Stormwater vault apparatus and servicing process

Abstract

A stormwater vault and a process for servicing the stormwater vault speeds the process of cleaning a stormwater vault. The stormwater vault has a built in liquefaction system for liquefying settled debris in the vault which works together with a sloped or angled floor in the vault. The settled debris is flushed toward the inlet to a vacuum removal line inserted into the vault through an access opening for removing the settled debris from the vault.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A stormwater vault comprising:
 a vault housing having an interior chamber having an upper and lower chamber portion and having a stormwater inlet thereinto and an outlet therefrom, said vault housing having an access entrance thereinto;   a water pipe having a plurality of outlets therefrom mounted in the bottom portion of said vault chamber positioned for flushing debris settled in said vault chamber; and   a supply pipe located in said vault housing interior chamber and connected to said water pipe, said supply pipe having a water line coupling thereon positioned for coupling a water line thereto from outside said vault housing; thereby providing access to said storm water vault housing to flush settled debris with water while cleaning debris from said vault chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 1  in which said vault housing has a sloped floor portion for driving settle debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 2  in which said vault housing has a plurality of sloped floor portions for driving settled debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 2  in which said vault housing has a generally concave floor portion for driving settle debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 3  in which said vault housing has two sloped floor portions for driving settle debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 3  in which said vault housing has an four sloped floor portions for driving settle debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 1  in which said vault housing has a plurality of connected settling chambers therein each having a water pipe having a plurality of outlets therein mounted therein and each having a sloped floor portion for driving settled debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe mounted therein. 
     
     
         8 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 7  in which each said vault housing plurality of connected settling chambers has a plurality of sloped floor portions for driving settled debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 7  in which each said vault housing plurality of connected settling chambers has a generally concave sloped floor portion for driving settle debris towards a predetermined area with water from said water pipe. 
     
     
         10 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 1  in which said water pipe mounted in said vault housing chamber is generally mounted around the periphery of the floor portion of said vault housing chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 10  in which said water pipe mounted in said vault housing chamber includes a generally vertical portion extending from the periphery mounted water pipe to the water line coupling. 
     
     
         12 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 1  in which said vault housing is generally square in horizontal cross-section having four sides and a stormwater inlet in one side thereof and a stormwater outlet therefrom. 
     
     
         13 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 1  in which said vault housing is generally cylindrical and has a stormwater inlet in the side thereof and a stormwater outlet in the side thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 7  in which said vault housing is generally rectangular in cross-section having four sides and a stormwater inlet in one side thereof and a stormwater outlet another side therefrom. 
     
     
         15 . A method of cleaning a stormwater vault comprising the steps of:
 selecting a stormwater vault having an interior chamber having an upper and lower chamber portion and having a stormwater inlet thereinto and an outlet therefrom, said vault housing having an access entrance thereinto and having a water pipe having a plurality of outlets therefrom mounted in the bottom portion of said vault chamber positioned for flushing debris settled in said vault chamber and a supply pipe located in said vault chamber and connected to said water pipe and having a water coupling thereon positioned for attaching a water line thereto from outside the vault;   opening said vault access entrance;   inserting a vacuum suction line having an inlet end for drawing materials thereinto into said vault through said access entrance;   withdrawing sediment in the bottom portion of said vault chamber beneath said inserted vacuum line;   connecting a water line to said water pipe coupling; and   applying water under pressure into said water pipe to spray water out said water pipe outlets to liquify and move the sediment in said vault chamber towards said vacuum inlet to withdraw the moved sediment from said vault.   
     
     
         16 . The method of cleaning a stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 15  including the step of turning off the water from said water line and removing said vacuum suction line from said vault upon removal of settled debris therefrom. 
     
     
         17 . The method of cleaning a stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 16  including the step of selecting a stormwater vault having a sloped floor portion for driving said settled debris therealong toward the inlet to said vacuum line inlet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of cleaning a stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 17  in which the step of selecting a stormwater vault having a sloped floor portion includes selecting a vault having a generally concave floor portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of cleaning a stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 17  in which the step of selecting a stormwater vault having a sloped floor portion includes selecting a vault having at least two sloped floor portions for driving settled debris towards the inserted vacuum line inlet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of cleaning a stormwater vault in accordance with  claim 17  in which the step of selecting a stormwater vault having a water pipe having a plurality of outlets therefrom mounted in the bottom portion of said vault chamber and mounted generally around the periphery of the bottom portion of the vault chamber.