Patent Publication Number: US-4579155-A

Title: Receptacle for collection of fuel spills

Description:
This is a continuation in part application of application Ser. No. 504,993 filed June 16, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,305. The contents of Ser. No. 504,993 is requested to be incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to a receptacle for collecting and retaining leaks or other unwanted discharges of fluids, especially fluids which are toxic or otherwise adversely effect the environment. 
     2. Statement of the Prior Art 
     As an example of a situation in which the invention is an improvement over the prior art, it is conventional for the fill pipe of an underground liquid gasoline tank to be contained within a well having a removable cover. During filling of the underground gasoline tank from a tanker or the like, it often occurs that gasoline spills out of the fill pipe or tanker hose into the well. It is important to collect or absorb the spilled gasoline in the well before it leaks into the ground and finds its way into the water table below. Various gasoline absorbing chemicals have been used for this purpose. However, it becomes tedious and difficult to remove the chemical absorbents when they have absorbed spilled gasoline or other materials. 
     An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an efficient means for collecting and absorbing spilled materials and disposing of these materials once they have been absorbed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is concerned with providing a portable, lightweight and inexpensive receptacle for collecting spilled liquids such as gasoline, petrochemicals, transportation fluids, chlorinated solvents or aromatic solvents. 
     It is one object of this invention to provide a portable receptacle which has a flexible outer wall adapted to conform to a surrounding structure, such as, for example, the well housing of the fill pipe for an underground storage tank for gasoline or other toxic, hazardous or otherwise environmentally undersirable material. 
     The receptacle has a bottom wall pervious to the passage of water, such as, rain water, which may enter the well. The receptacle also includes an inner tubular wall extending through a central aperture in the bottom wall. The inner tubular wall is adapted to conform to or telescope over a fill pipe or the like. Draw strings or other closure means for the outer and inner wall may be provided whereby, after use, the outer and inner wall may be pulled together or otherwise secured in closed fashion thus substantially sealing the receptacle. 
     A modification of the receptacle has a bottom wall which is impervious to the passage of water, rain water or contaminates. This structure shows that the inner tubular wall is continuous with the bottom wall of the container and is offset. The inner tubular wall is also adjustable so as to accommodate different heights of fill pipes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a prior art structure and is a cutaway view of a gasoline pumping system showing a gasoline pump, underground gasoline tank, fill pipe within a well and gasoline absorbent in the bottom of the well to absorb spilled gasoline. 
     FIG. 2 is a prior art structure and is a cutaway view similar to FIG. 1 showing the receptacle of this invention installed within the well and about the fill pipe. 
     FIG. 3 is a prior art structure and is a cutaway view of the receptacle showing outer wall, inner wall and tie strings on said walls for closing the walls in sealed condition. 
     FIG. 4 is a prior art structure and is a top view of the receptacle showing the outer wall and draw string, inner wall and draw string and absorbent beads on the bottom wall. 
     FIG. 5 is a prior art structure and is a side view of the receptacle closed at the necks of the inner wall and outer wall, in this condition, the receptacle is ready for disposal. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view in section of a modified form of the container without absorbent material. 
     FIG. 7 is a cutaway view of a well in which there is a fill pipe with the modified container in place. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the modified container with the inner tubular wall, in dotted lines, continuous with the bottom wall of the container and below the top edge thereof. 
     FIG. 9 is also a perspective view, similar to FIG. 8, showing the inner tubular wall extending above the top edge of the container. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring in more detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a cutaway or side view of a gasoline storage and pumping system. In this system, 10 is an underground storage tank for gasoline, 12 is a fill pipe, 14 is the dispensing pipe and 16 is the dispensing pump. The fill pipe 12 extends into a well 18 having side walls 20 which are usually cylindrical in form. A cover plate 22 of suitable material may be used to close the well 18. The fill pipe 12 has a cap 24 to close the upper end 26. The bottom 28 of the well 18 is comprised of earth 19 and is covered with gasoline-absorbing beads 30. While the beads are absorbent for gasoline, they are non-absorbent to water which passes through the beads and is absorbed into the earth 19. 
     While filling the gasoline tank 10 through fill pipe 12, it often occurs that some gasoline overflows into the well 18 where it is absorbed by the beads 30. The beads 30, however, tend to expand and set-up whereupon there removal from the well is difficult. In removal and disposal of the mass of contaminated beads further pollution of the area also often occurs. 
     The present invention provides an efficient, low cost solution to the collection of spilled fluids, such as, gasoline and disposal thereof. 
     To this end, FIG. 3 shows a receptacle 32 having flexible vertical and continuous outer wall 34 which, if sewn from a fabric, will have a seam 36 therein. The wall 34 may have closure means such as tie string 38 in a hollow bead 40 at the upper open end or neck 41. The neck 41 is maintained open during use. The receptacle 32 has a substantially horizontal bottom wall 42 of water permeable material. The periphery of the bottom wall is sewn or joined through its periphery to the lower periphery of the side wall. The bottom wall 42 has a central aperture or opening 46. A tubular inner substantially vertical wall 48 is secured within the central opening 46 by stitching or other sealing means. Tubular wall 48 is flexible and extends above the bead 40 of open neck 41 of the outer wall. The upper open end or neck 50 of the tubular wall 48 has a draw string 52 contained within a hollow bead 54. The bottom of the receptacle has layers of absorbent beads 56 to absorb spilled gasoline. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the receptacle showing the outer wall 36, draw string 38, inner wall 48, draw string 52, central aperture 46, and absorbent material 56. 
     In operation, as seen in FIG. 2, the receptacle 32 is inserted into well 18 with inner tubular wall 48 telescoped over the fill pipe 12. The draw string 52 is pulled tight about the fill pipe 12 below the enlarged portion 26 to seal the tubular wall neck 41 to the fill pipe 12 or other aperture through which fluids are discharged into a container for said fluids. The outer flexible wall 35 confirms to the wall 20 of the well 18. The bottom 42 of the receptacle 32 rests on the earth floor 28. Bottom 42, as previously mentioned, is permeable to water which leaks therethrough into the earth 19 and is absorbed thereby. 
     The bottom of the receptacle 32 is filled with a layer of gasoline absorbent beads 56. The beads 56 may optionally be covered with a hold down pad 57 of fabric or other material which permits water to pass through the receptacle and permits the spilled liquid to reach the absorbent beads. Thus positioned in the well 18, the receptacle 32 will catch any gasoline or other toxic material spilling out of the fill pipe 12 during filling of the tank 10. The absorbent beads 56 absorb the spilled gasoline thus preventing the spilled gasoline from penetrating into the earth 19 through the pervious bottom wall 42 of the receptacle 32. On the other hand, water which may enter the well 18 from time to time passes through the beads 56, the pervious bottom wall 42 and into the earth 19. 
     When the beads 56 have become saturated with spilled gasoline, the receptacle 32 is removed from the fill pipe 12 and the well 18 for disposal, FIG. 5. In this regard, the pull string 52 of tubular wall 48 is pulled tight sealing the end 50. The sealed tubular wall 48 is then folded into the receptacle 32 and the tie string 38 pulled tight pulling the neck 41 of the receptacle together thus sealing the contents of the receptacle inside. The sealed receptacle may then be disposed and a new one replaced in the well. 
     To aid erection of the receptacle in the well a spring collar 60 such as, for example, a flexible plastic polypropylene spring which may be inserted in the neck of the device as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. 
     Suitable material for the absorbent beads will be well known to those of skill in the art and include, e.g., polymeric absorbent beads such as those sold as EMCO IMBIBER BEADS. The beads 56 may also be mixed with other natural material such as sand. Suitable material for the body of the receptacle will likewise be well known to those of skill in the art; the preferred material with which we have worked is a woven coated polyethylene e.g., an 8 by 8, 8 by 9 or 12 by 12 woven pattern of extruded and slit strips of polyethylene then coated with liquid polyethylene 1.25 mil thick on both sides to water and air proof the structure. Additives may be incorporated in the plastic to improve UV resistence. The bottom of the receptacle may be of a variety of water permeable porous substances which are resistant to the spilled liquid to be collected on the absorbent beads. In the case of spilled gasoline a non-woven sheet of polyester filter material may comprise the bottom element. 
     A modified form of the receptacle is shown in FIGS. 6-9. Referring to FIG. 6, the receptacle 132 has a flexible continuous outer wall 134 with a continuous heat-sealed seam 136. The receptacle 132 has a bottom wall 142, a continuous inside wall 143 and a top edge 145 having a reinforcing bead 147. A tubular inner wall 148 has a heat-sealed seam 149. The tubular inner wall 148 tapers inwardly toward the open neck 150. It will be noted that the tubular wall 148 is a continuation of the inner wall 143 and is offset within the receptacle 132. As will be evident, the inner tubular wall 148 is adjustable vertically in the direction of the arrows so as to accommodate fill pipes of different heights and offset within the fill well by varying degrees. The adjustment is accomplished by pulling upwardly on the neck 150 or by pressing downwardly at 162. 
     FIG. 7 shows the receptacle 132 in place on fill pipe 112 in well 118. The receptacle is held in place against the wall of the well by a spring collar 160. It will be observed that the outer wall 134 also forms the outer wall 135 of the inner tubular wall 148 so that a channel 164 exists whereby the receptacle 132 may be placed over the fill pipe 112. 
     FIG. 8 shows the receptacle 132 adjusted so that the open neck 150 is below the top edge 145. FIG. 9 shows the receptacle 132 adjusted so that the neck 150 is below the top edge 145. It will be evident from these figures that the inner tubular wall 148 may be adjusted to be offset by varying degrees. This is necessary to accommodate fill pipes which are also offset by varying degrees within a fill well. 
     As noted above, the receptacle is impervious to liquid contaminates, it being made from any suitable durable plastic material. Captured contaminates within the receptacle are removed periodically by inserting one end of a suction line.