Utility vault cover seal

Claim 2

An assembly comprising: a frame forming a rectangle; a raised portion on at least two opposing sides of said frame, each raised portion extending along said side, but leaving a space between at least one of the adjacent sides and the raised portion; a bracket on said frame for holding a sealing material; a cover for said frame; a projection on the lower surface of said cover that coincides with the location of said bracket to sealably contact said sealing material when the cover is placed over the frame; a depending portion on the lower surface of said cover on at least two adjacent corners, the location of the depending portions coinciding with the spaces between the raised portions and the adjacent sides when the cover is placed over the frame, the depending portions cooperating with the raised portions to raise the projection so it does not abrade the sealing material as the cover is slidably removed, said depending and raised portions further comprising to transmit substantially all the loads asserted on said cover to said frame.

Claim 3

The assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising a utility vault core onto which said frame is mounted to provide removable access to said vault.

Claim 4

The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said raised portion extends substantially the full length of said side.

Claim 5

The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said frame is precast into a utility vault core made of concrete.

Claim 6

The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said rectangular frame comprises: a rim portion with a top surface substantially even with the top of said cover; a horizontal portion connected to the lower portion of said rim, extending inward of said rectangle, and containing said raised portions.

Claim 7

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame comprising: a raised track on at least two opposing sides of said frame which track is discontinuous at at least two adjacent corners to form a space between the track and the adjacent side; a bracket mounted on said frame supporting a sealing material; a substantially continuous projection on the lower surface of said cover located so as to coincide with the location of the sealing material and cooperating with the sealing material to form a seal when the cover is mounted on said frame; at least two depending pads on the lower surface of said cover at adjacent corners, so that the pads fit into said spaces when the cover is installed, but when the cover is slidably removed the pads ramp up onto said raised portion to raise the cover so that the projection does not abrade said sealing material.

Claim 8

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame comprising: a raised track on at least two opposing sides of said frame which track is discontinuous at at least two adjacent corners to form a space between the track and the adjacent side; a bracket mounted on said frame supporting a sealing material; a substantially continuous projection on the lower surface of said cover located so as to coincide with the location of the sealing material and cooperating with the sealing material to form a seal when the cover is mounted on said frame; at least two depending pads on the lower surface of said cover at adjacent corners, so that the pads fit into said spaces when the cover is installed, but when the cover is slidably removed the pads ramp up onto said raised portion to raise the cover so that the projection does not abrade said sealing material.

Claim 9

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame as defined in claim 6 wherein said frame is precast into a concrete vault.

Claim 10

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover has four raised pads fitting into four spaces, one space being located at each of the four corners of said rectangular frame.

Claim 11

An assembly comprising: a rectangular frame made of angle iron having a horizontal portion and an inward portion extending down; at least one pair of raised tracks on opposing sides of said horizontal portion but discontinuous at at least two adjacent corners so that a space is formed between the end of the track and the adjacent side; a bracket mounted on the inside of said rectangular frame; a sealing material mounted in said bracket; a cover for placing over said rectangular frame; a substantially continuous projection depending from the lower surface of said cover so that the continuous projection contacts said sealing material to form a seal when said cover is placed on said rectangular frame; at least two depending pads on the lower surface of said cover at adjacent corners, said pads dimensioned so that they fit into the spaces between the end of said raised tracks and the adjacent side, said pads having a ramped portion so that the pads can ramp up onto said raised tracks as the cover is slidably removed, the height of said pads and track being sufficient to raise the continuous projection so that the projection does not abrade the sealing material as the cover is slidably removed.

Claim 12

An assembly comprising: a rectangular frame made of angle iron having a horizontal portion and an inward portion extending down; at least one pair of raised tracks on opposing sides of said horizontal portion but discontinuous at at least two adjacent corners so that a space is formed between the end of the track and the adjacent side; a bracket mounted on the inside of said rectangular frame; a sealing material mounted in said bracket; a cover for placing over said rectangular frame; a substantially continuous projection depending from the lower surface of said cover so that the continuous projection contacts said sealing material to form a seal when said cover is placed on said rectangular frame; at least two depending pads on the lower surface of said cover at adjacent corners, said pads dimensioned so that they fit into the spaces between the end of said raised tracks and the adjacent side, said pads having a ramped portion so that the pads can ramp up onto said raised tracks as the cover is slidably removed, the height of said pads and track being sufficient to raise the continuous projection so that the projection does not abrade the sealing material as the cover is slidably removed.

Claim 13

An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said rectangular frame is precast into a concrete vault.

Claim 14

An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the end of said track is tapered so as to facilitate the ramping of said pad onto said track.

Claim 15

An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the height of said pads and raised track cooperate to provide a substantially non load bearing seal between the projection and the sealing material, with said track carrying substantially all the transmitted loads.

Claim 16

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame comprising: a raised track mounted around the frame, the track being discontinuous at each corner so that a space is formed between the end of the track and the adjacent side; a bracket connected to the frame; a sealing material mounted in the bracket; a substantially continuous projection depending from the lower surface of the cover, the location of the projection coinciding with the location of the sealing material to provide a seal when the cover is placed on the frame; four depending pads on the corners of the lower surface of said cover, the pads dimensioned so that they fit into the space formed between the ends of the raised tracks and the adjacent sides, the pads cooperating with the tracks so that as the cover is slidably removed the pads ramp up onto the tracks so as to raise the continuous projection and prevent damage to the sealing material.

Claim 17

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame comprising: a raised track mounted around the frame, the track being discontinuous at each corner so that a space is formed between the end of the track and the adjacent side; a bracket connected to the frame; a sealing material mounted in the bracket; a substantially continuous projection depending from the lower surface of the cover, the location of the projection coinciding with the location of the sealing material to provide a seal when the cover is placed on the frame; four depending pads on the corners of the lower surface of said cover, the pads dimensioned so that they fit into the space formed between the ends of the raised tracks and the adjacent sides, the pads cooperating with the tracks so that as the cover is slidably removed the pads ramp up onto the tracks so as to raise the continuous projection and prevent damage to the sealing material.

Claim 18

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame as defined in claim 13 wherein the seal between the continuous projection and the sealing material is substantially non load bearing, with substantially all the loads being carried by the track portion.

Claim 19

A rectangular utility vault cover and frame as defined in claim 13 wherein the ends of the tracks, and the edges of the pads are inclined to facilitate the ramping of the pads onto the tracks.

Claim 20

A utility vault cover and frame comprising: a rectangular frame means mounted on a vault opening; bracket means mounted on said frame, for supporting a sealing material; a continuous projection depending from the lower surface of said vault cover so that said projection contacts said sealing material to form a seal; recessed areas at each corner of said frame; depending pads on the lower surface of said cover at each corner corresponding to the location of said recessed areas so the pads fit into the recesses when said cover is on said vault, said pads and recesses cooperating so the pads can ramp out of said recessed area onto said frame as the cover is slidably removed, said cover raising up onto said pads to disengage said continuous projection from said sealing material and thereby prevent damage to said sealing material.

Claim 21

A utility vault cover and frame comprising: a rectangular frame means mounted on a vault opening; bracket means mounted on said frame, for supporting a sealing material; a continuous projection depending from the lower surface of said vault cover so that said projection contacts said sealing material to form a seal; recessed areas at each corner of said frame; depending pads on the lower surface of said cover at each corner corresponding to the location of said recessed areas so the pads fit into the recesses when said cover is on said vault, said pads and recesses cooperating so the pads can ramp out of said recessed area onto said frame as the cover is slidably removed, said cover raising up onto said pads to disengage said continuous projection from said sealing material and thereby prevent damage to said sealing material.

Claim 22

A utility vault cover and frame as defined in claim 16 wherein said rectangular frame is cast integrally with a concrete utility vault as the concrete is poured.

Claim 23

A utility vault cover and frame as defined in claim 16 wherein the sides of said recesses, and the edges of said pads, are shaped to facilitate the ramping of said pads onto said tracks.

Claim 24

An assembly for providing access to a utility vault or underground cavity comprising: a rectangular frame defining an opening; a cover supported on the frame covering the opening and being slidable on the frame to uncover the opening; a seal on said cover and frame for restricting water flow through the opening including seal material and a sealing surface engaging the material when the cover is placed on the frame covering the opening, the sealing surface and seal material being located so that the seal is substantially non-load bearing; and interengaging track and pad means on said frame and cover for separating the sealing surface and the seal material when the cover is slidably removed, thereby preventing the seal material from being damaged as the cover is being removed.

Claim 25

An assembly for providing access to a utility vault or underground cavity comprising: a rectangular frame defining an opening; a cover supported on the frame covering the opening and being slidable on the frame to uncover the opening; a seal on said cover and frame for restricting water flow through the opening including seal material and a sealing surface engaging the material when the cover is placed on the frame covering the opening, the sealing surface and seal material being located so that the seal is substantially non-load bearing; and interengaging track and pad means on said frame and cover for separating the sealing surface and the seal material when the cover is slidably removed, thereby preventing the seal material from being damaged as the cover is being removed.

Claim 26

The assembly of claim 19 wherein: said seal includes means on said frame supporting the seal material, and a depending projection on said cover forming said sealing surface; and said interengaging track and pad means includes means for raising the projection to separate its sealing surface from the seal material as one edge of the cover is raised and a lateral force is applied to the cover to slide it across the frame.