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US 10,704,221 B2Granted
Lockable composite manhole cover system, apparatus and method
AssigneeTrifect Composites, LLC
InventorsEric R. Nolle, Erik V. Koch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lockable manhole cover system including a manhole cover and a locking mechanism attached to the bottom surface thereof and including a fixed end and an actuated end, each including locking pins movable between locked and unlocked positions. The actuated end includes a keyed lock. When in the locked position, the free ends of the locking pins extend beneath a flange prevent the cover from being lifted up. When the actuated side is moved to the unlocked position via the key, the locking pin free ends retract such that the cover is free to be lifted from the ring. On the fixed side, the locking pins are biased to move to their extended positions upon manual depression of a release stem located at the upper surface of the cover.
Claims13
A lockable manhole cover system, comprising:
- a) a manhole cover having upper and lower surfaces and a circumferential edge;
- b) a manhole cover mounting ring having an upper edge and an inner wall surface with a flange formed on and extending radially inwardly of said ring inner wall surface, said flange spaced below said ring upper edge and thereby defining a cover locating area between said flange and said ring upper edge;
- c) a cover locking mechanism attached to said cover lower surface, said locking mechanism having an actuated side having a keyed lock and a fixed side,
- wherein said fixed side comprises:
- (i) at least one locking pin movable between extended and retracted positions, said at least one locking pin having a free end located adjacent said cover circumferential edge;
- (ii) a first locking pin yoke fixedly attached to and movable with said at least one locking pin between said extended and retracted positions, said first locking pin yoke being biased to move said at least one locking pin to the extended position;
- (iii) a release having a release body and a stem extending from said release body, said release body selectively and releasably engageable with said at least one locking pin when said locking pin is moved to the retracted position via movement of said first locking pin yoke, said release operable to maintain said at least one locking pin in the retracted position while engaged therewith, said release stem having a free end slidingly extendable through a hole formed in said cover whereby said stem, when said release is in the engaged position, extends above said cover upper surface and whereby a force may be selectively applied against said stem free end in a direction against said cover upper surface to cause said stem free end to lie flush with said cover upper surface and simultaneously cause said release to disengage from said at least one locking pin;
- and
- wherein said actuated side comprises:
- (iv) at least one locking pin movable between extended and retracted positions, said at least one locking pin having a free end located adjacent said cover circumferential edge;
- (v) a second locking pin yoke fixedly attached to and movable with said at least one locking pin on said actuated side;
- (vi) a rotatable actuating bolt, said actuating bolt having an actuating bolt head portion extending through a hole formed in said cover whereby said actuating bolt head portion is accessible at said cover upper surface, said rotatable actuating bolt connected to said second locking pin yoke whereby rotation of said actuating bolt causes movement of said second locking pin yoke and said at least one locking pin on said actuated side;
- and
- d) a key having a key head attached to a handle, said key head having a polygonal surface for selective engagement with said actuating bolt head portion, whereby rotation of said key when said key head is engaged with said actuating bolt head portion causes rotation of said actuating bolt and said second locking pin yoke to selectively move said at least one locking pin on said actuated side between said extended and retracted positions;
- and
- whereby when said cover is positioned in said cover mounting area and said at least one locking pin on said fixed side and said at least one locking pin on said actuated side are in their extended positions, the respective free ends of each said at least one locking pins extend beneath said cover mounting ring flange on the said thereof opposite said cover mounting area and thereby prevent lifting of said cover from said cover mounting ring, and whereby upon clockwise rotation of said actuating bolt with said key, said second locking pin yoke moves said at least one locking pin on the actuated side to the retracted position wherein the free end of said at least one locking pin on the actuated side locates radially inwardly in a direction away from said flange and said ring inner wall surface and thereby allows said cover to be lifted from said cover mounting ring
- wherein said at least one locking pin on said fixed side is comprised of first and second locking pins extending in spaced, parallel relation to one another, and said at least one locking pin on actuated side is comprised of third and fourth locking pins extending in spaced, parallel relation to one another and wherein said first locking pin yoke is fixedly attached to and movable together with said first and second locking pins on said fixed side, and said second locking pin yoke is fixedly attached to and movable together with said third and fourth locking pins on said actuated side;
- and
- wherein said first and second locking pins each include a slot which face each other and said release body includes first and second side edges which are configured to removably slide into engagement with said facing slots, respectively, when said first and second locking pins are in their retracted positions and said release is moved to said engaged position.
16 more elements
A lockable manhole cover system, comprising:
- a) a manhole cover having upper and lower surfaces and a circumferential edge;
- b) a manhole cover mounting ring having an upper edge and an inner wall surface with a flange formed on and extending radially inwardly of said ring inner wall surface, said flange spaced below said ring upper edge and thereby defining a cover locating area between said flange and said ring upper edge;
- c) a cover locking mechanism attached to said cover lower surface, said locking mechanism having an actuated side having a keyed lock and a fixed side,
- wherein said fixed side comprises:
- (i) at least one locking pin movable between extended and retracted positions, said at least one locking pin having a free end located adjacent said cover circumferential edge;
- (ii) a first locking pin yoke fixedly attached to and movable with said at least one locking pin between said extended and retracted positions, said first locking pin yoke being biased to move said at least one locking pin to the extended position;
- (iii) a release having a release body and a stem extending from said release body, said release body selectively and releasably engageable with said at least one locking pin when said locking pin is moved to the retracted position via movement of said first locking pin yoke, said release operable to maintain said at least one locking pin in the retracted position while engaged therewith, said release stem having a free end slidingly extendable through a hole formed in said cover whereby said stem, when said release is in the engaged position, extends above said cover upper surface and whereby a force may be selectively applied against said stem free end in a direction against said cover upper surface to cause said stem free end to lie flush with said cover upper surface and simultaneously cause said release to disengage from said at least one locking pin;
- and
- wherein said actuated side comprises:
- (iv) at least one locking pin movable between extended and retracted positions, said at least one locking pin having a free end located adjacent said cover circumferential edge;
- (v) a second locking pin yoke fixedly attached to and movable with said at least one locking pin on said actuated side;
- (vi) a rotatable actuating bolt, said actuating bolt having an actuating bolt head portion extending through a hole formed in said cover whereby said actuating bolt head portion is accessible at said cover upper surface, said rotatable actuating bolt connected to said second locking pin yoke whereby rotation of said actuating bolt causes movement of said second locking pin yoke and said at least one locking pin on said actuated side;
- and
- d) a key having a key head attached to a handle, said key head having a polygonal surface for selective engagement with said actuating bolt head portion, whereby rotation of said key when said key head is engaged with said actuating bolt head portion causes rotation of said actuating bolt and said second locking pin yoke to selectively move said at least one locking pin on said actuated side between said extended and retracted positions;
- and
- whereby when said cover is positioned in said cover mounting area and said at least one locking pin on said fixed side and said at least one locking pin on said actuated side are in their extended positions, the respective free ends of each said at least one locking pins extend beneath said cover mounting ring flange on the said thereof opposite said cover mounting area and thereby prevent lifting of said cover from said cover mounting ring, and whereby upon clockwise rotation of said actuating bolt with said key, said second locking pin yoke moves said at least one locking pin on the actuated side to the retracted position wherein the free end of said at least one locking pin on the actuated side locates radially inwardly in a direction away from said flange and said ring inner wall surface and thereby allows said cover to be lifted from said cover mounting ring,
- wherein said rotatable actuating bolt is connected to said second locking pin yoke by an actuating link interconnecting said actuating bolt to said second locking pin yoke;
- wherein the connection between said actuating link and said second locking pin yoke is provided in the form of a cam;
- wherein said actuating link includes a base portion and an arm portion extending from said base portion, said actuating bolt attached to said base portion, said arm portion engaging said second locking pin yoke as a cam whereby rotation of said actuating bolt causes said arm portion to pivot and cause linear movement of said second locking pin yoke;
- and
- wherein said arm portion includes an elongated slot and said second locking pin includes a center post which extends through said slot and together form said cam.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.