US3364952A

US3364952A - Handhole closure assembly

Info

Publication number: US3364952A
Application number: US463103A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mario A Scaglione; Briden Charles Richard
Original assignee: PFOFF AND KENDALL
Current assignee: PFOFF AND KENDALL
Priority date: 1965-06-11
Filing date: 1965-06-11
Publication date: 1968-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-23

Description

1968 M. A. SCAGLIONE ETAL 3,

H-ANDHOLE CLOSURE AS SEMBLY Filed June 11, 1965 *2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS MASCAGLION E C. R. BRIDEN BY I I [KW @QRNEY 1968 M. A. SCAGLIONE ETAL 3, ,95

HANDHOLE CLOSURE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I 3. 5

Filed June 11, 1965 N Wm w. vT N .NGI R E R O A VCB m5 T A A MC FlGp4 United States Patent 3,364,952 1 HANDHOLE CLOSURE ASSEMBLY Mario A. Scaglione, Haslet, and Charles Richard Briden,

Middlesex, N.J., assignors to Pfoff and Kendall, Newark, N..I., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 11, 1965, Ser. No. 463,103 8 Claims. (Cl. 138-92) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLCSURE A hollow shaft having a handhole through the wall is provided with a cover plate, the cover plate fitting flush with the outer wall of the shaft and held in position by a V- or U-shaped strap within the shaft, the strap having portions overlapping the edges of the opening and fastened to the closure to prevent outward movement of the closure and of a size to engage the interior wall of the shaft opposite the plate when the plate is flush with the outer wall of the shaft.

This invention relates to apertured tubular shafts, and particularly (but without limitation to) such as are used for lighting purposes, provided with an aperture or handhole for access to the interior of the base or lower portion thereof, for installation and servicing purposes.

It is conventional to provide such shafts with a cast frame welded to the shaft around the aperture, with which frame a cover may be engaged by special securing means. This is a costly, complex, unsightly, and difficult procedure.

Pursuant to the invention, a handhole closure assembly is provided for flush closing of the handhole aperture in the shaft, obviating the necessity for fabricating special frames and obviating the necessity for welding. The closure assembly of the invention may be readily secured to and removed from the shaft; when applied thereto, it provides an inexpensive, foolproof, effective flush closure for the shaft aperture, without parts extending from the shaft surface.

The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices and procedures coming within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational perspective view of the apertured portion of a shaft, and exploded view of closure assembly parts embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the same portion of the shaft,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly sectional view of the closure assembly, with the closure plate shown secured to the bracket,

FIG. 4 is a partly fragmentary, vertical sectional view, of the apertured portion of the shaft and the closure assembly shown initially applied thereto,

FIG. 5 is a similar view, showing the closure assembly finally positioned in and closing the aperture of the shaft,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view thereof, taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, corresponding to FIG. 3, but of a further form of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, the device of this invention is designed to provide a flush closure for the handhole aperture 10 in the shaft 11 by an assembly including a bracket 12, preferably of V- or U-shaped outline proportioned (FIG. 5) so that the

free ends

13, 14 of the bracket are spaced apart a greater distance than the 3,364,952 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 length of the aperture. Said

free ends

13, 14 are preferably provided with inturned

flat portions

15, 16.

A cover plate 25 is provided, proportioned to snugly fit into and provide a flush closure for the shaft aperture 10 on assembly (FIG. 6) of the device of the invention in the shaft. To that end, complementary means are provided for securing the cover plate to the bracket as, for example, by providing the bracket and cover plate with threaded

portions

26, 27 and bolt-passage portions 28, 29 (FIG. 1) for the bolt or other securing means 30, 31 and the depth of the bracket is such that the closed end 17 of the bracket registers with the inner wall of the shaft when the cover plate is flush with the outer wall of the shaft, while the free ends of the

bracket

13, 14 engage the inner wall of the shaft adjacent the aperture.

The handhold closure assembly of the invention (FIG. 3) is inserted into the shaft aperture 10 and the assembly is canted forward and downward (FIG. 4) thus disposing the bracket 12 in the shaft, and pressure is applied to point A of the cover plate (FIG. 4) until the bracket 12 snaps into place (FIG. 5); the

bolts

30, 31 are tightened to complete the assembly. The bracket may be of flexible spring or other material so that it may be positioned in the shaft through the aperture and, as stated heretofore, the closed end 17 of the bracket registering (FIG. 5) with the inner wall 18 of the shaft remote from the aperture 10 and the

flat portions

15, 16 of the bracket engaging the shaft marginally of the aperture 10 (FIG. 5).

The

ends

15, 16 of the bracket 12, may be inturned as in FIG. 4 or outturned as indicated 19, 20 in the bracket 12' (FIG. 7).

The assembly may be removed from the shaft aperture by loosening the

bolts

30, 31 and removing the plate 25.

While the foregoing disclosure of exemplary embodiments is made in accordance with the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, the inventive scope being defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A closure assembly for the substantially flush closing of the handhole aperture of a tubular shaft comprising a bracket for insertion within the shaft free end portions on said bracket proportioned to extend along the inner wall of the shaft on insertion of the bracket into the shaft through said aperture and another portion to engage the inner wall of said shaft opposite the aperture, a closure plate proportioned to be positioned within and to close the shaft aperture, and complementary means on the plateand bracket to secure the plate to the bracket.

2. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, said bracket being of U-shaped outline.

3. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, said bracket being normally of greater length lengthwise of the shaft than the shaft aperture, and being conditioned for such insertion therethrough by loose spacing between the closure plate and the free end portions of the bracket.

4. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, said bracket being of spring material and being compressible for snap insertion through the shaft aperture and expanding within the shaft for engagement of the ends of bracket interiorly marginally shaft apertured portion.

5. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, threaded portions in the bracket for reception of complementary bolt members positioned in the plate to so secure the plate to the bracket.

6. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, said bracket being a flat strip of spring material.

3,364,952 3 4 7. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, said References Cited bracket being a flat strip of spring material normally of UNITED STATES PATENTS greater length than the aperture, and compressible for insertion therethrough, with the closed end of the bracket 291,771 1884 Rflsgofshek positioned against the shaft remote from the aperture 5 546,555 9/1895 Randles 4-286 therein, and the free ends of the bracket engaging the 1,035,380 8/ 1912 Morris 174-66 X shaft marginally interiorly of the aperture therein.

8. In a closure assembly as set forth in claim 1, a LAVERNE D GEIGER, P i E a i closed portion on the bracket registering with the inner Wall of the shaft opposite the aperture and the closure 10 KILE, Assistant Examine" plate being flush with the outer wall of the shaft.