Vacuum sewage conveying with vacuum operated valve

Claim 2

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, in a downstream direction toward the source of vacuum; the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a central zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said vacuum line conduit means at a vacuum line conduit means location downstream of said vacuum valve means and communicable with said low pressure reservoir; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing essentially closed fluid circuit communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and at least a portion of said control zones to open said vacuum valve means; and low pressure control means for maintaining said low pressure reservoir in a low pressure condition in the presence of increased pressure in said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said low pressure control means comprises: isolating valve means for responsively isolating said low pressure reservoir from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in pressure of said reservoir.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 2 wherein: said pressure control conduit means selectively provides communication between a positive pressure zone and at least a portion of said control zone in said vacuum valve means.

Claim 5

The improvement according to claim 3 and further including: control valve means for controlling alternate communication of said low pressure reservoir and said positive pressure zone with alternate portions of said control zone in said vacuum valve means through said pressure control conduit means.

Claim 6

The improvement according to claim 4 wherein: said control valve means includes: first and second inlet ports, and first and second outlet ports, said pressure control conduit means including: low pressure reservoir outlet conduit means extending from said low pressure reservoir to said first inlet port, first control valve outlet conduit means extending from said first outlet port to said control zone, positive pressure vent conduit means extending from a positive pressure zone to said second inlet port, and second control valve outlet conduit means extending from said second outlet port to said control zone.

Claim 7

The improvement according to claim 5 wherein: said vacuum valve means comprises a difFerential area diaphragm means and housing means establishing first and second chambers comprising said control zone; said first chamber being in direct continuous communication with said first control valve outlet conduit means; and said second chamber being in direct continuous communication with said second control valve outlet conduit means.

Claim 8

The improvement according to claim 6 wherein: said control zone further comprises a third chamber defined by further diaphragm means and housing means; said third chamber being in direct continuous communication with said second control valve outlet conduit means.

Claim 9

The improvement according to claim 7 wherein: said isolating valve means comprises a pressure responsive movable isolating valve member in said vacuum tap conduit means for maintaining said low pressure zone at a low pressure.

Claim 10

The improvement according to claim 8 and further including: manually operable valve means for uncoupling said low pressure reservoir from said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 11

The improvement according to claim 9 and further including: vacuum sensor means, communicating with said vacuum tap conduit means, for effecting an overriding control valve means condition to prevent opening of said vacuum valve means upon sensing of a predetermined abnormal pressure in said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 12

The improvement according to claim 10 and further including: cleanout conduit means communicable with said vacuum line conduit means through said vacuum valve means.

Claim 13

The improvement according to claim 10 wherein: said vacuum tap conduit means is provided with normally closed inlet means interposed between said isolating valve means and the zone of communication with said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 14

The improvement according to claim 2 wherein: said isolating valve means comprises a pressure responsive valve means in said vacuum tap conduit means and providing for evacuation of said low pressure reservoir means and for isolation of said low pressure reservoir means against pressure increases in said vacuum tap conduit means.

Claim 15

The improvement according to claim 1 and further including: vacuum sensor means communicating with said vacuum tap conduit means for monitoring said control valve means to selectively prevent opening of said vacuum valve means.

Claim 16

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said vacuum valve comprises a diaphragm establishing first and second chambers defining said control zone; and an auxiliary chamber communicating with one of said first and second chambers.

Claim 17

The improvement according to claim 1 including: cleanout conduit means communicable with said vacuum line conduit means through said vacuum valve means.

Claim 18

The improvement according to claim 2 wherein: said vacuum tap conduit means is provided with normally closed inlet means interposed between said isolating valve means and the zone of communication with said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 19

In a system for conveying sewage and including: a sewage collection region, having a volume large relative to the rate of production of sewage at a source thereof for accumulating sewage therein over a period of time; collecting line conduit means for conveying sewage from the source to the collection region; a vacuum receiver tank located in a position remote from the collection region; and means for conveying sewage from the collection region to the vacuum receiver tank by vacuum induced flow, said means for conveying comprising: vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between the collection region and the vacuum receiver tank, and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position for a period of time sufficient to permit the drawing of sewage from the collection region through the vacuum line conduit means in a downstream direction toward the vacuum receiver tank; the improvement comprising: a control zone portion of said vacuum valve means controllable by negative and positive pressure for respectively placing said vacuum valve means in open and closed positions; a vacuum storage tank; vacuum tap conduit means, communicable said vacuum line conduit means downstream of said vacuum valve means and communicable with said vacuum storage tank, for providing a low pressure zone in said vacuum storage tank; isolating valve means for responsively isolating said vacuum storage tank from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in the pressure of said storage tank; first pressure control conduit means, selectively providing essentially closed fluid circuit communication between said vacuum storage tank and at least a part of said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said open position; second pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between a positive pressure zone and said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said closed position; and control valve means for selectively placing said first pressure control conduit means and said second pressure control conduit means in communication with said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means.

Claim 20

In a system for conveying sewage and including: a sewage collection region, having a volume large relative to the rate of production of sewage at a source thereof for accumulating sewage therein over a period of time; collecting line conduit means for conveying sewage from the source to the collection region; a vacuum receiver tank located in a position remote from the collection region; and means for conveying sewage from the collection region to the vacuum receiver tank by vacuum induced flow, said means for conveying comprising: vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between the collection region and the vacuum receiver tank, and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position for a period of time sufficient to permit the drawing of sewage from the collection region through the vacuum line conduit means in a downstream direction toward the vacuum receiver tank; the improvement comprising: a control zone portion of said vacuum valve means controllable by negative and positive pressure for respectively placing said vacuum valve means in open and closed positions; a vacuum storage tank; vacuum tap conduit means, communicable said vacuum line conduit means downstream of said vacuum valve means and communicable with said vacuum storage tank, for providing a low pressure zone in said vacuum storage tank; isolating valve means for responsively isolating said vacuum storage tank from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in the pressure of said storage tank; first pressure control conduit means, selectively providing essentially closed fluid circuit communication between said vacuum storage tank and at least a part of said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said open position; second pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between a positive pressure zone and said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said closed position; and control valve means for selectively placing said first pressure control conduit means and said second pressure control conduit means in communication with said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means.

Claim 21

In a method for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including the step of: collecting sewage at a sewage collection zone and conveying collected sewage through a vacuum line conduit means toward a source of vacuum remote from the collecting zone by intermittently providing communication between the collection zone and the source of vacuum through intermittently maintaining a vacuum valve means in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone in a downstream direction into the vacuum line conduit means; the improvement comprising: creating a low pressure reservoir by vacuum tap conduit means communicable with the vacuum line conduit means downstream of said vacuum valve means; maintaining said low pressure reservoir in a low pressure condition in the presence of increased pressure in the vacuum line conduit means; and selectively providing essentially closed fluid circuit communication between said low pressure reservoir and a control zone in the vacuum valve means to open said vacuum valve means.

Claim 22

In a method for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including the step of: collecting sewage at a sewage collection zone and conveying collected sewage through a vacuum line conduit means toward a source of vacuum remote from the collecting zone by intermittently providing communication between the collection zone and the source of vacuum through intermittently maintaining a vacuum valve means in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone in a downstream direction into the vacuum line conduit means; the improvement comprising: creating a low pressure reservoir by vacuum tap conduit means communicable with the vacuum line conduit means downstream of said vacuum valve means; maintaining said low pressure reservoir in a low pressure condition in the presence of increased pressure in the vacuum line conduit means; and selectively providing essentially closed fluid circuit communication between said low pressure reservoir and a control zone in the vacuum valve means to open said vacuum valve means.

Claim 23

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection range; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum; the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; isolating valve means for responsively isolating said low pressure reservoir from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in pressure of said reservoir; and manually operable valve means for uncoupling said low pressure reservoir from said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 24

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection range; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum; the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; isolating valve means for responsively isolating said low pressure reservoir from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in pressure of said reservoir; and manually operable valve means for uncoupling said low pressure reservoir from said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 25

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for imtermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passaGe of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum; the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; and vacuum sensor means communicating with said vacuum tap conduit means for monitoring control valve means to selectively prevent opening of said vacuum valve means.

Claim 26

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for imtermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passaGe of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum; the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; and vacuum sensor means communicating with said vacuum tap conduit means for monitoring control valve means to selectively prevent opening of said vacuum valve means.

Claim 27

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum, the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; said sewage collection zone constituting an underground tank having a bottom, side, and top walls and said tank having an opening in the top wall of a size sufficient to permit access by a person to the interior of said tank; cover means for said opening including a cylindrical access ring having its lower end supported by said top wall and a liftable cover on the upper end of said access ring; support means extending across said top wall opening at the lower end of said access ring; and means attaching said reservoir to said support means.

Claim 28

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum, the improvement comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; said sewage collection zone constituting an underground tank having a bottom, side, and top walls and said tank having an opening in the top wall of a size sufficient to permit access by a person to the interior of said tank; cover means for said opening including a cylindrical access ring having its lower end supported by said top wall and a liftable cover on the upper end of said access ring; support means extending across said top wall opening at the lower end of said access ring; and means attaching said reservoir to said support means.

Claim 29

The improvement as defined in claim 22 wherein said support means comprises a pair of members each having a generally circular outer edge which extends between the top tank wall and the lower end of said access ring and facing edges which are spaced apart sufficiently far to permit access of a person through said space, and base support sheet freely mounted on the upper surfaces of said pair of members, and wherein said attaching means is secured to the under surface of said base support sheet to thereby hold said reservoir in the space inside said tank.

Claim 30

The improvement as defined in claim 23 further comprising an electrical control housing including electrical conductor cables connected thereto for controlling the opening and closing of said vacuum valve means, said electrical control housing being supported by the upper surface of said base support sheet, and an inverted gas tight container mounted on said base support sheet to enclose said electrical control housing, said container having an upper surface adapted to engage the undersurface of the liftable cover to thus be maintained in a position to serve as a diving bell to prevent flooding of said control housing which would otherwise result from an overflow condition in said sewage collection zone tank.

Claim 31

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum; the improveMent comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; and isolating valve means for responsively isolating said low pressure reservoir from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in pressure of said reservoir; said vacuum tap conduit means being provided with normally closed inlet means interposed between said isolating valve means and the zone of communication with said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 32

In a system for conveying sewage by vacuum induced flow and including: a sewage collection zone; a source of vacuum remote from the collection zone for conveying the sewage; vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between said collection zone and the source of vacuum; and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position to permit passage of sewage from the collection zone into the vacuum line conduit means, toward the source of vacuum; the improveMent comprising: a low pressure reservoir; a control zone in said vacuum valve means controllable by low pressure for opening said vacuum valve means; vacuum tap conduit means communicable with said low pressure reservoir and said vacuum line conduit means; pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between at least said low pressure reservoir and said control zone to open said vacuum valve means; and isolating valve means for responsively isolating said low pressure reservoir from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in pressure of said reservoir; said vacuum tap conduit means being provided with normally closed inlet means interposed between said isolating valve means and the zone of communication with said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 33

The improvement according to claim 25 including: vacuum sensor means responsive to a pressure condition in said vacuum line conduit means for inhibiting actuation of said control valve means.

Claim 34

In a system for conveying sewage and including: a sewage collection region, having a volume large relative to the rate of production of sewage at a source thereof for accumulating sewage therein over a period of time; collecting line conduit means for conveying sewage from the source to the collection region; a vacuum receiver tank located in a position remote from the collection region; and means for conveying sewage from the collection region to the vacuum receiver tank by vacuum induced flow, said means for conveying comprising: vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between the collection region and the vacuum receiver tank, and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position for a period of time sufficient to permit the drawing of sewage from the collection region through the vacuum line conduit means in a downstream direction toward the vacuum receiver tank; the improvement comprising: a control zone portion of said vacuum means controllable by negative and positive pressure for respectively placing said vacuum valve means in open and closed positions; a vacuum storage tank; vacuum tap conduit means, communicable said vacuum line conduit means downstream of said vacuum valve means and communicable with said vacuum storage tank, for providing a low pressure zone in said vacuum storage tank; isolating valve means for responsively isolating said vacuum storage tank from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in the pressure of said storage tank; first pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between said vacuum storage tank and said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said open position; second pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between a positive pressure zone and said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said closed position; control valve means for selectively placing said first pressure control conduit means and said second pressure control conduit means in communication with said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means; and said control valve means being actuatable in response to at least one signal derived independently of the pressure condition in said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 35

In a system for conveying sewage and including: a sewage collection region, having a volume large relative to the rate of production of sewage at a source thereof for accumulating sewage therein over a period of time; collecting line conduit means for conveying sewage from the source to the collection region; a vacuum receiver tank located in a position remote from the collection region; and means for conveying sewage from the collection region to the vacuum receiver tank by vacuum induced flow, said means for conveying comprising: vacuum line conduit means for intermittently providing communication between the collection region and the vacuum receiver tank, and vacuum valve means intermittently maintainable in an open position for a period of time sufficient to permit the drawing of sewage from the collection region through the vacuum line conduit means in a downstream direction toward the vacuum receiver tank; the improvement comprising: a control zone portion of said vacuum means controllable by negative and positive pressure for respectively placing said vacuum valve means in open and closed positions; a vacuum storage tank; vacuum tap conduit means, communicable said vacuum line conduit means downstream of said vacuum valve means and communicable with said vacuum storage tank, for providing a low pressure zone in said vacuum storage tank; isolating valve means for responsively isolating said vacuum storage tank from a portion of said vacuum tap conduit means to prevent increases in the pressure of said storage tank; first pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between said vacuum storage tank and said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said open position; second pressure control conduit means, selectively providing communication between a positive pressure zone and said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means, for maintaining said vacuum valve means in said closed position; control valve means for selectively placing said first pressure control conduit means and said second pressure control conduit means in communication with said control zone portion of said vacuum valve means; and said control valve means being actuatable in response to at least one signal derived independently of the pressure condition in said vacuum line conduit means.

Claim 36

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein: said sewage is conveyed by vacuum induced plug flow.