Apparatus for temporarily closing an opening formed at the top of vertical walls of a catch basin manhole or the like

Abstract

Abstract DURING CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS AND THE INSTALLATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES (E.G. STROM SEWERS, ELECTRIC, GAS AND TELEPHONE SERVICES), THE TOPS OF VERTICAL CONCRETE WALLS OF CATCH BASICS, SEWERS, MANHOLES ETC., OFTEN PROTRUDE ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. A FRAME OF A COVER ASSEMBLY IS FIXED TO THE TOP SURFACES OF THESE WALLS, THE FRAME HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING FOR RECEIVING A REMOVABLE COVER PORTION. APPRATUS FOR TEMPORARILY CLOSING THE OPENIG FORMED AT THE TOP OF THE VERTICAL WALLS IS DISCLOSED COMPRISING A PROTECTIVE MEMBER THAT IS FIXED BETWEEN THE TOPS OF THE WALLS AND THE FRAME IN A POSITION TO CLOSE THE WALL OPENING, THIS PROTECTIVE MEMBER HAVING A DISPLACEABLE CENTRAL PORTION FOR GAINING ACCESS TO THE WALL OPENING. THE MEMBER PREFEABLY HAS A PERIPHERAL PORTION THAT EMBRANCES THE TOPS AND SIDES OF THE WALLS TO ESTABLISH FIRM ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH TO RESIST LATERAL DISPLACEMENT THEREFROM. THE CENTRAL PORTION IS ALSO PREFERABLY RECESSED BELOW THE TOPS OF THE WALLS. THE MEM- BER IS OF PLASTIC MATERIAL AND IN ONE EMBODIMENT, IS INITIALLY OF UNITARY CONSTRUCTION, THE CENTRAL PORTION WHEN IT IS TO BE DISPLACE, BEING CUT OUT FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE PROTECTIVE MEMBER. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE CENTRAL PORTION IS HINGED TO THE REMAINDER THEREOF, WHILE IN A THIRD EMBODIMENT THE CENTRAL PORTION IS FORMED SEPRATE FROM THE REMAINDER THEREOF SO AS TO BE REMOVABLE AND REPLACEABLE. THE UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES OF THE PERIPHERAL PORTION ARE PREFERABLY RIBBED TO IMPROVE THE SEALING EFFECT WHEN THE MEMBER IS ATTACHED TO THE TOP SURFACES OF THE WALLS, AND THE FRAME IS THEN FIXED TO THE UPPER SURFACES OF THE PROTECTIVE MEMBER. THE MEMBER THUS SERVES TO PERMANENTLY SEAL THE EXPOSED TOPS OF THE WALLS OF THE CATH BASIN, AND ALSO CUSHIONS VIBRATION AND SHOCK BETWEEN THE IRON FRAME AND THE CONCRETE WALLS.

Inventors

• 👤 Allan Macmillan Downes

Bibliographic Details