US1313667A

US1313667A - Culvert construction

Info

Publication number: US1313667A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1936-08-19

Description

L. W. BENZ.

CULVERT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION man MAR-13,1917.

. PatentedAug. 19,1919.

1 sizes, the width UTTED LEONHARDT W. BENZ, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

CULVERT CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Application filed March 13, 1917. Serial No. 154,530.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LEONHARDT W. BENZ,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Culvert Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet metal culverts and the like, and it proposes, briefly, an extremely strong, durable and economical article of the general class or character stated, which is made up of separately-constructed parts, sections or members of improved form; these sections being of such a nature that they can be stacked up in minimum compass for storage or shipment, and, in the latter case, can be readily and quickly assembled on reaching their destination, and can, with equal facility, be detached fromone another either for further packing, shipment and installation, or for the replacing of worn or damaged sections by new ones.

The invention also proposes a sectional culvert of the above type, which may be readily and quickly lengthened or shortened by the addition or removal of one or more sections, as desired, and this without entailing the dismantling of the already completed culvert to any extent whatever, or injuring or impairing the sections thereof in any way.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereof Figure l is a transverse sectional view of a culvert constructed in accordance with the invention, the section being taken on line 1-1, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view.

Figs. 4: and 5 are perspective views of the two forms of sections employed.

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged perspective views of the component members of the fastening. devices employed in connecting the sections.

Referring more particularly to said drawing, the improved culvert is shown as constructed of two sets of inter-connected, approximately semi-cylindrical sections 8 and 9. These sets z'gwre made in two different f the sections 8, (Fig. l), being somewhat less than that of the sections 9, (Fig. 5) both sets of sections have,

however, the same diameter. The sections are formed of sheet metal, and may be either corrugated or plain, the former construction being illustrated.

The sections are arranged side by side in distinct upper and lower series, as represented in Fig. 2, so that one series of sections will constitute the bottom portion of the finished culvert, while the other series will constitute the top portion of the culvert; and since the width of the several sections is less than the length thereof, the long curved side edges 10 and 11 of said sections will lie transversely of the culvert, and the sections themselves will, in effect, have a similar arrangement relative to the culvert,

instead of being disposed longitudinally, as is usually the case. The side edges of the successive sections of both series are overlapped, as shown, and the

end edges

12 and 13 of the sections of one series are, in like manner, lapped over those of the sections of the other series, the various edges being subsequently fastened together.

In effecting the connection of the overlapping edges of the sections, it is desired to avoid the use of any and all threaded parts, as such add appreciably to the actual cost of manufacture of the culvert, and entail considerable time and trouble in the assemblage of its sections, as well as requiring special tools and good mechanics, neither the one nor the other always being available. Accordingly, the present form of fastenings has been devised with this end in view, such fastening comprising merely a link or staple 14, and a key 15 for coaction therewith. As shown in Fig. 6, this link or staple is U-shaped and its projecting wing portions 16 are provided with longitudinal slots 17, which are disposed exactly opposite each other. These portions 16 are designed to project outwardly through registering

slots

18 and 19 formed in the sections 8 and 9, respectively, said slots being located adjacent to and parallel with the opposite end edges of the sections and having an arrangement which is common for all of the sect-ions of a series.

WVhen the various sections are positioned as above described, there will, in consequence, be two parallel, horizontal lines of slots at each side of the culvert, one line just above the end edges of the lower sections, and the other line just below the end edges of the upper sections, so that the sections 9, there are three of these-slots at each end thereof, the twoouter ones being located'in proximity to the corners of the sections, while the third one is located approximately midway between the first two; the two slots in the narrow sections 8 likewise being located adjacent the corners, of the sections. The sections themselves are preferably disposed in the manner illus trated in Figs. 2 and 3, the free side or transverse edge of each section of each series being disposed approximately opposite the central portion of'the adjacent section of the other series. The narrow sections are used to true up the end of the culvert, or they may be used to increase the length of the culvert to a short extent only, their slots 18 being positioned with this end in view.

as to form joints of the desired tightness.

The culvert constructed in accordance with the preceding association of parts is exceptionally strong and durable and it will be seen in Fig. 1 that the shorter sections 8 are within the upper sections 9 thereby giving thetop of the arch or the upper portion of the closure a very strong wall. Moreover, the end edges of the lower sections 9 and of the upper sections 9 and 8 all terminate withinthe wing portions 16 of the staples 14, the slots 18 and 19 m the respective sections 8 and 9 being in such position that when joined or placed in coincidence-will provide for the positioningof the said end edges of the sections within the said wing portions 16. By so disposing the end edges of the sections within the wing is to a, large extent removed from the slots .18 and 19. Another material advantage of the improved structure is that the slots 18 of the sections '8 and the slots 19 of the sections 9 are the same distance apart'inre .SPGCUVG sections so as to makethe assemblage of the sections very easy and certain and. providing for the disposition of any one or two of the openings 1 8 in registration with any one or two of the openings-19.

However, as heretofore explained, the two openings 18 of each section 8 will register able.

with two of the openings 19 on each side of each section 9 and thereby facilitate the introduction of the staples 14 and securement of the same and of the joints by the wedges 15. The inner straight edge of each wedge 15 bears against the outer surface of the adjacent end edge portion of the section 9 as shown in Fig. 1 and exerts considerable pressure against the overlapped section edge portions against the resistance set up by the shank or body portions 20 of the staples Ll which lie against the inner side edge portions of one of the sections.

,The pressure required to effect this closure of the joints, is afforded by the keys 15, (Fig. 7), which are so constructed as to exert an outward wedging action upon the staples, for which purpose thley are formed with tapered lower ends 21, as

shown, while their upper ends are provided with enlargements '01 heads. 22, the length of such heads being somewhat greater than that of the slots 17 in the staples. The keys are flat, and are of a size as to permit them to be inserted point downward through said slots, during which movement they will forcibly wedge or cam the staples outward through the slots in the culvert sections; lit will be apparent that the keys may be readily driven into place as above described, by means of a hammer, mallet or other implement of like character, or even bya wooden or metal bar, block or the like, so that their positioning is in no wise dependent upon the use of special tools of any character as is the case where rivets, bolts, or screws are employed, which is an advantage of considerable importance inasmuch as such tools may not always be avail- It will be equally apparent from the fore going, that the removal of the keys from the staples may be effected readily and quickly by striking upwardly against the lower ends of the keys, whereupon the staples can be driven inwardly through the slots in the culvert sections, and the latter themselves detached from one another. On the other hand, where it is desired to shorten-" the culvert, thev sections at each or. "both ends may be removed without requiring any disconnection of the remaining sections, and, moreover, without entailing any injury whatever either to the sections which: are removed, or to those which are allowedto stand; and, similarly, sections may be added to the complete culvert, whenever it is desired to increasethe length thereof; j The size of the wide sections is constant, that is, all of said sections are of counterpart construction, and are inade'in stock,-- so that they can be readily duplicated, when injured, and can, moreover, be stacked-up in piles, so as to occupy the least possible space in storage or shipment. The narrow sections are also made in stock sizes, as will be understood.

I claim as my invention 1. A culvert comprising a plurality of metal sections varying in length and-having overlapping association, the sections being provided with opposite series of slots adjacent to the side edges thereof and the shorter sections having similar slots in the opposite side edges thereof less in number than the slots of the longer sections, the distance between each pair of slots in the respective sections being uniform so that a registration of any two of the slots in the said sections may be effected, staple fastening devices having opposite terminal wing portions with slots therein disposed exactly opposite each other to remo 'ably engage any of the coinciding slots of the respective sections, and a wedge pin removably inserted in the two slotted extremities of each fastening and having an inner straight edge bearing against the adjacent portion of the outer section to tighten the joint formed between the sections.

2. A culvert comprising upper and lower series of metal sections associated by overlapping the end edge portions of the sections, a part of the sections overlapping the remaining portions of said sections and all of the sections being provided with openings formed in two horizontal rows at each side of each section, each two of the openings in each of the said sections being precisely the same distance apart and the openings of the several sections when the latter are assembled and overlapped being located both above and below the end edges of the overlapped sections, attachable fastenings for said sections embodying staples inserted through the upper and lower rows of openings and straddling the overlapped edges of the sections, the wings of the staples projecting outwardly to the exterior of the culvert and having slots therein, and locking cam pins removably inserted in the slots of the staple wings and each having an inner straight edge clamping tightly against the adjacent portions of the sections.

3. A culvert comprising upper and lower series of metal sections, a part of the sections being shorter than the remaining sections and all arranged with their mutually adjacent side and end edges overlapped, the said sections being formed with openings arranged in two horizontal rows at each side of the culvert, one row being directly below and the other row directly above the end edges of the upper and lower series of sections, attachable fastenings of U-shaped form inserted through the openings from the interior of the culvert and having their wings projecting outwardly to the exterior of the culvert, each pair of wings being vertically alined and provided with slots in vertical registration, and a cam pin inserted in the slots of each pair of Wings of each staple and bearing against the adjacent eX- terior portion of the culvert.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LEONHARDT W. BENZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.