AU2001100268A4 - Support structure - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: VASSALLO, Justin Lee of 52 Matlock Street Hoppers Crossing 3029 Victoria Australia VASSALLO, Justin Lee DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia Petty Patent specification for the invention entitled: Support Structure The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1 Q:\PER\RJC\244o469INNOV.D0C 14/8/01

I

P:\OPER\PJC\jusin vasallo spcci.do-14/08/01 -2- Support Structure The present invention relates to a support structure, particularly for use in installing an electrical meter box.

Generally, a power company will distribute electricity to a number of houses via main distributor conductors. The main distributor conductors are either mounted on towers or buried underground along the streets of the houses which they service. A house receives electricity by connecting service conductors between the main distributor conductors and the house's electrical meter box. The house's electrical meter box is usually positioned so that it is both as near as practical to the consumer's supply terminals and close to the street for connection to the main distributor conductors.

Before an electrical meter box is installed the best location for the electrical meter box is determined. This selection may be made by the electrician installing the electrical meter box in conjunction with the preferences of the owners of the property.

Where the main distributor conductors are underground, an electrical pit will generally be positioned between two adjacent properties for connecting the main distributor conductors to the service conductors of each property. Accordingly, when connecting an electrical meter box, the electrical pit is opened up and a trench is excavated between that electrical point and the selected position for the electrical meter box.

A pipe or conduit encapsulates and protects the service conductors and extends from the electrical pit, along the excavated trench, to the selected position for the electrical meter box. At the selected position for the electrical meter box the conduit, containing the service conductors, is arranged so as to protrude out of the ground for later connection to an electrical meter box. A steel pole is then arranged around the protruding portion of the conduit and the trench for the service conductors is filled. The steel pole is secured in the ground, however, it is not sturdy enough to safely secure an electrical meter box thereon before the concrete slab is poured and set therearound.

PAOPERWC~jumtin vmsllo spwci.doc-14/08/0 I -3- The foundations for the house being constructed are excavated once the service conductors have been installed. These foundations may intersect with the path of the service conductors and, therefore, partially reopen the trench containing the service conductors.

Accordingly, the service conductors are installed at a depth which is beyond that required for the footings of the foundations. The concrete slab for the house is poured over the foundations and the steel pole is thereby securely set in position.

The electrician must wait for the concrete slab to set and cure before he/she can return to the construction site to complete the installation of the electrical meter box. The service conductors terminate at the "live" terminals of the electrical meter box's main fuse and the service conductors may only be connected to the electrical meter box by a qualified person from the relevant power company.

The above described connection process requires an electrician to visit a construction site twice in order to completely install an electrical meter box. The time that elapses between the first and second visits to the construction site is dictated by several factors which are beyond the control of the electrician installing the electrical meter box. For example the electrician can only complete the second part of the installation process once the concrete slab has been poured and once the slab has cured. The electrician is therefore at the mercy of the contractor who pours the concrete slab. This period of time will vary greatly from job to job. The electrician must therefore remain in contact with the contractor that pours the concrete slab in order to determine when the slab will be cured so that he/she can complete the installation process.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above mentioned problem or at least provide a useful alternative.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a support structure including: a tubular member having open distal and proximal ends; first and second upright members secured to and extending from the proximal P:AOPER\RWC\justin vasallo spcci.doc14/08/01 -4end of the tubular member; and at least one transverse member, where the or each of the at least one transverse member is secured to the first and second upright members; whereby the first and second upright members and the at least one transverse member are, in use, adapted to engage a ground surface for fixing the support structure in place, and the tubular member is adapted to receive service conductors for connection thereof to an electrical meter box at the distal end.

Preferably, the first and second upright members are secured on opposite sides of the proximal end of the tubular member and are substantially parallel with the tubular member.

Preferably, the at least one transverse member includes a first transverse member and a second transverse member, the first transverse member being secured to a first side of the first upright member and a first side of the second upright member and the second transverse member being secured to a second side of the first upright member and a second side of the second upright member.

Preferably, the first upright member and the second upright member are each secured to the tubular member by arc welding and wherein the first transverse member and the second transverse member are secured to the first and second upright members by arc welding such that the first and second transverse members are oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first and second upright members.

Preferably, the tubular member is a galvanised iron pipe, first and second upright members are angle irons and the or each of said at least one transverse member is an angle iron.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of a support structure in accordance with the present invention.

P:\OPER\C\juslin vasallo spei.doc-14/0/01 A support structure 10, shown in Figure 1, includes an elongate pipe 12 and first and second upright angle irons 14, 16. The pipe 12 is open at opposite first and second ends 18, The first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 are arranged so as to partially overlap and extend from opposite sides 24, 26 of the second end 20 of the pipe 12 in a direction that is generally parallel with the pipe 12. The amount of overlap is typically at least enough to arc weld the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 to the pipe 12 to thereby provide structural strength for the support structure 10. The first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 are typically secured to the pipe 12 by arc welding each of the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 to the pipe 12, however, the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 may be secured to the pipe by any suitable means. The first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 are orientated opposite one another around the pipe 12 so that the pipe 12 fits in the angled part of each angle iron 14, 16.

The support structure 10 also includes first and second cross bars 28, 30 that are secured transversely to the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16. The first cross bar 28 is arc welded to a first side 32 of both the first and the second upright angle irons 14, 16 and the second cross member 30 is arc welded to a second side 34 of both the first and the second upright angle irons 14, 16.

The first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 together with the first and second cross bars 28, 30 form a foundation portion 36 which anchors the support structure 10 in the position in which it is to be used.

Typically, the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 are 1 metre in length; the pipe 12 is 1.2 metres in length and the cross members 28, 30 are 15 centimetres in length.

In use, an engineer selects an appropriate position to install an electrical meter box, an appropriate route for connecting the service conductors between the main distributor conductors and electrical meter box, and the point at which a service joint will join the P:\OPER\JC\jusin vasallo sjmi.doc-1/0/01 -6service conductors to the main distributor conductor.

Once the appropriate route is determined, a trench is excavated along the route for the service conductors between the electrical pit and the predetermined position for the electrical meter box. The service conductors, encased in a conduit, are then connected to the main distributor conductors and positioned in the trench and installed along the predetermined route to the predetermined position for the electrical meter box. The service conductors are arranged so as to protrude from the ground at the predetermined position for the electrical meter box.

The support structure 10 is positioned in the trench at the predetermined position for the electrical meter box and the upright angle irons are hammered into the ground in order to secure the support structure 10. The upright angle irons are hammered into the bottom of the trench until the cross bars 28, 30 engage the bottom of the trench and thereby assist to secure the support structure 10 in the ground. Typically, around 40 cm of the upright angle irons 14, 16 is hammered in to the ground. The support structure 10 is positioned over the conduit containing the service conductors so that the service conductors extend through and project from the pipe 12 for later access. The trench is then filled in and the support structure 10 is firmly secured in the ground.

Once the support structure 10 is secured in the ground, a bottom portion of an electrical meter box, not shown in Figure 1, is positioned over the first end 18 of the pipe 12. The first end 18 of the pipe 12 extends into and at least partially overlaps with the bottom portion the electrical meter box. A clamp, extending around the mentioned overlapping portion, secures the electrical meter box to the pipe 12. The service conductors, extending through and projecting from the pipe 12 are then connected to the electrical meter box by a qualified person from the relevant power company. The electrical meter box may only be connected to the service conductors by a qualified person from the relevant power company.

A concreter can then excavate the foundations for the relevant house. The foundations for P:\OPER\JC\justin vasallo speci.doc-14/08/01 -7the house may intersect with the above-mentioned trench for the service conductors, however, the trench for the service conductors is excavated substantially deeper than the foundations for a house. A concrete slab is then poured over the excavated foundations, thereby concreting the support structure for the electrical connector box in position. Since the electrical meter box has already been installed, there is no need for the electrician to return to the construction site once the concrete slab has been poured to complete the installation of the electrical meter box.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the first and second cross bars 28, 30 are secured to the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 so that they extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of extent of the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16. Accordingly, the above-mentioned step of hammering the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 into the bottom of a trench will be completed when the first and second cross bars 28, 30 engage the ground. The first and second cross bars 28, 30 thereby provide lateral support for the support structure.

In the preferred embodiment, the structure 10 includes a galvanised iron pipe 12, first and second upright angle iron 14, 16 and first and second angle iron cross bars 28, 30. The first and second upright angle iron 14, 16 are arc welded to opposite sides 24, 26 of the pipe 12 and extend from the pipe 12 in a direction that is generally parallel to the pipe.

The first angle iron cross bar 28 is arc welded to one side 32 of each of the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 and the second angle iron cross bar 30 is arc welded to the other side of each 34 of the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 so that the first and second angle iron cross bars 28, 30 are orientated in a perpendicular direction to the direction of extent of the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16.

The first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 are preferably about 1 metre long and the first and second cross bars 28, 30 are preferably about 15 cm long and each is formed from angle iron having about 25 mm wide legs. However, the first and second upright angle irons 14, 16 and the first and second cross bars 28, 30 may be made with any suitable thickness from any suitable material. The first and second cross bars 28, 30 are preferably P:\OPERJC\justin vasallo spei.do-14/08/01 -8welded to the angle irons 14, 16 about 40 cm from the bottom thereof. The length along which the pipe 12 and the angle irons 14, 16 contact and are welded to each other is preferably in the order of 5 cm.

The pipe 12 is preferably about 1.2 metres long and made from galvanised iron with a diameter of 40mm, however, other suitable materials of suitable thickness may be used.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (4)

1. A support structure including: a tubular member having open distal and proximal ends; first and second upright members secured to and extending from the proximal end of the tubular member; and at least one transverse member, where the or each of the at least one transverse member is secured to the first and second upright members; whereby the first and second upright members and the at least one transverse member are, in use, adapted to engage a ground surface for fixing the support structure in place, and the tubular member is adapted to receive service conductors for connection thereof to an electrical meter box at the distal end.

2. The support structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second upright members are secured on opposite sides of the proximal end of the tubular member and are substantially parallel with the tubular member.

3. The support structure claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one transverse member includes a first transverse member and a second transverse member, the first transverse member being secured to a first side of the first upright member and a first side of the second upright member and the second transverse member being secured to a second side of the first upright member and a second side of the second upright member.

4. The support structure claimed in claim 3, wherein the first upright member and the second upright member are each secured to the tubular member by arc welding and wherein the first transverse member and the second transverse member are secured to the first and second upright members by arc welding such that the first and second transverse members are oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first and second upright members. P:\OPERWC\justin vasallo spei.dom14/08/01 The support structure claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular member is a galvanised iron pipe, first and second upright members are angle irons and the or each of said at least one transverse member is an angle iron. DATED this 14 th Day of August 2001 JUSTIN LEE VASSALLO By his Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE