GB2328970A

GB2328970A - Replaceable hinged access cover for sunken utility boxes/shafts

Info

Publication number: GB2328970A
Application number: GB9819293A
Authority: GB
Inventors: H John T Dudley
Original assignee: Thomas Dudley Ltd
Current assignee: Thomas Dudley Ltd
Priority date: 1997-09-05
Filing date: 1998-09-07
Publication date: 1999-03-10
Also published as: GB9819293D0

Abstract

A replaceable hinged access cover for sunken utility boxes or shafts comprises a cover assembly (30) consisting of a cover (34) which is pivotally mounted upon a hinge mounting (32) using hinge pins (42). The hinge mounting may be removably located in the top of a sunken utility box (10) and is held in place by grub screws (48). The ends of the hinge mounting are also provided with recesses (37) to assist with its location and fastening within the box frame.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SUNK BOXES OR THE LIKE The invention relates to improvements in or relating to sunk boxes or the like and is more particularly concerned with a replacement cover for the sunk box.

FIG.3 shows a known box to be used for example for a mains water stop tap. The box 10 comprises a frame 12 and a cover 18. The frame 12 consists of a square frusto-pyramidal sleeve 14 having an outwardly extending flange 16 at its lower edge. The cover 18 is square and is dimensioned to fill the upper opening 20 of the sleeve 14.

Adjacent the rear edge 19 of the cover 18 are provided two semi-circular downwards projections 22, one to each side of the cover 18. The projections 22 are co-axially arranged and receive pins 24 which pass through apertures in the projections 22 to be received in apertures in the sleeve 14 so the cover 18 is hingedly mounted to the frame 12. In the closed position, the cover 18 rests upon an inwardly directed flange 26 which extends around the inner surface of the sleeve 14 on three sides starting and finishing adjacent the semi-circular projections 22. When the cover 18 is pivoted about the pins 24 to lie on the inwardly directed flange 26, the upper surface of the cover 18 lies flush with the flat upper edge 28 of the sleeve 14. The entire box 10 is generally made from cast iron. The box 10 is intended to be buried in the ground and generally is set in concrete to the level of the upper edge 28 of the frame sleeve 14.

After a period of time, the box 10 will rust and it is particularly common for the pins 24 to rust through so that the cover 18 is merely supported on the flange 26. The cover 18 can therefore rock and might be displaced from lying flush in the sleeve 14. Because of the concrete around the box 12, it is not easy to clear the remainder of the pins 24 from the apertures in the projections 22 and sleeve 14 to enable new pins to be fitted. In practice, the entire box 10 is dug up and a new box 10 is fitted.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a replacement cover assembly for a sunk box, the assembly comprising a cover, at least one hinge part therefor and means for mounting the or each hinge part in the box, said cover being pivotally mounted, in use, on said at least one hinge part by pins or the like.

Thus, the invention enables a replacement cover to be fitted to an existing box. The labour and expense of fitting a completely new box is thus avoided.

The or each hinge part may be held in place in any suitable way, but preferably the mounting means includes means for holding the or each hinge part in the box by an interference fit or for frictionally holding the or each hinge part in place. The mounting means may comprise means to bias or retain the or each hinge part against a fixed part of the box frame to mount it. Conveniently, the mounting means may comprise at least one grub screw for the or each hinge part.

The mounting means may further include a downwardly facing part on the or each hinge part which is arranged to engage an upwardly facing part of the box frame. In this way, the or each hinge part will rest in place on an upwardly facing part of the frame. The mounting means may include an upwardly facing part on the or each hinge part which is arranged to engage a downwardly facing part of the box frame. In this way the assembly will resist upwards movement. The or each hinge part may include a recess or notch to snugly receive a projection on the frame.

In particular where the or each hinge part is arranged to be biased against a downwardly facing part of the frame, the or each hinge part is preferably tapered to enable it to be pivoted around and under the said downwardly facing part of the frame.

The or each hinge part is preferably shaped, e.g. tapered, to enable it to be jammed (interference fit) between opposed portions of the hose frame.

While there may be a plurality of hinged parts, preferably there is only one hinge part which may conveniently be U-shaped to fit around the inside surface of the box frame.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a combination comprising an assembly as defined in the preceding statement of invention (last paragraph on page 2 of this specification) mounted in a box frame.

Further according to the invention there is provided a combination of a box and replaceable cover assembly, said combination comprising a box having an internally directed flange for supporting a cover of the cover assembly in a closed position on the box, said cover assembly including hinge means engageable with said internally directed flange to releasably retain the cover assembly in the box.

Still further according to the invention there is provided a combination of a box and replaceable cover assembly, the cover assembly comprising a cover and at least one hinge part in the form of a brace or other member on which the cover is pivotally mounted by means of pins or the like, said at least one hinge part being releasably engageable with the box.

Still further according to the invention there is provided a method of replacing a cover on a sunk box in which the hinge pins have broken, said method including removing the cover, introducing hinge means of a replacement cover assembly into a frame of the box, said cover assembly having a cover pivotally mounted or mountable on said hinge means by means of pins or the like and retaining the hinge part on the box frame, preferably, by an interference fit.

Still further according to the invention there is provided a combination of a box and replaceable cover assembly, said cover assembly comprising a brace member or bracket on which the cover is movably (preferably pivotally) mounted, said brace member or bracket being releasably engageable with the box.

Many other advantageous features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the replacement cover assembly of the embodiment of the invention mounted in a box frame; FIG.2 is a perspective view partly in cross-section of the replacement cover assembly of FIG.1 alone; and FIG.3 is a perspective view of the known box.

The known box 10 of FIG.3 has already been described and the replacement cover assembly 30 of the embodiment is intended for use in the frame 12 of that box 10.

The replacement cover assembly 30 comprises a generally U-shaped hinge part 32 and a cover 34. The hinge part 32 is dimensioned and arranged to fit within the upper part of the sleeve 14. Each arm 36 of the U-shaped part 32 includes a rebate 37 about two-thirds up the end surface 39 to define a downwardly facing surface 38 to engage the upwardly facing surface of the end of the inwardly directed flange 26 of the frame 12 and to define an upwardly facing surface 41 to engage the downwardly facing surface of the end of the flange 26. Each arm 36 includes a through aperture 40 to receive a hinge pin 42. In the connecting section 44 between the two arms 36 there are provided four tapped apertures 46.

The apertures 46 are symmetrically positioned two to each side of the connecting part 44 with one aperture 46 at about half the height of the connecting part 44 and adjacent one arm 36, and the other aperture 46 to each side of the connecting part 44 being towards the lower edge of the connecting part 44 and inwards of the first aperture 46 being about onequarter of the way along the connecting part 44. The apertures 46 receive grub screws 48. The outer surfaces 47 of the hinged part 32 are tapered inwardly while the inner surfaces 49 are substantially vertical.

The cover 34 of the assembly is similar to the cover 18 of the known box 10, but each side edge 50 includes an inwards step 52 narrowing the cover 34 towards its rear edge 54 where the same semi circular apertured projections 22 are provided. The hinge pins 42 extend through the apertures in the projections 22 and the apertures 40 in the arms 36 of the hinged part 32 to connect the assembly together.

In use, the old cover 18 is lifted out of the frame 12 of the corroded box 10. With the cover 34 raised, the U-shaped part 32 is slid into the frame 12. Due to the tapering of the hinge part 32, it can be tilted forwards to avoid engagement with the ends of the flange 26 and then tilted back to receive the ends of the flange 26 in the rebates 37. The grub screws 48 are then screwed into the tapped apertures 46 to bias the U-shaped part 32 against the inwardly directed flange 26 and hold the hinge part 32 securely in position locked with the flange 26 ends in the rebates 37. The cover 34 can then be swung closed. The step 52 will lie flush against the end surfaces 39 of the arms 36 so that the upper end of the sleeve 14 and the cover assembly 30 present a largely continuous flat surface.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced by any equivalent or generic term. For example, the term "sunk box" could be replaced by "mains supply box" or "stop tap box". Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions related to the sunk box or replacement cover assembly might be individually patentably inventive. In particular, any disclosure in this specification of a range for a variable or parameter shall be taken to include a disclosure of any selectable or derivable sub-range within that range and shall be taken to include a disclosure of any value for the variable or parameter lying within or at an end of the range. The singular may include the plural or and vice versa.

Further according to the invention there is provided a replacement cover assembly for a sunk box, the assembly comprising a cover, at least one hinge part therefor and means for mounting the or each hinge part in the box.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a replacement cover assembly having any feature or combination of features derivable from this description or drawings.

Claims

1. A replacement cover assembly for a sunk box, the assembly comprising a cover, at least one hinge part for the cover and means for mounting the or each hinge part in the box, said cover being pivotally mounted, in use, on said at least one hinge part by pins or the like.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting means includes means for holding the or each hinge part in the box by an interference fit or for frictionally holding the or each hinge part in place ii the box.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the mounting means comprises means to bias or retain the or each hinge part against a fixed part of the box frame to mount the or each hinge part in the box.

4. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting means comprises at least one (grub) screw for the or each hinge part.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting means includes a downwardly facing part on the or each hinge part which is arranged, in use, to engage an upwardly facing part of the box frame.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which the mounting means includes an upwardly facing part on the or each hinge part which is arranged to engage a downwardly facing part of the box frame.

7. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the or each hinge part includes a recess to snugly receive a projection on the frame.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the or each hinge part is arranged to be biased against a downwardly facing part of the frame.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 8 in which the or each hinge part is tapered to enable it to be pivoted around and under the said downwardly facing part of the frame.

10. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the or each hinge part is shaped, e.g. tapered, to enable it to be jammed (interference fit) between opposed portions of the box frame.

11. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said at least one hinge part is U-shaped to fit around the inside surface of the box frame, in use.

12. A replacement cover assembly substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 2 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A combination consisting of an assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims mounted in a box frame.

14. A combination of a cover assembly and a box substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURES 1 & 2 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A combination of a box and replaceable cover assembly, said combination comprising a box having an internally directed flange for supporting a cover of the cover assembly in a closed position on the box, said cover assembly including hinge means engageable with said internal direct flange to releasably retain the cover assembly in the box.

16. A combination as claimed in claim 17 in which said at least one hinge part is provided with a notch engageable with said internal flange.

17. A cover assembly for the combination as claimed in claim 15 or 16.

18. A combination of a box and replaceable cover assembly, the cover assembly comprising a cover and at least one hinge part in the form of a brace or other member on which the cover is pivotally mounted by means of pins or the like, said at least one hinge part being releasably engageable with the box.

19. A method of replacing a cover on a sunk box in which the hinge pins have broken, said method including removing the cover, introducing hinge means of a replacement cover assembly into a frame of the box, said cover assembly having a cover pivotally mounted or mountable on said hinge means by means of pins or the like, and retaining the hinge part on the box frame, preferably, by an interference fit.

20. A method of replacing a cover on a sunk box by a replacement cover assembly, substantially as herein described.

21. A combination of a box and replaceable cover assembly, said cover assembly comprising a brace member or bracket on which the cover is movably (preferably pivotally) mounted, said brace member or bracket being releasably engageable with the box.