GB2197901A - Plastics base for an underground stopcock housing - Google Patents

Abstract

A plastics base for an underground stopcock housing in which the base engages the surrounding earth in use, comprises a base plate 6, a pair of upstanding part-cylindrical wall portions 7, 8 separated by diametrically opposed gaps 9, 10 and a number of outwardly extending ground-engaging fins 18. The stopcock is located between the wall portions 7, 8, with the service pipe passing through gaps 9, 10, and is held within the base to prevent it from twisting by a separate retaining means 15. <IMAGE>

Description

ACCESS TO UNDERGROUND STOPCOCKS Underground pipes such es the gas or water supply pipes to a house or other building may be located a variable distance, typically about two feet, below ground at the point where a stopcock is provided. When the system is being installed it is quite usual for a ceramic tube or a piece of old drainpipe to be placed vertically over the stopcock, mounted on bricks, cemented in end cut to size. This tube acts to bridge the gap between the stopcock and ground level, and an entry member in the form of a box or plate is mounted on the top of the tube at ground level.

The box or plate typically has a hinged lid which may be raised in order to gain access to the stopcock.

It is also known to provide a concrete structure to bridge the gap between the stopcock and the entry member.

The present invention seeks to provide a simple device for bridging the gap between 8 stopcock and a ground level entry member, the device being manufactured for the purpose and being very easy to install.

The present invention now provides a device suitable for bridging the gap between a below ground stopcock and a ground level entry member, the device comprising a tubular member which, in usew defines an access path between the entry member and the stopcock, a base member on which the tubular member is located and which, in use, is for positioning at stopcock level, and a top member which is located on the tubular member and which, in use, supports the entry member.

The tubular member may comprise a plurality of tubular elements each having ends for mating with mating portions of the base and top member and appropriate ends of the other tubular elements.

Thus, the distance between the stopcock and ground level may ovary but by the provision of tubular elements of different lengths, it is possible to accommodate any particular depth of stopcock by using one, two or more appropriately selected tubular elements.

The tubular elements may be of any cross-section or shape, for instance circular, square or rectangular.

One function of the base member is to provide a lower support for the device of the invention. It is found, however, that plastics service pipes which are currently widely used, tend to turn in the ground thus moving the stopcock out of its original vertical orientation.

As a result it is often difficult to engage the stopcock by means of the normal key located at one end of a rod sufficiently long to extend from the stopcock to above ground. Thus, a preferred base member includes earth engaging means and means for preventing movement of the stopcock out of its original orientation. A preferred base member has, in use, a lower portion lying beneath the stopcock and elements upstanding from the lower portion on opposite sides of the stopcock and separated by a distance such that, with the stopcock located between these elements, eubstantial movement of the stopcock out of vertical alignment is prevented.

The base member may be provided with a plurality of outwardly extending fins which, in use, engage the earth surrounding the stopcock.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment the base member comprises a base plate which, in use, lies beneath the stopcock, a pair of upstanding part-cylindrical wall portions lying, in use, on opposite sides of the stopcock and separated by diametrically opposed gaps, means which, in use, hold the stopcock to prevent substantial movement of the stopcock out of its original orientation, and a plurality of outwardly extending fins joined to the wall portions and the base plate and which, in use, engage the earth surrounding the stopcock.

Preferably the top member includes an upper flat support bounded by en upstanding flange within which, in use, the entry member may be located.

Preferably the device is made of a plastics material such ae polyvinyl chloride, the members being made by, for instance, 8 moulding process.

An embodiment or the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device of the invention, figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the device of Fig. 1, and Figure 3 is a perspective view from below of the base member of the device of Fig.s I and 2.

The device for bridging the gap between the stopcock of 8 service pipe (not shown) and an entrance box 1 at ground level includes a base member 2 cylindrical elements 3 and 4 and 8 top member 5.

The base member 2 is an integral plastics moulding having a flat base plate 6 end upstanding therefrom are two part-cylindrical wall portions 7 and 8 separated by diametrically opposed gaps 9 and 10. Associated with each of the well portions 7 and 8 is a step element 11 and 12 respectively, comprising a straight riser portion 13 and, extending between the riser portion and the associated part-cylindrical wall portion, an upwardly sloping portion 14.The two step elements 11 and 12 each extend parallel to a line drawn between the centres of gaps 9 and 10, the ends of the steps being set back slightly from the respective gaps The arrangement is such that a stopcock with associated pipes extending on either side thereof may be located centrally between gaps 9 and 10 end steps 11 and 12 so that twisting movement of the stopcock relative to the base member 2 is prevented by engagement of the stopcock with the riser portions 13 of steps 11 and 12.

Since in practice there are usually two main sizes of pipe and stopcock (e.g. iw and i") the gap between the steps 11 and 12 is made to accomodate the larger of the two sbtea. Additionally, the stopcock can be located and fixed in a permanent vertical position by a retaining member 15 which fits snugly around the body-flange of the stopcock end engaged in facing recesses 16, 17, in steps 11 and 12.

The part-cylindrical wall portions 7 and 8 ere located inwardly from the circumferential edge of the base portion 6. The base member is provided with four fins 18 which extend radially outwardly from part-cylindrical wall portions 7 and 8 and are spaced circumferentially around these wall portions. Each fin 18 is connected to a part-cylindrical wall portion end a198 to base portion 6. In use, the fins, which will be surrounded by earth, will help to prevent turning of the base member.

Pccordingly, the combination of the anchoring of the base member in the earth and the restriction of twisting of the stopcock relative to the base member will maintain the stopcock in its correct vertical orientation.

The cylindrical elements 3 end 4 differ only in their length.

Each element is moulded of plastics and hes a slightly stepped end at one end only, to provide a socket portion 19. In use, a cylindrical element 4 is positioned so that its end remote from socket portion 19 is located on the sloping upper part of steps 11 and 12, as best seen in Fig. 2. If s further cylindrical element such as 3 is required in order to bridge the gap between the stopcock and entrance box 1 then this is positioned with its end remote from socket portion 19 located in the socket portion 19 of lower element 4 so as to form a sort of spigot and socket joint.

Top member 5, which is also of plastics material, includes e short cylindrical section 20 of cross-sectional shape end dimensions similar to the body portions of cylindrical elements 3 and 4, as a result of which the free end of section 20 may locate within socket portion 19 of the upper cylindrical element 3. Integral with the other end of cylindrical section 20 is a support portion 21 which extends radielly outwardly from cylindrical section 20.

Support portion 21 is bounded by an upstanding flange 22. In plan, the shape of the outer edge of the support portion 21 and flange 22 is such that it will eccomodate entrance boxes of different shapes, for instance, square, circular or rectangular. Thus flange 22 in plan is substantially square but with outwardly curved central portions 22a in each of its four sides.

When the device has been assembled as shown in Fig. 2 and surrounded by earth, entrance box 1 may be located with its base on support portion 21 of top member 5. In order to close or open the stopcock the hinged lid of entrance box 1 is raised end the usual key, carried at the end of e long metal rod, is lowered into the spece definsd by cylindrical elements 3 and 4 towards the stopcock.

The sloping upper surfaces of steps 11 and 12 help to guide the key towards the stopcock. Since, as described above, the stopcock is held in its correct orientation, this ensures that, in an emergency, the stopcock can be quickly engaged by the key in order, for instance, to close a weter pipe.

Claims (4)

1. A device suitable for bridging the gap between a below ground stopcock and a ground level entry member, the device comprising a tubular member which, in use, defines en access path between the entry member and the stopcock, a base member on which the tubular member is located and which, in use, is for positioning at stopcock level, ond a top member which is located on the tubular member end which, in use, supports the entry member.

The preceding claim has been superseded by the following claims:1. A plastics base for an underground stopcock housing in which the base engages the surrounding earth in use, the base including a main part defining an upwardly open recess for receiving the stopcock and having opposed openings for receiving sections of a pipe extending in opposite directions from the stopcock, and separate retaining means for location between the upstanding body portion of the stopcock and the main part of the base for firmly holding the stopcock in a vertical position in use whereby the stopcock is prevented from turning about the axis of the pipe out of its original vertical orientation.

2. A base according to Claim 1, in which the retaining means comprises a retaining collar for location about the upstanding body portion of the stopcock.

3. A base according to Claim 2, in which the main part of the base includes recesses arranged on opposite sides of the stopcock in which the retaining collar is engaged in use.

4. A plastics base for an underground stopcock housing which is substantially as defined in the first paragraph on page 2 above and as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.