EP0489676B1 - Gulley-grid and connecting means therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

These connecting means comprise an elastically deformable strip (7A, 7B) integral with one of the parts to be joined and housed in a window (16A, 16B) of the latter, and a finger (8A, 8B) integral with the other part and projecting in the longitudinal direction from the latter, which finger has a flange suitable for being clip-fastened by interacting with the elastic strip. Application to cast-iron gulley gratings. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to connecting means for joining two adjacent road parts intended to be placed on a support structure, such as for example gates of chained gutters or multi-channel pit traps.

In environments such as airports, overflow pools, the floors of buildings in which water is used for various operations, or even city streets or highways, it is common to use gutters for the evacuation of water. These gutters generally have a poured concrete edge on which two metal beams are fixed intended to support the road parts.

In the case of a building floor or a swimming pool overflow, the road parts, for example grids, are simply placed next to each other on the side rails.

In the case of airports, highway curbs or city streets, when the road parts are simply placed on the side rails, they risk being lifted and ejected during the passage of a vehicle, which presents a real danger.

One solution to this problem is to link the road parts to the side members which support them. However, since the said beams are themselves fixed slightly on a concrete structure, they cannot take up a high load. This solution is therefore not very reliable.

It is known, to link the road parts together, to use mechanical means such as chaining screws which make it possible to secure the adjoining rooms.

The disadvantage of this type of connection means lies in the need to use added elements. In addition, road parts are generally installed in an environment where dust and dirt accumulate, the chaining screws seize up and their operation becomes very difficult when it is necessary to dismantle the parts to intervene on the network.

Another solution consists in using road parts whose end faces in contact with neighboring parts are provided with complementary hooking members coming into mutual engagement.

In known examples, the fastening members are rigid, and the drawback of this type of connection means lies in the fact that, to assemble or disassemble a road part provided with such means, it is necessary to hold two by hand. pieces raised. However, an average piece often weighs around 40 kg.

The present invention aims to provide connecting means for the junction of two parts of road which allow to overcome these drawbacks.

The present invention relates, for this purpose, connecting means for the junction of two road parts juxtaposed in a longitudinal direction and intended to be placed on a support structure, for example a drainage channel or a trap door frame multi-channel, these means comprising a deformable bar elastically secured to one of the parts to be joined and housed in a window thereof, and a finger secured to the other part and protruding longitudinally thereon, which finger present a bead adapted to snap by cooperation with the elastic bar.

• le barreau déformable élastiquement est situé près d'une extrémité de la première pièce;
• ledit barreau est relié au reste de la première pièce par l'une de ses extrémités, le doigt coopérant avec l'autre extrémité de ce barreau;
• ledit barreau est orienté transversalement par rapport à ladite direction longitudinale;
• le doigt a une forme en U et reçoit librement une barre d'extrémité de la première pièce dans sa position encliquetée;
• le doigt a une forme en U inversé et chevauche une barre d'extrémité de la première pièce, en pénétrant librement dans une encoche de cette barre, dans sa position encliquetée;
• le bourrelet du doigt et/ou le barreau comportent une double rampe de came.

According to other characteristics:

• the elastically deformable bar is located near one end of the first part;
• said bar is connected to the rest of the first part by one of its ends, the finger cooperating with the other end of this bar;
• said bar is oriented transversely to said longitudinal direction;
• the finger has a U-shape and freely receives an end bar of the first part in its latched position;
• the finger has an inverted U shape and overlaps an end bar of the first part, freely penetrating into a notch of this bar, in its snapped-in position;
• the finger bead and / or the bar have a double cam ramp.

The present invention also relates to a road component having connecting means as defined above, with at one of its ends at least one elastically deformable bar and, at the opposite end, at least one projecting finger latching.

Preferably, the part comprises a window at each end, the two elastic bars being oriented head to tail, one of the two fingers having a U shape and the other an inverted U shape.

• la Figure 1 représente en plan l'assemblage bout à bout de deux grilles de caniveau conformes à l'invention; et,
• les Figures 2 à 5 sont des vues en coupe prises respectivement suivant les lignes II-II à V-V de la Figure 1.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows in plan the end-to-end assembly of two gutter grids conforming to the invention; and,
• Figures 2 to 5 are sectional views taken respectively along lines II-II to VV of Figure 1.

We see in Figure 1 the adjacent end portions of two gutter grids 1A, 1B, identical and of generally rectangular shape, each of which is constituted by a cast iron part. These grids are intended to be placed on two support rails, not shown, located on either side of a gutter.

Each grid comprises on each side a lateral beam 2, and the two beams are connected at regular intervals, over the entire current part of the grid, by transverse bars 3 which also connects a median beam 4. The elements 2 to 4 thus delimit a number of half-windows 5 of generally rectangular shape.

The right end part (considering FIG. 1) of the left grid 1A comprises an end transverse bar 6A connecting the two longitudinal members 2, and between this bar and the nearest bar 3, an elastic bar 7A connected to the only upper spar 2 (considering Figure 1) and extending transversely to a small distance from the other spar 2.

Considering Figure 1, the bar 6A carries, roughly a quarter of its length from the upper side member 2, a finger 8A in the shape of a U (Figure 2) projecting in the longitudinal direction. The outer or right arm of this finger carries on its side furthest from the bar 6A a bead forming a double cam and comprising, considering FIG. 2, an upper ramp 9A inclined downwards and outwards and a lower ramp 10A inclined downwards and inwards, that is to say towards the grid 1A.

At mid-length (Figures 4 and 5), the bar 6A has in its upper face a notch 11 whose outer face 12 is inclined downward and outward. In addition, at about three-quarters of its length, the bar 6A has another notch 13 formed in its upper face.

As seen in Figures 1 and 3, the bar 7A has on its outer vertical face, that is to say facing the bar 6A, a double cam similar to that of the finger 8A, that is to say comprising an upper ramp 14A inclined downward and outward and a lower ramp 15A inclined downward and inward. This double cam, the inclinations of which correspond to those of the double cam 9A, 10A, is located, in plan view (FIG. 1), facing the notch 13.

As can be understood, the bar 7A can deform elastically in the plane of FIG. 1, inside the window 16A of generally rectangular shape delimited by the two longitudinal members 2, the bar 6A and the bar 7A. The amplitude of this deformation is limited by stops 17, 18 projecting respectively from the elements 6A and 7A. The elements bordering the window 16A protect the bar 7A on all sides against possible shocks.

The left end part (considering FIG. 1) of the right grid 1B, comprises an end transverse bar 6B connecting the two longitudinal members 2, and, between this bar and the nearest bar 3, a bar 7B elastically deformable connected to the only lower spar 2 (considering the Figure 1) and extending transversely to a small distance from the other spar 2.

Considering FIG. 1, the bar 6B carries, roughly a quarter of its length from the lower spar 2, a finger 8B in the form of an inverted U (FIG. 3) projecting in the longitudinal direction. The outer or left branch of this finger carries on its side furthest from the bar 6B a bead forming a double cam and comprising, considering FIG. 3, an upper ramp 9B inclined downwards and outwards and a lower ramp 10B inclined downwards and inwards, that is to say towards the grid 1B.

At mid-length (Figures 1 and 5), the bar 6B has in its upper plane a projection 19 oriented towards the outside and, below the latter, an inclined overhanging surface 20.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the bar 7B has on its outer vertical face, that is to say facing the bar 6B, a double cam similar to that of the finger 8B, that is to say comprising an upper ramp 14B inclined downward and outward and a lower ramp 15B inclined downward and inward.

Like the bar 7A, the bar 7B can deform elastically in the plane of Figure 1, inside a rectangular window 16B, and the bar 6B and the bar 3 adjacent to the bar 7B have projections limiting this displacement.

To describe the assembly of the two grids to one another, it will be assumed that the grid 1A is in place on its support beams. The grid 1B is placed in its extension, so that the bar 6B is at plumb with the hollow of the finger 8A and the trough of the finger 8B is plumb with the bar 6A. The lower ramp 10B of the finger 8B thus comes into contact with the upper ramp 14A of the bar 7A, and simultaneously the lower ramp 15B of the bar 7B comes into contact with the upper ramp 9A of the finger 8A.

By exerting a push or a shock down on the bar 6B, the ramps 10B and 9A repel elastically, by cam effect, the free ends of the bars 7A and 7B, then the ends of the two fingers snap in, with contact d on the one hand of the ramps 9B and 15A (Figure 3), on the other hand of the ramps 10A and 14B (Figure 2). The two grids are then hooked to each other.

In this position, the free end of the finger 8A is in the common upper horizontal plane of the two grids (Figure 2), and it is the same for the intermediate part of the finger 8B thanks to the presence of the notch 13 of the bar 6A, which receives it freely (Figure 3).

To remove the grid 1B, it suffices to introduce a bar downwards into the notch 12 and under the bar 6B, and to exert a leverage. The ramps 9B and 10A then push back, by cam effect, the free end of the bars 7A and 7B, which then return to their rest position. As can be understood, this disassembly cannot happen accidentally.

It should be noted that when the grids are in place, small extensions 20 of the side members 2 projecting beyond the bars 6A and 6B are almost in contact with each other, and the spacing between the two bars 6A and 6B is the same as that which separates the bar 6A or 6B from the respective bar 7A, 7B or the latter from the nearest bar 3. One thus obtains an effect of continuity of the grids chained to one another.

We also note that thanks to the inverted orientations of the U of the two fingers 8A and 8B and the presence of a single notch 13, it is impossible to mount a grid upside down.

Alternatively, to make the assembly of the grids more difficult to separate, the attachment ramps 10A, 14B (Figure 2) and 9B, 15A (Figure 3) can be replaced by horizontal surfaces.

Claims (9)

1. Connection means for joining two gulley members (1A, 1B) placed side by side in a longitudinal direction and intended to be laid on a support structure, these connection means comprising a resiliently deformable bar (7A, 7B) which is integral with a first one of the members to be joined, and a finger (8A, 8B) which is integral with the other member and projects in the longitudinal direction over the latter, this finger having a flange (9A, 10A, 9B, 10B) which is adapted to snap in by cooperation with the resilient bar, characterized in that the resiliently deformable bar (7A, 7B) is housed in a window (16A, 16B) of the said first member.
2. Connection means according to Claim 1, characterized in that the resiliently deformable bar (7A, 7B) is located near one end of the first member.
3. Connection means according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said bar (7A, 7B) is connected to the rest of the first member by one of its ends, the finger (8A, 8B) cooperating with the other end of this bar.
4. Connection means according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the said bar (7A, 7B) is oriented transversely with respect to the said longitudinal direction.
5. Connection means according to Claim 4, characterized in that the finger (8A) has the shape of a U and freely receives one end rail (6B) of the first piece in its snapped-in position.
6. Connection means according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the finger (8B) has the shape of an inverted U and overlaps an end rail (6A) of the first member, by freely penetrating into a notch (13) of this rail, in its snapped-in position.
7. Connection means according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the flange (9A, 10A, 9B, 10B) of the finger (8A, 8B) and/or the bar (7A, 7B) have a double cam ramp.
8. Gulley member, characterized in that it has connection means according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, having at one of its ends at least one resiliently deformable bar (7A, 7B) and, at the opposite end, at least one snap-in projecting finger (8A, 8B).
9. Gulley member according to Claim 8, characterized in that it has a window (16) at each end, the two resilient bars (7a, 7b) being oriented top-to-tail, one (8A) of the two fingers having the shape of a U and the other (8B) having the shape of an inverted U.

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