TopSink: Liquid Storage Device with Automatic Discharge in High Volume Batches

Abstract

TopSink: Liquid Storage Device with Automatic Discharge in High Volume Batches is a liquid storage device that automatically discharges excess liquid in preset volumes. By releasing surplus liquid from below the surface, TopSink prevents air from entering the discharge line, which significantly improves the heador flow forcein the line. With no air in the line, and with the liquid being released at high volumes, the discharged liquid is able to travel a further distanceeven over an inclinewithout external inputs like electricity. This advantage is in contrast with traditional overflow designs, which merely have a standpipe that enables excess water to trickle out of the line as the level rises. This allows air into the system, causing excess water to pool in the line and travel a minimal distance, TopSink solves this problem by releasing the energy of stored water in high volume bursts, from below the liquid's surface.

Claims

1. A liquid storage device comprising: a sealed liquid storage container; a funnel with an internal standpipe inside of said liquid storage container; a flexible discharge line connected to the base of said funnel; a shut off valve on the exterior of said liquid storage container, connected to the end of said flexible discharge line; an adjustable rod upon which said funnel may rest.

2. A liquid storage device as in claim 1, further comprising: intermittent indentations at varying depths inside said water storage container, wherein said adjustable rod attaches to the inside of said water storage container at a desired depth.

3. A liquid storage device as in claim 1, wherein the length of said flexible discharge line extends to the height of the maximum capacity of said water storage device, and no further.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0014] Image 1: TopSink Nearing Capacity [0015] TopSink's discharge line is nearly taught, as the water in the barrel reaches capacity

[0016] Image 2: TopSink Arrives at Capacity [0017] As the barrel reaches is maximum capacity, TopSink's discharge line is pulled tight, causing the funnel to be overflowed with water. It begins to sink, and the drainage cycle has begun.

[0018] Image 3: TopSink Draining [0019] TopSink is now sinking, draining water as it drifts toward the catch rods which are at a preset depth. This establishes how much water is discharged each time the barrel reaches capacity.

[0020] Image 4: TopSink Completes Drainage Cycle [0021] TopSink rests on the catch rods and, no longer sinking, completes its drain cycle from the newly established depth

[0022] Image 5: TopSink Returning to Surface [0023] Floating again, with no water in the line, TopSink now rises with the water toward capacity once again

[0024] Image 6: Water flow without TopSinkair in the line [0025] In this drawing, it can be seen how air in a discharge line prevents water from flowing with any force

[0026] Image 7: Water flow with TopSinkno air in the line [0027] In this drawing, it can be seen how increased head in the line (minimal air and maximal water) amplifies the force of the water, even over an incline

[0028] Image: TopSink: a close up [0029] This transparent view of the funnel portion of TopSink reveals the internal standpipe, which allows water to build up and weigh down the funnel before sinking and starting the drainage cycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] In the simplest terms, TopSink: Liquid Storage Device with Automatic Discharge in High Volume Batches is a floating, modified, funnel attached to a flexible discharge line on the inside of a rain barrel.

[0031] From top to bottom, TopSink consists of a floating, modified funnel inside any type of water storage. The funnel is connected to a flexible discharge line which connects to a port on the side of the barrel. Just outside the barrel, this port has a shut off which can be used to turn TopSink's drainage cycles on or off. This shut off is connected to a hose that runs to the desired destination for the water, like another barrel or a reservoir away from the house.

[0032] The modified funnel floats when the water in the barrel is below capacity because the funnel and the discharge line are filled with air so they float like an empty bottle.

[0033] When the water in the storage container approaches capacity. TopSink's discharge line is pulled taught, anchoring the brim of TopSink as the water continues to rise. The water eventually overtakes TopSink and the funnel quickly fills with water and sinks. There is a short standpipe inside the funnel, which enables water to build up in the funnel before it begins to drain. This gives the funnel added weight before it sinks and begins to drain, which makes for a quicker trigger point once capacity is reached.

[0034] When TopSink sinks, water quickly begins to flow out of it through the discharge line. Since the line is submerged now, no air enters the system, creating optimal head in the discharge line. This is TopSink's primary function and advantage, and where it is differentiated from more traditional overflow designs; it drains water from below the surface, at a high volume, creating a strong flowing force in the discharge line.

[0035] TopSink sinks from the surface all the way down to a preset catch rod. The catch rod can be set to stop TopSink after discharging 3 gallons, 10 gallons, 13 the way up to 30 gallons of release. These measurements can change relative to the size of the container.

[0036] From the catch rod, TopSink continues to drain the barrel until the water level falls just below TopSink's new location. Then, the brim of the funnel begins to rise above the surface of the water, and as the last of the drained water gurgles out of the funnel and discharge line, TopSink begins to float on the surface of the water as it rises again. No water is flowing out of the discharge line at this time because its opening is above the surface of the rising water.

[0037] Whether the water level continues to rise from the current rain storm, or the next one weeks later, TopSink will stay afloat on the surface until it reaches capacity again, when the cycle will begin again.

[0038] TopSink provides the following advantages; [0039] 1. TopSink's primary advantage, as discussed, is that it drains water from beneath the surface, at a high volume, creating head in the discharge line. This can be used to power the water over an incline, across a distance, or to power a hydraulic ram pump. It enables water to automatically be moved between two locations, with topography in between, [0040] 2. Because TopSink releases the excess water from the upper portion of the storage device, it skims off any surface scum, algae, or mosquito larvae that may have developed on the water when it was still. In doing so, TopSink drastically reduces the amount of harmful algae, mosquitoes or pests that can be associated with long term water storage. This can be a particularly advantageous detail in settings where algae and mosquitoes carry disease in water supplies. [0041] 3. TopSink releases the excess water from the top portion of the barrel, as opposed to the bottom. This increases the buoyancy level of the discharged water, adding several more feet of height to the final destination to which the water may flow. In other words, the water is released from a higher height than if it were merely released from the bottom of the barrel, which translates into potential flow over that many more feet of incline. If TopSink is set to release 5 gallons of water each time the barrel reaches capacity, for example, this means it releases that water from the 50 gallon markvery near the top of the barrel. In a typical 55 gallon barrel, that is more than 3 feet higher than the bottom of the barrel. This means that the discharged water may now reach a destination that is up to 3 feet higher than if it were released from the bottom of the barrel.