Stormwater Siphon Cube

Abstract

To provide a portable device capable of capturing a flow of water from a stream, storm drain or runoff channel, on command and send that captured water into a pipe system, while allowing remote adjustment of the capture and flow rates out of the cube device, the stormwater syphon cube includes a rock grate to prevent stormwater borne objects from entering the device, and an exit valve adjustable via cable control, a side extraction valve adjustable via cable control to adjust the water flow into the extraction pipe, and extraction pipe attached to the cube to carry extracted water away to storage. The sealed exit pipe acts as a syphon drawing water out of the cube.

Claims

1) A stormwater syphon cube which comprises: an elongated cube shaped device installed in a river bed or water channel through which stormwater flows into the entrance of said cube device with a rock screening grate and with a series of internal valves that act to channel water either straight through said cube and back to the stream or to divert water out through a side port extraction pipe which carries said water diagonally at a shallow angle and out of the water channel or river bed via gravity; a plurality of valves and plates within said cube in which an exit valve located at the back end of said cube comprised of a plate with an axel attached to the interior of said cube is acted upon by a retractable cable which can either close the plate valve against the top edge of said cube by a cable pull or release said plate to drop via gravity and water pressure and lay flat against the bottom of said cube thus allowing water to pass through said cube unhindered; and a second valve comprised of a series of plates on hinges where one hinge is attached on the side and at the upper portion of said cube so that when acted on by a cable retraction said plates will lift and fold up against the top inside surface of said cube and thus allow water within said cube to leave via a side extraction pipe and when said cable is released said plates will unfold and drop via gravity to form a flat barrier hanging against the side wall of said cube and thus act to close off water flow out of the side port extraction pipe; and where said side hanging plates have a leading edge bevel that acts to keep the valve closed as water presses against said bevel in the closed position and keeps valve plates from moving into the center stream of water moving through said cube.

2) The stormwater syphon cube as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a detachable interchangeable rock grate that can be removed and changed for maintenance and differing river conditions; a plurality of cables manipulating a plurality of valves and plates within said cube that control water flows through said cube from, remote locations on shore;

3) The stormwater syphon cube as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a plastic or composite protective material on the leading forward edges of said cube, and a protective corrosion resistant sealer applied over all surfaces and parts of said cube device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In any event, the present invention will become more clearly understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying draftings. The embodiments and drawings are given only for the purpose of illustration and explanation, and are not to be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way, which scope is to be determined by the appended claims.

[0020] FIG. 1

[0021] Is a top view diagram showing the stormwater syphon cube or cube and its attendant parts in a preferred embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 2

[0023] Is a longitudinal view of the cube showing the internal parts via shaded panels and doted lines to indicate internal parts in a preferred embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 3

[0025] Is a head on view of the cube showing internal valves and side port extraction pipe in a preferred embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 4

[0027] Is a longitudinal view showing a preferred embodiment of cube installation and function.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Hereinafter, some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows the cube 1 and the water inlet 12 of the cube structure where a rock grill front 3 and rock grill vanes 7 filters larger rocks and debris from water entering the cube 1. The rock grill front 3 may in one embodiment be constructed with an angled lift as shown and with a pointed center to shunt rocks, logs and other debris off to one side or another as well as lifting debris. This shaped rock grill front 3 will aid in preventing rocks or debris from lifted straight up and striking or interfering with the plurality of control cables 10, 11 which are exiting the cubes 1 top surface. After water enters the cube 1 it can flow straight through and leave the cube if the exit plate valve 4 and cable attachexit valve plate 10 is in the down position. If the exit plate valve 4 is in the up position due to being raised via the cable attach-exit valve plate 10, then water is shunted into the extraction pipe exit 2 and leaves via the extraction pipe exit 9. The side port extraction pipe 2 is connected by welds or bolts to the cube 1 and through out the entire pipe at location 8. Water can be excluded from the side port extraction pipe 2 by lowering the side port extraction valve 5 which is accomplished via retracting the cable attach-extraction plate 11. Thus by closing off the exit valve plate 4 and opening the side port extraction valve 5 stormwater will be syphoned off into the side port extraction pipe 2 and exit via the extraction pipe exit 9 and into a constructed pipe system to harvest this water. The exit valve plate 4 pivots within the cube 1 on the exit plate axel pin 6.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a side view of cube 1 starting with the rock grill front 3, the extraction pipe 2, the exit valve axel pin 6 and in an x-ray view of the extraction pipe weld to cube 10. Further views show how the extraction valve plates 5 are attached to the roof of the cube 1 and held in place by extraction valve hinge pins 9 and are lifted or lowered via side valve extraction valve cable 7. When water is not wanted for capture in the extraction pipe 2 the extraction valve plates 5 will be closed/lowered, and thus water will flow straight through the cube 1 and exit passed the exit valve plate 4. To collect water, the exit valve cable 8 is retracted which causes the exit valve plate 4 to pivot on the exit valve axel pin 6 and thus water is closed off from exiting and is shunted out the extraction pipe 2.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a head on view from the back or exit of the cube 1 depicting the side port extraction valve plates 3 and the side port pull cable 5 where it connects to lift the valve plates 3. The side port extraction valve plates 3 will hang via gravity against the side of the cube interior 1 when not acted upon by the side port pull cable 5 and thus those plates 3 will block water and debris from entering the extraction pipe 2. This feature means the cube water intake can be controlled from a remote site above a water course/river when it's impossible to otherwise access the cube, and so if water is not needed at a point in time, technicians can lower the side port extraction plates 3 and open the exit plate, (not shown in this diagram for ease of viewing). 6 shows the travel of the side port extraction valve plates 3 when acted upon by the side port pull cable 5. Extraction valve hinge pins 4 are shown between the side port extraction valve plates 3. There is a slot cut in the top of the cube 1 to accommodate the side port pull cable 5 when it is retracted.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment installation of the cube 3 in a river bed 1 to show preferred functionality. The cube 3 sits in the bottom of a river bed 1 and collects water into the side port exit pipe 4 which is directed down stream at an angle less than that of the riverbed 1. Flat level is indicated by 2. Over distance the side port exit pipe 4 will eventually raise above the river bank 6 and thus captured water can be placed via gravity into a sump 5. The sump 5 is higher than the river bank 6 and so the sump 5 is not in the river, keeping expensive pumps and dangerous electrical out of harms way. Thus water is removed from a river via gravity, a unique and useful feature. This view also demonstrates how the syphon effect is created, due to the weight of several thousand gallons of water traveling downhill within the side port exit pipe 4. This water weight traveling downhill in a sealed pipe system will create a high degree of water draw or vacuum within the cube 3 itself and this effect adds substantially to the cubes 3 extraction rates. 7 indicates the direction of water flow.