Manhole cover

Abstract

The present invention concerns a manhole having anti-tilt means of a crown member relative to the frame two which it is hinged. According to the invention, the manhole is characterised in that the housing (11) of the lug (12) and the hinge head (9) comprise form-fitting means (18, 19), for example such as a slot (18) of the head (9) and at least one protruding portion (19) secured in the housing (11) of the lug (12) and engaging to prevent the head (9) from tilting out of the housing (11) of the lug (12) when the crown member (5) is in the upright position of same. The invention is applicable in the field of road equipment.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates generally to roadway manholes as known from document WO 2007 / 012758 A2.

[0002] A known road manhole as partially represented in figures 1 à 3 comprises a frame 1 intended to be sealed in the roadway and comprising a peripheral wall 2 delimiting an internal opening for access to a manhole made in the roadway and a crowning element 3, such as a cover or cover or a grid, connected to the peripheral wall 2 of the frame 1 by means of an articulation device.

[0003] The hinge device allows the crowning element 3 to pivot between a frame closing position 1 shown in figure 1 and an opening position of this frame at which the crowning element 3 is erected approximately vertically or inclined outwards as shown in figures 2 And 3to allow an intervening person to access the roadway inspection chamber through the opening in frame 1.

[0004] The articulation device comprises an articulation head constituted in the present case by a substantially cylindrical barrel 5 secured to the crowning element 3 externally to the latter by means of a tenon 6.

[0005] The barrel 5 is removably and rotationally limited embedded in a housing arranged in an ear 7 secured to the peripheral wall 2 of the frame 1 outside this wall.

[0006] When the frame 1 and the crowning element 3 have a generally circular shape, the ear 7 projects radially from the annular peripheral wall 2 of the frame 1 outside the latter and the assembly with shaft 5 and tenon 6 in a T configuration projects radially outside the crowning element 3 while being located in a plane substantially parallel to the upper web 8 of the crowning element 3.

[0007] Thus, the articulation shaft 5 of the crowning element 3 to the frame 1 is mounted freely in the housing of the ear 7, that is to say without using a cylindrical articulation axis passing through the ear 7 and the shaft 5 to pivotally support the latter in the housing of the ear 7.

[0008] When the crowning element 3 occupies the upright position of opening the frame 1 shown in figure 2 , the crowning element 3 can easily tilt from one side to the other in its plane containing the web 8, in particular for a crowning element 3 of large size, for example with a diameter of at least 800 mm, and thus of very high weight. Indeed, for a crowning element of large size and relatively high weight, the forces which can be accidentally exerted on the articulation shaft 5 cause a tilting of this shaft in its longitudinal median plane tending to remove the shaft 5 from the housing of the ear 7 as shown in figure 3 to cause the crowning element 3 to fall out of the frame 1, risking serious injury to people near this frame.

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome the above drawback of known road manholes.

[0010] To this end, the invention provides a roadway manhole comprising a crowning element, such as a cover or cover, a frame and an articulation device connecting the crowning element to the frame and allowing this element to pivot between a closed position of the frame and an open position of the frame in which the crowning element is erected approximately vertically or inclined outwards, the articulation device comprising an articulation head secured to the crowning element, removably embedded and with limited rotation in a housing arranged in an ear of the frame and which is characterized in that the housing of the ear and the articulation head comprise means with complementary shapes cooperating to prevent the head from tilting out of the housing of the ear when the crowning element occupies its erect position.

[0011] The form-fitting means comprise at least one slot in the head transverse to a longitudinal direction of the head and separating the latter into two parts axially spaced from each other and at least one projecting part fixed in the housing of the ear, extending perpendicular to the head and housed in the slot in the head when the crowning element occupies its upright position to prevent the head from tilting in its longitudinal median plane out of the housing of the ear in this upright position.

[0012] Preferably, the head is secured to the crowning element by means of a tenon comprising a slot in the extension of the slot of the head and in which the projecting part also engages when the crowning element occupies its upright position.

[0013] Advantageously, the head extends in a plane substantially parallel to the veil of the crowning element.

[0014] The ear is secured to the frame on the outside of the latter and is shaped like a yoke and the projecting part is secured to the bottom of the housing in the yoke and to the internal face of the wall forming the core of the yoke.

[0015] Preferably, the slot in the head separates the latter into two parts of the same length.

[0016] The tenon is engaged through the corresponding opening of a peripheral wall of the frame in the closed position of the crowning element in the frame and which projects outside the ear above it in the upright position of the crowning element.

[0017] Preferably, the cap member and frame have a generally circular shape and the ear extends radially outward from the frame while the T-shaped tenon and head extend radially from the cap member.

[0018] There is also provided a crowning element, such as a cover or cover, intended for a roadway manhole, comprising a head secured to the crowning element by means of a tenon to form part of a device for articulating this element to a frame of the roadway manhole and which is characterized in that the head comprises at least one transverse slot separating the head into two equal parts axially spaced from each other and the tenon comprises a slot in the extension of the slot of the head.

[0019] The capping element advantageously has a circular shape and the T-shaped tenon and head extend radially from the capping element.

[0020] Finally, a frame is provided for a roadway manhole comprising a peripheral wall delimiting an internal opening and a lug secured to the peripheral wall outside the latter, which lug delimits an internal housing intended to receive an articulation part of a crowning element and which is characterized in that the lug comprises at least one projecting part fixed in the housing of the lug.

[0021] Preferably, the ear is shaped like a yoke and the projecting part is secured to the bottom of the yoke housing and to the internal face of the wall forming the core of the yoke.

[0022] The invention will be better understood and other aims, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of example illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which: there figure 1 is a partial perspective view representing a known roadway manhole where the crowning element connected to the frame by an articulation device occupies its frame closing position; the figure 2 is a partial perspective view from the front according to figure II of the figure 1 and showing the crowning element occupying its normal frame-opening position; figure 3 is a partial perspective view similar to that of the figure 2 and showing the crowning element accidentally tipping out of frame 1; the figure 4 is a partial perspective view showing a road manhole crowning element occupying the frame closing position and connected to the frame by an articulation device according to the invention; figure 5 is a partial perspective similar to that of the figure 4 and showing the crowning element in its upright position with the frame open; figure 6 is a partial perspective view of the crowning element provided with its articulation in accordance with the invention; figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the frame provided with the external ear for housing the articulation shaft of the crowning element of the figure 6 ; there figure 8 is a partial top view of the road manhole whose crowning element occupies its frame closing position; the figure 9 is a sectional view along line IX-IX of the figure 8 ; there figure 10 is a sectional view along line XX of the figure 8 ; there figure 11 is a partial top view of the road manhole whose crowning element occupies its upright position of opening the frame; the figure 12 is a sectional view along line XII-XII of the figure 11 ; there figure 13 is a sectional view along line XIII-XIII of the figure 11 ; there figure 14 is a front view showing the crowning element in its normal upright position with the frame open; figure 15 is a front view similar to that of the figure 14 and showing the crowning element having tilted to one side in its own plane; and the figure 16 is a view similar to that of the figure 14 showing the crowning element having tilted to the opposite side of the figure 15 in his own plan.

[0023] Referring to the figures 4 à 16 , reference 1 designates a road manhole frame, partially shown, having a generally circular shape and capable of being sealed in the ground.

[0024] The frame 1 comprises a sole surmounted by a peripheral annular wall 3 delimiting the internal opening of the frame 1 allowing access to an underground inspection shaft. The side wall 3 of the frame 1 is provided with a circular internal collar 4 projecting into the opening of the frame.

[0025] The manhole cover further comprises a crowning element 3, such as a cover or cover or a grid, also circular, which is mounted articulated, by means of an articulation device, to the frame 1 so as to occupy a horizontal lowered position for closing the circular opening of the frame 1 shown in particular in figure 4 or an opening position clearing the circular opening of the frame and in which the crowning element 3 is erected or standing at a determined angular position relative to the frame to allow an intervening person to access the roadway inspection chamber through the opening of this frame.

[0026] As shown by the figures 5 , 12 And 13, the crowning element 3 is inclined in its upright position outside the frame 1 at an angle of approximately 110° to the horizontal, but it can be raised to an approximately vertical position depending on the type of joint connecting the crowning element 3 to the frame 1.

[0027] The crowning element 3 comprises an upper plane web 7 and a peripheral edge 8 projecting from the internal face of the web 7 and capable of coming to bear on the seat collar 4 of the frame 1 when the crowning element 3 occupies its position of closing the frame 1 as shown in figures 9 And 10 .

[0028] The articulation device comprises an articulation head constituted in this embodiment by a substantially cylindrical barrel 9, in the present case with a substantially cam-shaped cross-section, secured to the crowning element 3 preferably by means of a tenon 10 configuring the barrel 9 and tenon 10 assembly in a T. This assembly projects outside and radially from the peripheral edge 8 of the crowning element 3 while being situated substantially in a plane parallel to the plane of the web 7 of the crowning element 3.

[0029] The articulation barrel 9 is removably embedded in a housing 11 arranged in an ear 12 secured to the peripheral wall 3 of the frame 1 outside the latter.

[0030] The ear 12 has the general shape of a yoke with side walls 13 integral with the side wall 3 of the frame 1 substantially perpendicular to the latter and a core-forming wall 14 connected to the two side walls 13.

[0031] The articulation barrel 9 is mounted with limited rotation in the housing 11 of the yoke ear 12 between its two opening and closing positions of the frame 1.

[0032] Indeed, first of all, as is clear from the figure 7 , the housing 11 of the ear 12 comprises in the vicinity of the two side walls 13 two arcuate segments 15, of which only one is visible, serving as support bearings respectively for the two ends of the articulation shaft 9.

[0033] Thus, the hinge shaft 9 is not supported in the housing 11 of the ear 12 by a cylindrical pivot axis passing through the side walls 13 of the ear 12 and the shaft 9, that is to say that the shaft 9 is freely pivotally mounted in the ear 12. Furthermore, the crowning element 3 can be removed from the housing 11 of the ear 12 of the frame 1 when it occupies its vertical standing position.

[0034] The peripheral wall 3 of the frame 1 comprises an opening 16 communicating with the housing 11 of the ear 12 and through which the tenon 10 of the crowning element 3 can move freely during pivoting by the articulation shaft 9 of the crowning element 3 between its two open and closed positions of the frame 1.

[0035] The length of the opening 16 along the peripheral wall 3 of the frame is less than the length of the core-forming wall 14 of the lug 12 so that the two lateral edges 3a of the wall 3 delimiting the opening 16 are connected in the upper part to the two lateral walls 13 of the lug 12 by two upper walls 17 whose upper face is located in the same plane as the upper faces of the walls 13, 14 of the lug 12 delimiting the upper edges of the lug 12.

[0036] When the crowning element 3 occupies its horizontal position of closing the frame 1, the two upper walls 17 prevent the removal of the articulation barrel 9 from the housing 11 and the ear 12.

[0037] Finally, when the crowning element 3 occupies its upright and inverted position of clearance from the opening of the frame 1 shown in particular in figure 12 , the tenon 10 rests on the upper edge of the core-forming wall 14 of the ear 12, projecting externally above this ear, and the articulation shaft 9 rests at its two ends on the two internal faces of the wall parts of the peripheral wall 3 delimiting the opening 16 and located opposite the two bearing segments 15, thus locking the crowning element 3 in this upright position.

[0038] Although not shown, the crowning element 3 is locked in its position closing the opening of the frame 1 by a lock located opposite the articulation device and comprising a bolt engaged under a strike plate of the frame 1.

[0039] According to the invention, the articulation barrel 9 comprises a slot 18 made transversely to the longitudinal axis of the barrel which is thus separated into two parts 9a axially spaced from each other and of the same length and the lug 12 comprises a projecting part constituted in the present case by a gusset 19 fixed in the housing 11 of this lug in a plane perpendicular to the web-forming wall 14 of the lug 12. The gusset 19, which can come from casting with the frame 1, is integral with the bottom of the housing 11 of the left lug 12 and with the internal face of the web-forming wall 14 of this lug. In addition, the gusset 19 extends perpendicularly to the articulation barrel 9 and is housed or engaged in the slot 18 of this barrel when the crowning element 3 occupies the closed or open position of the frame 1.

[0040] The tenon 10 also comprises a slot 20 extending in the extension of the slot 18 of the articulation shaft 9, the slots 18 and 20 in fact forming a single slot. When the crowning element 3 occupies its horizontal position of closing the frame 1, the gusset 19 is dimensioned so as not to engage in the slot 20 of the tenon 10, but when the crowning element 3 occupies its upright position, the gusset 19 is not only engaged in the slot 18 of the articulation shaft 9 but also in the slot 20 of the tenon 10.

[0041] The presence of the gusset 19 and the slots 18, 20 of the articulation shaft 9 and the tenon 10 does not cause any hindrance when the crowning element 3 pivots between its two positions of opening and closing the frame 1.

[0042] With particular reference to the figures 14 à 16 , there figure 14 shows the crowning element 3 in its normal upright position when opening the frame 1 and in which the gusset 19 is housed in the two slots 18, 1 of the hinge shaft 9 and the tenon 10.

[0043] Given the relatively large dimensions of the crowning element 3, which may have a diameter of at least 800 mm, and consequently the relatively high weight of this element, the latter can easily accidentally tip over in its plane containing the wall 7 for various reasons, for example when it is subjected to a relatively strong wind.

[0044] THE figures 15 And 16show the clockwise and anticlockwise tilting of the crowning element 3 symbolized by figures F1 and F2 and which is opposed by the gusset 19 housed in the slots 18, 20 of the articulation shaft 9 and the tenon 10. In fact, during the tilting of the crowning element 3 according to the arrow F1 or F2, the articulation shaft 9 tends to tilt out of the housing 11 in its longitudinal median plane to the position shown in figure 15 Or 16 to which the tilting is prevented or stopped by the gusset 19 on the two opposite faces of which the diagonally opposite parts of the parallel faces delimiting the slots 18, 20 come to bear, thus preventing the barrel from coming out of the housing 11.

[0045] Alternatively, the articulation shaft 9 may not be secured to the crowning element 3 via the tenon 10, but may be secured directly to this element by arranging the ear 12 in the frame 1, that is to say by securing it to the internal face of the peripheral wall 9 of the frame 1. Furthermore, the slot 18 of the articulation shaft 9 may be made so as to separate the shaft 9 into two parts 9a of different lengths.

[0046] Furthermore, the anti-tilting means of the crowning element 3 relative to the frame 1 could comprise two gussets 19 fixed in the housing 11 of the yoke lug 12 by being arranged symmetrically to the median plane of the core-forming wall 14 of the lug 12 and perpendicular to this wall and which cooperate respectively with two parallel slots of the articulation shaft 9 extending transversely to the latter, the two parallel slots of the tenon 10 extending the two slots of the shaft 9 so that the two gussets are engaged in these slots in the upright position of the crowning element 3 to prevent it from accidentally tipping out of the frame 1.

[0047] The articulation device of the invention thus makes it possible to effectively prevent the crowning element from tilting in its own plane outside the frame 1 and without hindering the normal pivoting of the crowning element between its two positions of opening and closing the frame 1.

[0048] The invention has been described in application to a road manhole with a frame and a circular crowning element, but it is also understood that it can be applied to a road manhole with a rectangular frame and rectangular or triangular crowning element(s) mounted articulated to the frame in a removable manner, that is to say without being mounted pivoting on a cylindrical retaining axis.

[0049] Furthermore, the articulation head may have any other shape than that of a substantially cylindrical shaft. For example, the articulation head may have a shape as described and shown in French patent FR 2 758 836 and which extends in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to a radial tenon connecting the head to the circular buffer. This head has an arcuate face allowing it to pivot in the manner of a ball joint in the housing specially provided in the frame. Of course, according to this variant embodiment, the articulation head is removably housed in the ear of the cover and has the transverse slot cooperating with the projecting part to prevent tilting in its longitudinal median plane of the head and, consequently, of the buffer in its own plane, as described in the previous embodiment with articulation shaft.

Claims

1. Access aperture for a paved surface comprising a capping member (3), such as a cover or plug, a frame (1) and a hinge device connecting the capping member (3) to the frame (1) and enabling that member to pivot between a closed position of the frame (1) and an open position of the frame (1) at which the capping member (3) is raised approximately vertically or in an outwardly inclined manner, the hinge device comprising a hinge head (9) joined to the capping member (3), removably mounted with limited rotatability in a housing (11) provided in a lug (12) of the frame (1), said housing (11) of the lug (12) and the hinge head (9) comprising shape complementarity means (18, 19), characterized in that the shape complementarity means comprise at least one slot (18) of the head (9), transverse to a longitudinal direction of the head (9) and separating the latter into two parts (9a) axially spaced apart from each other and at least one projecting part (19) fastened in the housing (11) of the lug (12) and extending perpendicularly to the head (9) and housed in the slot (18) of the head (9) when the capping member (5) occupies its raised position to prevent the tipping of the head (9) in its longitudinal median plane out of the housing of the lug (12) in that raised position, such that the shape complementarity means cooperate to prevent the tipping of the head (9) out of the housing (11) of the lug (12) when the capping member (3) occupying its raised position is subjected to stresses biasing it to tip in its own plane.

2. Access aperture for a paved surface according to claim 1, characterized in that the head (9) is joined to the capping member (3) via a tenon (10) comprising a slot (20) extending in line with the slot (18) of the head (9) and in which also engages the projecting part (19) when the capping member (3) occupies its raised position.

3. Access aperture for a paved surface according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the head (9) extends in plane substantially parallel to the web (7) of the capping member (3).

4. Access aperture for a paved surface according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lug (12) is joined to the frame (1) at the outside of the latter and is configured as a clevis in that the projecting part (19) is joined to the bottom of the housing (11) in the clevis and to the inside face of the wall forming a web (14) of the clevis.

5. Access aperture for a paved surface according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the slot (18) of the head (9) separates the latter into two parts (9a) of the same length.

6. Access aperture for a paved surface according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the tenon (10) is engaged through a corresponding opening (16) of a peripheral wall (3) of the frame (1) in closed position of the capping member (3) in the frame (1) and projects outwardly of the lug (12) above the latter in raised position of the capping member (3).

7. Access aperture for a paved surface according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the capping member (3) and the frame (1) have a circular general shape and the lug (12) extends radially at the outside of the frame (1) while the tenon (10) and the head (9) of T-shaped configuration extend radially from the capping member (3).

8. Access aperture for a paved surface according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the head (9) is a substantially cylindrical body and the projecting part (19) is a gusset.

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