U.S. patent number 3,780,757 [Application Number 05/141,569] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-25 for waste disposal system and method.
This patent grant is currently assigned to General Marine, Inc.. Invention is credited to Richard J. Jordan.
United States Patent |
3,780,757 |
Jordan |
December 25, 1973 |
WASTE DISPOSAL SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
Vacuum and pressure are selectively applied by an air pump
through a conduit interconnecting two tanks which have a second
interconnecting conduit connectable to the access fitting of a boat
waste receptacle. Application of vacuum withdraws the waste from
the receptacle into one of the tanks and lake water into the second
tank through a third conduit whose inlet end can be dropped
overboard. The lake water is then expelled by air pressure into the
receptacle as a flushing fluid and thence withdrawn into the first
tank from which it and the previously withdrawn waste are finally
expelled through a fourth conduit connectable to a public sewer or
other disposal facility.
Inventors: |
Jordan; Richard J. (Roseville,
MI) |
Assignee: |
General Marine, Inc.
(Bloomfield Hills, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22496253 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/141,569 |
Filed: |
May 10, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/205; 4/321;
134/169R; 137/209; 137/850; 141/59; 417/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63J
4/004 (20130101); E03F 1/00 (20130101); Y10T
137/3127 (20150401); Y10T 137/3109 (20150401); Y10T
137/7886 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B63B
17/00 (20060101); E03F 1/00 (20060101); B08b
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;137/205,15,525.1,209
;141/59 ;222/130 ;134/169 ;4/1 ;417/149,148 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cohan; Alan
Claims
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
1. In a system for servicing waste receptacles of marine and other
vehicle-equipped sanitary facilities, a coupler connectable to the
waste receptacle to be serviced, a waste holding tank having an
outlet connectable to an external sewer, a flushing fluid holding
tank having an inlet connectable to a source of flushing fluid, a
waste conduit interconnecting said coupler and waste holding tank,
a flushing fluid conduit interconnecting said coupler and flushing
fluid holding tank, and means for selectively applying vacuum and
air pressure to the interiors of each of said tanks for
sequentially effecting the withdrawal of waste into the waste
holding tank from the receptacle, delivering a quantity of flushing
fluid to the receptacle, withdrawal of the flushing fluid quantity
into the waste holding tank and expulsion of said waste and
flushing fluid quantity from the waste holding tank to said sewer,
said means including an air pump having an inlet and outlet, an air
conduit having connections with each of said tanks, a valve
selectively operable to connect the air conduit to either of said
pump inlet or pump outlet, and valves respectively operable to
control air flow to and from said waste holding tank via said air
conduit and flow of flushing fluid to and from said flushing fluid
holding tank via said flushing fluid conduit, said air conduit
connections with the tanks being located in the upper portions of
the tanks and each including a valve seat and a fluid level
responsive valve movable against the seat to block flow outwardly
of the tank when the fluid level therein reaches a predetermined
height, said means further including check valves in each of said
waste holding tank outlet, flushing fluid tank inlet, and waste
conduit, at least one of said check valves in the waste holding
tank outlet and waste conduit comprising an elongated valve housing
having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, a fixed
sleeve extending into the housing from said inlet, and an elongated
hollow member sealingly secured at one end to the sleeve and having
elastically yieldable sidewall portions extending toward said
outlet and tapering toward each other to form a closure
therebetween at their extended ends.
2. In a system for servicing waste receptacles of marine and other
vehicle-equipped sanitary facilities, a coupler connectable to the
waste receptacle to be serviced, a closed waste holding tank having
a check valve controlled outlet in the lower portion thereof, a
closed flushing fluid holding tank having a check valve controlled
inlet connectable to a source of flushing fluid, an air pump having
an inlet and an outlet, an air conduit interconnecting the upper
portions of said tanks, a selector valve alternatively operable to
connect either said pump inlet or pump outlet to said air conduit,
a selectively closable and openable valve controlling flow in said
air conduit between said selector valve and the waste holding tank,
a waste conduit interconnecting said coupler and the lower portion
of the waste holding tank, a flushing fluid conduit interconnecting
said waste conduit and the lower portion of the flushing fluid
holding tank, a selectively openable and closable valve controlling
flow in said flushing fluid conduit, and a check valve
accommodating one way flow only to the waste holding tank from said
waste conduit, said last named check valve including a valve
housing having an inlet connected to said waste conduit and an
outlet connected to said waste holding tank and a sleevelike member
of elastically flexible material within said housing, said member
having one of its ends connected to said housing inlet and its
opposite end extending toward said housing outlet, said extended
end of said member having a normally pinched configuration in which
the opposite sidewalls thereof are in abutting engagement with each
other to form a closure against reverse flow.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates to the art of servicing, i.e., cleanout and
flushing, of toilet waste receptacles, of small pleasure boats,
airplanes, travel trailers and like vehicles. Increasing
anti-pollution legislation imposes severe problems on the operators
of such craft. For example, certain states now prohibit the
indiscriminate dumping of such receptacles into the adjacent
waterways, even at considerable distances off shore. This makes it
necessary for operators of such craft to make suitable provision
for discharging their receptacles into a public sewer system or
other land based disposal facility approved by the authorities. My
invention provides an improved system and method for accomplishing
this desired result which both is entirely sanitary and takes but a
relatively few minutes to accomplish. A principal feature of my
invention distinguishing it from the prior art is that provision is
made for first withdrawing the waste from the receptacle being
serviced, followed by flushing the receptacle and withdrawing the
flushing fluid therefrom, followed, if desired, by refilling the
receptacle with a second quantity of flushing fluid, and thence
finally expelling the withdrawn waste and initial flushing fluid
into a public sewer. The system also distinguishes importantly from
the prior art in that the pump means is completely isolated from
the waste and flushing fluid flow circuit so that all problems of
clogging the pump are avoided.
2. Description of the prior art
The closest approach to such a system in the prior art of which I
am aware is that disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,462 to Quase
wherein waste from the boat access fitting is withdrawn through a
pump to a submerged storage tank, from which it may be periodically
discharged through suitable piping to an installation on shore for
later further removal by a tank truck or the like. No provision,
however, is made for flushing and refilling the waste receptacle in
the boat, and all waste withdrawn therefrom must pass through the
pumps. In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,713 to Gagne an on-board waste
disposal system for boats is disclosed in which the waste is pumped
into successive tanks for maceration, sterilization and liquid
separation, respectively, from the last of which the liquid is
discharged over board below the water line. No provision is made
for removal of the solid wastes, and, as in the Quase patent, all
waste flow is directly through the various pumps used in the
circuit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide for
servicing such vehicle equipped waste receptacles by selectively
applying vacuum or air pressure to a waste holding tank and a
flushing fluid holding tank in order to draw the waste into the
former and flushing fluid into the latter so that the flushing
fluid may thence be delivered to the receptacle and thereafter
withdrawn into the waste holding tank for final expulsion therefrom
along with the previously withdrawn waste into a public sewer or
other external disposal facility. It is a further important object
of my invention to provide such a system wherein the pumping of
waste and flushing fluid from the receptacle being serviced is
accomplished without allowing these materials to pass through the
pump, thereby avoiding any possibility of the pump becoming clogged
or worn by passage of those materials therethrough.
In accordance with the invention, the waste receptacle may be
refilled with clean flushing fluid by withdrawing a second quantity
thereof into the flushing fluid holding tank and thence discharging
the same into the receptacle after the initial flushing fluid
quantity therein has been withdrawn into the waste holding
tank.
The means by which these and other objects and advantage of the
invention are attained will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description of one preferred embodiment selected
for illustration, having reference to the drawings, wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic layout of a waste receptacle servicing
system embodying the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a check valve used in the
system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a physical unit incorporating the
features of the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the draiwngs, and first to FIG. 1, a
system is shown including a closed waste holding tank 1, a closed
flushing fluid holding tank 2, a coupler 3 connectable to a typical
waste access fitting (not shown) of the boat or other vehicle whose
waste receptacle is to be serviced, an air pump 4 and suitable
connecting conduits for carrying out the invention.
The waste holding tank 1 has an outlet, preferably located in the
lower portion thereof, in the form of a conduit 5 through which
flow is limited to the outward direction only by a check valve 6.
The conduit 5, downstream of the check valve 6, may be connected by
a flexible hose (not shown) to a public sewer or other suitable
waste disposal facility. In the upper portion of the tank 1 is a
combined dual inlet and outlet shown in the form of a conduit 7
which connects with the interior of the tank via a valve seat 8. A
fluid level responsive valve 9 is provided for closing the outlet
conduit 7 against outward flow by moving into abutment with the
seat 8 when the fluid level in the tank reaches a predetermined
height. The tank 1 is also provided with an inlet, preferably but
not necessarily located in the upper portion thereof, as shown in
the form of a conduit 10 through which flow is limited to the
direction inwardly of the tank by a check valve 11. The conduit 10
serves as a waste conduit, being connected at its opposite end to
the coupler 3. The conduit 7 is an air conduit having a branch 7'
whose opposite end forms a combined inlet and outlet in the upper
portion of the flushing fluid holding tank 2. As in the case of the
tank 1, the latter combined inlet and outlet is provided with a
valve seat 12 which is closable against flow therethrough by a
fluid level valve 13. The tank 2 also has an inlet, shown in the
form of a conduit 14, through which flow is limited to the
direction inwardly of the tank by a check valve 15. To this conduit
14, upstream thereof from the check valve 15, may be connected a
flexible hose (not shown) leading to a suitable source of flushing
fluid. In the case of servicing a waste receptacle of a boat while
docked this is simply accomplished by extending the opposite end of
the flexible hose overboard below the water line. Obviously,
however, the end of the conduit 14 upstream of the check valve 15
might be similarly connected to any suitable water reservoir or
pressure water supply line. The flushing fluid holding tank 2 is
also provided with a combined inlet and outlet in the form of a
conduit 16 which connects thereto at a height preferably located
below that of the valve seat 12 and valve 13. This conduit 16,
which serves as a flushing fluid delivery conduit, connects at its
lower end with the coupler 3 in common with the waste conduit
10.
A second branch 7" of the air conduit 7 is shown leading to a
four-way or selector valve 17. The air conduit branch 7" forms a
combined inlet and outlet of the selector valve 17 which
interconnects, through a vacuum air line 18 and a pressure air line
19 with the inlet and outlet, respectively, of the air pump 4. It
will be understood that the pump 4 is suitably driven, as by an
electric motor (not shown). A suitable adjustable relief valve 20
is shown installed in the vacuum air line 18 to limit the vacuum
applied therein by the pump 4 to a predetermined value, such as 15
inches of mercury. Also a suitable pressure relief valve 21 is
shown installed in the air pressure line 19 to limit the pressure
developed therein to a predetermined value, such as 20 pounds per
square inch. 22 and 23 are gauges to indicate the respective vacuum
and pressure, respectively, developed by the pump 4 in operation. A
filter 24 may also be incorporated in the vacuum air line 18 to
intercept moisture and any foreign particles which might otherwise
be drawn into the pump 4.
Selectively closable and openable valves 25 and 26 are shown
installed in the air conduit 7 and flushing fluid conduit 16,
respectively. The inclusion of the valve 25 is not essential to the
operation of the system, but it does perform the useful function of
expediting the applications of vacuum and pressure to the flushing
fluid holding tank 2 during withdrawal of fluid therein through the
conduit 14, and expulsion of such fluid into the receptacle via the
coupler 3, respectively, since closure of the valve 25 during those
times renders it unnecessary to build up the same vacuum or
pressure in the waste holding tank 1. Also, while the selector
valve 17 and the valves 25 and 26 may be operated manually, it will
be appreciated that suitable energizing means (not shown) such as
solenoids may be incorporated therewith in a circuit including
timing or sensing devices and a start button, so the different
sequential operations of the system may be carried out
automatically.
THe sequence of operating steps in servicing a waste receptacle
will now be described. The air pump 4 preferably operates
continuously throughout the cycle, and upon setting the selector
valve 17 in the dotted line position shown and opening the valve 25
and closing the valve 26 vacuum will then be applied both to the
waste holding tank 1 and the flushing fluid holding tank 2. This
will result in withdrawing the waste contained in the receptacle
being serviced into the tank 1 and simultaneously withdrawing
flushing fluid through the conduit 14 into the tank 2. Since such
waste receptacles are normally vented, this action may be continued
until an audible loss of vacuum is noted in the waste conduit 10.
It will be appreciated that the capacity of the waste holding tank
1 should be large enough to accomodate the contents of the largest
receptacle intended to be serviced, plus the fluid holding capacity
of the flushing fluid holding tank 1. Over-filling of the flushing
fluid holding tank is prevented by closure of the fluid level
responsive valve 13 therein. Next, upon resetting the selector
valve 17 to the solid line position shown, closing valve 25 and
opening the valve 26 air pressure will thence be applied by the
pump 4 to the tank 2 for expelling the flushing fluid therefrom,
into the receptacle via the coupler 3. When this is completed, the
selector valve 17 is reset in its dotted line position, the valve
25 is again opened and the valve 26 is again closed, whereupon
vacuum is again applied by the pump to the tanks 1 and 2 resulting
in the flushing fluid being withdrawn from the waste receptacle
through the coupler 3 into tank 1 while simultaneously a fresh
quantity of flushing fluid is drawn into the tank 2 through the
conduit 14. Thereafter, if it is desired to refill the waste
receptacle with a fresh quantity of flushing fluid, which is
usually the case, the selector valve 17 is moved to its solid line
position, the valve 25 is closed and the valve 26 is opened,
thereby resulting in air pressure being applied to the contents of
the tank 2 to force the fresh flushing fluid through the coupler 3
into the waste receptacle. Thereafter, or if such refilling of the
receptacle is deemed unnecessary, the valve 25 may be opened and
the valve 26 closed with the selector valve 17 in its solid line
position so that pressure is applied by the pump through conduit 7
to the waste holding tank 1 to expel to the sewer via the conduit 5
all of the waste and flushing fluid previously withdrawn thereinto
from the receptacle. It will be appreciated that the check valve 11
in the waste conduit 16 prevents return of waste therethrough
during this discharge of material from the tank 1, and that
likewise the check valve 15 prevents return flow of flushing fluid
through the conduit 14 when discharging such fluid from the tank 2
to the receptacle, and that check valve 6 prevents loss of vacuum
in the waste holding tank 1 during withdrawal thereinto of waste
from the receptacle via the coupler 3 and waste conduit 10.
Referring to FIG. 2 it will be seen that the check valve 11 in the
waste conduit leading to the tank 1 preferably comprises an
elongated housing 27 which may be constructed in one piece, or in a
plurality of sections as shown. In the particular embodiment
illustrated the body of the housing is formed of a pair of
oppositely facing bell shaped members 28 and 29 whose large ends
are joined together by a cylindrical member 30. The inlet to the
housing is formed by a nipple 31 having an inner portion 32
extending into and sealingly joined to the smaller end of the bell
member 28, and an outer portion 33 which may be serrated or
threaded as at 34 for gripping engagement with the adjacent end of
the waste conduit 16 (FIG. 1). Likewise, the outlet end of the
housing is similarly formed by a nipple 31' for connecting the
smaller end of the bell member 29 to its connecting end of the
waste conduit 16. Sealingly received within the inner portion 32 of
the nipple 31 and extending therefrom into the housing is a rigid
sleeve member 35 connecting a further extending sleevelike member
36 of elastically flexible material. The opposite sidewalls 37, 38
of this flexible member 36 are preformed so as to normally taper
toward and into abutment with each other (as shown in their solid
line positions) to form a closure against reverse flow through the
housing. During forward flow, fluid pressure forces the extended
ends of the oposing sidewalls 37, 38 out of engagement with each
other and toward their positions shown in dotted lines. Preferably
a valve of this construction is also used for the check valve 6 in
the discharge conduit 5 from the waste holding tank 1. Valves of
this construction have proven exceptionally reliable and positive
in operation and have a further advantage of requiring relatively
low fluid pressures to effect forward flow therethrough, yet afford
a positive seal against reverse flow.
FIG. 3 shows a portable unit incorporating the waste holding tank
1, flushing fluid holding tank 2, air pump 4, valving and
interconnecting conduits and flow lines described in connection
with FIGS. 1 and 2. The assemblage, as shown, is mounted on a
trailer-like chassis 40 having road wheels 41 for conveniently
maneuvering the unit around a marina dock, air field or travel
trailer servicing area.
It is appreciated that the individual components of the system may
take various different forms and that their interconnections may be
modified from those specifically illustrated and described without
departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as hereinafter
claimed.
* * * * *