THE NEW YORK HYDRANT TEST.

VALVES and hydrants manufactured by the Michigan Brass and Iron Works, were exhibited by the well-known firm of exporters and dealers in mechanical supplies, Thornton N. Motley & Company, of 43 John street, New York. They consisted of one standard double steamer nozzle, six-inch compression hydrant with frost-case, and with two independent steamer nozzle gates: One standard six-inch gate hydrant, with one steamer and two two and one-half-inch hose nozzle; one six-inch standard hub-end water gate with inside thread; one six-inch stand, ard hub-end water gate with outside screw and yoke; one four-inch flanged end Hercules high pressure gale valve with double bronze renewable seat and outside screw and yoke; one thirty-inch double gate valve with hydraulic lift for operating the valve in place of the ordinary screw stem, one six-inch extra heavy double gate valve with hub-ends for extra high water pressure. These valves operate under the. compound wedge principle, and by means of these appliances, on which the manufacturers have a patent, the power applied to the disk is compounded to a sufficient degree to enable the making of an unusually tight joint possible between the disk and the seat, against heavy pressure on either gate. The valves are so constructed that the last motion in closing operates to expand the disks against the seats, previous to which there is absolutely no pressure between the disk and the seats so that grinding and friction are entirely avoided in opening as well as in closing. The reverse of this operation is true in opening, and the first movement of the stem releases from the seats, when they travel forwards until the port is cleared. These gate valves are made in all sizes, from one-fourth-inch to seventy twoinch opening, and their efficiency has been thoroughly demonstrated by use for a great number of years, in a number of prominent cities throughout the country. The gate hydrant operates on somewhat the same principle as the valve, being faced with a special composition disk of sufficient strength and elasticity, to permit any obstructions which might embed themselves in it to do so without defacing the valve seat itself; and, as a hydrant is the natural flushing place for any system of water mains, there is always the liability that dirt and grit, pieces of lead, or other foreign substance may be left between the seat and the disk when being closed. When released the foreign substances drop off and are carried away with the water, defacing neither the seat nor valve. The gale hydran is especially adapted for use in smaller chits where an exper. ienced force is not kept constantly employed in looking after this very important part of the systemBy removing the bolts at the top the stem and disk can be lifted entirely out of the hydrant and renewed or repaired, as the case may be, withou taking the hydrant from the ground. The standpipe is made conical in shape, being largest at the bottom, and when the frost upheaves the ground in the spring it clears the standpipe, and does not lift it or the pipe to which it is connected out of its position. By this means the frost-case used in the compression hydrant is dispensed with, and, as the drip is situated in the extreme bottom of the hydrant, the standpipe is always kep entirelyfree from water when the valve is closed. All the working parts of this hydrant are made of a high quantity of bronze and the stem is of machinery steel bushed with bronze wherever it passes through the gland, and wherever it comes in contact with any other part of the hydrant The Michigan compression hydrant has many features not embraced in any other style, and.it is claimed, possesses some decided improvements over any other form of hydrant. To begin with, the drip case, that is. that portion of the hydrant through which the drip operates,is heavily lined with bronze and the drip hole itself is provided with a bronze bushing. As a result, no matter how long this hydrant remains unopened,there is never any corrosion or sticking of the parts, as must necessarily happen wherever the drip operates in the iron chamber, as is the case in all other compression hydrants. This feature alone,although adding very much to the expense of its manufacture, insures a degree of safety in operation which cannot be over-estimated. Another important improvement in this hydrant over others of the compression type is the fact that the drip case is in an independent tension piece which is bolted on to the bottom of the standpipe, and is about nine inches or twelve inches in length. This extension piece is provided with twice as many bolt holes as are in the companion flange of the standpipe to which it is affixed. As a result of this, when the standpipe has been taken out and is screwed back to its place, the pitch of the thread where it enters the expansion piece being so coarse, the slightest variation in the thickness of the gasket which is used to insure a perfect joint where this connection is made will allow the nozzle to swing around to a position, possibly from five to ten degrees more than it was when taken out; in other words, should the hydrant be removed with the nozzle at a perfect right angle to the line of the street, a little carelessness in putting it back in any other make of compression hydrant might result in turning so that it would not occupy its former position within five or ten degrees. In this hydrant, however, again taking it out of the shoe,and changing the bolts indicated, it can be brought back to exactly the same position it occupied before being removed. Another important feature exclusively belonging tothe Michigan hydrant is the fact that the opening nut is contained in an independent yoke, separate and distinct from the hood or bonnet of the hydrant, and, as a result, the hydrant can be repacked without taking it out of service. With the other styles of compression hydrants, the opening nut is contained in the top itself, and once this is removed for the purpose of repacking hydrant, the opening nut is also removed,and, should it be necessary to use it while this packing is going on. it would be impossible to do so whereas, in the constiuction of the Michigan hydrant, should a fire occur while the repacking is going on, the hydrant is in service and ready for instant use. The standard six-inch hydrant, exhibited at New York, is provided with two independent steamer nozzle gates, and is of sufficient capacity to supply at the same time two of the largest fire engines constructed. By means of these steamer nozzle gates an additional steamer can be attached to, or detached from the hydrant during the progress of the fire, without in any way interfering with the operation of the other steamer, which is a very important consideration in cities where additional help is frequently required after the first steamer has been connected. This hydrant is protected against the action of frosts in the spring by a sliding frost-jacket, which is loose, and independent from the standpipe, and which simply drops back into place when the frost is all gone out of the ground. Hydrants of either gate or compression pattern can be furnished in sizes from two-inch to ten-inch valve openings and with nozzles varying in number from one to six, with or without all independent nozzle gates, and of any depth of bury tequired for one to ten-foot depth of trench. Both styles of hydrants have been in service in the extreme North, ami in the Canada*, where the temperature drops as low as forty or fifty degrees below zero; and in no cise has there been any damage to the hydrant as the result of frost, because of the positive manner in which the drip operates in both styles. The working part* of this, as well as the gate hydrant, are made of heavy castings of a superior quality of bronze and the workmanship throughout is the best that money,years of experience,and a determination to produce the very best goods on the market,can produce. The Hercules valve exhibited is manufactured in sizes from one to twenty-four-inch inclusive, and is constructed for high pressure steamer or hydraulic work, in pressure from too to 3,000 pounds per square inch. These valves are made with many exclusive features, including the only positive renewable seaton the market and are >11 made with annealed copper gaskets, and machinery steel bolts; the bodies being the best gun metal cast iron and the mountings and trimmings of the best quality aluminum bronze. In fact they are gotten-up regardless of expense for sale where a strictly first-class article is requirtd. In common with the other high pressure gates, they have the valuable feature of being able to be repacked while in service, by means of a iteamtight joint made between the inside of the top, and the yoke. The sizes up to ten*;nch are providzd with by-pisses, when ordered and ten-inch and above, with by-passes, unless ordered to the contrary, Sizes twelve inches and upwards are furnished with ribbed bodies. Both gate and compression hydrant are furnished with auxiliary valves and valve boxes, when so ordered. This is a very important addition to the hydrant, as it permits any part of it to be taken out and repaired, without interfering with the operation of the general system, by simply closing the auxiliary gate. In fact, in the production of all gates exhibited.as well as all other goods manufactured by this company, the principal point in view has been to produce a reliable article which can be depended upon at any and all times to perform the duties devolving upon it, and, as almost all valves and hydrants are required at times when quick and positive action Is necessary, this feature must not be overlooked.

If you are a current subscriber, login here to access this content.

If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit us here.