US 12,345,028 B2
Hydrant nozzle cap spacer
Daryl Lee Gibson, Chattanooga, TN (US); Bruce Robertson, Toronto (CA); and Mohammad Hassan Sobhani, Burlington (CA)
Assigned to Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on May 7, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/656,725.
Application 18/656,725 is a continuation of application No. 18/298,934, filed on Apr. 11, 2023, granted, now 12,012,732.
Application 18/298,934 is a continuation of application No. 17/568,796, filed on Jan. 5, 2022, granted, now 11,655,618, issued on May 23, 2023.
Application 17/568,796 is a continuation of application No. 16/807,928, filed on Mar. 3, 2020, granted, now 11,248,367, issued on Feb. 15, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0287772 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. F16L 55/115 (2006.01); E03B 9/06 (2006.01); E03B 9/14 (2006.01); F16F 1/02 (2006.01); F16F 1/32 (2006.01); F16L 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC E03B 9/06 (2013.01) [E03B 9/14 (2013.01); F16F 1/027 (2013.01); F16F 1/326 (2013.01); F16L 15/08 (2013.01); F16L 55/1155 (2013.01); F16F 2236/025 (2013.01); F16L 2201/30 (2013.01); Y10T 137/5503 (2015.04); Y10T 137/5762 (2015.04)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nozzle cap spacer for a hydrant nozzle cap comprising:
a spacer body defining an outer body edge, the spacer body defining a spacer body thickness; and
a resilient first spacer spring arm extending from the outer body edge and biased away from the spacer body in an extended orientation, wherein the first spacer spring arm defines a first spring arm thickness;
wherein:
the first spring arm thickness of the first spacer spring arm is equal to the spacer body thickness of the spacer body;
a slot is defined between the first spacer spring arm and the outer body edge;
in the extended orientation, a width of the slot increases towards a distal arm end of the first spacer spring arm;
the distal arm end is opposite a proximal arm end of the first spacer spring arm;
the outer body edge defines a length (La) corresponding to the first spacer spring arm;
an inward step is formed at a distal length end of the length (La); and
a body recess is formed in the outer body edge along the length (La).