U.S. patent number 3,746,034 [Application Number 05/151,398] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-17 for installation of curb boxes.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ametek, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harold E. Cosson.
United States Patent |
3,746,034 |
Cosson |
July 17, 1973 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
INSTALLATION OF CURB BOXES
Abstract
A non-metallic curb box is formed to provide detectable metallic
means distributed longitudinally along at least a major part of the
upper portion thereof. The metallic means may be either magnetic or
non-magnetic, depending upon the type of detector to be used. It
may also be continuous or discontinuous. The box is then installed
in the ground in valve protecting position, and is positioned
vertically so that if an upper portion of the box is sheared off or
otherwise accidentally removed, the remaining box portion will be
detectable because of the presence of a portion of the detectable
metallic means thereon.
Inventors: |
Cosson; Harold E. (Sheboygan,
WI) |
Assignee: |
Ametek, Inc. (Sheboygan,
WI)
|
Family
ID: |
22538587 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/151,398 |
Filed: |
June 9, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/364; 138/103;
138/177; 138/104; 264/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L
1/11 (20130101); Y10T 137/6995 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
F16L
1/06 (20060101); F16L 1/11 (20060101); F16l
009/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;137/364-372 ;138/177
;264/24,108 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Klinksiek; Henry T.
Claims
I claim:
1. In an installation for protecting and providing access to an
underground service valve:
a. a vertically disposed non-metallic curb box buried in the ground
and comprising:
1. a bell covering the said valve,
2. an elongated intermediate tube extending upwardly from said
bell,
3. and an elongated upper tube telescopingly mounted at its lower
end to the upper end of said intermediate tube, said upper tube
extending upwardly to adjacent the ground surface,
b. means to close the upper end of said upper tube,
c. and detectable metallic means on the tubular portion of said
curb box and extending downwardly from near the upper end thereof
at least to adjacent the lower end of said upper tube to provide
for detection of said curb box in the event an upper portion
thereof including a portion of said detectable means becomes
accidentally sheared off and removed.
2. The installation of claim 1 in which said detectable metallic
means is continuous.
3. The installation of claim 2 wherein said continuous detectable
metallic means comprises metallic particles distributed throughout
the wall of at least said upper tube.
4. The installation of claim 2 wherein said continuous detectable
metallic means comprises an elongated metallic strip extending
longitudinally along at least said upper tube.
5. The installation of claim 1 in which said detectable metallic
means is discontinuous.
6. The installation of claim 5 wherein said discontinuous
detectable metallic means comprises a plurality of metallic blocks
spaced longitudinally along at least said upper tube.
7. The installation of claim 5 wherein said discontinuous
detectable metallic means comprises a plurality of metallic rings
encircling at least said upper tube and spaced longitudinally
therealong.
8. For use in an underground installation for protecting and
providing access to a buried service valve, the combination
comprising:
a. a non-metallic curb box adapted to be buried vertically in the
ground and comprising:
1. a bell adapted to cover the valve,
2. an elongated intermediate tube extending upwardly from said
bell,
3. and an elongated upper tube telescopingly mounted at its lower
end to the upper end of said intermediate tube, said upper tube
adapted to extend upwardly to adjacent the ground surface,
c. and detectable metallic means on both of said tubes to provide
for detection of said curb box in the event the upper tube becomes
accidentally sheared off and removed.
9. The combination of claim 8 in which said detectable metallic
means is continuous.
10. The combination of claim 8 in which said -etectable metallic
means is discontinuous.
11. The method of installing a curb box assembly which is
detectable when disposed in the ground, comprising the steps
of:
a. forming a tubular non-metallic curb box having detectable
metallic means disposed at progressively different levels from
adjacent the upper end thereof to adjacent the valve housing
therefor,
b. applying a cover to said box,
c. and burying said curb box with said detectable metallic means
extending progressively downwardly in the ground a substantial
distance from the surface thereof so that at least a portion of
said detectable means will remain with the installed curb box if an
upper section thereof is sheared off.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said curb box is formed with a
continuously extending detectable metallic means.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein said curb box is formed with a
discontinuously extending detectable metallic means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the installation of curb boxes which are
buried underground and which provide protection for and access to
underground valves for controlling the flow of fluids such as gas,
water and the like.
A curb box of the general type involved in the present invention is
disclosed in U.S. Handley Patent No. 2,931,383, issued Apr. 5, 1960
and entitled "Curb Box Having Locating Magnet Therein". In that
patent a telescoping curb box of non-magnetic material is provided
with a magnet proximate the upper end thereof so that a dip needle
or compass can be used to locate the box, should it become
completely buried.
Curb boxes of the Handley type are often installed in new building
developments prior to final grading of the land. It has been
discovered that grading bulldozers will occasionally shear off the
upper portion of such curb boxes. These upper box portions will
often be thrown a substantial distance from the remainder of the
box by the force of impact of the bulldozer blade. The remaining
box portion will be covered and no longer locatable, since the
magnet has been severed therefrom.
To the knowledge of the inventor, no way has heretofore been known
to prevent the loss of detectability when a portion of such a curb
box has been sheared off.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the discovery of a solution to
the aforementioned problem wherein the remaining buried curb box
portion will still be detectable after the upper portion is
removed.
Broadly, in accordance with the invention, a non-metallic curb box
is formed to provide detectable metallic means distributed
longitudinally along at least a major part of the upper portion
thereof. The metallic means may be either magnetic or non-magnetic,
depending upon the type of detector to be used. It may also be
continuous or discontinuous. The box is then installed in the
ground in valve protecting position, and is positioned vertically
so that if an upper portion of the box is sheared off or otherwise
accidentally removed, the remaining box portion will be detectable
because of the presence of a portion of the detectable metallic
means thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawing illustrates the best mose presently
contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a curb box of the general type
utilized in connection with the concept of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the modling of one portion of
the curb box;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the upper curb box
wall, showing one embodiment of detectable magnetic means;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the upper curb box portion and
showing a second embodiment of detectable magnetic means;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the upper curb box portion and
showing a third embodiment of detectable magnetic means;
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the upper curb box portion and
showing a fourth embodiment of detectable magnetic means;
FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the complete curb box of
FIG. 4 installed in the ground; and
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the upper box portion of FIG. 7
being sheared off by a bulldozer blade.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the concept of the invention is
utilized in connection with a curb box 1 which normally comprises a
tubular valve cover or bell 2, an elongated intermediate
cylindrical tubular portion 3, and an elongated upper cylindrical
tubular portion 4. An access cover 5 is also provided. Bell 2 and
tube 3 may be separate, or integral as shown. Tubes 3 and 4 are
adapted to telescope and may be adjustably secured together in any
suitable way, as by outer threads 6 on the upper end of tube 3 and
complementing inner threads 7 on the lower end of tube 4. The upper
end of tube 4 may also be threaded, as at 8, to receive cover
5.
The invention contemplates that bell 2 and tubes 3 and 4 are
manufactured from a suitable non-metallic, non-magnetic material
such as polyethylene with suitable fillers, if desired. Cover 5 is
preferably of the same material, but might be metallic under
certain conditions without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
Curb box 1 is formed in any suitable well-known manner. In FIG. 2,
upper tube portion 4 is shown as being formed in a mold which
includes dies 9, 10, core 11 and hopper 12 for the raw plastic. It
is contemplated that bell 2 and tube 3 would be formed in a similar
way.
In accordance with the invention, curb box 1 is formed so that
detectable metallic means is distributed longitudinally along at
least a major portion of the upper end section of curb box 1. The
drawings illustrate numerous embodiments.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, the distribution is substantially continuous. In
FIG. 3, metallic particles 13 are mixed with the raw plastic and
molded therewith into the completed upper tube 4. In FIG. 4, an
elongated longitudinal strip 14 of metal (or which includes
suitable metallic material) is disposed along the outer wall of
tube 4 and secured thereto as by retainer members 15 formed in the
tube.
In FIGS. 5 and 6, the detectable means are shown as discontinuous.
In FIG. 5, a plurality of longitudinally spaced metallic blocks 16
are ecured to tube 4, as by retaining members 17. FIG. 6 shows a
plurality of longitudinally spaced metallic rings 18 encircling
tube 4 and suitably secured as by members 19.
The detectable means of FIGS 3-6 could be imbedded in the walls of
tube 4, rather than mounted on the exterior or interior surfaces
thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
After suitable manufacture of the desired form of curb box, the box
is buried vertically in the ground 20, as shown in FIG. 7. Cover 5
is also applied and is preferably at ground level. Box 1 protects
and provides access to an underground service valve 21 or the like,
with the usual pipe connections 22 and control rod 23. The
construction provides detectable metallic means which extends
progressively vertically downwardly from adjacent the ground
surface for a substantial distance along curb box 1.
Sometimes cover 5 becomes covered with grass, soil or the like and
is not easily visible. The detectable metallic means may be
unmagnetized iron or other nonmagnetic metallic material, in which
case the presence of the box can be detected by well-known metallic
detectors such as those used for locating land mines. The inventive
concept also contemplates that the detectable metallic means may be
magnetic in nature, such as magnetized iron, in which case the box
can be found by use of a compass or the well-known dip needle.
In the event an upper portion of curb box 1 is sheared off as by a
bulldozer blade 24 (FIG. 8), cover 5 and a portion of the box may
be thrown a great distance and the remaining portion buried.
Because the detectable metallic means extends downwardly a
substantial distance along box 1, the remaining installed lower
curb box portion will still be provided with such means and will be
locatable as will the sheared off portion.
The length of upper tube portion 4 is such that bulldozing will not
normally penetrate below it. However, if tube portion 4 is short or
bulldozing operations are expected to be deep, similar detectable
metallic means can be provided on lower tube 3 and even bell 2
without departing from the spirit of the invention. See FIG. 8.
Various modes of carrying out the invention are contempleted as
being within the scope of the following claims particularly
pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is
regarded as the invention.
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