Security cover for a utility ground box and method
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
E05B-017/00
E02D-029/14
B23P-011/00
H02G-009/10
B65D-088/76
H02G-003/04
출원번호
US-0628114
(2012-09-27)
등록번호
US-9022439
(2015-05-05)
발명자
/ 주소
Ousley, Richard L.
출원인 / 주소
Ousley, Richard L.
대리인 / 주소
Dan Brown Law Office
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
20
초록▼
A locking security cover for an in a ground junction box that opens to the earth. A has an opening for access to the interior of the ground box and a lock receiver fixed thereto. Plural legs support the frame and a base flange engages the bottom of the ground box side walls. The leg mounts are selec
A locking security cover for an in a ground junction box that opens to the earth. A has an opening for access to the interior of the ground box and a lock receiver fixed thereto. Plural legs support the frame and a base flange engages the bottom of the ground box side walls. The leg mounts are selectively engaged to either a flexible connection suitable for insertion of the frame and the first leg into the ground box as a unit, and a fixed connection. A rigid cover engages the frame and provides a lock recess and lock shroud. A lock inserted into the lock shroud engages a lock receiver fixed to the frame.
대표청구항▼
1. A security cover apparatus, which is securable using a lock, for an access opening in a ground box that has side walls and a bottom that opens to the earth, comprising: a frame that substantially conforms to the shape of the access opening in the ground box, said frame having a frame opening for
1. A security cover apparatus, which is securable using a lock, for an access opening in a ground box that has side walls and a bottom that opens to the earth, comprising: a frame that substantially conforms to the shape of the access opening in the ground box, said frame having a frame opening for access to the interior of the ground box, said frame having a lock receiver fixed thereto, and said frame having a first leg attachment means disposed thereon;a first leg for supporting said frame at a position fixed with respect to the access opening, said leg having a base flange at a lower end for engaging the bottom of the ground box side walls, and said leg having a frame mount means adapted to engage said leg attachment means, and wherein said frame mount means and said leg attachment means can be selectively engaged to either a flexible connection suitable for insertion of said frame and said first leg into the ground box as a unit, and a fixed connection wherein said frame is fixed in location with respect to the access opening while said base flange engages the bottom of the side walls;a rigid cover configured to substantially cover said frame opening, and having a frame engaging member fixed thereto for removeably engaging said frame and retaining said rigid cover to said frame;a lock recess formed into said rigid cover and having a lock insertion port though said rigid cover, said lock recess continuing into a lock shroud that aligns with said lock receiver when said rigid cover is disposed on said frame opening, and whereinsaid lock receiver is accessible through said lock shroud while said rigid cover is engaged with said frame, and wherein said lock can be inserted through said lock recess and said lock shroud to engaged said lock receiver such that the lock interferes with movement of said lock shroud to prevent removal of said rigid cover from said frame, and thereby secures the interior of the ground box. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first leg guide fixed to said frame and aligned to limit lateral movement between said first leg and said frame. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lock is a cylinder lock with an outside diameter, and wherein: said lock shroud is tubular, having in inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the lock. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein: said leg engagement means is a threaded fastener which engages said rigid frame and said frame mount means is a hole formed through said first leg. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, and wherein: said threaded fastener is selected from a bolt that engages a threaded hole in said frame, and a threaded stud welded to said frame that is used in combination with a nut. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein: said frame engaging member is an angle iron clip fixed to said rigid cover that engages an edge of said frame opening. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: plural legs with corresponding frame mount means, and whereinsaid frame comprises plural leg attachment means. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, and wherein: the number of said plural leg attachment means exceeds the number of said plural legs, and whereinmounting locations of said plural legs amongst said plural leg attachment means is optionally selectable to accommodate the interior of the ground box. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ground box includes an exterior lid, and wherein: said rigid cover further includes an exterior lid fastening means disposed thereon for access from the exterior surface thereof, for engaging at least a first fastener for retaining the exterior lid about said exterior surface of said rigid cover. 10. A method of selectively securing, against theft, the contents of a ground box that has an access opening, side walls and a bottom that opens to the earth by using a lock and a security cover apparatus that consists of a frame, plural legs, and a rigid cover, the method comprising the steps of: loosely attaching the plural legs to the frame by aligning a frame mount on each of the plural legs with a corresponding leg attachment means on the frame;inserting the frame and plural legs into the ground box through the access opening and positioning the frame with respect to the access opening;inserting a base flange on each of the plural legs under the bottom of the ground box side walls;tightening the attachment between the plural leg attachment means and the plural frame mounts, thereby forming a rigid structure between the plural legs and the frame;installing the rigid cover onto a frame opening in the frame by engaging a frame engagement means on the rigid cover with the frame and aligning a lock shroud portion of the rigid cover with a lock receiver fixed to the frame, thereby substantially covering the frame opening, and partially engaging the rigid cover with the frame;inserting the lock through a lock insertion port on the exterior of the rigid cover and into a lock recess formed into the rigid cover, and advancing the lock into the lock shroud and engaging the lock receiver, thereby positioning the lock to interfere with movement of the lock shroud and preventing removal of the rigid cover from the frame, and thereby securing the interior of the ground box. 11. The method of claim 10, and wherein: said loosely attaching the plural legs steps further includes engaging the plural legs into plural respective leg guides fixed to the frame, thereby limiting lateral movement between the plural legs and the frame. 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the lock is a cylinder lock with an outside diameter, and wherein the lock shroud is tubular, having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the lock. 13. The method of claim 10, and wherein the leg engagement means is a threaded fastener which engages the rigid frame and the frame mount means is a hole formed through said first leg, and wherein: said tightening step is accomplished by rotating the threaded fastener. 14. The method of claim 13, and wherein the threaded fastener is selected from a bolt that engages a threaded hole in the frame, and a threaded stud welded to the frame that is used in combination with a nut, and wherein: said tightening step may be accomplished by rotating the nut. 15. The method of claim 10, and wherein the frame engaging member is an angle iron clip fixed to the rigid cover, and wherein: said installing the rigid cover step further includes engaging the angle iron clip with an edge of the frame opening. 16. The method of claim 10, and wherein the number of plural leg attachment means exceeds the number of said plural legs, and further comprising the step of: selecting a subset of the plural leg attachment means to accommodate the interior of the ground box. 17. The method of claim 10 wherein the ground box includes an exterior lid, and further comprising the steps of: placing the exterior lid on the ground box, andengaging at least a first fastener between the exterior lid and an exterior lid fastening means disposed on the rigid cover, thereby securing the exterior lid in place. 18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of: attaching a weather cover to the lock insertion port.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (20)
Tourigny Paul T. (Leominster MA), Access door cover system.
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