Abstract:
A vandal resistant pull box to secure terminating utility cables and cable connections below ground surface. As a retrofit apparatus, brackets engage the bottom edges of the pull box container and a top cover securely engages the brackets. As a complete assembly, the container is included with the brackets and the cover. Any type of locking device may be employed to secure the cover to at least one of the brackets.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to pull boxes for terminating utility cables such as power or signal wires, and more particularly to a pull box having a securely locked, vandal resistant cover to prevent unauthorized access to such wires. 
       DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Pull boxes are located at various points in improved areas, typically where there are roads, usually paved, and buildings in the general vicinity. In cities they are located at or near most street intersections, as well as in other places. 
         [0003]    Pull boxes are normally mounted in the ground, their top being flush with ground, street, or sidewalk level. Such pull boxes are spaced apart by appropriate distances and are “interconnected” by utility wires which lie within submerged conduits. Wires are connected within a pull box to other wires connected to other pull boxes or to distribution points, controllers, or other functional devices. Examples are traffic signal controllers, operational devices, water meter boxes, irrigation control boxes, communication circuits, telephone switching or distribution elements, and the like. 
         [0004]    The basic function of pull boxes is to conceal the contents of the boxes, while making the contents (cable terminations and connections) accessible to authorized personnel. 
         [0005]    Many instances have occurred where valuable copper wire has been stolen by vandals obtaining access to the inside of pull boxes and simply pulling out entire lengths of such utility wires or cables and entire cable harnesses. Not only is this costly, because of the greatly increased value of the copper, such loss of utility wires is dangerous because it can result in loss of signals, street lighting, and communications, possibly resulting in traffic delays and crashes, and injuries. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]    A purpose of the present invention is to reduce costs and safety compromises by making the contents of pull boxes more secure and to make them vandal resistant. 
         [0007]    One embodiment of the invention provides a pull box with brackets secured to the bottom edges of the pull box, and a cover secured to the brackets thereby completely enclosing the contents of the pull box. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment is addressed to currently installed pull boxes where the brackets and cover are retrofitted to such pull boxes to make them equally secure. 
         [0009]    In an alternative embodiment, the cover can be provided with handle elements to facilitate lifting it off the pull box when a lock is removed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0010]    The objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view, in perspective, of a pull box constructed in accordance with the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the assembled pull box of  FIG. 1  without the cover, showing a bracket in partially installed position in dotted lines; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective, partially cut away, view of the assembled pull box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along cutting plane  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the end of the pull box and cover opposite to the end shown in  FIG. 4 , taken along cutting plane  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    With reference now to the drawing, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , pull box  11  includes container  12 , which is typically made of concrete or a composite, but it may be made of any relatively strong, corrosion resistant material. Cover  13 , also made of concrete or a suitable composite, is shaped and configured to rest on ledge or shoulder  14  within and at or below top plane  15  of the container. Typically, the height of rim  16  between plane  15  and shoulder  14  is at least equal to the thickness of cover  13 . The cover is typically formed with one or more holes  17  by which a conventional lifting tool may be inserted so the cover can conveniently be lifted off the pull box container. 
         [0017]    The security structure of the pull box is comprised of security cover  18  which, in a preferred embodiment, rests on and is engaged with two mounting brackets  21 ,  32 . First mounting bracket  21  has top, generally flat or horizontal section  22 , having top surface  23  and bottom surface  24 , and is formed with generally vertical legs  25 ,  26 , and foot tabs  27 ,  28 , respectively. Keeper tab  29 , having hole  31  therethrough, is secured to bottom surface  24  of top section  22  by any appropriate means, such as welding. Keeper tab  29  projects away from top section  22  in a direction generally parallel with the top surface and is oriented generally perpendicular with that top surface. While keeper  29  is shown as a vertical bar with a hole therethrough, it could simply be a rod projecting in the same direction from surface  24  of top  22 , and have a rigid rod or wire loop oriented downwardly therefrom. Such a rod and loop would function in the same way as keeper  29  and hole or opening  31 . 
         [0018]    Second mounting bracket  32  is formed essentially the same as bracket  21 , but without keeper  29 . It has top, generally flat or horizontal section  33 , generally vertical legs  34 ,  35 , with respective foot tabs  36 ,  37 . It is normally prudent and necessary to arrange for electrically grounding the pull box structure and holes  38  can serve that purpose. 
         [0019]    Cover  18  has Z-shaped brackets  41 ,  42  with portions  43 ,  44  secured to the underside of the cover by appropriate means such as welding. Brackets  41 ,  42  are configured to engage top section  33  of second bracket  32 , which top section fits between the bottom surface of the cover and the top surfaces of Z-shaped brackets  41 ,  42 . While two brackets  41 ,  42  are shown, a single such bracket, or more than two such brackets, could be employed. It is contemplated that cover  18  and brackets  21 ,  32  will be made of steel or equivalent, and these elements may be galvanized. 
         [0020]    An alternative embodiment is shown in  FIG. 5 , where mounting bracket  32  is replaced by bar or shelf  61 . Rather than resting on top surface  33  of bracket  32 , cover  18  rests on the top surface  62  of shelf  61  which projects into the interior of container  12 . Z-shaped brackets  41 ,  42  (or one of such Z-shaped brackets), which are mounted to the underside of cover  18 , engage shelf  61  as the cover is being assembled in container  12 , as will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0021]    The opposite end of cover  18  is fitted with lock box  45 , the details of which are further evident from  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Lock box  45  extends below the plane of cover  18  and has a cavity  46  which is larger than opening  47  through the cover. This creates a shelf  51  portion of the cover which partially extends over cavity  46 . After brackets  41 ,  42  are engaged with top section  33  of bracket  32 , cover  18  is lowered to the horizontal position to rest on the top surfaces of bracket sections  22  and  33 . In this position, tab  29  extends through slot  52  in lock box  45 , making hole  31  accessible for the hasp  53  of a padlock  54 . It can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4  that hole  31  resides beneath shelf  51  so that hasp  53  is not readily accessible to damaging or destructive devices such as bolt cutters or hacksaws. Padlock  54  can be user supplied and can be either a combination type or a key type, or any other type of padlock that has a hasp and body that will fit this provided space. Other locking devices could be used to provide the necessary securing function. 
         [0022]    As a further alternative to the bar-shaped keeper tab  29  with hole  31 , the keeper could be hook-shaped where the opening, equivalent to hole  31 , would be completed by bottom panel  48  of lock box  45 . This configuration results in the same amount of security since the hasp of a lock cannot be removed from the keeper without opening the lock. 
         [0023]    Shelf  51  has the dual functions of serving as a baffle, as described above, and acting as a handle to facilitate lifting of security cover  18  from brackets  21  and  32 . 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 2  it is seen how the system of the invention can be applied to existing pull boxes to provide the desired level of security. With conventional container  12  already in the ground, a shallow space is hollowed out ‘under the edges of the container. Bracket  21  is placed within the container at an angle as shown in dotted lines. Foot tabs  27 ,  28  are then slid under the bottom edges of container  12  as bracket  21  is rotated into final position, represented by solid lines in  FIG. 2 . Second bracket  32  is installed in a similar manner. With the foot tabs confined under the edges of the container, cover  18  is installed as previously described. Once padlock  54  is secured to keeper  29 , the entire pull box is a secure unit and it would have to be removed from the ground to gain access to its contents without removing the cover. Ground level cover  13  is then placed in the top of container  12 , resting on ledge  14 . Retrofitting existing pull boxes can easily be accomplished in a matter of minutes, normally without special tools or even any tools at all. 
         [0025]    It is contemplated that the end users of such pull boxes will provide their own padlocks  54  from their own stock of locks, so no special keys, nor distribution of such keys throughout the user&#39;s system, will be required. 
         [0026]    An alternative embodiment would provide the same functions but without second mounting bracket  32  or Z-shaped brackets  41 ,  42 . A single mounting bracket  21  would be placed in the general vicinity of the middle of the container in the manner described above, and lock box  45  would be formed in the center of security cover  18 . Baffle  51  provides the same two functions as before. In this embodiment, security cover  18  is larger and it rests on ledge  14 . Mounting bracket  21  would have relatively longer legs so that top surface  23  lies in the same plane as ledge  14 . Thus, cover  18  rests on ledge  14  and top section  22  of bracket  21 . 
         [0027]    The pull box could be otherwise constructed with the same dimensions as previously shown and described, and would include cover  13 . Alternatively, rim  16  could be made shorter and security cover  18  could be the exposed top cover of the pull box. There would be no cover  13  in that case. 
         [0028]    In new installations, pull boxes in accordance with the invention may be provided in standard sizes or in custom sizes. 
         [0029]    In view of the disclosure herein, it is likely that modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in this field of endeavor which are within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be interpreted and limited only by the appended claims and reasonable equivalents thereof.