Abstract:
An apparatus for connection of a drain inlet to a vertical fixed runoff drainage pipe includes an intermediate adapter plate with a cylindrical shank that can be inserted in an impervious manner into a drainage tube at an adjustable relative height. The drain is slidably mounted such that it is guided bilaterally in translation over the plate. In this way, the drain can be disposed at a final determined position in relation to a curb before being sealed to the curb.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a device for connecting a piece of road equipment, such as a drain inlet, to a vertical fixed runoff drainage pipe. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The installation of devices known until now for connecting a piece of road equipment to a vertical runoff drainage pipe is not only complex but also poses problems concerning the adjustment of the position of the piece of road equipment with respect to the curb or gutter to which it is to be sealed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims to eliminate the disadvantages of these known devices by proposing a device for connecting to a vertical fixed runoff drainage pipe a piece of road equipment, such as a drain inlet, which is to be integrated with a curb or gutter, and has a rigid intermediate connecting plate with a central drainage opening, which is connected to a cylindrical barrel extending transversely under the plate coaxially to the opening and which can be engaged in a sealed manner in the vertical pipe or around it at an adjustable relative height, wherein the connecting plate can be oriented relative to the curb or to the gutter by rotation of the barrel in the vertical pipe or around it, and the piece of road equipment is mounted to slide bilaterally, guided in translation on the connecting plate, in the direction of the curb or gutter, thereby allowing the piece of road equipment to be brought into a predetermined definitive position relative to the curb or gutter before sealing the piece of road equipment in the curb or gutter. 
     The connecting plate is rectangular in shape, and the means for translationally guiding the piece of road equipment on this plate includes two long-armed lateral edges connected to the piece of equipment at the lower part of its rectangular frame and at least two pieces in the form of slideways respectively connected to the two sides of the connecting plate in such a way that the two lateral edges can slide into the two pieces in the form of slideways. 
     An elastomer seal is inserted between the barrel of the connecting plate and the vertical drainage pipe. 
     The seal is connected to the free end of the vertical pipe while covering it and has a sealing lip inserted between the barrel and the vertical drainage pipe. 
     When the barrel of the connecting plate is mounted around the vertical drainage pipe, the seal can be connected to the free end of this barrel while covering it and have a sealing lip inserted between the barrel and the vertical drainage pipe. 
     The central opening of the connecting plate is frustrum-shaped to form a funnel for drainage of runoff water. 
     Advantageously, a mud collection container is housed in the barrel of the connecting plate and supported on the frustrum-shaped central opening of this plate. 
     Preferably, two pieces in the form of slideways are provided which are located at intervals along each side of the connecting plate. 
     Each piece in the form of a slideway is made up of a small bent plate having a cross section in the form of a U, one of the arms of which is attached to the connecting plate in the plane thereof, with the other arm extending parallel above this plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and its other aims, characteristics, details and advantages will appear more clearly in the following explanatory description with reference to the diagrammatic drawings given only by way of example and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the device of the invention for connecting a piece of road equipment to a vertical fixed runoff drainage pipe; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the piece of road equipment of  FIG. 1  in definitive position before it is sealed in a curb; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a connecting plate of the connecting device of the invention before it is mounted in the vertical drainage pipe; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 3 , representing the connecting plate mounted in the drainage pipe; 
         FIG. 5  shows a section through the longitudinal vertical medial plane of the assembly consisting of the piece of road equipment, the connecting plate and the vertical drainage pipe arranged separately one above the other; 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 5 , representing the connecting plate on which the piece of road equipment is mounted and which is assembled on the drainage pipe; 
         FIG. 7  shows a section similar to that of  FIG. 6  and represents an embodiment in which the connecting plate is mounted around the drainage pipe; and 
         FIG. 8  is a partial cross section of an embodiment variant of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention will now be described with reference to a drain inlet device which is to be integrated with a curb after it is connected to a runoff drainage pipe, but it is understood that it can also be applied to any other type of road equipment, such as a rectangular grate for runoff drainage, which is to be integrated with elements besides curbs, such as gutters, for example. 
     With reference to the figures, reference numeral  1  designates a drain inlet device, which is already known, and which is to be integrated with beveled curb B of the sidewalk. 
     This drain inlet device is of the type which has a generally rectangular frame  2 , which comprises, at the top, articulated buffer  3  normally locked to frame  2  and provided with at least one slot  4  for the passage of runoff water, and at the lower part, grate  5  for the passage of runoff water, articulated to frame  2  while being normally locked to it. The drain inlet device, with its buffer  3  and grate  5 , has a configuration in the form of a step allowing it to be integrated with curb B. Buffer  3  and grate  5  can be unlocked and opened in the direction indicated by each of the arrows  0  in  FIG. 6  in order to access the interior of frame  2 . 
     Drain inlet device  1  is connected to vertical runoff drainage pipe  6  penetrating into frame  2  towards the drain with which pipe  6  communicates. The latter is implanted in the ground or attached to it by any appropriate means a certain distance from curb B, and its free external upper part is located below the curb. 
     According to the invention, the device for connecting drain inlet  1  to drainage pipe  6  includes rigid intermediate connecting plate  7 , rectangular in shape, which has frustrum-shaped central opening  8  forming a funnel for drainage of the runoff water, and cylindrical barrel  9  attached under connecting plate  7 , extending perpendicularly to it and coaxially to central opening  8 . Barrel  9  can be attached to plate  7  by welding. 
     Barrel  9  of plate  7  can be engaged in a sealed manner in cylindrical pipe  6  as is shown more clearly in  FIG. 6 , at a relative height which is adjustable according to the direction symbolized by the double arrow F 1 , or mounted in a sealed manner around cylindrical pipe  6  as represented in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , at a relative height which is adjustable according to the direction also indicated by the double arrow F 1 . 
     The seal between cylindrical barrel  9  and cylindrical pipe  6  is ensured by elastomer seal  10 . According to the configuration in which barrel  9  is fitted into pipe  6 , seal  10  is mounted on the upper free end of pipe  6  and covers it. For this purpose, seal  10  can have roughly cylindrical external skirt  11  which fits around the upper part of pipe  6 . In the position in which seal  10  is mounted on pipe  6  before fitting of barrel  9  in pipe  6 , seal  10  has at rest an annular internal lip, approximately transverse to the longitudinal axis of pipe  6 , as represented in  FIG. 5 . During the fitting of barrel  9  in pipe  6 , lip  10  is folded down by barrel  9  onto the upper cylindrical internal surface of pipe  6 , as represented in  FIG. 6 , in order to provide a seal between barrel  9  and pipe  6 . In the case in which barrel  9  is fitted around cylindrical pipe  6  as represented in  FIG. 7 , seal  10  is also attached on the upper free end of pipe  6 , covering it with roughly cylindrical skirt  11  surrounding pipe  6 , and it has an external lip constituting the actual seal, annular in shape, approximately transverse to the longitudinal axis of pipe  6  before mounting of barrel  9  around this pipe. When barrel  9  is fitted around pipe  6 , sealing lip  10  is folded down by barrel  9  to a position roughly parallel to the longitudinal axis of pipe  6  in order to constitute a cylindrical seal between barrel  9  and pipe  6 .  FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of  FIG. 7 , according to which seal  10  is attached at the end of barrel  9  and covers it, and its annular sealing lip is folded down on the internal surface of barrel  9  when it fitted in pipe  6 . 
     When barrel  9  is inserted in pipe  6  or mounted around it, connecting plate  7  can be maneuvered manually in order not only to move it vertically relative to pipe  6  according to the direction of the double arrow F 1 , but also to rotate it around the vertical axis of pipe  6  as indicated by the double arrow F 2  in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to adjust the height of connecting plate  7  and orient it angularly relative to curb B. 
     Furthermore, drain inlet  1  can be mounted so as to slide bilaterally, translationally guided on connecting plate  7 , in the direction of curb B, as symbolized by the double arrow F 3  in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , so that drain inlet  1  can thus be brought into a predetermined definitive position relative to curb B by a combination of movements according to arrows F 1  to F 3 , before sealing drain inlet  1  to this curb. 
     The means of translationally guiding drain inlet  1  on connecting plate  7  include two long-armed lateral edges  12  connected to the lower part of frame  2  of drain inlet  1  and at least two pieces in the form of slideways  13  respectively connected on the two sides of connecting plate  7  in such a way that the two lateral edges  12  can slide into the two pieces in the form of slideways  13 . Preferably, each side of connecting plate  7  has two pieces in the form of slideways separated along this side. Each piece in the form of a slideway can consist of a small plate bent so as to have a cross section in the form of a U, one of the arms of which is connected to plate  7  extending roughly in the same plane, and the opposite arm is arranged in parallel over plate  7 . Of course, each piece in the form of a slideway can have a different configuration, for example, in the form of a corner bracket, one of the arms of which would be orthogonally connected to plate  7 , and the other arm would extend parallel above plate  7 . 
     As represented in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , connecting plate  7  can support mud collecting container  14  housed in barrel  9  and held in this barrel by its upper frustrum-shaped edge resting on conjugately shaped frustrum-shaped opening  8  of plate  7 . 
     The connection of drain inlet  1  to drainage pipe  6  takes place as follows. 
     First, the operator takes hold of connecting plate  7  in order to position cylindrical barrel  9  over drainage pipe  6  and engage it therein, as represented in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , which enables the operator to position barrel  9  and therefore plate  7  at a relative height by taking into account the vertical position of plate  7  relative to curb B; this plate can also be oriented by rotation relative to pipe  6  in order to position it along a direction roughly transverse with respect to curb B. 
     The operator then takes hold of drain inlet  1  and arranges it on plate  7  by introducing its lateral edges  12  into their respective guide slideways  13  and allows drain inlet  1  to slide in a guided manner on plate  7  in a roughly transverse direction with respect to curb B until drain inlet  1  is brought to its definitive position where it can be sealed in curb B by the usual sealing techniques. 
     It should be noted that plate  7 , once it is correctly positioned relative to curb B, can be sealed relative to it before introducing drain inlet  1  on plate  7  in order to position it relative to curb B and to seal it to the latter. 
     The connection of drain inlet  1  can also take place by fitting it in a guided manner on plate  7  and arranging this assembly on drainage pipe  6  by introducing barrel  9  in the latter, if it is possible to position this assembly precisely in a single step relative to curb B before sealing of this assembly. 
     The connecting device of the invention described above has an extremely simple structure and allows drain inlet  1  to be positioned precisely and quickly before sealing it in curb B. As an indication, for an external diameter of drainage pipe  6  of approximately 400 mm, the possibility for height adjustment according to arrow F 1  of barrel  9  relative to this pipe can extend over approximately 150 mm, and the extent of the adjustment of the position of drain inlet  1  on plate  7  according to the double direction F 3  can be 100 mm; that is, drain inlet  1  can occupy a rear position located to the left in  FIG. 6  or  7  a maximum of 50 mm with respect to the longitudinal axis of pipe  6  and a front position located to the right in this figure a maximum of 50 mm from this longitudinal axis. Thus, the connecting device of the invention allows very extended possibilities for adjustment in order to adapt to all configurations of positioning of drainage pipe  6  relative to curb B. Although the drain inlet is usually fabricated from cast iron, it can be made of any other material, such as a rigid plastic material, as can connecting plate  7  and its barrel  9 . In this case, the assembly consisting of plate  7 , barrel  9  and slideways  13  will be produced in the form of a single piece by molding.