AU2012101862A4 - Lintel for a side entry pit - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a side entry pit, including a pit member, a lintel and a cover, the lintel comprising a rear wall and two spaced apart side walls extending forward thereof, the rear and side walls including respective inwardly 5 facing shoulders for supporting a cover thereon, and a lip extending between forward ends of the side walls, wherein the lintel is attached to the top of the pit member, whereby the lip, side walls and a front edge of the cover delineates the drain inlet. CC%4 co tn coo CC%4

Description

Our Ref: 5919lnno P/00/009 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED Invention title: Lintel for a side entry pit Name of Applicant: Cooke Pre-cast Concrete Pty Ltd Address for Service A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys PO Box 222 Mitcham, S.A. 5062 The invention is described in the following statement: 2 Lintel for a side entry pit FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the field of stormwater side entry pits. In particular the invention relates to a lintel for a side entry pit, or a combination 5 of a side entry pit, lintel and lid. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Typical side entry pits for stormwater drains include a pit member, a lintel attached to the top of the pit member and a removable cover or covers that rests on the lintel. The cover prevents pedestrians and vehicles from accidentally falling into 10 the drain opening and inhibits unauthorized access to the drain. The pit member is located below the ground surface and connected to stormwater pipes. The pit member may include an increment onto which the lintel is attached. The increment or increments are used to extend the height of the pit member so that the lintel is positioned at ground level. 15 The pit member typically includes a rectangular base and upwardly extending walls with openings extending therethrough to connect to the stormwater pipes. Typically one of the longer sides is positioned adjacent the edge of a road surface to receive runoff from the gutters. The top of the pit member includes a rear upstand connected to two spaced apart side upstands that extend forward thereof. The 20 upstands are typically the upper portions of the rear and side walls of the pit member. The forward vertical edges of the two side upstands and the adjoining upper portion of the front wall delineate a drain inlet that allows the passage of water therethrough. The lintel typically comprises two L-shaped members that are cemented to the top of the rear upstand and adjoining side upstands. The L-shaped members 25 include inwardly facing shoulders on which the cover is configured to rest. The shoulders may include protrusions for locating the cover in place. In the situations where two covers are used to protect the pit entrance a support beam is connected between the upper front of the pit member and the rear upstand or lintel. The support beam is positioned along the junction where adjacent 30 covers abut to thereby support the inner edges of both covers.

3 The lintel is typically attached once the pit member has been placed in situ adjacent the road surface. The configuration of the lintel generally requires accurate placement of the two L-shaped members in relation to one another and to the pit. Furthermore, these can readily be moved after initial placement. 5 Further problems also arise where the ground slopes relative the top of the pit member. In these circumstances it is necessary to position the pit member generally vertical and cement the lintel at an angle to the top of the pit member. This can be problematic in that the worker must accurately fix the L-shaped members of the lintel so that the cover has an even bedding face upon which to rest. Any irregularities in 10 the bedding face will mean that the cover does not fit properly and may pose a risk to become dislodged. The term lintel used throughout the specification refers to the upper portion of the side entry pit upon which the cover rests. It should be appreciated that any discussion of the prior art throughout the 15 specification is included solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention and should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art was widely known or formed part of the common general knowledge in the field as it existed before the priority date of the application. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 20 In accordance with an aspect of the invention, but not necessarily the broadest or only aspect, there is proposed a side entry pit, including a pit member, a lintel and a cover, the lintel comprising a rear wall and two spaced apart side walls extending forward thereof, the rear and side walls including respective inwardly facing shoulders for supporting a cover thereon, and a lip extending between forward 25 ends of the side walls, wherein the lintel is attached to the top of the pit member, whereby the lip, side walls and a front edge of the cover delineates the drain inlet. In one form the lintel may be of integral construction being moulded from a curable material such as concrete and may include internal steel reinforcement. In another form the lintel may be constructed from a number of elements that are 30 connected prior to placing the lintel onto the pit member. The elements may include 4 cooperating indexing means or may be attached using an adhesive prior to installation. In another aspect of the invention there is proposed a lintel for attachment to a pit member of a side entry pit, including a rear wall and two spaced apart side walls 5 extending forward thereof, the rear and side walls including respective inwardly facing shoulders for supporting a cover thereon, wherein a lip extends between forward ends of said side walls to delineate a lower edge of a drain inlet. The lintel preferably includes lugs to assist in the lifting of the lintel by a hoist. In one form the lugs extend inwardly of the inner surfaces of the rear and side walls. 10 The lintel may include a generally flat underside or could include a shoulder for registering with an upper surface of the pit member or an increment of said pit member. The upper surface of the pit member or increment may be generally flat or may be corresponding shaped to engage with said shoulder of the underside of the 15 lintel, wherein the lintel can be affixed directly onto said upper surface using an adhesive, such as cement. A spacer or layer of cement or other adhesive potting compound can be used to affix the lintel to the upper surface at an angle to said upper surface of the pit member. This is useful when the ground slopes relative to the pit member and the cover must be positioned at an angle to the horizontal. The 20 configuration of the lintel means that the shoulders of the rear and side walls are fixed relative each other and therefore the cover can be securely located on the lintel even when the lintel is positioned at an angle to the horizontal. A protrusion or protrusions may be positioned on the shoulder of the side walls adjacent a front edge. The protrusion is configured to engage with a cavity in 25 an underside of the cover to locate the cover relative the lintel. In one form the protrusion may be generally rectangular and the cavity is correspondingly shaped to fit over the protrusion. The configuration of the protrusion and cavity inhibits the forward horizontal movement of the cover. This prevents a gap from forming at the rear of the cover between the rear wall, which could pose a safety issue. 30 The lip, front vertical edges of the side walls and front edge of the cover may define said drain inlet.

5 The lintel may be configured to support a single cover, wherein the cover is supported between the shoulders of the rear wall and two sides walls. Alternatively, the lintel may be configured to support two or more covers, wherein a support beam can be connected between the lip of the lintel and the rear wall adjacent and below 5 the shoulder. The support beam is positioned along a junction where adjacent covers abut. In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention there is proposed a side entry pit, including a pit member, a lintel, first and second covers and a support beam, the lintel comprising a rear wall and two spaced apart side walls extending 10 forward thereof, the rear and side walls including respective inwardly facing shoulders for supporting a respective side of the first and/or second covers thereon, a lip extending between respective lower portions of the forward ends of the side walls, the support beam extending between the rear wall and said lip to support abutting, or at least adjacent, sides of said first and second covers, wherein the lintel 15 is attached to the top of the pit member, whereby the lip, forward ends of the side walls and front edges of the first and second covers delineates the drain inlet. The rear wall may include a recess into which a first end of the support beam extends. The recess may include a fixing means for capturing the first end of the support beam or bolts may be used to secure the first end of the support beam to the 20 lintel. A second end of the support beam may be connected to a leg that engages the lip. The leg is a generally vertical shaft and includes a foot that is configured to rest upon the lip. The foot may be fixed to the lip by way of a fastening means, such as a bolt. 25 The second end of the support beam may include a protrusion or protrusions that register with an underside of the cover to secure said cover in position. In one form the protrusion is a generally square plate that is configured to register with corresponding shaped cavities in the respective underside of the adjacent covers. The cavities may be rectangular in shape and open sidewardly from said underside 30 of the cover. In this way the two opposing cavities in adjacent covers engage the square protrusion. In another form the second end of the support beam may includes two protrusions for engaging respective covers.

6 In another form the lintel and or support beam include locating members that are configured to engage with the underside of the cover. The locating member may be a slot or groove that engages with a depending portion of the cover. The lintel may include a locking means for inhibiting unauthorised access to 5 the side entry pit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementation of the invention and, together with the description and claims, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the 10 invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a lintel of the present invention for supporting two pit covers; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lintel of figure 1 attached to a pit member and illustrating the support beam; 15 Figure 3 is a top view of the lintel of figure 2; Figure 4 is a top view of the lintel of figure 2 with two pit covers attached; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the lintel illustrating the placement of a single pit cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED AND EXEMPLIFIED 20 EMBODIMENTS There are numerous specific details set forth in the following description. However, from the disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and/or substitutions may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In some circumstance specific details may have been 25 omitted so as not to obscure the invention. Generally similar reference characters indicate corresponding features throughout the drawings.

7 Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description, a lintel 10 for attachment to a pit member 12 of a side entry pit 14 is illustrated, demonstrating by way of examples, arrangements in which the principles of the present invention may be employed. As illustrated in figure 1 the lintel 10 includes a rear wall 16 and two 5 spaced apart side walls 18, 20 extending forward thereof. The rear wall 16 and side walls 18, 20 include respective inwardly facing shoulders 22 for supporting a pit cover or covers 24 thereon, as illustrated in figures 4 and 5. As further illustrated in figure 1, a lip 26 extends between lower portions of the forward ends 28, 30 of the side walls 18, 20 to delineate a bottom of a drain inlet 32. 10 The lintel 10 includes a generally flat underside 34 that is configured for attachment to an upper surface 36 of the pit member 12, as shown in figure 2. The reader should appreciate that the lintel 10 may be attached to an increment (not shown) of said pit member 12, as is known in the art. The pit member 12 is generally rectangular shaped and includes walls 38, 40, 15 42, 44, a base 46 and openings 48 extending therethrough for connection to stormwater drainage pipes. During installation the pit member 12 is located in position and connected to the stormwater pipes. An increment may then be attached to the upper surface 36 of the pit member 12. The lintel 10 is then attached to either the pit member 12 or the 20 top of the increment. The upper surface of the pit member or increment is generally flat wherein the lintel is affixed directly onto the upper surface using an adhesive, such as cement. In some circumstances however the lintel 10 needs to be attached to the upper surface at an angle thereto. This is the case where ground slopes relative to 25 the pit member and the cover must be positioned at an angle to the horizontal to align with the ground surface. In such cases a spacer or layer of cement can be used to position the lintel at an angle. The configuration of the lintel of the present invention ensures that the shoulders 22 of the rear and side walls 16, 18, 20 are fixed relative each other and therefore the cover 24 can be securely located on the 30 shoulders 22 of the lintel 10 even when the lintel is at an angle to the horizontal.

8 The lintel 10 includes lugs 50 extending inwardly from the inner surfaces of the rear and side walls 16, 18, 20 to assist in lifting of the lintel 10 by a hoist. Rectangular protrusions 52 are located on the shoulders 22 of the side walls 18, 20 adjacent forward ends 28, 30. The protrusions 52 are configured to engage 5 with a correspondingly shaped cavity in an underside of the cover 24, as is known in the prior art, to thereby locate the cover 24 relative the lintel 10. The configuration of the protrusion and cavity inhibits the forward horizontal movement of the cover 24 to prevent the formation of a gap at the rear of the cover 24 between the rear wall 16, which could pose a safety issue. 10 In a first embodiment, as illustrated in figures 1 to 4, the lintel 10 is configured to support two covers. As illustrated in figure 2 the lintel may include a support beam 54 for supporting the inner sides 56 of the covers 24 along where they abut as illustrated in figure 4. The support beam 54 extends between the lip 26 and the rear wall 16 adjacent and below corresponding shoulder 22. 15 The rear wall 16 includes a recess 58 into which a first end 60 of the support beam 54 extends and is fixed by bolts 62. A second end 64 of the support beam 54 includes a depending leg 66 that engages the lip 26. The leg 66 includes a foot 68 that is configured to rest upon the lip 26 or be attached thereto. 20 The second end 64 of the support beam 54 includes a square protrusion 70 that registers with the undersides of abutting covers 24 to secure the covers in position. The reader should however appreciate that other types and configurations of locating members may be positioned on, or in, the shoulders 22 and support beam 25 54 to inhibit horizontal movement of the cover or covers. The locating member may comprise a slot or groove that engages with a depending portion of the cover. As illustrated in figure 4 the covers 24 include apertures 72 adjacent the front edge 74 of the cover and extend therethrough. The apertures 72 are engagable with a lifting means to assist in the cover being removed being tilted up on the rear edge 30 76 so that authorised personnel can access the drain.

9 The covers 24 include a plurality of engagement members 78 for engagement with corresponding shaped lifting device. For instance the secondary engagement members 78 may be keyholes that are engagable with a lifting key sold under the GATIC@ trade mark. The secondary engagement members 78 can be used to lift the 5 cover when it needs to be completely removed from the lintel 10 or when the cover is being installed. The cover 24 includes an upper surface having a plurality of raised elements 80 configured to provide a slip resistant surface. The raised elements 80 may be a chequer plate type configuration as illustrated in figure 4, or diamond shaped 10 elements as illustrated in figure 5. The reader should appreciate that the slip resistant surface may be a layer of paint or rubberised material that is applied to the upper surface of the cover 24. As further illustrated in figure 5, in a second embodiment, the lintel 10 is configured to support a single cover 24. The cover 24 is supported between the 15 shoulders 22 of the rear wall 16 and both sides walls 18, 20. The lip 26, front vertical edges 28, 30 of the side walls 18, 20 and front edge 74 of the cover 24 defines the drain inlet 32. The reader will appreciate that in one embodiment the lintel is of integral construction being moulded from concrete. By integral it is meant that the lintel is of 20 unitary or singular construction, for instance it may be moulded or otherwise formed from a curable material, including, but not limited to, concrete. The present invention is configured to overcome the problems that occur with existing lintels when they are affixed at an angle to the horizontal or are not accurately placed on the top of the pit member. This is because it can be difficult to 25 align the shoulders of the L-shaped members of existing lintel to provide a flat bedding surface onto which the cover 24 is placed. If the bedding surface is not flat the cover 24 will not fit properly and may become dislodged or pose a risk to pedestrians or vehicles. For instance an uneven bedding face may result in the edge of the cover extending above the top of the lintel, which would result in a tripping 30 hazard for pedestrians.

10 The skilled addressee will now appreciate the many advantages of the illustrated invention. In one form the invention provides a lintel for a side entry pit that can be attached to a pit member while providing a generally flat bedding surface onto which the cover can be placed. 5 Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the exemplified embodiments of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate and that the invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly the invention can include various modifications, which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. It should be further understood 10 that for the purpose of the specification the word "comprise" or "comprising" means "including but not limited to".

Claims (11)

1. A side entry pit, including a pit member, a lintel and a cover, the lintel comprising a rear wall and two spaced apart side walls extending forward thereof, the rear and side walls including respective inwardly facing 5 shoulders for supporting a cover thereon, and a lip extending between forward ends of the side walls, wherein the lintel is attached to the top of the pit member, whereby the lip, side walls and a front edge of the cover delineates the drain inlet.

2. A side entry pit, including a pit member, a lintel, first and second covers and 10 a support beam, the lintel comprising a rear wall and two spaced apart side walls extending forward thereof, the rear and side walls including respective inwardly facing shoulders for supporting a respective side of the first and/or second covers thereon, a lip extending between respective lower portions of the forward ends of the side walls, the support beam extending between 15 the rear wall and said lip to support abutting, or at least adjacent, sides of said first and second covers, wherein the lintel is attached to the top of the pit member, whereby the lip, forward ends of the side walls and front edges of the first and second covers delineates the drain inlet.

3. The side entry pit in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the lintel is of 20 integral construction or is fabricated from a number of elements that are assembled prior to placement on said pit member.

4. The side entry pit in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the lintel includes an underside surface for attachment to an upper surface of the pit member or an increment of said pit member, wherein said underside 25 surface may be generally flat or include a shoulder for cooperating with the upper surface of the pit member or increment.

5. The side entry pit in accordance with claim 4 wherein the lintel can be affixed onto said upper surface using an adhesive, such as cement or other adhesive potting compound. 12

6. The side entry pit in accordance with any one of the above claims wherein a spacer or layer of adhesive is used to affix the lintel to the upper surface of the pit member or increment at an angle to said top of the pit member.

7. The side entry pit in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lintel supports a 5 single cover, wherein the cover is supported between the shoulders of the rear wall and two sides walls.

8. The side entry pit in accordance with any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the lintel supports two or more covers, wherein a support beam is connected between the lip of the lintel and the rear wall adjacent and below the 10 shoulder, the support beam being positioned along a junction where adjacent covers abut.

9. The side entry pit in accordance with claim 8 wherein the rear wall includes a recess for capturing a first end of the support beam and a second end of the support beam being connected to a leg that engages the lip, the leg 15 being a generally vertical shaft and including a foot being configured to rest upon, or be connected to said lip.

10. The side entry pit in accordance with claim 9 wherein protrusions are located on the shoulders of the side walls adjacent a front edge, and the second end of the support beam, the protrusions engagable with respective 20 cavities in an underside of the covers to locate the cover relative the lintel.

11. A lintel in accordance with any one of the above claims for attachment to a pit member of a side entry pit, wherein said lip delineates a lower edge of a drain inlet.