WO1995016830A1

WO1995016830A1 - Container for equipment

Info

Publication number: WO1995016830A1
Application number: PCT/NL1994/000316
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrikus Andreas Prince
Original assignee: H.A. Prince Beheer Bergen Op Zoom B.V.
Priority date: 1993-12-14
Filing date: 1994-12-13
Publication date: 1995-06-22
Also published as: NL9302180A; AU1204395A

Abstract

The invention relates to a container for equipement which is placeable in the ground, said container comprising: a rectangular bottom (1); inner wall (2, 5) parts diverging at the top in stepwise manner to a horizontally oriented strip (7); and outer wall parts (3, 6) which are connected at the top to the outside of said horizontally oriented strip and diverge in downward direction to a flange (8); a cover which is placeable on a support surface formed by said step-like parts of each inner wall part, wherein bottom, inner wall parts and outer wall parts are formed integrally and said horizontally oriented strip lies at the same level as the upper surface of said cover, and wherein said outer wall parts diverge in downward direction to a level above the bottom, and wherein to the step-like part of said inner wall parts are connected intermediate wall parts which extend in downward direction between said inner wall parts and said outer wall parts in order to ensure sufficient sturdiness when said container is placed in a road surface.

Description

CONTAINER FOR EQUIPMENT

The invention relates to a container of equipment which is placeable in the ground, said container comprising:

- a rectangular bottom;

- inner wall parts diverging at the top in stepwise manner to a horizontally oriented strip; and

- outer wall parts which ar_.e connected at the top to said strip and diverge in downward direction to a flange;

- a cover which is placeable on a support surface formed by said step-like parts of each inner wall part, wherein bottom, inner wall parts and outer wall parts are formed integrally and said horizontally oriented strip lies at the same level as the upper surface of the cover.

Such containers are used to contain equipment, wherein said container is placed in the ground such that the upper surface of the said container, which is closed by placing the cover, is located at the level of the upper surface of the ground. Such a container is used for instance to contain an apparatus for traffic measuring and controlling systems, wherein said container is placed in the road surface. In this instance, said container must be able to resist substantial forces since cars and even heavy goods vehicles drive over the cover closing said container. In order to ensure sufficient robustness use has been made up to the present time of a container which comprises inner and outer wall parts, wherein said outer wall parts diverge in downward direction to a flange at the level of said bottom. The drawback of such a container is that a large amount of material is required for manufacture thereof. Transporting of a large number of containers moreover requires a large transport space since connecting plates joining said inner wall parts and said outer wall parts under said horizontally oriented strip likewise diverge in downward direction as far as or close to the level of said bottom, whereby mutual nesting of containers is limited.

The invention has for its object to obviate the above stated drawbacks and provides to this end a container which is distinguished in that said outer wall parts diverge in downward direction to a level above said bottom.

The invention is further elucidated with reference to the figure description hereinbelow of an embodiment of the invention. In the drawing: fig. 1 shows a partly cut away perspective view of a container according to the invention,- fig. 2 shows a partly cut away perspective view of a container according to the invention which is placed in a road surface.

In the figures the same reference numeral refers the same component.

The embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 1 comprises: a bottom 1, inner wall parts in the lengthwise direction 2, outer wall parts in the lengthwise direction 3, intermediate wall parts 16 between inner wall parts 2 and outer wall parts 3 in the lengthwise direction, inner wall parts 5 in width direction of the container, outer wall parts 6 in width direction of the container, a horizontally oriented strip 7 between the top sides of inner wall parts 2, 5 and outer wall parts 3, 6 and a flange 8 around the container on the underside of outer wall parts 3, 6.

The embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 1 is formed integrally and is manufactured for instance by injection moulding. Inner wall parts 2 in lengthwise direction and inner wall parts 5 in width direction are joined on the underside to bottom 1 and on the sides to each other. The stepped form on the top sides of inner wall parts 2, 5 is formed by a support surface 9 connected to inner wall parts 2, 5, an upright part 10 connected to support surface 9 and horizontally oriented strip 7. Outer wall parts 3, 6 are connected on the top side to horizontally oriented strip 7 formed round the upper part of said container and to each other and diverge to a flange 8 connected to outer wall parts 3, 6. Markings 14 are arranged on the inner wall parts 5 in width direction at a location below the level of flange 8, at which location can be arranged apertures for through-feed of cables. In order to obtain a container of a sufficiently great sturdiness, intermediate wall parts 16 are placed between inner wall parts 2 and outer wall parts 3 in the lengthwise direction, which wall parts 16 are connected to the edge formed by the support surfaces 9 and the upright parts 10. Intermediate wall parts 16 are therefore placed in lengthwise direction of the container between the corners 12 formed by support surfaces 9 and upright parts 10 and have a downward oriented pointed form, each of which extends in downward direction to the level of flange 8. Connecting plates 11 are placed between inner wall parts 2, 5 and outer wall parts 3, 6 in transverse direction of the intermediate wall parts 16, whereby connecting plates 11 mutually connect inner wall parts 2, intermediate wall parts 16 and outer wall parts 3 in the lengthwise direction and inner wall parts 5 and outer wall parts 6 in width direction.

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which a container according to the invention is placed in a road surface. Arranged in an inner wall part 5 in width direction below the level of flange 8 are apertures 14' for feed-through of cables 15, which cables 15 are suitable for supply of power and/or exchange of information with the environment. It is therefore only necessary for through-feed of cables to arrange apertures in inner wall parts 5 in width direction or possibly in inner wall parts 2 in lengthwise direction.

In this embodiment of the invention intermediate wall parts 4 placed in lengthwise direction between corners 12 formed by support surfaces 9 and upright parts 10 have a rounded shape and extend in downward direction to the level of flange 8.

Horizontally oriented strip 7 is located at the same level as the upper surface of asphalt layer 19, which asphalt layer 19 rests on a bed 18, wherein bed 18 and asphalt 19 are supported by earth 17. Round the container the road surface connects against a strip on the top part of the outer wall parts 3, 6.

Upper surface of cover 13, which cover is manufactured for instance of cast iron, is located at the same level as outward directed strip 7 and the top surface of the layer of asphalt 19, wherein cover 13 rests on support surfaces 9 and is held in the correct position by upright parts 10. In another embodiment of the invention intermediate wall parts are likewise placed between inner wall parts 5 in the width direction and outer wall parts 6 in the width direction, particularly when the sturdiness of the container is jeopardized by a large distance between inner wall parts 2 in the lengthwise direction.

Claims

1. Container for containing equipment which is placeable in the ground, said container comprising:

- a rectangular bottom,-

- inner wall parts diverging at the top in 5 stepwise manner to a horizontally oriented strip,- and

- outer wall parts which are connected at the top to the outside of said horizontally oriented strip and di¬ verge in downward direction to a flange;

- a cover which is placeable on a support surface 10 formed by said step-like parts of each inner wall part, wherein bottom, inner wall parts and outer wall parts are formed integrally and said horizontally oriented strip lies at the same level as the upper surface of said cover, characterized in that said outer wall parts diverge 15 in downward direction to a level above said bottom.

2. Container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that to the step-like part of said inner wall parts are connected intermediate wall parts which extend in downward direction between said inner wall parts and said outer wall

20 parts.

3. Container as claimed in claims 1 and 2, charac¬ terized in that said inner wall parts and said outer wall parts diverge in downward direction from said horizontally oriented strip.

25 4. Container as claimed in claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that connecting plates connect said inner wall parts, said outer wall parts and said intermediate wall parts.

5. Container as claimed in claims 1-4,

30 characterized in that intermediate wall parts are arranged on said step-like part of said inner wall parts in lengthwise direction of the container.

6. Container as claimed in claims 1-5, characterized in that the bottom edges of said intermediate

^■35 wall parts have a downward oriented pointed shape.

7. Container as claimed in claims 1-5, characterized in that the bottom edges of said intermediate wall parts have a rounded shape.

8. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that said intermediate wall parts extend between corners formed by the join of the step-like parts of said inner wall parts.

9. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that at least one inner wall part is provided with markings for passages.

10. Container as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said markings for said passages are arranged at a level below the flange.