Cover assembly

Abstract

The present application provides a cover assembly having a frame and a cover removably connected to the frame. The cover is sealed to the frame by a sealing device, and the cover is removably connected to the frame by fasteners without interfering with the seal to prevent leakage through the area around the fasteners. The frame and cover each also have a plurality of alignment indicators that are aligned with one another to assist an operator in securing the cover to the frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cover assembly comprising:
 a frame including:
 a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface defining a through passage; and 
 a lip extending inward from the inner surface around a circumference of the inner surface, the lip having a main body portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobes or frame lobe receiving areas extending from the main body portion; and 
   a cover configured to be removably connected to the frame, the covering having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to abut the lip, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobes or cover lobe receiving areas,   wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobes or cover lobes align and mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobe receiving areas or frame lobe receiving areas to seat the cover against the lip.   
     
     
         2 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip includes the plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobe receiving areas and the cover includes the plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobes. 
     
     
         3 . The cover assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobes extend outward from an outer periphery of the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The cover assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the inner and outer surfaces of the body extend outward at defined positions to define the circumferentially spaced frame lobe receiving areas. 
     
     
         5 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip includes the plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobes and the cover includes the plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobe receiving areas. 
     
     
         6 . The cover assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobes extend inward from the main body portion. 
     
     
         7 . The cover assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the cover lobe receiving areas extend from the lower surface of the cover. 
     
     
         8 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip has an upper surface defining a circumferential groove, and wherein the cover assembly further includes a sealing device disposed within the groove. 
     
     
         9 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is removably connected to the frame without interfering with the seal. 
     
     
         10 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes one or more studs extending from the lower surface for attaching a monitoring/detection device. 
     
     
         11 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame further includes a flange extending around the outer surface of the body, the flange having one or more slots for anchoring the frame to a manhole. 
     
     
         12 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a depression in the upper surface and the assembly further includes a pick bar secured to the upper surface of the cover above the depression, and wherein the depression/pick bar form an area for receiving a tool to allow a user to remove the cover from the frame. 
     
     
         13 . The cover assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a plurality of alignment indicators on its upper surface, wherein the cover includes a plurality of alignment indicators on its upper surface, and wherein each of the alignment indicators on the cover is configured to be aligned with one of the alignment indicators on the body. 
     
     
         14 . A cover assembly comprising:
 a frame including:
 a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface defining a through passage; and 
 a lip extending inward from the inner surface around a circumference of the inner surface, the lip having a main body portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobe receiving areas extending outward from the main body portion; and 
   a cover configured to be removably connected to the frame, the covering having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to abut the lip, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobes extending outward from an outer periphery of the cover and configured to align and mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobe receiving areas to seat the cover against the lip.   
     
     
         15 . The cover assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner and outer surfaces of the body extend outward at defined positions to define the circumferentially spaced frame lobe receiving areas. 
     
     
         16 . The cover assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the lip has an upper surface defining a circumferential groove, and wherein the cover assembly further includes a sealing device disposed within the groove. 
     
     
         17 . The cover assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the circumferential groove is radially inwardly spaced from the plurality of circumferentially spaced frame lobe receiving areas. 
     
     
         18 . The cover assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the cover is removably connected to the frame without interfering with the seal. 
     
     
         19 . A cover assembly comprising:
 a frame including:
 a body having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface defining a through passage; and 
 a lip extending inward from the inner surface around a circumference of the inner surface, the lip having a main body portion extending inward from the inner surface, a plurality of circumferentially spaced lobes or lobe receiving areas extending inward or outward respectively from the main body portion, and a circumferential groove that extends around the main body portion; 
   a sealing device disposed within the groove; and   a cover configured to be removably connected to the frame, wherein a lower surface of the cover is configured to abut the upper surface of the lip and seal to the frame via the sealing device,   wherein the cover is configured to be removably connected to the frame without interfering with the seal.   
     
     
         20 . The cover assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the lip includes the plurality of circumferentially spaced lobe receiving areas and the cover includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced cover lobes to align and mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of circumferentially spaced lobe receiving areas.