Above-grade storage vault

Claim 2

Liquid containment apparatus comprising: (a) a concrete base having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls which project from the bottom wall to define an open cavity; (b) tank means for containing a liquid within a storage compartment and including access means for communicating with said storage compartment and further including attachment means for making a permanent coupling to said tank means; and (c) a concrete cover which is removably supported to said sidewalls to cover said cavity, wherein said access means projects through said cover, and wherein said cover includes a plurality of reinforcement members which are integrally cast into said cover and coupled to said attachment means such that such cover and tank means are permanently aligned and bound to one another and removable as a unit from said base.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein interior surfaces of said base and cover are lined with a thermal insulation.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said base includes a liquid impermeable membrane, which membrane terminates at a peripheral edge of said sidewalls, whereby liquid is contained in the base in the event of tank leakage or spillage.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including sump means for removing liquid condensate or spillage collecting in said base.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein interior surfaces of said sidewalls of the base vertically taper to define an open cavity of greater circumference at said peripheral edge than at the bottom wall, and wherein the interior surface of the bottom wall is sloped to one end of the base.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including a plurality of cradles which support said tank means above the bottom of said base.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tank means comprises a permanently enclosed metal container and includes a plurality of standpipes which project from said container through said cover and wherein said cover includes seal means for sealing the juncture between each standpipe with the cover.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including means for sealing the juncture between said cover and said base.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of bored projections which extend from said tank and said plurality of reinforcement members are mounted to extend through openings provided at said projections.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including means for lifting said cover, which lifting means is secured to said tank means and extends through said cover.

Claim 12

Liquid containment apparatus comprising: (a) a concrete base having an integrally molded bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls which project from the bottom wall to define an open cavity; (b) tank means for containing a liquid within a storage compartment and including a plurality of standpipes which project from said tank and communicate with said storage compartment and a plurality of projections which include a bore, and which extend from said tank; (c) a concrete cover which is removeably supported from said sidewalls to cover said cavity, wherein said cover includes a plurality of reinforcement members which are mounted to extend through said plurality of bored projections and which reinforcement members and projections are permanently cast into said cover such that said cover and tank means are permanently aligned and bound to one another and removable as a unit from said base.

Claim 13

Liquid containment apparatus comprising: (a) a concrete base having an integrally molded bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls which project from the bottom wall to define an open cavity; (b) tank means for containing a liquid within a storage compartment and including a plurality of standpipes which project from said tank and communicate with said storage compartment and a plurality of projections which include a bore, and which extend from said tank; (c) a concrete cover which is removeably supported from said sidewalls to cover said cavity, wherein said cover includes a plurality of reinforcement members which are mounted to extend through said plurality of bored projections and which reinforcement members and projections are permanently cast into said cover such that said cover and tank means are permanently aligned and bound to one another and removable as a unit from said base.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said base and cover include means for thermally insulating the interior surfaces of said base and cover.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 including a liquid impermeable membrane mounted within said between said tank means and base and wherein peripheral edges of said membrane are secured to a peripheral edge of said sidewalls where said cover is supported.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein interior surfaces of said sidewalls of the base vertically taper to define an open cavity of greater circumference at a peripheral edge at the open top than at the bottom wall, and wherein the interior surface of the bottom wall is sloped to one end of the base.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 including means for removing liquids from said base which collect above and below said membrane.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said base includes a plurality of external support feet which project from the bottom of said base to support said base above a support surface and further includes means for supporting said tank above the bottom wall.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said tank support means comprises a plurality of cradles which are secured to said tank.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including seal means mounted to a peripheral edge of the open top of said base for sealing the juncture between said cover and said base.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said cover includes a plurality of seals which are cast to said cover and surround each of said standpipes.