FR2814182A1 - ARTICULATED DEVICE FOR SHUTTERING A MANNER AND HINGE MEMBER FOR SUCH A DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an articulated device (10) for closing a manhole comprising a cover plate (12) provided with an articulation profile (20) on a support frame. It comprises a hinge element (14) attached to the cover plate (12) and on which said articulation profile (20) is defined. The hinge element (14) comprises elastic engagement means (16) adapted to cooperate with at least one associated stop (17) formed on the cover plate (12).

Description

i The present invention relates to an articulated device for closing a

  manhole comprising a cover plate provided with a hinge profile on a support frame. It further relates to a hinge element which can

  be reported on a cover plate.

  The invention applies in particular to devices for closing inspection or inspection chimneys of an underground network, such as manholes or sidewalks, to devices for closing technical inspection chambers of a cable network. underground, such as hatches, and

  manhole crowning devices such as road gratings.

  In road systems of this type, access to water networks or cable networks running through the ground is made possible by the presence of manholes or hatches comprising a frame closed by a shutter device,

  generally cast iron, placed flush with the ground surface.

  In order to facilitate opening and closing, this closure device is pivotally mounted on the frame. To allow the articulation of the closure device, the frame generally comprises an articulation profile and the cover plate constituting the main part of the closure device is extended by an articulation profile, adapted to cooperate with the profile d hinge formed in the support frame. This articulation profile came from material with the

cover plate.

  Depending on the use made of the closure device, several types of support frames, and several types of closure devices can be combined with each other. In particular, several types of

  different hinges can be used.

  The articulation profile of the closure devices having come integrally with the cover plate, it is appropriate, according to the different types of cover plates, and according to the different types of joints desired, to offer a very wide range shutter devices. Thus, the manufacturer must have a very large number of molds, the shapes of which cover all of the possible combinations between the different types of

  cover plates and the different types of joints.

  It is understood that the very wide range of closure devices to be proposed reduces the number of parts per series, thus limiting the economies of scale and therefore increasing the unit cost of each of the closure devices. The object of the invention is to propose a closure device which can be manufactured at a reduced cost, while making it possible to cover a very large area.

  range of types of cover plates and means of articulation.

  To this end, the invention relates to an articulated device for shutting off a manhole comprising a cover plate provided with a hinge profile on a support frame, characterized in that it comprises an added hinge element on the cover plate and on which said articulation profile is defined, the hinge element and the cover plate forming two main parts, and in that a first main part comprises elastic engagement means adapted to cooperate with at least one associated stop made on the second main part for the

  connection of the hinge element and the cover plate.

  According to particular embodiments, the articulated closure device comprises one or more of the following characteristics: said elastic engagement means comprise an elastically deformable arm, having a free end and a connection end to the first main part; - the arm came integrally with the first main part; - The arm extends generally parallel to the cover plate, when the hinge element and the cover plate are secured; - Said stop has a ramp forming a cam adapted to deform the arm during the coupling of the hinge element and the cover plate; - The free end of the arm is disposed behind the connecting end of the arm, considering the direction of coupling of the hinge element and the cover plate; - Said stopper comprises a trigger guard delimiting an arch for passage of the arm during coupling of the hinge element and the cover plate, which trigger guard has a stop surface adapted to cooperate with the free end of the arm; the hinge element and the cover plate comprise at least two pairs of complementary interlocking profiles, a first extending in the immediate vicinity of the periphery of the cover plate, and a second extending in the main part the cover plate away from the periphery of the plate; - said pairs of complementary nesting profiles formed on the hinge element and the cover plate are adapted to be engaged substantially in one of the directions of the plane of the cover plate; - The first pair of interlocking profiles comprises at least one tenon and a mortise formed respectively on one and the other of the hinge element and of the cover plate; - The second pair of interlocking profiles comprises at least one tab formed at the end of the hinge element and a seat for supporting the tab formed on the cover plate; - The cover plate has a slot which opens at the periphery of the plate and is provided with lateral shoulders for the support of the hinge element partially received in the slot, the hinge element and the cover plate comprise , at the end of the slot opposite its through end, a pair of complementary nesting profiles; - Said elastic engagement means are made of ductile iron; and - the elastic locking means are carried by the element of

  hinge and the or each stopper is provided on the cover plate.

  The invention further relates to a hinge element intended to be attached to a cover plate articulated on a frame, characterized in that it comprises a body delimiting an articulation profile and comprising suitable elastic engagement means. to cooperate with at least one associated stop formed on the cover plate for securing

  the hinge element and the cover plate.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description which will

  follow, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for closing a manhole according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the closure device of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is an elevational view of the hinge element alone of the closure device of Figure 1; - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cover plate alone of the closure device of Figure 1; - Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a shutter device for a manhole according to the invention Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Figure 5; - Figure 7 is a top view of the closure device of Figure 5; and - Figure 8 is a sectional view of the device taken along the line

VIII-VIII of figure 6.

  The closure device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is suitable for closing an underground inspection or inspection manhole. It is intended to be mounted on a support frame (not shown) and to be articulated relative to

  this via a hinge.

  According to the invention, the closure device 10 comprises a cover plate 12 made of cast iron and a hinge element 14 attached to the plate

of recovery.

  The cover plate 12 constitutes either a full pad completely closing the opening delimited by the frame on which it is installed, or a

  perforated grid allowing the flow of water.

  To secure the covering plate 12 and the hinge element 14, one of them comprises elastic engagement means 16 visible in FIG. 2, adapted to cooperate with at least one associated stopper 17 formed on the other of the hinge element and the plate

of recovery.

  The hinge element 14 comprises an elongated body 18 provided with a

  end of a hinge profile 20.

  The cover plate 12 and the hinge element 14 further comprise two pairs of complementary nesting profiles. The first pair of nesting profiles visible in FIG. 1 and designated by the general reference 22 extends in the immediate vicinity of the periphery of the

cover plate 12.

  The second pair of interlocking profiles designated by the general reference 24 extends in the current part of the cover plate 12 to

  away from the periphery thereof.

  The hinge element 14 is shown in detail in FIG. 3. Its articulation profile 20 has come integrally with the body 18. It has a yoke 26 open laterally adapted to surround a pivot, not shown, integral with the frame of support on which the shutter device is articulated. The yoke 26 can rotate around the axis of the pivot, the yoke 26 and the pivot then constituting a hinge. The orientation of the yoke 26 is such that the axis of articulation

  of the hinge extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the body 18.

  Immediately in front of the yoke 26, the body 18 has two protuberances laterally delimiting mortises 28 opening laterally. These define grooves 30 opening at one end and opening towards the front of the hinge element, that is to say opposite the end carrying the articulation profile. The grooves 30 are adapted to receive tenons 32 formed integrally with the cover plate and formed in the vicinity of its periphery. These pins are turned towards the outside of the plate. The mortises 28 and the tenons 32 form the first pair 22 of interlocking profiles. The coupling of these profiles is carried out according to a

  direction of the plane of the cover plate 12.

  The upper surface of the lateral protuberances delimiting the mortises 28 extends on the body 18 towards the front thereof. The surface T-shaped thus formed visible in Figure 1 is adapted to be flush with the upper surface of the cover plate. This surface ends at the front with a shoulder 36 forming an element positioning stop

hinge 14.

  In its middle part, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the cover plate 12 has a notch 38 suitable for receiving the surface 34. This notch opens at the periphery of the cover plate. It is bordered at its open end by the two studs 32 located in a plane below the plane of the main part of the cover plate. In its full part, the cover plate 12 has a through puncture 50 in which the second pair 24 of interlocking profiles is formed. The puncture 50 is intended to receive a lug 52 extending the body 18 of the hinge element at its front end opposite to that having the articulation profile 20. The upper surface denoted 54 of the lug 52 extends in the plane of the surface 34. It is thus adapted to be flush with the

  upper surface of the cover plate 12.

  At its front end, the puncture 50 is partially closed, in a plane lower than the main plane of the cover plate, by a seat 56 visible in FIG. 2 for supporting the lower face noted 58 of the tab 52. The offset of the upper surface of the bearing 56 relative to the upper surface

  of the cover plate 12 is equal to the thickness of the tab 52.

  At its free end, the seat 56 is extended by a ramp 60 for guiding the end of the tab 52 during the nesting taking place according to

  a direction of the plane of the cover plate 12.

  The elastic engagement means 16 comprise, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, an elastically deformable arm 70. The arm 70 came integrally with the body 18 of the hinge element. It is connected to the latter at a front end 72. The arm 70 generally extends along the body 18 so

  that its connecting end 72 forms a hairpin.

  The other end of the arm 70, denoted 74, forms a free end adapted to cooperate with the stop 17 provided on the underside of the cover plate 12. The connecting end 72 of the arm extends in front of it. free end 74 of the arm, considering the direction of coupling. In this embodiment, the stop 17 consists of a bridge 80 extending perpendicular to the main direction of the hinge element 14. This bridge defines an arch 82 for passage of the body 18 and the elastic arm of the hinge element. On its inner surface, the trigger guard has a ramp 84 facing outwards from the plate, promoting deformation

  elastic of the arm 70 during the positioning of the hinge element.

  The bridge 80 internally delimits an abutment surface 86 for the free end 74 of the arm 70 when the hinge element 14 and the cover plate 12 are secured (FIG. 2). The abutment surface 86 is rotated

towards the inside of the plate 12.

  The hinge element 14 is made of ductile cast iron, that is to say of spheroidal graphite cast iron. Thus, the arm 70 is elastically deformable,

  the free end 74 of the arm can be brought closer to the body 18.

  When mounting the hinge element 14 on the cover plate 12, the front end of the hinge element is first introduced through the arch 82. Thus, the connecting end 72 of the arm East

  first introduced under trigger guard 80.

  The free end of the tab 52 is then brought into contact against the ramp 60. The body 18 of the hinge element then extends practically parallel to the lower surface of the cover plate 12. In this position, the surface outside of the arm 70 bears against the ramp 84 formed

  on the inner surface of trigger guard 80.

  Under the action of a push from the articulation profile 20 along the axis of the hinge element 14, the tab 52 progressively crosses the ramp 60 and comes to bear on the seat 56. Simultaneously, the arm 70 elastically deforms, its free end 74 approaching the body 18, under the action of the ramp 84 forming a cam surface. At the end of the insertion of the hinge element, the free end 74 of the elastic arm engages elastically beyond the edge defined between the ramp 84 and the abutment surface 86. The free end of the arm 70 then relaxes elastically and comes to apply

  against the abutment surface 86 or facing it.

  Simultaneously, during the movement of the hinge element 14, the pins 32 formed on the edge of the cover plate 12 gradually engage inside the mortises 28. It will be appreciated that after the arm 70 is engaged in before the abutment surface 86, the hinge element 14 is secured to the cover plate 12, the immobilization of the two parts relative to each other being ensured along the axis of the element hinge 14 by the arm 70, while immobilization in the other directions is ensured by the sockets

  formed by pairs of complementary profiles 22 and 24.

  After the hinge element 14 is secured to the cover plate 12, the closure device thus formed is placed on a

  support frame where it is articulated in a manner known per se.

  It is understood that with such a closure device, the same cover plate can be used with hinge elements having profiles 20 of different types. So the cover plate can be used

  in different closing devices.

  The assembly of the cover plate and the hinge element being effected by elastic engagement or snap-fastening, this

  joining can be carried out simply on site without any special tool.

  Finally, the same cover plate can be reused on a support frame equipped with different articulation means by replacing only the hinge element 14. For this purpose, it is only necessary to deform, for example using a clamp, the elastic arm 70 and to release the hinge element by pulling it from its articulation profile 20. After removal of the hinge element, a new hinge element is put in place. In Figures 5 to 8 is shown another embodiment of a closure device 110 according to the invention. In this embodiment, the elements identical or analogous to those of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 are designated by the same reference numbers to which it has been added 100. In this other embodiment, a cover plate is recognized 112 and an attached hinge element 114, coupled to one another by elastic engagement means 116 made integrally with the hinge element 114 and adapted to cooperate with a stop 117 integrally formed with the plate cover 12. The cover plate 112 defines a slot 202 for receiving the body 118 of the hinge element. This slot 202 passes through the thickness of the cover plate 12. It opens at one end at the periphery of the

cover plate.

  In these two lateral sides and as illustrated in FIG. 8, the slot 202 has shoulders 204 supporting the body 118 of the hinge element. These shoulders 204 extend parallel to the upper surface of the cover plate 112. The body 118 of the hinge element has in section a general shape of T, and has two lateral wings

  208A to 208B adapted to rest on the shoulders 204 of the slot.

  In the vicinity of its periphery, the cover plate 112 is bordered by a reinforcing rib 210 extending on the underside of the

cover plate.

  The upper surface of the hinge element is adapted to be flush with the upper surface of the cover plate 112 when these

two pieces are coupled.

  At its front end, the body 118 of the hinge element has a fork 212, one of the branches 214 of which projects below the cover plate 112. The cover plate 112 has a lug 216 arranged below slot 202, this pin 216 being adapted to be received in the fork 212 and thus ensure an interlocking of the plate

  covering 112 and the hinge element 114.

  In the vicinity of the articulation profile 120, the body 118 of the hinge element has a bearing surface 220 suitable for resting on the surface of the

  rib 210 in the region of slot 202.

  The elastic latching means 116 have an elastic arm 170 connected to the body 118 of the hinge element on the underside of the latter. The hinge element 118 and the arm 170 have come in one piece from a connecting end 172. The other end 174 of the arm 170 forms a free end. This free end is provided with the side facing the body 118

  a projection 230 adapted to cooperate with the stop 117.

  In this embodiment, the free end 174 of the arm extends in front of the connecting end 172, considering the direction

  coupling the hinge element and the cover plate 112.

  The stop 117 comprises a bridge 250 made integrally with the cover plate 112 by two connecting pillars 252 formed on either side of the slot 202. The bridge 250 overlaps the slot 202. On its outer surface, the bridge 250 has a ramp 284 turned towards the outside of the plate allowing elastic deformation of the arm away from the body 118 during

  the coupling of the hinge element with the cover plate.

  In front of the ramp 284, the trigger guard has externally an abutment surface 286 adapted to cooperate with the projection 230 and retain the arm 170. For the positioning of the hinge element, the latter is engaged in the slot 202 , the body 118 being supported on the shoulders 204 formed in the sides of the slot. Initially, the arm 170 is behind the trigger guard 250 and the fork 212 is moved away from the lug 216. The hinge element 114 is then pressed towards the bottom of the slot 202. During this movement, the arm 170 gradually deforms into moving away from the body 118 by cooperation of the projection 230 sliding on the ramp 284 forming a cam. After crossing the edge defined between the surfaces 284 and 286, the projection 230 engages elastically against the abutment surface 286 under the elastic action of the arm 170. When the hinge element moves, the fork 212 comes commit on both sides and

on the other of the tenon 216.

  It is understood that in this embodiment also, the elastic latching means 170 ensure the immobilization of the hinge element relative to the cover plate along the length thereof, while the fitting of the body 118 in the slot 202 provided with the lateral shoulders 204, as well as the interlocking of the lug 216 in the fork 212 ensure the immobilization with respect to each other, of the hinge element and the

  cover plate in other directions.

  In variants not shown, for the two previous embodiments, the elastic latching means and the stop can be respectively secured to the cover plate and the element

  hinge added, their positions being reversed.

Claims (15)

  1. Hinged device (10; 110) for closing a manhole comprising a cover plate (12; 112) provided with an articulation profile (20; 120) on a support frame, characterized in that it comprises a hinge element (14; 114) attached to the cover plate (12; 112) and on which said articulation profile (20; 120) is defined, the hinge element (14; 114) and the plate covering (12; 112) forming two main parts, and in that a first main part (14; 114) comprises elastic engagement means (16; 116) adapted to cooperate with at least one stop (17; 117) associated formed on the second main part (12; 112) for securing the hinge element (14; 114) and the plate covering (12; 112).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said elastic engagement means comprise an arm (70; 170) elastically deformable, having a free end (74; 174) and an end (72   172) connecting to the first main part (14; 114).   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the arm   (70; 170) came together with the first main part (14; 114).   4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the arm (70; 170) extends generally parallel to the cover plate (12; 112), when the hinge element (14; 114) and the cover plate (12; 112) are joined together.   5. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 4,   characterized in that said stop (17; 117) has a ramp (84; 284) forming a cam adapted to deform the arm (70; 170) during the coupling of   the hinge element (14; 114) and the cover plate (12; 112).   6. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5,   characterized in that the free end (74) of the arm is disposed behind the connecting end (72) of the arm, considering the direction of coupling of   the hinge element (14) and the cover plate (12).   7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said stop (17) comprises a bridge (80) delimiting an arch (82) for passage of the arm (70) during the coupling of the hinge element (14) and the cover plate (12), which bridge (80) has a stop surface (86)   adapted to cooperate with the free end (74) of the arm.   8. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that the hinge element (14) and the cover plate (12) comprise at least two pairs (22, 24) of complementary nesting profiles, a first (22) extending in the immediate vicinity from the periphery of the cover plate (12), and a second (24) extending in the current part of the cover plate (12) to   away from the periphery of the plate.   9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said pairs (22, 24) of complementary nesting profiles formed on the hinge element (14) and the cover plate (12; 112) are adapted to be put in engagement substantially along one of the directions of the plane of the cover plate.   10. Device according to any one of claims 8 and 9,   characterized in that the first pair (22) of interlocking profiles comprises at least one tenon (32) and a mortise (28) formed respectively on one and   the other of the hinge element (14) and the cover plate (12).   11. Device according to any one of claims 8 to 10,   characterized in that the second pair (24) of interlocking profiles comprises at least one tab (52) formed at the end of the hinge element (14) and a seat (56) for supporting the tab ( 52) formed on the plate cover (12).   12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,   characterized in that the cover plate (112) has a slot (202) which opens at the periphery of the plate and is provided with lateral shoulders (204) for the support of the partially received hinge element (114) in the slot (202), and in that the hinge element (114) and the cover plate (112) comprise, at the end of the slot (202) opposite its end   emerging, a couple of complementary nesting profiles (212, 216).   13. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that said elastic engagement means   (16; 116) are made of ductile iron.   14. Device according to any one of the claims   above, characterized in that the elastic engagement means (16 116) are carried by the hinge element (14; 114) and the or each stop (17;   117) is provided on the cover plate (12; 112).   15. Hinge element (14; 114) intended to be attached to an articulated cover plate (12; 112) on a frame, characterized in that it comprises a body (18; 118) delimiting a hinge profile ( 20; 120) and comprising elastic engagement means (16; 116) adapted to cooperate with at least one associated stop (17; 117) formed on the cover plate (12; 112) for the attachment of the element hinge (14   114) and the cover plate (12; 112).