STREET COURSE WITH POSITIONING AID

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a street drain

[0002] From JP 4 356 193 B2, which represents the closest prior art, a maintenance shaft is known that has a base plate on which a lower section is mounted, the lower section having a cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall of the lower section has openings that allow the connection of inlet and outlet pipes to the maintenance shaft via flexible, rubber-elastic, tubular connection elements. A surface is marked on the upper surface of the base plate to facilitate positioning the lower section on the base plate in a defined position – namely, on this marked surface. For this purpose, the markings can be point-like, i.e., as corner points of a surface; or they can be linear, i.e., as lines that delineate such a surface; or they can be area-like, i.e., by marking the entire surface, e.g., with paint.

[0003] The alignment of the base plate itself, before the lower part is mounted on it, is also made easier in this maintenance shaft, namely by means of a through-hole, the vertical central axis of which will later intersect the horizontal central axes of the tubular connection elements - and thus also of the inlet and outlet pipes - in use, as well as by means of grooves that indicate where the inlet and outlet pipes will run, since these grooves will later run below the central axes of the inlet and outlet pipes in use.

[0004] Other publications address other aspects of aligning building components that are to be installed in the ground: DE 10 2011 001 082 A1 discloses a device for leveling manhole covers, and CN 208 792 483 U discloses a multi-part manhole. Both documents disclose that components have a centering collar to precisely align stacked components so that they share a common central axis or their respective central axes are congruent. DE 296 10 934 U1 discloses a sewer manhole. Swivel clamping sleeves allow for adjustment in the area of ​​a socket joint, enabling, for example, multi-axis variable adjustment of a manhole cover to a usable surface contour in the event of installation errors. From JP 4-289 331 a method is known for creating a shaft component by introducing a hole for an outlet pipe at a specific location in a cylindrical body.The cylindrical body is held with its central axis vertically aligned. A drill bit is mounted radially to the cylindrical body in a specific position. The cylindrical body can be rotated about its central axis and brought into a specific angular position using a scale and pointer, and the drill bit is height-adjustable so that a precise location on the circumference of the cylindrical body can be determined where the hole for the outlet pipe is to be created. US Patent 2006 / 0000157 A1 discloses a template for a road drain, the dimensions of which correspond to an element to be installed on the ground surface of an open-topped structure located in the ground. This template can be repeatedly placed on top of and removed from the structure, allowing the structure to be gradually adjusted and aligned so that the permanently remaining element, e.g., the drain, can later be positioned.For example, a cast iron component weighing 125 to 250 kg can be installed precisely on the structure at the floor surface.

[0005] When installing a street drain, depending on its design and especially the shape of its inlet opening, it can be crucial to align the drain's position with the curb, particularly if the inlet opening is to be directly adjacent to a curb. The problem is that, typically, the curb has either not yet been laid or an existing curb has been removed during drain installation. This is often because, for example, elements of the drain extend beneath the curb, meaning the curb can only be laid after the drain is installed.

[0006] In practice, this can lead to significant delays in construction progress. While the individual components of the road drain often have a weight that allows them to be handled without lifting equipment or similar aids, the total weight of the road drain can be well over 100 kg. Therefore, if a correction to the position of the road drain becomes necessary and this is only discovered when the curb is being laid, such a correction involves considerable effort and a corresponding loss of time.

[0007] The present invention is based on the objective of improving a street drain of the known type in such a way that its installation involves less work.

[0008] The problem is solved by a street drain according to the features of claim 1, by a kit according to the features of claim 1. 11and by a method according to the features of claim 13. Features of the invention are discussed below, with advantageous embodiments of the invention being described, inter alia, in the dependent claims.

[0009] These design features can be implemented in connection with the invention or be independently inventive, and they can be implemented either individually and independently of each other or in any combination, including the implementation of all the aforementioned features, unless a combination is expressly or technically excluded.

[0010] In other words, the invention proposes a marking on at least one of the lower components of the road drain, which serves to align the road drain with the planned course of a curb, even before the road drain or the curb is completed. Measures for any necessary position correction, in particular the dismantling of the road drain or the curb, can be avoided, thus significantly reducing the workload for installing the road drain.

[0011] The proposed marking can be dot-shaped or linear and can be attached to the drain. The drain can have one or more elements such as a step, offset, projection, recess, or similar feature at a defined position, which can constitute a proposed marking according to the invention. It is essential that the marking on the drain is located where a side surface of the curb facing the roadway will later be substantially above the drain, specifically in the so-called connection plane. This allows for a procedure during drain installation in which the planned curb alignment is clarified using a temporary aid, for example, a taut string, a (laser) light line, or the like.The marked road drain can therefore be correctly aligned using the temporary aid before the curb is laid, so that later corrections are not necessary.

[0012] It is advantageous to mark the road drain on one of the components that are installed first. In case of necessary adjustments, the lightest possible weight needs to be handled, as the road drain is not yet complete. Therefore, it is particularly beneficial if the mark is placed on the first component to be installed, i.e., the lowest component, which is placed on a prepared subgrade. This could, for example, be the base plate of the road drain.If this base plate is correctly aligned below the temporary aid using the markings, it is then ensured that the subsequently completed road drain will be correctly aligned, so that when the kerbstone is laid, the kerbstone will connect to the inlet openings of the road drain as desired.

[0013] The marking can be permanently attached to a component of the road drainage system, for example as a point, or in the form of two point marks lying on a line, or the marking can be designed in the form of a (dashed) line, in each case the marking being intended to be aligned under the linear temporary aid.

[0014] If the marking is only a point, there is a risk that, although the marking may be correctly aligned under the linear temporary aid, the drain will be installed around this marking, as if around a pivot point, at an incorrect angle. Consequently, the drain will still not be correctly aligned with the curb. Therefore, a second marking can be advantageous if the first is only a point. The second marking serves to angularly align the relevant component of the drain, thus avoiding the aforementioned rotational error.For example, the second marking can serve to align the component bearing the marking—be it a part of the road drain or a template, which will be discussed later—in a desired direction, for example, perpendicular to the future curb and, accordingly, perpendicular to the linear temporary aid. For example, the second marking can be designed as a line, as is the case in the illustrated and explained embodiment, which consists of several elongated holes.

[0015] Alternatively, instead of permanently attaching the marking to a component of the road drain, the marking itself can also be attached to or in a temporary aid, for example to a template that is placed on a component of the road drain during installation in order to align this component correctly, with the temporary aid then being removed from the component of the road drain.

[0016] In one embodiment, the template can have a contact surface, designated as a guide edge, which rests against another contact surface of a component, designated as a contact edge, for aligning the road drain. In accordance with the present proposal, the contact surface can be configured as a point, a line, or an area. Crucially, in this embodiment, the guide edge and the contact edge lie on a horizontal plane, in which the marking is also arranged. For a particularly simple embodiment, for example, in the form of a template designated as a positioning disc, the template itself, which carries the marking, can have the guide edge without any further elements, advantageously on a circumferential side surface of the template that forms the contact area. Advantageously, in this or another embodiment of the invention, the guide edge and / or contact edge can be oriented essentially vertically.The invention is based on the idea that the guide edge and the contact edge initially serve to position the template and component relative to each other as intended, so that the component can then be aligned along the temporary aid using the marking of the template.

[0017] A template in the form of a positioning disc is particularly advantageous in this case. For aligning the road drain, it can be placed on a base plate. A circular, upwardly projecting centering collar on the base plate ensures unambiguous positioning of the positioning disc by arranging the disc within an interior space formed by the collar. The radially inner wall of the centering collar forms the contact edge of the base plate, which rests against the guide edge of the positioning disc, flush with the marking. Preferably, the interior space is dimensioned such that the positioning disc can be arranged with virtually no play, allowing the base plate to be aligned as precisely and easily as possible using the marking on the temporary aid, thus virtually eliminating handling errors.

[0018] A linear marking can be provided on a template resembling a positioning disc. The essentially flat positioning disc is advantageously circular. The linear marking consists of several recesses in the positioning disc arranged in a line. The positioning disc serves as a template that does not form a permanent part of the road drainage system, but is used only during installation and is subsequently removed after the relevant component has been correctly aligned, allowing it to be reused.

[0019] Advantageously, the positioning disc features a cross formed by two elongated holes positioned at right angles to each other. The center of the cross serves as a first marker and is designed to be aligned vertically and precisely beneath the linear temporary guide. One of the cross's elongated holes represents a relatively short line, which should also run exactly beneath the linear temporary guide. The other elongated hole forms part of the longer line, previously mentioned, which consists of four elongated holes and serves as a second marker. This line should be aligned at a right angle to the future curb edge and, consequently, at a right angle to the linear temporary guide.Furthermore, the positioning disc advantageously has two arrows pointing towards the edge of the roadway, for example, towards a sidewalk, thus ensuring that the positioning disc, and consequently the entire street drain, is not accidentally mounted in a 180° incorrect rotational position. Finally, the positioning disc is advantageously also provided with a circular handle opening, which allows the positioning disc to be grasped and handled.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, a guide edge of the template can be provided below a marking plane, which is suitable for contact with a component's contact edge. In one embodiment, the template can have one or more stops extending upwards and / or downwards from the marking plane. The surface bearing the marking is referred to here as the top of the template, so that an upwardly extending stop is located on the top surface.

[0021] Preferably, the stop is arranged on the underside, for example in the form of a pin or the like. To align the road drain, such a template is first placed on a component and then moved along the component until the guide edge of the mounting edge is in contact with it. In an alternative embodiment, several stops can be provided, in particular downward-facing stops, especially multiple pins, screws, or similar devices. In this case, the stops can enforce a precise positioning of the template by counteracting any relative movement perpendicular to the guide edge when the template is properly placed on the component.For a base plate with a circular, upward-projecting centering collar, the template can, for example, rest axially on the centering collar. Two downward-extending stops, each with a guide edge, can largely counteract relative movement in the radial direction of the centering collar, provided the guide edges are positioned at a distance essentially equal to the inner diameter of the centering collar. Any remaining relative movement in the tangential direction, if present, has no effect on the correct alignment of the road drain with the planned curb in such a circular component like the base plate described above.

[0022] In contrast to the previously described template, the template now described, in a particularly preferred embodiment, is dimensioned such that, due to its size, it cannot be inserted into the interior of the centering collar, but rather rests on the centering collar. For the purposes of this proposal, a plug-in element refers to a component or a section of a component that serves to create a positive fit with another component, whereby the positive fit primarily serves to align the components relative to each other. The centering collar is to be understood as an example of a plug-in element. Furthermore, the positive fit can stabilize the components during the assembly phase.

[0023] A template resting on a component with a downward-extending guide edge offers several advantages in practical handling: firstly, a template that rests on the component and extends beyond any connecting elements can be very easily placed and removed. It should be considered that the working environment for a road drain is likely to be quite humid, so objects can easily slip from the grasp. Similarly, it can be problematic for a person handling the template to remove, for example, a positioning disc from inside a base plate, as the surrounding edge – the guide edge – is inaccessible due to the surrounding centering collar. Handling is further complicated if the person handling the template is wearing gloves. Secondly, placing the template on the component ensures, particularly advantageously, that the template is removed again after the component has been aligned.Practical experience has shown that the template is frequently forgotten. The particularly inventive aspect here is that a template placed on top of the existing one blocks further installation of components, making it practically impossible to forget the template.

[0024] Returning to the situation described at the beginning, namely that when installing the road drain it can be important to align the position of the road drain with the course of the kerb if the inlet openings are to connect directly to the kerb, the road drain accordingly has a structurally provided connection plane, namely the vertical plane in which an upper component of the road drain borders the kerb.Even before the road drain is installed and before the curb is laid, the individual components of the road drain are adapted to this connection level in such a way that, after completion of the road drain, its individual components interact in such a way that the aforementioned upper component, for example a so-called conical plate or a cover with openings lying on it, reaches up to the connection level but does not protrude beyond it, so that the curb can be laid without collision, which also reaches up to the connection level with its roadway-facing edge and thus connects to the upper component of the road drain.The proposal stipulates that one of the lower components, advantageously the lowest component, of the road drain has a marking that lies in the connection plane, or at least substantially in the connection plane, and clarifies this connection plane by extending as little as possible beyond the connection plane.

[0025] The invention further proposes a kit for a road drain comprising several components, wherein the road drain is designed to abut a curb in a vertically extending connection plane. The further components include a base plate having a centering collar, a pipe stub designated as the lower part, which is dimensioned such that the lower part can be placed on the base plate receiving the centering collar, and a conical plate with an attachment, the attachment being designed to be supported by the conical plate. Crucially, the kit includes a template having at least one marking, the template being designed to rest against a component for aligning the component with the connection plane such that the marking lies within the connection plane.

[0026] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for installing a road drain, wherein the road drain – as before – is to be connected to a curb along a vertically extending connection plane. As proposed, a subgrade is prepared on which the intended road drain is to be erected, for example, by ensuring the load-bearing capacity of the soil through soil replacement or the like. Additionally, it may be necessary to level the plan. Advantageously, a string can be stretched or a (laser) light line installed as a temporary linear aid, running along the planned curb and thus in the connection plane. For sufficient leveling, it may also be necessary for the temporary aid to extend not only in the connection plane but also at the level of the planned inlet opening.Taking into account the total height of the planned road drain, which was determined in advance, for example, by stacking the components of the road drain, the subgrade can now be leveled accordingly.

[0027] Following the preparation of the subgrade, the lowest component of the road drain is proposed to be placed on the subgrade. For example, a base plate can be laid on the subgrade for this purpose.

[0028] The essential aspect of the invention is the alignment of a component using a marking arranged on the component. By arranging the marking in the connection plane, the road drain is correctly positioned without the need for subsequent correction or the like. A temporary aid can be used to visualize the connection plane, in particular a linear temporary aid such as a taut string, a (laser) light line, or the like.

[0029] Particularly advantageous is the alignment of the lowest component, which is achieved using a template with markings. The template is placed against the component for alignment and then removed afterward. Alternatively, one or more additional components can be placed on top of the lowest component, and one of these components is then aligned. However, the greatest advantage of the present proposal is realized by aligning the lowest component, as in this case, the weight of only one component needs to be shifted, if necessary, to align the road drain.

[0030] After aligning the component, preferably the lowest component, further components are assembled to install the road drain.

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the purely schematic representations, whereby individual features or a combination of features of the illustrated exemplary embodiments may also be implemented independently of the other design of the respective exemplary embodiments in a proposed road flow. This shows Fig. 1 Cross-section through an installation situation of a road drain with adjacent curb, Fig. 2 Perspective view from above of a first embodiment of a partially installed road drain with inserted template, Fig. 3 Top view of the template made of Fig. 2 , Fig. 4 Top view of a second embodiment of a partially assembled road drain with inserted template, and Fig. 5 Side view of the template made of Fig. 4 .

[0032] Fig. 1 This figure illustrates a typical installation situation of a street drain 1 with an adjacent curb 2. The lowest component is a base plate 11 with a centering collar 12, on which a lower part 10 with an outlet 15 is mounted. A conical plate 9 with a cover 8 is positioned on top of the lower part 10. Generally, the cover 8 serves to hold a cover having an inlet opening 7. The cover 8 is directly adjacent to the curb 2. This essentially vertical interface is referred to as the connection plane 3 in the context of the present invention. For a low-maintenance street drain 1, it is crucial that the street drain 1 preferably connects directly to the curb 2. In practice, this precise positioning repeatedly leads to problems, such that the distance between the installed street drain 1 and the curb 2 is too great, potentially requiring labor-intensive corrective measures.

[0033] A perspective view from above of a first embodiment of a partially assembled street drain 1 with inserted template 16 is shown in Fig. 2 The lowest component, in this case a base plate 11 made of a concrete material with an upwardly projecting, circular centering collar 12, is already arranged on the substrate that will support the future road drain 1. The centering collar 12 surrounds an interior space 14 in which a template 16, similar to a positioning disc, is inserted. The inner diameter of the centering collar 12 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the positioning disc, ensuring that the positioning disc is fitted with minimal play for precise alignment of the road drain 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the positioning disc serves to provide a marking 4 on the lowest component of the road drain 1.

[0034] A linear temporary aid is in Fig. 2 designed in the form of a taut string 22, with the base plate 11 being, for illustrative reasons, in Fig. 2 The positioning disc has not yet been properly aligned for the later connection of the street drain 1 to a curb 2. Among other things, the positioning disc has two arrows pointing towards the planned edge of the roadway, for example, towards a sidewalk. In this example, the sidewalk level is indicated by some paving stones. The arrows ensure that the positioning disc, and therefore later the entire street drain 1, is not unintentionally mounted in a 180° incorrect orientation. The circular handle opening 23 simplifies gripping and handling of the positioning disc.

[0035] The circumferential edge of the positioning disc forms the guide edge 17 of the template 16, which rests against the radially inner wall of the centering collar 12, designated as the contact edge 18.

[0036] Fig. 3 shows a top view of template 16 from Fig. 2 A circular positioning disc with a cross formed by two elongated holes at right angles to each other is visible. A first marking 4 is indicated by the center point of the intersecting elongated holes. For positioning, this center point must be aligned exactly vertically below the linear temporary aid, i.e., the string 22 or similar. Furthermore, one elongated hole of the cross is visible as a relatively short line 5, which runs exactly below the linear temporary aid for positioning. The other elongated hole of the cross is part of the longer line 6, formed by four elongated holes, which serves as the second marking 4 and must be aligned at a right angle to the future curb 2 and, accordingly, at a right angle to the linear temporary aid.

[0037] A top view of a second embodiment of a partially assembled road drain 1 with an inserted template 16 is shown in Fig. 4 As shown, a base plate 11 with a centering collar 12 forms the lowest component of the road drain 1. In contrast to the first embodiment, the template 16 in this second embodiment is arranged resting on the centering collar 12. It can be seen that the template 16 extends radially over the outer circumference of the centering collar 12. In this configuration, it is therefore not possible to place another component on the base plate 11 without first removing the template 16.

[0038] Furthermore, in contrast to the first embodiment, in Fig. 4 Two crosses are visible, each formed by two elongated holes intersecting at right angles. The crosses each serve the same marking function, which has already been discussed in detail for the first embodiment. However, it is now provided that the template 16 can be used flexibly for street drains 1 of different dimensions, in particular for street drains 1 with differently sized covers 8, which is indicated in the drawing by the visible numbers. Arrows on the template 16 serve – as previously described – to indicate the position of a sidewalk or the like, with the aim of preventing an incorrect rotation angle of the street drain 1.

[0039] In Fig. 4 already indicated, in the Fig. 5 side view of template 16 shown Fig. 4However, two stops in the form of screw pins 21 are more clearly visible. These extend both upwards – in the shape of the pin head – and downwards from the template 16, and each has a guide edge 17. In contrast to the first embodiment of the road drain 1, in the second embodiment the marking plane 20 is not arranged in the same plane as the contact plane 19. The spacing of the guide edges 17 from one another is adjusted depending on the spacing of the contact edge(s) 18 of the component. Reference symbol:

[0040] 1 Street drain 2 Curb 3 Connection level 4 Marking 5 Short line 6 Long line 7 Inlet opening 8 Attachment 9 Cone plate 10 Base 11 Base plate 12 Centering collar 14 Interior 15 Outlet 16 Template 17 Guide edge 18 Mounting edge 19 Mounting level 20 Marking level 21 Pin 22 Cord 23 Handle opening

Claims

1. Road gully (1), having an inlet opening (7), and having further components arranged below the inlet opening (7), wherein, when in use, the road gully (1) is directly adjacent in a vertically extending connection plane (3) to a kerb (2), and wherein one of the lower components of the road gully (1) has a marking (4) which is positioned substantially in the connection plane (3).

2. Road gully (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the lowest component of the road gully (1) is provided with the marking (4).

3. Road gully according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lowest component is a base plate (11).

4. Road gully according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the marking (4) is configured in the manner of a template (16), which is temporarily attachable to a component of the road gully (1) and removable from the component again.

5. Road gully according to Claim 4, characterized in that the template (16) has an alignment edge (17) which abuts in the horizontal plane of the marking (14) against an abutment edge (18) of a component.

6. Road gully (1) according to Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the base plate (11) has a circular, upwardly projecting centring collar (12), and the template (16) is configured as a positioning disc, wherein a radially inner wall of the centring collar (12) forms the abutment edge (18) for the alignment edge (17) of the positioning disc.

7. Road gully (1) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the positioning disc is dimensioned in such a way that it is placeable with little play into an interior space (14) created by the centring collar (12).

8. Road gully (1) according to Claim 4, characterized in that the template (16) has at least one alignment edge (17) which abuts below a horizontal plane, referred to as a marking plane (20), of the marking (14) against an abutment edge (18) of a component.

9. Road gully (1) according to Claim 8, characterized in that a stop extending upwards and / or downwards from the marking plane (20) has the alignment edge (17).

10. Road gully (1) according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that a first component has a plug element which is configured to provide a form fit with a second component, wherein the plug element has the abutment edge (18) and the template (16) abuts on the plug element in such a way that the template (16) blocks a form fit.

11. Construction kit for a road gully (1) having multiple components, wherein the road gully (1) is intended to be adjacent in a vertically extending connection plane (3) to a kerb (2), having a base plate (11) which has a centring collar (12), having a pipe connecting piece, referred to as a bottom part (10), which is dimensioned in such a way that the bottom part (10) is mountable onto the base plate (11) so as to receive the centring collar (12), having a cone plate (9) and an attachment (8), wherein the attachment (8) is configured to be supported by the cone plate (9), and wherein the construction kit comprises a template (16) having at least one marking (4), wherein the template (16) is intended to abut against a component for alignment of the component with the connection plane (3) in such a way that the marking (4) lies substantially in the connection plane (3).

12. Construction kit according to Claim 11, characterized in that the road gully (1) is designed according to one of Claims 1 to 10.

13. Method for installing a road gulley (1), wherein the road gully (1) is to be adjacent along a vertically extending connection plane (3) to a kerb (2), comprising the following working steps: • producing a load-bearing formation level, • mounting a lowest component of the road gully (1) onto the formation level and / or mounting a component onto a further component, • aligning a component, wherein the aligned component has a marking (4), by positioning the marking (4) in the connection plane (3), and • mounting further components for installation of the road gully (1).

14. Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that the lowest component is aligned, and in that, for the alignment, a template (16) having the marking (4) is used, wherein, after the alignment, the template (16) is removed from the component again.

15. Method according to Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the road gully (1) is designed according to one of Claims 1 to 10.