Gutter cover device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for covering a gutter (1) comprising covers (5) placed on the side walls (2) of the gutter (1). Each cover comprises, at a first end (9), a lock (12) comprising a rotor (15) linked to a shaft (17) capable of cooperating with a key. The rotor comprises a bolt (14) which comprises a cleat (21). At a second end of the cover (5), a striker (13) is adapted to cooperate with the bolt (14) of an adjacent cover (5). The rotor (15) of a first buffer (51) can be operated with the key between an unlocked position in which the first buffer (51) can be lifted, and a locked position in which the bolt (14) is placed under a lug (28) of the striker (13) of a second buffer, preventing the first buffer (51) from being lifted and causing the catch (21) to interfere with a stop preventing the buffers from being moved apart. figure for the abstract: figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Covering device for gutter TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of covers for covering a gutter.

[0002] It relates in particular to a device for covering a gutter, suitable for use in particular on gutters intended to receive conduits or cables.

[0003] The present invention thus relates to a gutter cover intended to secure the gutter, in order to prevent, for example, malicious acts such as theft of electrical cables. STATE OF THE ART

[0004] Roadways or other road or urban infrastructures as well as railway infrastructures commonly have gutters, that is to say a generally masonry channel which is intended to receive conduits or cables.

[0005] Conduit means any pipe, tube, or sheath suitable for the flow of a fluid. Cable means any set of insulated wires or fibers used for the transport of electricity or data, which includes electrical cables and optical fibers.

[0006] One of the preferred applications of the present invention concerns the gutters located along railway tracks, in which a multitude of cables, communication or power supply for railway equipment are installed.

[0007] These gutters often have a general “U” shape, with a horizontal bottom and two vertical side walls. One or more longitudinal internal separations may be formed, optionally, in the gutter. These gutters are generally formed from concrete.

[0008] In order to protect the cables present in these gutters and to limit access to them, it is known to cover a gutter with a succession of covering elements in the form of slabs, generally made of concrete, which rest on the vertical external walls of the gutter. This solution provides good protection to the conduits and cables against external elements and is generally sufficient to prevent damage that could be caused by people without special equipment for lifting the covering elements. This type of covering element can nevertheless be easily lifted by inserting a crowbar between the covering element and the wall of the gutter, then slid transversely to clear access to the inside of the gutter. Thus, this protection is insufficient with regard to the risks of intentional damage and cable theft.

[0009] Certain systems for securing grids on gutters are known.

[0010] For example, document EP4065788 and document EP1468148 disclose gutter or channel grilles with fixing systems allowing the grille to be locked with respect to the walls of the gutter.

[0011] However, these systems require that the walls of the gutter have a shape specially adapted for locking the grid. These solutions are therefore complex to implement, and do not allow existing and / or simple-shaped gutters to be fitted. In addition, these systems ensure that a grid is securely held on a gutter, which secures the gutter against unexpected movement of the grid. However, these systems allow opening with bare hands or with a very simple tool (such as a crowbar, for example).

[0012] Documents are also known disclosing gutter cover elements, in particular gratings, which comprise at their longitudinal ends (in the general direction of extension of the gutter) elements allowing cooperation between adjacent gratings. This is for example the case of document KR161035444. This cooperation prevents one from being able to lift a cover element without lifting the adjacent element. Nevertheless, it does not generally prevent two adjacent cover elements from being separated, with a simple crowbar, and then lifting the cover element. If the clearances between the adjacent elements are insufficient, it is necessary to dismantle all the cover elements (or a large number of cover elements) to access a given location in the gutter.

[0013] The solutions for securing a gutter, in particular a very long gutter, known in the state of the art are therefore imperfect, either in that they provide insufficient security, or in that they are complex to implement or that they cause disadvantages for carrying out maintenance or inspection operations in the gutter. Statement of the invention

[0014] The present invention thus aims to propose a gutter covering solution solving all or part of the problems mentioned above. The present invention relates to a device for covering a gutter, this gutter comprising two side walls and said gutter extending in a longitudinal direction. The covering device comprises a succession of rectangular covers, comprising a first cover and a second cover adjacent in the longitudinal direction. Each cover is configured to be placed on the side walls of the gutter, and each cover has an upper face and a lower face. The transverse direction is conventionally defined as the direction in the plane of the cover perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the vertical direction as the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction.

[0015] Each stamp has, on its lower face: - at a first longitudinal end of the buffer, a lock comprising a rotor mounted to rotate with respect to the buffer along a longitudinal axis and a shaft which extends longitudinally and which is rigidly connected to a first end of the rotor, the shaft being adapted to cooperate with a key to be actuated in rotation and to drive the rotor in rotation, the rotor comprising a second end comprising a bolt, said bolt comprising a cleat, and - at a second longitudinal end of the buffer, a striker adapted to cooperate with the bolt of an adjacent buffer, The rotor of the first buffer can be rotated with the key between: - an unlocked position in which the bolt is disengaged from the strike plate of the second buffer, so that the first buffer can be freely lifted, in the vertical direction, relative to the second buffer, and - a locked position in which the bolt is placed under a lug of the strike plate of the second buffer, which prevents the first buffer from being lifted relative to the second buffer, and in which the catch mechanically interferes with a stop of the lug, preventing longitudinal separation between the first buffer and the second buffer.

[0016] The covering device according to the present invention thus makes it possible to secure a gutter, in particular a very long gutter, such as a cable protection gutter. Each cover can only be separated from the adjacent covers using a suitable tool, namely a key. In particular, unlike known chaining devices between several covering elements, the proposed device not only prevents lifting between two covers but also prevents them from being separated longitudinally. Nevertheless, it remains possible, with the suitable key, to access the interior of the gutter at the level of a cover by unlocking the lock of the cover concerned and that of the previous cover. As a result, when the locks of the covering device are locked, the covers are secured to each other and cannot be separated.A stamp cannot be lifted individually, and the weight of the stamp combined with the surrounding stamps prevents that stamp from being lifted.

[0017] The second end of the second pad may comprise a tab on which the first longitudinal end of the first pad is superimposed.

[0018] Each buffer may include side wings intended to cover an upper portion of the side walls of the gutter.

[0019] The buffers are advantageously metallic, for example cast iron.

[0020] The shaft and the rotor can be in one piece.

[0021] The shaft can be attached to the rotor to which it is fixed, for example, by fitting, screwing, or welding.

[0022] The strike plate can be made from material with each pad.

[0023] The lock may comprise a return device tending to bring the rotor into the locked position.

[0024] The return device may be a torsion spring.

[0025] Each buffer may have an opening adapted for the passage of the key and allowing the rotation of said key in engagement with the shaft to turn the rotor between the locked and unlocked position and vice versa.

[0026] The opening may be “L” shaped on the upper face.

[0027] Each buffer may have a length, measured in the longitudinal direction, of between 50 cm and 2 m, such as 1 m.

[0028] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a U-shaped channel comprising a bottom and two substantially vertical side walls and a covering device as described above placed on the side walls of said channel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the present invention will emerge from the following non-limiting description of at least one particular embodiment of the devices and methods which are the subject of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: • [Fig.l] shows, in a three-dimensional schematic view, a gutter comprising a covering device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; • [Fig.2] shows two buffers of a cover device according to an embodiment of the present invention; • [Fig. 3] is a partial view of two adjacent buffers of a covering device according to an embodiment of the invention, mounting in particular a lock which can be used within the framework of the invention, this lock being in the unlocked position; • [Fig.4] is a partial view of two adjacent buffers of a covering device according to an embodiment of the invention, in particular mounting a lock which can be used within the framework of the invention, this lock being in the locked position; • [Fig.5] is a sectional view of the lock of [Fig.4]; • [Fig.6] is a partial view of the upper surface of two pads adjacent in one embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] The present description is given as a non-limiting example of embodiment.

[0031] [Fig.l] shows a gutter covering device 1 designed to fit securely to a gutter 1 having two side walls 2 and a bottom 3 and extending in a longitudinal direction L. This gutter can thus be considered to have a substantially “U” shaped cross-section. This type of gutter can therefore be referred to as a “U” gutter.

[0032] This type of channel, which is generally formed from concrete, is commonly used to protect conduits or electrical cables. These channels are found, for example, along railway tracks. The invention is also applicable to channels intended for the flow of a fluid (for example water) having a similar configuration.

[0033] In the example shown here, the gutter 1 comprises a longitudinal internal separation wall 4. This wall is not necessary for the implementation of the present invention.

[0034] The covering device, as seen in [Fig.l] and [Fig.2] comprises a series of rectangular pads 5 arranged successively in the longitudinal direction L of the gutter 1. Each pad 5 is configured to rest on the side walls 2 of the gutter 1.

[0035] Each pad has an upper face 6, seen by the user, and a lower face 7 which faces the inside of the gutter 1.

[0036] The pads 5 being aligned and abutted (with superposition, as explained below) in the longitudinal direction L, the transverse direction T is defined as being the direction in the plane of the pad (for example the plane of the upper surface 6) and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L.

[0037] The vertical direction V is defined as being perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction

[0038] The buffers 5 are generally oriented so that their longer sides run parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the gutter, and their shorter sides are oriented in the transverse direction T.

[0039] The buffers 5 are advantageously metallic. They can be made of cast iron, for example.

[0040] The buffers 5 may have, for example, a length (i.e. their dimension in the longitudinal direction L) of between 50 cm and 2 m. Their length may be 1 m or about 1 m. By about is meant plus or minus 20%. The width (dimension in the transverse direction) of the buffers may be, for example, between 30 cm and 1 m. Such dimensions mean that each buffer is heavy enough to be difficult to move, but can still be handled by one or two operators, or using conventional lifting equipment.

[0041] In the example shown here, the buffers 5 comprise, at their longitudinal edges, lateral wings 8. The wings 8 are substantially vertical flaps, which cover the top of the lateral walls 2 of the gutter 1 when the buffer 5 is in place, resting on said lateral walls 2.

[0042] This increases the safety and efficiency of the covering. In particular, it prevents a cover from being lifted as could be done in the absence of the wings 8 by inserting a crowbar between the cover and the upper edge of the gutter.

[0043] [Fig.2] represents in particular a first buffer 51 and a second buffer 52. The first buffer 51 and the second buffer 52 are adjacent, and therefore correspond to two successive buffers of the covering device.

[0044] The connection which is made between the first buffer 51 and the second buffer 52 is described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0045] Such a connection is nevertheless made between all the adjacent buffers of the device.

[0046] Each buffer 5 has a first end 9 and a second end 10 longitudinally opposite.

[0047] The first pad 51 is joined longitudinally to the second pad 52, the first end 9 of the first pad 51 nevertheless coming to rest on a tongue 11 formed at the second end 10 of the second pad 52. The upper surface of the tongue 11 is at the level of the lower surface of the second pad 52, so that the lower surface of the first pad 51 coming to rest on the tongue 11, the upper surface of the first pad is in the extension of the upper surface of the second pad, without difference in level.

[0048] [Fig. 3] shows the lower face 7 of the first pad 51 and the second pad 52. According to the present invention, each pad is connected to the adjacent pad(s) by a locking system which aims to prevent the pad from lifting, in the vertical direction, with respect to the adjacent pad. The locking system also aims to prevent the pad from moving apart in the longitudinal direction L, between the pad and the adjacent pad.

[0049] In other words, the aim is to secure the first buffer 51 to the second buffer 52, both in the vertical direction V and in the longitudinal direction L.

[0050] For this, the first buffer 51 (just like each buffer 5) comprises, at its first end 9 in the longitudinal direction L, a lock 12. The second buffer 52 (just like each buffer 5) comprises at its second end 10 in the longitudinal direction L a striker 13 adapted to cooperate with a bolt 14 of the lock.

[0051] In particular, the lock 12 comprises a rotor 15, which is rotatably mounted with respect to the first buffer 51 along a longitudinal axis (L1). The rotation of the rotor 15 with respect to the buffer can be guided by a support 16 which is, in the example shown, made of a single material with the first buffer 51, and which forms a bearing or a bearing support for the rotor 15.

[0052] The lock 12 comprises a shaft 17 which extends longitudinally and which is rigidly connected to a first end of the rotor 15. In the example shown, the connection between the shaft 17 and the rotor 15 is made using a screw 18 and a nut 19, this screw 18 forming a key.

[0053] The shaft 17 is thus securely attached to the rotor 15. Alternatively, the shaft and the rotor may be in one piece or the shaft may be attached to the rotor by various alternative or complementary means such as fitting, screwing, and welding.

[0054] The shaft 17 has at its other end an imprint 20, visible in [Fig. 5]. This imprint, which is not circular, makes it possible to manipulate the shaft 17 (and therefore also the rotor 15 to which the shaft 17 is connected) in rotation along the longitudinal axis L1 using a suitable tool, called a key. In particular, the tool has a tip having the corresponding shape. In the example shown, the imprint is substantially square, the suitable key therefore has a tip with a concavity (cavity) of square section, of the same dimension as the imprint apart from a functional clearance, which can be engaged on the imprint 20.

[0055] The rotor 15 comprises at its second end the bolt 14. The bolt 14 has substantially the shape of a portion of a hollow cylinder whose main axis coincides with the longitudinal axis LL. The bolt 14 comprises at its end a cleat 21. The cleat 21 here consists of an extension of the bolt 14, over a portion of arc and over a limited length of the bolt 14 from its end. More generally, the cleat 21 may constitute a protrusion projecting from the rest of the bolt, which forms a bearing surface 22 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LL.

[0056] In the unlocked position of the bolt 14 and the corresponding lock 12, shown in [Fig. 3], the first buffer 51 can be lifted. The bolt 14 does not interfere with the strike plate 13 and can escape through a notch 23 formed at the second end 10 of the second buffer 52, opposite the bolt 14 when it is in the unlocked position.

[0057] In [Fig.4] and [Fig.5], lock 12 and bolt 14 have been placed in the locked position. As seen in [Fig.5], lock 12 may include a spring 24 (or any equivalent means), advantageously a torsion spring, which tends to return and maintain lock 12 in the locked position. Thus, lock 12 can only be unlocked under the action of a key turning shaft 17.

[0058] The bolt 14 moves from the unlocked position to the locked position by turning it a quarter turn (or approximately a quarter turn) compared to the unlocked position.

[0059] This rotation is obtained by rotating a key complementary to the impression 20. For this, the key is inserted into an opening 25 formed in the buffer 5 (see [Fig.6]). The opening 25 advantageously has an “L” shape on the upper surface 6 of the buffer 5. This shape makes it possible to guide the movement of the key to unlock the lock of the buffer. Indeed, the key is inserted through a first branch 26 of the opening 25 with a certain angle with respect to the upper surface 6, and is engaged on the impression 20 by a longitudinal movement. This brings the key opposite the second branch 27 of the “L” formed by the opening 25. The key can then be tilted into the second branch 27. The key can no longer be removed while it is in the second branch 27, so that it is necessary to return the lock to the locked position to be able to remove the key.

[0060] Obviously, many other opening configurations for actuating the lock are possible.

[0061] The strike plate 13 has a lug 28. When the lock is brought into the locked position, as shown in [Fig.4] and in [Fig.5], the bolt is positioned under the lug 28, which it covers (seen from inside the gutter).

[0062] Thus, it is impossible to lift (i.e. move upwards, vertically) the first edge 9 of the first buffer 51 with respect to the second edge 10 of the second buffer 52.

[0063] Furthermore, the lug 28 forms a stop 29. If it is sought to separate the first buffer 51 and the second buffer from each other, in the longitudinal direction, while the lock 12 and the bolt 14 are in the locked position, the cleat 21 opposes this separation by mechanical interference with the stop 29. In particular, the bearing surface 22 of the cleat 21 comes to bear on a surface opposite the stop 29, which prevents two adjacent buffers from being separated.

[0064] It is further noted that both in the locked position and in the unlocked position, the encasing of the bolt 14 in the strike plate 12 prevents relative lateral movements between two adjacent covers. In practice, when the covers comprise wings 8, such lateral movement is also made impossible by interaction between the wings 8 and the walls 2 of the gutter 1.

[0065] Since each pad of the covering device (with the obvious exception of the end pads) is connected to the two adjacent pads, both in the vertical and longitudinal direction, it is not possible to remove a pad without unlocking its lock and the lock of the adjacent pad located towards the second end of the pad to be removed. Although the covering device is not fixed to the gutter, but only placed on it, the cumulative weight of the succession of buffers linked together prevents any attempt to lift the buffers.

[0066] The device for covering a gutter thus developed allows the covering of a long gutter in a secure manner, access to the interior of the gutter only being possible with the appropriate tool. The gutter thus protected can be a conventional “U” shaped gutter, which does not require special equipment or a particular shape to fix the covers therein.

[0067] Nomenclature: • 1 - Gutter • 2 - Side walls of the gutter • 3 - Bottom of the gutter • 4 - Longitudinal internal separation wall of the gutter • 5 - Buffer • 6 - Upper face (of the stamp) • 7 - Lower face (of the stamp) • 8 - Side wings (of the buffer) • 9 - First end of the tampon • 10 - Second end of the buffer • 11 - Tab • 12 - Lock • 13 - Strike plate • 14 - Bolt • 15 - Rotor • 16 - Support • 17 - Tree • 18 - Screws • 19 - Nut • 20 - Footprint • 21 - Cleat • 22 - Support surface • 23 - Notch • 24 - Spring • 25 - Opening • 26 - First branch of the opening • 27 - Second branch of the opening • 28 - Ergot • 29 - Stop • 51 - First stamp 52 - Second stamp L - Longitudinal direction L1 - Longitudinal axis of the rotor T - Transverse direction V - Vertical direction

Claims

1. Claims Device for covering a gutter (1), said gutter comprising two side walls (2) and said gutter extending in a longitudinal direction (L), the covering device comprising a succession of rectangular covers (5), comprising a first cover (51) and a second cover (52) adjacent in the longitudinal direction (L), each cover (5) being configured to be placed on the side walls (2) of the gutter (1), each cover (5) comprising an upper face (6) and a lower face (7), and in which the transverse direction (T) is defined as the direction in the plane of the cover (5) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L), and the vertical direction (V) as the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) and to the transverse direction (T), characterized in that each cover (5) comprises, on its lower face (7): - at a first longitudinal end (9) of the buffer (5), a lock (12) comprising a rotor (15) rotatably mounted with respect to the buffer (5) along a longitudinal axis (L1) and a shaft (17) which extends longitudinally and which is rigidly connected to a first end of the rotor (15), the shaft (17) being adapted to cooperate with a key to be actuated in rotation and to drive the rotor (15) in rotation, the rotor (15) comprising a second end comprising a bolt (14), said bolt (14) comprising a cleat (21), and - at a second longitudinal end (10) of the buffer (5), a striker (13) adapted to cooperate with the bolt (14) of an adjacent buffer (5), and in that the rotor (15) of the first buffer (51) can be actuated in rotation with the key between: - an unlocked position in which the bolt (14) is disengaged from the strike plate (13) of the second buffer (52), so that the first buffer (51) can be freely lifted, in the vertical direction (V), with respect to the second buffer (52), and - a locked position in which the bolt (14) is placed under a lug (28) of the strike plate (13) of the second buffer, which prevents to lift the first buffer (51) with respect to the second buffer (52), and in which the cleat (21) mechanically interferes with a stop (29) of the lug (28), preventing a longitudinal separation between the first buffer (51) and the second buffer (52).

2. Covering device according to claim 1, in which the second end of the second pad comprises a tongue (11) on which the first longitudinal end (9) of the first pad (51) is superimposed.

3. Covering device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which each pad (5) comprises lateral wings (8) intended to cover an upper portion of the lateral walls (2) of the gutter (1).

4. A covering device according to any preceding claim, wherein the buffers (5, 51, 52) are metallic, for example cast iron.

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the shaft (17) and the rotor (15) are in one piece.

6. Covering device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the shaft (17) is attached to the rotor (15) to which it is fixed by fitting, screwing, or welding.

7. A covering device according to any preceding claim, wherein the striker (13) is integral with each pad (5).

8. A covering device according to any preceding claim, wherein the lock (12) comprises a return device tending to bring the rotor into the locked position.

9. A covering device according to claim 8, wherein the return device is a torsion spring (24).

10. A covering device according to any preceding claim, wherein each pad (5) has an opening (25) adapted for the passage of the key and allowing rotation of said key in engagement with the shaft (17) to turn the rotor (15) between the locked and unlocked position and vice versa.

11. Covering device according to claim 10 in which the opening (25) is "L" shaped on the upper face (6).

12. A covering device according to any preceding claim, wherein each pad (5) has a

13. length, measured in the longitudinal direction, between 50 cm and 2 m, such as 1 m. Assembly comprising a U-shaped channel (1) comprising a bottom (3) and two substantially vertical side walls (2) and a covering device according to any one of the preceding claims placed on the side walls (2) of said channel (1).

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