Tapered Manhole Assembly

Abstract

A tapered manhole assembly includes a manhole frame that is positionable in a roadway. The manhole frame has a first portion and a second portion each sloping downwardly from a horizontally oriented centerline of the manhole frame to match the slope of the roadway. A manhole cover is removably positioned on the manhole frame to close the manhole frame. The manhole cover has a top side and the top side is divided into a first half and a second half, each sloping downwardly from a centerline of the manhole cover. The manhole cover is oriented on the manhole frame such that each of the first and second halves of the manhole cover is coplanar with a respective one of the first and second sections of the top edge of the manhole frame. Thus, each of the first and second halves of the manhole cover match the slope of the roadway.

1 . A tapered manhole assembly being configured to be positioned in a centerline of a roadway thereby matching a crown of the roadway, said assembly comprising:
 a manhole frame being positionable in a roadway wherein said manhole frame is configured to surround an entry into a sewer line, said manhole frame having a top edge, said top edge being continuously curved about a vertical axis of said manhole frame such that said top edge forms a closed loop, said top edge having a first portion and a second portion each sloping downwardly from a horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole frame, said horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole frame being orientable to be collinear with a center line of the roadway wherein each of said first and second portions of said top edge of said manhole are configured to match the slope of a respective lane on the roadway; and   a manhole cover being removably positioned on said manhole frame to close said manhole frame, said manhole cover having a top side, said top side being divided into a first half and a second half, each of said first and second halves sloping downwardly from a centerline of said manhole cover, said manhole cover being oriented on said manhole frame such that each of said first and second halves of said manhole cover lies on a plane being coplanar with a respective one of said first and second sections of said top edge of said manhole frame wherein each of said first and second halves of said manhole cover are configured to match the slope of a respective lane on the roadway.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said manhole frame has an inner facing surface and an outer facing surface, said top edge having a slot extending downwardly therein, said slot being coextensive with said inner facing surface of said manhole frame, said slot having a lower surface. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 said top edge has a first ridge thereon, said first ridge extending between said inner facing surface and said outer facing surface, said top edge having a second ridge thereon, said second ridge extending between said inner facing surface and said outer facing surface; and   each of said first and second ridges being oriented to be collinear with said horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole such that said each of first and second ridges defines said first and second portions of said top edge of said manhole frame.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said top edge has a first mark thereon, said top edge having a second mark thereon, said first mark being positioned 180.0 degrees around said top edge from said second mark. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said manhole cover has a bottom side and a perimeter edge, said top side of said manhole cover having a spine extending across a centerline of said top side of said manhole cover to define said first and second halves of said manhole cover, each of said first and second halves sloping downwardly between said spine and said perimeter edge. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 said top side has a primary mark thereon;   said top side had a secondary mark thereon, said primary mark being positioned 180.0 around said perimeter edge from said secondary mark;   said bottom side of said manhole cover lies on said lower surface of said slot in said top side of said manhole frame when said manhole cover is positioned to close said manhole frame;   said primary mark is aligned with said first mark such that the slope of said first half said manhole cover matches the slope of said first section of said top edge of said manhole frame; and   said secondary mark is aligned with said second mark such that said second half of said manhole cover matches the slope of said second section of said top edge of said manhole frame.   
     
     
         8 . A tapered manhole assembly being configured to be positioned in a centerline of a roadway thereby matching a crown of the roadway, said assembly comprising:
 a manhole frame being positionable in a roadway wherein said manhole frame is configured to surround an entry into a sewer line, said manhole frame having a top edge, said top edge being continuously curved about a vertical axis of said manhole frame such that said top edge forms a closed loop, said top edge having a first portion and a second portion each sloping downwardly from a horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole frame, said horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole frame being orientable to be collinear with a center line of the roadway wherein each of said first and second portions of said top edge of said manhole are configured to match the slope of a respective lane on the roadway, said manhole frame having an inner facing surface and an outer facing surface, said top edge having a slot extending downwardly therein, said slot being coextensive with said inner facing surface of said manhole frame, said slot having a lower surface, said top edge having a first ridge thereon, said first ridge extending between said inner facing surface and said outer facing surface, said top edge having a second ridge thereon, said second ridge extending between said inner facing surface and said outer facing surface, each of said first and second ridges being oriented to be collinear with said horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole such that said each of first and second ridges defines said first and second portions of said top edge of said manhole, said top edge having a first mark thereon, said top edge having a second mark thereon, said first mark being positioned 180.0 degrees around said top edge from said second mark;   a flange being coupled a bottom edge of said manhole frame; and   a manhole cover being removably positioned on said manhole frame to close said manhole frame, said manhole cover having a top side, said top side being divided into a first half and a second half, each of said first and second halves sloping downwardly from a centerline of said manhole cover, said manhole cover being oriented on said manhole frame such that each of said first and second halves of said manhole cover lies on a plane being coplanar with a respective one of said first and second sections of said top edge of said manhole frame wherein each of said first and second halves of said manhole cover are configured to match the slope of a respective lane on the roadway, said manhole cover having a bottom side and a perimeter edge, said top side of said manhole cover having a spine extending across a centerline of said top side of said manhole cover to define said first and second halves of said manhole cover, each of said first and second halves sloping downwardly between said spine and said perimeter edge, said top side having a primary mark thereon, said top side having a secondary mark thereon, said primary mark being positioned 180.0 around said perimeter edge from said secondary mark, said bottom side of said manhole cover lying on said lower surface of said slot in said top side of said manhole frame when said manhole cover is positioned to close said manhole frame, said primary mark being aligned with said first mark such that the slope of said first half said manhole cover matches the slope of said first section of said top edge of said manhole frame, said secondary mark being aligned with said second mark such that said second half of said manhole cover matches the slope of said second section of said top edge of said manhole frame.   
     
     
         9 . A method of installing a manhole on a centerline of a roadway and having the manhole match the slope of each lane in the roadway, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a manhole frame, said manhole frame comprising:
 a top edge, said top edge being continuously curved about a vertical axis of said manhole frame such that said top edge forms a closed loop, said top edge having a first portion and a second portion each sloping downwardly from a horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole frame, said horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole being oriented to be collinear with a center line of the roadway wherein each of said first and second portions of said top edge of said manhole are configured to match the slope of a respective lane on the roadway, said manhole frame having an inner facing surface and an outer facing surface, said top edge having a slot extending downwardly therein, said slot being coextensive with said inner facing surface of said manhole frame, said slot having a lower surface, said top edge having a first ridge thereon, said first ridge extending between said inner facing surface and said outer facing surface, said top edge having a second ridge thereon, said second ridge extending between said inner facing surface and said outer facing surface, each of said first and second ridges being oriented to be collinear with said horizontally oriented centerline of said manhole such that said each of first and second ridges defines said first and second portions of said top edge of said manhole, said top edge having a first mark thereon, said top edge having a second mark thereon, said first mark being positioned 180.0 degrees around said top edge from said second mark; and 
   digging a hole in the roadway surrounding a sewer pipe entry;   placing said manhole frame around the sewer pipe enter such that said top edge of said manhole frame is aligned with a top surface of the roadway;   rotating said manhole frame such that said horizontal centerline of said manhole frame is aligned with and is oriented collinear with the centerline of the roadway;   placing said manhole cover in said slot in said manhole frame to close said manhole frame and rotating said manhole cover in said manhole frame to align said first mark with said primary mark and to align said second mark with said secondary mark such that said spine on said manhole cover is aligned with and is oriented collinear with the centerline of the roadway; and   placing a filler in the hole in the roadway between said outer facing surface of said manhole frame and an edge of the hole, sloping the filler on each side of the centerline of the roadway and thereby matching the slope of said first section of said manhole frame, said first half of said manhole cover, said second section of said manhole frame and said second half of said manhole cover wherein each of said manhole frame and said manhole cover are configured to seamlessly integrate into the slope of the respective lane in the roadway.