US2046330A

US2046330A - Service valve box

Info

Publication number: US2046330A
Application number: US739785A
Authority: US
Inventors: John P Leoffert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-08-14
Filing date: 1934-08-14
Publication date: 1936-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 1953-07-07

Description

July 7, 1936. .1. P. LEOFFERT 2,046,330

SERVICE VALVE BOX Filed Aug. 14, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE SERVICE VALVE BOX John P. Leoffert, Kenton, Ohio Application August 14, 1934, Serial No. '739,785

1 Claim.

This invention relates to service boxes which give access to the cut-off valves of gas and water pipes, and has for its object the provision of a box in which the valve will be positively and firmly supported, the tendency of frost to lift the box will be come overcome and distortion of the valve from this cause will be avoided. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly dened in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a service box embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view taken in a plane at a right angle to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontalV section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

The reference numeral I .indicates a gas or water service pipe and 2 designates a cut-olf valve interposed in said pipe, the stem 3 of the valve being on the upper side. The service box comprises a tubular lower section 4 which has a forked or arched lower end 5 spanning the valve and provided in its side walls with horizontal grooves 6 in which a supporting plate 1 may be engaged to firmly support the valve and resist any tendency of the valve to settle or sink within the box, as shown and as will be understood.

The upper end of therbox section 4 is open to permit the insertion of a key for engaging the stem 3 when the valve is to be opened or closed,A

and externally a thread 8 is formed around the upper end of the section to engage vertically spaced lugs 9 on the inner surface of the upper tubular box section I0, this construction and arrangement permitting the sections to be readily telescopically adjusted according to the depth of the valve. The upper box section I0 has an open upper end, of course, and its outer surface at said end is formed with a non-circular band or flange II, the flange being preferably octagonal, as shown in Figure 3, although it may have any desired number of plane faces. Slidably tted upon the upper box section is a sleeve or housing I2 which should be long enough to extend below the frost line, and the 5 bore of the sleeve has a cross-sectional contour corresponding to the contour of the flange II. The upper end of the sleeve is provided with an internal shoulder I3 which limits the downward movement of the sleeve by impinging upon the 10 upper end of the box section I0, the end of the sleeve being externally reduced to accommodate the ange I4 of the cap I5 which is secured upon the sleeve by a screw I6 inserted through the cap and a lug I 'I on the sleeve, as shown 15 and as will be readily understood.V

The action of frost in the ground is to lift the box and heretofore distortion of the box, displacement of the valve, and breakage of the pipe at the valve frequently resulted. With my construction, the valve is positively supported and the lifting action of frost is received by the sleeve which slides upward on the upper box section leaving the box intact and undisturbed. Should the sleeve remain raised, slight pressure from ones foot will push it back into Vplace. Should the sleeve be cracked or broken it may be easily lifted and withdrawn without disturbing the box and a new sleeve just as easily slid into place over the box. The box is not apt to be cracked as it is housed in and by the sleeve.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1s:

A service box including telescopically adjustable upper and lower sections, and the lower section having its lower end widened and bifurcated to provide confronting straight walls, and which walls at points throughout the length thereof are provided with series of opposed transverse grooves to receive therein a removable plate and said plate affording. an adjustable support for a cut 01T valve fora gas or water service pipe. i

JOHN P. LEOFFERT. 45