OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a continuous channel for collecting rainwater and/or
liquids originating in different installations, completed with a grating or blank
lid mounted on the top side in a manner whereby it folds down on the channel itself,
grating or lid which is capable of occupying a horizontal or working position, covering
the channel and permitting water to enter therein, or else occupy a folded-up or open
position to permit any type of operation to be carried out on the channel.
[0002] The object of the invention is to provide a continuous channel with its corresponding
grating or lid, the latter being joined to the channel itself by means of a hinge
which permits the pertinent closing or opening of the former without having to detach
said grating or lid from the channel, having no requirement for lock-screws therefor.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0003] Channels built into paving, for example, at the base of a garage ramp, in front of
the garage door, and intended to collect rainwater, are completed with a grating which
closes the channel opening.
[0004] Said grating is usually fastened to the channel by means of screws which in some
cases run through the actual frame of the grating and thread into the surround provided
for this purpose in the opening of the channel, whilst in other cases the screws traverse
the grating itself, as well as small plates or cross-pieces fitted transversally for
this purpose in the channel, in order to fix said grating in position by means of
corresponding nuts threaded onto the screws in question.
[0005] In this respect mention can be made of the French patent 1.599.317 and European patent
0 151 684 A1, in which a description is provided of a water-collecting channel with
the form described above, with a grating which, in the first case, is held to the
opening of the channel by means of some vertical pins joined to the grating and having
their lower extremity finished in a sideways extension, so that on turning said pins
said extension fits into a ready-made recess in the surround of the channel, thereby
achieving the fastening or clamping of the grating to the channel, whilst in the European
patent, the fastening of the grating to the channel is done by means of screws passing
through the former and threaded into small plates arranged transversally in the upper
part or opening of the channel.
[0006] In either case, the use of pieces of screw-work for fastening the grating in position,
implies a series of problems or inconveniences, among which the following are to be
found:
- Need to handle screws both for assembly and dismantling, with the ensuing loss of
time.
- Screws are on occasion lost, or else the nuts, washers, etc., and in other cases,
after completing the assembly, with the passing of time, the screws become rusted,
to the extent that dismantling sometimes is made impossible.
- The separating of the grating from the channel has to be done manually, and as a result
of the weight of the latter in wide, large-capacity channels, at least two or more
persons are necessary to perform such lifting or, in the event, assembly operations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The continuous drainage channel with folding blank lid or grating proposed herein,
has been conceived in order to provide a fully satisfactory solution to the aforementioned
drawbacks, on the basis of a straightforward and effective solution, based on the
grating or lid being mounted on the channel in a foldable manner, i.e., it can rotate
by being fixed to a hinge, specifically at two points, in order to achieve perfect
alignment in the turning motion of the grating with respect to the channel, both when
opening and closing.
[0008] Hereinafter when mention is made of the grating, it is to be understood it is also
applicable to a blank lid.
[0009] The folding action of the grating and/or lid hinge with respect to the channel does
not require the use of screws and makes possible its opening and closing without having
to remove the grating, only rotate it upwards or downwards, which can be achieved
easily and without force.
[0010] Loss of screws does not occur, nor problems with screws rusting, nor is time lost
in assembly and/or dismantling or, in other words, in opening and closing operations,
etc.
[0011] As for the channel itself, this is formed preferably from polymeric concrete and
in contact with its upper edge, along one of its longitudinal sides, it comes ready-fitted
with a piece or surround to which is fastened, by means of screws and indefinitely,
a second piece which with the former determines an upwardly-oriented housing with
a partly closed opening, which permits entry of the grating hinge pin, said entry
only being possible when the grating is in its fully upright position, and impeding
its exit when said grating is folded downwards into the horizontal position, or also
when rotated to an open position in which it is at an angle of 135°, i.e., greater
than 90°, detachment of the grating from the channel is likewise prevented.
[0012] In contact with the opposite side, the grating rests directly on another cast surround
similar to the hinge side surround, but having the peculiarity that it has a deformation
on a basis of which, and complementing the piece already mentioned, the housing with
partly closed opening is determined for the hinge. However, on this side, the grating
has a through-hole for a transversal bolt which can slide and is be fitted into a
blind hole provided for this purpose on that side of the channel, specifically in
the finishing piece of said side.
[0013] Thus, the grating performs its function like any standard grating, but having the
advantage that it is held to the channel without any need for screws or other elements,
and is furthermore capable of being opened without any requirement for dismantling
or detaching from the channel, it only being necessary to rotate it upwards.
[0014] It is to be pointed out that the grating, independently of the structure which it
has, shall incorporate non-slip dressing and safety stops, both where it rests against
the finishing pieces that form the frame of the channel and on the upper outside facing
of said grating.
[0015] For those cases in which it is necessary to raise the level of the pavement, the
channel can be retained without any alteration whatsoever, even with its upper and
initial finishing piece or surround, there being for this purpose ancillary fittings
which constitute a type of shoe similar to the special upper finishing pieces of the
channel which, in this case of raising the level of the pavement, would be positioned
on the top of the channel, fulfilling the same functions, by having similar characteristics,
as those originally fitted on the channel opening, and on which ancillary pieces by
way of shoes the grating in question is mounted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In order to complete the description being made and to assist in a better understanding
of the features of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of a practical
embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached in which are shown, for illustrative
but not restrictive ends, the following:
Figure 1.- Shows a transversal cross section of a channel with its corresponding grating
in the closed position, said section being level with one of the hinges and level
with the bolt, all of this being in accordance with the object of the invention.
Figure 2.- Shows a similar view to that of the previous figure, in this case with
the grating in the open position.
Figure 3.- Shows a plan, or top view of the grating.
Figure 4.- Shows in detail, a section with the ancillary pieces employed when the
pavement level is raised, said complements being positioned superimposed on the original
upper finishing pieces of the channel.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0017] As can be seen from the figures of reference, the channel of the invention, having
the general reference (1), comes already fitted with the pieces (2-2'), said pieces
being step-shaped in both cases, the first having an elbow (3) defining a short inward-projecting
lip.
[0018] On said finishing piece (2) is fastened, by means of screw bolts (4), a special piece
(5) which in part is flush against the internal side facing of the finishing piece
(2) and, in part, via a horizontal web (6), rests on the step defined in the former,
piece (5) which also comes with an extension (7) situated opposite the elbow (3) of
piece (2), defining the partly closed opening (8) of the housing (9) formed between
the repeated pieces (2) and (5), with the particularity that through said throat (8)
it is possible to insert/extract the pin (10) of a hinge of the grating (11), so that
in the horizontal or closed position of the latter, as is shown in figure 1, it proves
impossible to detach it from the channel (1), i.e., the element or elements of the
hinge (10) cannot come out through the throat opening (8) of the housings (9) in which
they are lodged, a similar situation existing in the fully open position as is shown
in figure 2, said position corresponding to a folded-back angle of 135°. In order
to insert and extract the pin of the hinge (10) through the throat opening (8), the
grating (11) has to be completely upright.
[0019] On the opposite side, the corresponding piece (2') is of identical shape to that
of finishing piece (2), but lacks the lip (3), so that on this piece (2') the opposite
edge (12) of the grating (11) rests directly, in which edge there is a transversal
orifice (13) in which is situated a bolt (14) or latch pin which fits into a blind
hole provided for this purpose in the finishing piece (2') of the channel (1), said
hole having reference number (15).
[0020] The grating (11), in addition to the pair of hinge (15) elements mentioned above,
and the orifice (13) for the bolt (14) or latch pin, can come with non-slip safety
stops (16), as well as with slots (17), also anti-slipping.
[0021] Returning to the bolt (14) or latch pin, this can be operated manually in order to
fasten the grating (11) to the channel (1), in the former's closed position, as well
as to unlock it, it being furthermore possible to incorporate a spring which acts
to retain said bolt (14) in the hole (15) of the channel.
[0022] Finally, it is to be noted that if, with the passage of time, it becomes necessary
to raise the pavement or ground level, due to it having been poorly maintained, and
as a consequence of such repair work it results that the inspection holes gradually
become lower than the new pavement levels, in anticipation of this problem, provision
is made of ancillary pieces (2a) and (2'a), like finishing pieces, having the same
shape as the original pieces (2-2') mentioned previously, so that when raising of
the pavement occurs, as is shown in figure 4, it is sufficient to insert said ancillary
pieces (2a-2'a) mounting them directly on top of finishing pieces (2-2'), the former
then constituting the means of assembling the pertinent grating (11), in the same
manner as previously explained, it being possible to see in the said figure 4 how,
on top of the ancillary piece (2a) and marked with dashed lines, the piece (5) would
be mounted, in like manner to that explained above, to constitute the housing for
the grating hinges.
1. Drainage channel with folding grating or cover, which being of the type installed
in the ground for collecting rainwater or other liquids, channel which is continuous
and is fitted with the corresponding top-closing cover or grating, is characterised
in that in contact with the opening of the channel (1) finishing pieces (2-2') are
provided for mounting the pertinent grating (11), having the particularity that to
finishing piece (2) is attached a piece (5) which forms with the latter a housing
(9) with partly closed upper opening (8), through which it is possible to insert some
hinge elements (10) incorporated on the grating (11), when the latter is in the upright
position, preventing such elements (10) from coming out of the housing (9) constituted
between the pieces (2) and (5) when the grating (11) is in any position other than
upright.
2. Drainage channel with folding grating or cover, in accordance with claim 1, characterised
in that the piece (2') mounted on the side opposite to the piece (2) in which are
fitted the elements of hinge (10) for the grating (1), has an orifice (15) for the
insertion of a latch pin or bolt (14) mounted transversally in a sliding arrangement
in an orifice or passage (13) provided for this purpose in the edge of the grating
(11) opposite to that of the grating hinge.
3. Drainage channel with folding grating or cover, in accordance with preceding claims,
characterised in that the finishing piece (2) is stepped and at its upper end has
an inwardly pointing elbow (3) facing an extension (7) in the piece (5) fastened to
the former, determining between said elbow (3) and extension (7) the partly closed
opening (8) of the housing (9) in which are fitted the hinge elements (10) of the
grating (11), provision having been made for a horizontal web (6) of the piece (5)
to rest on said piece (2).
4. Drainage channel with folding grating or cover, in accordance with claims 1 and 2,
characterised in that the piece (2') has a stepped shape, and lacks the upper elbowed
end (3), the corresponding edge of the grating (11) resting on the step of said piece
(2').
5. Drainage channel with folding grating or cover, in accordance with preceding claims,
characterised in that ancillary pieces (2a-2'a) are also included with the intention
that, in the event of works which raise the level of the pavement, they can be mounted
on top of the original finishing pieces (2-2'), the former then constituting the grating
(11) assembly means.