US4248548A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sewage disposal system and apparatus
Assignee: Danford Champlin Farms Ltd
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Filing: 1974-11-04
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Granted: 1981-02-03
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Expires: 1994-11-04
Abstract
Abstract System includes transport means to carry sewage to holding pits or tanks in open areas remote from community and delivery from tanks to tunnels plowed in ground. Transport may be by tankers or pipeline. Tender tankers receive batches of sewage from storage tanks and deliver to field where tractors pull frames with depending plow members which produce tunnels in ground with narrow slashes or crevices extending to surface. Frames carry manifolds and discharge conduits to deliver sewage to tunnels. Tender tankers arranged beside tractors have supply conduits connecting them to manifolds, with pumps in conduits to produce continuous flow. Tankers travel in synchronism with tractors and deliver sewage to tunnels as they are formed. Compacting rollers pulled behind frames close crevices directly after they are formed by plow, and sewage is sealed into ground. The sewage provides moisture, nutrients, and humus at a proper sub-surface level to support crop growth for a year or more, and the same ground may be used for repeated disposals at suitable intervals.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack D. Danford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:16
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01C; A01C23/00; A01C23/02; A01C23/021; C; C02; C02F; C02F11/00; C02F11/12; C02F11/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A system for disposing of sewage from a community comprising: a sewage gathering zone adjacent to the community including means for transporting sewage from the community to the sewage gathering zone; reservoir means located at a transfer zone in an open area remote from the community; means running between the gathering zone and the reservoir means to transport sewage from the gathering zone to the reservoir means; means to produce elongate tunnels in the ground at the open area; a plurality of batch transport means for running between the reservoir means and the location of the tunnels to transport sewage in batches sequentially from the reservoir means to the location of the tunnels and to then move across the open area; and means for moving across the open area to discharge the sewage sequentially from each of said batch transport means into the tunnels from one of said batch transport means as other of said batch transport means continue to move from said reservoir means to said elongate tunnels.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
169 words
A system for disposing of sewage from a community comprising: a sewage gathering zone adjacent to the community including means for transporting sewage from the community to the sewage gathering zone; reservoir means located at a transfer zone in an open area remote from the community; means running between the gathering zone and the reservoir means to transport sewage from the gathering zone to the reservoir means; means to produce elongate tunnels in the ground at the open area; a plurality of batch transport means for running between the reservoir means and the location of the tunnels to transport sewage in batches sequentially from the reservoir means to the location of the tunnels and to then move across the open area; and means for moving across the open area to discharge the sewage sequentially from each of said batch transport means into the tunnels from one of said batch transport means as other of said batch transport means continue to move from said reservoir means to said elongate tunnels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the tunnel producing means comprise main frames provided with depending plow structures having enlarged tunnel-forming lower ends, and tractors connected to the frames to pull the plow structures through the ground; said means to discharge sewage comprises manifold and conduit means on said main frame to discharge sewage into the tunnels; and said batch transport means comprise mobile tender tankers to receive charges of sewage sequentially from the reservoir means, travel across ground to the location of the tunnel producing means, and sequentially deliver their contents to the manifolds of the discharge means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the tankers travel parallel to and laterally spaced from the tractors and main frames and in synchronism therewith; and conduit means are provided to extend between the tankers and manifolds to deliver sewage continuously to the manifold during conjoint travel of the tankers and tractors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: auxiliary loading stations are located at spaced points in the open area remote from the reservoir means and pipe lines extend between the reservoir means and the loading stations to supply the latter, the auxiliary loading stations serving to supply the batch transport means at such spaced points to reduce travel distance and time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the means to transport sewage from the gathering zone to the reservoir means comprises a pipeline.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of disposing of sewage from a community, comprising gathering sewage at the community; transporting the sewage to reservoir means in an open area remote from the community; providing auxiliary loading stations at spaced points throughout the discharge area; supplying sewage directly to the auxiliary stations from the reservoir means; forming tunnels in the ground of the open area; transporting the sewage in batches from the auxiliary stations to the location of the tunnels; discharging the sewage into the tunnels; and closing the surface of the ground above the tunnels to prevent the escape of odors and noxious gases.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of disposing of sewage from a community, comprising gathering sewage at the community; transporting the sewage to reservoir means in an open area remote from the community; providing auxiliary loading stations at spaced points throughout the discharge area; supplying sewage directly to the auxiliary stations from the reservoir means; forming tunnels in the ground of the open area; transporting the sewage in batches from the auxiliary stations to the location of the tunnels; discharging the sewage into the tunnels; and closing the surface of the ground above the tunnels to prevent the escape of odors and noxious gases.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
158 words
A system for disposing of sewage from a community comprising: a sewage gathering zone adjacent to the community including means for transporting sewage from the community to the sewage gathering zone; means to produce elongate tunnels in the ground in an open area remote from the community; a plurality of self-propelled batch transport means for running between the sewage gathering zone and the location of the tunnels to transport sewage in batches sequentially from the sewage gathering zone to the location of the tunnels and to then move across the open area; and means for moving across the open area to discharge the sewage sequentially from each of said batch transport means into the tunnels from one of said batch transport means as said one of said batch transport means moves across the open area alongside said discharge means as other of said batch transport means continue to move from said sewage gathering means to said elongate tunnels.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
158 words
A system for disposing of sewage from a community comprising: a sewage gathering zone adjacent to the community including means for transporting sewage from the community to the sewage gathering zone; means to produce elongate tunnels in the ground in an open area remote from the community; a plurality of self-propelled batch transport means for running between the sewage gathering zone and the location of the tunnels to transport sewage in batches sequentially from the sewage gathering zone to the location of the tunnels and to then move across the open area; and means for moving across the open area to discharge the sewage sequentially from each of said batch transport means into the tunnels from one of said batch transport means as said one of said batch transport means moves across the open area alongside said discharge means as other of said batch transport means continue to move from said sewage gathering means to said elongate tunnels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein: the tunnel producing means comprise main frames provided with depending plow structures having enlarged tunnel-forming lower ends and tractors connected to the frames to pull the plow structures through the ground; said means to discharge sewage comprises manifold and conduit means on said main frame to discharge sewage into the tunnels; and said batch transport means comprise self-propelled mobile tender tankers to receive charges of sewage sequentially from the sewage gathering zone, travel across ground to the location of the tunnel producing means, and sequentially deliver their contents to the manifolds of the discharge means as both of said discharge means and said tankers move together across the open area.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of disposing of sewage from a community, said method comprising the steps of: transporting sewage from the community to a gathering zone; producing elongate tunnels in the ground at an open area remote from the community by means of a plow structure pulled through the ground by a tractor; transporting sewage from the gathering zone to the location of the tunnels sequentially in batches in self-propelled mobile tender tankers; sequentially moving the mobile tender tankers alongside the tractor as the tractor moves across the open area; and transferring sewage from each mobile tender tanker into the tunnels as both the tractor and the mobile tender tanker move across the field to deposit sewage into each tunnel as it is formed by the plow structure.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of disposing of sewage from a community, said method comprising the steps of: transporting sewage from the community to a gathering zone; producing elongate tunnels in the ground at an open area remote from the community by means of a plow structure pulled through the ground by a tractor; transporting sewage from the gathering zone to the location of the tunnels sequentially in batches in self-propelled mobile tender tankers; sequentially moving the mobile tender tankers alongside the tractor as the tractor moves across the open area; and transferring sewage from each mobile tender tanker into the tunnels as both the tractor and the mobile tender tanker move across the field to deposit sewage into each tunnel as it is formed by the plow structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method, as claimed in claim 9, including the further steps of: connecting each tanker in sequence to the plow structure; pumping sewage from each tanker to the plow structure; and depositing the sewage from the plow structure into the elongate tunnels as the tunnels are formed by the plow structure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-02-03 | 1984-08-04 | 1985-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-02-03 | 1988-08-04 | 1989-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-02-03 | 1992-08-04 | 1993-02-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |