Patent Abstract:
A modular appendage for a septic gallery has a first modular section for connection to a lateral side of the gallery with the first modular section having a number of apertures thereon. The first modular section has a first area. The lateral side of the septic gallery has a second area. The first area is greater than the second area for increased drainage and thus adds capacity to the gallery.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a septic system for handling household waste water. More particularly, the present invention relates to a septic system that can expand the amount of filtering material around or adjacent to a conventional new or existing septic gallery to expand a septic gallery capacity.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Septic systems are well known in the art. One such septic system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,661 to Nichols, et al. (hereinafter “Nichols”). Nichols discloses a leaching system conduit made from a thermoplastic member having lateral sidewalls with a number of apertures. The thermoplastic member is an arch shaped member in cross section and has the apertures for the passage of liquid therethrough. The lateral sidewalls also have a number of corrugations formed in a rectangular shaped manner.  
         [0005]     Such septic systems are deficient in their operation. First of all, zoning ordinances for certain sized homes require larger septic systems. Such larger septic systems may not fit on the desired building lot. A large number of bedrooms in a new home construction require according to some zoning laws that a certain sized septic system be used or that the certain sized septic system have a predetermined volume. This can be problematic under certain circumstances because the desired septic system may not fit in a certain lot and the new home owner may be limited to only a second sized septic system that is less than desired. With this smaller septic system, the new home builder thus must reduced the size of the new home. Secondly, in other circumstances homeowners may wish to expand the capacity of the septic system in a retrofit manner from a first size to another second size to accommodate a larger home.  
         [0006]     However, a known problem in the art is that the under this arrangement, the second sized larger septic system like Nichols&#39; leaching system will require the homeowner to excavate the leaching system and remove the leaching system. Thereafter, the homeowner will have to remove additional soil and dirt and then insert a new second sized larger septic system. Thereafter, the homeowner may have to perform additional work to the home to accommodate the home with this replacement and further obtain all of the requisite permits and variances to the zoning laws.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there is a need for a septic system that increases an amount of filtering medium so smaller septic systems may be used with larger homes thus maintaining an amount of effluent entering the septic system. There is also a need for a septic system that does not require replacement of the entire septic system for an upgrade. There is also a need for a septic system that has a more productive filtering. There is a further need for a septic system that has an attachment that can expand a complementary filtering area of the septic system.  
         [0008]     There is also a need for such a system that eliminates one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a septic system for a residential home or commercial building.  
         [0010]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a septic system that can be connected in a modular fashion to an existing septic system.  
         [0011]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a septic system that increases a surface area on a lateral side of an existing septic system.  
         [0012]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device that adds capacity to an existing septic system.  
         [0013]     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a septic system that has a large capacity in a smaller footprint or space underneath ground.  
         [0014]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a septic system that has a baffling arrangement on a lateral side for an improved interface with ground.  
         [0015]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a septic system that has a triangular baffling arrangement on a lateral side of an existing system for an improved interface with sand.  
         [0016]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a septic system of the present invention. The system has a modular appendage for a septic gallery and the appendage has a first modular section for connection to a lateral side of the gallery with the first modular section having a apertures thereon. The first modular section has a first area, and the lateral side of the septic gallery has a second area, with the first area greater than the second area of the gallery. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art septic gallery;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  illustrate a top plan view of the appendages of the present invention connected to a septic gallery;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of the appendage for the septic gallery;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the septic gallery taken along line  3 - 3  of the gallery of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates a top plan view of two appendages of the present invention connected to each other without a septic gallery; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates a front view of the appendages of  FIG. 5  of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a septic gallery  5  as is known in the art. The septic gallery  5  is preferably a container that is placed in a leaching field, such as ground or sand, and is utilized for drainage of effluent. Effluent is a term commonly used for waste materials such as liquid and solid industrial refuse or liquid and solid residential sewage that flows out of a source and is discharged into the environment. The effluent is carried from a source such as a bathroom to the septic tank, then to the leaching field for dispersion, diffusion, or percolation, into surrounding soil.  
         [0024]     Known pipes carry the effluent discharge and release the material into a chamber, or vault such as the septic gallery  5 . The gallery  5  as is known will have a number of perforation or holes leading from the septic gallery  5 . The gallery  5  is usually buried in a trench to facilitate dispersion of the effluent into the soil. All of the solid effluent stays in the septic tank, and only the liquid and liquid effluent diffuses into the sand.  
         [0025]     In some systems, the gallery  5  is defined by a large diameter perforated conduit. In other systems, the gallery  5  is perforated to provide direct dispersion into the sand. The effluent is then dispersed into the soil either through the soil serving as the floor of the gallery  5  or, when effluent accumulates in the gallery, through passages in side walls thereof.  
         [0026]     One known problem in the art is that the interface between the gallery  5  and the ground only allows for a finite flow or dispersion rate of liquid waste from the gallery to the soil or sand on the other side. The inventor of the present invention has recognized this known problem and has solved the problem with the present invention that has a number of unexpected benefits that increase a capacity for liquid waste of the gallery  5 , and allows an increased amount of liquid and liquid waste to diffuse into the ground.  
         [0027]     A prior art septic gallery  5  is commonly concrete or formed of plastic resin material and corrugated for strength. This septic gallery  5  is formed in sections that are mated to vary the effective length of the leach field. Sometimes multiple septic galleries  5  are connected to one another to increase the length and capacity of the leaching field, for example a home.  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIG. 2   a , there is shown the septic gallery  10  of the present invention buried beneath the ground. The septic gallery  10  is preferably connected to an effluent source, and has a first conduit  12  or pipe that is connected to a septic tank or pump chamber. In one embodiment, the septic gallery  10  has a four foot width although galleries can be provided in a variety of standard and/or conventional sizes to accommodate homes and or properties of differing sizes. The septic gallery  10  preferably has a first conduit  12  on a first side  14  of the gallery, and a second conduit  16  on a second side  18  of the gallery. The effluent is in a liquid form and preferably enters the gallery  10  from the first conduit  12  and the second conduit  16  to fill the gallery over time to capacity. Capacity is the number of gallons of effluent and depends on the size of the residence or waste source above ground. After a period of time, prior art galleries becomes full with liquid effluent, and must be replaced.  
         [0029]     What is desirable is a device that may increase a capacity of the septic gallery while liquid effluent is not be stored therein. Instead, the liquid effluent is diffused to the surrounding environment to percolate through ground for filtering thereof. Most preferably, the present invention achieves this need in an unexpected manner.  
         [0030]     The gallery  10  has a first appendage  20  on the first lateral side  14  of the gallery  10 . Preferably, the first appendage  20  contacts the ground or sand in the ground contacting side, and also communicates with the first conduit  12  on the first side  14  of the gallery opposite the ground contacting side. The surrounding earth or sand presses appendage  20  to gallery  10 . Alternatively, the appendage  20  and the gallery  10  may be formed as one integrated structure or as separate discrete pieces. The first appendage  20 , in one embodiment, may be permanently connected to the septic gallery  10  by a connector. Alternatively, the first appendage  20  may be a modular member that is removably connected to the septic gallery  10 , for easier replacement thereof.  
         [0031]     Preferably, the first appendage  20  has a number of shaped members to permit enhanced diffusion of the effluent into the ground. The first appendage  20  has any acceptable shape to permit diffusion into the ground from the gallery  10  in a rapid manner. Preferably, the first appendage  20  has a number of three-sided or triangular shaped members generally represented by reference numeral  22  with each having an apex  24  and a base portion  26 . Alternatively, the three-sided members could have a rounded tip instead of an apex. The triangular shaped members  22  collectively preferably form a baffle. Each member  22  is preferably a triangular member having two equal sides to form a substantially isosceles triangle. However, each member  22  can be a substantially equilateral triangle in which each angle includes approximately 60 degrees. Still further, each member  22  may be any three side polygonal member. Each member  22  is made from a material capable of withstanding the environment of the septic tank and gallery, such as, for example, a plastic resin material that would include resilient thermoplastic, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), achrilonitride-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyurethane, or acrylic resin.  
         [0032]     In one non-limiting embodiment, the base portion  26  has a width of about one foot. A diffusion space  28  is formed between a first triangular member  30  and a second triangular  32  member of the baffle  22 . The diffusion space  28  is also triangular shaped and is preferably allowed to fill in with an acceptable ground contacting material such as sand, gravel, or any combination thereof, for diffusion. Likewise, a second diffusion space  28  is formed between the second triangular member  32  and a third triangular member  34 . This structure continues along the length of the septic gallery  10 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a frontal view of the baffle with the diffusion spaces  28 . The baffle  22  has a number of apertures  36  thereon. The liquid effluent preferably traverses through the apertures  36  and then diffuses into the soil, sand, gravel, or ground. The baffle  22  preferably increases a surface area of the lateral side of the first appendage  20  of the septic gallery  10  to allow an increased amount of liquid effluent to escape from the first appendage, and traverse through the apertures and for diffusion to the sand, or ground.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a cross sectional view of the first appendage  20  along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2   a . The base portion  26  of each triangular member of the baffle  22  has the apertures  36  in a configuration.  
         [0035]     Preferably, the septic gallery  10  also has a second appendage  38  located on a second side  16  of the septic gallery  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Additionally, the first and the second appendages  20 ,  38  may form modular members to retrofit to an existing septic gallery  10  to increase a capacity thereof. Appendages  20  and  38  can be fabricated to accommodate existing and new galleries. Spaces between first and second appendages  20  and  38 , respectively, can be filled with mason sand or any such material that can accept the fluid. Referring to  FIG. 2   b . gallery  10  could also have an additional third appendage  39  affixed to an end thereof to provide diffusion capability on three sides.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second embodiment of an appendage system  40  of the present invention, is shown. System  40  has two appendages  42  and  44  that are abutting each other. Each appendage  42  and  44  can have any number of triangular elements  46  to form a baffle  48 . Each baffle  48  has numerous apertures  54  to allow for passage of effluent into leaching field. Triangular elements  46  can have rounded tips  50  to further increase the surface area of diffusion of liquid into the soil  52  in the leaching field. Baffle  48  preferably increases a surface area of the lateral side of the first appendage  42  and  44  to allow an increased amount of liquid effluent to escape from the appendages and channel  56 , and traverse through the apertures and for diffusion to the sand, or ground.  
         [0037]     It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4