Fabricating a quilted drainage unit using a flat bed
AssigneeInfiltrator Water Technologies, LLC
InventorsPaul R Holbrook, Roy E Moore, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A substantially cylindrical drainage unit for use when buried in soil as part of a wastewater leach field comprises a first plastic bead aggregate mass, optionally with a central perforated pipe, surrounded by a segmented-quilt exterior surface. Quilts are held in place around part or all of a drainage unit by straps, a circumscribing netting sleeve, or by being themselves in the form of tubular sleeves. Preferred rectangular quilt segments contain a second pebble aggregate that is smaller than the first aggregate. Quilts are fabricated by mating two horizontally-moving layers of geotextile and disposing the second aggregate into channels or cavities that are defined by seams that join the layers to each other.
Claims15
A method for making a drainage unit for receiving and collecting water when buried in soil or other particulate material, the drainage unit having a length, a diameter, a nominally cylindrical exterior, and opposing ends;
- the drainage unit comprising a mass of first aggregate around which runs partially or wholly a quilt made of water-permeable geotextile, the quilt comprised of a multiplicity of interconnected segments, each segment being an internal channel or cavity defining a space which contains a second aggregate, which method comprises:
- (a) forming a an essential drainage unit comprised of a first aggregate;
- (b) forming a quilt by
- (i) fastening a base layer of geotextile to a cap layer of geotextile at seams, thereby creating a geotextile assembly having a plurality of spaces in the form of channels or cavities;
- (ii) providing a second aggregate so the second aggregate is contained within said spaces of the geotextile assembly;
- (iii) closing off the lengthwise ends of the channels or cavities to thereby create a multiplicity of quilt segments containing second aggregate;
- and,
- (c) placing and holding the quilt so the quilt runs partly or wholly around the exterior of the essential drainage unit.
A drainage unit having a length, a diameter, a nominally cylindrical exterior, and opposing ends;
- the drainage unit comprising a mass of first aggregate around which runs partially or wholly a quilt made of water-permeable geotextile, the quilt comprised of a multiplicity of interconnected segments, each segment being an internal channel or cavity defining a space which contains a second aggregate, made by a method which comprises:
- (a) forming an essential drainage unit comprised of a first aggregate;
- (b) forming a quilt by
- (i) fastening a base layer of geotextile to a cap layer of geotextile at seams, thereby creating a geotextile assembly having a plurality of spaces in the form of channels or cavities;
- (ii) providing a second aggregate so the second aggregate is contained within said spaces of the geotextile assembly;
- (iii) closing off the lengthwise ends of the channels or cavities to thereby create a multiplicity of quilt segments containing second aggregate;
- and,
- (c) placing and holding the quilt so the quilt runs partly or wholly around the exterior of the essential drainage unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.