GB2217853A

GB2217853A - Water meter box

Info

Publication number: GB2217853A
Application number: GB8904642A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Masaki Mikami; Moriyuki Otsuka; Yoshiaki Oka; Hajime Onoda; Hidetaka Hasebe; Tsuyoshi Komatsu
Original assignee: Kimmon Manufacturing Co Ltd; DAIICHI RUBBER CO Ltd
Current assignee: Kimmon Manufacturing Co Ltd; DAIICHI RUBBER CO Ltd
Priority date: 1988-04-22
Filing date: 1989-03-01
Publication date: 1989-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2009-03-01
Also published as: GB2217853B; GB8904642D0; JPH01160059U

Abstract

A water meter box includes a cylindrical body (12) embedded in the ground and a heat pipe (26) housed therein. The body has a cover (16) at ground level. A heat discharge section of the pipe is located in the inner space of the body and a heat pickup section (28) of the pipe is projected into the ground. A support (30) for supporting a water meter is attached to the heat discharge section. <IMAGE>

Description

"WATER METER BOX" The present invention relates to a box embedded in the ground to house a water meter therein.

The water meter box of this type is used in cold districts to prevent the water meter from being frozen. The water meter housed in the water meter box is prevented from becoming frozen by geothermal power.

The water meter box is embedded in the ground to such an extent that is deeper than the freezing depth of that ground where the water meter box is embedded. The depth to which the water meter box is embedded in the ground reaches about 70 - 150cm in particularly cold districts.

Since water meter is located adjacent to the bottom of the water meter box which is deeper than the freezing depth of the ground, it is necessary to dig up the earth round the water meter box and pull the water meter box out of the ground to expose the water meter every time when the water meter is exchanged with a new one. It is also needed after this exchange process that the water meter box is again embedded to its original position in the ground.

The digging and filling of earth, which must be done in cold districts every time when the water meter is exchanged with a new one, takes a large amount of labor, time and cost.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a water meter box capable of making it unnecessary to dig the earth and refill with the earth around the water meter box every time when the water meter is exchanged with a new one in cold districts, preventing the water meter from being frozen, and making it easy to maintain and check the water meter and exchange it with a new one in the water meter box.

The object of the present invention can be achieved by a water meter box comprising a cylindrical box body having an open end which is closed by a cover, and embedded in the ground the locate its open end at the same level as the surface of the ground; a heat pipe projected from an inner space in the box body into the ground, having a heat discharge section at its inner end located in the inner space of the box body and a heat pickup section at its outer end located in the ground; and a means mounted on the inner end of the heat pipe to support a water meter thereon.

According to the water meter box of this invention having the above-described arrangement, the water meter is supported by the support means mounted on the inner end of the heat pipe which is arranged in the inner space in the box body. This enables the water meter to be located adjacent to the open end in the inner space of the box body. When the water meter is located adjacent to the open end of the box body as described above, it can be made easy to maintain and check the water meter and to exchange the water meter with a new one in the water meter box.

Water introduced into the water meter box is more likely to be frozen as the water meter in the water meter box comes nearer and nearer the open end of the water meter box, but heat carried to the support means through the heat pipe projected into the ground can effectively prevent water in the water meter box from being frozen.

In the case of the water meter box of this invention having the above-described arrangement, it is preferable that the inner end of the heat pipe is located at a level of about 60cm or less when measured from the surface of the ground. This means that the water meter in the water meter box is located at the level of about 60cm or less when measured from the surface of the ground. When the water meter is located at this level, access to the water meter through the open end of the water meter box by hand can be made sure and easy.

Therefore, persons can maintain and check the water meter and exchange it with a new one in the water meter box without taking any immoderate posture and using any specific tools.

It is also preferable that the heat pipe is covered with heat insulator except those inner and outer ends thereof which serve as the heat discharge and pickup sections.

This heat insulator can effectively prevent the heat pipe from discharging heat at that portion thereof which is except its heat discharge section. Heat can be thus transmitted from its heat pickup section to its heat discharge section at a high efficiency.

It is also preferable that the support means is shaped like a cup suitable for receiving and supporting the water meter. When the support means is shaped like this, it can cover most of the lower half portion of the outer surface of the water meter. The efficiency of transmitting heat from the heat discharge section of the heap pipe to the water meter through the support means can be enhanced accordingly. In addition, the attaching and releasing of the water meter to and from the support means can be made easy.

The inner face of the box body and the underside of the cover for closing the open end of the box body can be covered with heat insulator. An inner cover can be further added between the open end of the box body and the support means at the inner end of the heap pipe in the inner space of the box body. The inner face of the box body, underside of the cover for the open end of the box body and one of the top and underside of the inner cover can be covered with heat insulator in this case.

The heat insulator and the inner cover can keep the inner space of the box body more highly heat-insulated and this enables the water meter box of this invention to be used in colder districts. Even when the heat insulator and the inner cover are used, they does not make the cost of the water meter box negligibly high.

This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: -Fig. 1 is a vertically sectioned view schematically showing a first embodiment of the water meter box according to this invention in a practical condition in which the box is enbedded in the earth; Fig. 2 is a vertically sectioned view schematically showing a second embodiment of the water meter box according to this invention in a practical condition in which the box is embedded in the earth; Fig. 3 is an enlarged and partly sectioned side view schematically showing a support means mounted on the heat discharge section of a heat pipe and a water meter supported by the support means in the water meter box in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a vertically sectioned view schematically showing a third embodiment of the water meter box according to this invention in a practical condition in which the box is embedded in the earth.

Fig. 1 shows box body 12 of a first embodiment according to this invention which is embedded in ground 10. Box body 12 is shaped like a cylinder with its both ends open and its lower open end in ground 10 is closed by bottom plate 14 while its upper open end located adjacent to surface 15 of ground 10 is covered by cover 16. Cover 16 is attached to the open end to be movable between open and closed positions and is positioned substantially in the same level as surface 15 of ground 10 when it is located in the closed position.

The lower end of box body 12 is located deeper than the freezing depth of ground 10 in that area where the water meter box is embedded, and water flow-in pipe 18 and water flow-out pipe 20 which are embedded in ground 10 deeper than the freezing depth are introduced into the lower end portion of the inner space of box body 12.

The lower end of a tube-like stand 22 is fixed to bottom plate 14, and the upper end thereof extends toward the upper open end of box body 12. Heat pipe 26 covered with heat insulator 24 except both ends thereof is arranged in the center hole of stand 22 and the lower end of heat pipe 26 which serves as heat pickup section 28 is projected into ground 10, passing through bottom plate 14, while the upper end thereof which serves as heat discharge section is exposed on the upper surface of seat 30, which serves as a water meter support means, on the upper end of stand 22. Seat 30 is located at a level of about 60cm in ground 10 when measured from surface 15 of ground 10 and this level of seat 30 is in the above-mentioned freezing depth of ground 10.

Water meter 32 is mounted on the upper surface of seat 30 and one mouthpiece 34 of water meter 32 located on water flow-in side is connected to the upper end of water guide pipe 36, which extends upward from the inner end of water flow-in pipe 18 introduced into box body 12, through valve 38 while another mouthpiece 40 located on water flow-out side is connected to the upper end of water guide pipe 42, which extends upward from the inner end of water flow-out pipe 20 introduced into box body 12. Water meter 32 has the well-known construction wherein a mechanism for measuring the flow rate of water is arranged in a housing and a display means for displaying values measured by the measuring mechanism is arranged on the top of the housing and is covered by a cap.

Inner cover 44 is further added between seat 30 of stand 22 and top cover 16 in box body 12.

In the case of the water meter box of the first embodiment of the present invention having the abovedescribed arrangement, operating fluid in heat pickup section 28 of heat pipe 26 is heated by geothermal power and evaporated to move upward to the heat discharge section through heat pipe 26 and heat is transmitted to water meter 32 through seat 30 of stand 22 at this heat discharge section of heat pipe 26. The operating fluid changes from vapor to liquid after the transmission of heat to water meter 32 and moves back to heat pickup section 28 through heat pipe 26. This circulation of the operating fluid through heat pipe 26 keeps the temperature of water meter 32, which is contacted with the heat discharge section of heat pipe 26, substantially the same as that of ground 10 in which heat pickup section 28 of heat pipe 26 is located.

Even when water meter 32 is in the freezing depth of ground 10, therefore, water in water meter 32 can be prevented from becoming frozen. Upper ends of water guide pipes 36 and 42 and valve 38 which are in the freezing depth of ground 10 to be connected to water meter 32 can be prevented from becoming frozen thanks to heat transmitted from water meter 32. When they are covered with heat insulator, the possibility of their becoming frozen can be prevented with higher reliability.

In the case of the water meter box as described above, water meter 32 is located adjacent to the open end of box body 12 and when top and inner covers 16 and 44 are opened, workers can take access to water meter 32 by hand without taking any immoderate posture.

Therefore, maintenance and check of water meter 32 and exchange of water meter 32 with a new one can be achieved in the inner space of box body 12 without using any specific tools. Heat insulator 24 on heat pipe 26 effectively prevents heat from being lost while it is transmitting through heat pipe 26.

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the water meter box according to the present invention embedded in ground 10. Same parts as those of the first embodiment will be represented by same reference numerals and detailed description on these parts will be omitted.

In the case of this second embodiment of the present invention, seat 30 is not arranged on the upper end of stand 22 but the upper end of heat pipe 26 which serves as heat discharge section 50 is projected upward from the upper end of stand 22. Heat discharge section 50 at the projected upper end of heat pipe 26 is shaped like a cup to serve as means 52 for supporting the water meter.

As shown in detail in Fig. 3, recess 54 in water meter support means 52 is made substantially the same size as that of lower housing section 56 of water meter 32, so that lower housing section 56 of water meter 32 can be housed in recess 54 of water meter support means 52. A pair of cut-away portions 58 are formed at the diametrical positions on side wall of water meter support means 52, and mouthpieces 34 and 40 of water meter 32 are located in cut-away portions 58.

Side wall of water meter support means 52 which covers lower housing section 56 of water meter 32 allows heat transmission efficiency from upper heat discharge section of heat pipe 26 to water meter 32 to be enhanced.

When mouthpieces 34 and 40 of water meter 32 are located in cut-away portions 58, water meter 32 can be made stable in redess 54 of water meter support means 52.

Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of the water meter box according to this invention embedded in ground 10.

Same parts as those of first and second embodiments will be denoted by same reference numerals and detailed description of these parts will be omitted.

In the case of this third embodiment, plate-like heat insulator 60 are bonded to the inner face of box body 12 and undersides of top and inner covers 16 and 44. When heat insulator 60 is bonded like this, the inner space of box body 12 in which water meter 32 is housed can be further heat-insulated from outside the box body 12. This enables water meter 32 to be used in ground 10 in more colder districts. Depending upon temperature of that district where the water meter is embedded in ground 10, however, inner cover 44 may be omitted.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

Claims:

1. A water meter box comprising: a cylindrical box body having an open end which is closed by a cover, and embedded in the ground to locate its open end at the same level as the surface of the ground; a heat pipe projected from an inner space in the box body into the ground, having a heat discharge section at its inner end located in the inner space of the box body and a heat pickup section at its outer end located in the ground; and a means mounted on the inner end of the heat pipe to support a water meter thereon.

2. The water meter box according to claim 1, wherein the inner end of the heat pipe is located at a level of about 60cm or less when measured from the surface of the ground in which the box body is embedded.

3. The water meter box according to claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is covered with heat insulator except those inner and outer ends thereof which serve as heat discharge and pickup sections, respectively.

4. The water meter box according to claim 1, wherein said water meter support means is shaped like a cup to receive and support the water meter therein.

5. The water meter box according to claim 1, wherein heat insulator is attached to the inner face of the box body and underside of the top cover.

6. The water meter box according to claim 1, wherein an inner cover is located in the box body between the open end of the box body and the water meter support means on the inner end of the heat pipe.

7. The water meter box according to claim 6, wherein heat insulator is attached to the inner face of the box body, underside of the top cover and one of top and underside of the inner cover.

8. A water meter box, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.