Water backup preventing system and monitoring system therefor

• US 5,161,911 A
• Filed: 03/05/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patrick Regan
• Original Assignee: Patrick Regan
• Inventors: Regan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Dennis L.
• Application Number:
  US07/664,379
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 405/36-51, 137/110, 137/236.1
• US Class Current: 405/37
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/101 Dedicated additional structures, interposed or parallel to the sewer system
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/107 Active flow control devices, i.e. moving during flow regulation
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 7/04 Valves for preventing return flow in gullies, drains or the like E03F5/042
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 10/30 Flood prevention; Flood or storm water management, e.g. using flood barriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2562 Dividing and recombining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/402 Distribution systems involving geographic features

Abstract

A water backflow preventing system is provided for a given area having a sewer line for receiving rain and other water where the sewer line is incapable of carrying, without backup, a given flow rate of water. The sewer line is provided at a given point therealong with at least one overflow opening into which opening water which cannot be handled by the sewer line will rise and overflow. Water storage tank means are buried in the ground below the sewer line and into which the overflow water from said opening will drain and be temporarily stored. The storage tank means have a volume to store many thousands of gallons of water which cannot otherwise flow in the sewer line. A pump is placed in the bottom of the storage tank means. Various float switches are placed in different parts of the system for controlling the pump. They are arranged to prevent the operation of the pump when water backup valve conditions exist in the sewer line and to automatically render the pump means operative when backflow conditions disappear from the sewer line so that the storage tank means can be substantially emptied and accommodate overflow conditions which can be caused by a subsequent rainstorm.

Claims

1. A water backup preventing system for a given area having a ground buried sewer line for receiving rain and other water, the sewer line being incapable of carrying without backup thereof a given flow rate of water which can cause basement flooding and being provided at a given point therealong with at least one overflow opening into which opening water which cannot be handled by the sewer line will raise and overflow, at least one water storage space into which the overflow water from said opening is to be directed and temporarily stored, said water storage space having a volume to store water which cannot otherwise be accommodated by said sewer line when said flow rate of water occurs, means for directing water from said overflow opening to said water storage space, said water storage space having an outlet for removing water therefrom, and a first backflow preventing valve with apparatus for automatically closing the sewer line when a backflow condition develops downstream therefrom and for opening the sewer line to permit flow of water through the sewer line when such condition does not exist or abates, said overflow opening being on the upstream side of said backflow preventing valve.

2. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein there is provided a first manhole which extends from the surface down to the level of the sewer line where it surrounds said water overflow opening and said backflow preventing valve.

3. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein said water overflow opening is an aperture in the top of said backflow preventing valve upstream from the portion thereof which opens and closes the sewer line.

8. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein there is provided a pump in the bottom portion of the water storage space for pumping water into a downstream portion of said sewer line, and pump control apparatus for the pump for preventing the operation of said pump when a water backup condition exits in said sewer line and for automatically rendering said pump operative when such condition disappears from said sewer line, so that the water storage tank space can be substantially emptied and accommodate overflow conditions caused by a subsequent rainstorm.

11. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein there is provided a manhole extending between said sewer line and the surface and surrounding said overflow opening to permit one to gain access to the area of said overflow opening, a standpipe in said manhole communicating with said overflow opening, into which standpipe water rises when backflow conditions exist in the sewer line, and a drain pipe extending between the upper extremity of said standpipe and said storage tank means so that sewer water rising to said upper extremity of the standpipe will drain into said water storage space.

14. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein there is a standpipe extending above and around said water overflow opening, and drain pipe means extending from said standpipe at a point above said sewer line for draining water from said standpipe into said water storage space.

17. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein said water storage space comprise one or more interceptor sewer sections many feet in diameter, the one or more sewer line sections being sealingly interconnected with the outermost ends of the connected sewer line sections capped to define a storage space therebetween.

20. The water backup preventing system of claim 1 wherein said water storage space has at least a portion below the sewer line which stores at least a substantial volume of the overflow water.

4. In combination:

a first water backup preventing system for a given area having a ground buried sewer line for receiving rain and other water, the sewer line being incapable of carrying without backup thereof a given flow rate of water which can cause basement flooding and being provided at a given point therealong with at least one overflow opening into which opening water which cannot be handled by the sewer line will raise and overflow, a water storage space into which the overflow water from said opening is to be directed and temporarily stored, said water storage space having a volume to store water which cannot otherwise flow in said sewer line when said flow rate of water occurs, means for directing water from said overflow opening to said water storage space, said water storage space having an outlet for removing water therefrom, a second water backflow preventing system like said first system in an adjacent area; and

connection between the sewer lines of these two area so that if the water storage capacity of the water storage tank means of the backup preventing system in one of the areas is exceeded while that of the other area is not, any resulting backup in the sewer lines involved will flow into the sewer lines of the other area where the backup preventing system storage space thereof can store such backup water or water can flow in the sewer lines of the other area.

5. The water backup preventing systems of claim 4 wherein there are branch sewer lines into the two areas which extend to a common manhole, a standpipe in this manhole into which backup water flowing from the branch sewer line of one of the areas where the storage capacity of said storage tank means therein has ben exceeded can rise and then flow into the branch sewer line in the other area connecting to said manhole.

9. The water backup preventing system of claim 4 wherein there is provided a pump in the bottom portion of the water storage space for pumping water into a downstream portion of said sewer line, and pump control apparatus for the pump for preventing the operation of said pump when a water backup condition exists in said sewer line and for automatically rendering said pump operative when such condition disappears from said sewer line, so that the water storage space can be substantially emptied and accommodate overflow conditions caused by a subsequent rainstorm.

12. The water backup preventing system of claim 4 wherein there is provided a manhole extending between said sewer line and the surface and surrounding said overflow opening to permit one to gain access to the area of said overflow opening, a standpipe in said manhole communicating with said overflow opening, into which standpipe water rises when backflow conditions exist in the sewer line, and a drain pipe extending between the upper extremity of said standpipe and said storage tank means so that sewer water rising to said upper extremity of the standpipe will drain into said water storage space.

15. The water backup preventing system of claim 4 wherein there is a standpipe extending above and around said water overflow opening, and drain pipe means extending from said standpipe at a point above said sewer line for draining water from said standpipe into said water storage space.

18. The water backup preventing system of claim 4 wherein said water storage space comprise one or more interceptor sewer sections many feet in diameter, the one or more sewer line sections being sealingly interconnected with the outermost ends of the connected sewer line sections capped to define a storage space therebetween.

21. The water backup preventing system of claim 4 wherein said water storage space has at least a portion below the sewer line which stores at least a substantial volume of the overflow water.

6. A water backup preventing system for a given area having a ground buried sewer line for receiving rain and other water, the sewer line being incapable of carrying without backup thereof a given flow rate of water which can cause basement flooding, the sewer line being provided at a given point therealong with at least one overflow opening into which opening water which cannot be handled by the sewer line will raise and overflow, a water storage space into which the overflow water from said opening is to be directed and temporarily stored, at least a part of said water storage space extending above said sewer line and the level of the basements in the area and having a volume to store water which cannot otherwise be accommodated by said sewer line when said flow rate of water occurs, means for directing water from said overflow opening to said storage tank means, said water storage space having an outlet for removing water therefrom, and there is provided a backflow preventing valve between said overflow opening and said water storage space to prevent water in said water storage space above basement level from causing water flow into said sewer line and then into basements of buildings having water drain connections thereto.

7. The water backup preventing system of claim 6 wherein said sewer line collects only water from pipes extending from building and there is provided in addition to said sewer line an auxiliary sewer line for receiving only storm water from sources like straight run-off water drains which are not directed from pipes extending to buildings, and a water storage space including or communicating with said first mentioned water storage space and into which water drains from said auxiliary sewer line.

10. The water backup preventing system of claim 6 wherein there is provided a pump in the bottom portion of the water storage space for pumping water into a downstream portion of said sewer line, and pump control apparatus for the pump for preventing the operation of said pump when a water backup condition exists in said sewer line and for automatically rendering said pump operative when such condition disappears from said sewer line, so that the water storage space can be substantially emptied and accommodate overflow conditions caused by a subsequent rainstorm.

13. The water backup preventing system of claim 6 wherein there is provided a manhole extending between said sewer line and the surface and surrounding said overflow opening to permit one to gain access to the area of said overflow opening, a standpipe in said manhole communicating with said overflow opening, into which standpipe water rises when backflow conditions exist in the sewer line, and a drain pipe extending between the upper extremity of said standpipe and said storage tank means so that sewer water rising to said upper extremity of the standpipe will drain into said water storage space.

16. The water backup preventing system of claim 6 wherein there is a standpipe extending above and around said water overflow opening, and drain pipe means extending from said standpipe at a point above said sewer line for draining water from said standpipe into said water storage space.

19. The water backup preventing system of claim 6 wherein said water storage space comprise one or more interceptor sewer sections many feet in diameter, the one or more sewer line sections being sealingly interconnected with the outermost ends of the connected sewer line sections capped to define a storage space therebetween.

22. The water backup preventing system of claim 6 wherein said water storage space has at least a portion below the sewer line which stores at least a substantial volume of the overflow water.