Sturdy adjustable manhole cover support

Abstract

An improved manhole cover support adjustable in perimeter and adapted to raise the effective grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure such as a manhole frame is shown. Integral and substantially coextensive with the upper part of its thin-walled lateral cover keeper portion is a reinforcing wale. The cover support can be in the form of a split ring or a plurality of joined segments. Advantageously, it can have bridged joints and a flexible, compressible retention member on at least a portion of its expanding outer wall member.

I claim: 
     
       1. A manhole cover support comprising a body having a base portion with a cover seat portion, and a lateral keeper portion integral with the base portion, the keeper portion .Iadd.being made of relatively thin metal .Iaddend.projecting upwardly from the seat portion, the base portion having at least one adjustable joint means for adjusting the base in peripheral dimension, the transverse wall thickness of the keeper portion being substantially less than the corresponding transverse thickness of the base, the cover support being adapted for raising the effective grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure wherein the base portion of the support body rests on .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.sill of the receiving structure, .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.outer wall of the base portion faces .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.upwardly-extending shoulder surface of the receiving structure, and expansion of the joint .Iadd.means .Iaddend.presses the outer wall of the base portion against the shoulder surface of the receiving structure, the cover support including a .Iadd.relatively rigid, metal .Iaddend.reinforcing wale that is integral with and substantially coextensive with .[.the.]. .Iadd.and adjacent to an .Iaddend.upper part of the keeper portion.Iadd., the wale projecting outwardly and downwardly from the upper part of the keeper portion such that at least a portion thereof is in engagement with a confronting surface of the keeper portion and having a width in a lateral direction greater than said transverse wall thickness and extending downwardly from an upper end of said keeper portion for a relatively substantial distance sufficient to provide stiffness against deformation that would occur in conventional, 12-18 ga. steel keepers having very little outward flanging at the top.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       2. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion are in the form of a split-ring. 
     
     
       3. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion are in segments. 
     
     
       4. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the wale is substantially solid in cross section. 
     
     
       5. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the wale mainly is hollow. 
     
     
       6. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein each adjustably joint is bridged by an extension of the wale. 
     
     
       7. The manhole cover support of claim 5 wherein a tubular or solid shaft fits into and connects pairs of adjacent wale ends. 
     
     
       8. The manhole cover support of claim 5 wherein the wale is substantially rectangular in cross section. 
     
     
       9. The manhole cover support of claim 5 wherein the wale is at least partially arcuate in cross section. 
     
     
       10. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein a flexible, compressible retention component is interposed between at least a part of the outer wall of the base portion and the shoulder surface of the existing receiving structure. 
     
     
       11. The manhole cover support of claim 10 wherein the retention component comprises a polymer bonded to the outer wall of the base portion. 
     
     
       12. The manhole cover support of claim 11 wherein the retention component comprises a foamed elastomer. 
     
     
       13. The manhole cover support of claim 11 wherein the retention component comprises a cured plastisol. 
     
     
       14. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the cover support body and the receiving structure are substantially of ferrous metal. 
     
     
       15. The manhole cover support of claim 1 which includes screw means which render the joints adjustable. 
     
     
       16. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the elevation of its base portion is adjustable by screw means. 
     
     
       17. The manhole cover support of claim 1 which is for a substantially circular cover. 
     
     
       18. The manhole cover support of claim 1 which is for a polygonal cover. 
     
     
       19. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the base portion is substantially a hollow channel, and it and at least part of the keeper portion are formed from a single piece of steel. 
     
     
       20. The manhole cover support of claim 1 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion including the wale are of a single piece of structural metal or structural polymeric material. 
     
     
       21. A manhole cover support comprising a ferrous metal body having a base portion with a cover seat portion, and a lateral keeper portion that is integral with the base portion, the keeper portion .Iadd.being made of relatively thin metal .Iaddend.projecting upwardly from the seat portion, the base portion having at least one joint adjustable peripherally by a turnbuckle means, the transverse wall thickness of the keeper portion being substantially less than the corresponding transverse wall thickness of the base, the cover support being adapted for raising the effective grade of an existing manhole receiving structure wherein the base portion of the cover support body rests on .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.sill of the receiving structure, .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.outer wall of the base portion faces .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.upwardly-extending shoulder surface of the receiving structure, and expansion of the joint presses the outer wall of the base portion against the shoulder surface of the receiving structure, the cover support including a .Iadd.relatively rigid, metal .Iaddend.reinforcing wale that is integral with and substantially coextensive with .[.the.]. .Iadd.and adjacent to an .Iaddend.upper part of the keeper portion.Iadd., the wale projecting outwardly and downwardly from the upper part of the keeper portion such that at least a portion thereof is in engagement with a confronting surface of the keeper portion and having a width in a lateral direction greater than said transverse wall thickness and extending downwardly from an upper end of said keeper portion for a relatively substantial distance sufficient to provide stiffness against deformation that would occur in conventional, 12-18 ga. steel keepers having very little outward flanging at the top .Iaddend.and a retention component comprising a polymer that is bonded to the outer wall of the base portion. 
     
     
       22. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion are in the form of a split ring. 
     
     
       23. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion are in segments. 
     
     
       24. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the wale is substantially solid in cross section. 
     
     
       25. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the wale is mainly hollow. 
     
     
       26. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein each adjustable joint is bridged by an extension of the wale. 
     
     
       27. The manhole cover support of claim 26 wherein a tubular or solid shaft fits into and connects pairs of adjacent wale ends. 
     
     
       28. The manhole cover support of claim 26 wherein the wale is substantially rectangular in cross section. 
     
     
       29. The manhole cover support of claim 26 wherein the wale is at least partially arcuate in cross section. 
     
     
       30. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the retention component comprises a foamed elastomer. 
     
     
       31. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the retention component comprises a cured plastisol. 
     
     
       32. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the elevation of its base portion is adjustable by screw means. 
     
     
       33. The manhole cover support of claim 21 which is for a substantially circular cover. 
     
     
       34. The manhole cover support of claim 21 which is for a polygonal cover. 
     
     
       35. The manhole cover support of claim 21 wherein the base portion is mainly a hollow channel, and it and at least part of the keeper portion are formed from a single piece of steel. 
     
     
       36. The manhole cover support comprising a ferrous metal body having a base portion with a cover seat portion, and a lateral keeper portion that is integral with the base portion, the keeper portion projecting upwardly from the seat portion, the base portion having at least one joint adjustable peripherally by turnbuckle means, the transverse wall thickness of the keeper portion being not substantially more than about 0.1 inch, the cover support being adapted for raising the effective grade of an existing manhole receiving structure wherein the base portion of the cover support body rests on .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.sill of the receiving structure, .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.outer wall of the base portion faces .[.the.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.upwardly-extending shoulder surface of the receiving structure, and expansion of the joint .Iadd.means .Iaddend.presses the outer wall of the base portion against the shoulder surface of the receiving structure, the cover support including a .Iadd.rigid, metal .Iaddend.reinforcing wale that is integral with and substantially coextensive with  .[.the.]. .Iadd.and adjacent to an .Iaddend.upper part of the keeper portion.Iadd., the wale projecting outwardly and downwardly from the upper part of keeper portion, the reinforcing wale having a width in the lateral direction that is greater than said transverse wall thickness and extending downwardly from an upper end of said keeper portion for a relatively substantial distance sufficient to provide stiffness against deformation that would occur in conventional, 12-18 ga. steel keepers having very little outward flanging at the top.Iaddend., whereby relatively powerful and indelicate tools, such as picks, pry bars or the like, can be used for removal of a manhole cover without substantial damage to the upper part of the keeper portion. 
     
     
       37. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion are in the form of a split ring. 
     
     
       38. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the base portion and the keeper portion are in segments. 
     
     
       39. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the wale is substantially solid in cross section. 
     
     
       40. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the wale mainly is hollow. 
     
     
       41. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein each adjustable joint is bridged by an extension of the wale. 
     
     
       42. The manhole cover support of claim 40 wherein a tubular or solid shaft fits into and connects pairs of adjacent wale ends. 
     
     
       43. The manhole cover support of claim 40 wherein the wale is substantially rectangular in cross section. 
     
     
       44. The manhole cover of claim 40 wherein the wale is at least partially arcuate in cross section. 
     
     
       45. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein a flexible, compressible retention component is interposed between at least part of the outer wall of the base portion and the shoulder surface of the existing receiving structure. 
     
     
       46. The manhole cover support of claim 45 wherein the retention component comprises a polymer bonded to the outer wall of the base portion. 
     
     
       47. The manhole cover support of claim 46 wherein the retention component comprises a foamed elastomer. 
     
     
       48. The manhole cover support of claim 46 wherein the retention component comprises a cured plastisol. 
     
     
       49. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the elevation of its base is adjustable by screw means. 
     
     
       50. The manhole cover support of claim 36 which is for a substantially circular cover. 
     
     
       51. The manhole cover support of claim 36 which is for a polygonal cover. 
     
     
       52. The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the base portion is mainly a hollow channel, and it and at least part of the keeper portion are formed from a single piece of steel. .Iadd. 
     
     
       53.  The manhole cover support of claim 36 wherein the wale has a width substantially greater than the corresponding transverse wall thickness of the keeper portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       54.  A manhole cover support comprising a body having a base portion with a cover seat portion, and a lateral keeper portion integral with the base portion, the keeper portion projecting upwardly from the seat portion, the base portion having at least one adjustable joint means for adjusting the base in peripheral dimension, the transverse wall thickness of the keeper portion being substantially less than the corresponding transverse thickness of the base, the cover support being adapted for raising the effective grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure wherein the base portion of the support body rests on a sill of the receiving structure, an outer wall of the base portion faces an upwardly-extending shoulder surface of the receiving structure, and expansion of the joint means presses the outer wall of the base portion against the shoulder surface of the receiving structure, the cover support including a reinforcing wale that is integral with and substantially coextensive with an upper part of the keeper portion, said wale being substantially solid in cross section and defined at least in part by a rod welded adjacent to said upper part of the keeper portion, said rod having at least one transverse dimension that is substantially greater than said transverse wall thickness of said keeper portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       55.  The manhole cover support of claim 54 wherein said rod is substantially square in cross section. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       56.  The manhole cover support of claim 54 wherein said rod is substantially rectangular in cross section. .Iaddend. .Iadd.57. The manhole cover support of claim 54 further comprising at least one fillet weld for attaching said rod to said keeper portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd.58. The manhole cover support of claim 54 further comprising a pair of spaced fillet welds for attaching said rod to said keeper portion. .Iaddend.