System for loosening and / or opening at least one manhole cover

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1) for loosening and / or opening at least one manhole cover, said system comprising: a main body (10); at least one lifting means (11) arranged on the at least one main body (10); at least one housing (12), which is attached to the at least one main body (10) and in which the at least one lifting means (11) is disposed; and at least one coupling element (13) arranged at the bottom of the at least one lifting means (11), to be coupled to at least one coupling means of at least one manhole cover.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR UNCLING AND / OR OPENING AT LEAST ONE RECORDING CHAMBER COVER. DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for the de-clamping and / or opening of at least one manhole cover, such as reinforced concrete covers, metal covers or covers with a metal frame covered with concrete, which facilitates their removal and handling, avoiding or reducing the time that workers spend in these tasks, thus reducing the possibility of them suffering injuries or accidents.

[0002] In this sense, the system of the invention essentially comprises at least one main body; at least one lifting means, arranged in the at least one main body; at least one housing, connected to the at least one main body, in which the at least one lifting means is arranged; and at least one hooking element, arranged in the lower part of the at least one lifting means, to hook with at least one hooking means of the at least one cover of the inspection chamber.

[0003] The technology solves several problems of the current technique, which become evident when evaluating the existing solutions and the specific characteristics of the invention in the following sections of this specification. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Currently, inspection chambers were created to allow surface access to various underground utility facilities, such as sewage or drinking water pipes, electricity, telephone, or gas distribution networks, among others, which facilitates the inspection, maintenance, and repair of these systems and networks.

[0005] Typically, the entrance to these chambers is protected by a cover made of steel, concrete, or fiberglass-reinforced plastic, with weights that can reach up to 120 kg. Therefore, there are multiple designs with different weight, geometry, and material characteristics, for which the same extraction technique cannot always be applied.

[0006] In the case of concrete caps, for example, the extraction process has been carried out mainly using tools not designed for this task. This is the case of the tool commonly known as a "chuzo," which consists of a cylinder of Steel with a flat or pointed end, used in the agricultural industry to make holes or pull up plants with small roots.

[0007] In this sense, the spike is used to fit into one or more holes in the concrete manhole cover, which is generally cylindrical in shape. Solutions with specially shaped hooks and tips are not suitable for this type of cover, so the spike is often a useful tool due to its shape, which allows for a good fit with these holes. In this way, the operator dedicated to these tasks inserts the spike tip diagonally into the hole in the cover, then applies a lever force from the top end to lift the cover. Once the cover is lifted, the operator can rotate the spike tip to free the cover from the chamber.

[0008] On the other hand, in the case of covers that house electrical systems, which can be metallic or have a metallic frame covered with concrete, tools similar to the pick are used, but with a hook at their tip, to proceed with their opening, where said tools generally hook onto notches or grooves arranged on the surface of the cover, after which the operator performs an action very similar to the process of opening concrete covers to extract the metallic or concreted metallic cover.

[0009] However, in many cases, the chamber lids, whether concrete, metal, or concreted metal, often stick to the hole that contains them. This is because there is a small space between the lid ring and the chamber hole, where dirt, grass, tar, and any other small object that fits can accumulate. The mixture of these different objects, plus the pressure exerted by people or vehicles passing over them, causes these objects to transform into a compact block that is very difficult to destroy, given the small space between the hole and the lid ring and the high density of this material. This creates a strong adhesion of the lid to the chamber (commonly referred to as "seizing"), which means that operators must exert great physical force to try to unseize it with available tools (e.g., a pick).These tasks involve a high risk of musculoskeletal injuries to all the muscles involved (arms, hands, shoulders, back and lumbar region), which are exposed to stresses that far exceed the levels established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the United States (NIOSH). This also creates a significant operational problem, which involves the destruction of the lid when, after many attempts, the chamber cannot be uncovered.

[0010] Despite the ease of operation of the concrete circular cover pick and other tools for metal or concreted metal covers in these extraction tasks, its continuous use over time is not recommended for these cover opening and extraction tasks, and even less so for the work of detaching covers, which can cause in the operators Injuries and / or accidents, mainly due to the fact that the tool was not designed for this use, and the operator often lacks the strength necessary to remove the cap, leaving them completely unable to access its interior. This increases the likelihood of injury to the worker in charge, which results in costs for companies due to the number of sick leaves issued due to the performance of these tasks.

[0011] This is where the problem to be solved is identified, which consists of creating a unique and transversal solution that facilitates the opening of manhole covers, whether concrete covers, metal covers, or concrete-coated metal covers, through the de-aggregation of said covers, positively impacting the safety and health of the workers involved and generating value for other relevant objectives of the operation.

[0012] Therefore, there is a need for a system that reduces the need for operators to perform excessive force in the removal and / or opening of lids. This is done in order to avoid the asymmetrical movements caused by existing tools, which are the cause of injuries to operators, primarily in their arms and backs. Furthermore, it would be advisable to have a system capable of exerting the necessary force to remove the lid without deforming its components, that is adaptable to different types of inspection chambers, and that allows for a configuration that facilitates its transport.

[0013] In the field of patents, there are solutions that focus on devices for opening and / or removing manhole covers from manholes. For example, Chinese patent application CN 110803666A relates to a lifting device for removing manhole covers. The lifting device comprises a jack and a lifting hook, with the lifting hook mounted on the jack. In conjunction with the lifting device, the jack can lift the manhole cover, boasting high lifting torque and a small footprint, making it suitable for narrow spaces.In this sense, the system of the present invention differs from document CN110803666A mainly in that it is aimed at the unclamping and / or opening of both metal lids, which are lighter, as well as concrete or concreted metal lids, which are much heavier than the metal lids for which the device of document CN110803666A is designed. Said document only allows the opening of this type of lids and not their unclamping. Therefore, it is highly probable that said state-of-the-art device will suffer deformations in its structure when attempting to open concrete or concreted metal lids, due to their weight and the force that must be exerted to perform said lifting task, which increases considerably if the lid is seized. Furthermore, the lifting hook described in this document can only operate. with lids having notches specially designed to engage with a hooking element arranged in said tool. In contrast, the system of the present invention is not only capable of unclamping and / or extracting manhole covers that have notches or slits, but can also operate with lids that have one or more holes without a particular shape, which allow the hooking of a specially shaped tip. Finally, the device of document CN110803666A does not allow a configuration that facilitates its transport in vehicles with little space, a configuration that the system of the present invention does have, where the lifting means can be rotated together with its housing to reduce the space required for its transport.

[0014] On the other hand, document GB2219984A relates to a manhole cover lifter, comprising a movable frame and a lifting frame, movable fixing means on the lifting frame for coupling manhole covers of different sizes, and a motor connected between the two frames, which allows the lifting frame with the manhole cover attached to it to be raised with respect to the movable frame, wherein, after lifting, the movable frame allows the cover to be easily removed to give access to the manhole. The lifter uses a hydraulic jack as a power drive means. The movable frame and the power unit are foldable to facilitate storage and transportation, where the frame pivots so that when the jack is folded, the wheels are approximately flush with the frame.In this case, as with the previously described document, the present invention differs from document GB2219984A in that it is directed toward the task of unclamping and / or opening manhole covers, whereas document GB2219984A only has the capacity to perform cover opening tasks. Furthermore, the system of the present invention can operate with both metal covers and concrete or concreted metal covers, which are much heavier than the metal covers for which the lifter of document GB2219984A is designed. Therefore, as mentioned above, it is highly probable that said device will suffer deformations in its structure when attempting to extract this type of covers containing concrete, due to their weight and the force that must be exerted to perform said lifting task, even more so when the cover is clamped, where the necessary force will be much greater.Furthermore, as in document CN 110803666A, the device described in this document can only operate with lids that have notches specially designed to engage with a hook provided on said elevator.

[0015] Finally, there are some commercial solutions, such as the one described by the manufacturer Ash Safety which markets different types of devices and hooks for removing manhole covers. These solutions are similar to those described in documents CN110803666A and GB2219984A, and are primarily intended for removing unsealed metal covers, which are much lighter than those Concrete caps. Furthermore, as in the previous documents, the devices described by this manufacturer must operate with caps that have notches specially designed to engage with a hooking element provided on the tool. They cannot engage with the holes found in some concrete caps, which can vary greatly in diameter and depth.

[0016] Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks identified in the prior art by means of a system that avoids or reduces the time required by operators to remove and / or open manhole covers, such as concrete, concreted metal, or metal covers, which require the use of force, thus reducing the possibility of injuries or accidents during such tasks. Furthermore, an additional objective of the system of the invention is to provide a solution that operates with a hitch adaptable to different types of holes or notches that manhole covers may have. Finally, an additional objective of the present invention is to facilitate the transport of the device in smaller vehicles by means of a system that has a transport configuration that allows the lifting means to be rotated to reduce the space occupied by the system.This and other advantages associated with other aspects of the technology are described in greater detail below. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention consists of a system for the de-clamping and / or opening of at least one manhole cover, such as reinforced concrete, concreted metal or metal covers, which facilitates their removal and handling, avoiding or reducing the time that workers have to intervene in these tasks, thus reducing the possibility of them suffering injuries and / or accidents.

[0018] Specifically, the system comprises: at least one main body; at least one lifting means, arranged in the at least one main body; at least one housing, connected to the at least one main body, in which the at least one lifting means is arranged; and at least one hooking element, arranged in the lower part of the at least one lifting means, for hooking into at least one hooking means of at least one manhole cover.

[0019] The at least one main body, in combination with the at least one housing, allows the system to withstand the loads to which the system is subjected when the at least one lifting means is activated, thus preventing said structure from suffering deformations and / or damages during the work of unclamping and / or opening covers. On the other hand, the at least one hooking element is arranged removably in the at least one lifting means, so as to be able to exchange said at least one hooking element depending on the specific characteristics of the hooking means of the manhole cover, in terms of its diameter and depth, among others.

[0020] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one attachment means corresponds to at least one hole. This embodiment for the attachment means is generally seen in concrete covers.

[0021] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one means of attachment corresponds to at least one notch or groove, where said embodiment is generally observed in metal or concreted metal covers.

[0022] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one coupling element comprises at least one coupling hole, arranged at one of its ends, which allows its coupling with the at least one coupling element.

[0023] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one hooking element comprises at least one hook, arranged at one of its ends, which allows the system of the invention to hook onto the cover of the inspection chamber through its hole, supporting the force exerted by the at least one lifting means when removing the cover.

[0024] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one coupling is shaped like a semi-disc, wherein the at least one coupling comprises at least one pivoting hole. Preferably, the at least one coupling is oval-shaped.

[0025] This type of coupling allows the use of the system of the invention for the release and / or opening of lids where the at least one coupling means corresponds to at least one hole, which preferably occurs in concrete or concreted metal lids.

[0026] The shape of the at least one hook is another important element of the system of the invention, which allows a secure coupling in the hole of the cover of the manhole, preventing the hooking element from becoming uncoupled when the at least one lifting means exerts force to remove the cover.

[0027] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one hooking element corresponds to a hook.

[0028] According to another preferred embodiment, the system further comprises at least one chain, which is connected at one end to at least one lifting means and at its other end to at least one hooking element.

[0029] This configuration, where the at least one hooking element corresponds to a hook and where the system also comprises a chain, is preferably used in lids where the at least one hooking means corresponds to at least one notch or groove, which is preferably found in metal or concreted metal lids.

[0030] Preferably, the system further comprises at least one rotation means, which allows the rotation of the at least one housing together with the at least one lifting means with respect to the at least one main body.

[0031] Said at least one means of rotation enables the at least one lifting means together with the at least one housing to remain in a horizontal position with respect to the ground, thus reducing the volume of the system, which facilitates its transport, requiring only light vehicles.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, the system further comprises at least one coupling element, disposed in the at least one housing, which allows the coupling between the at least one hooking element and the at least one lifting means. Said at least one coupling element is key to preventing structural failures in the junction area between the at least one hooking element and the at least one lifting means, allowing it to withstand the stresses to which this area is subjected.

[0033] According to another preferred embodiment, the system further comprises at least one plate, to reinforce the support area of ​​the at least one lifting means.

[0034] According to another preferred embodiment, the system also comprises at least one handle, which facilitates the mobilization of the system, either by a worker or for hooking it onto another means of transport.

[0035] According to another preferred embodiment, the system further comprises at least one wheel, arranged on the at least one main body, to assist in the movement of the system.

[0036] According to another preferred embodiment, the system further comprises at least one fastening means, arranged in the at least one main body, to couple to the at least one housing to keep it in a vertical position with respect to the ground.

[0037] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one main body comprises at least four support points.

[0038] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one main body, the at least one housing, the at least one hooking element, the at least one coupling element, the at least one hook, the at least one plate, the at least one hook and / or the at least one chain are manufactured based on a metal alloy.

[0039] The above descriptions demonstrate the need for a solution for the unclamping and opening of manhole covers, particularly for reinforced concrete, metal, or concreted metal covers, which prevents or reduces the intervention of workers in said unclamping and extraction tasks, thus eliminating or reducing the possibility of injuries and / or accidents, given the force required to unclamp one of these covers. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a solution capable of withstanding the forces generated by lifting concrete covers, without causing them to deform. or material failures, through a series of components that can adequately absorb such stresses. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] As part of the application, the following representative figures of the invention are presented, which show preferred configurations thereof and, therefore, should not be considered as limiting the definition of the claimed subject matter. Figure 1 shows an isometric view of the system for extracting at least one cover, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the coupling between the lifting means and the system housing, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the operation of the rotating means, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the hooking element, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. Figure 5 shows a detailed view of the coupling element and other forms for the coupling, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. Figure 6 shows a detailed view of the handle, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. Figure 7 shows a detailed view of the wheels of the system, according to a preferred configuration of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0041] With reference to the accompanying figures, Figure 1 shows an isometric view of the system (1) for removing at least one manhole cover, in which its main components can be seen. Specifically, it can be seen that the system (1) comprises a main body (10), a housing (12), joined to the main body (10) by means of rotation (14), arranged transversely to said housing (12). The housing (12) essentially corresponds to a frame that houses inside it a lifting means (11), such as a hydraulic or mechanical jack. The lifting means (11) is supported on at least one plate (16), which contacts the housing (12) and the rotation means (14). The housing (12) is kept vertical with respect to the ground thanks to a fastening means (19) that is fastened to said housing (12).

[0042] Figure 1 also shows a hooking element (13), which, according to the preferred embodiment shown, is preferably used for lids where the hooking means corresponds to a hole, such as circular concrete lids, which are commonly seen in city streets. Said hooking element (13) is attached at its upper end to a coupling element (15), and comprising at its lower end a hook (13b) to be inserted into the hole in the cover of the recording chamber. Finally, it is also observed that the system (1) also comprises a handle (17) attached to the main body (10), to move the system (1), lifting it and moving it with the help of wheels (18), arranged at the other end of the main body (10).

[0043] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the coupling between the lifting means (11) and the housing (12), through the plate (16) that is joined to the rotating means (14). Said rotating means (14) preferably consists of a bar transverse to the housing (12) and a pivot that allows the rotation of the housing (12) together with the lifting means (11). In addition, the fastening means (19) can be seen in detail, which is fastened to the housing (12) to keep it in a vertical position.

[0044] In relation to Figure 3, it shows a detailed view of the operation of the turning means (14) to allow the housing (12) to turn together with the lifting means (11), the plate (16) and the coupling element (15), with respect to the main body (10). This allows the volume of space occupied by the system (1) to be reduced, facilitating its transport in a smaller vehicle.

[0045] On the other hand, Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the hooking element (13), which is joined through a coupling hole (13a) to the coupling element (15) thanks to a pin. In addition, two hooks (13b) in the shape of a semi-disc can be seen in detail, arranged at the lower end, on each side of the hooking element (13). The shape of the hooks (13b) allows a secure and reliable coupling with the hole in the cover of the registration chamber, preventing it from becoming uncoupled when performing extraction maneuvers. Said hooks (13b) also have the capacity to rotate with respect to their center, being arranged by means of a pin to the hooking element (13).This feature facilitates the insertion of the hooking element into the hole in the cover of the manhole, by placing the hooks (13b) in a vertical position, and then moving them to their horizontal position with the help of an adjustment means that can be coupled in the turning holes (13c) of the hooks, thus perfectly coupling the hooking element (13) to the cover of the manhole.

[0046] For its part, Figure 5 again shows in detail the hooking element (13) and the coupling element (15), but for a different modality of the hooks (13b), where it is shown that they have an oval shape, but retaining the turning holes (13c), which allow the adjustment means (20) to be coupled to turn said hooks (13b) on their own axis, facilitating the tasks of insertion into the hole in the cover.

[0047] Finally, Figures 6 and 7 show a detailed view of the handle (17) and the wheels (18) attached to the main body (10), which facilitate the movement of the system (1), preventing workers from having to carry it from one point to another. NUMERICAL AND LETTER REFERENCES 1 System for removing at least one manhole cover 10 Main body 11 Lifting means 12 Accommodation 13 Hook element 13a Coupling hole 13b Hitch 13c Turning hole 14 Turning point 15 Coupling element 16 Plate 17 Manilla 18 Wheel 19 Means of fastening 20 Adjustment medium

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A system (1) for the unclamping and / or opening of at least one manhole cover, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises: - at least one main body (10); - at least one lifting means (11), arranged in the at least main body (10); - at least one housing (12), connected to the at least one main body (10), in which the at least one lifting means (11) is arranged; and - at least one hooking element (13), arranged in the lower part of the at least one lifting means (11), to hook onto at least one hooking means of at least one manhole cover.

2. The system (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one coupling means corresponds to at least one hole.

3. The system (1) according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one coupling means corresponds to at least one notch or groove.

4. The system (1) according to any of claims 1-2, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one coupling element (13) comprises at least one coupling hole (13a), arranged at one of its ends.

5. The system (1) according to any of claims 1-2 and 3, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hooking element (13) comprises at least one hook (13b), arranged at one of its ends.

6. The system (1) according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hitch (13b) is shaped like a semi-disc.

7. The system (1) according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hook (13b) has an oval shape.

8. The system (1) according to any of claims 5 to 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hook comprises at least one turning hole (13c).

9. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 and 3, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hooking element (13) corresponds to a hook.

10. The system (1) according to claim 9, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises at least one chain, which is connected at one end to the at least one lifting means (11) and at its other end to the at least one hooking element (13).

11. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises at least one rotation means (14), which allows the rotation of the at least one housing (12) together with the at least one lifting means (11) with respect to the at least one main body (10).

12. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises at least one coupling element (15), arranged in the at least one housing (12), which allows the coupling between the at least one hooking element (13) and the at least one lifting means (11).

13. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12, CHARACTERIZED in that it also comprises at least one plate (16), to reinforce the support area of the at least one lifting means (11).

14. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 13, CHARACTERIZED in that it also comprises at least one handle (17), which facilitates the mobilization of the system (1).

15. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 14, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises at least one wheel (18), arranged in the at least one main body (10), to assist in the movement of the system (1).

16. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 15, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises at least one fastening means (19), arranged in the at least one main body (10), to couple to the at least one housing (12) to keep it in a vertical position with respect to the ground.

17. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 16, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one main body (10) comprises at least four support points.

18. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 17, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one main body (10) is manufactured based on a metal alloy.

19. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 18, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one housing (12) is manufactured based on a metal alloy.

20. The system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 19, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hooking element (13) is manufactured based on a metal alloy.

21. The system (1) according to claim 12, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one coupling element (15) is manufactured based on a metal alloy.

22. The system (1) according to any of claims 5 to 8, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hook (13b) is manufactured based on a metal alloy.

23. The system (1) according to claim 13, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one plate (16) is manufactured based on a metal alloy.

24. The system (1) according to claim 9, CHARACTERIZED in that the at least one hook and the at least one chain are manufactured based on a metal alloy.

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