US2388561A - Manhole cover lock - Google Patents

Description

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Nmr. 6, E945.

J. J. MORRIS ET AL MANHOLE COVER LOCK Filed June 6, 1942 INVENT RSI Patented Nov. 6, 1945 John J. Morris, Tuckahoe, and William C.

Stohldreier, Bronxville, N. Y.

Application June 6, 1942, Serial No.446,018

7 Claims.

Our invention relates generally to improvements in manholes and analogous structures, and the same has for its object to provide a locking mechanism for securing the covers or lids in place which is simple in construction, easy to operate and efiicient in use. 7

Further, said invention has for its object to provide means for securing the covers of manholes and analogous structures scan 'to prevent the unauthorized opening of the manhole or the removal of the cover by unauthorized'persons.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a locking-device of the character-specified which is carried wholly by the manhole cover or lgl so that the said cover and locking device maybe applied to or removed from the manhole as a unit.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a cover with a locking mechanism which has substantially none of its parts extending above the upper surface thereof where the same might be subject to injury due to vehicular traffic passing over the road.

Further, said invention has for its object to :provide a locking device of the-character specifled which will operate to clamp the cover of a manhole more securely in place when an unauthorized attempt is made to pry or otherwise .re- .move .thersame from its locked position.

Other objects will in part be obvious, and in part be pointed 1 out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, our inventionconsists in the novel features of construction, and in'the combination, connection and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

.In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan or top view showing one form of manhole cover and locking means constructed accordingto, and embodying our said invention;

Figure 2 is atransverse section on the line '2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal :section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the .partsseen in plan at Figure.3, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail top viewillus- .trating amodified-form of locking means including four locking arms and the bearings therefor. In said drawing, referring to Figures v1 to '5, inclusive, l designates a manhole toasting or irameof annular form having inwardly-tapering sidewalls II and a lateral fiange 12 at its base'for supporting the casting or frame 1H) .upon the m sonry ioundation 13 which lines the :man-

hole. The casting or frame 10 is provided upon its inner side directly below its upper edge with an inwardly-projecting supporting flange l4 upon which is seated the usual manhole cover or lid I5. The upper side of the cover i5 is provided with short projections l6, a central recessed opening I! to receive a bolt I8 which serves to support the locking device about to be described, and acircu'l'ar'series of 'airvents I l The bolt 18 is provided with a threaded lower portion I8 and a reduced intermediate portion 18 which'latter is embraced by a revoluble bearing 19 having fixed position upon the bolt longitudinally thereof. 'Belowthe bearing I9 is promanhole casting when said 'locking'arms 23 are adjusted'to locking position.

24 denotes loop-shaped links having their inner ends pivotally secured to the fixed bearing I9, and their outer or lower ends similarly secured to the arms 23 adjacent their inner ends which are secured to the movable threaded bearing 20.

In Figure 5 is show-n a modification in which the bearing 19 and the threaded bearing '20 'are severally provided Withfour ends [9, and 2+ to receive the inner ends of the four arms 23 which are 'operatively connected by links 24 The operation-of the device-will be-largely obviousfrom the foregoing description. =It need merely be noted that when the cover l5 is tobe secured in the opening of the manhole casting'or frame 10, the supporting bolt I8 is first rotated countor-clockwise by means of a suitable key or tool inserted into the recess I8 of the bolt 48, and the threaded bearing 20 caused to travel downwardly upon the threaded portion of said bolt. By this operation the outer free endso'f the look- 'ing arms 23 will be caused to rise and move inwardly towards the bolt l8, and permit of said ends to clear the inner edge of the flange 44 of the casting I0, and allow the cover to be seated upon'the flange I4. Hereupon a boltor pin, as for example, 26 shown .in dottedlines'at Figure 12, is inserted into one of the air vent openings l 'l gtmengage'with one or theother'of the looking arms 23 to arrest the rotation thereof when the bolt I8 is turned clockwise to draw up the threaded bearing 20 thereon and cause the free ends of the arms 23 to assume a more horizontal or aligned position in which position the outer ends of said arms will firmly impinge upon the inner wall of the casting l0, and engage with the underside of the fiange I4, and thus hold the cover l firmly clamped or wedged in position Withinthecas'ting l0. The belt or rod'26 may be withdrawn assoon as the ends of the arms 23 engage with the inner wall of the casting.

To remove the cover, it merely becomes neces Y sary to reverse the operation above described.

It is to be noted that any attempt by an unauthorized person not possessing the proper key or tool to engage the recess in the head of the bolt 18, to remove the cover by prying the same open will only result in the more positive and effective engagement of the endsof the arms 23 with the walls of thecasting I0, and with the underside of the flange I4, due to the wedging action of the arms 23, in becoming more nearly aligned.

It is also to be noted that while we have shown same, and locking means for securing said cover in position withinsaid frame, a revoluble support in said cover extending below the underside thereof, a bearing on said support and movable longitudinally thereof, locking arms pivotally secured at their inner ends to said movable bearing, a second bearing having fixed position upon but revoluble with respect to said support and members severally connecting said last named bearing with said locking arms adjacent their pivoted ends; said revoluble support, when rotated, serving to move the outer free ends of said locking arms into and out of looking engagement with the inner surfaces of ,said manhole frame.

4. A device of the character specified comprising'a manhole frame, a cover for closing the same,

and described our invention in connection with a manhole and cover, that the same is not limited thereto, but is equally applicable to other forms or types of receptacles or containers.

Having thus described our invention whatwe -1. A device of the character specified comprisinga manhole frame, .a cover for closingthe same, and locking means for securing said cover in position within said frame, said locking means comprising a revoluble vertical support suspended from said cover, a revoluble member mounted in fixed position on said support, a bearing mounted on said support below said fixed member and movable upon said support longitudinally thereof, a plurality of locking arms each pivotally secured at its inner end to said movable bearing, and link members each pivotally secured at its inner end to said fixed bearing and its other end pivotally secured to one of, said locking arms adjacent the inner pivoted end thereof, said vertical support, when rotated, serving to actuate said movable bearing to move the free outer ends of said locking arms into and out of locking engagement with the inner surface of .said manhole frame.

.at its inner end to said movablebearing, link members each pivotally secured at its inner end to said fixed member and its other end pivotally secured to one of said locking arms adjacent the inner pivoted end thereof,

and cooperating means arranged in part upon said revoluble vertical support, and in part upon said movable bearing for causing said movable bearing to travel upon said vertical support when said vertical support is rotated and move the free, outer ends I of said locking arms into and from engagement with the inner surface of said manhole frame.

3. A device of the-character specified compris- .ing agmanhole frame, a cover'for closing the claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

and locking means carried by said cover; said locking means comprising a revoluble actuating member depending from said support, a traveling bearing on said actuating member, a plurality of arms pivotally secured at their inner ends to. said traveling bearing, a revoluble member having fixed position on said actuating member above said bearing, means operatively connecting said arms with said fixed member for causing the outer ends of said arms to engage with said manhole frame upon rotation of said actuating mem her, and means for holding said arms against rotation upon said actuating member while manipulating the device.

5. A device of the character specified comprising a manhole frame, a cover for closing the same,

and locking means carried by said cover comprising a memberloosely disposed in said cover having a depending threaded portion, a threaded bearing working on the threaded portion of said depending member, a plurality of arms pivotally secured at their inner ends to said threaded bearing, amember having fixed position on said depending member and revoluble with respect thereto,- and means connecting said fixed member with said arms adjacent their inner ends;

said first-named member, when rotated, serving to move the free ends of said arms into engage- .ment with the manhole frame to hold said cover in locked position therein. 6. A device of the character specified comprising a manhole frame, a flange therein, a cover seated on said flange for closing said frame, and locking means carried by said cover comprising a member loosely disposed centrally withinv said cover having a depending threaded portion, a threaded bearing working on' said depending threaded portion, a plurality of arms pivotally 1 secured at their inner ends to said threaded bearing, a member revolubly mounted on said firstnamed member, and having fixed position relative thereto, and links connecting said revolubly fixed member with said arms adjacent their inner ends; saidfirst-named member, when actuated, serving tov cause the free ends of said arms to engage with the inner wall of said manhole frame and r with the flange thereof to hold said cover locked in position within saidv frame.

7;. A device of the character specified comprising a manhole frame, a cover-supporting flange therein, a cover seated on said flange, and looking means comprising a supporting and actuating bolt loosely disposed centrally 'upon said cover and having a threaded portion, said bolt having a reduced intermediate portion, a threaded bearing member working on the threaded portion'of said supporting bolt means for limiting the travel'of said threaded bearing .upon said bolt, a plu'rality of arms pivotally secured at their inner'ends to said threaded bearing member, a second member having fixed position upon said bolt and revolubly embracing the reduced intermediate portion thereof, and links connecting the member embracing the reduced intermediate portion of said bolt with said arms adjacent their inner ends; said supporting and actuating bolt serving to move the free ends of said arms into and out of operative engagement with the manhole frame; the free ends of said arms being engageable with means insertable through said manhole cover for holding said arms against rotation when said 5 bolt is rotated to operate the device.

JOHN J. MORRIS. WILLIAM C. STOHLDREIER.

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