Improvements in or connected with Surface Boxes and Covers to be employed in connection with Drains or Sewers, Manholes, Coal Bunkers, Coal Traps, and in other Situations.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Surface Boxes and Covers to
be employed in connection with Drains or Sewers, Manholes,
Coal Bunkers, Coal Traps, and in other Situations.
I, JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY, the Younger, of The Central Foundry and Engine
Works, Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My said invention relates to improvements in or connected with surface boxes
and covers to be employed in connection with drains or sewers, manholes, coal
bunkers, coal traps and in other situations, and has for its object to obtain a simple
and inexpensive means whereby a cover or grating may be locked in position and
thereby secured against accidental or unauthorised displacement until it is unlocked
by means of a suitable key or instrument.
For this purpose, the frame or box which may be of any suitable external shape
is formed with a circular inner wall tapered or inclined to form a seating for the
cover hereinafter more fully referred to and this inner wall is divided into two
segments so proportioned and arranged that spaces are left between the ends
thereof at diametrically opposite points in the circumference of the inner wall of
the box or frame..
The segments are each upon its underside formed wedge shaped or gradually
inclined from end to end thereof, whilst their undersides are bevelled or they might
terminate in a horizontal shoulder.
In connection with this frame is employed a circular cover the rim of which is
formed coned or tapered to correspond with the tapered seating presented by the
segmental projections, and the rim of this cover is formed with laterally projecting
lugs formed tapered or wedge shaped and bevelled in a similar manner to the
segmental projections, and these lugs are adapted when inserting the cover in
position to pass downward through the spaces between the ends of the segmental
projections of the box or frame and upon the rotation of the cover to pass under
and engage the inclined under faces of the segmental projections.
Upon placing the cover in position in the frame or box by passing the lugs
through the spaces between theends of the segmental wall and then turning the
cover part of a revolution by means of a suitable key or instrument engaging
a suitable key-hole in the cover, the lugs of the cover will be brought under the
inclined segments constituting the inner wall thereby drawing the cover tightly
down upon its seating, and fixing it securely against accidental or unauthorised
movement.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to describe the same.

page_text: Figure 6 is an elevation of the cover separately.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a represents the box or frame and a' represents the usual flange for embedding
in the ground or otherwise fixing the box in position, and represents the lid
or cover.
The frame or box a which may be of any suitable external shape, and of any
suitable material is formed of an outer wall a and within this wall a which takes
the rectangular form of the flange a' or it might take any other suitable shape is
formed a circular inner wall a' tapered or inclined to form a seating for the cover
hereinafter more fully referred to, and this inner wall a' is divided into two segments
so proportioned and arranged that spaces a* are left between the ends thereof at
diametrically opposite points in the circumference of the inner wall a' of the box
or frame.
The segments constituting the inner wall a³ are each upon its underside formed
wedge shaped or gradually inclined from end to end thereof, whilst their undersides
are bevelled or they might terminate in a horizontal shoulder.
In connection with this frame a is employed a circular cover the rim of which.
is coned or tapered to correspond with the tapered seating formed by the segmental
inner wall a' of the box a and the rim of this cover is furnished with laterally
projecting lugs & formed tapered or wedge shaped and bevelled in a similar manner
to the segmental inner wall a' but upon their upper sides and these lugs 6' are
adapted when inserting the cover into position to pass downward through the
spaces a between the ends of the segments forming the inner wall a² and upon
the rotation of the cover b to pass under and engage the inclined under faces of
such segments.
A key-hole or recess 63 or there might be more than one is provided in the
cover b for the reception of a suitable key or instrument by the aid of which the
cover b may be turned.
Upon placing the cover b in position in the frame or box a by passing the lugs b
through the spaces a² between the ends of the segmental wall a³ and then turning
the cover part of a revolution by means of a suitable key or instrument engaging
the key-hole in the cover b the lugs 6 of the cover will be brought under the
inclined segments constituting the inner wall a' thereby drawing the cover b tightly
down upon its seating, and fixing it securely against accidental or unauthorised
movement.
It will be understood that in lieu of the segmental wall a' upon the box a and
corresponding lugs & upon the cover b these parts may be reversed, that is to say,
projecting lugs may be employed upon the inner wall a* which will then be a
continuous wall and recessed inclines will be formed upon the underside of the rim
of the cover b suitable vertical ways therein permitting the passage of the cover
past the projecting lugs of the box.
I have not however thought it necessary to illustrate this device by the aid of
drawings as it will be readily understood by a competent mechanic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
A surface box, a frame or the like formed with an inner wall shaped to form &
conical seating, a cover coned or tapered to fit the seating of the frame, inclines
upon one part, corresponding lugs upon the other part to engage the inclines, and
suitable ways to allow of the passage of the lugs or inclines into position,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 10th 1.
1
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.