Abstract:
The transition unit includes an outer cylinder that is cylindrically shaped and made of steel. A foundation for supporting the outer cylinder is provided. The foundation contains no metal reinforcements. Grounding rods are connected to the outer cylinder. The grounding rods extend to a water table. A lower support structure made preferably of wood is located within the outer cylinder. An inner cylinder is supported by the lower support structure. A canister is located within the inner cylinder. A cover is located on the outer cylinder for enclosing the transition unit.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This continuation-in-part application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/217,990 filed Aug. 13, 2002, now abandoned the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The transition unit of the present invention relates to an underground storage apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The transition unit includes an outer cylinder that is cylindrically shaped and made of steel. A foundation for supporting the outer cylinder is provided. The foundation contains no metal reinforcements. Grounding rods are connected to the outer cylinder. The grounding rods extend to a water table. A lower support structure made preferably of wood is located within the outer cylinder. An inner cylinder is supported by the lower support structure. A canister is located within the inner cylinder. A cover is located on the outer cylinder for enclosing the transition unit. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a transition unit that has been located within the ground, where substances have been located within a canister; 
         FIG. 2  is a top elevational view taken from the direction of Arrow 2-2 as shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating the outer cylinder relative to the inner cylinder; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the hoisting cable in the retracted position that is utilized to maneuver the canister to and from the transition unit; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the hoisting cable mechanism in an engaged position showing the canister properly inserted within the inner cylinder; 
         FIG. 5  is an alternative embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a transition unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
     The present invention is a transition unit  10 . The transition unit  10  is an assembly that is preferably located sub grade. 
     The transition unit  10  includes an elongated outer cylinder  12  that is preferably made of magnetic stainless steel. The cylinder  12  is located within a hole  14  in the ground  16  at a position vertical to the ground  16 . A concrete slab  18 , free of metal, is placed over a vapor barrier on well compacted sand and gravel fill  20 . The slab  18  must be perfectly level and a drain sump  22  is positioned below the elevation of the slab  18  for removing water. 
     A base  24 , supported by the slab  18 , is located at the lower end of the outer cylinder  12  for supporting an inner cylinder  26 . The base  24  includes four separate wings  28  that are offset at 90 degree angles from one another. Each wing  28  is preferably made of wood and the base  24  is centrally positioned within the outer cylinder  12  in order to maintain trueness. A recess  30  at the upper end of each wing provides a centering feature for locating the lower part of inner cylinder  26  precisely in place relative to the centerline  32 . The centerline  32  extends axially in the outer cylinder  12  and is vertical to the ground. 
     A plurality of grounding rods  34  is driven to the water table  36  in order to establish a ground. Each grounding rod  34  is connected to the outer cylinder  12  by a copper braid  38  in order to ground the outer cylinder  12 . 
     The inner cylinder  26  is preferably made of non-magnetic stainless steel and has an outside diameter of K and a length of Kx Pi. K is a variable and starting point for the configuration and manufacture of the unit  10 . K represents the diameter of the inner cylinder. K is a variable and starting point for the configuration and manufacture of the unit  10 . K represents the diameter of the inner cylinder. K could be in the range of 10-140 inches in diameter. A flange  40 , has a width of K/Pi, and is positioned at the lower end of the inner cylinder  26  at a distance of K/ 2  from the lower end of the cylinder. The outside diameter of the flange  40  is K+2(K/Pi). The space between the inside diameter of the outer cylinder  12  and the edge of the flange  40  is K/4Pi. The positioning is precise and the flange  40  is preferably made of magnetic silicon steel. A plate  41  located within the cylinder  26  is aligned with a centerline  42  that extends through the flange  40  which is also at a right angle from the wall  43  of the inner cylinder  26 . The outer cylinder  12  has a midpoint  44  and the inner cylinder  26  is positioned so that the centerline  42  is in alignment. The length of the outer cylinder  12  is (Kx 2Pi)+2(K/4Pi) and its inside diameter is K+2(K/Pi)+2(K/4Pi). 
     Struts  48  are positioned between the inner wall of the outer cylinder  12  and the outer wall of the inner cylinder  26  for arranging the inner cylinder  26  in a perfectly upright position. The struts  48  are preferably made of wood and are spaced equally around the perimeter of the inner cylinder  26 . Copper wire braids are a cable connection  50 . The cable connection  50  grounds the flange  40  to the outer cylinder  12 . 
     A canister  52  for housing substances is located within the inner cylinder  26 . The canister  52  is preferably made of aluminum alloy and has a diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the inner cylinder  26  so as to provide a loose fit there between. The canister  52  has an open top that is recessed below the top of the inner cylinder  26 . Pads or bumpers made preferably of neoprene are secured to the bottom of the canister  52  for aiding in the insertion of the canister  52  into the inner cylinder  26  and on top of the plate  41 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the canister  52  can be easily removed to and from the transition unit  10  by a hoist assembly  54 . The hoist assembly  54  allows the canister  52  to be removed and substances  56  to be put into the transition unit  10  for processing. A top panel  58  that is preferably made of wood extends over the opening of the outer cylinder  12 . An access hole  60  in the top panel  58  can be accessed by removing cover  62 . Once the cover  62  is removed, the hoist assembly  54  can be lowered within the outer cylinder  12  to facilitate maneuvering of the canister  52 . 
     The hoist assembly  54  includes cables  64  that in turn are connected to a plate  66 . Suspension bars  68  are pivotally connected to the plate  66  at one end, and at the other end to linkage rods  70 . Lifting bars  72  extend outwardly from the suspension bars  68  for engaging an inner surface of the canister  52 . The inner and outer movement of the lifting bars  72  is effectuated by a control rod  74  that extends vertically through the plate  66 . A handle  76  connected to the control rod  74  allows an operator to lift the rod  74  into a disengaged position as shown in  FIG. 3 , or to an engaged position as shown in  FIG. 4 . When the hoist assembly  54  is in the engaged position, the canister  52  can be maneuvered to or from the transition unit  10 . The transition unit  10  can be reused repeatedly by removing the canister  52  from the inner cylinder  26 . Thus, the canister  52  is not permanently placed into the ground  16 . This flexibility allows the transition unit  10  to be used over and over again such that a variety of substances  56  can be placed in the canister  52 . The processed substances  56  can be solid or liquid. The canister  52  is operable of being repeatedly removed from the inner cylinder  26 , filled with a substance  56 , and relocated within the inner cylinder  26 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts an alternative transition unit  100 . The transition unit  100  is designed substantially the same as the transition unit  10  as previously discussed, except that the transition unit  100  is operable to specifically handle fluids. The transition unit  100  includes an outer cylinder  12 , a slab  18 , grounding rods  34 , a base  24 , and inner cylinder  26  and a canister  52 . However, the new aspects are the fluid means  102  that transports fluid to and from the transition unit  100 . An inlet  104  provides a supply of fluid, or even a gas, into the transition unit  100  by means of piping. Connectors  106  allow for quick disconnect of the fluid lines from the canister  52 . Within the canister  52  are circulation lines  108  that pass the incoming contaminated fluids through a field  110 . An outlet  112  transports fluid from the transition unit  100  to where it can now be used. It will be appreciated that the transition units  10  and  100  can be modified to handle other substances by modifying their size and configuration. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.