Device for preparing and cleaning trench for an aquifer recharging system

Claim 2

Means for lining an aquifer recharging trench with membrane comprising carrying means, container means attached to said carrying means and adapted to extend downward into said trench, support means in said container means adapted to support at least one roll of said membrane on vertical axis, said container having sides and a rear wall means attached together to completely enclose said container from the side walls of said trench, said sides and rear wall means cooperating to form at least one slot through which said membrane can be unrolled from said roll and lie against a wall of said trench.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 in which there are support means to support two rolls of membrane, each roll being adapted to discharge separately through one of said slots, brushes on said wall means extending into said slots adapted to press said membrane against said sides and to thereby prevent foreign material from entering said container from the open rear.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 in which means is provided for lubricating the sides of said container.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 in which said means for lubricating the sides of said container includes tube means extending along said sides, said tube means and sides being formed to provide communicating perforations and means to conduct a lubricating liquid to said tubes whereby said liquid will be extruded from said perforations onto the sides of said container.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4 in which said means to conduct the liquid includes a tank mounted on said carrying means and connecting pipe means between said tank and said tubes.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 in which guard means are mounted on said sides, and extend over said perforations to prevent clogging of said perforations.

Claim 8

The device of claim 1 in which the opening at the rear is partially closed by gate means adapted to close the rear but to allow passage of said membrane.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1 in which two rolls are mounted on said support means, said rolls being arranged in tandem.

Claim 10

The device of claim 1 in which one roll of membrane is supported on said support means, gate means in said rear of the container to prevent entry into the container of dirt or gravel.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7 in which said gate means is formed of strip means attached to said container, flexible plastic means attached to said strips adapted to engage each other but separable to allow passage of said membrane therebetween.

Claim 12

The device of claim 7 in which said gate means is formed from flanges comprising the rear wall of said container, one of said flanges being offset from the other in a direction longitudinal of the container, the edges of said flanges being in light, springable contact whereby said membrane can run between said flanges.

Claim 13

The device of claim 11 in which said edges are formed as enlarged curved edges whereby said membrane will run smoothly over said edges.

Claim 14

For use with an aquifer recharging system having curbing with inward directed feet and an elongated sand filter bed between said feet, said filter bed being normally covered by water, cleaning means for sand filter bed comprising powered means adapted to ride on said feet, hood means supported from said powered means and adapted to substantially cover the width of the filter bed between said feet, said hood having edges adapted to be submerged in the water, agitator means supported from said powered means and driven thereby to agitate the surface of said filter bed and vacuum means communicating with said hood including a pump adapted to pull water including entrained impurities out of said hood, a discharge pipe extending from said pump laterally of said powered means to a point beyond said curbing whereby the discharge from said pump is carried beyond the outer limits of the filter bed, said discharge pipe being formed with a slot in its lower surface, container means below said slot and supported from said pipe adapted to receive heavy material being pumped along said pipe and dropping from said slot, and conveyor means attached to said container means adapted to pick up said heavy material and convey it back to said filter bed, said conveyor means being driven by said powered means.

Claim 15

For use with an aquifer recharging system having curbing with inward directed feet and an elongated sand filter bed between said feet, said filter bed being normally covered by water, cleaning means for sand filter bed comprising powered means adapted to ride on said feet, hood means supported from said powered means and adapted to substantially cover the width of the filter bed between said feet, said hood having edges adapted to be submerged in the water, agitator means supported from said powered means and driven thereby to agitate the surface of said filter bed and vacuum means communicating with said hood including a pump adapted to pull water including entrained impurities out of said hood, a discharge pipe extending from said pump laterally of said powered means to a point beyond said curbing whereby the discharge from said pump is carried beyond the outer limits of the filter bed, said discharge pipe being formed with a slot in its lower surface, container means below said slot and supported from said pipe adapted to receive heavy material being pumped along said pipe and dropping from said slot, and conveyor means attached to said container means adapted to pick up said heavy material and convey it back to said filter bed, said conveyor means being driven by said powered means.

Claim 16

The device of claim 13 in which dam means is provided in said pipe adjacent the downstream edge of said slot whereby said heavy material is diverted into and through said slot.

Claim 17

The device of claim 14 in which washing means is mounted on said powered means, said washing means including a pipe means adapted to direct washing material over said heavy materials in said conveyor to wash lighter impurities therefrom into said container.

Claim 18

The device of claim 15 in which an overflow pipe extends from the upper part of said container laterally of and beyond the curbing defining said filter bed whereby overflow from said container will be carried beyond the limits of said filter bed.

Claim 19

The device of claim 15 in which said washing means includes a pump mounted on said powered means, intake means extending from said pump to a point between said curbings and into the water above said filter bed whereby said water may be pulled up into said pump, and discharge pipe means from said pump extending over said conveyor means whereby said water will be discharged over the heavy material carried by said conveyor means.

Claim 20

The device of claim 14 in which said conveyor means includes a trough extending from said container to a point above said filter bed, and auger means rotatably mounted within said trough, said auger means being rotatively driven from said powered means.

Claim 21

For use with an aquifer recharging system having curbing with inward directed feet and an elongated sand filter bed between said feet, said filter bed being normally covered by water, cleaning means for said filter bed comprising powered means adapted to ride on said feet, hood means supported from said powered means and adapted to substantially cover the width of the filter bed between said feet, said hood having edges adapted to be submerged in the water, agitator means including a belt supported from said powered means, projecting means on said belt extending toward said filter bed and adapted to engage said filter bed, drive means engaged between said powered means and said belt adapted to drive said belt in a reciprocating motion transversely of said filter bed and vacuum means communicating with said hood including a pump adapted to pull water including entrained impurities out of said hood.

Claim 22

For use with an aquifer recharging system having curbing with inward directed feet and an elongated sand filter bed between said feet, said filter bed being normally covered by water, cleaning means for said filter bed comprising powered means adapted to ride on said feet, hood means supported from said powered means and adapted to substantially cover the width of the filter bed between said feet, said hood having edges adapted to be submerged in the water, agitator means including a belt supported from said powered means, projecting means on said belt extending toward said filter bed and adapted to engage said filter bed, drive means engaged between said powered means and said belt adapted to drive said belt in a reciprocating motion transversely of said filter bed and vacuum means communicating with said hood including a pump adapted to pull water including entrained impurities out of said hood.

Claim 23

For use with an aquifer recharging system having curbing with inward directed feet and an elongated sand filter bed between said feet, said filter bed being normally covered by water, cleaning means for sand filter bed comprising powered means adapted to ride on said feet, hood means supported from said powered means and adapted to substantially cover the width of the filter bed between said feet, said hood having edges adapted to be submerged in the water, agitator means including a wheel mounted on said powered means to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane above said filter bed, flap means mounted on said wheel extending toward and adapted to sweep the upper surface of said filter bed, drive means between said powered means and said wheel to drive said wheel with a rotary motion over said filter bed, and vacuum means communicating with said hood including a pump adapted to pull water including entrained impurities out of said hood.

Claim 24

For use with an aquifer recharging system having curbing with inward directed feet and an elongated sand filter bed between said feet, said filter bed being normally covered by water, cleaning means for sand filter bed comprising powered means adapted to ride on said feet, hood means supported from said powered means and adapted to substantially cover the width of the filter bed between said feet, said hood having edges adapted to be submerged in the water, agitator means including a wheel mounted on said powered means to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane above said filter bed, flap means mounted on said wheel extending toward and adapted to sweep the upper surface of said filter bed, drive means between said powered means and said wheel to drive said wheel with a rotary motion over said filter bed, and vacuum means communicating with said hood including a pump adapted to pull water including entrained impurities out of said hood.