Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D90/00—Component parts, details or accessories for large containers
  • B65D90/10—Manholes; Inspection openings; Covers therefor
  • B65D90/105—Manholes; Inspection openings; Covers therefor for underground containers

Definitions

• the invention relates to a temporary manhole shutter, intended to replace the usual cover when inspection or maintenance work is required in the tank, the wall of which is pierced by the hole.
• a plausible example of use of the invention is on a steam generator of nuclear power station, likely to be contaminated. It is desirable to close the hole to restore biological protection as soon as the work has a break, without having to put the usual cover in place because this operation is long and tedious and becomes unbearable if the work resumes soon after; it is also desirable, during certain works, to partially close the manhole by leaving only a small opening to allow passage to cables of probes or maintenance devices installed in the tank.
• a temporary manhole shutter more manageable than the cover, is therefore interesting for these reasons.
• the temporary cover therefore replaces the usual manhole cover and is mounted in the same way, but with fewer fixing screws.
• it has the drawbacks of allowing only a total closure of the hole and of still requiring several screwing or unscrewing each time it is desired to put it on or remove it.
• the mobile screen mounted on a tripod, does not allow easy handling because of its weight and it is sometimes difficult to place it properly, especially in front of inclined holes or in crowded surroundings.
• the revolving shutters allow you to adjust the degree of opening of the manhole but they can pivot too easily, even under their own weight. Precautions must therefore be taken to keep them in the desired position.
• the shutter makes it possible to satisfy the requirements and wishes set out above and in particular to adjust at will, quickly and without embarrassment a temporary shutter to allow at least a completely closed position and a partially open position of the manhole.
• the shutter is characterized in that it comprises a frame to be fixed to a flange surrounding the manhole and panels supported by the frame and movable parallel to the frame.
• the frame comprises two parallel slides, and the panels include rollers rolling on the slides and engaged on them; the panels extend between the slides.
• Figure 1 is a general view of the invention from the front
• Figure 2 is a general view of the invention from the end.
• the temporary shutter comprises a frame 1 constituted by two slides 2 which join two connecting beams, the assembly forming a rectangle.
• the beams 3 do not really extend at the end of the slides 2 and in their plane, but next to this plane, so that the slides 2 are released over their entire length.
• the panels 4 which are two in number in the embodiment, are of substantially rectangular shape to the except for a notch 5 to which we will return, and they each carry at their corners two pairs of rollers 6 by means of bearings 7 in which an axis 8 of roller 6 is engaged.
• Each of the ⁇ rollers rolls in a groove 9 of one of the slides 2. This arrangement allows the panels 4 to slide between the slides 2 but prohibits them from turning or tilting in any way and out of the plane of the slides 2.
• the rollers 6 offer firm support, which is accompanied by sufficient friction so that the panels 4 cannot be moved accidentally.
• the shutter is mounted around the manhole 10 using four screws 11 which pass through the runners 2 and are threaded through a flange 16 surrounding the manhole 10, normally used for fixing the usual cover and located in front of the wall 17 of the tank on which the manhole 10 is established.
• the screws 11 are also threaded through four studs 18 integral with the runners 2 and which serve to support the frame 1 after being engaged in as many holes 19 in the flange 16.
• Nuts 20 are finally introduced behind the flange 16 and engaged in the end of the screws 11 to fix the frame 1.
• the panels 4 are introduced between the runners 2 and approached one another to the point of partially overlapping, since they extend in neighboring but different planes; their assembly has a larger surface than that of the manhole 10, which they completely cover if they are well placed. It is possible to keep this state of closure by means of panel locking means 4.
• These means may consist of two locking tabs 13 located on the two panels 4 and in which a padlock 14 is engaged. Other usual systems are obviously possible.
• the locking system guarantees that no displacement of the panels 4 is produced between the works, unless the pair of panels 4 has been moved at the same time, which is improbable because of their heavy weight and their inertia.
• a half-open state can also be produced by bringing the panels 4 closer together, thanks to the notches 5.
• These notches 5 which extend over a portion of their width are located near one of the slides 2 and their shape can be rectangular or in a quarter circle. There is thus formed at will a square, rectangular or half-moon opening 15, the surface of which can be chosen by the user, but without revealing a slot over the entire diameter of the manhole 10, because the panels 4 continue to cover themselves out of the notches 5.
• the opening 15 of collected form allows pipes or cables to pass there through the shutter without excessively breaking the confinement.
• the combination of a plurality of partially overlapping panels and well-chosen notches on these panels therefore makes it possible to obtain states of partial opening of surface and of suitable shape, which is impossible with existing systems.
• the shutter is simple and resistant enough to be used in concrete maintenance conditions without risk of damaging it. Although its weight is quite significant, especially because of the thick panels 4, it can be handled without too many problems thanks to the ability to remove the panels 4 from the frame 1.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Underground Structures, Protecting, Testing And Restoring Foundations (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9480127

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

• 1995
  • 1995-06-19 FR FR9507284A patent/FR2735454B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1996
  • 1996-06-12 ZA ZA964969A patent/ZA964969B/xx unknown
  • 1996-06-18 WO PCT/FR1996/000936 patent/WO1997000217A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 1996-06-19 TW TW085107418A patent/TW316315B/zh active

Patent Citations (3)

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