DEVICE FOR CLOSING A FRAME HAVING A PANEL ARTICULATED ON THE FRAME

Abstract

A device for closing a frame, which has a panel mounted removably on and articulated on the frame includes a hook that has, at an end part, a heel that can stop against a surface of the articulation edge of the frame to immobilize the panel in a secure open upright position, generally perpendicular to the frame. The invention can be applied to roads.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The invention will be better understood, and other aims, characteristics, details and advantages of it will appear more clearly in the course of the following explanatory description in reference to the appended drawings given only as examples illustrating an embodiment of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial view in perspective of a road fitting with a panel mounted in a removable manner articulated to a frame;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of the circled part in II [sic] of FIG. 1 without the panel;

FIG. 3 is a front view according to arrow III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the hook for articulation of the panel to the frame of the road fitting;

FIG. 5 is a partial view in section of the device of the invention according to line V-V of FIG. 1, with the panel occupying its position for closing the frame;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 and representing the tilting of the panel from its closing position to its position for opening the frame;

FIG. 7 represents the panel in its overturned opening position with respect to the frame;

FIG. 8 shows the possibility for mounting the panel in the frame or removing the panel from the frame in the overturned opening position of this panel;

FIG. 9 shows the upright position for immobilization of the panel with respect to the frame following accidental tilting of the panel from its overturned opening position; and

FIG. 10 shows the releasing of the panel from its upright position of FIG. 9 without possibility of extraction of the panel from this frame.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A device for closing a frame comprising: a first hinge pin connected to the frame: anda panel mounted on and articulated with respect to the frame and including a hook connected to the panel, the hook having a first lateral opening defined by internal inclined surfaces cooperating with the first hinge pin, the hook being engageable with the first hinge pin in the first lateral opening for pivoting of the panel from an opening position to a closing position, closing the frame and in which the panel is received in a peripheral rim of the frame, contacting a rabbet of the frame, wherein the first hinge pin includes a first planar surface which, with respect to the frame, has an inclination greater than a right angle,the first lateral opening of the hook extends, at an end of the hook, through a first guide of reduced cross sectional area for engagement with and disengagement from the first hinge pin in the first lateral opening of the hook by movement of the panel relative to the frame, in the opening position of the panel, at a specific angle of inclination of the panel relative to the frame, the specific angle of inclination being determined by the planar surface of the first hinge pin, so that the panel can be mounted on or removed from the frame only when rotated beyond the opening position,the hook and the first hinge pin allow free tilting of the panel beyond the opening position,the hook, at an end part, has a heel for contacting a steep side of an articulation edge of the frame to immobilize the panel in a secure open upright position, generally perpendicular to the frame, when the panel is tilted beyond the opening position, andthe first hinge pin and the inclined internal surfaces of the first lateral opening of the hook cooperate to prevent removal of the panel from the frame when the panel is in the secure open upright position from the frame, while permitting tilting of the panel to the closing position from the secure open upright position.

13. The device according to claim 12, comprising: a second hinge pin connected to the frame, wherein the hook has a second lateral opening, separated from the first lateral opening by a part of the hook and having inclined internal surfaces that cooperate with the second hinge pin, for engaging the second lateral opening of the hook to control pivoting of the panel from the opening position to the closing position,the second hinge pin has at least one planar surface with the same inclination as the planar surface of the first hinge pin, andthe second lateral opening of the hook extends from the hook through a second guide having a reduced cross sectional area for engagement with and disengagement from the second hinge pin in the second lateral opening of the hook by movement of the panel with respect to the frame, when beyond the opening position, the second hinge pin and the inclination of the second lateral opening of the hook preventing removal from the frame of the panel when the panel is in the secure open upright position.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the first and second hinge pins are coaxial.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein each of the first and second hinge pins has a second planar surface, opposite and parallel to the first planar surface.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the articulation edge of the frame has a lower planar surface inclined downward and away from the frame and having an end inclined toward the frame with a stop surface for contacting the heel of the hook.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein, in the secure open upright position of the panel, the hook rests on a surface adjacent on an inclined surface of the frame and is stopped by a corresponding inclined surface of the first and second lateral openings of the corresponding first and second hinge pins.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein, when the panel is tilted beyond the opening position, the panel rests on an external surface on an upper inclined surface of a rim of the frame and is stopped from rotation by a corresponding guide with reduced cross section in contact with one of the first and second hinge pins.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein the heel of the hook includes a cam on an external lower corner that cooperates with an inclined surface of the frame to control the pivoting of the panel.

20. The device according to claim 13, wherein the articulation edge of the frame includes a lug projecting outside the frame for receiving the hook, and each of the first and second hinge pins is within and transverse to the lug.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the panel is circular, the hook extends radially from the panel, and the lug is connected radially to the frame.

22. The device according to claim 12, wherein the panel, when tilted beyond the opening position, is inclined at an angle in a range from 110° to 120°, with respect to the frame.