IP Library Granted Patent US 11,486,166
Granted Patent B2
US 11,486,166 · App. 16/844,874 · Granted Nov 1, 2022

High security multi-tiered locking system for utility vaults

Inventors: Robert H. Gwillim (Murrieta, CA); Edward J. Burke (Temecula, CA)
Assignee: Channell Commercial Corporation
E05B65/0089B65D55/14E05B59/00E05B65/006E05B67/383
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,486,166
App. No.
16/844,874
Granted
Nov 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A locking system for a utility vault including an I-beam extending across an opening in utility vault, a two-piece lid positioned in the opening over the I-beam, brackets positioned on opposite ends of each piece of the two-piece utility lid for engaging an inside wall surface of the utility vault and the I-beam, and a three-tier locking system positioned at an end of one piece of the two-piece lid to lock the lid to the vault including a L-bolt lock, a padlock and a lockable door on an upper surface of the lid.

Claims (30)

1. A locking system for locking a lid onto a utility vault comprising:

a housing attached to a lower surface of an end of the lid;

the housing containing an L-bolt rotatable by a toggle to selectively engage a flange attached to an end wall of the utility vault;

the housing further having access doors positioned over the toggle each having a hasp for receipt of a padlock, one of the access doors having an opening for access to the toggle; and

a lockable hinged door positioned within an opening extending through an upper surface of the lid for access to the padlock.

2. The locking system of claim 1 , wherein one of the access doors is positioned over the other access door and is movable for access to the access door having the opening for the toggle.

3. The locking system of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a two-piece construction having a lockable portion and a non-lockable portion.

4. The locking system of claim 3 , wherein the housing is attached to the lockable portion.

5. The locking system of claim 3 , wherein the locking system further comprises a beam extending across an opening in the utility vault.

6. The locking system of claim 5 , wherein adjacent ends of the lockable portion of the lid and the non-lockable portion of the lid are positioned over the beam.

7. The locking system of claim 6 , wherein the adjacent ends each have a bracket for engaging the beam.

8. A locking system for a utility vault comprising:

an I-beam extending across an opening in the utility vault;

a two-piece lid positioned in the opening over the I-beam;

a bracket positioned on at least one end of each piece of the two-piece lid for engaging at least one of an inside wall surface of the utility vault or the I-beam; and

a housing attached to an end of one piece of the two-piece lid, the housing containing an L-bolt rotatable by a toggle to selectively engage a flange attached to an end wall of the utility vault, the housing further having access doors positioned over the toggle each having a hasp for receipt of a padlock, one of the access doors having an opening for access to the toggle, and a lockable hinged door positioned within an opening extending through an upper surface of the one piece of the two-piece lid for access to the padlock.

9. The locking system of claim 8 , wherein one of the access doors is positioned over the other access door and is movable for access to the access door having the opening for the toggle.

10. The locking system of claim 8 , wherein the two-piece lid includes a lockable portion and a non-lockable portion.

11. The locking system of claim 10 , wherein the housing is attached to the lockable portion.

12. A lockable utility vault comprising:

a utility vault having a top opening and a ledge extending around an inside perimeter of the top opening;

a beam extending across the top opening below the ledge;

a two-piece lid positioned within the top opening over the ledge;

the two-piece lid having a lockable portion and a non-lockable portion wherein adjacent ends of the lockable portion and the non-lockable portion each have a bracket for engaging the beam; and

a housing positioned on an end of the lockable portion opposite the end adjacent the non-lockable portion;

wherein the housing contains an L-bolt rotatable by a toggle to selectively engage a flange attached to an end wall of the utility vault, the housing further having access doors positioned over the toggle each having a hasp for receipt of a padlock, one of the access doors having opening for access to the toggle, and a lockable hinged door positioned within an opening extending through an upper surface of the lockable portion of the lid for access to the padlock.

13. The utility vault of claim 12 , wherein the beam is attached to the utility vault by a bracket positioned on opposite side walls of the utility vault, the bracket having a flange positioned on either side of the beam having a hole for receipt of a clip which passes through the hole in each flange and an aligned hole in the beam.

14. The utility vault of claim 12 , wherein one of the access doors is positioned over the other access door and is movable for access to the access door having the opening for the toggle.

15. The utility vault of claim 12 , wherein the non-lockable portion has a bracket and an end opposite the end adjacent the lockable portion for engaging the ledge along an end wall of the utility vault.

16. The utility vault of claim 12 , wherein the beam is an I-beam and the bracket for the non-lockable portion of the lid engages a top surface of the I-beam and the bracket for the lockable portion of the lid engages a bottom surface of a top portion of the I-beam.

Assignments (7)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Jul 14, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: CHANNELL COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071932/0940 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: CHANNELL COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 071383/0701 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: CHANNELL COMMERICAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069272/0116 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 23, 2024
From: CHANNELL COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068985/0469 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2021
From: CHANNELL COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 055996/0806 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2020
From: GWILLIM, ROBERT H.; BURKE, EDWARD J.
To: CHANNELL COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054006/0288 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2020
From: GWILLIM, ROBERT H.; BURKE, EDWARD J.
To: CHANNELL COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052360/0421 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62848756 · May 16, 2019
Related Publication 20200362596A1 · Nov 19, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,603,485