US 5,890,838 A · Storm water dispensing system having multiple arches

Abstract

In a system for dispersing stormwaters beneath the earth surface, a pair of arch shaped corrugated molded plastic chambers lie parallel each to the other upon a bed of gravel and are covered with soil. A bridge cover spans the space between the sidewalls of the adjacent chambers, to keep soil above from entering. Abutting base flanges establish the chamber spacing which fits the bridge cover and also protect the gravel at the bottom of the space from erosion. Stormwater is delivered to the space, to then flow through sidewall perforations into the chambers' interiors where it is stored and gradually dispersed into the earth. Debris settles in the pocket at the bottom of the space and is removed by a perforated pipe lying in the space. Chambers have high aspect ratios, of 0.8 to 1 or more, and steep sidewall angles, of less than 15 degrees.

Claims31

Dependent claims

An assembly for receiving and dispersing liquid when buried beneath soil, comprising:

a pair of molded chambers, each chamber having an arch shaped cross section defining a chamber hollow interior, a base, a top, and opposing sidewalls running from the base to the top;
the chambers lying adjacent and parallel to each other on an essentially flat surface, the adjacent sidewalls of the chamber pair shaped and positioned relative to each other to create a space therebetween;
means for enabling liquid flow between the interior of at least one chamber and said space;
each chamber having an impost on its exterior surface for supporting a bridge cover;
and,
a bridge cover spanning said space, running from the impost of one chamber to the impost of the other chamber, for preventing soil from locally entering said space from above when the assembly is buried in soil.

3 more elements

An assembly for receiving and dispersing stormwater when buried beneath soil, comprising:

a pair of chambers, each chamber having an arch shaped cross section defining a chamber hollow interior, a base, a top, and opposing perforated sidewalls running from the base to the top;
each chamber having corrugations comprised of peaks and valleys, running along sidewalls in an upwardly direction, transverse to the chamber length;
the chambers lying adjacent and parallel to each other on an essentially flat surface, the adjacent sidewalls of the chamber pair shaped and positioned relative to each other to create a space therebetween;
each chamber having sidewalls sloped inwardly at an angle of less than 15 degrees from the vertical;
each chamber having a cross section aspect ratio of at least 0.8 to 1, where aspect ratio is the ratio between the chamber height and chamber width measured at the base;
each chamber having an impost for supporting a bridge cover spanning said space;
each impost having an elevation lower than the elevation of the highest part of the top of the chamber;
each chamber having opposing spaced-apart flanges running lengthwise along the base;
the flanges of the adjacent chamber pair extending laterally toward each other, to abut and thereby establish between imposts of the adjacent chambers the desired impost spacing to fit a bridge cover;
an arch shape bridge cover spanning said space, supported on the imposts of the adjacent chambers, for preventing soil from entering said space from above when the assembly is buried in soil;
each chamber having perforations in the chamber sidewalls, to enable flow of stormwater between the space and each chamber interior;
all the perforations located at an elevation higher than the level of the base, to create a cavity in the space near the base of the chambers where stormwater introduced into the space may accumulate and where debris may settle, before the stormwater flows into a chamber;
and,
means for introducing stormwater into said space.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Storm water dispensing system having multiple arches

Life of this patent

Storm water dispensing system having multiple arches

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31