Slotted drainage conduit and integral concrete floor

• US 3,898,778 A
• Filed: 01/10/1974
• Issued: 08/12/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lennart G. Erickson, William S. Erickson
• Original Assignee: Lennart G. Erickson, William S. Erickson
• Inventors: Erickson, Lennart G., Erickson, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, J. Karl
• Application Number:
  US05/433,017
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 52/169,2,577 61/11,72.2 264/32-35
• US Class Current: 404/2
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/227 Gutters; Channels E01C11/223 takes precedence; permanently installed flushing means E01H3/04; Roof drainage discharge ducts set in sidewalks
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 11/04 for structures of spherical, spheroid or similar shape, or for cupola structures of circular or polygonal horizontal or vertical section; Inflatable forms connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00 ; structures made from masses cast in situ with permanent forms E04B1/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 11/045 Inflatable forms

Abstract

An improved method for cast-in-place construction of a concrete drainage conduit immediately below an integral concrete floor surface, including a longitudinal slot for discharge of surface fluids into said conduit. A water-inflated, fabric-reinforced plastic tubular form and longitudinal slot-forming inserts, used during the concrete pouring operations, are later retrieved at one end of the conduit for reuse following deflation of the tubular form. Conduits of non-circular cross section may be formed if desired. This improved method is useful for construction of drainage facilities for flushable slotted floors for cattle confinement feedlots and for other paved surfaces such as auto parking areas, roadways and airports.

Claims

1. A method of forming a slotted drainage conduit comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

laying a concrete base in the bottom of the trench;

placing an inflatable tube on said base;

inflating the tube, the transverse dimension of the tube when inflated being less than the width of the trench;

holding the tube against substantial lateral movement on the base when the tube is inflated;

pouring concrete in the trench onto the base and about and along the tube when the latter is inflated and held on said base;

maintaining a region extending upwardly from the tube free of concrete as concrete is poured about the tube;

allowing the concrete about the tube to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a conduit having a slot through said region; and

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tube is removed from one end of the conduit.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said maintaining step includes blocking said region against the entrance of concrete thereinto, and including the step of unblocking said region after the conduit has been formed.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said blocking step includes placing a block in said region, said unblocking step including moving the block from said region into the conduit, and shifting the block out of the conduit through one end thereof.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said laying step incluDes forming an elongated recess in the base, said holding step including positioning the tube in the recess.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included the step of laying a concrete floor above and on opposite sides of the conduit.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inflating step includes filling the tube with water.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said inflating step includes keeping the fluid in the tube at a predetermined pressure.

9. A method of forming a concrete floor and a subfloor conduit for an animal feedlot comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

pouring a first mass of concrete in the bottom of the trench to a first level spaced below the top of the trench;

allowing the first mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to form a base and tube-receiving recess in the base;

placing an inflatable tube in the trench and on the base;

inflating the tube, the sides of the tube being spaced from the sides of the trench;

placing a block in a region above the tube when the latter is inflated with the region extending upwardly to a second level spaced above the top of the trench;

pouring a second mass of concrete into the trench on opposed sides of the inflated tube and the block and onto the ground on opposite sides of the trench when the tube is inflated and over the recess with the upper surface of the concrete being substantially at said second level;

permitting the second mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a subfloor conduit and a floor above and on opposed sides of the conduit;

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit; and

removing the block to present a slot extending between the conduit and the second level.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said inflating step includes filling the tube with water, and keeping the water at a predetermined pressure in the tube, said deflating and removing step includes causing the water to flow out of the tube and urging the tube out of the conduit through one end thereof.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said block removing step includes forcing the block into the conduit, and moving the block out of the conduit through one end thereof.

12. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the step of pouring the second mass of concrete includes pouring a first portion of concrete into the trench on opposed sides of the tube and the block, and pouring a second portion of concrete above the first portion and onto the ground, said permitting step including allowing the first portion of concrete to set to a hardened condition before the second portion is poured thereon.

13. A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said trench-forming step includes sloping the bottom of the trench so that the conduit will slope toward one end of the trench.

14. A method of forming a slotted drainage conduit comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

laying a concrete base in the bottom of the trench and forming an elongated, concave recess in the base;

placing an inflatable tube in the recess on said base;

inflating the tube, said recess being substantially complemental to the lower margin of the tube when the latter is inflated, the transverse dimension of the tube when inflated being less than the width of the trench;

pouring concrete in the trench onto the base and about the tube when the latter is inflated;

maintaining a region extending upwardly from the tube free of concrete as concrete is poured about the tube;

allowing the concrete about the tube to set to hardened condition to thereby form a conduit having a slot through said region; and

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit.

15. A method of forming a slotted drainage conduit comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

laying a concrete base in the bottom of the trench and forming an elongated, substantially V-shaped recess in the base;

placing an inflatable tube in said recess on said base;

inflating the tubE, the transverse dimension of the tube when inflated being less than the width of the trench;

pouring concrete in the trench onto the base and about the tube when the latter is inflated;

maintaining a region extending upwardly from the tube free of concrete as concrete is poured about the tube;

allowing the concrete about the tube to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a conduit having a slot through said region, the recess providing a relatively steep slope for the bottom portion of the conduit; and

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit.

16. A method of forming a slotted drainage conduit comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

laying a concrete base in the bottom of the trench;

placing an inflatable tube on said base;

inflating the tube as it is supported on the base with the transverse dimension of the inflated tube being less than the width of the trench;

pouring concrete in the trench onto the base and about the inflated tube;

maintaining a region extending upwardly from the tube free of concrete as concrete is poured about the tube;

allowing the concrete about the tube to set a hardened condition to thereby form a conduit having a slot through said region;

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit;

directing a mass of concrete onto the ground above and on opposite sides of the conduit to form a floor; and

sloping the upper surface of said mass downwardly toward said slot.

17. A method of forming a concrete floor and a subfloor conduit for an animal feedlot comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

pouring a first mass of concrete in the bottom of the trench to a first level spaced below the top of the trench;

allowing the first mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to form a base and elongated, tube-receiving recess for said base with said recess being substantially V-shaped to present a pair of relatively angularly disposed surfaces converging toward each other as the bottom of the base is approached;

placing an inflatable tube in the trench and on the base;

inflating the tube, the sides of the tube being spaced from the sides of the trench when the tube is inflated;

placing a block in a region above the tube when the latter is inflated with the region extending upwardly to a second level spaced above the top of the trench;

pouring a second mass of concrete into the trench on opposed sides of the inflated tube and the block and onto the ground on opposite sides of the trench with the upper surface of the concrete being substantially at said second level;

permitting the second mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a subfloor conduit and a floor above and on opposed sides of the conduit, deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit; and

removing the block to present a slot extending between the conduit and the second level.

18. A method of forming a concrete floor and a subfloor conduit for an animal feedlot comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

pouring a first mass of concrete in the bottom of the trench to a first level spaced below the top of the trench;

allowing the first mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to form a base and an elongated, substantially concave tube-receiving recess for said base;

placing an inflatable tube in the trench and on the base;

inflating the tube, the tube being complementally received in the base when the tube is inflated, the sides of the tube being spaced from the sides of the trench when the tube is inflated;

placing a block in a region above the tube when the latter is inflated with the region extending upwardly to a second level spaced above the top of the trench;

pouring a second mass of concrete into the trench on opposed sides of the inflated tube and the block and onto the ground on opposite sides of the trench with the upper surface of the concrete being substantially at said second level;

permitting the second mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a subfloor conduit and a flooR above and on opposed sides of the conduit;

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit; and

removing the block to present a slot extending between the conduit and the second level.

19. A method of forming a concrete floor and a subfloor conduit for an animal feedlot comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

pouring a first mass of concrete in the bottom of the trench to a first level spaced below the top of the trench;

allowing the first mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to form a base;

placing an inflatable tube in the trench and on the base;

inflating the tube, the sides of the tube being spaced from the sides of the trench when the tube is inflated with the region extending upwardly to a second level spaced above the top of the trench;

pouring a second mass of concrete into the trench on opposed sides of the inflated tube and the block and onto the ground on opposite sides of the trench;

sloping the upper surface of the second mass upwardly and away from the second level on opposed sides thereof;

permitting the second mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a subfloor conduit and a floor above and on opposed sides of the conduit;

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit; and

removing the block to present a slot extending between the conduit and the second level.

20. A method of forming a concrete floor and a subfloor conduit for an animal feedlot comprising:

forming a trench in the ground;

pouring a first mass of concrete in the bottom of the trench to a first level spaced below the top of the trench;

allowing the first mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to form a base;

placing an inflatable tube in the trench and on the base;

inflating the tube as it remains on the base with the sides of the tube being spaced from the sides of the trench;

placing a block in a region above the inflated tube with the region extending upwardly to a second level spaced above the top of the trench;

pouring a second mass of concrete into the trench on opposed sides of the tube and the block and onto the ground on opposite sides of the trench with the upper surface of the concrete being substantially at said second level;

permitting the second mass of concrete to set to a hardened condition to thereby form a subfloor conduit and a floor above and on opposed sides of the conduit;

deflating the tube and removing the same from the conduit;

removing the block to present a slot extending between the conduit and the second level;

forming a second trench coextensive with the first-mentioned trench;

forming a concrete base in the second trench with the base in the second trench being coextensive with the base in the first-mentioned trench;

moving the deflated tube end-wise of the conduit onto the second base; and

repeating the inflating, block placing, second mass pouring, permitting, tube deflating and block-removing steps to form a second subfloor conduit and concrete floor coextensive with the first-mentioned subfloor and conduit and concrete floor.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20, wherein said moving step includes keeping an end portion of the tube in the first conduit for alignment purposes.

22. A combination drainage conduit and floor for placement on the ground in an open trench comprising:

a base having a concave recess in the upper surface thereof and adapted to be placed in the bottom of the trench;

a pair of spaced sides having means integral with and interconnecting the upper margins thereof, the sides being positionable on the base and cooperating therewith to form the conduit; and

a pair of floor members integral with respective sides at the upper margins thereof and extending laterally therefrom in opposed directions, there being a slot through the junction of the floor members and through said interconnecting means, the floor members being sloped toward said slot, whereby fluids on the upper surface of the floor members can gravitate to the slot and pass into the conduit.

23. A combinatioN drainage conduit and floor for placement on the ground in an open trench comprising:

a base having a V-shaped recess in the upper surface thereof and adapted to be placed in the bottom of the trench;

a pair of spaced sides having means integral with and interconnecting the upper margins thereof, the sides being positionable on the base and cooperating therewith to form the conduit; and

a pair of floor members integral with respective sides at upper margins thereof and extending laterally therefrom in opposed directions, there being a slot through the junction of the floor members and through said interconnecting means, the floor members being sloped toward said slot, whereby fluids on the upper surface of the floor members can gravitate to the slot and pass into the conduit.

24. A combination drainage conduit and floor for placement on the ground in an open trench comprising:

a base adapted to be placed in the bottom of the trench;

a pair of spaced sides having means integral with and interconnecting the upper margins thereof, the sides being positionable on the base and cooperating therewith to form the conduit; and

a pair of floor members integral with respective sides at the upper margins thereof and extending laterally therefrom in opposed directions, there being a slot through the junction of the floor members and through said interconnecting means, the sides of the floor members defining the slot being convergent as their upper ends are approached, the floor members being sloped toward said slot, whereby fluids on the upper surface of the floor members can gravitate to the slot and pass into the conduit.