Adjustable cover for roadway opening

Abstract

A manhole cover system for a roadway includes a rotationally fixed outer support securable to an interior of a roadway opening, and an inner sleeve positioned inside of the outer support. The outer support and the inner sleeve share a common central axis. A manhole cover is located at an upper vertical end of the inner sleeve, and a threaded arrangement including a support thread of the outer support is engaged with a complimentary sleeve thread of the inner sleeve, such that rotation of the inner sleeve about the central axis moves the inner sleeve and the manhole cover along the central axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A manhole cover system for a roadway, comprising:
 a rotationally fixed outer support securable to an interior of a roadway opening;   an inner sleeve disposed inside of the outer support, the outer support and the inner sleeve sharing a common central axis;   a manhole cover disposed at an upper vertical end of the inner sleeve; and   a threaded arrangement including a support thread of the outer support engaged with a complimentary sleeve thread of the inner sleeve, such that rotation of the inner sleeve about the central axis moves the inner sleeve and the manhole cover along the central axis.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a shroud disposed at the outer support to seal a cavity radially between the inner sleeve and the outer support. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the outer support seal has an L-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve support disposed at the upper vertical end of the inner sleeve to support the manhole cover. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the sleeve support is ring-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising one or more engagement features in the sleeve support for engagement of an assist tool for rotation of the inner sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a thread pitch of the support thread and the sleeve thread is one inch. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer support has an internal diameter in the range of six inches to thirty-six inches. 
     
     
         9 . A roadway arrangement, comprising:
 a roadway defining a roadway surface;   a roadway opening defined in the roadway surface; and   a manhole cover system disposed at the roadway opening, including:
 a rotationally fixed outer support securable to an interior of the roadway opening; 
 an inner sleeve disposed inside of the outer support, the outer support and the inner sleeve sharing a common central axis; 
 a manhole cover disposed at an upper vertical end of the inner sleeve; and 
 a threaded arrangement including a support thread of the outer support engaged with a complimentary sleeve thread of the inner sleeve, such that rotation of the inner sleeve about the central axis moves the inner sleeve and the manhole cover along the central axis. 
   
     
     
         10 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 9 , further comprising a shroud disposed at the outer support to seal a cavity radially between the inner sleeve and the outer support. 
     
     
         11 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein the outer support seal has an L-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 9 , further comprising a sleeve support disposed at the upper vertical end of the inner sleeve to support the manhole cover. 
     
     
         13 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve support is ring-shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more engagement features in the sleeve support for engagement of an assist tool for rotation of the inner sleeve. 
     
     
         15 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein a thread pitch of the support thread and the sleeve thread is one inch. 
     
     
         16 . The roadway arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the outer support has an internal diameter in the range of six inches to thirty-six inches.