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US 11,046,509 B1Granted
Above ground containment systems and methods for assembling same
AssigneeTetra Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJohn Novotny, Yannick Harvey, Dustin Downing, Robert Davis, Mark Ritchey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water containment apparatus includes a straight strut arrangement comprising a plurality of straight strut assemblies forming an alternating v-shape and inverted v-shape pattern; and a curved strut arrangement comprising a plurality of corner strut assemblies forming a desired curvature and connecting two straight strut arrangements to form a closed loop water containment system.
Claims19
A temporary liquid reservoir apparatus, comprising:
- a) a frame structure that supports a liner to contain a body of water on a ground surface, the frame structure having a top, a bottom, a plurality of sides and multiple corners that surround an enclosed ground surface, the frame structure including multiple straight frame structures defining the plurality of sides, and multiple curved frame structures defining the multiple corners, wherein the liner extends down from the top and over the contained ground surface;
- b) each straight and curved frame structure including multiple inclined beams being removably connectable to each other and to laterally extending connectors that maintain lateral spacing between the straight and curved frame structures, the frame structures being collapsible;
- c) each straight frame structure including a plurality of inclined beam members that form a pattern of alternating V and inverted V shapes;
- d) a plurality of base plates that are adapted to support the bottom of the inclined beam members on a supporting surface, each base plates including a plurality of front, inner base plates and a plurality of outer rear base plates each outer base plate having one or more vertically extending pins;
- e) diagonal supports that span between one of the outer base plates and one of the inclined beam members;
- f) each inner base plate supporting two of said beams that form the bottom of a V shaped strut assembly;
- g) connections that join each inclined beam member to one of the inner base plates;
- and
- h) lateral connectors including lower connectors that each span between two adjacent of the outer base plates, the connector having end portions that each connect with a pin of one of the outer base plates, in which the base plate has at least two spaced apart projections disposed therein for connection to a beam.
6 more elements
A temporary liquid reservoir comprising:
- a) a plurality of frame structures supporting a liner, each of said frame structures including multiple inclined beams, at least one brace beam, and a base plate;
- b) said inclined and brace beams being removably connectable to each other in an erected position to form said frame structure, at least two of said inclined beams of said erected frame structure lying in a common plane, said frame structure being collapsible;
- and
- c) each base plate connected to a bottom of said frame structure, said base plates being adapted for connection at any position along said bottom of said frame structure, each said base plate being adapted to support said frame structure on a supporting surface;
- and
- d) the base plates being linked together with front lateral connectors and rear lateral connectors that define with the base plates a reservoir shape before the inclined and brace beams are added to the base plates.
3 more elements
A method of constructing a portable reservoir, comprising the steps of:
- a) placing a plurality of base plates on an underlying support surface, said plurality of base plates including inner base plates and outer base plates;
- b) maintaining a lateral spacing of each base plate relative to the other base plates with connector bars that each have end portions;
- c) forming a removable connection with each connector bar end portion and a said base plate;
- d) erecting a straight strut arrangement that comprises a plurality of straight strut assemblies, each straight strut assembly including a plurality of inner base plates that enable interface of each straight strut assembly with a support surface, a plurality of inclined beams, each having a lower surface that is attached to and bears upon each inner base plate, a plurality of outer base plates, and intermediate beams that each extend between an outer base plate and an inclined beam, each intermediate beam connecting to the inclined beam at a position in between the ends of the inclined beam, the inclined beams forming an alternating v-shaped and inverted v-shaped pattern;
- e) erecting a closed perimeter strut arrangement comprising a plurality of corner strut assemblies forming a desired curvature and connecting two straight strut arrangements to form a closed loop water containment system;
- and
- f) maintaining a lateral spacing between the inclined beams.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.