Protective system

• US 4,949,626 A
• Filed: 04/10/1989
• Issued: 08/21/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radon Appliances Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Radon Appliances Incorporated
• Inventors: Townsend, Douglas W., Terry, Duane O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US07/334,764
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 52/169.5, 52/302, 52/303, 52/742, 52/173 R, 98/42.02, 98/42.06, 98/115.1, 137/392, 137/429, 137/565, 417/36, 417/38, 417/40
• US Class Current: 454/341
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/008 against entry of noxious gases, e.g. Radon
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/06 against corrosion by soil or water
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 7/00 Other installations or implements for operating sewer systems, e.g. for preventing or indicating stoppage; Emptying cesspools
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 454/909 Radon prevention

Abstract

A protective system (10) is provided for preventing deleterious gases from entering the internal atmosphere (34) of a building structure (12) derived from surrounding ground environments (14 and 18). An enclosure (24) is mounted above a sump (26) containing a sump pump (30) for discharging liquid (32) to an external environment (22) when taken with respect to building structure (12). Mounted adjacent to the enclosure (24) is a fan mechanism (52) for drawing a partial vacuum in an enclosure chamber (28 and 28'"'"'). The fan mechanism (52) is in fluid communication with a gas discharge pipe (58) for passing or displacing contaminated gas into the external atmosphere (22). Radon contaminated gas passes through perforated drainage pipes (48) into sump (26) and due to the negative pressure gradient created by fan mechanism (52), radon contaminated gas is displaced through gas discharge pipe (58) to the external atmosphere (22). The enclosure (24) and couplings thereto are formed in substantially airtight relation and thus, the contaminated gas being drawn from enclosure chambers (28 and 28'"'"') is not directed into the building structure internal atmosphere (34), but displaced directly to the external atmosphere (22).

Claims

1. A protective system for preventing deleterious gases from entering a building structure from a surrounding ground environment, comprising:

(a) enclosure means mounted over a sump pit enclosing a sump pump and forming a substantially air tight enclosure, said enclosure means including (1) a first member fixedly secured to a concrete floor slab and mounted at least partially around a periphery of said sump pit, and, (2) a second member releasably secured to said first member for providing a temporary opening when said second member is removed from said first member, through which said sump pump may be removed from said sump pit without removal of said first member from said concrete floor slab;

(b) at least one conduit fitting defining a stub pipe fixedly secured to an outer surface of said second member and in axial alignment with an opening formed through a wall of said second member defining a stub through passage;

(c) means for removal of air from within said air tight enclosure and discharge external to said building structure;

(d) means for discharging liquid from said air tight enclosure to an external environment of said building structure, said means for discharging liquid including a liquid discharge pipe extending from said sump pit at least through said stub pipe through passage in a co-axial manner; and

,

(e) means for securing said stub pipe to said liquid discharge pipe in a substantially air tight manner.

2. The protective system as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said stub pipe includes a flexible pipe union mounted over at least a portion of an outer wall of said liquid discharge pipe and an outer wall of said stub pipe.

3. The protective system as recited in claim 2 where said means for securing said stub pipe includes at least a pair of securable hose clamps for securing said flexible union respectively to said liquid discharge pipe and said stub pipe.

4. The protective system as recited in claim 2 where said flexible pipe union defines an elastomeric reducing coupling member having a first end internal diameter wall secured to an outer surface of said stub pipe and a second end internal diameter wall secured to an outer surface of said liquid discharge pipe.

5. The protective system as recited in claim 1 where said means for removal of air includes at least one gas discharge pipe fixedly secured to a wall of said second member in axial alignment with an opening formed through said wall of said second member for passage of air from internal said sump pit to said gas discharge pipe.

6. The protective system as recited in claim 5 where said means for removal of air includes:

(a) an upper gas discharge pipe; and

,

(b) a lower gas discharge pipe in coaxial and abutting relation with said upper gas discharge pipe, said lower gas discharge pipe being releasably secured to said upper gas discharge pipe in substantially air-tight securement.

7. The protective system as recited in claim 6 wherein abutting ends of said upper and lower gas discharge pipes include:

(a) a flexible hose coupling passing over abutting end sections of said upper and lower gas discharge pipes; and

,

(b) a pair of hose clamps for releasably securing said flexible hose coupling to outer walls of said abutting end sections of said upper and lower gas discharge pipes.

8. The protective system as recited in claim 5 where said means for removal of includes blower means in fluid communication with said sump pit and an external environment of said building structure.

9. The protective system as recited in claim 8 where said blower means includes an exhaust fan in co-axial alignment with said gas discharge pipe for removal of gases from internal an enclosure formed by said second member and said sump pit, said exhaust fan being coupled to said gas discharge pipe in substantially air-tight securement.

10. The protective system as recited in claim 1 wherein said deleterious gases are substantially composed of radon.

11. The protective system as recited in claim 1 where said second member includes a cover member releasably secured to said first member.

12. The protective system as recited in claim 1 where said first member is a flange member adhesively sealed to said concrete floor slab in fixed securement.

13. A protective system for preventing deleterious gases from entering a building structure from a surrounding ground environment, comprising:

(a) enclosure means mounted over a sump pit enclosing a sump pump and forming a substantially air tight enclosure, said enclosure means including (1) a first member fixedly secured to a concrete floor slab and mounted at lest partially around a periphery of said sump pit, and, (2) a second member releasably secured to said first member for providing a temporary opening when said second member is removed from said first member, through which said sump pump may be removed from said sump pit without removal of said first member from said concrete floor slab;

(b) at least one conduit fitting defining a stub pipe fixedly secured to an outer surface of said second member and in axial alignment with an opening formed through a wall of said second member defining a stub through passage;

(c) means for removal of air from within said air tight enclosure and discharge external to said building structure;

(d) means for discharging liquid from said air tight enclosure to an external environment of said building structure, said means for discharging liquid including (1) a liquid discharge pipe extending from said sump pit at least through said stub pipe through passage in a co-axial manner, (2) at least a lower liquid discharge pipe extending from within said sump pit and through a wall of said second member defining an end section of said lower liquid discharge pipe,

and (3) at least an upper liquid discharge pipe in coaxial alignment with said lower liquid discharge pipe and flexibly secured in substantially air-tight coupling to said lower liquid discharge pipe.

14. The protective system as recited in claim 13 including a flexible hose member mounted over abutting end sections of said upper and lower liquid discharge pipes.

15. The protective system as recited in claim 14 including a pair of releasable hose clamps mounted over said flexible hose member for clamping said hose member to respective adjacent sections of said lower and upper liquid discharge pipes.