Abstract:
Systems for providing universally installable secondary safety systems for use, in one embodiment, with a riser for a septic tank are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes the following: a riser extending from a system of interest located underground, a retainer ring installed within said riser, and a safety screen to prevent access to the underground system and lower portions of the riser from above.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    An essential component of subterranean system maintenance is visual inspection. As such, the buried components of these systems are often located beneath tunnels or passages capped by manholes or other coverings to prevent access to the tunnels and passages and therefore to the systems themselves by unauthorized persons or animals. In the past, these tunnels or passages, hereinafter referred to as “risers”, were tubular shaped recesses formed from one or more segments of poured concrete. Likewise, poured concrete was often used to fashion the coverings, such as a lid or cover or cap, of the riser. However, use of concrete as the material for making risers can be expensive. Further, exposure to freeze-thaw and other natural forces over times periods of several years can cause the concrete to weaken and ultimately fail. 
         [0002]    The durability, reduced weight, and decreased cost associated with plastics have enabled traditional concrete risers to be advantageously replaced with modern plastic ones. However, one drawback of the decreased weight associated with modern plastic risers is the concern that the lighter lids are more easily manipulated and removed by children and small animals. The danger that children and/or small animals might fall in and/or become trapped is a real concern with unsealed risers. 
         [0003]    What is desired, therefore, is a secondary safety system for preventing entry into a riser in the event that the cap or lid of the riser becomes damaged and/or dislodged. Additionally, because riser sizes are not standardized and vary greatly in size, it is desired that a secondary safety system be capable of installation within a range of risers. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a universal secondary safety system comprising a riser joined with and extending vertically upward from a subterranean system, such as a septic tank system. In some embodiments, the universal secondary safety system comprises an expandable retainer ring including top and side surfaces and first and second ends, wherein the side surface joins with interior walls of the riser and includes one or more pre-drilled holes sized to receive fasteners for fastening the expandable retainer ring to interior walls of a riser. In some embodiments, an adjustable ratchet mechanism is included on the expandable retainer ring for increasing and decreasing a diameter of the expandable retainer ring and releasably joining the first and second ends. In some embodiments, the adjustable ratchet mechanism allows the diameter of the retainer ring to increase by about at least about 1% to about 10%. 
         [0005]    Is some embodiments, a safety screen is positioned on and joined with the top surface of the expandable retainer ring. In some embodiments, the safety screen includes one or more holes sized to receive fasteners for fastening the safety screen to the top surface. In some embodiments, the safety screen has an upper surface that is generally convex. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The drawings show embodiments of the disclosed subject matter for the purpose of illustrating the invention. However, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the universal secondary safety system according to some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2A  is an isometric view of an embodiment of an expandable retainer ring as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of an embodiment of an expandable retainer ring as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 2C  is a bottom view of an embodiment of an expandable retainer ring as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 2D  is a bottom view of an embodiment of an expandable retainer ring as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of an adjustable ratchet mechanism from an embodiment of an expandable retainer ring as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of a safety screen as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an embodiment of a safety screen as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-2D , some embodiments of the universal secondary safety system of the present disclosure include a retainer ring  1  and a safety screen  2  for preventing accidental entry to a riser  3 . In some embodiments, riser  3  is for use with a septic tank system (not pictured) and allows a user clear access to the desired area of the septic tank system without the need to excavate the earth around the septic tank system. In some embodiments riser  3  is fastened to the desired area of the septic tank system at a first end  1000  and extends to the surface or ground level at a second end  2000 . In some embodiments, riser  3  is enclosed through installation of a lid or capping device at second end  2000 . Riser  3  and its accompanying lid or capping device can be fabricated from any suitable material and be of any suitable size. Preferably, riser  3  is fabricated from at least one of concrete and a plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride and high-density polyethylene. 
         [0016]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1-2D , in some embodiments, retainer ring  1  includes a top surface  100  and a side surface  110 . In some embodiments, side surface  110  is configured to be joined with interior walls  10  of riser  3 . In some embodiments, safety screen  2  is positioned on and joined with top surface  100  of retainer ring  1 . In some embodiments, retainer ring  1  and safety screen  2  are installed between first end  1000  and second end  2000 . 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, retainer ring  1  includes a first end  140  and a second end  150 . In some embodiments, first end  140  and second end  150  are connected through the use of an adjustable ratchet mechanism  120 . In some embodiments, adjustable ratchet mechanism  120  is capable of increasing and decreasing the diameter of retainer ring  1 . Thus, retainer ring  1  is expandable and can be adjusted to fit a wide range of riser sizes. In some embodiments, the connection between first end  140  and second end  150  provided by adjustable ratchet mechanism  120  is releasable. In some embodiments, the connection between first end  140  and second end  150  provided by adjustable ratchet mechanism  120  prevents complete separation of the ends, in other words the ratchet mechanism remains engaged. In some embodiments, the ratchet mechanism  120  is biased against contraction of the diameter of retainer ring  1 . Thus, adjustable ratchet mechanism  120  prevents retainer ring  1  from contracting in response to radially applied forces and guard against deformation of retainer ring  1  which might lead to components of the universal secondary safety system falling through riser  3  towards the subterranean system at first end  1000 . In some embodiments, adjustable ratchet mechanism  120  allows the diameter of retainer ring  1  to increase by at least about 1% to about 10%. 
         [0018]    Referring again to  FIGS. 2-2D , in some embodiments, side surface  110  of retainer ring  1  includes one or more pre-drilled holes  130  sized to receive fasteners for fastening retainer ring  1  to interior walls  10  of riser  3 . Retainer ring  10  may be installed at any position along the length of interior wall  10  of riser  3 . In some embodiments, retainer ring  1  is installed near second end  2000  of riser  3 , opposite the end which interfaces with the subterranean system. In some embodiments, the fasteners are screws, such as those of any suitable size made from stainless steel. In some embodiments, the fasteners are stud anchors or wedge anchors. In some embodiments, at least 9 fasteners are provided at approximately equally spaced distances about the circumference of retainer ring  1 . 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4-5 , safety screen  2  is substantially sized and shaped to interface with top surface  100  of retainer ring  1 . In some embodiments, safety screen  2  is shaped to generally mimic the shape of interior walls  10  and/or retainer ring  1 . In some embodiments, safety screen  2  is substantially circular and made from supporting members  430 , namely a series of concentric rings  440  intersecting with radially positioned ribs  450 . In some embodiments, safety screen  2  includes a plurality of openings  460  positioned between radially positioned ribs  450  and concentric rings  440 , which allow gases, liquids, and small solids to pass through the safety screen while substantially preventing pass-through of larger solids such as animals and humans. The specific shape, size, and placement of the supporting members  430  of safety screen  2  are a matter of design choice and well within capabilities of one having ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, upper surface  410  of safety screen  2  is generally convex, in other words upper surface  410  faces away from retainer ring  1  and the subterranean system. Thusly, safety screen  2  is positioned to best accept a load applied to it from above, such as when an animal or child falls into or attempts to gain access to riser  3 . Such an arrangement is highly advantageous, leading to increased durability and strength of safety screen  2 . Further, the cross-hatched design limits weight and production costs. In some embodiments, safety screen  2  comprises a handle  420 . 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, safety screen  2  includes one or more holes  400  sized to receive fasteners for fastening safety screen  2  to top surface  100 . In some embodiments, safety screen  2  is attached to top surface  100  through  1  or more screws through one or more holes  400 . In some embodiments, safety screen is not fastened to top surface  100 , being only held in place by gravitational forces and interior walls  10 . 
         [0021]    Although the disclosed subject matter has been described and illustrated with respect to embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that features of the disclosed embodiments can be combined, rearranged, etc., to produce additional embodiments within the scope of the invention, and that various other changes, omissions, and additions may be made therein and thereto, without parting from the spirit and scope of the present invention.