Oldcastle Precast, Inc.

Eric Long

Nguyen Thai Dang

John Ronald Gogol

A vault system is provided that defines an enclosed volume to protect various electrical, water, communications and other components. The system comprises a lid to allow selective access to the contents in the enclosed volume of the vault. Over time, continued wear and tear on the lid of the vault can cause the lid to deflect inward and/or cause the body of the vault to deflect outward, which compromises the integrity of the vault. Interlock features, methods, and systems are provided transfer stress and strain between the lid and the vault, which maintain the integrity of the selective interconnection between the lid and the vault.

Utility vault interlocking lid seat

A vault system is provided that secures a brace to the underside of a vault lid to improve the performance of the lid when the lid is subject to external loads. The vault has guiding features to receive a brace and place the brace in a particular position. Then, a vault lid is pressed into the vault, and tabs on the vault lid deflect into receiving portions on the ends of the brace to secure the brace to the vault lid. The resulting vault lid is reinforced with a brace. In some embodiments, the guiding feature comprises a rib in a recess in the brace, and in various embodiments, the tabs have an arm and a hook disposed on a distal end of the arm. The tab arms deflect to fit around the end of the brace, then an undercut on the hook secures the brace to the lid.

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Weston, OH, United States of America

Eric Long