Abstract: A fire hydrant having a unitized bonnet configuration or assembly which includes a bonnet member, operating mechanism, external driving attachment and lubricant reservoir and which may be installed and removed from the hydrant barrel without the loss of lubricant from the lubricant reservoir therein or without the major disassembly of parts. Additionally, the unitized bonnet assembly is provided with a stop nut member which may be adjustably secured to the end of the valve stem to compensate for small variations in barrel lengths and/or valve stem lengths. The stop nut member is carried within the lubricant reservoir of the bonnet member and is at all times sealed from water in the hydrant and, thus, it may be made of a non-corrosive resistant material such as ductile iron or steel which is less expensive than corrosive resistant material such as brass, bronze or stainless steel.

Abstract: A butterfly valve assembly having a corrosive resistant metal valve seat made of stainless steel or the like and supported in the passage of the body member of the valve assembly, the valve assembly further having a valve disc with an annular resilient sealing ring fixedly secured to the periphery thereof for cooperating with the valve seat. The valve seat is supported on the body member in such a manner that the valve seat may have limited axial movement relative to the body member when the valve disc is moved to the closed position so as to provide a compressive and/or fluid actuated seal between the valve seat and the body member whereby the butterfly valve assembly may be used in fluid distribution systems with the flow of fluid through the valve assembly being in either direction through the valve.

Abstract: A rotatable shell cutter member for cutting a hole in large diameter and thick wall plastic pipe. The shell cutter member is rotated and advanced with a positive predetermined lead against the plastic pipe and it first forms a hole in the plastic pipe by cutting and retaining a coupon therefrom and it further progressively enlarges the hole to a diameter equal to or slightly greater than the overall outside diameter of the shell cutter member. The chips initially cut from the plastic pipe in cutting the coupon are discharged upwardly and inwardly of the shell cutter member above the coupon being cut and, when the shell cutter member with its cutting edge in constant cutting engagement with the pipe begins cutting a continuous chip cut, it is also discharged upwardly and inwardly of the shell cutter member.

Abstract: A fire hydrant having a hydrant valve seat assembly positioned between the flanged lower end of the hydrant barrel and the flanged end of the hydrant shoe. The hydrant valve seat assembly and the hydrant valve element may be retained with the hydrant shoe when the hydrant barrel is removed and replaced or the hydrant valve seat assembly and the hydrant valve element, when in the closed position, may be retained with the hydrant barrel when the hydrant shoe is removed and replaced from the barrel. The fire hydrant includes an improved valve seat ring and seat ring housing, both of which may be made of brass so as to provide easy removal of the valve seat. The hydrant is provided with an improved drain valve facing strip for cooperating with the drain passage when the hydrant valve is open.

Abstract: A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluids, the gate valve structure being provided with a casing having a through-bore and a chamber communicating with the through-bore and in which a gate member reciprocates between closed and opened positions of the valve. The valve casing is split into two body members on a plane normal to the axis of the through-bore and one of the body members is arranged to contain all of the functional parts of the valve, including the valve seat, gate member, and actuating means for the gate member. By such an arrangement, the valve seat surrounding the through-bore in the one body member may be easily machined by conventional machining methods and the internal surfaces of both body members may be easily treated to make them non-corrosive.

Abstract: A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid, such as water mains or the like, the gate valve structure having a non-rising stem-type actuating mechanism. The gate valve structure includes a hollow gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior and a valve stem which extends through the valve casing to the exterior thereof, the valve stem having exterior threads cooperating with interior threads carried by the gate member and the arrangement being such that the threads of the valve stem are completely protected from water and foreign material, such as dirt and abrasives and the like, when the gate member is in its completely opened position. This arrangement reduces torque necessary to operate the valve to the closed position.

Abstract: A valve operator for controlling the movement of a valve member carried by a rotatable valve shaft of a valve. The valve operator limits the movement of the valve member between a predetermined opened position and a closed position, the valve operator being adjustable without complete disassembly of the same to adjust the closing position of the member when necessary without affecting the overall amount of movement of the valve member as limit stops are operatively positioned on an operating shaft or stem of the valve operator with one of the stops being adjustable to axially move the operating shaft or stem and, thus, simultaneously adjust the other stop. Additionally, the valve operator is provided with coupling means for coupling the same to the rotatable shaft of the valve member, the coupling means being so arranged as to include a coupling sleeve which may be easily replaced by another coupling sleeve to accommodate the valve operator for valves having different diameter valve shafts.