EP2686489B1 - Assembly comprising a supporting frame and a reversible anti-fall safety grid - Google Patents

Description

"Support frame assembly and reversible fall arrest safety grid that can be hinged to one or the other of two opposite sides of the frame"

The present invention relates to a support frame and safety fall arrester assembly hinged to one side of the support frame.

It applies in particular, but without limitation, to a road system comprising a solidary frame of the ground or a roadway and the opening of which provides access to a chimney inspection or inspection of a underground network, a crown member pivotally mounted relative to one side of the frame between a folded position closing the opening of the frame and a standing position of clearance of the opening of this frame.

For safety reasons, this road device also comprises a safety fall arrester mounted hinged to one of the sides of the frame perpendicular to the side to which is articulated the cap element, so that the grid can be brought to a position folded closing the opening of the frame when the cap member occupies its standing position of release of this opening.

However, the permanent joint location to the side of the frame of the fall protection grid may be such that the grid, when it is standing, causes discomfort during an intervention in the underground network, especially during the passage of cables in this network through the opening of this frame.

The present invention aims to overcome the above disadvantage of known road devices.

For this purpose, according to the invention, the support frame assembly and single fall protection safety grid mounted articulated to one side of the support frame so as to occupy a standing position of clearance of the opening frame or folded position closing the opening of the frame, is characterized in that the grid can be mounted hinged to the opposite side of the frame.

Preferably, the frame comprises at each of its two opposite sides a hinge means and the grid has on one of its sides a hinge means that can be removably attached to one or other of the means of articulation of the frame.

Advantageously, the hinge means on each side of the frame comprises two spaced spaced clevises on the side of the frame along the latter and the articulation means of the grid comprises two integral tabs on the side of the grid perpendicular to it. and removably secured by bolts respectively to the yokes of the frame.

Advantageously, the grid comprises two lugs integral with its side opposite to that comprising the hinge means and being able to bear, in the folded position of the grid, on the side of the frame opposite to that to which the grid is articulated.

According to an alternative embodiment, the grid may be self-locking in its upright position.

For this purpose, each tab located between two branches of a yoke comprises an oblong slot through which a bolt integral with these branches and which allows the grate to descend by gravity to its upright position until the upper end of the oblong slot comes to bear on the bolt and the lower end of the tab is supported against a back wall of the yoke so as to self-lock the tab in the yoke.

According to another embodiment, the grid is held in its upright position by supporting the hinge lugs on the inner face of the corresponding side of the frame.

The means of articulation of the sides of the frame are secured respectively to two internal walls perpendicular to the sides of the frame and its folded position, the grid is housed in the frame.

The invention also relates to a road device comprising a frame secured to the ground, a covering element, such as a hatch or a buffer, mounted hinged to one side of the frame between a folded position of closing the opening of the frame and a standing position of clearance of the opening of the frame, and a single fixed fall-arresting safety grid to one side of the frame perpendicular to the side of this frame to which is articulated the cap element so as to occupy a standing position of release of the opening of the frame or a folded position closing the opening of the frame when the cap member occupies its upright position, and which is characterized in that the grid can be hinged to the opposite side of the frame as described above.

In the folded position of the grid in the frame, the cap element can be folded into the frame by covering the grid.

The frame is rectangular.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de voirie conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus du dispositif de voirie de la figure 1 et montrant la grille de sécurité antichute à sa position rabattue de fermeture du cadre de ce dispositif ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective agrandie d'une articulation de la grille au cadre à une position debout de la grille avant d'être autobloquée au cadre ; et
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe agrandie dans un plan vertical passant par une patte d'articulation de la grille.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the explanatory description which will follow with reference to the accompanying drawings given solely by way of example illustrating an embodiment. of the invention and in which:

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a road device according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a top view of the road device of the figure 1 and showing the fall arrest safety grid in its folded closure position of the frame of this device;
• the figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a hinge from the grid to the frame at a standing position of the grid before being locked to the frame; and
• the figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view in a vertical plane passing through a hinge tab of the grid.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 1 denotes a road device, which comprises a frame 2 integral with the ground or a roadway being buried in flush therein and a covering element 3, such as a hatch or a buffer.

In the present case, the frame 2 is of rectangular shape and the covering element 3, also of rectangular shape, is hingedly mounted along one of the sides 2 of the frame 2 about a pivot axis X 1, X 2 to allow at the covering element 3 to pivot between a closed position of closing the opening 0 of the frame 2 to which the covering element 3 fits or fits in the frame 2, and a standing or standing position of opening to clear the opening 0 of the frame 2 to access a chimney inspection or inspection of an underground network.

By way of example, the covering element comprises a relatively thin upper rigid plate 3a and four lateral walls 3b integral with the internal face of the plate 3a perpendicularly thereto, stiffening ribs 3c of the plate 3a being provided. perpendicular to the inner face of this plate. The covering element 3 and the frame 2 may be made of metal, such as for example steel.

A crutch 4 has one end hingedly mounted to one of the sides 2b of the frame 2 perpendicular to the side 2a through a yoke 5 pivot axis perpendicular to the side 2b. This crutch makes it possible to retain the covering element 3 at its upright position from the opening 0 represented in FIG. figure 1 . For this purpose, the end of the stand 4 opposite to the hinge clevis 5 is abutted in two ends of two parallel lights 6a made respectively in two parallel plates 6 integral with the corresponding inner side wall 3b of the covering element 3. When the covering element 3 is folded towards its closed position 6 of the opening 0 of the frame 2, the end of the stand 4 slides along the lights 6a to come close to the opposite ends of the lights 6a in the folded position of the cover element so that the stand is in a folded position in the frame 2 along the side 2b .

The road device 1 further comprises a single fall arrest safety gate 7 mounted articulated by one of its edges 7a relative to the side 2c of the frame 2 opposite and parallel to the side 2b of this frame.

The grid 7 comprises a plurality of cylindrical parallel bars 7b fixed at their ends respectively by two parallel flat bars 7a, 7c constituting the two sides of the grid 7.

The gate 7 is articulated relative to the side 2c of the frame 2 along an axis Y1, Y2 parallel to the side 2c and consequently perpendicular to the pivot axis X1, X2 of the covering element 3.

Thus, when the covering element 3 occupies its erected position of opening of the opening 0 of the frame 2, the grid 7 can pivot between a standing up position of this opening represented by figure 1 to which it is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the frame 2 and a folded closed position of this opening shown in FIG. figure 2 , called fall arrest safety.

According to the invention, the grid 7 can also be mounted articulated by its side 7a to the side 2b of the frame 2 opposite the side 2c along an axis Y3, Y4 parallel to the side 2b and, therefore, perpendicular to the pivot axis X1 , X2 of the covering element 3.

The means of articulation of the side 7a of the grid 7 to one or the other of the two sides 2b, 2c of the frame 2 comprise two parallel legs 8 secured to the side 7a substantially perpendicular to the latter being disposed outside the gate. Preferably, the two lugs 8 are respectively fixed in the vicinity of the two ends of the side 7a of this grid. The tabs 8 may be attached to the side 7a by welding. Each hinge lug 8 has a slot 9 extending longitudinally to the lug 8. Specifically, each lug 8 is in the form of a rigid plate bent substantially at right angles, one of the branches 8a is integral with a corresponding end of the side 7a of the gate 7 and the other leg 8b comprises the slot 9 extending longitudinally to the branch 8b.

The articulation means of the grid 7 to the frame 2 also comprise, associated with each side 2b, 2c, two clevises 10 integral with an inner wall 11 of the frame 2 extending in the opening 0 perpendicular to the corresponding side 2b, 2c of the frame 2. Each pair of clevises 10 is fixed, for example by welding, perpendicularly to the corresponding inner wall 11 above it.

The two lugs 8 of the grid 7 are mounted detachably articulated respectively in the two clevises 10 of the wall 11 associated with the side 2c of the frame 2 by means of fixing bolts 12 extending along the axis of pivoting Y1, Y2 of the grid 7 relative to the side 2c. Each fixing bolt 12 has its threaded rod 12a passing through the two parallel branches 10a of the corresponding yoke 10 perpendicular thereto. The diameter of the threaded rod 12a of the bolt 12 is slightly less than the diameter of two coaxial bores 10b formed through respectively the two branches 10a of the corresponding yoke 10. In addition, the threaded rod 12a of each bolt 12 also passes through the lumen. oblong hole form 9 of the branch 8b of the tab 8 associated with the clevis 10. Each clevis 10 also comprises a dorsal wall 10c secured, for example by welding, the two vertical edges located on the same side of the legs 10a of the yoke 10 facing the vertical side 2c of the frame 2, the dorsal wall 10c thus being spaced from this side 2c.

The gate 7 has at its side 7c opposite the hinge side 7a two brackets 13 fixed, for example by welding by one of their branches to the side 7c outside the gate 7 so that the other branch of each lug 13 extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the grid 7 above the side 7c.

Each bracket 13 comprises integral with the upper face of the free leg of this tab an external grip 14 and the side 7c of the grid 7 is also provided with an external grip 15 located substantially in the middle of this side .

In the folded position of the grid 7 represented in figure 2 , the two lugs 13 bear against the inner wall 11 associated with the side 2b of the frame 2.

In addition, the position of the pivot axis Y1, Y2 of the grid 7 relative to the side 2c of the frame 2 and the relative positions of the support lugs 13 relative to the side 7c of the grid 7 are such that in the folded position of this grid, the latter is housed in the sides 2a to 2d of the frame 2 substantially halfway up these sides.

When an operator wishes to pivot the gate 7 to the yokes 10 along the pivot axis Y3, Y4 parallel to the side 2b of the frame 2, he removes the bolts 12 from the yokes 10 of the inner wall 11 associated with the side 2c of this frame to allow it to remove the grid 7 of these screeds.

Then, by pivoting the grid on itself 180 ° along the axis of the central bar 7b of the grid 7, the operator engages the two hinge lugs 8 of this grid respectively in the other two yokes 10 located nearby side 2b of the frame 2 and fixes the tabs 8 to the yokes 10 by the fastening bolts 12 which thus extend along the pivot axis Y3, Y4 of the grid 7. In this way, once the grid 7 is attached to the other two yokes 10, it can pivot about the axis Y3, Y4 between a standing position substantially perpendicular to the plane of the frame 2 and a folded position closing the opening 0 of the frame 2 to which the tabs 13 bear on the inner wall 11 associated with the side 2c of the frame 2.

It should be noted that the tilting of the grid 7 between its folded and standing positions is facilitated by the lights 9 of the lugs 8 through which the fixing bolts 12 engage. In addition, the hinge means of the grid 7 relative to the corresponding sides 2b, 2c of the frame 2 constituted by the pairs of clevis 10, the bolts 12 and the lights 9 are designed to self-lock the grid to its standing position. Indeed, when the grid 7 switches from its horizontal folded position to its substantially vertical standing position represented in figure 3 , the operator releases the grid 7 which descends by gravity from its position of the figure 3 at its position represented in figure 4 by sliding the lights 9 of the two lugs 8 relative to the threaded rods 12a of the two bolts 12. At the position shown in FIG. figure 4 , the upper end of the slot 9 of each lug 8 is resting on the corresponding threaded rod 12a of the bolt 12 and the lower end of the leg 8b of the lug 8 is supported by its rear edge on the inner face of the dorsal wall 10c of the yoke 10 so that the leg 8b of each lug 8 is self-locking in the yoke 10 to prevent the grid 7 from tilting towards its folded position closing the opening 0 of the frame 2. To bring the grid 7 of its self-locking standing relative to the frame 2 to its folded position in the frame, simply simply lift the gate 7 to release each branch 8b of the two legs 8 of the gate of their blocking position in the yoke 10 until the lower end of the light 9 bears on the corresponding threaded rod 12a of the bolt 12, then allowing the free swing of the gate 7 to its folded position.

According to a variant not shown, in the standing position of the grid 7, the hinge lugs 8 can pivot freely on the bolts 12 and be brought in support on the inner face of the corresponding side 2b or 2c of the frame 2 to maintain the grid at this position slightly inclined beyond its position perpendicular to the plane of the frame 2.

The fact that the grid can be mounted articulated reversibly to the sides 2b, 2c of the frame 2 allows to position it when it is in its upright position without causing any inconvenience during a particular operation to be carried out in the underground network through the opening 0, for example by introducing cables through this opening.

When an operator wishes to close the road device of the position represented in figure 1 at the position represented in figure 2 , it rotates the grid 7 from its standing position about the axis Y1, Y2 to its folded closed position.

The figure 2 represents the grid in its folded safety position in the frame 2 preventing anyone from accidentally falling through the opening 0 of the frame 2.

When the operator, once the repair or development work is done, wants to close the road device, it simply suffices, after folding the gate 7 to its closed position at the figure 2 , then fold down the covering element 3 in the frame 2 so that this element, when it occupies its closed position of the opening O of the frame 2, completely covers the grid 7 without the latter causing discomfort for the closure of the cover member 3. In its closed position, the cover member 3 rests opposite the pivot axis X1, X2 on two support blocks 16 integral with the inner face of the frame side 2d 2. At this closed position, the cover member 3 can be locked to the side 2d of the frame 2 by conventional locking means 17, 18 which do not have to be described as not part of the invention.

The grid 7 may be made of steel, stainless steel, composite material and may have a structure not only in bars as described above, but also in lattice, mesh or grating. The grid 7 can withstand a range of efforts that can be between about 1500 and 3000 Newtons.

• le fait que la grille puisse être autobloquée à environ 90° relativement au cadre de support l'empêche de basculer à sa position horizontale dans le cadre même en cas de vent ou de mauvaises manipulations, assurant ainsi à un opérateur l'entrée dans la chambre ou de remontée de celle-ci en tout sécurité ;
• le fait que la grille soit réversible permet de la positionner à l'un ou l'autre des deux côtés opposés du cadre de support, de manière à ne pas occasionner de gêne lorsqu'elle occupe sa position debout, notamment lors d'une intervention dans le réseau souterrain ;
• en position debout de la grille de sécurité, l'ouverture du cadre est totalement dégagée sans risque de blessure d'un opérateur rentrant dans le réseau souterrain ou remontant de ce réseau au travers d'ouverture du fait que les moyens d'articulation de la grille sont fixé sur la paroi horizontale, perpendiculaire au côté vertical correspondant du cadre en dehors de cette ouverture ; et
• le démontage des boulons d'articulation de la grille au cadre est facilité du fait que les boulons d'articulation sont situés au-dessus de la paroi interne horizontale délimitant l'ouverture du cadre de sorte que l'opérateur n'a pas besoin de se pencher énormément pour accéder au boulon d'articulation.

The advantages of the invention are as follows:

• the fact that the grid can be locked at about 90 ° relative to the support frame prevents it from tilting to its horizontal position in the frame even in case of wind or mishandling, thus ensuring an operator entry into the chamber or reassembling it safely;
• the fact that the grid is reversible makes it possible to position it on one or the other of the two opposite sides of the support frame, so as not to cause any discomfort when it occupies its standing position, in particular during an intervention in the underground network;
• in the standing position of the security grille, the opening of the frame is completely clear without the risk of injury to an operator returning to the underground network or going up from this network through an opening because the means of articulation of the grid are fixed on the horizontal wall, perpendicular to the corresponding vertical side of the frame outside this opening; and
• disassembly of the hinge bolts from the grid to the frame is facilitated by the fact that the bolts hinge are located above the horizontal inner wall defining the opening of the frame so that the operator does not need to bend heavily to access the hinge bolt.

Claims (11)

1. Assembly comprising a supporting frame (2) and a single fall protection safety grid (7) mounted in a hinged manner on one side (2b; 2c) of the supporting frame (2) so as to occupy a raised position uncovering the opening (O) of the frame (2) or a lowered position closing the opening (O) of the frame (2), characterised in that the grid (7) can be mounted in a hinged manner on the opposite side (2c; 2b) of the frame (2).
2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the frame (2) is provided at each of two of its two opposing sides (2b, 2c) with a hinge means (10) and the grid (7) is provided on only one (7a) of its sides with a hinge means (8) that can be fixed movably to either of the hinge means (10) of the frame (2).
3. Assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the hinge means on each side of the frame comprises two spaced clevises (10) rigidly connected to the side (2b; 2c) of the frame (2) along the latter and the hinge means of the grid (7) comprises two tabs (8) rigidly connected to the side (7a) of the grid (7) perpendicularly thereto and movably fixed to the clevises (10) of the frame (2) by means of respective bolts (12).
4. Assembly according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that it comprises two tabs (13) rigidly connected to its side (7c) opposite the side including the hinge means (8) and capable of coming to bear against the side (2c; 2b) of the frame (2) opposite the side (2b; 2c) to which the grid (7) is hinged in the lowered position of the grid (7).
5. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is automatically locked in its raised position.
6. Assembly according to claim 3 considered in combination with claim 5, characterised in that each tab (8) situated between two prongs (10a) of a clevis (10) comprises an oblong aperture traversed by a bolt (12) rigidly connected to these prongs (10a) and allowing the grid (7) to descend by gravity from its raised position until the upper end of the oblong aperture (9) comes to bear against the bolt (12) and the lower end of the tab (8) bears against a back wall (10c) of the clevis (10) so as to automatically lock the tab (8) in the clevis (10).
7. Assembly according to one of claims 3 to 4, characterised in that it is held in its raised position by the hinge tabs (8) bearing against the inner face of the corresponding side of the frame (2).
8. Assembly according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that the hinge means (10) of the sides (2b; 2c) of the frame (2) are rigidly connected to two respective inner walls (11) perpendicular to the sides (2b; 2c) of the frame (2) and in that the grid (7) is accommodated in the frame (2) in its lowered position.
9. Road device comprising a frame (2) rigidly connected to the ground, a covering element (3), such as a hatch or manhole cover, mounted in a hinged manner on one side of the frame (2) between a lowered position closing the opening (O) of the frame (2) and a raised position uncovering the opening (O) of the frame (2), and a single fall protection safety grid (7) mounted in a hinged manner on a side (2b; 2c) of the frame (2) perpendicular to the side (2a) of this frame (2) to which the crowning element (3) is hinged so as occupy a raised position uncovering the opening (O) of the frame (2) or a lowered position closing the opening (O) of the frame (2) when the crowning element (3) is in its raised position, characterised in that the grid (7) can be mounted in a hinged manner on the opposite side (2c; 2b) of the frame (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
10. Road device according to claim 9, characterised in that, when the grid (7) is in its lowered position in the frame, the crowning element (3) can be lowered into the frame (2), thereby covering the grid (7).
11. Road device according to claim 9 or claim 10, characterised in that the frame (2) is rectangular.

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