Freezeless dripping wall faucet-hydrant
US5947150A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 24, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/86759
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A freezeless faucet has a body, a nozzle, and a shaft that expands and contracts thermally, moving a resilient plug. The plug has an orifice through it and a beveled surface closing and sealing against a seat beveled surface to stop water flow. Further closing force against the beveled surfaces causes the plug to compress radially inward, closing the orifice. A drop in temperature below freezing will cause the shaft to contract, reducing the plug radial compression, allowing the orifice to open and water to drip through. This prevents upstream piping from freezing. An air vent valve selectively admits air into the faucet body to allow draining of water from the body and nozzle, and to prevent siphoning of contaminants into the water supply. A shaft handwheel includes a heat sink, to shorten the thermal response time of the shaft to rapid temperature changes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.