Handhole to receive and locate connections of underground secondary

Abstract

A secondary handhole is placed in a small excavation in the ground to a depth where its cover is at ground level. It is a comparatively lightweight, portable, substantially strong and essentially unitary structure, which is shipped ready for installation at an excavation site. It provides a protective housing for secondary cable connections of underground electrical utlities and assures their prompt location by observing its ground surface level cover. The secondary handhole, in one embodiment made of fiberglass, has a three-sided rectangular body, with two sides being spaced by a reinforcing cross member extending across the bottom. There are vertical notches in the body at its open end, which extend from the top to a point just below the midline of the body to receive a removable gate extending between the two sides at an elevation higher than the location of the reinforcing cross member. The removable gate with protruding ends slides into these notches to provide a partial enclosure for this otherwise open end of the body. Other embodiments are made of concrete, generally in rectangular form, and of plastic in a cylindrical form. The latter has an optional lockable plastic cover, a lift out gate and a vertical lower opening to receive the underground cables. Other shapes such as hexagon, octagon, may be formed, and other materials may be used.