.
11. The water securing system of claim 1 , wherein the short arm portion of the flapper device includes the sealing lips.
12. The water securing system of claim 1 , wherein contact between the flapper device and the seat defines a sealing diameter and wherein the flapper device includes a rigid disc having a diameter larger than the sealing diameter.