Locking cover for a soffit manhole

A locking cover for closing a manhole formed in a soffit, said locking cover comprising:

• an upper section having a size and shape for extending across a soffit manhole and including a first peripheral rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lower section having a size and shape for closing the soffit manhole and including a second peripheral rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lock post carried by said upper section, and a post port formed in said lower section for slide-through passage of said lock post;
• and
• a lock unit for lockably interconnecting said upper and lower sections with a peripheral margin of the manhole formed by said soffit being sandwiched between said first and second peripheral rims, said lock unit including means for releasibly engaging said lock post for lockably retaining said lower section in assembled relation with said upper section;
• said lock unit comprising a lock cartridge having a core pin movable between an advanced locked position and a retracted unlocked position, said lock post having a lock port formed therein for slide-fit reception of said core pin in said locked position.

A locking cover for closing a manhole formed in a soffit, said locking cover comprising:

• an upper section having a size and shape for extending across a soffit manhole and including a first peripheral rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lower section having a size and shape for closing the soffit manhole and including a second peripheral rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lock post carried by said upper section, and a post port formed in said lower section for slide-through passage of said lock post;
• a lock unit for lockably interconnecting said upper and lower sections with a peripheral margin of the manhole formed by said soffit being sandwiched between said first and second peripheral rims, said lock unit including means for releasibly engaging said lock post for lockably retaining said lower section in assembled relation with said upper section;
• and
• further including means for supporting said lower section from said upper section when said lock unit is disengaged from said lock post.

A locking cover for closing a manhole formed in a soffit, said locking cover comprising:

• an upper section having a size and shape for extending across a soffit manhole and including a first peripheral rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lower section having a size and shade for closing the soffit manhole and including a second peripheral rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lock post carried by said upper section, and a lost port formed in said lower section for slide-through passage of said lock post;
• a lock unit for lockably interconnecting said upper and lower sections with a peripheral margin of the manhole formed by said soffit being sandwiched between said first and second peripheral rims, said lock unit including means for releasibly engaging said lock post for lockably retaining said lower section in assembled relation with said upper section;
• and
• further including a containment sleeve carried by said lower section in a position surrounding said lock post when said upper and lower sections are lockably interconnected, said lock unit comprising a lock cartridge having a size and shape for slide-fit reception upwardly within said containment sleeve for locking engagement with said lock post.

A locking cover for closing a manhole formed in a soffit, said locking cover comprising:

• an upper section having a size and shape for extending across a soffit manhole and including a first peripheral rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lower section having a size and shape for closing the soffit manhole and including a second peripheral rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lock post carried by said upper section, and a post port formed in said lower section for slide-through passage of said lock post;
• and
• a lock unit for lockably interconnecting said upper and lower sections with a peripheral margin of the manhole formed by said soffit being sandwiched between said first and second peripheral rims, said lock unit including means for releasibly engaging said lock post for lockably retaining said lower section in assembled relation with said upper section;
• said lock post having an enlarged shoulder for at least partial reception into said post port formed in said lower section.

A locking cover for closing a manhole formed in a soffit, said locking cover comprising:

• an upper section including at least two segments each having a size and shape for separate passage upwardly through a soffit manhole and adapted for assembly at a location above the manhole to form said upper section having a size and shape for extending across the manhole and including a first peripheral rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• a lock post carried by said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom;
• a lower section having a size and shape for extending across and closing the soffit manhole and including a second peripheral rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• said lower section having a post port formed therein for slide-through passage of said lock post, and a containment sleeve carried by said lower section and extending downwardly therefrom in surrounding relation to said lock post;
• and
• a lock unit for lockably interconnecting said upper and lower sections with a peripheral margin of the manhole formed by said soffit being sandwiched between said first and second peripheral rims, said lock unit including a lock cartridge within said containment sleeve and including means for releasibly engaging said lock post for lockably retaining said lower section in assembled relation with said upper section.

A locking cover for closing a manhole formed in a soffit, said locking cover comprising:

• an upper section including at least two segments each having a size and shape for separate passage upwardly through a soffit manhole and adapted for assembly at a location above the manhole to form said upper section having a size and shape for extending across the manhole and including a first peripheral rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole, and a lock post carried by said upper section and extending downwardly therefrom;
• a lower section having a size and shape for extending across and closing the soffit manhole and including a second peripheral rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole, said lower section further including a post port formed therein said lower section for slide-through passage of said lock post, and a containment sleeve carried by said lower section and extending downwardly therefrom in surrounding relation to said lock post;
• and
• a lock unit for lockably interconnecting said upper and lower sections with a peripheral margin of the manhole formed by said soffit being sandwiched between said first and second peripheral rims, said lock unit comprising a lock cartridge within said containment sleeve and including means for releasibly engaging said lock post for lockably retaining said lower section in assembled relation with said upper section.

A method of installing a locking cover for closing a manhole formed in an overhead soffit, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming an upper section from a plurality of segments each having a size and shape for individual passage upwardly through manhole, and wherein said segments are adapted for assembly to form the upper section having a first rim for engaging an upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• passing the upper sections segments in unassembled form upwardly through the manhole;
• assembling the upper section segments at a location above the manhole to form an assembled upper section;
• positioning the assembled upper section to extend across the manhole with said first rim engaging at least a portion of the upper soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• forming a lower section having a size and shape for extending across and covering the manhole, and including a second rim for engaging a lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• positioning the lower section to close the manhole with said second rim engaging the lower soffit surface circumscribing the manhole;
• and
• releasibly locking the lower section to the upper section.