Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
GUIDING FRAME FOR MANHOLE OR CATCH BASIN
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to the field of frames for the inlet of a
catch basin or manhole,
and more particularly to guiding frames.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
[0002] A manhole or catch basin is a structure which provides passage
underground to
allow access by qualified personnel to utility service distribution lines or
to any other
underground systems (e.g., sewage). Qualified personnel may thereby be able to
perform
maintenance, servicing, inspection or the like. Manholes or catch basins are
often secured by
use of a frame assembly and cover, the frame assembly providing access to the
manhole or catch
basin and also allowing the cover to be locked thereto in order to prevent
access to unauthorized
persons.
[0003] Personnel accessing the passages provided by manholes or catch
basins must be
able to exit said passages quickly in view of safety requirements. For
example, there may be
gas buildup which may pose a hazard to the safety of personnel working inside
a manhole. It is
known that users may encounter difficulties during exit from the manhole or
catch basin, for
example while attempting to quickly exit.
[0004] Therefore there is a need for an improved frame for the inlet of a
manhole or catch
basin.
SUMMARY
[0005] According to a broad aspect, there is provided a frame for an inlet
of one of a catch
basin or a manhole, the frame comprising: an elongated hollow body extending
longitudinally
between a top end and a bottom end, the hollow body comprising a lateral wall
defining an
opening and extending between the top end and the bottom end; and a guiding
hollow structure
¨ 1 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
projecting inwardly from an inner face of the lateral wall, the hollow guiding
structure defining
a frame passageway, the frame passageway having a cross-sectional dimension
decreasing from
the bottom end of the elongated hollow body towards the top end of the
elongated hollow body.
[0006] In one embodiment, the guiding hollow structure comprises a
plurality of ribs each
inwardly and longitudinally projecting from the inner face of the lateral
wall, the ribs being each
positioned at a respective location along a perimeter of the inner face of the
lateral wall, each
one of the ribs longitudinally extending between a first end facing the bottom
end of the
elongated hollow body and a second end facing the top end of the elongated
hollow body, a
width of each one of the ribs increasing from the first end to the second end.
[0007] In one embodiment, a minimal distance between two adjacent ones of
the ribs is
chosen so as to prevent an insertion of at least one of a human head and a
helmet to be worn on
the human head between the two adjacent ones of the ribs.
[0008] In one embodiment, the frame further comprising a cover-receiving
plate mounted
at the top end of the elongated hollow body for receiving a cover, the cover-
receiving plate
being hollow and extending laterally between an internal face and an external
face, the internal
face being mounted to the lateral wall.
[0009] In one embodiment, the cover-receiving plate is provided with an
inner rim on the
internal face thereof, the rim being adjacent a top face thereof for receiving
a cover thereon.
[0010] In one embodiment, the cover-receiving plate is provided with an
outer rim
projecting outwardly from the external face of the cover-receiving plate
adjacent a top face
thereof.
[0011] In one embodiment, the second end of each of the ribs is mounted to
the cover-
receiving plate.
[0012] In one embodiment, each of the ribs extends from the bottom end of
the elongated
hollow body to the top end of the elongated hollow body.
- 2 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0013] In one embodiment, the ribs are evenly positioned about a perimeter
of the inner
face of the lateral wall.
[0014] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body is a tubular body.
[0015] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body and the guiding hollow
body are
integral.
[0016] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body is a tubular body and
the guiding
hollow structure comprises a frustoconical wall defining a frustoconical
aperture, the
frustoconical wall being mounted to the inner face of the lateral wall, the
frustoconical wall
extending between a first wall end facing the top end of the elongated hollow
body and a second
wall end facing the bottom end of the elongated hollow body, a perimeter of
the frustoconical
aperture at the first end being greater than a perimeter of the frustoconical
aperture at the second
end.
[0017] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body and the guiding hollow
body are
integral.
[0018] According to another broad aspect, there is provided a frame
assembly for an inlet
of one of a catch basin or a manhole, the frame system comprising: a hollow
base mountable to
the one of a catch basin or a manhole; a frame mountable relative to the
hollow base, the frame
comprising: an elongated hollow body extending longitudinally between a top
end and a bottom
end, the hollow body comprising a lateral wall defining an opening and
extending between the
top end and the bottom end; and a guiding hollow structure projecting inwardly
from an inner
face of the lateral wall, the hollow guiding structure defining a frame
passageway, the frame
passageway having a cross-sectional dimension decreasing from the bottom end
of the
elongated hollow body towards the top end of the elongated hollow body.
[0019] In one embodiment, the guiding hollow structure comprises a
plurality of ribs each
inwardly and longitudinally projecting from the inner face of the lateral
wall, the ribs being each
positioned at a respective location along a perimeter of the inner face of the
lateral wall, each
one of the ribs longitudinally extending between a first end facing the bottom
end of the
- 3 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
elongated hollow body and a second end facing the top end of the elongated
hollow body, a
width of each one of the ribs increasing from the first end to the second end.
[0020] In one embodiment, a minimal distance between two adjacent ones of
the ribs is
chosen so as to prevent an insertion of at least one of a human head and a
helmet to be worn on
the human head between the two adjacent ones of the ribs.
[0021] In one embodiment, the frame further comprises a cover-receiving
plate mounted at
the top end of the elongated hollow body for receiving a cover, the cover-
receiving plate being
hollow and extending laterally between an internal face and an external face,
the internal face
being mounted to the lateral wall.
[0022] In one embodiment, the cover-receiving plate is provided with an
inner rim on the
internal face thereof, the rim being adjacent a top face thereof for receiving
a cover thereon.
[0023] In one embodiment, the cover-receiving plate is provided with an
outer rim
projecting outwardly from the external face of the cover-receiving plate
adjacent a top face
thereof.
[0024] In one embodiment, the second end of each of the ribs is mounted to
the cover-
receiving plate.
[0025] In one embodiment, each of the ribs extends from the bottom end of
the elongated
hollow body to the top end of the elongated hollow body.
[0026] In one embodiment, the ribs are evenly positioned about a perimeter
of the inner
face of the lateral wall.
[0027] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body is a tubular body.
[0028] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body and the guiding hollow
body are
integral.
- 4 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0029] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body is a tubular body and
the guiding
hollow structure comprises a frustoconical wall defining a frustoconical
aperture, the
frustoconical wall being mounted to the inner face of the lateral wall, the
frustoconical wall
extending between a first wall end facing the top end of the elongated hollow
body and a second
wall end facing the bottom end of the elongated hollow body, a perimeter of
the frustoconical
aperture at the first end being greater than a perimeter of the frustoconical
aperture at the second
end.
[0030] In one embodiment, the elongated hollow body and the guiding hollow
body are
integral.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] Having thus generally described the nature of the invention,
reference will now be
made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration example
embodiments
thereof and in which:
[0032] FIG. lA is a top perspective view of a frame, in accordance with an
embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 1B is a top view of the frame of FIG. 1A;
[0034] FIG. 1C is a bottom view of the frame of FIG. 1A;
[0035] FIG. 1D is a side view of the frame of FIG. 1A;
[0036] FIG. lE is a cross-sectional view of the frame of FIG. 1A;
[0037] FIG. 2A is a bottom perspective view of a cover that may be used
with the frame of
FIG. 1A, in accordance with an embodiment;
[0038] FIG. 2B is a top view of the cover of FIG. 2A;
[0039] FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the cover of FIG. 2A;
¨ 5 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0040] FIG. 3A is a top perspective view of a base to be used with the
frame of FIG. 1A,
in accordance with an embodiment;
[0041] FIG. 3B is a top view of the base shown in FIG. 4;
[0042] FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the base of FIG. 3A;
[0043] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a frame, cover and base
assembly mounted on a
manhole, in accordance with an embodiment; and
[0044] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 4.
[0045] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like
features are identified
by like reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] In the following, there is described a frame for the inlet of one
of a catch basin or a
manhole. The frame comprises a hollow body that defines a passageway
therethrough. The
hollow body extends longitudinally between a top end and a bottom end, and
comprises a lateral
wall that extends between the top and bottom ends and defines the passageway.
[0047] The frame further comprises a plurality of ribs inwardly projecting
from the inner
face of the lateral wall. Each rib is positioned at a respective location
along the perimeter of the
inner face, and extends between a first end facing the bottom end of the
hollow body and a
second end facing the top end of the hollow body. The width of each rib
increases from its first
end towards its second end.
[0048] In one embodiment, the frame may be positioned directly on top of
the inlet of the
catch basin or a manhole. Additionally, access to the catch basin or manhole
may be prevented
by addition of a cover on the top of the frame. The cover may be removably
and/or lockably
secured to the frame to prevent access to the inlet of a catch basin or
manhole.
¨ 6 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0049] In another embodiment, the frame is to be used with a base. The
base is mountable
at the inlet of the catch basin or the manhole and comprises a hollow body
configured to receive
the bottom portion of the frame, the frame being movably mountable to the
base.
[0050] In another embodiment, there is also provided an assembly
comprising the frame,
the cover and the base. The frame has a top surface and a bottom surface, the
top and bottom
surfaces each containing an opening therein, and the top and bottom surfaces
are connected
together by a lateral wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface. A
plurality of ribs
is secured to the inner surface of the lateral wall and the ribs each extend
inwardly from the
inner surface for guiding a user towards the opening of the top surface. The
cover is receivable
on the top surface of the frame. The base receives the bottom portion of the
frame so that the
frame is movably mounted to the base.
[0051] In at least one embodiment, the frame is advantageous with respect
to at least some
of the prior art devices in that it makes it simpler and/or safer to exit a
manhole or catch basin.
For example, many users of manholes or catch basins need to be able to exit
the manhole or
catch basin due to safety requirements, for example during a gas leak.
However, the manhole
or catch basin shaft may often be larger than the opening on the ground
surface, so that a user
exiting therefrom may inadvertently hit their head on the periphery of the
opening. The present
frame incorporates variable width ribs inside the frame to guide the user to
the opening to
facilitate and allow for rapid exit of a manhole or catch basin.
[0052] Referring now to Figures 1 to 5, there is described an embodiment
of a frame and
an embodiment of a frame assembly.
[0053] Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a frame, base and cover assembly are
described herein.
With reference to FIGS. 1A-1E, the frame 100 will be described. The frame 100
comprises a
tubular body 102, a cover receiving plate 104 and a plurality of ribs 106. The
tubular body 102
extends between a top end 108 and a bottom end 109 along a longitudinal axis
L1. The cover-
receiving plate 104 is mounted at the top end 108 of the tubular body 102
while the ribs 106 are
mounted into the tubular body 102, as described in greater detail below.
¨ 7 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0054] The tubular body 102 comprises a tubular wall 110 extending
longitudinally
between the top end 108 and the bottom end 109 and provided with an external
face 113 having
a first diameter and an inner face 114 having a second diameter that is less
than the first
diameter, so as to define an opening 116 which extends from the top end 108 of
the tubular
body 102 to the bottom end 109 of the tubular body 102. The first diameter of
the inner face 114
of the wall 110 is chosen as a function of the manhole or catch basin size and
to ensure that a
user may be able to fit therein for gaining access to the manhole or catch
basin. The difference
between the first and second diameters corresponds to the thickness of the
tubular wall 110. In
the illustrated embodiment, the wall 110 is inwardly angled from top to bottom
relative to the
longitudinal axis L1 while the thickness of the wall 110 remains constant
along the length of the
wall 110, i.e. the outer diameter of the wall 110 decreases from top to bottom
and the inner
diameter of the wall 110 also decreases from top to bottom so that the
thickness of the wall 110
remains constant. However, it should be understood that other configurations
may be possible.
For example, the outer diameter and/or the inner diameter of the wall 110 may
remain constant
along the length of the wall 110.
[0055] It will be understood that the length of the tubular body 102 is
chosen as a function
of the distance between the top end of the manhole or catch basin and the
ground surface (e.g.
road or sidewalk).
[0056] The cover-receiving plate 104 longitudinally extends between a top
face 124 and a
bottom face 125 and is provided with an annular shape so as to define an
opening 122 extending
between the top face 124 and the bottom face 125. As a result, the cover-
receiving plate 104
extends radially between an inner face 130 and an outer face 132. The outer
face 132 of the
cover-receiving plate 104 is inwardly angled from top to bottom and flush with
the outer face
of the wall 110 so that the outer faces of the wall 110 and the cover-
receiving plate 104 form a
single continuous surface. The bottom face 125 of the cover-receiving plate
104 is mounted to
the top end 108 of the tubular body 102. The inner diameter of the cover-
receiving plate 104 is
less than that of the tubular body 102 so that part of the cover-receiving
plate 104 projects
inwardly from the tubular body 102. The opening 122 defined by the cover-
receiving plate 104
¨ 8 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
communicates with the opening 116 defined by the tubular body so as to form a
passageway
through which a person or objects may pass.
[0057] In the illustrated embodiment, the cover-receiving plate 104 is
provided with an
annular-shaped recess 128 extending around the inner circumference of the
cover-receiving
plate 104, outwardly and radially from the inner face 130 towards the outer
end 132 of the cover-
receiving plate 104 along a given section of the width of the cover-receiving
plate 104, and
longitudinally from the top face 124 towards the bottom face 125 of the cover-
receiving
plate 104 along a given section of the thickness of the cover-receiving plate
104, so as to create
a cover-receiving rim 134 which projects radially and inwardly for receiving a
cover 10 thereon.
[0058] The outer diameter or width of the annular-shaped recess 128 is
chosen so as to
allow for the cover 10 to be placed on the cover-receiving rim 134. It should
be understood that
the inner diameter, the outer diameter and the width of the annular-shaped
recess 128 are
identical to the inner diameter, the outer diameter and the width of the cover-
receiving rim 134,
respectively. The diameter of the cover 10 is greater than the inner diameter
of the cover-
receiving rim 134 and equal to or less than the outer diameter of the annular-
shaped recess 128
so that the cover 10 may be supported/held by a top face 135 of the cover-
receiving rim 134.
Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment the thickness of the annular-
shaped recess 128 is
chosen to equal the thickness of the cover 10 so that when the cover 10 is
mounted onto the
cover-receiving rim 134, the top face 135 of the cover 10 is flush with the
top face 124 of the
cover-receiving plate 104.
[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, the cover-receiving plate 104 is
further provided with
a support rim 136 that projects outwardly and radially from the outer face 132
of the cover-
receiving plate 104 adducent to the top face 124 thereof. As a result, the
support rim 136 extends
continuously along the circumference of the outer face 132 of the cover-
receiving plate 104.
The support rim 136 is configured to be received in or on the ground and to
maintain the position
of the frame relative to the ground surface. For example, thawing and freezing
of a road in which
the frame 100 is installed causes said road to shift and to cause movement in
the surrounding
¨ 9 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
structure. The support rim 136 being installed in a ground surface may help to
maintain the
position of the frame 100 relative to the ground surface when the ground
surface shifts.
[0060] The frame 100 is further provided with a hollow guiding structure
for guiding a user
towards the opening 122 of the cover receiving plate 104. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
hollow guiding structure comprises twelve ribs 106. The ribs 106 each extend
longitudinally
between a bottom end 140 and a top face 142 and radially between a first
angled lateral face 144
and a second lateral face 146 secured to the inner face 114 of the wall 110.
The bottom end 140
of each rib 106 is adjacent the bottom end 109 of the tubular body 102. The
top face 142 of each
rib 106 is secured to the bottom face 125 of the cover-receiving plate 104 and
the bottom face
of the cover-receiving rim 134. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner end
of the top face of a
rib 106, which corresponds to the top end of the angled lateral face 144, is
flush with the inner
face 130 of the cover-receiving rim 134. The ribs 106 have the same length
along the
longitudinal direction L1 and the same width extending radially along an axis
perpendicular to
the longitudinal direction L1. The width of the ribs 106 increases from the
bottom end 140
thereof until reaching a maximum value at the top face 142 thereof so as to
each be provided
with a triangular shape. The increase in width from bottom to top for the ribs
106 ensures that
a user exiting the manhole or catch basin would, in climbing out of the frame
100, be guided
towards the opening 122 of the cover receiving plate. Accordingly, the minimal
distance
between two adjacent ribs 106 is selected such that the head of a user and/or
the safety helmet
of said user could not fit between the ribs 106, ensuring that the user is led
towards the opening
122. In one embodiment, the distance between two adjacent ribs 106 is less
than 150 mm.
[0061] In the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 106 are identical and each
provided with a
triangular shape. Additionally, the ribs 106 are evenly distributed about the
circumference of
the inner face 114 of the tubular body 102 and the top face 142 of each rib
106 is mounted to
the portion of the bottom face 125 of the cover-receiving plate 104 that
projects inwardly
towards the opening 116 of the tubular body 102. While the ribs 106 are
secured to the bottom
face 125 of the cover-receiving plate 104, it should be understood that the
top face 142 of the
ribs 106 may be spaced apart from the bottom face 125 of the cover-receiving
plate 104 while
still being adjacent thereto.
¨ 10 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0062] In one embodiment, the tubular body 102, the cover-receiving plate
104 and the
ribs 106 are integral so that the frame 100 is made of a single piece. In this
case, the frame 100
may be moulded for example.
[0063] In another embodiment, the tubular body 102, the cover-receiving
plate 104 and the
ribs 106 are independent pieces and the frame is assembled by fixedly securing
together the
tubular body 102, the cover-receiving plate 104 and the ribs 106. For example,
the tubular
body 102, the cover-receiving plate 104 and the ribs 106 may be welded
together.
[0064] While in the illustrated embodiment, the elongated body 102 of the
frame 100 is
provided with a tubular shape, it will be understood that the body 102 may
have any other
adequate cross-sectional shape. For example, the elongated body 102 may have a
rectangular
cross-sectional shape. While in the illustrated embodiment the thickness of
the wall 110 of the
tubular body 102 is constant along the longitudinal axis L1, it will be
understood that the
wall 110 may instead be of a variable thickness.
[0065] While the frame 100 is provided with the cover-receiving plate 104,
it should be
understood that the cover-receiving plate 104 may be omitted. In this case,
the cover 10 is
adapted to be mounted directly to the tubular body 102.
[0066] While the cover-receiving plate 104 is provided with an annular
shape, it should be
understood that the cover-receiving plate 104 may be provided with any other
adequate shape.
For example, the cover-receiving plate 104 may have a rectangular profile
(although could still
comprise a circular recess for receiving a cover 10 thereon) or any other
profile as deemed
suitable by the skilled addressee. Additionally, it is noted that although as
previously described
the cover receiving plate 104 has the annular-shaped recess 128 in the
illustrated embodiment,
it may also be provided with no recess. The cover 10 may then be received, for
example, flush
with the cover receiving plate 104. Additionally, while in the illustrated
embodiment, the
rim 134 projects perpendicularly from the tubular body 102, it will be
understood that other
configurations may be possible.
¨ 11 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0067] Similarly, while the opening 116 present in the cover-receiving
plate 104 has a
circular shape, it will be understood that the opening 106 may have any other
adequate shape
such as a rectangular shape. It should be understood that the cover 10 is
shaped and sized for
abutting the rim 134 defined around the of the opening 116.
[0068] Although in the illustrated embodiment the ribs 106 are
substantially identical, it
will be understood that the ribs 106 may be different from each other, for
example through
greater length of a particular rib or ribs or a different shape of a rib 106.
Any other configuration
may be suitable so long as the ribs have an increasing width from their bottom
end 140 to their
top face 142. For example, one rib may be longer from the others in order to
help orientate the
user of the frame 100. When the user touches this long rib for example, they
would know that
they may be facing a particular direction as they exit the manhole or catch
basin. In another
example, while in the illustrated embodiment it is planar, the inner face 144
of the ribs 106 may
be outwardly curved.
[0069] While in the illustrated embodiment, the frame 100 is provided with
twelve identical
triangular shaped ribs 106 evenly spaced apart about the circumference of the
inner face 114 of
the wall 110, the person skilled in the art will understand that other
configurations are possible.
For example the number of ribs 106 may be varied. For example, in a larger
manhole or catch
basin there may be a need for a larger number of ribs 106 to maintain a
spacing between said
ribs 106 that would be smaller than the head of the user of the catch basin or
manhole. The
characteristics of the ribs 106 such as their dimension such as their length
and/or width, or their
shape may also vary, as described above. The angular position of the ribs 106
along the
circumference of the wall 110 may also vary.
[0070] In one embodiment, there may be a gap between the top end 108 of
the tubular
body 102 and the top face 142 of the ribs 106. Similarly, there may also be a
gap between the
bottom end 109 of the tubular body 102 and the bottom end 140 of the ribs 106.
Additionally,
it is envisaged that instead of a cover receiving rim 134, the cover 10 may be
received directly
onto the top face 142 of the ribs 106. This may be the case if, for example,
as mentioned
previously the plate portion 104 is removed partially or entirely.
¨ 12 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0071] Alternatively, instead of the ribs being formed of a single piece,
each rib may be
formed of a plurality of longitudinally aligned and spaced apart plates
extending out from the
inner face 114 of the wall 110, with short plates near the bottom end 109 and
increasing in width
as they go towards the top end 108 and thus guiding a user towards the ground
surface.
[0072] In one embodiment, a truncated conical shaped plate may be secured
to the inner
face 144 of the ribs 106 so as to provide a continuous and inclined surface
leading to the ground
surface.
[0073] Similarly, instead of a plurality of ribs 106, the frame 100 may be
provided with
any adequate hollow guiding structure defining a passageway and mounted to the
inner face 114
of the tubular body 102 as long as the structure is designed to guide a user
towards the exit such
as by having the cross-sectional dimension of the thus defined passageway
decreasing from
bottom to top. For example, the plurality of ribs 106 may be replaced by a
single helical rib
extending from the bottom end 109 and reaching the top end 108, the single rib
increasing in
width as it reaches the top end 108 of the tubular body 102 so as to guide the
user towards the
ground surface.
[0074] In a further embodiment, the ribs 106 may be omitted and the
guiding structure may
comprise a further wall defining a truncated conical aperture and mounted to
the inner face 114
of the wall 110. The inner face of the further wall then corresponds to an
inclined surface leading
to the ground surface. In one embodiment, the further wall and the wall 110
may be integral to
form a single wall being part of the tubular body 102.
[0075] In the illustrated embodiment, the cover-receiving plate 104
comprises three
recesses 150 each located at a respective angular position and in which a
support bar 158
extends. The support bars 158 may be used for manipulating the frame 100 such
as by securing
fasteners or straps thereto. The center of the recesses 150 are vertically
aligned with the inner
face 114 of the wall 110 and are extending from the top face 124 towards the
bottom face 125
of the cover-receiving plate 104 on the longitudinal axis L1 through a portion
of the thickness
of the cover-receiving body 104. Each recess 150 also extends radially between
an inner face
152 and an outer face 154. As best illustrated in FIG 1E, the inner face 152
faces the annular-
- 13 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
shape recess 128 and the outer face 154 faces the outer edge of the cover
receiving plate 104.
In one or more embodiment, protrusions 156 vertically aligned with the
recesses 152 are formed
on a surface shared between the bottom surface 125 and the inner surface 110
of the wall 114.
[0076] Within each recess 150 a cylindrical support bar 158 radially
extends between the
inner face 152 and the outer face 154. While in the illustrated embodiment the
recesses 150 are
evenly spaced apart about the circumference of the cover-receiving plate 104,
it should be
understood that other configurations may be possible. The number, position,
shape and/or size
of the recesses 150 may vary. For example, the recesses 150 may extend
entirely through the
cover-receiving plate 104 from the top surface 124 to the bottom surface 125,
thereby creating
an aperture for allowing water or other liquid to evacuate from the top
surface 124 of the cover-
receiving plate 104 to the manhole or catch basin underneath. In another
example, the cover-
receiving plate 104 may comprise no recess 150 and no support bar 158.
Similarly the
characteristics of the support bars 158 such as their cross-sectional
dimensions and/or their
shape may vary.
[0077] With reference to FIGS. 2A-2C, the cover 10 is now described.
Although covers to
be used with manholes or catch basins are well known in the art, the cover 10
will be briefly
described as it may be used with the frame 100 described previously. However,
it should be
understood that any adequate cover may be used with the frame 100.
[0078] The cover 10 has a generally disc-shaped body 12. The disc-shaped
body 12 is
provided with a top face 14, a bottom face 16 and an edge or lateral face 18
extending between
the bottom face 16 and the top face 14. The cover 10 further comprises a
reinforcement
structure 20 which projects from the bottom face 16 of the disc-shaped body 12
and consists of
eight ribs 22, a circular wall 24 and two walls 26', 26". The circular wall 24
is centered with
respect to the disc-shaped body 12, i.e., the circular wall 24 and the disc-
shaped body 12 share
the same center, and the radius of the circular wall 24 is less than that of
the disc-shaped
body 12. The two walls 26', 26" each extend along a section of a respective
diameter of the
disc-shaped body 12 and are included within the circular wall 24, i.e. each
wall 26', 26" extends
between two ends which are secured to opposite sides of the internal face of
the circular wall 24.
¨ 14 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
Furthermore, the two walls 26', 26" each pass through the center of the disc-
shaped body 12
and are orthogonal with each other, creating a cross-shape in the center of
circular wall 24. The
ribs 22 each extend radially along a given section of the radius of the disc-
shaped body 12 and
are evenly distributed about the circumference of the disc-shaped body 12.
Each rib 22 is
provided with a triangular shape and increases in width from the edge of the
disc-shaped
body 12 towards the center of the center of the disc-shaped body 12 up to the
circular wall 24.
[0079] In the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 22 are paired, i.e., each
rib 22 faces another
respective rib 22, thereby forming a pair 28 of ribs 22, and the two ribs 22
of each pair 28 are
aligned along a respective axis that passes by the center of the disc-shaped
body 12.
Furthermore, the ribs 22 of a first pair 28' are aligned with a first one of
the two walls 26' while
the ribs 22 of another pair 28" are aligned with the other one of the two
walls 26".
[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 10 further comprises four
slots 11 that each
extend through the thickness of the disc-shaped body 12 to facilitate handling
of the cover 10.
The cover 10 is also provided with two recesses 13 facing each other, having a
semi-circular
profile and projecting inwardly from the edge of the disc-shaped body 12 while
extending
through the thickness of the disc-shaped body 12.
[0081] Although in the illustrated embodiment the cover 10 includes a
reinforcement
structure, it will be understood that the reinforcement structure may be
omitted. In this case, the
cover 10 may be provided with top and bottom planar surfaces. In other
embodiments, the
reinforcing structure may be different from the illustrated one.
[0082] While in the illustrated embodiment, the disc-shaped body 12 is
provided with four
slots 11 and two recesses 13, it will be understood that the number, position,
shape and size of
the recesses 13 and/or slots 11 may vary. For example, the cover may comprise
no slot 11. In
another embodiment, the cover 10 may comprise no recess 13. While in the
illustrated
embodiment, the disc-shaped body 12 is provided with four slots 11 positioned
at 90 degree
angle from one another around the disc-shaped body 12, it will be understood
that the four
slots 11 may have a different position.
¨ 15 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0083] While the slots 11 may be used for facilitate handling of the cover
10, it will be
understood that the slots 11 may correspond to evacuation apertures for
allowing water to
evacuate from the top surface of the cover 10 to the manhole or catch basin
underneath. This
may be particularly beneficial in the case of a catch basin which are
generally configured for
drainage. The evacuation apertures may be configured so as to allow for water
drainage while
being small enough that a person walking on the cover 10 would not fall into
the manhole or
catch basin.
[0084] It should be understood that the illustrated cover 10 is exemplary
only and that any
adequate cover adapted to cover the central aperture of the frame 100 may be
used.
[0085] With reference to FIGS. 3A-3C, there is illustrated one embodiment
of a base 200
configured to receive the frame 100 therein. The base 200 comprises a tubular
portion or
body 202 and a plate portion or body 204. The tubular body 202 defines an
opening 224 and
extends longitudinally between a bottom face 206 and a top face 208 and
radially between an
outer face 207 and an inner face 209 which faces the opening 224. The plate
body 204 is
provided with an annular shape and secured to the outer face 207 of the
tubular body 202
adjacent to the bottom end 206 thereof. The plate body 204 corresponds to a
rim that projects
radially about the circumference of the outer face 207 of the tubular body
202. The plate
body 204 extends radially between a circular inner face 209 which is secured
to the outer
face 207 of the tubular body 202 and a circular outer face or edge 215, and
longitudinally
between a bottom face 214 and a top face 212.
[0086] The tubular body 202 is outwardly angled, i.e. the inner diameter
of the tubular
body 202 increases from top to bottom so that opening 224 is provided with a
truncated conical
shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer diameter of the tubular body
202 also increases
from top to bottom so that the thickness of the tubular body 202, i.e., the
distance between the
inner face and the outer face of the tubular body 202 remains constant along
the length of the
tubular body 202. However, it should be understood that the inner diameter
and/or the outer
diameter of the tubular body 202 may remain constant along the length thereon.
¨ 16 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0087] It should also be understood that the smallest inner diameter of
the tubular body 202
must be at least equal to the bottom outer diameter 113 of the wall 110 of the
frame 100 so that
the frame 100 may be at least partially inserted into the tubular body 202 and
the tubular
body 202 may support the frame 100.
[0088] In the illustrated embodiment, the shape of the rim is
substantially annular, though
there are four straight portions 222 positioned in 90 degree intervals around
the circumference
of the plate portion 204. It should be understood that the straight portions
22 may be omitted.
[0089] The base 200 further comprises four support members 230. Each
support
member 230 extends upwardly out of the top face 212 of the plate body 204 and
then bends to
connect to the outer face 207 of the tubular portion 202. The support members
230 can be used
for securing cables thereto in order to manipulate and move the base 200.
While the base 200
comprises four support members 230 which are evenly distributed about the
circumference of
the plate body 204, it should be understood that the number and the position
of the support
members 230 may vary. Similarly, the shape and size of the support members 230
may also
vary. It should also be understood that the support members 230 may be
omitted.
[0090] In one embodiment, the plate portion 204 of the base 200 may be
omitted entirely
so that the base 200 only comprises a tubular body. In another embodiment, the
tube wall 210
may be substantially parallel to the vertical axis so that the diameter of the
wall 210 remains
substantially the same. Alternatively, the wall 210 may have a variable
thickness as it extends
from the bottom face 206 to the top face 208.
[0091] The plate portion 204 is configured to be received on the periphery
of the manhole,
for example on a top surface of the shaft 400, to provide support while the
frame 100 is received
inside the tubular portion 202 of the base 200.
[0092] In one embodiment, the plate portion 204 can be provided with holes
at different
angular positions for securing the base 200 to the top face 404 of the manhole
400 using screws
or bolts for example.
¨ 17 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0093] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrates one embodiment of an assembly comprising
the frame 100
and the base 200 mounted to s structure 400, i.e. a manhole or catch basin
400. The
structure 400, i.e., the manhole or catch basing 400, comprises a tubular wall
402 provided with
a top circular face 404 on which the base 200 is mounted. When the base 200 is
mounted on top
of the structure 400, the bottom face 206 of the tubular body 202 and the
bottom face 214 of the
plate body 204 abuts the top face 404 of the tubular wall 402 of the structure
400.
[0094] In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom portion of the frame 100
is inserted into
the opening of the base 200 but the frame 100 does not abut against the base
200, i.e. the lateral
face of the wall 110 and/or the bottom face 125 of the cover-receiving plate
104 is not in physical
contact with the base 200. In this case, the frame 100 is to be supported by
the surface level
ground on which it is to be installed. As a result, if the level of the ground
changes, the frame 100
would be lifted or lowered accordingly to maintain its position relative to
the ground (e.g. flush
with the ground) while the base 200 remains in position. In this way, the
frame 100 will remain
generally aligned with the base 200 even when the ground (such as a road or a
walkway) on
which the frame 100 is installed moves, for example during freezing and
thawing throughout
the year. This allows a user to access the manhole or catch basin even with
movement of the
frame 100 relative to the base 200. In one embodiment, a geotextile membrane
(not shown) is
installed at the junction between the frame 100 and the base 200 to seal the
connection between
the base 200 and the frame 100. The geotextile membrane is elastic and even if
the frame 100
moves relative to the base 200, the membrane maintains a seal between the base
200 and the
frame 100 to avoid debris (e.g. mud or concrete) from falling into the
manhole. The base 200
therefore allows the frame 100 to be adjustable or flexible with respect to
the ground level while
helping to maintain the manhole free of debris.
[0095] In another embodiment, the frame 100 is inserted into the opening
of the base 200
so that the frame 100 abuts against the base 200, i.e. the lateral face 114 of
the wall 110 and/or
the bottom face 125 of the cover-receiving plate 104 is in physical contact
with the base 200. In
this case, the frame 100 and the base 200 may have a fixed relative position.
¨ 18 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
[0096] It should be understood that the dimensions of the frame 100 are
chosen at least
partially based on the dimensions of the manhole or catch basin 300, or at
least partially based
on the dimensions of the base 200, if any.
[0097] The embodiments described above are intended to be exemplary only.
The scope of
the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the appended
claims.
¨ 19 ¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-25
