Patent Application
20210301484
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The disclosure relates to culvert transitioning devices and more particularly pertains to a new culvert transitioning device for lining a ditch proximate to an end of a culvert.
The prior art relates to culvert transitioning devices. Prior art devices that cover a surface proximate to an end of culvert may comprise a panel having an aperture positioned therethrough.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an end panel, which has an orifice positioned therein, and a pair of side panels. The orifice is configured for insertion of a terminal segment of a culvert that extends into a ditch. A first face of the end panel is in substantial abutment with an end embankment of the ditch. Each side panel is coupled to a respective opposed end of the end panel and extends substantially perpendicularly therefrom. The pair of the side panels is configured to line side embankments of the ditch, proximate to the end embankment. The end embankment and the lined portions of the side embankments thus no longer require lawn care, such as mowing, trimming, and weeding.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
Each side panel 16 is coupled to a respective opposed end 20 of the end panel 12 and extends substantially perpendicularly therefrom. The pair of the side panels 16 is configured to line side embankments of the ditch, proximate to the end embankment. The end embankment and the lined portions of the side embankments thus no longer require lawn care, such as mowing, trimming, and weeding. The pair of side panels 16 and the end panel 12 may be textured and thus configured to mimic walls that comprises a plurality of stones, as shown in
A tube 22 is coupled to the end panel 12 and extends from the orifice 14. The tube 22 extends codirectionally with the side panels 16 from the end panel 12. The tube 22 is configured for insertion of the terminal segment of the culvert. A fastener 24 is engaged to the tube 22 and is configured to engage the culvert to fixedly couple the tube 22 to the terminal segment of the culvert. The fastener 24 may comprise a ring clamp 26, or other fastening means, such as, but not limited to, screws, adhesives, and the like.
The device 10 may comprise a plaque 28, which is selectively engageable to the end panel 12. The plaque 28 has indicia 30 coupled thereto, which are configured to indicate a location, such as an address, of the culvert. The present invention anticipates at least one of the plaque 28 and the indicia 30 being reflective of light that impinges thereupon, which would render the indicia 30 more viewable in low light conditions.
The end panel 12 has an end lip 32 coupled thereto and extending from an upper limit 34 thereof past the first face 18. The end lip 32 is configured to abut a top of the end embankment, as shown in
Each side panel 16 has a side lip 38 coupled thereto and extending from an upper end 40 thereof. The side lips 38 extend opposingly from the pair of side panels 16. Each side lip 38 is configured to abut a top face of a respective side embankment, as shown in
The device 10 may comprise a corner connector 46, which is configured to engage a side tab 44 of a respective side lip 38, proximate to the first end 42 of an associated side panel 16. The corner connector 46 is configured to engage the end lip 32 of the end panel 12 to couple the respective side lip 38 to the end lip 32. The corner connector 46 would be employed in event the end panel 12 is cut to size to fit the end embankment of the ditch, as doing so would remove the end tab 36.
The corner connector 46 may comprise a corner sleeve 48, which is L-shaped. The corner sleeve 48 is configured to be screwed to the respective side lip 38 and the end lip 32 to couple the respective side lip 38 to the end lip 32. For example, the corner sleeve 48, the side tab 44, and the end tab 36 can be drilled and screwed, or a self-tapping screw could be used without prior drilling. The present invention also anticipates the corner sleeve 48 and the side tab 44 being predrilled, as well as other coupling means for coupling the corner sleeve 48 to the side tab 44 and to the end tab 36, such as, but not limited to, adhesives, clamps, and the like.
The device 10 may comprise a pair of side extenders 50. Each side extender 50 is selectively engageable to an associated side panel 16, so that the side extender 50 extends substantially coplanarly from the associated side panel 16. The side extender 50 is configured to extend the lining of a respective side embankment. The side extender 50 has an extender lip 52 coupled thereto and extending from a top limit 54 thereof. The extender lips 52 extend opposingly from the pair of side extenders 50. Each extender lip 52 is configured to abut the top face of a respective side embankment.
A side connector 56 is configured to engage a respective side panel 16, proximate to a second end 66 of the respective side panel 16, and to engage an associated side extender 50, to couple the respective side panel 16 to the associated side extender 50. The side connector 56 may comprise a side plate 58, which has a pair of side channels 60 extending thereinto from side edges 62 thereof. One of the side channels 60 is positioned for insertion of the respective side panel 16 and the other of the side channels 60 is positioned for insertion of the associated side extender 50. The side plate 58 is configured to be screwed to the respective side panel 16 and the associated side extender 50 to couple the respective side panel 16 to the associated side extends panel. For example, the side plate 58, the respective side panel 16, and the associated side extender 50 can be drilled and screwed, or a self-tapping screw could be used without prior drilling. The present invention also anticipates the side plate 58, the respective side panel 16, and the associated side extender 50 being predrilled, as well as other coupling means for coupling the corner sleeve 48 to the side plate 58 to the respective side panel 16 and the associated side extender 50, such as, but not limited to, adhesives, clamps, and the like.
The device 10 may comprise a lip connector 64, which is configured to engage a side lip 38 of a respective side panel 16, proximate to the second end 66 of the respective side panel 16. The lip connector 64 also is configured to engage the extender lip 52 of an associated side extender 50 to couple the side lip 38 to the extender lip 52. The lip connector 64 may comprise a lip sleeve 68, which is configured for insertion of the side lip 38 and the extender lip 52, proximate to an abutment point 70 thereof. The lip sleeve 68 is configured to be screwed to the side lip 38 and the extender lip 52 to couple the side lip 38 to the extender lip 52. For example, the lip connector 64, the side lip 38, and the extender lip 52 can be drilled and screwed, or a self-tapping screw could be used without prior drilling. The present invention also anticipates the lip connector 64, the side lip 38, and the extender lip 52 being predrilled, as well as other coupling means for coupling the lip connector 64 to the side lip 38 and to the extender lip 52, such as, but not limited to, adhesives, clamps, and the like.
The device 10 may comprise a bottom panel 72, which is coupled to and which extends between the pair of side panels 16. The bottom panel 72 is configured to cover a bottom of the ditch. A bottom extender 74 is selectively positionable between the pair of side extenders 50 and selectively engageable to the bottom panel 72 to extend the covering of the bottom of the ditch.
The device 10 may comprise a bottom connector 76, which is configured to engage the bottom panel 72 and the bottom extender 74 to couple the bottom extender 74 to the bottom panel 72. The bottom connector 76 may comprise a bottom plate 78, which has a pair of bottom channels 80 extending thereinto from side limits 82 thereof. One of the bottom channels 80 is positioned for insertion of the bottom panel 72 and the other of the bottom channels 80 is positioned for insertion of the bottom extender 74. The bottom plate 78 is configured to be screwed to the bottom panel 72 and the bottom extender 74 to couple the bottom panel 72 to the bottom extender 74. For example, the bottom plate 78, the bottom panel 72, and the bottom extender 74 can be drilled and screwed, or a self-tapping screw could be used without prior drilling. The present invention also anticipates the bottom plate 78, the bottom panel 72, and the bottom extender 74 being predrilled, as well as other coupling means for coupling the bottom plate 78 to the bottom panel 72 and to the bottom extender 74, such as, but not limited to, adhesives, clamps, and the like.
The device 10 may comprise a rod 84, which has opposing ends 86. Each opposing end 86 is configured to selectively couple to a respective side extender 50 so that the rod 84 extends between the pair of side extenders 50, as shown in
In use, the terminal segment of the culvert is inserted into the tube 22 so the first face 18 of the end panel 12 is positioned in abutment to the end embankment. The ring clamp 26 then is tightened to secure the tube 22 to the culvert. The side panels 16 extend from the end panel 12 and line the side embankments of the ditch. If desired, the side extenders 50 can be added to the side panels 16 to extend the lining of the side embankments further from the end embankment.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
