Eddy Valve Co. - Waterford, NY
Part 1 - 1 pc. barrel models
Eddy Valve was established in 1847 in Waterford, NY. Eddy Valve manufactured fire
hydrants until the 1940s when the company that had previously been
distributing their fire hydrants, James B. Clow and Sons, purchased the company and
began selling the hydrants as their own line. James B. Clow and Sons eventually became
Clow Valve who currently sells fire hydrants.
The evolution of the Eddy hydrant is shown on this and the next two pages as follows:
Part 1 (1 pc. barrel) ,
Part 2 (2 pc. short barrel) ,
Part 3 (2 pc. tall barrel)
The earliest Eddy model already had the operating rod threaded below the groundline, near the mainvalve, to prevent flooding in case of standpipe breakage. All Eddy hydrants have mainvalves that close against water pressure.
The short fluted bonnet design of the next Eddy hydrant, the List 90, has remained very similar from the
original model through the current Eddy model, made and sold today by Clow, and the Clow Medallion model.
The hydrants are NOT dated with year of manufacture until sometime after Clow ownership.
Early models were of 1 piece barrel design; later they were of 2 piece design.
Two large Eddy Valve logos are cast on opposite sides of the barrel. This logo underwent
several changes which is one way to determine relative vintage of an Eddy hydrant.
Five Eddy Valve Company patents have been found. Three are found on the 1 piece barrel hydrants with
the early style barrel logo shown
below. Another is associated with the multiple valve hydrants shown on the bottom of this page.
The other two patents appear to be associated with internal improvements to the hydrants:
NOV 8 1892 and
MAY 2 1911.
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This is apparently the first model manufactured by Eddy Valve. The original Bailey patent on which this hydrant is based is from 1865, revised in 1870. The first Bootman patent, which covers Eddy List 90 models, was awarded two years after the Bailey patent expired. The Bootman patent was an improvement on the original Bailey idea in which the operating rod is threaded in the vicinity of the mainvalve; thus, a broken barrel will not allow water to escape past the mainvalve. Here is a drawing and description of the hydrant from the 1886 Eddy catalog. Here is the 1886 price list with sizes available.
This Eddy model has the decorative rope design around the perimeter of the bonnet flange.
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2039
Catalog image from 1886
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All of the Eddy Valve List 90 hydrants shown on this first page have one of two styles of 6 point snowflake logos
with the script letters E V inside the circle. These logos are found either
on the sides or front & back of the barrel between the O.D. ribs, if present.
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The early style logo, shown at the left, has four circles between the snowflake points.
Note that the snowflake points are rounded. Hydrants exist with two of the snowflake points
oriented either vertically or horizontally. With most hydrants with this early style logo two
patent dates can be found on the hydrant barrel; either directly above or below the snowflake. One
is NOV.8,1892 and the other is SEPT.5,1893 on the opposite side.
The more common later style logo, shown at the right, lack the circles of the early style.
Note also the more intricate and pointed design of the 6 points of the snowflake. |
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