GB2375567A

GB2375567A - Doors for closing apertures formed in the walls of tubular columns

Info

Publication number: GB2375567A
Application number: GB0210089A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter James Andrew Diamond
Original assignee: Pudsey Diamond Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Pudsey Diamond Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2001-05-11
Filing date: 2002-05-02
Publication date: 2002-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2022-05-02
Also published as: IE20020334A1; GB2375567B; GB0210089D0; GB0111515D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to doors for closing apertures formed in the walls of tubular columns and is concerned with doors for closing apertures of elongate form which extend lengthwise substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of a column. The apertures can vary in length, according to requirements. The present invention provides a door 5 for closing an elongate aperture 2 formed in the wall of a tubular column 1 and extending longitudinally substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the column 1, the door 5 being provided with a latch member 6 slideably engageable with opposite sides of the door 5 and means for securing the latch member 6 to the door in a position whereby it engages with the interior of the lower edge margin 8 of the door aperture 2.

Description

DOORS FOR CLOSING APERTURES FORMED IN THE WALLS OF TUBULAR COLUMNS This invention relates to doors for closing apertures formed in the walls of tubular columns and is concerned with doors for closing apertures of elongate form which extend lengthwise substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of a column.

The columns, which are generally of steel, are used, for example, to support street lights and/or road signs. The apertures provide access to the interiors of the columns and to timer switches and other components housed within the columns.

The doors, which are usually disposed at ground level, are often subject to vandalism and there are requirements to fit replacement doors to the columns.

The elongate apertures formed in the walls of the columns vary in length, according to requirements.

The present invention provides a door which can be used in conjunction with a range of such apertures.

According to one aspect of the invention, a door for closing an elongate aperture formed in the wall of a tubular column and adapted to extend longitudinally substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the column, the door being provided with a latch member slideably engageable with opposite sides of the door and means for securing the latch member to the door in a position whereby the latch member engages with the interior of the lower edge margin of the door aperture when the door is mounted on the column.

Making the latch member slideably engageable with opposite sides of the door allows the door to be used with a range of door apertures varying in length.

According to the present invention there is also provided a method of fitting the door comprising the steps of positioning the latch member on the door so that the latch member can engage with the lower margin of a door aperture when the door is located over the aperture, lowering the door towards the aperture, tilting the door from a substantially upright position until the latch member engages with the lower margin of the door aperture, and then pushing the upper part of the door towards the aperture until the periphery of the door contacts that part of the column surrounding the aperture.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is an isometric view of the door, Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the detail enclosed by circle A of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an isometric view of the latch member of the door, Figure 4 is an end view of the door, Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the detail enclosed by circle B of Figure 4, Figure 6 is an end view of the latch member,

Figure 7 is a plan view of the latch member, Figure 8 is a side view, in longitudinal section, of the door in place, Figure 9 is an enlargement of an upper portion of Figure 8 showing the lock assembly in a fully locked condition, and Figure 10 is an enlargement of a lower portion of Figure 8 showing the latch in an engaged condition.

With reference first to Figure 8, a tubular steel column 1, of circular cross-section, has an aperture 2 of elongate form which extends lengthwise substantially parallel to the central axis 3 of the column.

The column I is used to support street lights and/or road signs. The aperture 2, which is disposed near the ground, provides access to the interior 4 of the column, which is used to house timer switches and other components.

With reference also to Figures 1 to 7, a removable door 5 is provided for closing the aperture 2. The door 5 is provided with a latch member 6 slideably engageable with opposite sides of the door and means comprising a bolt 7 for releasably securing the door 5 in a position whereby the latch member 6 engages with the interior of the lower edge margin 8 of the door aperture 2.

As best seen from Figure 5, opposite sides of the door 5 are flanged inwardly so that they slideably locate opposite limbs 9 of the latch member 6. Thus the latch member 6 can be slid along the interior of the

door 5, in order to accommodate a range of door aperture 2 which vary in length.

The latch member 6 comprises a metal plate formed with a central portion 10, flanked by a pair of angular extensions 11 which in turn are flanked by the limbs 9 which extend laterally away from the extensions 11. The central portion 10 has a lug 12 which extends upwardly to provide the latch portion whereby the member 6 releasably engages with the lower edge margin 8 of the door aperture 2.

As best seen from Figure 7, the central portion 10 is provided with a screw-threaded hole 20 for location of the bolt 7 (Figure 2) and the extensions 11 with screw-threaded holes 21 for earthing connectors.

Alternatively the holes 21 can be omitted and the earthing connectors can be connected to the hole 20. The bolt 7 can comprise a standard bolt of the type used with a spanner or a grub-screw of the type used with an allen key. A nut can be used to secure the earthing connectors to the bolt or grub-screw.

As shown in Figure 1, the upper end of the door 5 is provided with a central hole 22 for retaining an upper lock assembly 23 (Figures 8 and 9) in place.

The lock assembly 23 is of the form disclosed by our co-pending UK Patent Application No. 0003682.2, (Publication no. GB2359332) filed 18 February 2000. Briefly, the assembly 23 comprises a headed spindle 30 for engagement by an appropriately-shaped key which carries at its free end a radially-projecting cam or lug 31 which can be turned so as to engage or disengage with the interior of the upper edge margin 32 of the door aperture 2.

To fit the door 5, the latch member 6 is first positioned and screwed so that the lug 12 will engage with the lower margin 8 of aperture 2 when the door is in a closed position.

The door 5 is then lowered, tilted from an upright position, until the latch member 6 engages with the lower margin 8 of the door aperture 2.

The upper part of the door 5 is then pushed towards the aperture 2 until the periphery of the door contacts that part of the column 1 surrounding the aperture 2. Using the special key, the spindle 30 of the lock assembly 22 is then turned until the cam of lug 31 engages with the interior of the upper edge margin 32 of the door aperture 2.

The door 5 is now firmly secured to the column 1.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A door for closing an elongate aperture formed in the wall of a tubular column and adapted to extend longitudinally substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the column, the door being provided with a latch member slideably engageable with opposite sides of the door and means for securing the latch member to the door in a position whereby the latch member engages with the interior of the lower edge margin of the door aperture when the door is mounted on the column.
2. A door according to claim 1 wherein the latch member comprises a plate formed with a central portion flanked by a pair of angular extensions which are each flanked by a respective limb which extend laterally away from the respective extension, the limbs engaging with opposite sides of the door.
3. A door according to claim 2 wherein the opposite sides of the door are flanged inwardly, so that the sides of the door slidably locate opposite limbs of the latch member.
4. A door according to any one of claims 2 or 3 wherein the central portion of the latch member has an angular lug which extends from the central portion to provide a latch which releasably engages with the lower edge margin of the door aperture.
5 A door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for securing the latch member to the door comprises an aperture formed in the latch member, and a bolt, the bolt extending through the latch member to engage with the door.

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6. A door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the latch member further comprises means to attach an earthing connector.
7. A door according to claim 6 wherein the means to attach an earthing connector comprises an aperture formed in the latch member and a bolt, the earthing connector being secured to the aperture with the bolt.
8 A door according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the aperture is formed in the central portion of the latch member.
9. A door according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a locking mechanism to secure an upper part of the door to an upper edge margin of the door aperture.
10. A method of fitting the door of any one of claims 1 to 9 comprising the steps of positioning the latch member on the door so that the latch member can engage with the lower margin of a door aperture when the door is located over the aperture, lowering the door towards the aperture, tilting the door from a substantially upright position until the latch member engages with the lower margin of the door aperture, and then pushing the upper part of the door towards the aperture until the periphery of the door contacts that part of the column surrounding the aperture.
11. A method according to claim 10 comprising the further step of locking an upper part of the door to an upper edge margin of the door aperture.
12. A door substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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13. A method of fitting a door as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.