FR2567173A1 - Water meter manhole with a small cover and which can be read from the surface of the ground - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lightweight water meter manhole which is prefabricated, fully equipped and ''very discrete'' by virtue of its small cover and which is fitted with a ''raisable'' meter for easy reading. It consists of a circular wall 1 surmounted by a cap comprising a neck 2 itself topped by a small lightweight cover which is flush with the ground; the whole assembly being made of corrosion-proof metal. ''The meter block'' 4 is located at the bottom of the manhole and is connected to the two connecting sleeves of the manhole via two flexible pipe elements 6 of sufficient length to enable the meter to be raised to the base of the neck 2 - for the reading of the dial or even the replacement of the meter - via a system of a ''tube 9 containing a rod 10''. The tube comprises a handle and a small hook making it possible to hold the meter in its upper position. This manhole is intended to eliminate the need to lift a large and heavy cover and to climb down inside a manhole (which is often dirty and damp) to read the meter.

Description

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to metering manholes which are placed on certain connections of subscribers of the drinking water supply network (case of sufficiently long connections where the water meter is placed in a manhole at the limit of private property instead of putting it in the basement of the building).

 Until now, these manholes (circular or rectangular) were either made on site. (for example concrete or agglos) or built in circular concrete rings or even prefabricated (they had to be put in place with a crane truck).

 More recently, we have thought of lighter systems (for example circular plastic manholes with a smaller diameter at the base than the ground surface).

 The diameter or the length of these manholes is generally of the order of 0.80 to -1.20 m; the depth, depending on the region, 0.80 to 1.20 m. These manholes are topped with covers of diameter 0.60 to 0.80 m in concrete or fairly ugly and conspicuous cast iron in the vicinity of a private property and moreover relatively heavy and difficult to clear, which discourages many lifters who must lift these covers and go down as best they can in the often dirty and damp manholes to read the meter.

The object of the invention is to remedy three major drawbacks - to prevent meter readers (generally these are
approved, retired, etc.) are obliged to "descend" in
manholes to read the meter index - avoid the attendant having to "lift and move" a cover
heavy and sometimes difficult to remove - finally, replace the ugly and bulky covers with a tank
much smaller, therefore much more "discreet".

 The counting manhole, object of the present invention, is a light prefabricated metal manhole, protected against corrosion, and fully equipped1 which it suffices to install and connect.

 The invention may in any case be well understood with the aid of the additional description which follows as well as of the attached drawings, which supplement and drawings, relate to a preferred embodiment of the invention and do not, of course, include no limiting character.

 Figure 1 of these drawings is a section along a vertical plane passing near the axis of the counting manhole.

 Figure 2 is a section of the manhole in a horizontal plane and which highlights the meter block and its flexible connection pipes placed at the bottom of the manhole.

 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the so-called inner rod welded to its support plate.

 FIG. 4 represents the tube (in which the aforementioned rod is located) with its handle and its method of attachment to the stirrup of the counter block.

 FIG. 5 represents all of the assembled elements of FIGS. 3 and 4.

 Figure 6 is a perspective view of the plate to which are fixed the two connecting sleeves of the manhole.

 FIG. 7 represents one of the two openings made at the base of the cylindrical wall of the manhole and allowing the passage of the plate which supports the two connection sleeves.

 Finally, FIG. 8 represents in schematic form a partial side view of the manhole (upper part with the neck) and the top view of the manhole (large and small covers).

The device is made up of two essential parts - the manhole itself consisting of a vertical cylinder casing (1)
drique of diameter 0.90 to 1.00 m (strong corrugated iron sheet) capped
a large cover (about 30 cm below the floor) with a collar (2)
(height about 30 cm, diameter about 30 cm) on which the
small lid called "discreet" (3) and which, after positioning the manhole,
is found flush with the ground.

The circular wall of the manhole and the "large neck" system
ring with neck and small cover "can be separated when trans
wearing the device; thus, at least two manholes can be placed
in a conventional van of a water service (abandonment of
truck crane). The gaze can be placed on a bed of gravel or
bricks placed at the bottom of the excavation - the water meter block (4) composed of the meter itself,
fittings, an upstream tap and a valve part and vi
downstream danger g these parts are fixed to the bracket (7). As shown
in Figures 4 and 5, it is welded to a vertical tube (9)
comprising a handle (11). The tube is guided by an internal rod
lower (10) welded to a support plate (13) at the base of the manhole.

 The vertical "tube-rod" assembly allows the counter block to go up towards the neck (2) which is vertical. It can also be kept in the upper position thanks to the small hook (12) fixed on the tube (10). The bracket (7) is fixed to the tube (9) (see Figure 4) at a distance such that the counter is slightly above the bottom of the manhole (less risk of being in contact with the ground or the water, better articulation of the flexible connections (6) during the ascent and descent of the meter block).

 The meter block is connected via flexible flexible hoses (reinforced PVC) to the special "inlet" and "outlet" (5) fittings fixed on a sheet (8) (Figures 2 and 61 which is practically placed diametrically opposite the counter support plate.

 The flexible PVC tubes (which cross over the plate 8) are long enough to allow the meter to be raised easily. Recesses (i45 cut in the cylindrical casing (1) (Figure 7) allow the entry and exit of the flexible pipe to the two fittings (5) fixed on the plate (8); c1 is at this level that is practice the connection of the counting manhole to the "incoming" and "outgoing" water pipes.

 This counting look with its 'discreet2' hood has the major advantage of avoiding staff going down into the look: this operation is often acrobatic and messy. The Meter can between read from the surface: it can even, from ld, be replaced as well as the neighboring fittings and taps.

Claims (6)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S 1) Complete manhole for water meter characterized in that it is constituted  a cylindrical ferrule (1) in galvanized corrugated sheet surmounted at its  upper part of a hat with a collar (2) topped with a hat  key (3) of reduced diameter and provided at its lower part with openings  (14) allowing the passage of flexible pipes connected to the block  counter (4) 2) Manhole according to claim l characterized in that the pipes  flexible enough long enough to allow the ascent  of the meter are provided at each end with sleeves (5) fixed to a  sheet metal (8) placed at the bottom of the manhole and passing through the openings (14) 3) Manhole according to claim 2 characterized in that the sheet (8) carries  on each of its ends notches (15) on which are  fixed the two sleeves (5) 4) Manhole according to claim 1 characterized in that the counter block  is provided with a stirrup (7) fixed to a tube (9) surmounted by a handle 5) Manhole according to claim 4 characterized in that the tube (9) is  guided inside by a rod (10) welded to a base plate (13)  placed on the bottom of the gaze 6) Manhole according to claim 4 characterized in that the tube (9) is  fitted with a hook (12) allowing the high position of the  counter by pressing on the rim of the neck (2)