Liquid purification or separation – Structural installation – Grated inlet surface drain
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-04-17
Lithgow, Thomas M. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Structural installation
Grated inlet surface drain
C210S164000, C210S131000, C210S354000, C404S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217756
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A drain grate in an opening into a drain system which when closed retains trash and debris upstream from the opening while permitting slow flow of water, and which opens completely when confronted with high rates of water flow.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Drainage systems that are situated in locations where trash and debris are carried along with the water are ubiquitous. In particular, unless prevented storm drains such as are found in gutters and drainage channels receive trash, cuttings, trimmings and other debris constantly throughout the year and are subject to clogging. During clement weather, the flow of water is usually rather slow, and is insufficient to flush the system, especially at catch basins and bends. Instead, despite regular sweeping upstream from the opening, considerable amounts of trash will enter the drain system, while still permitting the slow flow of water.
Serious trouble arises when later storms or other circumstances present water to these systems at high rates of flow while they are congested with the accumulated trash. Clogging of this system can result in upstream flooding, or the washing downstream of the accumulated material to do its mischief downstream. To avoid this situation, throughout the year maintenance crews are sent to clear out trash and debris that has entered the system through the openings. This is a considerable expense, and in the event that a storm strikes before the system is cleared, serious damage can occur despite those earlier efforts.
It is an object of this invention to provide a gate which will exclude trash and debris from the system while still permitting a slow flow of water, but which will open to allow full access for water (and entrained material) when the rate of flow is sufficiently high. When closed, the gate will permit the trash upstream from it to be removed by routine and collection sweeping, so as to remove trash that otherwise would later be driven into the system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention comprises a pivoted grate which is placed where it can occlude an opening from a drain into a collection system, or pivot to expose the opening to full flow. The grate is ported or otherwise channeled to allow water to pass through it when closed while retaining trash at low flow rates. In this condition, low flow rates such as are developed by watering of lawns, minor rains and the like are permitted, while holding back trash from the system where the trash can readily be swept away or otherwise removed without entering the drain system itself.
Under these benign conditions a linkage system which includes a variable-weight actuator allows the grate to close. When the weight increases as the consequence of a sufficiently higher rate of flow, the increased weight of the actuator will open the grate.
According to a feature of this invention, the actuator comprises a receptacle with a bleed port, which prevents the actuator from accumulating sufficient water (weight) to open the grate at slow rates of water flow, but which will accumulate sufficient water at higher rates to open the grate.
According to a preferred but optional feature of the invention, the actuator is mounted to a linkage which includes a toggle that prevents the grate from being opened by a force applied directly to the grate.
The above and other features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
REFERENCES:
patent: 248559 (1881-10-01), Jackson
patent: 440067 (1890-11-01), Smith
patent: 506267 (1893-10-01), Sefton
patent: 1245903 (1917-11-01), Gross
patent: 1711674 (1929-05-01), Egan
patent: 5954952 (1999-09-01), Strawser, Sr.
patent: 6015489 (2000-01-01), Allen et al.
Lithgow Thomas M.
Mon Donald D.
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