Method For Storing And Transporting Arch-Shaped Stormwater Leaching Chambers

Abstract

An improved method for storing and transporting arch-shaped stormwater leaching chambers includes positioning a group of nested chambers in an inverted “arch down” configuration upon a pallet to lower the center of gravity and stabilize the load, and using a pair of spaced cradle arms secured to the pallet to cooperatively position and support the palletized chambers against sideways rolling. Tie-down straps are then drawn through the natural saddle created by the inverted chambers and secured to the pallet, thereby reducing the required length and natural stretch of the straps over conventional methods. A lower center of gravity is therefore achieved, and load stability of the chambers is maximized during storage and transportation through more centralized weight distribution and an improved tethering system, thus reducing potential for injury and damage to the chambers during handling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of lowering the center of gravity of a nested bundle of arch-shaped chambers for storage and transportation, comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of chambers, each chamber having an arch-shaped cross section geometry with an open bottom and opposing sidewalls extending upwardly from the open bottom to a chamber crown, wherein the plurality of arch-shaped chambers are configured to be nested together for storage and transport;   providing a chamber support member with a base and a pair of cradle arms secured to the base for supporting the plurality of chambers thereon;   inverting one of the plurality of chambers and positioning it as a first chamber upon the support member such that its open bottom faces upward and its crown faces downward against the base of the support member, with one of the pair of cradle arms bearing against each opposing sidewall of the first chamber for support thereof; and   inverting each of the remaining plurality of chambers such that its open bottom end faces upward and its crown faces downward, and nesting the remaining plurality of chambers together with the first chamber in an inverted position as a stacked unit upon the support member.   
     
     
         2 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , including the step of securing the plurality of inverted chambers to the support member with a tethering device. 
     
     
         3 . The method set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of chambers has an intrados and extrados surface defined by its arch-shaped geometry, and the tethering device bears against the intrados surface of an uppermost nested chamber of the stacked unit. 
     
     
         4 . The method set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the step of securing the plurality of inverted chambers to the support member includes drawing the tethering device along the intrados surface of the arch-shaped geometry of the uppermost nested chamber of the stacked unit between opposite ends of the plurality of chambers and securing the tethering device to the support member. 
     
     
         5 . The method set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the tethering device is seated against the intrados surface of the uppermost nested chamber adjacent the crown thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a support member with a pair of cradle arms includes spacing the cradle arms on the support member appropriately such that each cradle arm bears against an extrados surface of one of the opposing sidewalls of the first chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The method set forth in  claim 6 , wherein each cradle arm includes a planar bearing surface which is adapted to engage an extrados surface of one of the opposing sidewalls of the first chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a support member with a pair of cradle arms includes positioning the cradle arms such that the crown of each of the plurality of chambers is positioned along a vertical plane near the center of the chamber support member. 
     
     
         9 . A method of lowering the center of gravity of a nested bundle of arch-shaped chambers for storage and transportation, comprising the steps of:
 providing a first chamber having an arch-shaped cross section geometry with an open bottom and opposing sidewalls extending upwardly from the open bottom to a chamber crown;   inverting the first chamber such that its open bottom faces upward and its crown faces downward;   positioning the inverted first chamber upon a chamber support platform between a pair of spaced anti-tipping restraints such that the anti-tipping restraints bear against the opposing sidewalls of the first chamber to prevent the first chamber from rolling or tipping sideways on the support platform;   nesting at least one additional chamber having an arch-shaped cross section geometry with the first chamber such that an extrados surface of each additional chamber seats against an intrados surface of an adjacent chamber to form a stacked unit of nested chambers upon the chamber support platform; and   securing the stacked unit of nested chambers to the chamber support platform with a tethering device, wherein the tethering device is seated against the intrados surface of an uppermost nested chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The method set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the step of securing the stacked unit of nested chambers to the chamber support platform with a tethering device includes drawing the tethering device between opposite ends of the nested chambers and securing the tethering device to the support platform adjacent each of the opposite ends. 
     
     
         11 . The method set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the tethering device is seated against the intrados surface of the uppermost nested chamber adjacent a crown portion thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the step of positioning the inverted first chamber upon a chamber support platform includes configuring each of the anti-tipping restraints with a planar bearing surface which is adapted to engage an extrados surface of one of the opposing sidewalls of the first chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The method set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the step of positioning the inverted first chamber upon a chamber support platform includes configuring each of the anti-tipping restraints as an elongated support arm that is affixed to the chamber support platform. 
     
     
         14 . The method set forth in  claim 13 , wherein each support arm extends substantially to length of the first chamber between opposite ends thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the step of positioning the inverted first chamber upon a chamber support platform includes positioning the anti-tipping restraints such that the crown of the inverted first chamber is positioned along a vertical plane near the center of the chamber support member. 
     
     
         16 . The method set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the height of the first chamber and at least one additional chamber extending between an open bottom base and the crown thereof is about 45 inches or greater. 
     
     
         17 . A method of lowering the center of gravity of a nested bundle of arch-shaped chambers for storage and transportation, comprising the steps of:
 providing a first chamber having opposite chamber ends and an arch-shaped cross section geometry of approximately 45 inches in height or greater extending between an open bottom base and a chamber crown, and opposing arcuate sidewalls extending upwardly from the open bottom base to the crown;   inverting the first chamber such that its open bottom base faces upward and its crown faces downward;   positioning the inverted first chamber upon a chamber support platform between a pair of spaced elongated cradle arms such that the cradle arms bear against the opposing sidewalls of the first chamber to prevent the first chamber from rolling or tipping sideways on the support platform;   nesting at least one additional chamber having opposite chamber ends and an arch-shaped cross section geometry with the first chamber such that an extrados surface of each additional chamber seats against an intrados surface of an adjacent chamber to form a stacked unit of nested chambers upon the chamber support platform; and   drawing a tethering strap between the opposite chamber ends of an uppermost chamber of the stacked unit of nested chambers and securing the tethering strap to the support platform such that the tethering strap exerts a restraining force against an intrados surface of the uppermost nested chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The method set forth in  claim 17 , wherein each cradle arm extends substantially to length of the first chamber between the opposite ends thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the step of positioning the inverted first chamber upon a chamber support platform includes configuring each of the cradle arms with a planar bearing surface which is adapted to engage an extrados surface of one of the opposing sidewalls of the first chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the step of drawing the tethering strap between the opposite chamber ends of the uppermost chamber of the stacked unit of nested chambers includes tightening the tethering strap to exert a restraining force against the intrados surface of the uppermost nested chamber adjacent a crown portion thereof.