Patent ID: 8249411

Claim:
An underground utility enclosure assembly adapted for making remote fiber optic cable splices, the utility enclosure assembly comprising: a grade level box containing below-ground fiber optic cables stored in a slack condition; a cover plate on the grade level box, a section of the cover plate including a plug opening; a base frame assembly removably mounted as a unit in the plug opening, the base frame assembly comprising: (1) a lower base frame section having a profile that removably fits into the plug opening, the lower base frame section having a cable opening therein aligned with the plug opening in the cover plate, and bendable clips on the lower base frame section that unlock the lower base frame section from and snap-lock the section into the plug opening, (2) an above-ground lower base structure rigidly affixed to the lower base frame section, the lower base structure positioned above the cable opening in the lower base frame section, (3) a base plate rigidly affixed to an upper portion of the lower base structure and spaced above the cable opening, and (4) a plurality of sealed openings in the base plate for providing sealed passage of active fiber optic cables passing from the grade level box and through the cable opening in the lower base frame section; the utility enclosure assembly further comprising: an upright rigid support bar removably secured to the base plate on a side thereof opposite the cable opening; an optical fiber splicing device carried on the upright support bar to facilitate joining optical fibers contained in selected ones of the active cables; and an outer cover adapted for removably fastening to the lower base structure for providing a sealed interior region for containing the active cables and the optical fiber splicing device; the lower base frame section adapted to unlock from its position in the plug opening for use in removing the base frame assembly as a unit from the plug opening, with the active fiber optic cables undisturbed, to facilitate transporting the base frame assembly and the optical fiber splicing device to a remote work site for use in making above-ground optical fiber splice connections to the active cables passing from a slack condition in the grade level box, through the lower base structure, and to the optical fiber splicing device; the base frame assembly and the optical fiber splicing device adapted to be transported away from the work site as a unit, with the active cables undisturbed, and repositioned in the plug opening by snap-locking the lower base frame section thereof into the plug opening in the cover plate.