Patent ID: 7611304

Claim:
A catch basin assembly comprising: (a) a curb inlet member, said curb inlet member having a curb inlet opening, said curb inlet opening having an outward facing front surface, said curb inlet opening having a prescribed area and contour dimensions, the opening including a left edge, right edge and a top edge, the left edge disposed at a certain horizontal distance from the right edge; and (b) a plate member made from a predetermined material, and having a predetermined thickness in the direction of a first axis, length and height, said plate member having a first surface and a second surface parallel to said first surface and separated from said first surface by said predetermined thickness, the length and height of said plate member of sufficient dimension such that the plate member extends beyond the left edge, right edge and top edge of said curb inlet opening so as to cover the entire area of said curb inlet opening when said plate member is positioned in place in front of said curb inlet opening with said second surface juxtaposed to the outward facing front surface, said predetermined material and said predetermined thickness such that said plate member is substantially inflexible in the direction of said first axis, said plate member including the following, (i) a main segment having at least one first opening whereby fluid may pass through said at least one first opening into said curb inlet opening, and, (ii) a further segment having a most distal left side surface and a most distal right side surface, secured to said main segment, said further segment having an overall length between said most distal left side surface and said most distal right side surface less in dimension than the certain horizontal distance between the left edge and the right edge of said curb inlet opening, such that when said further segment is inserted into said curb inlet opening there is no physical interference with the left edge and right edge when said plate member is positioned in place in front of said curb inlet opening, said further segment located on said main segment such that said respective most distal left side surface or said most distal right side surface of said further segment is in sufficiently close proximity to at least one of the group consisting of the left edge or the right edge of the contour of said curb inlet opening, whereby if said plate member were subjected to a force otherwise sufficient to horizontally displace said plate member when said plate member is in place in front of said curb inlet opening with said second surface juxtaposed to the outward facing front surface, said plate member will resist horizontal movement due to the engagement of said respective most distal left or right side of said further segment and said at least one of the group consisting of the left edge or the right edge of the contour of said curb inlet opening such that said plate member remains substantially positioned in place when said plate member is otherwise secured to said catch basin.