US4867600A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polygonal manhole cover support
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-06-01
•
Granted: 1989-09-19
•
Expires: 2008-06-01
Abstract
Abstract This cover support provides a seat and lateral keeper for a manhole cover. A principal feature is a plurality of straight lateral segments that are joined near their ends and have corner spreaders acting in an essentially horizontal direction that is biased with respect to the longitudinal axes of the lateral segments whose ends they spread or draw in.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold M. Bowman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:31
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02D; E02D29/00; E02D29/12; E02D29/124; E02D29/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
An adjustable manhole cover support for emplacing into and raising the grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure, said cover support comprising a plurality of straight lateral segments joined near their ends for forming a polygonal perimeter, each lateral segment having a base with an exterior wall and a collar element that extends upwardly from an essentially flat ledge element, the collar and ledge elements forming a lateral keeper and a seat, respectively, for a manhole cover when the lateral segments are assembled, the distance between the adjacent ends of the assembled lateral segments being adjustable with an elongated spreader for each corner, each spreader extending to bridge across the adjacent ends of a pair of the lateral segments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
An adjustable manhole cover support for emplacing into and raising the grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure, said cover support comprising a plurality of straight lateral segments joined near their ends for forming a polygonal perimeter, each lateral segment having a base with an exterior wall and a collar element that extends upwardly from an essentially flat ledge element, the collar and ledge elements forming a lateral keeper and a seat, respectively, for a manhole cover when the lateral segments are assembled, the distance between the adjacent ends of the assembled lateral segments being adjustable with an elongated spreader for each corner, each spreader extending to bridge across the adjacent ends of a pair of the lateral segments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the collar and ledge elements and the base are unitary.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The manhole cover of support of claim 2 wherein the base has elevating means for adjusting the heights of the ledge element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the base is separable from the unitary collar and ledge elements of a lateral segment, and, extending downwardly from the ledge element into the base through a slot therein, is a skirt with an enlarged rim, the rim being slidable into and engageable with any of a stack of like complementary cavity sets that extend outwardly from the sides of the slot for permitting adjustment in the elevation of the ledge element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the collar elements project outwardly at the top.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The manhole cover support of claim 5 wherein the collar elements include a solid reenforcing element at or near their tops.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The manhole cover support of claim 5 wherein the top of the collar elements include hollow flanging, and the ends thereof at the corners are joined by a shaft that projects from one end of the flanging of a collar element into the end of the flanging adjacent thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the corner spreaders are screw-operated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The manhole cover support of claim 8 wherein each corner spreader is disposed to apply its force to a zone near the end of a segment, and the practical center of said zone is at a perpendicular distance of at least about an inch from the contact periphery of the cover support with the existing receiving structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The manhole cover support of claim 8 wherein base ends of the lateral segments terminate to form a flattened jaw therebetween at each corner, and each corner spreader includes a screw whose longitudinal axis is normal to the planes of the corresponding jaw surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the corner spreader is a parting bolt threaded at both ends, the threads of one end being of opposite handedness to those of the other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein at least the exterior walls of the bases are supplied with a compressible, flexible retention component that is capable of enhancing substantially the frictional grip between the cover support and a previously-installed manhole frame housing or manhole cover support when interposed therebetween.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The manhole cover support of claim 12 wherein the retention component is bonded to the exterior walls of the bases, and it comprises a polymer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The manhole cover support of claim 13 wherein the retention component comprises a cured film of plastisol.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The manhole cover support of claim 14 wherein the cured film comprises a vinyl plastisol that has been heat-cured.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The manhole cover support of claim 12 wherein the retention component comprises a foamed elastomer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 which is quadrangular and has opposing corner jaw surfaces that are mitered to make a 45° angle with the longitudinal axes of their segments.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The manhole cover support of claim 1 which has a water seal of compressible polymer that is interposed between its cover seat and the cover it is to accept, and between its outer periphery and the existing manhole cover receiving structure and/or the upper surface into which the cover support is set.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The manhole cover support of claim 18 wherein each water seal comprises a foamed elastomer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The manhole cover support of claim 18 wherein the water seals comprise a cured plastisol.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The manhole cover support of claim 18 wherein the water seals include corner gap sealing fitments comprising foamed elastomer, and the fitments are disposed between water sealing masses which adhere to the lateral segments.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The manhole cover support of claim 9 which is essentially rectangular in plan view, the corner spreaders are turnbuckle means, and the holding force exerted by a lateral segment against the shoulder of an estimated in accordance with Formula F3, ##EQU3## .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
121 words
An adjustable manhole cover support for emplacing into and raising the grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure, said cover support comprising four straight lateral segments joined near their ends for retaining a rectangular or square manhole cover, each lateral segment having a base with an exterior wall and a collar element that extends upwardly from an essentially flat ledge element, the collar and ledge elements forming a lateral keeper and a seat, respectively, for the manhole cover when the lateral segments are assembled, the distance between the adjacent ends of the assembled lateral segments being adjustable with an elongated spreader for each corner, each spreader extending to bridge across the adjacent ends of a pair of the lateral segments.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
121 words
An adjustable manhole cover support for emplacing into and raising the grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure, said cover support comprising four straight lateral segments joined near their ends for retaining a rectangular or square manhole cover, each lateral segment having a base with an exterior wall and a collar element that extends upwardly from an essentially flat ledge element, the collar and ledge elements forming a lateral keeper and a seat, respectively, for the manhole cover when the lateral segments are assembled, the distance between the adjacent ends of the assembled lateral segments being adjustable with an elongated spreader for each corner, each spreader extending to bridge across the adjacent ends of a pair of the lateral segments.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
134 words
An adjustable manhole cover support for emplacing into and raising the grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure, said cover support comprising four straight lateral segments joined near their ends for retaining a rectangular or square manhole cover, each lateral segment having a base with an exterior wall and a collar element that extends upwardly from an essentially flat ledge element, the collar and ledge elements forming a lateral keeper and a seat, respectively, for the manhole cover when the lateral segments are assembled, each resulting pair of adjacent ends forming a mitered joint, the distance between the adjacent ends of the assembled lateral segments being adjustable with an elongated turnbuckle bolt at each corner, each turnbuckle bolt bridging across the pair of the mitered adjacent ends and making screw connections with them.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
134 words
An adjustable manhole cover support for emplacing into and raising the grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure, said cover support comprising four straight lateral segments joined near their ends for retaining a rectangular or square manhole cover, each lateral segment having a base with an exterior wall and a collar element that extends upwardly from an essentially flat ledge element, the collar and ledge elements forming a lateral keeper and a seat, respectively, for the manhole cover when the lateral segments are assembled, each resulting pair of adjacent ends forming a mitered joint, the distance between the adjacent ends of the assembled lateral segments being adjustable with an elongated turnbuckle bolt at each corner, each turnbuckle bolt bridging across the pair of the mitered adjacent ends and making screw connections with them.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA864247A
Cited
CA588111A
Cited
CA395078A
Cited
CA725408A
Cited
US599457A
Cited
US1580541A
Cited
US1639495A
Cited
GB336437A
Cited
US1908909A
Cited
US1990909A
Cited
US2109287A
Cited
US2328068A
Cited
US2346361A
Cited
US2593918A
Cited
US2661863A
Cited
US2903875A
Cited
US3308727A
Cited
US3326100A
Cited
GB1102946A
Cited
US3408778A
Cited
CH446210A
Cited
US3385011A
Cited
US3490177A
Cited
US3533199A
Cited
US3629981A
Cited
US3773428A
Cited
US3891337A
Cited
US3911635A
Cited
US4269385A
Cited
US4097228A
Cited
US4097171A
Cited
US4225266A
Cited
US4747739A
Cited
US4358084A
Cited
US4416440A
Cited
US4302126A
Cited
GB2102479A
Cited
US4440407A
Cited
US4582449A
Cited
US4637752A
Cited
US4582450A
Cited
US4763449A
Cited
US4650365A
Cited
US4648740A
Cited
US4706718A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-18 | 1993-03-20 | 1993-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-18 | 1997-03-20 | 1997-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-18 | 2001-03-20 | 2001-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |