FR2824573A1 - Underground equipment chamber access opening has metal frame with prefabricated concrete surround sealed in opening - Google Patents

Abstract

The access opening for an underground chamber (1) designed to be fitted with a cover (7) set in a metal frame (8), has a surround (9) of concrete or other prefabricated material, fixed to the metal frame in the workshop. The surround is designed to be fitted into the chamber opening (6) formed by its vertical walls, and sealed to the walls to create a non-deformable seat for the metal frame. The surround is made with a stepped surface to fit in the opening formed by the upper edges of the chamber walls, and the metal frame has an S-shaped cross-section with one edge projecting slightly above the concrete surround to receive the cover.

Description

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  The present invention relates to a device for accessing and closing a buried room, intended in particular for the storage or confinement of various equipment, of the type commonly used by installers and users of electrical networks or communication, for the distribution, from a room of this kind, of currents or signals, routed by cables or similar means, of connection between exchanges

and subscriber stations.

  In transmission networks, operated by companies such as telephone operators, or even rail transport operators, it is indeed necessary to have multiple connecting cables which lead to generally buried rooms or enclosures, from which the distribution and distribution of signals or data, towards the areas where they must

be exploited.

  These chambers, generally made with a background and walls of concrete or other materials, of generally parallelepiped shape, are hollowed out in the ground and closed at their upper part, which is flush with the latter by covering elements. , like concrete slabs, steel plates or others, in one or more parts, articulated or not, mutually or mutually locked, and usually provided with securing means such as the opening of these chambers by release and removal of their cover elements can only be carried out by authorized persons in order to protect their content vis-à-vis interventions

exterior unauthorized.

  These covering elements are well known in the art and conventionally comprise a frame produced by means of a metal angle in the form of a rabbet open towards the outside, constituting a frame or receiving structure, in which comes to be arranged and lock, directly or indirectly, the slab or the closing plates which allow to shut off the interior

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  from the room or, conversely, access it in

  the conditions specified above.

  French patent 98 16260 in the name of the applicant Company, illustrates by way of illustration, one particular example among others, of such an embodiment of an underground chamber and of a covering element constituted

a lockable hatch.

  In these known embodiments, the metal frame with its open rabbet for receiving the slab or the like, to constitute the covering element of the chamber, is manufactured in the factory to the precise dimensions of the opening provided at the upper part of the chamber. , delimited by the four vertical walls of concrete or another material, so as to allow it to fit tightly in this opening before being sealed against

  these walls in their facing surface.

  Once the frame thus sealed, it is usual to bring thereon the means necessary for the subsequent mounting of the closing slab and for its locking on this frame for securing the chamber, these means being constituted by tabs with hinge d 'articulation, guiding fingers, ground studs idarization of success i fs elements of the slab when it is made in several parts, latches or locks or, conversely, strikes for receiving the latter etc ... , which, as the case may be, make it possible to set up and fix the slab or on the contrary to erase it to allow access, permanently or

  temporary inside the room.

  However, for this reason, the mounting of the metal frame and of the various accessories to be attached and subsequently fixed on it, is not under the complete control of the manufacturer of this frame, who cannot guarantee its proper functioning, so precisely these accessories have not been implemented

  with the necessary care and precision.

  The object of the present invention is to provide an access and closure device to a buried chamber of the type mentioned above, which overcomes this drawback thanks to a

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  arrangement in which the means necessary for the installation of a closure element, of the slab or other type, can be very precisely positioned on the frame and / or the slab by the manufacturer thereof, guaranteeing subsequent operation sure, whatever the variations in the dimensions of the chamber itself and in particular the distances which separate its vertical walls, which, made of concrete or another material, may not be perfectly identical from one embodiment to the other, even show fluctuations

for the same achievement.

  To this end, the device according to the invention, comprising a metal frame having an open rebate for receiving, fixing and / or hinging a closure element of a buried chamber, is characterized in that it comprises a crown made of concrete or another prefabricated material, surrounding the frame and secured externally to the latter in the factory, this crown being arranged to then be placed in the opening made in the upper part of the chamber, delimited by its walls vertical, this crown being sealed on these walls to form a non-deformable seat for the metal frame. Depending on the case, the transverse dimensions of the crown can be slightly greater or less than those of the opening in the upper part of the chamber, the sealing of this crown on the vertical walls of the latter making it possible to absorb easily the any differences between these dimensions, entirely independent of the dimensions of the metal frame itself and of the element

closure received by the latter.

  According to an advantageous characteristic, the crown has an outer stepped profile, suitable for allowing it to be embedded in a recess of the same profile provided in the opening made in the upper part of the chamber.

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  Furthermore and according to other characteristics, the metal frame preferably comprises an S-shaped profile, one end of which projects slightly vertically towards the upper part of the crown, above the latter, this end connecting to a middle part. horizontal of the profile to form therewith the rebate of the frame, this median part being in turn extended, opposite the upper projection, under the rebate, by an enveloping vertical bearing

  laterally inside the crown.

  Preferably, the vertical span enveloping the interior of the crown ends with a re-entrant part, suitable for anchoring the frame in the thickness of the crown. Also, the metal frame can be secured

  with the crown by transverse sockets.

  According to a particular characteristic, the rebate of the frame comprises, towards the inside of the crown, support means for accessories equipping this frame, of the type of articulation tabs, guide fingers, elements

lock or others.

  Other characteristics and advantages of a device established in accordance with the present invention will become apparent from

  through the following description of an exemplary embodiment

  given for information and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is an elevational view and transverse section along line II of Figure 2, of an access and closure device to a room buried

according to the invention.

  - Figure 2 is a top view of the device ,, consldere. - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along

line III-III of Figure 1.

  - Figure 4 is a partial sectional view, on a larger scale, of the arrangement shown

schematically in Figure 3.

  s 2824573 In these figures, the reference 1 designates as a whole a conventional structure of a buried chamber for the storage or confinement of apparatus or the like, belonging to an electrical or communication network, the nature and arrangement of these apparatuses being

  totally indifferent to the present invention.

  The chamber 1 is generally of rectangular shape and has a bottom bottom (not shown in the drawings) and four vertical walls, respectively 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Figure 1), the various constituent parts of the chamber preferably being made of concrete or other material, composite by

example.

  The four vertical walls of the chamber define a central opening 6 which can be closed off by a closing element 7 produced in accordance with the invention, this closing element being arranged so that it can be placed above the chamber or, on the contrary, withdrawn from the opening 6 in order to allow free access to the interior of this chamber and to the apparatuses contained therein, in particular after command of appropriate locking means, which can only be operated by persons empowered to perform

this operation.

  In accordance with the invention, the closure element 7 consists of a metal frame 8 and an outer ring 9, prefabricated, made of concrete or another material, which surrounds this frame while being fastened in the factory to it. ci, this crown being arranged so as to allow it to be positioned without difficulty in the opening 6 at the upper part of the chamber 1, in particular despite possible slight variations in the distances which separate the faces of the vertical walls in view of the chamber according to their extent from one end to the other of each of these walls, or even from one embodiment to another of the same chamber, both of which can

  accept the same closing element.

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  The crown 9 advantageously has a stepped profile 10, with a lower heel 11 and an upper rim 12, this profile of the crown being designed to fit into a recess 13 of the same shape of the opening 6 for access to the chamber, the heel 11 coming to bear on a bearing 14 formed in the bottom of this recess and the twist 12 resting on a shoulder 15

  formed at the top of it.

  Advantageously, the crown 9 comprises, between its heel 11 and its reLord 12, a connecting portion 16 slightly inclined to the vertical, the opening 6 likewise having between its bearing surface 14 and its shoulder 15, a surface 17 having the same inclination, so as to allow proper embedding of the

crown in the opening.

  According to the invention, the crown 9 is designed to be sealed on the vertical walls 2 to 5 of the chamber 1, in the opening 6, this sealing being able to be easily carried out.

  by a concrete or other suitable material joint.

  In particular, when as mentioned above, the relative dimensions of the crown and the opening are not strictly identical, so that they provide a possibly variable clearance between these two elements, this can be easily filled by this seal , who assures

a secure and definitive connection.

  The metal frame 8, associated with the crown 9, is mounted and fixed thereon during manufacture in the factory, which makes it possible to adapt them perfectly to each other, this frame preferably having an S-profile as

illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

  In particular, in the example shown, the frame 8, consisting of a suitably shaped metal angle, has an end 18 which extends vertically slightly beyond the surface of the crown 9, an arrangement which is not otherwise necessary. , in particular if the closing element 7 which is placed in the frame 8 must be strictly flush

  at the upper level of the crown.

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  This end 18 is extended by a median part forming a horizontal return 19 constituting therewith the receiving rebate of the element 7, this return being itself extended by a vertical bearing or border 20 which surrounds the interior of the crown above the opening 6, this border being terminated by a re-entrant part 21 which is anchored in the thickness of the crown 9 so as to idarially tighten the frame with the latter. Preferably, the immobilization of the frame with respect to the crown is completed by means of fixing sleeves 22 and 23, or by an anchoring rail (not shown here), distributed respectively in the return 19 and the border, these sockets schematically illustrated in Figure 2, being more apparent in the sectional view of Figure 3

  and more on the detail in Figure 4.

  The metal frame 8 with its receiving rabbet, rigorously positioned during its manufacture on the crown 9, can be fitted in the factory with all the accessories necessary for immobilization or removal of

closing element 7.

  Thus and in Figure 4, there is shown a support tab 24 attached against the angle of the frame and which can for example be fixed thereon by means of

  sockets 23 or in any other more suitable manner.

  On this tab 24, can then be mounted, either hinge elements 25, for pivoting at the opening of the element 7, or arches 26, shown fixed to the tab 24 by a weld 27, or even others accessories such as guiding fingers, centering pins or other locking members, (not shown), the role and implementation of which are conventional in known devices for accessing and closing such

buried rooms.

  This produces a device of simple design, but very effective, in which the function of positioning the receiving frame of the closure element is dissociated with respect to the opening of the

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  chamber, and that of immobilization of the crown itself

  even, the assembly adapts to all classic rooms by allowing the immediate installation of all the desired options for the establishment and securing of this closing element. Of course, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown above; on the contrary it embraces all

variants.

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Claims (5)

RESELL I CAT I ONS   1 - Device for accessing and closing an underground chamber (1), in particular for the storage and confinement of various equipment, comprising a metal frame (8) having an open rabbet for receiving, fixing and / or articulation of a closure element (7), characterized in that it also comprises a crown (9) made of concrete or another prefabricated material, surrounding the frame and externally solidarisoe thereof in the factory, this crown being arranged to then be placed in the opening (6) provided at the upper part of the chamber, delimited by its vertical walls, this crown being sealed on these walls to form a   non-deformable seat for the metal frame.   2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse dimensions of the crown (9) are logically greater or less than those of   the opening (6) in the upper part of the chamber (1).   3 - Device according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that the crown (9) has an outer profile (10) in steps, suitable for allowing it to be embedded in a recess (13) of the same profile provided in the opening (6) formed in the upper part of the Room 1).   4 - Device according to any one of   claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the frame   metal (8) has an S-shaped profile, one end (18) of which projects slightly vertically towards the upper part of the crown (9), above the latter, this end being connected to a horizontal middle part (19) of the profile to form therewith the rebate of the frame, this median part being in turn extended, opposite the upper projection, under the rebate, by a vertical bearing (20) enveloping laterally inside the crown.   - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the vertical surface (20) enveloping the interior 2824573   of the crown (9) ends in a re-entrant part (21), suitable for anchoring the frame (8) in the thickness of the crown. 6 - Device according to any one of   claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the frame   metal (8) is secured to the crown (9) by cross sockets (22, 23).   7 - Device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rebate of the   metal frame (8) comprises, towards the inside of the crown, support means (25, 26) for accessories equipping this frame, such as articulation lugs, guide fingers, locking elements or others.