U.S. patent application number 12/586032 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-17 for farmable water quality inlet for transporting water from surface to drainage pipe.
Invention is credited to Charles J. Schafer.
Application Number | 20110064521 12/586032 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43730719 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110064521 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schafer; Charles J. |
March 17, 2011 |
Farmable water quality inlet for transporting water from surface to
drainage pipe
Abstract
A water inlet for transporting water that comprises an elongated
body having a center portion formed with a plurality of radially
projecting spokes and an exterior portion extending the length of
the body and formed of spaced apart strips, with each of the strips
fixed on the outer end of one of the spokes to define a plurality
of longitudinally extending channels in the body.
Inventors: |
Schafer; Charles J.; (St.
Petersburg, FL) |
Family ID: |
43730719 |
Appl. No.: |
12/586032 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
405/41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01G 29/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/41 |
International
Class: |
E02B 11/00 20060101
E02B011/00 |
Claims
1. A water inlet for draining surface water comprising: (a) an
elongated body having: (1) a center portion extending the length of
said body and formed with a plurality of radially projecting
spokes; (2) an exterior portion extending the length of said body
that is formed of spaced apart strips with each of said strips
fixed on the outer end of one of said spokes to define a plurality
of longitudinally extending channels in said body.
2. The water inlet as described in claim 1 wherein said center
portion has at least four spokes, each of which extends outwardly
from the middle of said center portion to form right angles with
one another.
3. The water inlet as described in claim 1 wherein the diameter of
said body has a size of approximately one-half inch to one
inch.
4. The water inlet as described in claim 1 wherein said strips of
said exterior portion have a tubular curvature.
5. A water drain apparatus for draining surface water from a field
comprising: (a) a tile line buried beneath the surface of the
field; (b) a plurality of water inlets extending from said tile
line toward the surface of said field and including: (1) an
elongated body having: a. a center portion extending the length of
said body and formed with a plurality of radially projecting
spokes; b. an exterior portion extending the length of said body
that is formed of spaced apart strips, with each of said strips
fixed on the outer end of one of said spokes to define a plurality
of longitudinally extending channels in said body; and c. means for
securing said water inlets to said tile line to provide a path of
fluid flow therebetween.
6. The water drain apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for
securing said water inlets to said tile line includes a tile Tee,
and said water inlets are formed in a bundle that is received by
one end of the Tee.
7. The water drainage apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein the
means for securing the water inlets to said tile line includes a
tile Tee located in said tile line and having opposite ends for
receiving said tile line and a medially positioned tubular opening
for receiving said water inlets, said tubular opening further
including a partition having a plurality of apertures for receiving
said water inlets.
8. The water drainage apparatus of claim 5 wherein the body of each
of said water inlets has a diameter of approximately one-half inch
to one inch.
9. The water inlet apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said
center portion has as least four spokes, each of which extends
outwardly from the middle of said center portion to form right
angles with one another.
10. The water inlet apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said
water inlets are arranged in a generally straight line.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates in general to the use of
surface water inlets in agricultural fields, urban, residential,
commercial and highway Right Of Way that lead below the surface to
connect with drainage tile lines for carrying excess water
therefrom and more specifically resides in a type of water inlet
that is formed from a durable and bendable material and extends
from the surface down toward the tile line and includes channels
for conveying groundwater to the line.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Various types of apparatus for draining excess water from an
agricultural field are well-known in the art. Such apparatus can be
used to:
[0006] Catch and drain seep areas;
[0007] Pick up the low flow from sump pumps;
[0008] Help dry out a spring area drain water from catch basin and
terrace channels; and
[0009] Collect and divert surface water away from buildings and
structures.
One such category of apparatus are commonly referred to as "Blind"
inlets or "French" drains and are used to provide a relatively
simplistic method for accomplishing drainage flow.
[0010] A Blind inlet is defined as an excavated earthen box with a
perforated collector tubing placed in the bottom and filled to the
surface with a filler such as rock or gravel. The filler is the
inlet for the surface water. Prior Blind inlets were not designed
to collect large amounts of surface water from a storm event, but
rather were designed to collect the small, irritating trickle flow
that continues for days after a storm. The collector tubes are
usually corrugated, perforated plastic tubing. Parallel lines of
the collector tubing connect to a main line which in turn
transports the water to an outlet such as a roadside ditch or curb
drain.
[0011] Various types of drainage composite materials have been
developed for use as the backfill in Blind inlets to increase the
drainage of surface water to the collector tubing. To further
improve such drainage, at least one manufacturer has developed a
product line that includes a tubular shaped elongated inlet with
slots or holes in its circumference so that it can be buried in a
vertical orientation in the field leading from a collector tube to
the surface, as described and shown on the web site of
Hickenbottom, Inc. The inlets produced by Hickenbottom, Inc. range
in diameter from five to twelve inches and may have either 1-inch
holes or 1-inch wide slots. Typically such inlets stick up out of
the ground so that a field operator or maintenance and
groundskeeper must work around them.
[0012] Although the above-described devices all have a certain
amount of utility for draining excess ground water from a field,
their capacity is often limited and they suffer from the serious
deficiency of being subject to clogging by dirt and roots, crop
residue and other water born trash. The 1 inch holes and slots
allow significant amounts of soil particles and related
constituents to be transported from the surface into underground
drainage lines and from there to downstream areas. The present
invention is designed to provide a low cost, highly durable and
flexible water inlet that not only provides a high volume of inlet
area per linear inch, but resists soil particle transport and
clogging from crop residue and vegetation and is difficult for
animals such as beavers etc to sense and block flows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention provides a water inlet for draining
agricultural fields, urban, residential, commercial areas, and
Highway Right Of Way of excess water and is constructed of an
elongated body that provides multiple channels for water flow from
the surface of a field to collector tubes lying beneath the
surface.
[0014] The body of the invention has a center portion extending the
length thereof and formed with a plurality of radially projecting
spokes, and an exterior portion that is formed of spaced apart
strips, with each of said strips fixed on the outer end of one of
said spokes to define a plurality of longitudinally extending
channels in the body. In a preferred embodiment, the center portion
of the body has preferably four spokes, each of which extend
outwardly from the middle of said center portion to form ninety
degree angles and a stabilized support structure for the exterior
portion of the inlet.
[0015] The invention is preferably formed from a flexible and
impact resistant material such as high density polyethylene so as
to resist mold and aquatic growth and to be floatable and
resilient. Also, the invention can be constructed from recycled
material and be colored to blend in with the environment. Although
it is possible to use one of the inlets of the present invention by
itself, preferably the invention will be used in large numbers to
form a composite pipe type arrangement of individual units that
will lead to the collector tubing. The individual flexible water
inlets may also be arranged in a row.
[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be readily appreciated from the following description. The
description makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which are
provided for illustration of the preferred embodiment. However,
such embodiment does not represent the full scope of the invention.
The subject matter which the inventor regards as his invention is
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of this specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the
line 2-2 in FIG. 1; and
[0019] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of a plurality of water
inlets of the present invention clumped together in a pipe-type
arrangement that is secured to a tile tee for connecting into
collector pipes of a field tile drainage system in the ground.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] While the making and using of the preferred embodiment of
the water inlet of the present invention is discussed in detail
below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides
for inventive concepts capable of being embodied in a variety of
specific forms. The specific embodiment discussed herein is merely
illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use the
invention and is not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the
instant invention.
[0021] The present invention provides a unique water inlet, a
preferred embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 1 at 10, that is
designed to serve in forming a Blind inlet for conveying ground
water to collector tile lines located below surface of an
agricultural field. Preferably, the water inlet 10 is formed from a
durable, bendable and flexible material such as high density
polyethylene to provide a resilient and an impact resistant design
that cannot be seriously damaged by farm equipment allowing farmers
to farm directly over the inlet and resists mold and aquatic growth
while providing a high volume of water inlet area per linear
inch.
[0022] The inlet 10 is also particularly well suited for resisting
clogging from crop residue and vegetation and is difficult for
animals such as beavers to sense and block flow. It is believed
that the present invention will deliver cleaner water to downstream
surface waters, bioreactors and drainage water management systems,
structures and valves while at the same time reducing soil,
sediment and nutrient transport. Additionally, the inlet 10 can be
used in multiple numbers at the end of a drain line as a guard for
preventing pest or rodent intrusion and allow water to flow both in
and out of the line and also to resist damage during normal ditch
cleaning and maintenance.
[0023] Referring now to both FIG. 1 and to FIG. 2 in which an
enlarged cross-section of the inlet 10 is shown, it can be seen
that the inlet 10 has a body 12 formed of an elongated narrow
construction that is preferably five to six feet long so that it
can be sized in length as needed. Preferably, the inlet 10 has only
a relatively narrow diameter in the range of from 0.5 inches to 1
inch in approximate dimensions to provide in individualized form an
inlet having a high degree of flexibility and bendability.
[0024] As shown best in FIG. 2, the inlet body 12 has a center
portion 14 that extends the entire length of the body 12 and is
formed with a plurality of radially projecting spokes 16 that are
preferably perpendicular to one another. The precise number of the
spokes 16 is not critical although at least four of the spokes 16
are preferred to provide a right angle configuration, but as few as
three spokes 16 may be employed. However, the greater the number of
the spokes 16, the larger should be the diameter of the body 12 so
as to maintain proper operation of the inlet 10 as will be
described below.
[0025] To form an outer wall for the inlet 10, each of the spokes
16 has fixed on its outer end longitudinally directed strips 18
that together form an exterior portion 20 for the inlet 10. As can
be seen in FIG. 2, the strips 18 are sized to provide a gap 22
between adjacent strips 18, which gap is preferably of a size
approximately 0.070 inches. To maximize performance of the inlet
10, it is preferable that the strips 18 have a tubular curvature,
but it may as well include strips with less curvature or no
curvature.
[0026] By the arrangement of the spokes 16 and their associated
strips 18, it can be seen that the inlet 10 is divided into four
longitudinally extending individual channels 23 comprised of two
adjacent spokes 16 to serve as a path of communication between the
upper surface of the field and the water collector pipes in the
ground. However, because of limited size of each individual inlet
10, it is preferable that in forming a Blind inlet that a large
number of the inlets 10 be used to define a bundle 24 as shown in
FIG. 3 so that they can be quickly and easily assembled together
with a tile line 26 by means of a tile line tee 28.
[0027] By forming the bundle 24, one of the additional advantages
provided by the strips 18 is that two of the inlets 10 can be
snapped together with a strip 18 of one inlet 10 fit into the
channel 23 of an adjacent inlet 10. In this manner, a somewhat
integral bundle of the inlets 10 is produced that can be more
easily aligned in the field in a trench for backfilling. It is also
possible to use the inlets 10 in connection with a plate, not
shown, that may be secured in the inlet of the tile tee 28 and have
a plurality of holes for receiving individual of the inlets 10 in a
spaced apart relationship. By utilizing an arrangement such as the
bundle 24, the present invention provides a Blind inlet having
hundreds of individual channels 24 flowing down to the tile
collector lines, with each channel including a narrow opening that
is less likely to be blocked from crop residue and aquatic growth
in comparison to structures that have been used in the past. It may
also be advantageous to employ a plurality of the inlets 10 in a
straight line configuration with each inlet 10 extending down to
the tile line 26 and inserted therein via a small hole toward one
side of the line 26. By such placement of the inlets 10 in the line
26, flow through the line 26 is less likely to be impeded by the
insertion of numerous of the inlets 10 therein.
[0028] Thus, the present invention has been described in an
illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology
that has been used herein is intended to be in the nature of words
of description rather than of limitation. Furthermore, whereas the
present invention has been described in relation to the drawings
attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further
modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be
made within the spirit and scope of this invention.
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