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EP0317189A1 - Method of aligning a base and a frame in a road surface - Google Patents

Method of aligning a base and a frame in a road surface Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0317189A1
EP0317189A1 EP88310634A EP88310634A EP0317189A1 EP 0317189 A1 EP0317189 A1 EP 0317189A1 EP 88310634 A EP88310634 A EP 88310634A EP 88310634 A EP88310634 A EP 88310634A EP 0317189 A1 EP0317189 A1 EP 0317189A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
frame
base
height
adjustment means
road
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP88310634A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0317189B1 (en
Inventor
Frederick Arnold Round
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AT88310634T priority Critical patent/ATE87052T1/en
Publication of EP0317189A1 publication Critical patent/EP0317189A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0317189B1 publication Critical patent/EP0317189B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
    • E02D29/00—Independent underground or underwater structures; Retaining walls
    • E02D29/12—Manhole shafts; Other inspection or access chambers; Accessories therefor
    • E02D29/14—Covers for manholes or the like; Frames for covers
    • E02D29/1409—Covers for manholes or the like; Frames for covers adjustable in height or inclination

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to apparatus including a base and a frame and to a method of resurfacing an area having such an apparatus associated therewith and, in particular, although not exclusively, relates to drains in roads, post office installations in pavements or fire hydrants.
  • the scraped surface is frequently required to have traffic passing over it, and as the drains protrude from the surface they represent a considerable hazard to the road users and are often the cause of cyclists or motorcyclists being thrown off their machine.
  • drains When the road is resurfaced the drains are removed and the new layer applied before the drains are replaced.
  • the drains come in one particular size with a predetermined depth and accordingly the replaced drains are liable to be proud of the road surface or located slightly beneath the road surface with consequent adverse effect on the surface.
  • an apparatus includes a base arranged to be located beneath a surface, and a frame arranged to extend upwardly towards the surface from the base, the frame being arranged to be supported by the base, and adjustment means capable of altering the height of the frame relative to the base.
  • the adjustment means may be arranged to decrease the height of the frame relative to the base, or increase that height, or both decrease and increase the height.
  • the new surface can then be applied and the height of the frame subsequently increased thus obviating the need for the manhole to be removed during resurfacing and rendering unnecessary the manual removal of the old surface around the drains. Furthermore, the drains can remain substantially flush with the scraped road to allow traffic to pass over that surface without the hazard presently existing whereby the drains protrude above the scraped surface.
  • the adjustment means may be located between the frame and the base.
  • the adjustment means may include a member or members located between the frame and base.
  • the adjustment means may be arranged to alter the height of the frame relative to the base by replacement, addition or removal of the member of members.
  • the member or members may be arranged to provide support for the frame on the base in at least two directions. The member or members may be constrained from moving laterally.
  • the upper region of the frame may be arranged to be substantially flush with a surface.
  • the apparatus may include means for altering the height of one portion of the frame relative to another portion of the frame.
  • Those means for altering the relative heights of the portions of the frame may include or comprise the adjustment means.
  • the present invention also includes a region including an upwardly facing surface when provided with an apparatus as herein referred to in which the base is located beneath the surface and the frame extends upwardly towards the surface.
  • a method of surfacing an area in which a base is located beneath the area and a frame, supported by the base, extends upwardly towards the surface comprises altering the height of the frame relative to the base with adjustment means such that the height of the frame relative to the base is greater after the area has been resurfaced.
  • the base 14 is embedded in a road 16 and is held in place by the road 16 extending above and around an outwardly directed flange 18.
  • the frame 10 includes a square peripheral wall 20 which extends within an upwardly extending square peripheral wall 22 of the base.
  • the lower edge 24 of the wall 20 rests on a plurality of spacers 12, which spacers in turn rest on inwardly directed flanges 28 of the frame 10.
  • the flanges 28 connect the lower end of the wall 22 with upwardly directed plates 30 located adjacent to, but spaced from the corners 32 of the base 14.
  • the upper edge 34 of the base terminates well beneath the surface 36 of the road, and the frame 10 normally extends up to that surface, terminating in an upwardly facing surface 38, flush with the road surface, the surface 38 having an inner groove 40 on which a lid 42 rests.
  • the frame 10 When it is desired to resurface the road, the frame 10 is raised out of the road and the surface scraped. Alternatively, with the frame 10 removed, the spacers can be lifted upwardly and removed and the frame returned so that its lower edge 24 rests on the flange 28 of the base. The top surface of the road can then be scraped by the tool of a digger to the depth indicated by the phantom line 44, and that tool can pass directly over the frame and the lid. Accordingly the material scraped off the surface is prevented from falling into the base by the lid.
  • the frame When the road is being resurfaced the frame can either be raised by reinserting the spacers before the new surface is applied, or the frame can be so raised after the new surface has been applied.
  • the tilt or angle of inclination of the upwardly facing surface 38 of the frame can be arranged to be substantially flush with the new road surface, even though the road surface may not be precisely horizontal or precisely equal to the previous depth.
  • some spacers may be provided which are of less depth than others.
  • a single spacer may be provided at each corner, in which case the required spacer can be selected from a stock of spacers having varying depths.
  • the spacers comprise two plates 46 which are at right angles to each other and each of which rests on a different flange 28 of the frame adjacent to a corner of the frame.
  • the spacers also include an arm 48 extending between the plate 46 into the interior of the frame.
  • the arm 48 assists in the insertion and removal of the spacers into the frame, and the free end of the arm 48 includes a bevelled downwardly facing surface 50 into which a chisel can be driven in order to free the spacer should it become jammed in the frame.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Paleontology (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Road Paving Structures (AREA)
  • Sewage (AREA)
  • Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
  • Regulation And Control Of Combustion (AREA)
  • Road Repair (AREA)
  • Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
  • Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

A base (14) supports a frame (10) via a plurality of spacers (12). The top of the frame (10) is closed off by a lid (42). The base (14) and the frame (10) are generally square when viewed in plan, and each of the lower corners of the frame (10) can have their relative height to the base (14) adjusted by adding or removing spacers (12) in order that the upwardly facing surface (38) of the frame (10) can be flush with the surface (36) of a road.
By removing spacers (12), the height of the frame 10 can be reduced in order that the road surface can be scraped to the depth indicated by a line (44), and the road surface can subsequently be made good again to the height of the surface (36) either before or after the frame (10) has been returned to the height shown in Figure 2.

Description

  • The present invention relates to apparatus including a base and a frame and to a method of resurfacing an area having such an apparatus associated therewith and, in particular, although not exclusively, relates to drains in roads, post office installations in pavements or fire hydrants.
  • In a known method of resurfacing roads with drains, the top surface of the road is taken off using a scraping tool attached to the front of a digger. Typically about an inch or two of the surface is so removed. However, in the region of a drain it is necessary to remove the surrounding surface manually, which is extremely time consuming.
  • The scraped surface is frequently required to have traffic passing over it, and as the drains protrude from the surface they represent a considerable hazard to the road users and are often the cause of cyclists or motorcyclists being thrown off their machine.
  • When the road is resurfaced the drains are removed and the new layer applied before the drains are replaced. The drains come in one particular size with a predetermined depth and accordingly the replaced drains are liable to be proud of the road surface or located slightly beneath the road surface with consequent adverse effect on the surface.
  • According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus includes a base arranged to be located beneath a surface, and a frame arranged to extend upwardly towards the surface from the base, the frame being arranged to be supported by the base, and adjustment means capable of altering the height of the frame relative to the base. The adjustment means may be arranged to decrease the height of the frame relative to the base, or increase that height, or both decrease and increase the height. Such an apparatus has considerable advantages when used in relation to manholes in roads as, when the road is to be resurfaced, the frame can be lowered to allow the old surface to be scraped off. The new surface can then be applied and the height of the frame subsequently increased thus obviating the need for the manhole to be removed during resurfacing and rendering unnecessary the manual removal of the old surface around the drains. Furthermore, the drains can remain substantially flush with the scraped road to allow traffic to pass over that surface without the hazard presently existing whereby the drains protrude above the scraped surface.
  • The adjustment means may be located between the frame and the base. The adjustment means may include a member or members located between the frame and base. The adjustment means may be arranged to alter the height of the frame relative to the base by replacement, addition or removal of the member of members. The member or members may be arranged to provide support for the frame on the base in at least two directions. The member or members may be constrained from moving laterally.
  • The upper region of the frame may be arranged to be substantially flush with a surface.
  • The apparatus may include means for altering the height of one portion of the frame relative to another portion of the frame. Those means for altering the relative heights of the portions of the frame may include or comprise the adjustment means.
  • The present invention also includes a region including an upwardly facing surface when provided with an apparatus as herein referred to in which the base is located beneath the surface and the frame extends upwardly towards the surface.
  • According to another aspect of the present invention a method of surfacing an area in which a base is located beneath the area and a frame, supported by the base, extends upwardly towards the surface comprises altering the height of the frame relative to the base with adjustment means such that the height of the frame relative to the base is greater after the area has been resurfaced.
  • The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
    • Figure 1 is an exploded view of a frame 10, a spacer 12 and base 14 and,
    • Figure 2 is a side sectional view taken in the region of one of the corners showing the co-operation of a plurality of spacers between the frame and base, and their relation to a normal road surface.
  • As shown in the Figure 2, the base 14 is embedded in a road 16 and is held in place by the road 16 extending above and around an outwardly directed flange 18. The frame 10 includes a square peripheral wall 20 which extends within an upwardly extending square peripheral wall 22 of the base. The lower edge 24 of the wall 20 rests on a plurality of spacers 12, which spacers in turn rest on inwardly directed flanges 28 of the frame 10. The flanges 28 connect the lower end of the wall 22 with upwardly directed plates 30 located adjacent to, but spaced from the corners 32 of the base 14.
  • The upper edge 34 of the base terminates well beneath the surface 36 of the road, and the frame 10 normally extends up to that surface, terminating in an upwardly facing surface 38, flush with the road surface, the surface 38 having an inner groove 40 on which a lid 42 rests.
  • When it is desired to resurface the road, the frame 10 is raised out of the road and the surface scraped. Alternatively, with the frame 10 removed, the spacers can be lifted upwardly and removed and the frame returned so that its lower edge 24 rests on the flange 28 of the base. The top surface of the road can then be scraped by the tool of a digger to the depth indicated by the phantom line 44, and that tool can pass directly over the frame and the lid. Accordingly the material scraped off the surface is prevented from falling into the base by the lid.
  • When the road is being resurfaced the frame can either be raised by reinserting the spacers before the new surface is applied, or the frame can be so raised after the new surface has been applied.
  • As the frame is supported by spacers at each of its four corners, the tilt or angle of inclination of the upwardly facing surface 38 of the frame can be arranged to be substantially flush with the new road surface, even though the road surface may not be precisely horizontal or precisely equal to the previous depth. To assist in the accurate adjustment of the height of the frame some spacers may be provided which are of less depth than others. Alternatively, a single spacer may be provided at each corner, in which case the required spacer can be selected from a stock of spacers having varying depths.
  • As shown in Figure 1, the spacers comprise two plates 46 which are at right angles to each other and each of which rests on a different flange 28 of the frame adjacent to a corner of the frame. The spacers also include an arm 48 extending between the plate 46 into the interior of the frame. The arm 48 assists in the insertion and removal of the spacers into the frame, and the free end of the arm 48 includes a bevelled downwardly facing surface 50 into which a chisel can be driven in order to free the spacer should it become jammed in the frame.

Claims (10)

1. An apparatus including a base (14) arranged to be located beneath a surface (36) and a frame (10) arranged to extend upwardly towards a surface from the base (14), the frame (10) being arranged to be supported by the base, and adjustment means (12) capable of altering the height of the frame relative to the base.
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the adjustment means are capable of decreasing the height of the frame relative to the base.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the adjustment means are capable of increasing the height of the frame relative to the base.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the adjustment means are arranged to be located between the frame and the base.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the adjustment means includes a member (12) or members (12) arranged to be located between the frame and the base.
6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 in which the adjustment means are arranged to be capable of altering the height of the frame relative to the base by replacement, addition or removal of the member or members.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the upper region of the frame is arranged to be substantially flush with a surface towards which it extends.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the adjustment means is arranged to enable the height of one portion of the frame to be varied relative to another portion of the frame.
9. A region including an upwardly facing surface (36) when provided with an apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the base is located beneath the surface and the frame extends upwardly towards the surface.
10. A method of surfacing an area in which a base (14) is located beneath the area and a frame (10), supported by the base, extends upwardly towards the surface (36) comprising altering the height of the frame (10) relative to the base (14) with adjustment means (12) such that the height of the frame relative to the base is greater after the area has been resurfaced.
EP88310634A 1987-11-14 1988-11-11 Method of aligning a base and a frame in a road surface Expired - Lifetime EP0317189B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT88310634T ATE87052T1 (en) 1987-11-14 1988-11-11 METHOD OF ADJUSTING A BASE PLATE AND FRAME TO A ROAD SURFACE.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB878726710A GB8726710D0 (en) 1987-11-14 1987-11-14 Apparatus
GB8726710 1987-11-14

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0317189A1 true EP0317189A1 (en) 1989-05-24
EP0317189B1 EP0317189B1 (en) 1993-03-17

Family

ID=10626971

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88310634A Expired - Lifetime EP0317189B1 (en) 1987-11-14 1988-11-11 Method of aligning a base and a frame in a road surface

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0317189B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE87052T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2505188A (en)
DE (1) DE3879393T2 (en)
GB (1) GB8726710D0 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5044818A (en) * 1990-07-24 1991-09-03 Pritchard Phillip C Adjustable manhole cover assembly
US5451119A (en) * 1993-10-25 1995-09-19 Hondulas; John L. Method and apparatus for adjusting the height and slope of a manhole frame and cover
FR2837851A1 (en) * 2002-03-27 2003-10-03 Rene Girard Inspection chamber for underground pipe, especially a drain, has cover supported by raised ring with seal of variable thickness
WO2008046668A1 (en) 2006-10-17 2008-04-24 Bruno Zanatta Kit for the adjustment of manholes for pits

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR689538A (en) * 1929-02-13 1930-09-08 Sewer chimney cover, pavement, intermediate frame
CH459084A (en) * 1966-05-13 1968-06-30 Fonderie Paul Perret & Cie S A Adjustable level sight
FR2027870A1 (en) * 1969-01-07 1970-10-02 Wachenfeld Teschner Frit
US3858998A (en) * 1972-08-22 1975-01-07 Folke Larsson Manhole frame
AT336509B (en) * 1975-07-16 1977-05-10 Wallner & Neubert STREET SEQUENCE OR MANHOLE COVER
GB2139675A (en) * 1983-04-21 1984-11-14 George Herbert Lightfoot Supporting road surface ironwork

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR689538A (en) * 1929-02-13 1930-09-08 Sewer chimney cover, pavement, intermediate frame
CH459084A (en) * 1966-05-13 1968-06-30 Fonderie Paul Perret & Cie S A Adjustable level sight
FR2027870A1 (en) * 1969-01-07 1970-10-02 Wachenfeld Teschner Frit
US3858998A (en) * 1972-08-22 1975-01-07 Folke Larsson Manhole frame
AT336509B (en) * 1975-07-16 1977-05-10 Wallner & Neubert STREET SEQUENCE OR MANHOLE COVER
GB2139675A (en) * 1983-04-21 1984-11-14 George Herbert Lightfoot Supporting road surface ironwork

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5044818A (en) * 1990-07-24 1991-09-03 Pritchard Phillip C Adjustable manhole cover assembly
US5451119A (en) * 1993-10-25 1995-09-19 Hondulas; John L. Method and apparatus for adjusting the height and slope of a manhole frame and cover
FR2837851A1 (en) * 2002-03-27 2003-10-03 Rene Girard Inspection chamber for underground pipe, especially a drain, has cover supported by raised ring with seal of variable thickness
WO2008046668A1 (en) 2006-10-17 2008-04-24 Bruno Zanatta Kit for the adjustment of manholes for pits

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3879393T2 (en) 1993-10-07
EP0317189B1 (en) 1993-03-17
ATE87052T1 (en) 1993-04-15
AU2505188A (en) 1989-05-18
GB8726710D0 (en) 1987-12-16
DE3879393D1 (en) 1993-04-22

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