Silt and debris filtering system for storm drains
An apparatus for removing debris from water passing through a storm drain comprises a frame adapted to be positioned underneath a storm grate for receiving the water, the frame having a bottom side and major and minor sidewalls, the major sidewalls having openings therein for allowing water to pass; and a filter removably insertable along at least a portion of the major sidewalls for filtering debris from the water.
This application claims priority of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/563,736, entitled Silt And Debris Filtering System For Storm Drains, filed Apr. 20, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if being set forth in its entirety herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to a storm drain filter system for filtering water flowing into a storm drain.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFiltering systems useful for storm drains generally prevent silt and other debris (e.g., dirt, gravel, tree leaves, street trash, etc.) from entering the storm drain and sewer system. Silt and other debris entering the storm drains along with rainwater and other surface water run-offs may clog the storm sewers and cause street flooding and/or damage to water treatment facilities that treat the water from storm sewers. Such problems may be exaggerated and commonly found in many construction sites or similar locations.
To prevent such problems, the inventor has invented a novel silt and debris filtering system for storm drains that is simple to install and easy to maintain. The filter system of the present invention is provided with filter units that are easily removed from the storm drains for cleaning or replacement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn apparatus for removing debris from water passing through a storm drain comprises a frame adapted to be positioned underneath a storm grate for receiving the water, the frame having a bottom side and major and minor sidewalls, the major sidewalls having openings therein for allowing water to pass; and a filter removably insertable along at least a portion of the major sidewalls for filtering debris from the water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, and referring generally to
In an exemplary configuration, the frame 100 is a rectangular box-like structure having a solid bottom side and four side walls comprising two shorter minor sides (120, 130) and two longer major sides (140, 150). The two minor sides oppose each other and the two major sides oppose each other. The side walls may be grated. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the minor sidewalls are solid and the two major side walls are grated. The grating structure of the sidewalls may be varied in size and shape to accommodate the particular filtering needs of a given application or an installation site for the storm drain filtering system. In the attached
The top side 170 of the frame is open to let the water flow into the frame. The top edge (or lip) 172 of the frame may be configured and adapted to be supported by or hang from supporting structures that may be mounted into the wall of the catch basin of the storm drain below the storm grate. The supporting structures may be ledges or hooks. In an embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
The top edge (or lip) of the frame may be provided with a flange portion 174 that may hang from the supporting structures, whether the supporting structures may be ledges or hooks. One or more handle(s) 176 having an appropriate shape may be provided along the top edge (or lip) of the frame for ease of handling the frame during installation of or removal of the storm drain filter system. In the example of a frame illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The major side walls of the frame may be provided with one or more side drain holes 197 along the bottom edge as shown in
All or most of the components of the storm drain filtering system according to the present invention may be made of a variety of materials appropriate for such application. Preferably, the components, including the frame and the modular filter screen units may be made from appropriate gauge and grade of stainless steel that provides appropriate structural strength, durability and corrosion resistance. An example of such material is 304 stainless steel.
The filter system of the present invention also includes modular filter screens 190, one for each of the grated major side walls. The modular filter screens are mounted up against each of the two major side walls from inside the frame and filters silts and other debris from the water that flows into the top of the frame and out through the major side walls.
The modular filter screens may be a mesh or perforated sheet of some appropriate material. Preferably, the modular filter screens are made from perforated stainless steel sheets of an appropriate gauge that can withstand the structural demand of retaining silts and other debris that are being collected inside the frame and the pressure of the flowing water through the filter screens. In one embodiment of the present invention, 16 gauge grade 304 stainless steel that is perforated with ⅛″ diameter holes on ⅜″ centers, staggered, may be used for the filter screens. Depending on the range of the particle size of the debris to be filtered and collected by the filtering system, the diameter and the spacing of the perforation and the gauge of the stainless steel sheet may be varied accordingly. The perforation also may be any appropriate shape other than circular holes. The density of the perforations on the filter screens may be uniform throughout a given screen or, if necessary, the density of the perforations may vary across the height and width of the filter screen. For example, the perforations near the bottom end of the filter screen may have smaller and denser holes to filter silts and other debris having finer particle size. The perforations near the top end of the filter screen may have larger and less densely populated holes to filter and collect larger particle size debris.
An example of a modular filter screen unit 190 is illustrated in
If the cross-members of the modular filter screen units are sufficiently strong, the frame of the filter system may not need the grating structure for the major side walls. In that embodiment of the present invention, the major side walls of the frame may be just a big opening.
The modular filter screen units may be configured and dimensioned to slidingly engage the frame. For example, as illustrated in
To install the filtering system of the present invention, the storm drain grate is lifted up or tilted up from its normal resting position exposing the storm drain opening. If the storm drain opening does not have ledges or other suitable support structure for holding the frame of the filtering system, suitable supporting structure(s) 300 illustrated in
A removable mesh screen 187 and/or modular filter screen unit 190 is insertable into channels along the major sidewalls of the frame. In an exemplary embodiment, a stainless steel wire mesh screen (e.g. a 200 mesh count per inch or 0.0029 inch width opening) and a 1.5 inch thick replaceable filter for collecting debris including petroleum hydrocarbons is provided. The bottom surface 110 is flat and preferably formed of solid stainless steel. A hood 210 having inwardly tapered side panels 212 may be coupled onto the top opening of frame 100′ for funneling the matter from the storm gate or drain into the structure. The structure may be formed of 304 stainless steel, including the screen and filter units.
The members of the public works or road maintenance crew will periodically inspect the storm drains installed with the filtering system of the present invention. If the filtering system is filled with silt or other debris, the debris may be removed by, for example, using a jet-vacuum after the storm grate is removed. If appropriate, each of the modular filter screens also may be temporarily removed for cleaning. Because the components of the filter system, including the modular filter screen units are made of stainless steel, they are corrosion resistant and should be reused without being replaced for a long time.
Claims
1. An apparatus for removing debris from water passing through a storm drain, comprising:
- a frame adapted to be positioned underneath a storm grate for receiving said water, the frame having a bottom side and major and minor sidewalls, the major sidewalls having openings therein for allowing water to pass; and
- a filter removably insertable along at least a portion of the major sidewalls for filtering debris from said water.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bottom side is solid and includes a central ridge along the longitudinal axis of the frame such that the bottom side is pitched downwardly from the central ridge toward the major sidewalls.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising channels along said major sidewalls for retaining said filter within said frame.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame has a rectangular shape.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said filter comprises a mesh screen.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said filter comprises a filter for collecting petroleum hydrocarbons.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said filter comprises a mesh screen in combination with a filter unit for collecting petroleum hydrocarbons.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support structure for coupling a portion of the frame to a wall of the storm drain.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the minor sidewalls are solid.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the major sidewalls have grated openings.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the grated openings of said major sidewalls vary in size and shape.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 20, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 10, 2005
Inventor: Robert Glassheim (Bradley Beach, NJ)
Application Number: 11/110,649