Abstract:
An invention relating to underground water collection and storage chamber systems and more particularly, to water transfer device s such as transfer devices from a primary water collection and storage chamber to a secondary water collection and storage chamber.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to underground water collection and storage chamber systems and more particularly, to water transfer device s such as transfer device s from a primary water collection and storage chamber to a secondary water collection and storage chamber. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In recent years there has been a strong development of various storm water control systems to address the issues of stormwater runoff quantity and quality. One development has been the use of sub-surface water collection and storage chamber systems designed to retain stormwater surface flows and in particular, allow for a much slower discharge of stormwater effluents into receiving waters. Many of these systems are designed so there is a primary receiving chamber and several secondary chambers that line up end to end under impervious surfaces such as paved parking lots. 
         [0003]    Arch shaped underground water collection and storage chambers are highly preferable to other types of underground water management systems. Unlike some other types of underground water management devices, arch shaped water collection and storage chamber systems are better equipped to be located under paved areas. These systems receive surface water, typically from wet weather events through surface drains into one or more primary water collection and storage chamber. These primary chambers are usually connected to a series of secondary water collection and storage chambers by a straight transfer device between the side wall of the primary chamber and an end wall of a secondary chamber. Usually these connecting pipes are approximately halfway up the wall of the chambers and are designed to transfer water from the primary chamber when the amount of water from the surface drain is such that drainage from the primary chamber is slower than the intake of the volume of surface flow. The transfer device s act as an overflow bypass mechanism and the transferred water accumulates in the secondary systems until the surface drainage ceases. At that time the secondary chambers either drain into the soils below if they are previous, or in the case of impervious soils, drain out of a secondary drainage pipe into a secondary drainage system. In some cases the drainage water might be held for other uses such as, for example, irrigation. 
         [0004]    One of the problems with these systems is that by utilizing a straight pipe as a water transfer device the water from the primary chamber passes to the secondary chamber with all of the debris, sediments and other pollutants that were washed off of the surface by the wet weather flow. These secondary chambers then accumulate this debris, sediments, and other pollutants throughout the system making maintenance expensive and time consuming. In many cases these pollutants can result in the failure of the system due to clogging and sediment buildup requiring removal of the surface material such as a parking lot in order to replace them. There is a clear need for water transfer device s that can minimize the transfer of debris and sediments and other pollutants from the primary chamber to the secondary chamber thus allowing the primary system to retain the debris and sediments and drastically reducing maintenance cost and time of the system. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Disclosed herein are several new and novel water transfer devices for moving excess surface water from a primary water collection and storage chamber into a secondary water collection and storage chambers. In the preferred embodiment the transfer devices would be pipes where the inlet of the pipe is 8″ to 10″ above the floor of the primary water collection and storage system and rise vertically to a point approximately half way to the top of the primary chamber. At that location in the preferred embodiment the transfer device would turn 90° and pass through the wall of the primary water collection and storage chamber and cross over to and through the end wall of a secondary water collection and storage system where the water would be discharged. In one embodiment the 90° angled water transfer device might be a pipe 4-6″ in diameter. In a preferred embodiment the entrance to the water transfer device might contain a filter or a screen for preventing course debris sediment and/or other pollutants from entering the water transfer device from the primary water collection and storage chamber. As the primary water collection and storage chamber begins to fill with water draining into it from a surface drain, the water would rise within the primary chamber and upwards through the inlet of the water transfer device until it reaches the 90° angle of the water transfer device. At this point the water would then flow horizontally into a secondary water collection and storage chamber until such times as the receiving primary water collection and storage chamber ceases to receive surface water and the quantity of the water decreases thus stopping the flow to the secondary water collection and storage chamber. Floating debris in the primary chamber would not be able to enter the water transfer device pipe since the inlet of the water transfer device intake would be below the surface water level in the primary chamber. In one embodiment the transfer device might be a separate angled transfer device connected to a straight transfer device that passes from the primary underground water collection and storage chamber to the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber. 
         [0006]    The primary water collection and storage chamber could include one or more of the angled water transfer devices, with each device connecting to a separate secondary water collection and storage chamber. In some embodiments the angled water transfer devices inlet openings in the primary water collection and storage chamber might be at varying heights above the floor in order to control which secondary water collection and storage chamber would receive the first flow of water from the primary water collection and storage chamber. With the use of varying inlet heights the user could predetermine which secondary water collection and storage chamber would receive overflow from the primary chamber first. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments the inlet of the angled water transfer device might contain a filter media designed to remove pollutants such as sediment from the water. The filter media could be comprised of a media material that could remove other pollutants such as hydrocarbons, metals or other selected pollutants, depending on the desired use. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment the facing inlet of the water transfer device in the primary chamber might be angled horizontally within the primary chamber and downstream preventing the flow from entering directly into the water transfer device. In one embodiment the water transfer device would be paired with a higher secondary transfer pipe to allow for bypass in heavy flows. This might allow for the transfer of the first flush of drained surface water in the primary chamber to filter through the first transfer that might contain media, a screening component, or both. The secondary higher elevated bypass water transfer pipe would prevent a back up of the entire primary chamber in very heavy rain falls and thus flooding on the surface. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments the water transfer device might contain a spring trap device that prevents the water flow from traveling back into the primary chamber from the secondary chamber when the primary chamber&#39;s water level declines. The water in the secondary chamber would then drain slowly through the previous floor, or out a secondary drain or be stored for other uses such as irrigation. In an alternative embodiment, the transfer pipe might include a trap door mechanism on its bottom which upon accumulation of a predetermined load would open and drop sediment and other debris into an area below the water transfer device between the primary and secondary chambers. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, the objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved apparatus and methods for water transfer devices such as, for example, water transfer pipes for use in underground stormwater collection and storage chamber systems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Embodiments or variations of the water collection and storage system storage devices are described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic of an underground surface water collection and storage system. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2   a  shows a cutaway view of a primary underground surface water collection and storage chamber with a 90° angled water transfer device and a straight transfer device connected to the secondary water collection and storage chambers. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2   b  and  c  show an example of an alternative water transfer device connecting a primary underground surface water collection and storage chamber with secondary water collection and storage chambers. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a 90° angled water transfer device with varying opening sizes for accepting different size water transfer pipes at its outlet and varying opening sizes for filter media. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4   a - d  shows various examples of a 90° angled water transfer device. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of a 90° angled water transfer device in a primary underground water collection and storage chamber. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  shows a cutaway side view of a primary underground water collection and storage chamber with a 90° angled water transfer device. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  shows an example of a filter media cartridge for a 90° angled water transfer device. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  shows a filter media cartridge contained within the inlet of a 90° angled water transfer device. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  shows an example of a screen contained within the inlet of a 90° angled water transfer device. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  shows a 90°, angled transit device filter fitting with a deep filter component at its outlet and at its inlet. 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective of a 90° angled water transfer device with a cutaway view of a filter at its inlet. 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  shows a cutaway of a side view of a 90° angled water transfer device containing filter media. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  shows the inlet portion of a 90° angled water transfer device with a bypass opening. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  shows a cutaway of a 90° angled water transfer device with a bypass going from a primary underground water collection and storage chamber into a secondary water collection and storage chamber. 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  shows a primary underground water collection and storage chamber connected to a secondary water and storage chamber by a 90° angled water transfer device with surface access ports. 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  shows a sectional view of a primary water collection and storage chamber with a straight transfer device coming through its side with a media filter at its inlet. 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  shows a sectional view of a primary water collection and storage chamber with a straight transfer device coming through its side with a screen at its inlet. 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  shows two water transfer device s of varying heights at their inlet openings going from a primary underground water collection and storage chamber into respective secondary underground water collection and storage chambers. 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  shows a 90° angled water transfer device facing the bottom of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber and a second bypass 90° angled water transfer device facing downstream. 
           [0032]      FIG. 20  shows a 90° angled water transfer device with a bypass facing the bottom of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber and a second bypass 90° angled water transfer device facing downstream. 
           [0033]      FIG. 21  show a top view of the angled water transfer device system. 
           [0034]      FIG. 22  shows an angled water transfer device facing upwards towards the ceiling of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber with a surface access port. 
           [0035]      FIG. 23  shows three 90° transfer device s facing upwards towards the ceiling of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber with a surface access ports. 
           [0036]      FIG. 24  shows a water transfer device with a sediment trap device located at the bottom of the pipe in a closed position. 
           [0037]      FIG. 25  shows a water transfer device with a sediment trap device located in an open position. 
           [0038]      FIG. 26  shows a cutaway view of a sediment trap device with a weir component in a water transfer device. 
           [0039]      FIG. 27  shows a sediment trap device with a spring mechanism. 
           [0040]      FIG. 28  shows a sediment trap door device located in the water transfer device between the primary underground water collection and storage chamber and the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber in a closed position. 
           [0041]      FIG. 29  shows a sediment trap device located in the water transfer device between the primary underground water collection and storage chamber and the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber in an open position. 
           [0042]      FIG. 30  shows a sediment trap device in a closed position located in the water transfer device within the primary underground water collection and storage chamber. 
           [0043]      FIG. 31  shows a sediment trap device in an open position located in the water transfer device within the primary underground water collection and storage chamber. 
           [0044]      FIG. 32  shows a water transfer device with a trap door device system at the outlet of the water transfer device located in the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber for preventing back flow to the primary chamber within the trap in a closed position. 
           [0045]      FIG. 33  shows a water transfer device with a trap door device system at the outlet of the water transfer device located in the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber or preventing back flow to the primary chamber within the trap in an open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0046]    In the drawings, reference numeral  10  generally denotes an exemplary embodiment of a water transfer device underground chamber system such as, for example, a water transfer pipe between underground water collection and storage chambers. Any device however, could be utilized, for transferring water between the primary underground water collection and storage chamber and secondary underground water collection and storage chamber. For example,  FIGS. 2   b  and  c  shows an alternative water transfer device which is a scaled down chamber design  111  that is transferring the water between the primary underground water collection and storage chamber and a secondary underground water collection and storage chamber. While the preferred embodiment of the disclosures contained herein are pipes, any method of a water transfer device could be utilized.  FIG. 1  shows an example of an underground water collection and storage system wherein the water drains from the surface through a surface drain  101  into a primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 . Several other secondary underground water collection and storage chambers  105  are connected to the primary chamber through transfer devices  107  to allow water flow to drain into the secondary chambers from the primary chambers when needed. Maintenance of the primary chamber may be provided through an access port  109  in the primary chamber  103 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 2   a  depicts a preferred embodiment of the angled inlet water transfer device which is a 90° angled water transfer device. The inlet opening  201  of the water transfer device  107  located inside the primary water collection and storage chamber  103  is shown in a horizontal position with the inlet opening parallel with the floor of the chamber  205 . The 90° angled water transfer device  107  rises vertically from its inlet towards the ceiling of the primary chamber  207 , and at a point approximately one half of the way towards the chamber ceiling the transfer device is turned 90°  209  towards the inside wall  211  of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 . The water transfer device  107  exits the primary chamber  103  through the side wall  211  and crosses over to a secondary underground water collection and storage chamber  105  where the water transfer device outlet drains into a secondary underground water collection and storage chamber. While in the preferred embodiment the angle of the transfer device 90°, any angle could be utilized that would place the inlet of the transfer device below the level of the bottom of the water transfer device. In a preferred embodiment a 90° angled water transfer device  107  might include a screen or filter at its inlet within the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  201 . As shown in  FIG. 2   a  a second straight water transfer device  213  might be included that has an inlet opening  215  without a 90° turn in the primary chamber  103  which acts as a bypass for the 90° angled water transfer device  107  and allows excess water contained in the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  to drain directly into a second underground water collection and storage chamber  215  located next to the first secondary chamber  105 . In one embodiment this secondary bypass transfer device might have a screen.  FIG. 3  shows a cutaway of a 90° angled water transfer device which has variable openings at its outlet  301  to accommodate attaching it to different transfer device sizes, for example 6, 8, or 10 inch pipes. 
         [0048]    The inlet opening of a 90° angled water transfer device in the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  105  might include a filter or screen containing component  401  as shown in  FIG. 4 . In one embodiment this component might be removable for maintenance such as cleaning and/or replacing filter media.  FIG. 5  shows a filter or screen containment component  401  connected to the inlet end of the 90° angled water transfer device  203 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 6  shows a cutaway of a 90° angled water transfer device  203  including a variable size filter or screen containment component  401 . In a preferred embodiment the opening  601  to the transfer filter might be 8-9″ above the floor of the primary water collection and storage chamber. In an alternative embodiment the opening might be 3-12″ above the floor. The opening could be any distance sufficient to allow rising water to flow through an inlet opening at a level below the distance where the transfer device  107  passes through the side wall of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  211  towards and into the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber  105 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 7  shows an example of a filter cartridge  701  that might be inserted into the inlet end  801  of a water transfer device  107  as shown in  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 9  shows an alternative embodiment where the 90° angled water transfer device  203  might contain a screen  901  at its inlet end  801 .  FIG. 10  shows an example of an alternative embodiment where a filter media  701  might be placed in the outlet  1001  of the 90° angled water transfer device  203 . In one variation there might be a filter in the inlet  801  and the outlet  1001 .  FIGS. 11 and 12  show different perspectives of the 90° angled water transfer device,  203  with a filter  701  at its inlet end  801 . 
         [0051]    As shown in  FIG. 13  in an alternative embodiment, a 90° angled water transfer device  203  with a filter cartridge  701  might include an opening  1301  at its top  1303  to allow flow to bypass the filters  701  and flow directly into the 90° angled water transfer device  203  and into the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber  105 . This would prevent a backup in the primary underground water collection and storage system  103  which could result in surface flooding.  FIGS. 14 and 15  show a 90° angled water transfer device  203  placed within the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  with a bypass opening  1301  and a surface access port  1401 . 
         [0052]    In an alternative embodiment the transfer device  107  might have an inlet opening without a bend  1001  that is configured to contain a media filter cartridge  701  without a bend in the transfer device  107  as shown in  FIG. 16 , or a screen  901  as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0053]    In one embodiment the inlet openings of the 90° angled water transfer devices  203  might be at two varying heights above the floor  205  of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  as shown in  FIG. 18 . In one embodiment the 90° angled water transfer device  203  most distant  1801  from the surface drain would be lower towards the bottom allowing for the secondary collection and storage of water in the most downstream underground water collection and storage chamber  1803  first. 
         [0054]      FIG. 19  depicts an alternative embodiment where one of the 90° angled water transfer devices  203 , for example the downstream transfer device  1901  has an inlet  1503  that faces upstream rather than downwards toward the floor  205  of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 . This would allow the downstream 90° angled water transfer device  1901  to function as a bypass for an upstream 90° angled water transfer device  203  with a filter  701  or screen  901  with high flow to prevent flooding from back up on the surface.  FIG. 20  shows a pair of 90° angled devices with one 90° angled water transfer device inlet facing downstream  1901 , and a second 90° angled water transfer device  203  that faces the floor  205  of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  with a bypass  1301 . In an alternative embodiment, the downstream transfer device  1505  might face downstream. It might face upwards towards the top of the primary chamber  103 .  FIG. 21  shows a top view of a pair of 90° angled water transfer device system with one transfer device facing downstream. 
         [0055]      FIG. 22  shows a 90° angled water transfer device  203  with its inlet pointed up  2201  and facing the top  2203  of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 .  FIG. 23  shows three 90° angled water transfer devices  203  facing upward  2201  with filters  701  contained in the inlets  801  of the devices and an access portal  1401  located at the top of the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  for maintaining the inlet filters  701  or screens  901  from the surface. In an alternative embodiment a secondary transfer device  2201  might be located above the primary transfer device  107  to allow for bypass of water directly from the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  to the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber  105  to prevent surface flooding in high flow. 
         [0056]    In an alternative embodiment the bottom of a water transfer device  107  might include a sediment trap device  2403  that would open downward with the presence of sediments and/or debris at a pre-designated load in the pipe  107  as shown in  FIG. 24 .  FIG. 24  shows the trap  2403  in a closed position on the water transfer device, while  FIG. 25  shows the trap  2403  in an open position. In one preferred embodiment as shown in FIG.  26 , the transfer device  107  with a trap device  2403  might contain a weir mechanism  2601  that forces the water to flow over the top of the weir  2603  preventing sediment from entering a secondary underground water collection and storage chamber.  FIGS. 27   a  and  b  show an alternative embodiment where the trap device might include a spring mechanism  2701  that allows the trap to reclose after the load is dropped. 
         [0057]    In one embodiment, the primary underground collection and storage chamber might include a clean out access  2801  to the area below the trap device  2403  to allow for maintenance and removal of accumulated sediments under the trap device  2403  as shown in  FIG. 28 . The area below the trap device  2403  might include a containment component  2803  such as, for example, a box as shown in  FIG. 28 . In one variation a maintenance access port  2805  from the primary underground water collection and storage chamber might be included for cleaning out the containment container  2803  from the primary chamber. 
         [0058]      FIG. 28  shows the trap device  2403  located in the water transfer device  107  in a closed position between the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  and the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber  105 , while  FIG. 29  shows it in an open position  2901 .  FIGS. 30 and 31  show an alternative where the trap device  2403  is located at the bottom of the water transfer device  107  inside the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 .  FIG. 30  shows the trap device in a closed position  3001 , and  FIG. 31  shows it in an open position  3101 . 
         [0059]    In an alternative embodiment, the water transfer device  107  might include a back flow stop mechanism  3201  as shown in  FIGS. 32 and 33  that allows the water to flow into the secondary underground water collection and storage chamber  105  from the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 , but prevents the backflow of water once the levels of flow from the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103  are reduced. This backflow stop mechanism might include a spring trap door mechanism that closes upon reduction of flow pressure, thus preventing backflow back into the primary underground water collection and storage chamber  103 . 
         [0060]      FIG. 32  shows the backflow stop mechanism in an open position, while  FIG. 33  shows it closed. 
         [0061]    While the fundamental features of the novel nature of the invention have been disclosed herein it should be understood that various aspects of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications or variations are included in the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.