Locking assembly for monitor wells

• US 5,641,017 A
• Filed: 08/22/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles Drake
• Original Assignee: Charles Drake
• Inventors: Drake, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsay, Frank
• Application Number:
  US08/517,980
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 166/92.1, 166/97.1, 166/94.1, 166/85.1, 166/79.1, 166/75.11
• US Class Current: 166/92.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/383 Staples or the like for padlocks; Lock slings; Arrangements on locks to cooperate with padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/00 Devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal; Miscellaneous locking devices motorcycle helmets A42B3/0413; supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening helmets B62J11/24; gun racks A47B81/005; showcases with theft protection A47F3/002; anti-theft means for peg-boards, grids or rods for hanging merchandise A47F5/0861; show stands, hangers, shelves with provision against unauthorised removal A47F7/024; for self-service hand-carts A47F10/04; locking skis A63C11/004; locking bolts, nuts or pins F16B41/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof

Abstract

An internal lock assembly securely locks a monitor well lid and cover to protect and safeguard the monitor well so as to enhance the monitor well'"'"'s accuracy and environmental compliance. The user friendly lock assembly has a special latch which engages a padlock in a housing. A restraining bar across the front end of the housing restricts movement of the padlock'"'"'s shackle. The internal housing can be supported by a mounting brace.

Claims

1. A locking assembly, comprising:

lock means for locking a monitor well cover to a monitor well lid;

environmental protection means for substantially protecting said lock means from rain, snow, hail and dust; and

means for positioning said lock means within the interior of the monitor well cover.

2. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 1 including anti-tampering means for substantially deterring tampering of said lock means.

3. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for positioning said lock means comprises a casing with a lock-receiving opening for slidably receiving said lock means.

4. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lock means includes a lock and a latch extending downwardly from the monitor well lid.

5. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 1 including restraining means for limiting movement of said lock means.

6. A locking assembly comprising:

lock means for locking a monitor well cover to a monitor well lid;

environmental protection means for substantially protecting said lock means from rain, snow, hail and dust;

a latch extending downwardly from said monitor well lid, said latch having a leg and a foot, said leg having a maximum width less than the span of said foot for passing through and positioning within a lock opening between a shackle and a body of a lock, said leg having a shackle-engaging portion for positioning adjacent the shackle, said foot spanning a length greater than the maximum width of the leg for passing through the lock opening when the lock is open but being larger than the lock opening when the lock is closed to prevent said foot from passing through the lock opening when the lock is closed, and said latch cooperating with the lock to keep the monitor well lid closed and prevent the lid from opening when the lock is in a closed and prevent the lid from opening when the lock is in a closed position;

a housing for protecting the lock, said housing having a back wall secured to the monitor well cover and defining an access opening in communication with and for accessing a keyhole in the lock, said housing having an open front end for slidably receiving the lock and having side walls extending between said back wall and the open front end, said housing having transverse walls extending between and connecting said side walls, said transverse walls comprising a top wall and a bottom wall and defining latch-receiving openings for slidably receiving the leg and foot of said latch; and

a restraining bar connected to said sides of the housing adjacent the open front end for restraining movement of the shackle of the lock.

7. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein said restraining bar has a shackle-receiving opening for slidably receiving the shackle of the lock.

8. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 6 including a mounting brace connected to said housing and the monitor well cover for supporting said housing in a substantially horizontal position.

9. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said mounting brace has sidewalls and a foot-receiving opening therebetween for accommodating entry and removal of the foot of said latch.

10. A locking process, comprising the steps of:

placing a lock between a monitor well and a monitor well cover;

securing the monitor well cover to a monitor well lid with said lock;

substantially preventing rain and snow from contacting the lock;

substantially preventing tampering of said lock; and

wherein said placing includes sliding said lock in a housing within the interior of the monitor well cover.

11. A locking process in accordance with claim 10 including securing said lock with a latch extending downwardly from the lid.

12. A locking process in accordance with claim 10 including restraining movement of the lock.

13. A locking assembly, comprising:

a monitor well for monitoring an underground site for environmental compliance, said monitor well being located in proximity to said site for measuring water depth and for taking water samples for analysis;

a monitor well cover having upright walls peripherally surrounding at least a portion of said monitor well, said walls having inner surfaces facing said monitor well, and one of said inner surfaces having a supporting portion and defining a keyhole opening;

a lid hinged and pivotally connected to said cover at an elevation above said supporting portion, said lid being moveable from an open lid position to permit access to said monitor well to a closed lid position to prevent access to said monitor well, said lid having a top positioned above and protectively covering said monitor well, said lid having a skirt comprising downwardly depending wall portions extending integrally downwardly from said skirt and aligned in substantially vertical registration with said upright walls of said cover, said top extending transversely across and connecting said wall portions, and said top having an underside;

a lock having a body with a keyhole positioned in alignment with said keyhole opening in said cover, a shackle comprising a generally U-shaped shank operatively connected to said body, said shackle being moveable from a closed locked position to an open unlocked position, and said shackle cooperating with said body to define a leg-receiving opening therebetween;

an elongated latch cantilevered downwardly from and secured to said lid, said latch having a head providing an upper attached portion fixedly connected to and extending downwardly from the underside of the top of said lid, said head having a width and thickness greater that said leg-receiving opening of said lock when said lock is in the locked position, said latch having a leg extending integrally downwardly from said upper attached portion for insertion within and engaging said leg-receiving opening of said lock when said lid is in the closed position, said leg having a maximum width less than the width of said head and less than the span of the leg-receiving opening of the lock when said lock in the locked position, said latch having a foot extending downwardly from said leg, said foot having a length defining a size greater than the maximum width of said leg and greater than the span of the leg-receiving opening of the lock when said lock is in the locked position but less than the maximum span of the leg-receiving opening of the lock when said lock is in the open unlocked position, said foot having an instep providing an upper lock-engaging dorsum portion for being securely positioned below the body of the lock in the locked position and having a toe section facing the supporting portion of the upright walls of the cover, and said latch cooperating with said lock to keep said lid closed and prevent said lid from opening when said lock is in the locked position;

a housing for receiving and protecting said lock, said housing comprising a shell extending transversely inwardly from and being securely cantilevered to the supporting portion of the upright walls of said monitor well cover, said housing having a back wall comprising a face plate secured to the supporting portion of said monitor well cover, said face plate defining an access opening positioned between and aligned in registration with said keyhole of said lock and said keyhole opening of said cover, said access opening being at least as large as said keyhole, said housing having an open front end defining a lock-receiving opening for slidably receiving said lock to permit said lock to be positioned in said housing, said housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and upright side walls extending between and connecting said top wall and said bottom wall, said side walls defining aligned cotter pin-receiving openings, said top wall and said bottom wall defining aligned latch-receiving openings for receiving said leg and said foot of said latch when said lid is in the closed position, said bottom wall having a lower exterior surface, and said foot engaging said lower exterior surface of the said bottom wall when said lock is in the locked position;

a generally U-shaped restraining bar having sides for engaging and positioning against the side walls of said housing adjacent said open front end, said sides defining cotter pin-receiving openings aligned in registration with the cotter pin-receiving openings of said side walls of said housing, and said restraining bar having a bight comprising an intermediate portion providing an abutment wall extending between and connecting said sides of said restraining bar for positioning across said open front end of said housing in proximity to said shackle of said lock; and

a cotter pin extending through said cotter pin-receiving openings of said sides of said restraining bar and said side walls of said housing for connecting said restraining bar to said housing, and said abutment wall cooperating with said cotter pin to prevent said body of said lock from moving through said front end of said housing after said lock has been positioned in said housing.

14. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said abutment wall of said restraining bar defines a shackle-receiving opening.

15. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said monitor well comprises an aboveground monitor well.

16. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said monitor well comprises an underground monitor well.

17. A locking assembly in accordance with claim 13 including a mounting brace for supporting said housing, said mounting brace having substantially triangular walls securely connected to said supporting portions of the upright walls of said cover and to the bottom wall of said housing, and said triangular walls cooperating with each other to define a foot-receiving opening therebetween for accommodating entry and removal of the foot of said latch.