|
|
Frequently Asked Questions:
Lift & Lock  Manhole Covers
Where can I use the Lift & Lock manhole cover?
Any new or existing manhole cover can be machined to include
the lock bolts and the angular pick hole. The Lift & Lock manhole
design can be used on sewer manholes, water gate manholes, telecommunications
or telephone manholes, and other utility manholes.
How does the lock bolt secure the manhole cover?
When you tighten the lock bolts, they push against the frame creating a strong frictional force between the frame and the manhole cover. This is similar to the retainer rings used to hold the joints of iron pressure pipe together.
Why can’t I bolt the manhole cover directly to the frame?
You can but there are some disadvantages:
·
The utility worker will need to wrestle with the heavy manhole cover to line up the holes in the manhole cover with the holes in the frame. Sometimes it takes up to 15 minutes to accomplish this. When this happens, some utility workers may decide to leave the manhole cover unbolted.
·
The bolt holes can become filled with dirt or the threads can be stripped in the process of replacing the bolts.
·
The utility worker must completely remove the bolts to remove the manhole cover. Once they are removed, the bolts can be lost, misplaced, or dropped in the manhole.
How will I avoid these problems with the Lift & Lock manhole?
There are no bolt holes to line up. The lock bolts only need to be loosened to remove the manhole cover. They do not need to be removed
How secure is the Lift & Lock manhole?
You can select the level of security: hexagon-headed bolts, five-sided bolts, or keyed bolts. The bolts can be interchanged as the need for security changes.
·
To loosen the hexagon-headed bolts, you need a standard socket wrench of the proper size. This provides the most accessibility for routine maintenance.
·
To loosen the five-sided bolts, you need a special five-sided wrench of the proper size. This level of security is similar to fire hydrants where a five-sided wrench is needed to turn on the water.
·
To loosen the high security bolts; you need a keyed wrench having a registered private or exclusive key code. Millions of key variations are available.
Can a utility worker easily remove the Lift & Lock manhole once the lock bolts are loosened?
Yes. The worker can remove the manhole cover using a standard pick. Because the pick hole is at an angle, the worker can lift the manhole cover just enough to take it off its seat and then simply slide it off the frame. She/he will not need to lift the entire weight of the manhole cover. There is less chance for back injury, pinched fingers, and bruised shins. Removing heavy manhole covers is the major source of injury in some utilities. Workers compensation costs should be lower.
Do we need to replace both the frame and the cover to get the benefits of the Lift & Lock manhole cover?
Only the manhole cover needs to be machined or replaced. You save a lot of money on the reconstruction because you do not need to disturb and restore the pavement or ground. The old manhole frame can remain in place.
How can we get the Lift & Lock manhole covers for our utility?
Here are just three of the ways to handle a typical project:
1. You could add the manhole cover machining to the specifications of your next utility rehabilitation project. The contractor would include the manhole cover handling and barricades as part of the overall project. Depending on the size of the project, the cost for the contractor’s work could be minimal.
2. If you have a standard model of manhole cover, such as a 1040 East Jordan, we would machine new manhole covers and deliver them to your community. We would replace the existing manhole covers with the new, machined covers, one by one.
3. You take care of the machining of the manhole covers yourself using a local machine shop. In that case, we could license your community to machine its manhole covers in accordance with the patented design for $15 per manhole cover. We would provide the drawings and specifications to the machine shop.
How much does it cost to machine an existing manhole cover to the Lift & Lock specifications?
The cost for machining a 1040 East Jordan manhole cover is $139 including two stainless steel lock bolts. The cover removal, the cover replacement, barricades, pickup, and delivery are not included.
Will rainwater enter the pick hole opening?
You can insert a wooden plug in the pick hole to keep rainwater out of the manhole. You can buy a standard 7/8-inch round wood dowel at the hardware store and cut it into short pieces to make the plugs. The disposable plug fits snugly into the pick hole to keep the water out. When you want to remove the manhole cover, you can push the disposable plug into the manhole with the pick. You will not become dependent on the supplier of a specially manufactured plug.
What if the utility worker forgets to tighten one of the lock bolts?
The head of the loosened bolt will not affect tire traffic because it does not protrude above the top surface of the manhole cover.
|
|
|
