Patent Publication Number: US-7908798-B2

Title: Device for closing a frame having a panel articulated on the frame

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device making it possible to close a frame, which has a panel, such as a plug or cover, mounted in a removable manner articulated on a frame. 
     It applies in particular to road fittings allowing access to drains buried in the ground. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Known through French patent No. 2 815 979 is a device for closing the opening of a frame by a panel mounted in a removable manner articulated on the frame by a hook connected to the panel and provided with an articulation eye in which a hinge pin is engaged, which pin has a flat part with an inclination relative to the frame greater than a right angle so that the panel can be mounted on the frame or extracted from it only in an open position overturned at approximately 110°. 
     According to this known device, the hook has, at its free end, a heel which, in the open overturned position of the panel, falls to rest along a steep side of an inclined cam of the articulation edge of the frame so as to immobilize the panel in its open position relative to the frame and to the hinge pin by four stop points. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the operator has difficulty freeing the panel from its four stop points by lifting and allowing the tilting of the panel to its position for closing the frame. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims to eliminate the disadvantage above of the known device by proposing a device that allows the panel to tilt freely from its overturned opening position and that makes it possible to immobilize the panel automatically in an upright position roughly perpendicular to the frame when the panel is tilted accidentally from its overturned opening position to its position for closing the frame. 
     To this effect, according to the invention, the device making it possible to close a frame, which has a panel, such as a plug or cover, mounted in a removable manner on the frame by a hook connected to the panel and provided with at least one internal lateral opening whose edges are configured in the form of inclines cooperating with a hinge pin connected to an articulation edge of the frame and engaged in the lateral opening of the hook in order to control the pivoting of the panel from its opening position to its position for closing of the frame in which it is inscribed in the peripheral rim of the frame and is applied on a rabbet of the frame or vice versa, the hinge pin having at least one flat part which, with respect to the frame, has an inclination greater than a right angle, and the lateral opening of the hook emerging at the end of the hook through a guide of reduced cross section, which allows the engagement of the hinge pin in the lateral opening of the hook by mutual drawing of the panel in open position near to the frame only according to an angle of inclination of the panel relative to the frame that is determined by the angle of inclination of the flat part of the hinge pin so that the panel can be mounted on or removed from the frame only in an overturned position, is characterized by the fact that the hook and the hinge pin allow free tilting of the panel from its overturned open position to its closing position, and the hook, at an end part, has a heel that can stop against a steep side of the articulation edge of the frame in order to immobilize the panel in a secure open upright position roughly perpendicular to the frame when the panel is tilted accidentally from its overturned open position, the hinge pin and the inclines of the lateral opening of the hook cooperating in order to prevent extraction of the panel occupying its secure open upright position from the frame while allowing the tilting of the panel to its position for closing the frame from its secure open upright position. 
     Preferably, the hook has a second lateral opening separated from the first lateral opening by a sheet of material of the hook and whose edges configured in the form of inclines cooperate with a second hinge pin connected to the articulation edge of the frame engaged in the second lateral opening of the hook in order also to control the pivoting of the panel from its opening position to its position for closing of the frame or vice versa, the second hinge pin having at least one flat part with the same inclination as the flat part of the first hinge pin, and the second lateral opening of the hook emerging at the end of the hook through a second guide of reduced cross section allowing engagement of the second hinge pin in the second lateral opening of the hook by mutual drawing of the panel in overturned open position near to the frame only according to the angle of inclination of the panel relative to the frame determined by the angle of inclination of the flat part of the second hinge pin, and the inclines of the second lateral opening of the hook cooperating also in order to prevent extraction, relative to the frame, of the panel occupying its secure open upright position. 
     The two hinge pins are coaxial, and each hinge pin has a second flat part opposite and parallel to the first flat part. 
     The articulation edge of the frame has a lower planar surface inclined downward towards the exterior of the frame and ending towards the interior of the frame with the stop side for the heel of the hook. 
     In the secure opening upright position of the panel, the hook rests by its other adjacent end part without the heel on the inclined surface of the frame and is stopped by the corresponding incline of each lateral opening against the corresponding hinge pin. 
     In its overturned opening position, the panel rests by its other adjacent end part of the hook without the heel on the inclined planar surface of the frame and by its external surface on an upper inclined surface of the rim of the frame, and is stopped by the corresponding guide with reduced cross section against the associated hinge pin. 
     The heel of the hook has a shape in cam form arranged on the exterior lower corner of this heel and cooperating with the inclined surface of the frame in order to control the pivoting of the panel during its tilting. 
     According to one embodiment, the articulation edge of the frame consists of a lug projecting outside the frame, intended for receiving the hook of the panel and of which each hinge pin is arranged transversely in the lug. 
     The panel can be circular, and the hook extends radially from this panel, whereas the lug is connected radially to the circular frame. 
     The panel is inclined to its overturned open position according to an angle between approximately 110° and approximately 120°. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The invention will be better understood, and other aims, characteristics, details and advantages of it will appear more clearly in the course of the following explanatory description in reference to the appended drawings given only as examples illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a partials perspective view of a road fitting with a panel mounted in a removable manner and articulated to a frame; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the circled part of  FIG. 1  without the panel; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view taken along arrow III of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hook for articulation of the panel to the frame of the road fitting; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial view in section of the device of the invention taken along line V-V of  FIG. 1 , with the panel in the closed position; 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 5  and representing tilting of the panel from the closed position to the open position; 
         FIG. 7  is a view with the panel rotated to and beyond the opening position with respect to the frame; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates mounting of the panel to the frame and removing the panel from the frame when rotated beyond the open position of the panel; 
         FIG. 9  shows the upright position for immobilization of the panel with respect to the frame following tilting of the panel from beyond the open position of the panel toward the closed position; and 
         FIG. 10  shows the releasing of the panel from the upright position of  FIG. 9  without the possibility of extraction of the panel from the frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The device of the invention will be described as applied to a road manhole composed of a circular frame and a circular capping element or plug or cover panel making it possible to close the frame, but it is quite obvious that it can apply to a road manhole whose frame can be rectangular and closed by at least one rectangular or triangular capping element. 
     The manhole represented in  FIGS. 1-10  therefore has circular frame  1  and plug  2  provided with radial hook  3  that is mounted articulated on two coaxial hinge pins  4  arranged transversely in lug  5  projecting exteriorly from peripheral rim  6  of frame  1  bordering the opening of this frame and in which plug  2  is inscribed in its position for closing the frame. 
     The articulation of plug  2  to frame  1  using hook  3  and pins  4  makes possible a rotation of the plug between a position for closing the frame represented in  FIG. 5  and a position for opening this frame represented in  FIG. 7 , and also allows plug  2  to be extracted from frame  1  as will be described later. 
     The two hinge pins  4  are connected to the internal surfaces of two lateral walls  5   a  of lug  5 , and each of hinge pins  4  has, in cross section, at least one flat part  7 , and preferably two opposite parallel flat parts, having, with respect to frame  1 , an inclination A, as represented in  FIG. 5 , greater than a right angle, with it possible for the value of angle of inclination A of each flat part  7  to be between approximately 110° and approximately 120°. Each hinge pin  4  also has two semi-cylindrical lower and upper surfaces  8 . 
     Hook  3  of plug  2  has two internal lateral openings  9  whose edges are configured in the form of inclines, and which are separated from one another by sheet of material  10  of hook  3  arranged roughly in the longitudinal median plane of hook  3 . In the assembled position of hook  3  in lug  5 , the two hinge pins  4  are engaged respectively in the two lateral openings  9  of this hook, the edges in the form of inclines of lateral openings  9  being intended for cooperating with the corresponding semi-cylindrical surfaces  8  of the two hinge pins  4  in order to control completely or partially the pivoting of plug  2  from its position for opening to its position for closing frame  1  or vice versa, plug  2 , in position of closing of frame  1 , being applied on rabbet  11  of frame  1 . 
     Each of lateral openings  9  of hook  3  emerges at the end of this hook through guide  12  of reduced cross section constituting a groove whose parallel surfaces facing one another are separated from one another by a distance slightly greater than the distance separating the two flat parts  7  of the corresponding hinge pin  4 . 
     The reduced cross section of guide  12  has the role of allowing engagement of the corresponding hinge pin  4  in associated lateral opening  9  of hook  3  by mutual drawing of plug  2  in open position near to frame  1  only according to an angle of inclination of this panel relative to frame  1  determined by the angle of inclination of flat parts  7  of hinge pins  4 . In this way, plug  2  can be mounted on frame  1  or removed from it only in the overturned position of opening of frame  1  represented in  FIG. 7  and in which external surface  2   a  of plug  2  rests on corresponding inclined upper surface  5   c  of end wall  5   b  of lug  5 . In this overturned opening position of plug  2  corresponding to an angle of inclination of the plug between approximately 110° and approximately 120° relative to frame  1 , plug  2  is maintained in position released from frame  1 ; and the operation of extraction or positioning of the plug is made simpler and therefore quicker and less delicate for an operator, as shown clearly in  FIG. 8 . 
     In its bottom, lug  5  has surface  13  inclined downward towards the exterior of frame  1  and ending towards the interior of the frame with steep side  14  separated from rabbet  11  by bottom wall  15   a  of lug  5  in order to define slot  15 . 
     Furthermore, hook  3  has heel  16  projecting from an end part of the hook and it can stop against steep side  14 , going into slot  15  when plug  2  is tilted accidentally from it overturned opening position of  FIG. 7  to its closing position, in such a way as to immobilize plug  2  in opening upright position at an angle of roughly 90° with respect to frame  1 , and consequently, to prevent, as a measure of safety, the tilting of plug  2  to its closing position as represented in  FIG. 9 . In this secure upright position of plug  2  heel  16  is stopped against steep side  14 , the other adjacent end part of hook  3  without a heel resting by gravity on the inclined side in the form of incline  13 , and the two lateral openings of hook  3  resting by their corresponding inclines respectively on the two hinge pins  4 . It is understood that in the overturned opening position of plug  2  represented in  FIG. 7  that the end part of hook  3  without heel  16  rests on inclined surface  13 , and by the intermediary of the reduced cross sections of guides  12 , on the corresponding hinge pins  4  with external surface  2   a  of this plug resting on inclined surface  5   c  of lug  5 , so that plug  2  can tilt freely from this position to its closing position, either accidentally, in which case plug  2  is automatically immobilized in its upright position of  FIG. 9 , or in order to allow an operator to bring it to its position for closing frame  1 . 
     When an operator has to pivot plug  2  to its position for closing of frame  1  from the secure upright position of  FIG. 9 , he lifts plug  2  relative to frame  1  according to a vertical direction as represented in  FIG. 10  in order to release plug  2  from frame  1 , and the corresponding inclines of lateral openings  9  of hook  3  cooperate with hinge pins  4  so as to prevent extraction of plug  2  from frame  1 , that is to say that hinge pins  4  remain in position in their respective lateral openings of hook  3  without being able to escape from them. The operator can then tilt plug  2  to its horizontal position for closing frame  1 . 
     Heel  16  of hook  3  has a shape in the form of cam  16   a  arranged on the exterior lower corner of this heel and cooperating with inclined surface  13  of frame  1  in order to control the pivoting of plug  2  during its tilting from the closed position shown in  FIG. 5  toward the open positions of  FIGS. 7 and 9 .  FIG. 6  shows the cam action between inclined surface  13  and heel  16  of the hook at cam  16   a.    
     End wall  5   b  of lug  5  moreover has slot  17  hollowed in the internal surface of this wall in order to allow passage of heel  16  of hook  3  during rotation of plug  2  between its closing position and its opening position. 
     In the application to a rectangular or triangular capping element, the hook of this element can be mounted articulated to frame  1  by a lug as described in the preceding, with it possible for this hook to be mounted articulated between two walls or sheets bearing the two hinge pins  4  and perpendicular to rim  6  and to rabbet  11  of frame  1  in order to constitute an articulation edge of this frame having the same function as that of lug  5 . 
     In order to ensure the mounting of plug  2  on frame  1 , external surface  2   a  of plug  2  is placed resting on upper inclined surface  5   c  of end wall  5   b  of lug  5 , and the operator, holding plug  2 , causes it to slide it naturally by gravity along surface  5   c  until hinge pins  4  are successfully engaged in the grooves with reduced cross sections of guides  12  and lateral openings  9  of hook  3 , as emerges from  FIG. 8 , and plug  2  is brought to its overturned opening position of  FIG. 7 . From this position, the operator can freely tilt plug  2  to its closing position by lifting this plug without risk of jamming of hinge pins  4  with lateral openings  9  of hook  3  of this plug.