EP1092813B1

EP1092813B1 - Metallic grate for covering channels used to collect and convey water

Info

Publication number: EP1092813B1
Application number: EP00830662A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Papa
Original assignee: Gimani Di Papa F & C SNC
Current assignee: MUFLE SpA
Priority date: 1999-10-14
Filing date: 2000-10-11
Publication date: 2006-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-11
Also published as: ITAN990037V0; DE60026134T2; IT248950Y1; EP1092813A2; ES2258964T3; EP1092813A3; EP1092813B8; DE60026134D1; ATE318346T1; ITAN990037U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a metallic grate used to cover underground raceways, comprising a series of transversal partitions contained between a pair of longitudinal elements with box section, whose vertical wall features a longitudinal raceway with multiple through vertical notches, in which the ends of the transversal partitions are inserted edgewise and coupled. <IMAGE>

Description

The present patent application relates to a new model of metallic grate for covering the underground channels used to collect and convey water, according to the preamble of claim 1. Channels are usually made of moulded plastic or concrete and protected with metallic grates that are capable of supporting heavy loads in order to allow for the safe crossing of people or vehicles, such as those described in WO 96/05 381 A and DE 198 10 358 A.
Metallic grates are made with an opposed pair of identical longitudinal elements, represented by two box metal sections. Regularly spaced transversal partitions are soldered between the two sections, with a regular series of notches on their upper edge used to insert the longitudinal partitions to create the grate mesh through the intersection with the transversal partitions.
More precisely, the ends of the transversal partitions are exactly housed in the section of the box longitudinal elements, usually with a "C-shaped or "L-shaped" section. Each partition is permanently fixed by means of soldering points astride its upper edge and the upper edge of the box elements.
Similar models of metallic grates for channels have shown several inconveniences, first of all the poor resistance of the transversal partitions to torsional stress that tends to twist them. This is due to the fact that the end of each transversal partition is joined to the longitudinal elements only in one soldering point that joins the upper edge of the transversal edge of the transversal partition to the upper wing of the C-shaped section of the longitudinal elements.
Moreover, similar models of metallic grates are quite expensive to be produced, especially because of the expensive soldering installations that are necessary for their automatic production.
The use of soldering also involves additional problems, such as controlling and reducing the thermal deformations caused by the high temperatures of plates during soldering and galvanising.
The purpose of the present invention is to realise a new model of metallic grate for covering the street channels used to collect and convey water, characterised first of all by a high resistance of the transversal partitions to torsional stress that would tend to cause rotation around their longitudinal axis.
This first object has been achieved thanks to the special structure of the longitudinal elements that are provided with a regularly spaced series of vertical notches designed to embrace and laterally support the ends of the transversal partitions.
A further object of the present invention is to realise a new model of metallic grate for covering the street channels used to collect and convey water, characterised by cheap production costs thanks to the use of mechanical retention means to fix the transversal partitions to the longitudinal elements.
The model of grate according to the present invention comprises a series of transversal partitions contained between a pair of longitudinal elements, said elements being made with a "C-shaped" metal section, whose vertical wall features a longitudinal groove with its convex side facing the inside of the C-shaped section and provided with multiple through vertical notches in which the ends of the transversal partitions are inserted edgewise, thus protruding from the concave side of the longitudinal groove. The partitions are provided with retention means to fix the former to the longitudinal elements.
In another embodiment of the invention, a central hole is located near the ends of the transversal partitions. This hole is positioned in the longitudinal groove once the transversal partitions have been completely inserted inside the notches of the longitudinal groove.
An iron rod can be inserted through the aligned holes to remove the partitions from the longitudinal elements.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a semi-sheared tab is located near the ends of the transversal partitions. This tab is positioned in the centre of the longitudinal groove once the transversal partitions have been completely inserted inside the notches of the longitudinal groove.
The semi-sheared tabs can be folded laterally, thus assuming an orthogonal position with respect to the transversal partitions, to remove the partitions from the longitudinal elements.
For major clarity the description of the grate according to the present invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

fig. 1 is an axonometric view of the grate according to the present invention;
fig. 2 shows part of the metal section used to realise the longitudinal elements of the grate according to the present invention;
fig. 3 shows the ending section of a transversal partition of the grate according to the present invention in a first preferred embodiment;
figs. 4A and 4B show the ending sections of a transversal partition of the grate according to the present invention in a second preferred embodiment.

With reference to the enclosed figures, the model of grate according to the present invention traditionally comprises a series of transversal partitions (1) contained between a pair of longitudinal elements (2), each of them made with C-shaped metal section, the upper wing (2a) being narrower than the lower wing (2b). The metal section (2) is characterised by the presence on its vertical wall (2c) of a longitudinal groove (3) with its convex side facing the inside of the C-shaped section and provided with multiple through vertical notches (4) in which the ends (1a) of the transversal partitions (1) can be inserted edgewise, thus protruding from the concave side of the groove, as shown in fig. 1.
In this case, the groove (3) has a V-shaped section, but it could also have a U-shaped or semicircular section.
In one embodiment of the present invention shown in fig. 3, a central hole (5) is present at the end (1a) of the transversal partitions (1). The hole (5) is positioned in the centre of the groove (3) once the transversal partitions (1) have been completely inserted inside the notches (4) of the groove, as shown in fig. 1. Fig. 1 also shows how an iron rod (6) can be inserted inside the aligned holes (5) to attach the partitions (1) to the longitudinal elements (2).
In another embodiment of the present invention as shown in figs. 4A and 4B, a semi-sheared tab (7) is present at the end (1a) of the transversal partitions (1) (see fig. 4A). The tab (7) is positioned in the centre of the groove (3) once the transversal partitions (1) have been completely inserted inside the notches (4) of the groove. Fig. 4B shows how the semi-sheared tabs (7) can be folded laterally thus becoming orthogonal with respect to the transversal partitions, to attach the partitions (1) to the longitudinal elements (2).
Finally, it must be noted that both the insertion of the iron rod (6) through the holes (5) and the folding of the tabs (7) can be performed automatically with low cost by means of inexpensive tools applied on the same machines used to assemble the partitions (1) to the longitudinal elements (2).
Number (8) indicates the notches located on the upper edge of the transversal partitions (1) used to insert the longitudinal partitions (9).

Claims

A metallic grate for covering channels used to collect and convey water, comprising a series of transversal partitions (1) contained between a pair of longitudinal elements (2), said elements (2) being made with a "C-shaped" box metal section, characterised by the fact that a vertical wall (2c) of the metal section (2) features a longitudinal groove (3) with its convex side facing the inside of the C-shaped section and provided with multiple vertical notches (4) suitable for inserting the ends (1a) of the transversal partitions (1), the partitions being provided with retention means to fix the partitions (1) to the elements (2).
A grate according to the previous claim characterised in that the retention means consist in holes (5) through which a rod iron (6) can be inserted.
A grate according to claim 1, characterised in that the retention means consist in semi-sheared tabs (7) that can be folded in orthogonal position with respect to the partition (1).
A grate according to the previous claims, characterised in that the groove (3) has a V-shaped section.
A grate according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the groove (3) has a U-shaped section.
A grate according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the groove (3) has a semicircular section.