EP4269700A1

EP4269700A1 - Corner-hinge access cover assembly and lifting arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP4269700A1
Application number: EP23170436.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonio NATILLO
Original assignee: Ej Uk Fabrication & Access Solutions Ltd
Current assignee: Ej Uk Fabrication & Access Solutions Ltd
Priority date: 2022-04-27
Filing date: 2023-04-27
Publication date: 2023-11-01
Also published as: GB2618114A; GB202206150D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to an access cover assembly. The assembly comprises a frame for defining an opening of an access chamber, the frame having at least one corner. The assembly also comprises at least one cover mountable on the frame and hingedly connected to the frame at a corner of the frame to permit opening of the access chamber. There is also provided an access cover assembly, comprising a frame defining an opening of an access chamber and at least one cover mountable on the frame and hingedly connected thereto to permit opening of the access chamber, the cover comprising a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along a side of the cover that is uppermost when the cover is opened, and wherein a pair of lifting points are provided in the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to arrangements for hinging access covers or gully gratings to support frames. The present invention also relates to improved arrangements for removal of access covers or gully gratings from their frames.

Background to the Invention

Cabling and ducting for many services such as telecoms, fibre optics, gas, electricity and water supplies are routed underground. Access to these services for repair, upgrade and maintenance is provided via openings called manholes or access chambers in roads or footways. Manhole or access covers are removable covers which are seated within a frame to cover the openings, thereby preventing accidental or unauthorised entry to the access chambers. Similar frames may be used to support gully gratings, used to prevent leaves and other debris from entering the drainage system while allowing water to pass through.
A traditional access cover assembly 100 is shown in Figure 1. In this arrangement, a double triangular cover 101 is seated in a substantially square frame 102. Each of the triangular covers 101a, 101b is hinged to the frame by way of a pair of hinges 103 provided along one side of the frame. When the chamber is to be opened to allow access to the services for repair or maintenance, each triangular cover is pivoted about the hinges into an upright position. Once opened, such traditional covers may restrict or prevent access to the chamber on at least two sides of the opening. In the arrangement shown, the hinges are provided on adjacent sides of the frame. In other arrangements, the hinges may be provided at opposite sides of the frame. A similar restriction may occur along one side of the frame, where a single square or rectangular cover is provided. This restriction may require that one or both of the covers must be removed from their frames in order to gain access to a desired edge of the opening. Traditional covers are heavy and difficult to lift. The shape of traditional triangular covers in particular is such that the lift is unbalanced, which may cause strain to the user.
It is desirable to provide an access cover and frame arrangement which provides improved access to the chamber, without removal of the cover or covers. It is also desirable to provide an improved arrangement for removal of an access cover from its frame.

Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an access cover assembly, comprising:

a frame for defining an opening of an access chamber, the frame having at least one corner; and
at least one cover mountable on the frame and hingedly connected to the frame at a corner of the frame to permit opening of the access chamber.

By hinging the cover to the frame at a corner of the frame, when the cover is in an open position, the cover does not restrict access to any side of the opening. Furthermore, the position of the hinge in the corner of the frame allows a user to place his feet on either side of the corner, thereby allowing the user to achieve a more ergonomic lift.
In an embodiment, the at least one cover comprises a substantially triangular cover and an apex of the cover is hingedly connected to the frame.
The at least one cover may comprise a substantially right-angled triangular cover and the right-angled corner of the cover may be hingedly connected to the frame.
In an embodiment, the at least one cover comprises a pair of substantially right-angled triangular covers and the right-angled corner of each cover is hingedly connected to the frame. In this embodiment, the frame may be substantially square or rectangular in shape. The covers may be hingedly connected to the frame at diagonally opposite corners of the frame. An advantage of this arrangement is that when both covers are open, all four sides of the frame are accessible since the hinges are provided at diagonally opposite corners of the frame. Access to the chamber is therefore not restricted by the covers.
In other embodiments, the frame may be triangular in shape.
The or each cover may be hingedly connected to the frame via a single hinge.
The at least one cover may comprise a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along a side of the cover that is uppermost when the cover is opened, and a pair of lifting points may be provided in or on the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame. Preferably, when the cover is opened, the side of the cover may be substantially horizontal. Each lifting point may comprise an aperture in the rib, such as a through-hole or keyway. The cover may be removed by engaging a lifting eye, lifting hook or lifting key with the through-hole or keyway. Alternatively, each lifting point may comprise a detent or recess in the rib. In these embodiments, the cover may be removed by engaging a lifting clamp with the detent or recess.
In embodiments where the cover comprises one or more right-angled triangular covers, the or each cover may comprise a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along its hypotenuse side, and the pair of lifting points may be provided in the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame. When the cover is opened, the hypotenuse side of the cover is uppermost. When the cover is opened, the hypotenuse side of the cover may be substantially horizontal.
The term "downwardly" is used to indicate that the rib extends in a downward direction when the cover is in place on the frame, that is, when the cover is seated in the frame such that the access chamber is closed.
The lifting points may be used to lift the cover to allow it to be removed from the frame. When the cover is in the open position, the user is presented with two lifting points to facilitate safe cover removal. Providing two lifting points may allow for a well-balanced and ergonomic lift, thereby preventing injury to the user.
Preferably, the lifting points in the or each cover are provided equidistant from a centre point of the (hypotenuse) side of the cover. The lifting points in the or each cover may be provided adjacent the corners of the cover.
The at least one cover may be moveable via the hinged connection through an angle of at least 90 degrees, from a substantially horizontal position in which the access chamber is closed, to an open position in which the access chamber is at least partially open.
Preferably, the at least one cover is moveable through an angle greater than 90 degrees, from the substantially horizontal position in which the access chamber is closed, to a position in which the or each cover may be removed from the frame. In an embodiment, the cover may be removed from the frame when the cover is moved through an angle of about 110 degrees from the substantially horizontal position.
The access cover assembly may further comprise locking means on the frame, engageable with the cover to lock the cover in a substantially vertical position.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an access cover assembly, comprising:

a frame defining an opening of an access chamber; and
at least one cover mountable on the frame and hingedly connected thereto to permit opening of the access chamber, the cover comprising a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along a side of the cover that is uppermost when the cover is opened, and wherein a pair of lifting points are provided in or on the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame.

The cover may be lifted by engaging a lifting means with each lifting point. Each lifting point may comprise an aperture in the rib, such as a through-hole or keyway. The cover may be removed by engaging a lifting eye, lifting hook or lifting key with the through-holes or keyways. Alternatively, each lifting point may comprise a detent or recess in the rib. In these embodiments, the cover may be removed by engaging a lifting clamp with the each detent or recess.
This aspect of the invention may be applied to traditional access covers, for example, where the cover is hinged to the frame along a side thereof. When the cover is in the open position, the user is presented with two lifting points to facilitate safe cover removal. Providing two lifting points may allow for a well-balanced and ergonomic lift, thereby preventing injury to the user.
Preferably, the lifting points in the or each cover are provided equidistant from a centre point of the side of the cover. The lifting points in the or each cover may be provided adjacent the corners of the cover. The side of the cover may be substantially horizontal when the cover is opened.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a traditional access cover assembly;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of a double-triangular access cover assembly, according to an embodiment of the invention, with the covers in a closed position;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the covers in a substantially vertical position;
Figure 3a is a perspective view of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the covers in a beyond vertical position;
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the covers in the substantially vertical position;
Figure 4a is a top plan view of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the covers in the beyond vertical position;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a detail of a hinge of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the cover in the closed position;
Figure 5a is a cross-sectional view of a detail of the hinge of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the cover in the substantially vertical position; and
Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view of a detail of the hinge of the access cover assembly of Figure 2, with the cover in the beyond vertical position.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

An access cover assembly 200 according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 2 to 5. The access cover assembly comprises a frame 202, which is substantially square in shape, for defining an opening of an access chamber. As such, the frame 202 comprises a short tubular section or upstanding wall 204 of substantially square cross-section and a flange portion 205 which extends outwards from the lower edge 206 of the tubular section, perpendicular thereto. In other embodiments, the tubular section may be rectangular or triangular in cross-section, or any other shape having at least one corner and suitable to support an access cover or gully.
The access cover assembly also comprises a double-triangular cover 201, that is, a pair of substantially right-angled triangular covers 201a, 201b mountable on the frame. When in the closed position shown in Figure 2, the hypotenuse sides 211 of each of the covers are engaged with one another. Each of the covers 201 is hingedly connected to the frame 202 at a corner 207 of the frame to permit opening of the access chamber. In the embodiment shown, the right-angled corner 208 of each cover 201a, 201b is hingedly connected to the frame. As shown in the drawings, the covers are hingedly connected to the frame at diagonally opposite corners 207 of the frame. Each cover is connected to the frame via a single hinge, described in more detail below with reference to Figure 5. Each of the covers 201a, 201b is also formed with extended portions 222 at the ends of the hypotenuse sides 211. These extended portions 222 are received within sockets 223 formed at opposite corners of the frame. Seats 224 are provided within the sockets to receive feet 225 formed on the underside of extended portions 222 of the covers. The engagement of the feet 225 with the seats 224 limits horizontal movement of the covers within the frames.
Details of the hinge 214 formed between corner 208 of the cover 201a and corner 207 of the frame are shown in Figures 5, 5a and 5b. As shown in Figure 2, a tongue 215 extends from corner 208 of the cover 201a. The tongue is formed on either side with a recess 216, the recess having a wider head portion 217 and a narrower neck portion 218. The tongue 215 is received in a socket 219 formed in the upstanding wall 204 of the frame. Opposing internal walls of the socket 219 are formed with inwardly extending pins 220. When the cover 201a is engaged with the frame 202, each pin 220 is received within the head portion 217 of the corresponding recess on the cover, to allow rotational movement of the cover relative to the frame. In other embodiments, the hinge may take other forms, such as a ball-like surface on the tongue 215 mating with a corresponding profile on the socket 219.
As shown in Figures 5 and 5a, the shape and orientation of the pin 220 is such that, in certain relative orientations of the cover and frame, a dimension of the pin that is aligned with the neck 218 of the recess is greater than a width of the neck portion of the recess, thereby preventing removal of the cover from the frame. However, in other relative orientations of the cover and frame, as shown in Figure 5b, the dimension of the pin that is aligned with the neck of the recess is less than the width of the neck portion of the recess, thereby allowing removal of the cover from the frame. In the embodiment shown, the cover may be removed from the frame when the cover is moved through an angle of about 110 degrees from the horizontal (or closed) position. In other embodiments, the shape and orientation of the pin may be such that the cover may be removed from the frame when the cover has been moved through a different angle.
The socket 219 is also formed at its lower end with a locking recess 221. When the cover is moved through an angle of about 90 degrees, that is, when the cover is substantially vertical, the tongue 215 drops into the locking recess 221, thereby locking the cover in the upright or vertical position. In order to remove the cover from the frame, the cover must be lifted vertically out of the locking recess and rotated through a further angle of about 20 degrees beyond the vertical, in order to align the pin and the neck of the recess as described above.
Each cover 201a, 201b comprises a downwardly extending rib 209 on an underside 210 thereof along its hypotenuse side 211. In the embodiment shown the rib 209 is arcuate in shape, with straight portions at each end. A pair of lifting points in the form of keyways 212 is provided in the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame. The keyways are configured to receive standard BS lifting keys. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the cover is opened, the hypotenuse side of each cover is uppermost and substantially horizontal. Thus, when the cover is in the open position, the user is presented with two lifting points to facilitate safe cover removal. A key may be inserted into each keyway, to allow the cover to be removed from the frame in a balanced manner, thereby preventing injury to the user. In other embodiments the cover may be removed by engaging a lifting eye, lifting hook or lifting clamp with each lifting point. In use, the cover 201 is seated in the frame 202 as shown in Figure 2. When the cover is to be opened, a user may place one foot on either side of a corner 207 of frame 202 and insert a lifting key into keyway 213 in an upper surface of one of the covers. The cover may be lifted to an open position by pivoting it about the hinge formed between corner 208 of the cover and corner 207 of the frame through an angle of about 90 degrees. Because the hinge is in the corner of the frame, the user may place his feet on either side of the corner, bringing the user closer to the keyway, thereby reducing strain and providing a more ergonomic lift than with traditional covers. As described above, when the cover is in a substantially vertical position, the tongue 215 drops into the locking recess 221, thereby locking the cover in the upright or vertical position shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this position, the user may access the chamber without restriction on any side of the frame. If removal of the cover is required, the user may then insert two lifting keys into the keyways 212, lift the cover vertically to disengage the tongue 215 from the locking recess 221 and rotate the cover through a further 20 degree angle past the vertical such that the dimension of the pin 220 that is aligned with the neck 218 of the recess is less than the width of the neck portion of the recess, thereby allowing removal of the cover from the frame.
The words "comprises/comprising" and the words "having/including" when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Claims

An access cover assembly, comprising:
a frame for defining an opening of an access chamber, the frame having at least one corner; and

at least one cover mountable on the frame and hingedly connected to the frame at a corner of the frame to permit opening of the access chamber.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cover comprises a substantially triangular cover and wherein an apex of the cover is hingedly connected to the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one cover comprises a substantially right-angled triangular cover and wherein the right-angled corner of the cover is hingedly connected to the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one cover comprises a pair of substantially right-angled triangular covers and wherein the right-angled corner of each cover is hingedly connected to the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the frame is substantially square or rectangular in shape.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the covers are hingedly connected to the frame at diagonally opposite corners of the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each cover is hingedly connected to the frame via a single hinge.
An access cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one cover comprises a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along a side of the cover that is uppermost when the cover is opened, and wherein a pair of lifting points are provided in the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the or each cover comprises a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along its hypotenuse side, and wherein a pair of lifting points are provided in the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the lifting points in the or each cover are provided equidistant from a centre point of the side of the cover.
An access cover assembly as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the lifting
points in the or each cover are provided adjacent corners of the cover.
An access cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least
one cover is moveable via the hinged connection through an angle of at least 90 degrees, from a substantially horizontal position in which the access chamber is closed, to an open position in which the access chamber is at least partially open.
An access cover assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one cover is
moveable through an angle of greater than 90 degrees, from the substantially horizontal position in which the access chamber is closed, to a position in which the or each cover may be removed from the frame.
An access cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising
locking means on the frame engageable with the cover to lock the cover in a substantially vertical position.
An access cover assembly, comprising:
a frame defining an opening of an access chamber; and

at least one cover mountable on the frame and hingedly connected thereto to permit opening of the access chamber, the cover comprising a downwardly extending rib on an underside thereof along a side of the cover that is uppermost when the cover is opened, and wherein a pair of lifting points are provided in the rib to allow removal of the cover from the frame.