Swing arm assemblies for utility vaults

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874710-B2
Application number	US-201715451577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2017
Priority date	Oct 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Swing arm assemblies for providing access to wiring enclosures are described that provide convenient one handed operation and the ability to temporarily fix the enclosure at a telescoped height and optionally in a rotated position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A swing arm assembly comprising:
a mounting bracket mountable on a vault enclosure side wall, the mounting bracket being configured to form a mounting angle relative to a line perpendicular to the vault enclosure side wall of from 10 and 30 degrees;
an inner tube connected to the mounting bracket for pivoting movement between a closed position and a lower position; and
an outer tube positioned over the inner tube for telescoping movement between the lower position and an upper position.

2. The swing arm assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer tube is further positioned over the inner tube so that the outer tube has a rotational movement between the upper position and a service position.

3. The swing arm assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a wiring enclosure mounted to the outer tube.

4. The swing arm assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a plunger biased through the outer tube towards the inner tube and a slot in the inner tube remote from the mounting bracket, the plunger having a distal end that is received in the slot when the outer tube is telescopically moved with respect to the inner tube to the upper position to secure the outer tube in the upper position, the distal end sliding in the slot when the outer tube is rotationally moved with respect to the inner tube between the upper and service positions.

5. The swing arm assembly of claim 4 , wherein the slot is configured to allow 360 degrees of rotation.

6. The swing arm assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner tube has a slot remote from the mounting bracket.

7. The swing arm assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slot further comprises a locking portion running in a longitudinal direction at the service position, the distal end being received in the locking portion to secure the outer tube in the service position.

8. The swing arm assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slot is formed through the inner tube and has a remaining portion of the inner tube.

9. The swing arm assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slot has a length in a circumferential direction that allows for rotational movement of up to 180 degrees.

10. The swing arm assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slot comprises a recess defined in an outer diameter of the inner tube.

11. The swing arm assembly of claim 6 , wherein the slot comprises a first side defined by an upper edge of the inner tube and a second side defined by a cap secured in an inner diameter of the inner tube.

12. The swing arm assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a latch to releasably secure the inner tube in the lower position.

13. A vault assembly comprising:
a utility vault for receipt of telecommunication cables;
a mounting bracket mounted on a wall of the utility vault;
an inner tube connected to the mounting bracket for pivoting movement between a closed position and a lower position, the mounting bracket forming a mounting angle relative to a line perpendicular to the wall of from 10 and 30 degrees; and
an outer tube positioned over the inner tube for telescoping movement between the lower position and an upper position and for rotational movement from the upper position to a service position.

14. The vault assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a wiring enclosure mounted to the outer tube, the wiring enclosure being configured to receive the telecommunication cables.

15. The vault assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a plunger biased through the outer tube towards the inner tube and a slot in the inner tube remote from the mounting bracket, the plunger having a distal end that is received in the slot when the outer tube is telescopically moved with respect to the inner tube to the upper position to secure the outer tube in the upper position, the distal end sliding in the slot when the outer tube is rotationally moved with respect to the inner tube between the upper and service positions.

16. The vault assembly of claim 13 , wherein the slot is configured to allow 360 degrees of rotation.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Adams Jonathan Oral

Classifications

• G02B6/504 Primary

  Installation in solid material, e.g. underground · CPC title

• G02B6/445 Primary

  with lateral pivoting cover · CPC title

• H02G9/10

  in cable chambers, e.g. in manhole or in handhole · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• H02G15/10

  protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes · CPC title