Patent Publication Number: US-2004042886-A1

Title: Portable manhole cover remover

Description:
[0001] The present invention is in the filed of lifters and more specifically devices for lifting and removing manhole covers.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Manhole covers are well known access points for various utilities equipment. The covers allow cars and other vehicles to traverse the road without falling into the hole itself. Yet, the covers, approximately fifty pounds each, can be removed for required maintenance. Manhole covers, found along many paved roadways, tend to be spaced between one hundred and five hundred feet apart.  
       [0003] The covers are generally entrenched with rock, tar, sand and dirt. A worker must hook the cover with a pry bar or other equipment and lift. While one cover is a substantial task, removing multiple covers is daunting. Various tools have been developed to ease this task.  
       [0004] For instance, Schmitz et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,336) and Quarr et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,072) disclose a Compact Compressible Manhole Cover Lifter and a Hydraulic Manhole Cover Lifter respectively. The lifter is generally an inverted U-shaped piece of equipment that can engage a cover mechanically or magnetically, using either a hydraulic system or winch to lift the cover.  
       [0005] Taylor (U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,898) teaches a Manhole cover Removal Apparatus and Method. A reciprocating member mounted on a vehicle lowers to grasps a cover ad raises to lift the cover.  
       [0006] Agesen (U.S. Pat. No. 3,152,708) discloses a Tool for Lifting Manhole Covers. A lever with wheels, mounted as a fulcrum, applies pressure to a chain joined to the cover.  
       [0007] Mochizuki et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,607) discloses yet another device for removing manhole covers, entitled Apparatus for Operating Manhole Cover. This device, similar to Agesen, essentially has a lever with wheels, mounted as a fulcrum, which applies pressure to a hanging hook mechanism joined to the cover.  
       [0008] Golding (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,388) teaches a Manhole Cover Lifter. A key is located in the manhole keyhole and a lever provides the mechanical advantage for lifting the manhole cover.  
       [0009] Chick (U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,107) teaches a Sewer Cover Lifting Tool. This essentially wheeled hand lever tool lifts covers from the side.  
       [0010] Each of the devices are complex, cumbersome and unstable. One device, Lassiter, which is a little less cumbersome than the aforementioned devices is not taught to be used with manhole covers. Lassiter (U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,979) teaches a Portable Lifting Apparatus. A wheeled truck with spaced side frame members carry a boom that may be moved along an arcuate path.  
       [0011] What is needed is a manhole cover remover that is compact for transport and stable in operation. The remover should provide god mechanical advantage and ease of moving, preferably with handles positioned in an easy to reach location. Desirably, it should attach and detach from a vehicle and be usable whether or not it is attached to a vehicle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012] The manhole cover remover is provided with an attachment; a support; a pivot arm, the pivot arm having a proximal end hinged to the support and the pivot arm having a distal end; a winch joined to the distal end of the pivot arm; and a power source in operable communication with the winch.  
       [0013] A method of removing a manhole cover includes the steps of rotating a pivot arm down toward a manhole cover, connecting the pivot arm to the manhole cover and winching the pivot arm upward.  
       [0014] Advantageously, the manhole cover remover has outriggers positionable for support when in use, which pivot upwardly providing a smaller footprint for the remover when not in use.  
       [0015] Also an advantage, the manhole cover remover may be in combination with a dolly providing a mechanism to easily transport the remover between covers.  
       [0016] As yet another advantage, the manhole cover remover may be selectively joined to a vehicle, powered by the vehicles accessory battery or its own battery, and the remover may be separated from the vehicle for use independent thereof.  
       [0017] A further advantage is that handles may be extended for ease of reach to move the manhole cover remover and collapsed for compact storage.  
       [0018] In another embodiment, the manhole cover remover may be provided with a support, at least one pivot arm, a cable, an attachment, a video camera, and a monitor. The support preferably is a utility vehicle, equipped with a plow carriage, hydraulic ram, and plow connectors. The at least one pivot arm may be joined to the plow connectors. The cable connects the hydraulic ram and the at least one pivot arm, while the attachment joins to the at least one pivot arm. The video camera optically communicates with the attachment and communicates with the monitor located within the utility vehicle.  
       [0019] A method of converting a snow plow to a manhole cover remover, preferably includes the steps of removing a snowplow blade from plow connectors and hydraulic ram; joining pivot arms to the plow connectors; joining an attachment to the pivot arms; and joining the hydraulic ram to the pivot arms. Operation of the hydraulic ram raises and lowers the attachment, e.g., magnet.  
       [0020] Advantageously, this embodiment uses existing equipment, expanding the usefulness of snow plows.  
       [0021] Advantageously, this embodiment is compact with few parts, easily connectable to a snowplow in a matter of minutes.  
       [0022] These and other advantages will become clear from reading the description of the invention below. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
     [0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention joined to a dolly;  
     [0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention joined to a dolly;  
     [0025]FIG. 3 is a front view showing the second embodiment of the present invention joined to a dolly with outriggers;  
     [0026]FIG. 4 is a side view of the showing the second embodiment of the present invention with outriggers extended, one handle operably positioned and the another handle being moved to operable position;  
     [0027]FIG. 5 is a side view showing the present invention joined to a dolly in a collapsed position;  
     [0028]FIG. 6 is a side view showing the present invention with a dolly joined to a vehicle;  
     [0029]FIG. 7 is a front view of an existing snow plow joined to elongate members;  
     [0030]FIG. 8 is a front view showing another embodiment of a manhole cover remover; and  
     [0031]FIG. 9 is a front view of a modified version of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0032] A manhole cover remover  10  is provided with an attachment  12 ; a support  14 ; a pivot arm  16  joined to the support  26 ; a connector  26  joining the attachment  12  to the pivot arm  16 ; a winch  30  joined to the pivot arm  16 ; and a power source  40  in operable communication with the winch  30 .  
     [0033] The attachment  12  may be any device suitable for attachment to a manhole cover  90  such as hooks, clamps or magnets. Preferably, the attachment  12  is a magnet. Most preferably, as shown in the second embodiment, the attachment  12  is an electromagnet. The attachment  12  is joined to the pivot arm  16 .  
     [0034] The support  14  may be any structure suitable for supporting the pivot arm  16 . In one embodiment; the support  14  is a dolly  50 , such as a two-wheeled dolly  50 . The dolly  50  includes uprights  52 , wheels  54 , cross bars  56  and a base plate  58 . The wheels  54  and cross bars  56  are joined to the uprights  52  with the base plate  58  extending perpendicularly from the uprights  52 . Alternatively, the support  14  may be a vehicle  100 .  
     [0035] The vehicle  100  may be joined to the pivot arm  16  and attachment  12 . The winch  30 , joined to the pivot arm  16 , may raise and lower the attachment  12  relative to the manhole cover  90 . A power source  40 , which may be the accessory battery of the vehicle  100 , is in operable communication with the winch  30 . In such a configuration the dolly  50  is replaced by the vehicle  100  itself.  
     [0036] In a more preferred configuration, the vehicle  100  includes a lower mount  102  that may be raised an lowered hydraulically or by other mechanism. The vehicle  100  further includes selectively removable clamps  104  that attach to the uprights  52  of the dolly  50 . When joined, the dolly  50  sits on top of the lower mount  102  and is held in place by the clamps  104 . Wiring  36  and  42  may allow the controls  34  and  44  for the winch  30  and power source  40  respectively to be operated from inside the vehicle  100 .  
     [0037] The pivot arm  16 , joined to the support  14  may be any extender suitable for positioning the attachment  12  toward the manhole cover  90 . Desirably the pivot arm  16  is relocatable to a stored position, which is desired to be vertical near the uprights  52 . The pivot arm  16  has a proximal end  18 , which may be joined with a hinge  22  to the support  14 . The distal end  20  of the pivot arm  16  may further have a hook or eyelet  24  for connection to the connector  26  and cable  32 .  
     [0038] The connector  26  may be any device suitable for joining the attachment  12  to the pivot arm  16 . Desirably, the connector  26  is joined to the distal end  20  of the pivot arm  16 , perhaps to the hook or eyelet  24 . Suitable connectors  26  include cables, chains and may be the cable  32  of the winch  30  described further below.  
     [0039] The winch  30  may be joined to the distal end  20  of the pivot arm  16  via cable  32 . Preferably, the winch  30  includes a control  44  and wiring  36 . Wiring  36  may join the control to the remainder of the winch  30  and may further connect the winch  30  to the power source  40 . The winch  30  should be of suitable size and strength to lift a manhole cover  90  from a street surface. Cross bars  56  of the dolly  50  may provide a suitable mounting structure for the winch  30 .  
     [0040] The power source  40  may be in operable communication with the magnet  12  and may be in operable communication with the winch  30 . The preferred power source  40  is a 12-volt battery, such as those commonly used as accessory batteries in vehicles. The power source  40  provides the power to operate the winch  30  and allows use of an electromagnet as the attachment  12 .  
     [0041] One or more outriggers  70  may be used to stabilize the support  14 , during removal of the cover  90 . The preferred outrigger  70  includes a horizontal arm  74  rotatably joined to an attachment plate  72 . Rotation of the outriggers  70  to a vertical position provides a small footprint of the remover  10  for easy transport. The attachment plate  72  may be used to secure the outriggers  70  to the uprights  52  of the dolly  50 . The attachment plates  72  desirably include securements  76 , preferably detents, which engage the horizontal arms  74 , selectively locking the horizontal arms  74  in a horizontal position and in a vertical position. Castors  78  may be joined to the horizontal arms  74  as shown to allow for easy movement of the remover  10  about a manhole cover  90 . The outriggers  70  are preferably angles sufficiently to allow the castors  78  and wheels  54  of the dolly  50  to be positioned across the manhole cover  90  from each other.  
     [0042] Handles  80  may be joined to the horizontal arms  74  such that the remover may easy be repositioned regardless of the location of the user. The handles  80  preferably are hinged attached to the horizontal arms  74  such that the handles  80  may be positioned perpendicular to the arms  74  when in use and the handles  80  may be positioned parallel to the arms  74  in a collapsed or storage position. Detents may be used to selectively hold the handles  80  in the use position or the storage position. Telescoping handles  80  are desired to allow for smaller storage and longer handles, providing easy reach, when in use.  
     [0043] In operation, a manhole cover  90  may be removed by the steps of: vertically positioning outriggers  70  the a horizontal position; rotating a pivot arm  16  down toward a manhole cover  90 ; connecting the pivot arm  16  to the manhole cover  90 ; and winching the pivot arm  16  upward. Moving a support  14 , such selectively with a dolly  50  or vehicle  100 , may locate the pivot arm  16  relative to the cover  90 . The pivot arm  16  may connect to the manhole cover  90  with an electromagnet.  
     [0044] An embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 shows a manhole cover remover  110  including a support  112 , at least one pivot arm  130 , a cable  140 , an attachment, a video camera, and a monitor. In this embodiment, the support  112  is a utility vehicle  114 , equipped with a plow carriage  116 , hydraulic ram  118 , and plow connectors  120 . The pivot arm  130  may be joined to the plow connectors  120 , perhaps hingedly with a pin and cotter key arrangement. Desirably there is at least one pivot arm  130  and most preferably two pivot arms  130  each joined to a corresponding plow connector  120 . The cable  140  may connect the hydraulic ram  118  and the at least one pivot arm  130  to expand the length of the hydraulic ram  118 . The attachment  150 , preferably a magnet and most preferably an electromagnet, joins to the at least one pivot arm  130 . The attachment  150  is adapted to connect to a manhole cover. A video camera  160  is preferably in optical communication with the attachment  150 , temporarily or permanently recording the activity thereof. The monitor  170  located within the utility vehicle  114  and in communication with the video camera  160 , displays the activity of the attachment  150  to the user, while the user directs the utility vehicle  114  and the hydraulic ram  118  to properly position the attachment  150  relative to the manhole cover.  
     [0045] This embodiment may be prepared as a kit for attachment to existing snow plows  114 . The snow plows  114  are equipped with equipped with a plow carriage  116 , hydraulic ram  118  and plow connectors  120 . The hydraulic ram  118  is a specialized winch. The kit may include at least one pivot arm  130  adapted to be joined to plow connectors  120 , a cable  140  adapted to connect the hydraulic ram  118  to the at least one pivot arm  130 , an attachment  150  selectively joinable to the at least one pivot arm  130 , a video camera  160  in optical communication with the attachment  150 ; and a monitor  170  positionable within the snow plow  114  and in communication with the video camera  160 .  
     [0046] In operation, the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 provides for conversion of an existing snow plow  114  to a manhole cover remover  110 , including the steps of removing a snowplow blade from plow connectors  120  and hydraulic ram  118 ; joining pivot arms  130  to the plow connectors  120 ; joining an attachment  150  to the pivot arms  130 ; and joining the hydraulic ram  118  to the pivot arms  130 . The pivot arms  130  are preferably hingedly joined to the plow connectors  120 . A monitor  170  and video camera  160  may be mounted to the snow plow  114  to monitor the positioning and movement of the attachment  150 . Operating the hydraulic ram  118  raises and lowers the attachment  150 .  
     [0047] The embodiment shown in FIG. 9, shows is substantially the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, without the plow carriage  116  or hydraulic ram  118 . A winch  122 , replaces the purpose and function of the hydraulic ram  118 . Pivot arms  130  are joined to plow connectors  120  or equivalent structure. The attachment  150  joins to the pivot arms  130 , allowing the winch  122  to raise and lower the attachment  150 , e.g. magnet, relative to a manhole cover. The video camera  160  and monitor  170  may be used to allow the user to remain within the vehicle  114 .  
     [0048] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.