Fluid Infrastructure Flushing Device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluid handing device that can be attached to a water main or other fluid supply infrastructure. The device has a branched, hollow body containing a fluid passageway, that has a first end, a second end, a right arm member, a left arm member and a top member. The body also includes a male threaded nipple connected to a ball valve, and the nipple has a shutoff valve that allows a user to cut off flow from the nipple to the device. The second end of the body further has two arm members with hose adapters that allow hoses or other fluid conduits to be attached to the device, to allow water or other fluid to flow through the device and into a water main or fluid infrastructure for flushing, cleaning or treatment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 107,486, which was filed on Oct. 30, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to the field of fluid-handling devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a water main flushing device that can be attached to a water main or other water outlet for maintenance, flow monitoring and other suitable purposes. The device is comprised of a generally T-shaped, hollow body that has a first end, a second end, a right arm member, a left arm member and a top member. The first end of the body has a continuous opening providing access to a fluid passageway and which can attached to a water main via a threaded connection. The body also includes a nipple that can receive any brass threaded ball valve known in the art. The nipple has a shutoff valve that all...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a system for cleaning and maintaining service infrastructure, such as water mains, using a device that can be attached to the outlets of the infrastructure. The device has a hollow body with a fluid passageway and a number of features to improve its performance, such as vortex-inducing protrusions or grooves and a male threaded nipple for connecting to brass-threaded ball valves. The device can be easily attached and removed from the infrastructure and can flush the infrastructure using readily available water or fluid sources. The technical effects of this system are improved control and efficiency in flushing water mains and other fluid infrastructure.

Problems solved by technology

Flushing or similar processing is used to maintain water quality, manage water main quality and provide regular flow by removing sediments and other contaminants that may accumulate within the mains, potentially causing clogging and interrupting the flow of the fluid traveling through the main or other conduits.

Water main, conduit and other infrastructure flushing is typically done by sending a rapid flow of water or other fluid through the mains, conduits or other infrastructure, which is a difficult, time consuming and labor-intensive process.

Further, if water or fluid cannot be adequately controlled while flowing through the main or conduit, the main, conduit and other infrastructure and any property or other service locations that the piping or conduits runs through, can be damaged or the piping leading to the property can fail, thereby necessitating expensive repairs.

In addition, some water mains, conduits and other infrastructure can neither be easily accessed, nor easily flushed due to a lack of a readily available water or fluid source.

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