Novel enhanced catch basin apparatus and process for making the same

Abstract

Novel enhanced catch basin constructions, especially for use with conventional sewers, feature a supplemental maintenance access hatch, which, when combined with a diverter and a sieve-like screen element facilitate ready access to and removal of trash/debris/detritus lodged proximate to an outlet drain or bottom of a catch basin to maintain a continuous flow path and preclude blockage. Readily removable covers for the supplemental maintenance access hatches allow workers, tools or later developed extraction schemes to maintain flow through both primary and supplemental debris collection spaces in catch basins. Methods of constructing and using the same feature these novel mechanisms.

1 . An enhanced catch basin filtration system comprising: 
 a sieve element located within said catch basin, wherein said sieve element maintains a flow path from a gutter/curb inlet to a downstream outlet pipe, wherein the mouth of said downstream outlet pipe is located within the catch basin; and    at least one maintenance access hatch located within said sieve member.    
     
     
         2 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein said sieve element is fixedly attached to the inner walls of said catch basin.  
     
     
         3 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein said sieve element is a rectangular frame.  
     
     
         4 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein said sieve element is a basket or container with a perforated bottom.  
     
     
         5 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein said maintenance access hatch: is defined as a lid, covering, a cut-out, a door, a flap, an aperture with a covering, or any structure which allows access through the sieve element/permitting ingress and egress through the sieve element.  
     
     
         6 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein said sieve element has an overflow wall.  
     
     
         7 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein said sieve element is a rectangular frame.  
     
     
         8 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein said sieve element is a basket or container with a perforated bottom.  
     
     
         9 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein said sieve element has an overflow wall.  
     
     
         10 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein said maintenance access hatch: is defined as a lid, covering, a cut-out, a door, a flap, an aperture with a covering, or any structure which allows access through the sieve element/permitting ingress and egress through the sieve element.  
     
     
         11 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 10 , wherein said maintenance access hatch allows a user to access the area underneath said sieve element.  
     
     
         12 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 11 , further comprising a manhole located on the street surface, above the catch basin curb inlet.  
     
     
         13 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 12 , wherein said manhole, maintenance access hatch, and said mouth are located and aligned such that a user can access said area underneath said sieve element from said manhole.  
     
     
         14 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 10 , wherein said maintenance access hatch is located directly above said mouth and allows access to said mouth from said access hatch.  
     
     
         15 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 14 , wherein said further comprising a manhole on the street surface, on top of the catch basin curb inlet.  
     
     
         16 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 15 , wherein said manhole, maintenance access hatch, and mouth are located and aligned such that a user can access said mouth from said manhole.  
     
     
         17 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , further comprising a trash/debris/detritus diverter appurtenance disposed adjacent a street gutter inlet which directs matter into said sieve element.  
     
     
         18 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 17 , wherein said trash/debris/detritus diverter appurtenance further filters matter entering the street gutter.  
     
     
         19 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional sieve member for additional filtration.  
     
     
         20 . A process for constructing a catch basin filtration system within a conventional sewer system defined by a street based inlet and an outlet drainage below the street level comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sieve element having a maintenance access hatch therein;    attaching the sieve-element to the inner walls of said catch basin; and    attaching a diverter assembly proximate to the street based inlet so that said diverter directs incoming matter from said inlet to said sieve element.    
     
     
         21 . A product, provided by the process of  claim 20 .  
     
     
         22 . A method for providing a continuous flow path with enhanced catch basin apparatus, comprising: 
 diverting selected portions of incoming matter into a collection area;    collecting incoming streams of large pieces of matter in a primary collection area;    opening/removing/manipulating a maintenance access hatch so that the user can remove the desired portions of incoming matter; and    repeating the preceding steps.    
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for providing access to debris blocking a drain outlet in a catch basin system, comprising: 
 a sieve element located within said catch basin, wherein said sieve element is located between a curb inlet and said drain outlet;    a maintenance access hatch located within said sieve element, wherein said maintenance access hatch is manipulable so that a user can access the debris blocking said drain outlet.    
     
     
         24 . In a catch basin for selectively removing gross particulate matter of a predetermined dimension from a flow path, wherein said flow path travels from a curb inlet to a drain opening located within the catch basin, the improvement comprising: 
 a sieve element located within said catch basin and above the catch basin floor,    wherein said sieve element filters matter from said flow path, and wherein said sieve-element further comprises a maintenance access hatch;    through which a user can manipulate said maintenance access hatch in order to access said catch basin floor and/or said drain opening.    
     
     
         25 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 2 , wherein the maintenance access hatch is sized large enough to allow for maintenance and cleaning equipment to reach through the hatch.  
     
     
         26 . The enhanced catch basin filtration system of  claim 1 , wherein the maintenance access hatch is sized large enough to allow for maintenance and cleaning equipment to reach through the hatch.