Vault cover with vault door and spring-biased support arm

• US 20090183658A1
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lasco Lids, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lasco Lids, Inc.
• Inventors: McDougle, Lawrence S., Higley, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/009,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 109/59.T
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/1418 with implements to assist in lifting, e.g. counterweights, springs lifting devices for covers B66F19/005
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring

Abstract

There is provided a vault cover assembly including a vault frame and a vault door. The vault door is pivotally connected to the vault frame. The vault door is pivotable between open and closed positions relative to the vault frame. A spring-biased support arm is connected to the vault door and is moveable between locked and unlocked configurations relative to the vault door. The spring-biased support arm is biased toward the locked configuration. The spring-biased support arm includes a locking member that is engageable with the vault frame when the spring-biased support arm is in the locked configuration. The vault door is disposed in the open position upon engagement between the locking member and the vault frame. The vault door is pivotable between the open and closed positions when the spring-biased support arm is in the unlocked configuration.

Claims

1. A vault cover assembly comprising:

a vault frame;

a vault door pivotally connected to the vault frame, the vault door being pivotable between open and closed positions relative to the vault frame; and

a spring-biased support arm being connected to the vault door and being moveable between locked and unlocked configurations relative to the vault door, the spring-biased support arm being biased toward the locked configuration, the spring-biased support arm having a locking member that is engageable with the vault frame when the spring-biased support arm is in the locked configuration, the vault door being disposed in the open position upon engagement between the locking member and the vault frame, the vault door being pivotable between the open and closed positions when the spring-biased support arm is in the unlocked configuration.

2. The vault cover assembly of claim 1 further includes a guide post being engaged between the spring-biased support arm and the vault door to align the locking member for engagement with the vault frame.

3. The vault cover assembly of claim 2 wherein the guide post defines a post longitudinal axis, the guide post has a post distal end which translates along the post axis as the spring-biased support arm moves between the locked and unlocked configurations.

4. The vault cover assembly of claim 2 wherein the guide post protrudes from the spring-biased support arm.

5. The vault cover assembly of claim 4 wherein the guide post is integrally formed with the spring-biased support arm.

6. The vault cover assembly of claim 4 wherein the vault door defines a guide aperture engaged with the guide post.

7. The vault cover assembly of claim 2 further includes a fastener pivotally connecting the spring-biased support arm to the vault door

8. The vault cover assembly of claim 1 further includes a fastener pivotally connecting the spring-biased support arm to the vault door.

9. The vault cover assembly of claim 8 wherein the fastener includes an arm biasing element configured to bias the spring-biased support an-n towards the locked configuration.

10. The vault cover assembly of claim 8 wherein arm biasing element is a helical spring defining a central spring axis.

11. The vault cover assembly of claim 10 wherein the fastener defines a fastener axis aligned with the central spring axis.

12. The vault cover assembly of claim 8 wherein the spring-biased support arm defines an arm fastening hole and the vault door defines a door fastening hole, the fastener is disposed within the arm fastening hole and the door fastening hole to connect the spring-biased support arm to the vault door.

13. The vault cover assembly of claim 12 wherein the fastener includes a bolt having a head portion and a shank portion, the shank portion is disposed within the arm and door fastening holes and being moveable within the door fastening hole as the support arm moves between the locked and unlocked configurations.

14. The vault cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the vault door is biased towards the closed position.

15. The vault cover assembly of claim 14 further includes a vault spring connected to the vault frame and the vault door, the vault spring being configured to bias the vault door toward the closed position.

16. A vault cover assembly comprising:

a vault frame defining a vault opening;

a pair of vault doors pivotally connected to the vault frame, each of the vault doors being pivotable between open and closed positions relative to the vault frame; and

a pair of spring-biased support arms, each spring-biased support arm being connected to a respective one of the pair of vault doors and being moveable between locked and unlocked configurations relative to the respective vault door, each spring-biased support arm being biased toward the locked configuration, each spring-biased support arm having a locking member that is engageable with the vault frame when the respective spring-biased support arm is in the locked configuration, each vault door being disposed in the open position upon engagement between the respective locking member and the vault frame, each respective vault door being pivotable between the open and closed positions when the respective spring-biased support arm is in the unlocked configuration.

17. The vault cover assembly of claim 16 further includes a pair of fasteners, each fastener pivotally connecting a respective one of the pair of spring-biased support arms to a respective one of the pair of vault doors.

18. The vault cover assembly of claim 17 wherein each fastener includes an arm biasing element configured to bias a respective one of the pair of spring-biased support arms toward the locked configuration.

19. The vault cover assembly of claim 16 further includes a pair of guide posts, each guide post being engaged between a respective spring-biased support arm and a respective vault door to align the locking member of the respective spring-biased support arm for engagement with the vault frame.

20. The vault cover assembly of claim 19 wherein each guide post protrudes from a respective one of the pair of spring-biased support arms.