Drainage support apparatus

Abstract

A drainage support apparatus and culvert drain inlet adapter. In accordance with one embodiment, the drainage support apparatus includes a substantially rigid conduit support member having bottom and lateral containment surfaces and an open channel slot running the length of the conduit support member. The apparatus further includes water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of the conduit support member such that the water-permeable barriers substantially prevent aggregate material contained within the apparatus from passing through the open longitudinal ends of the conduit support member. In an alternate embodiment, a culvert pipe inlet adapter of the present invention includes a frame member having a raised drain orifice, and further includes sheet members extending in a saddle-like manner from each of the two lateral sides of the frame member. The inlet adapter can be fitted lengthwise onto a suitably apertured culvert pipe section in a manner such that the culvert pipe is backfill buried while the drain inlet orifice remains above ground.

1 . A drainage support apparatus disposed beneath a backfill layer of soil, said apparatus comprising: 
 a substantially rigid conduit support member having bottom and lateral containment surfaces and an open channel slot running the length of said conduit support member; and    aggregate material contained within said conduit support member;    said aggregate material having a lower fluid resistance density than said backfill layer of soil such that a siphoning effect is created by fluid drainage through said aggregate material.    
   
   
       2 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said conduit support member is a molded plastic unit.  
   
   
       3 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said conduit support member is formed as a half cylinder such that said open channel slot has a width substantially equal to the inner diameter of said conduit support member.  
   
   
       4 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said conduit support member has open longitudinal ends, said drainage support apparatus further comprising water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of said conduit support member, wherein said water-permeable barriers substantially prevent aggregate material contained within the conduit support member from passing through the open longitudinal ends.  
   
   
       5 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said water-permeable barriers comprise perforated filter members.  
   
   
       6 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said water-permeable barriers comprise plastic or metallic mesh material.  
   
   
       7 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said water-permeable barriers are fixedly attached to an aggregate containment harness that includes one or more longitudinal support rods for connecting said water-permeable barriers in mutual disposition corresponding to the position of said water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of said conduit support member.  
   
   
       8 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said aggregate material comprises a loosely clustered mass of individual mineral-based particles.  
   
   
       9 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said aggregate material comprises inert polystyrene particles.  
   
   
       10 - 21  (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of said conduit support member and said aggregate material has load bearing strength sufficient to support vehicular traffic.  
   
   
       23 . A drainage support apparatus disposed beneath a backfill layer of soil, said apparatus comprising: 
 a substantially rigid conduit support member having bottom and lateral containment surfaces and an open channel slot running the length of said conduit support member; and    aggregate material contained within said conduit support member;    wherein the combination of said conduit support member and said aggregate material has load bearing strength sufficient to support vehicular traffic.    
   
   
       24 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said conduit support member is a molded plastic unit.  
   
   
       25 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said conduit support member is formed as a half cylinder such that said open channel slot has a width substantially equal to the inner diameter of said conduit support member.  
   
   
       26 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said conduit support member has open longitudinal ends, said drainage support apparatus further comprising water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of said conduit support member, wherein said water-permeable barriers substantially prevent aggregate material contained within the conduit support member from passing through the open longitudinal ends.  
   
   
       27 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said water-permeable barriers comprise perforated filter members.  
   
   
       28 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said water-permeable barriers comprise plastic or metallic mesh material.  
   
   
       29 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said water-permeable barriers are fixedly attached to an aggregate containment harness that includes one or more longitudinal support rods for connecting said water-permeable barriers in mutual disposition corresponding to the position of said water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of said conduit support member.  
   
   
       30 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said aggregate material comprises a loosely clustered mass of individual mineral-based particles.  
   
   
       31 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said aggregate material comprises inert polystyrene particles.  
   
   
       32 . A drainage support assembly comprising a plurality of drainage support apparatuses arranged longitudinally in an end-to-end alignment, each said drainage support apparatus comprising: 
 a substantially rigid conduit support member having bottom and lateral containment surfaces, open longitudinal ends and an open channel slot running the length of said conduit support member;    aggregate material contained within said conduit support member; and    removable water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of said conduit support member, wherein said water-permeable barriers substantially prevent aggregate material contained within the conduit support member from passing through the open longitudinal ends;    whereby said water-permeable barriers disposed between adjacent drainage support apparatuses may be removed to improve fluid flow through said conduit support member.    
   
   
       33 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein said water-permeable barriers comprise perforated filter members.  
   
   
       34 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein said water-permeable barriers comprise plastic or metallic mesh material.  
   
   
       35 . The drainage support apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein said water-permeable barriers are fixedly attached to an aggregate containment harness that includes one or more longitudinal support rods for connecting said water-permeable barriers in mutual disposition corresponding to the position of said water-permeable barriers transversely disposed in relative abutment at each of the open-faced longitudinal ends of said conduit support member.