METHOD OF ALIGNING A BASE AND A FRAME IN A ROAD SURFACE

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 a method of aligning a unit that enables elevation adjustment and tilting when resurfacing a road. 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. U.K. Patent Publication No. 2 139 675A (Lightfoot) shows a manhole cover frame 64 which can be adjusted to a lower layer prior to planning a road by removing shims 65. After resurfacing the height of the frame can be adjusted to the new road height by inserting the shims 65 between the frame 64 and the frame 61. However, there is no disclosure of being able to alter the inclination of the frame. CH-A-459 084 (Fonderei Paul Perret & Cie S.A.) discloses a frame 2 which is supported on a base 1 a by member spacers 4 a to 4 e and 3 a to 3 e at different locations. The height of the frame is able to be lowered by removing the spacers at different locations. However, there is no disclosure of being able to alter the inclination of the frame. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of aligning a unit that enables elevation adjustment and tilting when resurfacing a road having an upwardly facing surface, the unit being located beneath said surface and having a base, a frame and a plurality of spacers and a lid in which the frame is supported by spacers on the base at a plurality of locations with the frame extending upwardly towards the surface, the method comprises removing at least one spacer from each location such that the frame is supported by the base at a reduced height; and, after removing a portion of the road defining said surface and applying a new surface to the road, raising the height of the frame and base by adding at least one spacer, and altering the inclination of the frame and lid to the base by arranging for the spacers at the different locations to have different depths in their extent between the frame and the base such that the upwardly facing surface of the lid is at generally the same level as, and inclination of the new surface The method may comprise providing a plurality of spacers at at least one location. The method may comprise selecting spacers from a plurality of spacers each having different depths. 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 of the unit 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, at least one spacer is 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: A method of aligning a unit that enables elevation adjustment and tilting when resurfacing a road having an upwardly facing surface (36), the unit being located, beneath said surface (36) and having a base (14), a frame (10) and a plurality of spacers (12) and a lid (42) in which the frame (10) is supported by spacers (12) on the base (14) at a plurality of locations with the frame extending upwardly towards the surface, the method comprising removing at least one spacer (12) from each location such that the frame (10) is supported by the base (14) at a reduced height; and, after removing a portion of the road defining said surface (36) and applying a new surface to the road, raising the height of the frame (10) and base (14) by adding at least one spacer, and altering the inclination of the frame (10) and lid (42) to the base (14) by arranging for the spacers (12) at the different locations to have different depths in their extent between the frame (10) and the base (14) such that the upwardly facing surface of the lid is at generally the same level as, and inclination of the new surface. A method according to Claim 1 comprising providing a plurality of spacers (12) at at least one location. A method according to Claim 1 or 2 comprising selecting spacers (12) from a plurality of spacers (12) each having different depths.

Inventors: ROUND, FREDERICK ARNOLD
Applicants: SUTCLIFFE, BRIAN
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E02D29
IPC codes: E02D29