U.S. patent application number 13/230430 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-16 for environmental containment system.
Invention is credited to Neil W. Richey.
Application Number | 20120204498 13/230430 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46635804 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120204498 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Richey; Neil W. |
August 16, 2012 |
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM
Abstract
A containment system has a plurality of concrete blocks. The
concrete blocks each have sides, ends, a top surface, a bottom
surface, a male interlocking element extending from one of the
ends, and a female interlocking element formed in the other of the
ends, and/or one of the sides. The plurality of concrete blocks may
be interlocked together to form a containment perimeter. A security
fencing structure may be operably mounted on top of the concrete
blocks of the containment system.
Inventors: |
Richey; Neil W.;
(Stephenville, TX) |
Family ID: |
46635804 |
Appl. No.: |
13/230430 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/102 ;
52/747.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B 3/106 20130101;
E04H 17/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/102 ;
52/747.12 |
International
Class: |
E02D 27/00 20060101
E02D027/00; E04B 1/00 20060101 E04B001/00 |
Claims
1. A containment system comprising: a plurality of concrete blocks
having sides, ends, a top surface, and a bottom surface, each of
the concrete blocks further having a male interlocking element
extending from one of the ends, and a female interlocking element
formed in the other of the ends, and/or one of the sides, such that
the plurality of concrete blocks may be interlocked together to
form a containment perimeter.
2. The containment system of claim 1, further comprising a security
fencing structure comprising: a plurality of floor post flanges
fastened with fasteners to the top surfaces of at least some of the
plurality of concrete blocks; a plurality of support posts, each of
the support posts being operably mounted on one of the plurality of
floor post flanges; a chain link fence; and a plurality of mounting
elements for mounting the chain link fence upon the plurality of
support posts.
3. The containment system of claim 2, wherein the mounting elements
include tensioning elements for tensioning the chain link
fence.
4. The containment system of claim 1, wherein each of the concrete
blocks further includes a rebar component formed within the
concrete block, and a top aperture formed in the top surface,
wherein the rebar component extends upwardly to and through the top
aperture, thereby forming a lifting point within the top
aperture.
5. The containment system of claim 1, wherein at least four of the
concrete blocks include the female interlocking element formed in
the other of the ends, and at least one of the sides.
6. The containment system of claim 1, wherein each of the concrete
blocks is at least 12'' by 15'' by 20'' weighing over 1000
pounds.
7. The containment system of claim 1, wherein each of the concrete
blocks is approximately 18'' by 30'' by 60'', weighing roughly 2600
pounds, and is formed using a 3000 psi concrete mix.
8. A containment system comprising: a plurality of concrete blocks
having sides, ends, a top surface, and a bottom surface, each of
the concrete blocks further having a male interlocking element
extending from one of the ends, and a female interlocking element
formed in the other of the ends, or one of the sides, such that the
plurality of concrete blocks may be interlocked together to form a
containment perimeter; and a security fencing structure comprising:
a plurality of floor post flanges fastened with fasteners to the
top surfaces of at least some of the plurality of concrete blocks;
a plurality of support posts, each of the support posts being
operably mounted on one of the plurality of floor post flanges; a
chain link fence; and a plurality of mounting elements for mounting
the chain link fence upon the plurality of support posts such that
the security fencing structure extends around the containment
perimeter.
9. The containment system of claim 8, wherein each of the concrete
blocks further includes a rebar component formed within the
concrete block, and a top aperture formed in the top surface,
wherein the rebar component extends upwardly to and through the top
aperture, thereby forming a lifting point within the top
aperture.
10. The containment system of claim 8, wherein at least four of the
concrete blocks include the female interlocking element formed in
the other of the ends, and at least one of the sides.
11. The containment system of claim 8, wherein each of the concrete
blocks is at least 12'' by 15'' by 20'' weighing over 1000
pounds.
12. The containment system of claim 8, wherein each of the concrete
blocks is approximately 18'' by 30'' by 60'', weighing roughly 2600
pounds, and is formed using a 3000 psi concrete mix.
13. A method for forming a containment system around equipment that
might lead to a toxic spill, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing a site around the equipment so that it is relatively flat
and free from obstruction; forming a plurality of concrete blocks,
each of the concrete blocks having sides, ends, a top surface, a
bottom surface, a male interlocking element extending from one of
the ends, and a female interlocking element formed in the other of
the ends, and/or one of the sides; interlocking the male and female
interlocking elements of the plurality of concrete blocks to form a
containment perimeter around the equipment;
14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the concrete blocks
includes a rebar component formed within the concrete block, and a
top aperture formed in the top surface, wherein the rebar component
extends upwardly to and through the top aperture, thereby forming a
lifting point within the top aperture, and wherein the step of
interlocking the male and female interlocking elements is performed
by lifting each of the concrete blocks via the lifting point and
moving it to the proper position.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:
proving a plurality of floor post flanges, a plurality of support
posts, and a chain link fence; fastening the floor post flanges to
the top surfaces of at least some of the plurality of concrete
blocks; mounting each of the support posts on one of the plurality
of floor post flanges; and mounting the chain link fence upon the
support posts to form a security fencing structure around the
containment perimeter, to thereby enclose the equipment.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to containment systems, and
more particularly to a containment system that includes a plurality
of concrete blocks that interlock for containing a spill of a
liquid pollutant.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Prior art containment systems typically use galvanized dike
panels that are supported with anchors in the ground. These
containment systems usually are protected by installing security
fencing outside of the containment system. Both the anchors and
fencing currently require digging or hydro-excavating for
installation, which requires clearance (known as a "one call") to
make sure no underground pipes or other structures pass through
that location.
[0005] The idea of a non-ground-disturbance containment would allow
production companies (such as oil and gas companies) to eliminate
the need for one calls and hydro-excavation for anchors as well
eliminate the use of galvanized dike panels which corrode over
time. The solid concrete interlocking block utilized in the present
invention is designed specifically for secondary containment, it
does not use anchors, and it serves as a solid barrier to protect
against trucks that are typically striking the galvanized
containments and fencing.
[0006] Currently companies are required to install pipe bollards
around the facility in order to protect the equipment and the
security fencing. The concrete block design will eliminate the need
for a multitude of different products and services that are used
today.
[0007] Furthermore, a fence option can be mounted directly on top
of the blocks in order to protect the security fence from damage
from trucks or livestock.
[0008] Examples of patents that disclose prior art products include
Hallsten, U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,195, which teaches a modular
containment system that uses hollow interlocking berm members that
are made of plastic and adapted to be filled with sand. There are
many prior art patents that disclose similar hollow elements that
interlock and are filled with various substances, including Cain,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,534, Bendfeld, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,322, and
Kroger, U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,825.
[0009] The prior art teaches various forms of hollow berm members
that are filled with sand or other ballast The prior art also
teaches galvanized dike panels. The prior art also places security
fencing around the containment system, with bollards around the
fencing to protect the fencing and the containment system. However,
the prior art does not teach a containment system that includes
large cement blocks that are interlocked to contain spills, and to
physically protect the equipment. The prior art also does not teach
mounting a security fence system on top of the cement blocks,
thereby providing security without the need for installing bollards
to protect the fence. The present invention fulfills these needs
and provides further related advantages as described in the
following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention teaches certain benefits in
construction and use which give rise to the objectives described
below.
[0011] The present invention provides a containment system
comprising a plurality of concrete blocks having sides, ends, a top
surface, and a bottom surface, each of the concrete blocks further
having a male interlocking element extending from one of the ends,
and a female interlocking element formed in the other of the ends,
and/or one of the sides, such that the plurality of concrete blocks
may be interlocked together to form a containment perimeter.
[0012] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a
containment system having advantages not taught by the prior
art.
[0013] Another objective is to provide a containment system that
includes large cement blocks that are interlocked to contain
spills, and to physically protect the equipment.
[0014] Another objective is to provide a containment system that
provides an integrated security fence mounted on top of the cement
blocks, such that the fence is physically protected from damage,
and also such that there is no need to install a separate fence
around the containment system.
[0015] Another objective is to provide a containment system that
may be installed without digging or otherwise disturbing the ground
upon which the containment system is installed.
[0016] Another objective is to provide a containment system that is
constructed using standard components, but which may be easily
customized to each installation.
[0017] A further objective is to provide a containment system is
inexpensive and easy to install.
[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by
way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention.
In such drawings:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a containment system
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a concrete
block used to form the containment system;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 4-4 in
FIG. 3; and
[0024] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a section of the
containment system of FIG. 1, illustrating a security fencing
structure that is integrated with the containment system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The above-described drawing figures illustrate the
invention, a containment system 10 that is installed on a site 14
to contain spills of liquid pollutants (e.g., oil, fuel, chemicals,
and other toxic or hazardous liquids).
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the containment system 10
according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 1, the containment system 10 includes a plurality of concrete
blocks 20 that interlock to form the containment system 10. The
containment system 10 is typically installed around equipment 12
such as oil production equipment, oil or chemical storage
facilities, and the like, so that spills are contained to within
the boundaries of the containment system 10.
[0027] The containment system 10 is a non-ground-disturbance system
that does not require digging or other preparation of the site 14
other than generally leveling and clearing the site 14. The
containment system 10 is modular, so that a few standard components
may be used to assemble the containment system 10 around almost any
installation with minimal customization or effort. Furthermore, by
using large and solid concrete blocks 20, the containment system 10
further provides physical protection to the equipment from errant
vehicles and the like, without requiring the separate installation
of bollards and the like to provide such physical protection.
[0028] The containment system 10 may further include a security
fencing structure 50, described in greater detail below, that is
mounted on top of the concrete blocks 20, and operates in
conjunction with the containment system 10 to physically secure the
equipment 12 from theft, vandalism, and the like, without requiring
a second security system around the containment system 10. The term
security fencing structure 50 is hereby specifically defined to
require that the fencing prevent people from readily climbing over
or through the fencing, and is designed to prevent persons from
unauthorized access to the site 14. The security fencing structure
50 is typically chain link, as described below, but may include
similar structures that are used to prevent unauthorized
access.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
concrete block 20 used to form the containment system 10. FIG. 3 is
a top plan view of the concrete block 20, and FIG. 4 is a sectional
view thereof taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3. As illustrated in
FIGS. 2-4, the concrete block 20 has sides 22, ends 24, a top
surface 26, and a bottom surface 28. The concrete blocks 20 may be
a wide variety of shapes and sized, depending upon the requirements
of the installation. In one embodiment, the concrete block 20 may
be at least 12'' by 15'' by 20'' weighing over 1000 pounds. In one
particular embodiment, the concrete block 20 is about 18'' by 30''
by 60'' weighing roughly 2600 pounds (approximately, +/-10%), and
is formed using a 3000 psi concrete mix.
[0030] As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, each of the concrete blocks 20
has a male interlocking element 30 extending from one of the ends
24, and a female interlocking element 32 formed in the other of the
ends 24, and/or one of the sides 22, such that the plurality of
concrete blocks 20 may be interlocked together to form a
containment perimeter. The female interlocking element 32 formed on
the other of the ends 24 enables the concrete blocks 20 to be
positioned in a line to form a wall 34, and the female interlocking
element 32 formed in one of the sides 22 enables the formation of a
corner 36 that turns perpendicular to the wall 34. These types of
blocks enable the semi-custom construction of the containment
system 10 using fairly standard components. The concrete blocks 20
may be formed with only one of these options, or they may be formed
with both, and even further customized blocks may be incorporated,
as needed, to form the desired structure.
[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the concrete blocks 20 may
include a rebar component 40 formed within the concrete block 20.
In one embodiment the concrete block 20 includes a top aperture 42
formed in the center of the top surface 26, and the rebar component
40 extends 24 upwardly to and through the top aperture 42, thereby
forming a lifting point 44 within the top aperture 42. During
installation of the concrete blocks 20, the lifting point 44 may be
used to lift and position the concrete block 20.
[0032] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a section of the
containment system 10 of FIG. 1, illustrating one embodiment of the
security fencing structure 50 that is integrated with the
containment system 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the security
fencing structure 50 comprises a plurality of floor post flanges 52
fastened with fasteners 54 (e.g., masonry anchors) into the top
surfaces 26 of at least some of the plurality of concrete blocks
20. A plurality of support posts 56 are provided, with each of the
support posts 56 being operably mounted in a receiving aperture of
one of the plurality of floor post flanges 52. A chain link fence
58 is then mounted on the support posts 56 using a plurality of
mounting elements 60. The term "chain link" is hereby defined to
include equivalent security fencing structure 50 that are
functional for restricting unauthorized access to the site.
[0033] In one embodiment, the mounting elements 60 include
tensioning elements 62 for tensioning the chain link fence 58. The
tensioning elements 62 are mounted on the support posts 56, using
techniques known in the art, and the chain link fence 58 is
attached to the tensioning elements 62, such that when the
tensioning elements 62 are tightened, the chain link fence 58 is
lifted onto and operably supported by the support posts 56.
[0034] The invention further includes a method for forming the
containment system 10 around the equipment 12 that might lead to a
toxic spill, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The method comprising the
steps of first preparing a surface around the equipment 12 so that
it is relatively flat and free from obstruction. While obstructions
may have to be removed, digging will not typically be required, so
there is no requirement to check for underground utilities and the
like (i.e., no "one call" is required for installation).
[0035] A plurality of the concrete blocks 20, described above and
illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, are formed using concrete construction
techniques known in the art. At the site 14, the male and female
interlocking elements 30 and 32 of the plurality of concrete blocks
20 are interlocked to form a containment perimeter around the
equipment 12. The floor post flanges 52 are attached to the top
surfaces 26 of at least some of the plurality of concrete blocks
20, typically be bolting or otherwise anchoring the floor post
flanges 52 to the top surface 26. Each of the support posts 56 are
then mounted on one of the plurality of floor post flanges 52, and
the chain link fence 58 is mounted upon the support posts 56 to
form a security fencing structure 50 around the containment
perimeter, to thereby enclose the equipment 12.
[0036] As used in this application, the words "a," "an," and "one"
are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless
specifically stated otherwise. Also, the terms "have," "include,"
"contain," and similar terms are defined to mean "comprising"
unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology
used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to
include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative
embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the
art given the teachings of the present patent application.
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