Locks – Special application – For closures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-19
2001-03-13
Gall, Lloyd A. (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For closures
C070S169000, C070SDIG003, C292S011000, C292S030000, C292S049000, C292S053000, C292S055000, C292S124000, C292S224000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199414
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a quick release locking means for a cover, and more particularly to a quick release locking means that allows, for example, a manhole cover to be easily closed onto and released from a manhole ring simply by pushing and pulling some cotters.
As known by everyone, the manhole cover is a thick and heavy member made of metal. The purpose to make the manhole cover so heavy is to ensure tight and firm location of the manhole cover in the manhole ring, so that the manhole cover would not bounce open due to any vibration force transmitted to the manhole cover. However, since a conventional manhole cover does not have any locking means provided therewith for locking it to the manhole ring, it tends to bounce and produce noise whenever a vehicle contacts it. On the other hand, the manhole cover is so heavy that it would need a lot of time and labor to manually remove it from the manhole ring when necessary, such as at the time of maintaining or repairing underground conduit pipes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a quick release locking means for a cover, particularly a heavy manhole cover, so that the cover could be easily closed onto and released from a manhole ring simply by pushing and pulling some cotters.
To achieve this object, the quick release locking means of the present invention mainly includes several angularly equal-spaced cross-shaped slots provided on the cover to communicate with through holes below them, and catch elements, push elements, and cotters in the same number as that of the cross-shaped slots. The catch element each is pivotally connected to and between two fixing plates provided at two opposite sides of each through hole. The cotter each is positioned in one cross-shaped slot and extended down into the through hole. The push element each is screwed on a bar portion of the cotter below the cover. When the cotter is depressed, the push element radially pushes the catch element outward to engage with a lower edge of a flange on a manhole ring and thereby firmly locks the cover to the ring. And, when the cotter is pulled upward, the push element no longer pushes the catch element so that the latter disengages from the ring and allows the cover to be easily removed from the ring.
The cotter each has a washer put around its bar portion between the cross-shaped slot and the through hole on the cover, so that water is prevented from entering into the through hole via the cross-shaped slot.
The push element each is screwed onto the bar portion of the cotter and is therefore adjustable in its position relative to the cotter by turning the cotter. When the cotter is turned, the push element could be adjusted to a position for accurately pushing the catch element outward to firmly engage with the lower edge of the flange of the manhole ring.
REFERENCES:
patent: 289666 (1883-12-01), Lee
patent: 317153 (1885-05-01), Lowrie
patent: 969776 (1910-09-01), Foley
patent: 1055797 (1913-03-01), Redding
patent: 1083378 (1914-01-01), Smith
patent: 1473986 (1923-11-01), Brown
patent: 1548767 (1925-08-01), Steele
patent: 1553639 (1925-09-01), Sherman
patent: 1805789 (1931-05-01), Stuart et al.
patent: 2014112 (1935-09-01), McCord
patent: 2050362 (1936-08-01), Mims
patent: 2501722 (1950-03-01), Hammerly et al.
patent: 4844518 (1989-07-01), Pritchard
patent: 607871 (1960-11-01), None
patent: 522239 (1931-04-01), None
patent: 207470 (1923-11-01), None
patent: 571326 (1945-08-01), None
patent: 453771 (1949-12-01), None
Gall Lloyd A.
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
LandOfFree
Quick release locking means for a cover does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Quick release locking means for a cover, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Quick release locking means for a cover will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2512725