AU768768B2 - Foothold leg attachment member - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref: 728192 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Miyama Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha No 4-5, Sakaecho 2-chome Soka-shi Saitama-ken 340-0011

JAPAN

DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Foothold leg attachment member The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5020 PA\WPDOCSXLMB\Lxta Mil1a\Spoeiflizcons\728192 spomk doc-3 Nov-ba, 2003 -1-

SPECIFICATION

FOOTHOLD LEG ATTACHMENT MEMBER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to a foothold leg attachment member embedded in a wall of a manhole and so forth.

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional foothold leg attachment member embedded in a wall of a manhole and so forth, there is a technique as disclosed, eg., in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 8-6828 (see Fig. 6 of the same), wherein projections (retained parts) are provided on the legs of a foothold and grooves (retaining parts) are provided on the inner wall of a hollow closed body serving as an attachment member, and the former is elastically retained by the latter.

However, since the projections of the legs are elastically retained by the grooves of the attachment member at one stage in the foothold leg attachment member embedded in the wall of a manhole, there is the likelihood of gradual generation of plays in vertical and lateral directions owing to the long period of use of the foothold when persons go up and down the foothold, leading to the lack of stability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION :The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned 25 disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a foothold leg attachment member for use with a foothold leg, the foothold leg having an outer periphery and plurality of fins arranged thereon, the foothold leg attachment member being adapted for embedding in a wall of a man hole, the foothold leg attachment member including: a 30 substantially hollow columnar body having a central axis and a collar at one end of the S .columnar body; the columnar body having a plurality of inner stepped portions on an inner S.wall thereof the stepped portions being spaced apart in the axial direction; a plurality of outer stepped portions corresponding to the inner stepped portions, and a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs; wherein in an installed position the fins are S 35 retained by the plurality of inner wall stepped portions.

Preferably a foothold leg attachment member as described above wherein the stepped portions on the inner wall extend longitudinally and flare outwardly towards the collar.

P:\WPDOCS\LMH\Lest Mi11Spmiriations\728192 spie.doc-3 Nov-ba. 2003 -2- Preferably a foothold leg attachment member as described above wherein the longitudinally extending ribs are disposed evenly around the columnar body.

Preferably a foothold leg attachment member as described above wherein four longitudinally extending ribs are provided.

Preferably a foothold leg attachment member as described above wherein the hollow columnar body is constructed from synthetic resin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front view of a foothold leg attachment member; Fig. 2 is a side view of the foothold leg attachment member in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a view for explaining a state where a leg of a foothold is retained by the foothold leg attachment member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figs. 1 to 4 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein Fig. 1 is a front view of a foothold leg attachment member, Fig. 2 is a side view of the foothold leg attachment member in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view for explaining a state where a leg of a foothold is retained by the foothold 20 leg attachment member.

oeeoe S• In these figures, a reference numeral 1 depicts an entire foothold leg attachment member, and the foothold leg attachment member 1 has a substantially hollow columnar body made of synthetic resin, and the 00* e000 ee oeeee diameter of the hollow columnar body is substantially the same as the outer diameter of each leg 2 made of synthetic resin of a foothold.

Here, each leg 2 comprises an iron core 3, synthetic resin 4 formed substantially circular in cross section such as polypropylene for keeping the iron core 3 from rusting, and a plurality of fins 6 two fins) provided on the outer periphery of the synthetic resin 4 in plural stages two stages) in the axial direction thereof from each leg 2 toward each side portion 5 of the foothold and formed integrally with the synthetic resin 4. The tip end of each fin 6 is slightly curved to be enlarged outwardly in diameter.

A plurality of stages 8 are provided on an inner wall 7 of the hollow columnar body of the foothold leg attachment member 1 for retaining each fin 6 ofthe leg 2.

As for an external appearance of the foothold leg attachment member S 1, the foothold leg attachment member 1 is columnar and has stages 9 corresponding to the stages 8 of the inner wall 7, cylindrical reinforced ribs at four quarters of its surface, and a collar 11 at the tip end thereof. The foothold leg attachment member 1 is prevented from coming off from the leg 2 of the foothold by the stages 9 and collar 11.

When the foothold is fixedly attached to, a concrete wall 12, plural 20 foothold leg attachment members 1 are embedded in the concrete wall 12 at given intervals.

Then, an adhesive is filled in the foothold leg attachment member 1 and each leg 2 is inserted into the foothold leg attachment member 1 in a state where tip ends of a plurality of fins 6 are pressed by the inner wall 7 of the foothold leg attachment member 1. Subsequently, the entire foothold is slightly pulled toward a viewer. As a result, respective tip ends of the plurality of fins 6 are retained by the plurality of stages 8 formed on the inner wall 7 of the foothold leg attachment member 1 while they are enlarged in P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lesta Milla\Spwfications\728192 spoedc3 Novmba. 2003 -4diameter so that the play in the leg 2 is surely prevented in conjunction with the adhesive.

With these operations, each leg 2 is brought into intimate contact with the foothold leg attachment member 1 embedded in the concrete wall 12, and hence the foothold is reliably fixed to the concrete wall 12.

According to the present invention, since a foothold leg attachment member 1 embedded in a wall of a manhole comprising a substantially hollow columnar body made of synthetic resin, wherein the columnar body has a plurality of stages 8 on an inner wall 7 thereof, and it also has on its outer surface a plurality of stages 9 corresponding to the stages 8 of the inner wall 7, cylindrical reinforced ribs 10 at four quarters, and a collar 11 at the tip end thereof, and wherein a plurality of fins 6 formed in plural stages on outer peripheries of the legs 2 of a foothold are retained by the plurality of stages 8 of the hollow columnar body, the legs of the foothold can be reliably and easily fitted to the foothold leg attachment member embedded in a wall of a manhole and so forth at a plurality of points thereof so that the foothold is reliably fixed to the wall of the manhole and so forth and is fit for a long period of use.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "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 20 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.

*o o*

Claims (6)

1. A foothold leg attachment member for use with a foothold leg, the foothold leg having an outer periphery and plurality of fins arranged thereon, the foothold leg attachment member being adapted for embedding in a wall of a man hole, the foothold leg attachment member including: a substantially hollow columnar body having a central axis and a collar at one end of the columnar body; the columnar body having a plurality of inner stepped portions on an inner wall thereof the stepped portions being spaced apart in the axial direction; a plurality of outer stepped portions corresponding to the inner stepped portions, and a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs; wherein in an installed position the fins are retained by the plurality of inner wall stepped portions.

2. A foothold leg attachment member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stepped portions on the inner wall extend longitudinally and flare outwardly towards the collar.

3. A foothold leg attachment member in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the longitudinally extending ribs are disposed evenly around the columnar body.

4. A foothold leg attachment member in accordance with any previous claim wherein four longitudinally extending ribs are provided.

A foothold leg attachment member in accordance with any previous claim wherein the hollow columnar body is constructed from synthetic resin.

6. An attachment member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 3 rd day of November, 2003 MIYAMA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE