Hydraulic and earth engineering – Fluid control – treatment – or containment – Flow control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-08
2002-07-02
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Fluid control, treatment, or containment
Flow control
C210S170050, C405S040000, C405S127000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06413015
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
Various methods have been used in an attempt to prevent beavers from blocking the inlet or outlet to a water-carrying culvert. Such culverts are used in a number of applications, but are typically installed in a location extending under a roadway between water-carrying upstream and downstream ditches. In general, beavers easily block such a culvert, since the water is directed through the relatively small culvert. Little work is required on the part of the beaver to block such a passage.
Placing a grate over the openings of the culvert is a well known. This prevents the beaver from gaining entrance to the culvert. If the beaver is allowed to gain entrance to the culvert, the entire culvert may soon become plugged with debris. Unfortunately, the grate may actually help the beaver to block the culvert, since debris must only span between adjacent bars of the grate to be supported. As the water level rises, due to the blockage of the lower portion of the grill, the beaver may work on the upper portion. At some point, the reduced water flow is then unable to wash clear the small debris, which falls between the bars and into the culvert. Soon, the beaver has built a plug that effectively blocks the entire culvert.
What is needed is a beaver controlling culvert attachment that is easily adapted for use with any existing or new culvert construction, which is inexpensive to build, install and maintain, and which provides sufficient obstacles to beavers that they are unable to block the culvert and uninspired to try.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel beaver controlling culvert attachment is disclosed that is easily adapted for use with any existing culvert or new culvert construction, which is inexpensive to build, install and maintain, and which provides sufficient obstacles to beavers that they are unable to block the culvert and uninspired to try.
The beaver controlling culvert attachment, or a kit of parts for assembling such an attachment, provides some or all of the following structures.
(A) A vertical pipe
20
is perpendicular to the culvert
320
. In a preferred application, the diameter of the vertical pipe is the same as the diameter of the culvert. An upper end of the vertical pipe is typically at an elevation slightly higher than the top of the horizontally oriented culvert.
(B) A horizontal pipe
60
is attached to the vertical pipe in a manner that allows communication between them, particularly allowing the flow of water and debris, typically upwardly through the vertical pipe, through the horizontal pipe, and downstream through the culvert.
(C) An upper grate
30
is carried by an upper opening defined in the vertical pipe. The upper grate prevents the entrance of debris to large to be washed clear of the culvert, and prevents the entrance of beavers, while allowing water to enter the vertical pipe when the water level is unusually high.
(D) A basket insert
40
is carried within the vertical pipe, and is movable between upper and lower positions. In a typical application, the basket insert is oriented in the lowered or in-use position, wherein the grill
41
of the basket insert prevents the entrance of debris or beavers through the lower opening of the vertical pipe. When the lower side of the grill of the basket insert becomes fully or partially debris covered, the basket insert may be raised to a clean-out position, which allows the debris travels down the culvert.
(E) An attachment plate
50
fastens the downstream end of the horizontal pipe to the upstream end of the culvert.
(F) A downstream grate
70
attaches to the downstream end of the culvert, and prevents the entrance of a beaver that might attempt to fill the culvert with a quantity of debris sufficient to block the flow of water.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel beaver controlling culvert attachment that prevents beavers from entering a culvert, and that substantially prevents beavers from depositing debris in a manner which blocks the flow of water through the culvert.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel beaver controlling culvert attachment that is adapted for use with both new and existing culverts.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel beaver controlling culvert attachment that provides a basket insert that is movable between an in-use position, which blocks the entrance of beavers, and a clean-out position, which allows debris accumulated on the basket grill portion of the basket insert to be flushed down the culvert.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1555841 (1925-10-01), Harris
patent: 2278033 (1942-03-01), Arnold et al.
patent: 2361231 (1944-10-01), Nebolsine
patent: 4662782 (1987-05-01), Lambert
patent: 4797028 (1989-01-01), Jamieson
patent: 4998847 (1991-03-01), Thurber
patent: 5037542 (1991-08-01), Carroll
patent: 6089790 (2000-07-01), Berry, III et al.
patent: 6095719 (2000-08-01), Miya et al.
patent: WO-99/27204 (1999-06-01), None
Poirier Karen
Poirier Keith
Mayo Tara L.
Pezzuto Robert E.
Thompson David S.
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