Adjustable tank to grade riser system, components, and methods

Abstract

A manway access assembly connects to a manway of an effluent separation device. The manway access assembly includes an access adapter, an access restrictor, and a cover. The access adapter has a hollow insert portion sized to be inserted into in the manway and an adapter mating tab protruding radially inwardly from the hollow insert portion. The access restrictor has a rim portion sized to be at least partially inserted into the hollow insert portion, a restrictor mating tab extending radially outwardly from the rim portion and configured to mate with the adapter mating tab, and a spoke extending radially inwardly from the rim portion and having a fastener hole. The cover has an aperture that aligns with the fastener hole when the cover is positioned over the access adapter.

Description

ADJUSTABLE TANK TO GRADE RISER SYSTEM, COMPONENTS, AND METHODSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the priority benefit of earlier-filed U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63 / 555,357, filed February 19, 2024, entitled ADJUSTABLE TANK TO GRADE RISER SYSTEM, COMPONENTS, AND METHODS, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.BACKGROUND

[0002] For every manhole of a tank, there generally needs to be an access point on top of the tank or at grade level (if the tank is buried). However, it is difficult to provide clean, secure, and safe access points. Covers over the access points generally must be flush with the finished grade and / or within certain tolerances to the finished surface due to traffic forces on parking lots or roads. Such traffic forces can often damage covers located outside such tolerances along with other connected structures, such as access points. Additionally, if the access points are not watertight, then water intrusion can diminish the capacity of the tank and can allow odors to escape from the tank.

[0003] Existing approaches to installation of access points include several pinch points. One approach involves heavy concrete rings that require large, heavy equipment for installation. Another approach uses solid plastic tubes that require onsite cutting to length, which produces significant waste. Some current solutions involve plastic stacking products; however, these do not adjust to grade (height and pitch) and / or do not provide a watertight connection to the tank. The existing approaches result in an excess of material (and weight / cost) that must be shipped to the site as well as excess plastic waste from unused riser tubing once it is cut to the desired height to bring the opening to grade. In addition, existing approaches further require additional fasteners, adhesives, and special tools for installation onsite.

[0004] Thus, there is a need for improved means and methods of installing access points for buried tanks. This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the current invention address one or more of the above-mentioned problems and provide a distinct advance in the art of systems and methods for installing access points for buried tanks.

[0006] One embodiment of the invention is a manway access assembly for connecting to a manway of an effluent separation device. The manway access assembly includes an access adapter, an access restrictor, and a cover. The access adapter has a hollow insert portion sized to be inserted into the manway and an adapter mating tab protruding radially inwardly from the hollow insert portion. The access restrictor has a rim portion sized to be at least partially inserted into the hollow insert portion, a restrictor mating tab extending radially outwardly from the rim portion and configured to mate with the adapter mating tab, and a hub attached the rim portion and having a fastener hole. The cover has an aperture that aligns with the fastener hole when the cover is positioned over the access adapter.

[0007] Another embodiment of the invention is a riser assembly for providing grade-level access to a manhole of an effluent separation device. The riser assembly includes a tank connector, a hollow riser section, and an access adapter. The tank connector is operable to be secured to the effluent separation device around the manhole and includes a connector mating tab. The hollow riser section includes a bottom end with a lower mating tab that is configured to engage the connector mating tab and a top end having an upper mating tab. The access adapter has an insert portion sized to be inserted into in the hollow riser section.

[0008] Another embodiment is a method of installing a riser assembly to an effluent separation device. The method includes attaching a tank connector to the effluent separation device around a manhole opening of the effluent separation device with the tank connector including a connector mating tab; and stacking one or more hollow riser sections on the tank connector so that a topmost point of the one or more hollow riser sections is at a desired elevation. The one or more hollow riser sections includes a bottom end, a riser gasket, and a top end. The bottom end includes a lower mating tab that is configured to engage the connector mating tab and also includes a lower surface that faces downward when installed. The riser gasket is positioned on the lower surface of the bottom end of the one or more hollow riser sections. The top end has an upper mating tab. The method further includes mating an adapter gasket with the top end of the one or more hollow riser sections; and inserting an insert portion of an access adapter into the adapter gasket so that theaccess adapter is at a desired orientation. The access adapter has an upper rim with an adapter mating tab. The method further includes attaching a cover assembly to the access adapter. The cover assembly has a cover mating tab configured to engage the adapter mating tab.

[0009] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the current invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the current invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a riser assembly constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention installed on an exemplary effluent separation device;

[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the riser assembly of FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tank connector and standoff of the riser assembly of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tank connector and a hollow riser section of the riser assembly of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the riser section and an adapter gasket of the riser assembly of FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an access adapter and a cover assembly of the riser assembly of FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an access restrictor of the riser assembly of FIG. 1 in a latched state;

[0018] FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the access restrictor of the riser assembly of FIG. 1 in an unlatched state;

[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a manway access assembly of the riser assembly of FIG. 1 connected directly to the effluent separation device;

[0020] FIG. 9 is a side view of riser sections and a manway access assembly constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

[0021] FIG. 10 is a side view of a customizable manway constructed according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 11 is a side view of a riser section constructed according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0023] FIG. 12 is a zoomed in perspective view of ribs of the riser section of FIG. 11;

[0024] FIG. 13 is a zoomed in perspective view of the riser section of FIG. 11 in relation to a slide lock;

[0025] FIGS. 14-20 are schematic diagrams of alternative embodiments according to the present invention; and

[0026] FIG. 21 is a flowchart depicting exemplary steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] The drawing figures do not limit the current invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following detailed description of the technology references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the technology can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the technology in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the technology. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the current invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the current invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0029] Turning to FIG. 1, a riser assembly 10 is attached to an exemplary effluent separation device 12 for providing grade-level access to a manhole 14 (depicted in FIG. 2) of the separation device 12. The separation device 12 may be any such device known in the art, such as a septic tank, grease trap, grease interceptor, or other liquid-solid separation tank that is typically installed below ground level and includes at least one manhole opening for access to the interior of the tankfor maintenance, inspection, or other purposes. It should still further be noted that, in one construction, the separation device 12 is molded from high density polyethylene to inhibit corrosion and leaking. In other constructions, the container can be formed from other suitable materials, including other types of polymers or plastics, metals, composites, and the like (e.g., fiberglass reinforced composites, etc.) using any suitable method for preparing a monolithic structure. The riser assembly 10 can be installed atop the effluent separation device 12 for providing custom-depth, surface-level access to the below-grade manhole opening 14. The riser assembly 10 broadly comprises a tank connector 16, riser sections that form a customizable manway 18, and a manway access assembly 20.

[0030] Turning to FIG. 2, the tank connector 16 is configured to be securely affixed to the tank 12 around the manhole 14 to facilitate the attachment of the rest of riser assembly components. The tank connector 16 may be secured via adhesives, fasteners, or the like and have an annular shape for receiving a neck 22 of the manhole 14.

[0031] Turning to FIG. 3, in one or more embodiments, the tank connector 16 includes one or more connector mating tabs 24 that extend radially inward from the inner circumference of the tank connector 16. The mating tabs 24 enable riser sections to be tightened onto, fastened to, or otherwise connected to the tank connector 16 by rotating the riser sections. The mating tabs 24 may include a stop 26 for abutting corresponding mating tabs of a riser section (discussed in detail below) to prevent the riser section from over-rotating relative to the connector 16 and disengaging from the connector 16.

[0032] While the embodiments depicted herein show components being coupled by rotating according to the clockwise tightening convention, the components may be configured to be rotated relative to one another in either direction without departing from the scope of the present invention. Additionally, the components may be configured to couple to one another through other techniques not involving relative rotation without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0033] The mating tabs 24 may define bottom surfaces 28 that slope away from a top end 30 of the connector 16. In one or more embodiments, the mating tabs 24 increase in thickness in a circumferential direction to cause the connected riser section to tighten onto the connector 16 as it is rotated. The connector mating tabs 24 may also include surfaces that face radially inward that define notches 32 configured to receive detents of the riser section mating tabs (discussed in detail below) when the hollow riser section is engaged with the tank connector 16. The notches 32 anddetents are configured to provide audible and haptic feedback for a user. That way the user can hear and feel when a riser section properly connects to the tank connector 16. The mating tabs 24 may further include alignment indicators 33, such as grooves, markings, or the like, for providing visual feedback. The alignment indicators 33 may be aligned with the notches 32, or in other words be coplanar, and are configured to line up with corresponding alignment indicators of the riser sections.

[0034] The tank connector 16 may also include a flange 34. The flange 34 may include one or more fastener holes 36 through which fasteners may extend to secure the connector 16 to the tank 12. Raised portions 38 on the outer margins of the tank connector 16 define connector T-slots 40 for receiving a protrusion or key 42 of a standoff 44.

[0035] The standoffs 44 are for securing the manway access assembly 20 directly to the tank connector 16 (as shown in FIG. 8). In some circumstances, the tank 12 is not positioned below the surface of the pavement far enough to require the riser sections 18. Thus, the standoffs 44 are used to couple the manway access assembly 20 directly to the tank connector 16 and provide vertical support. Additionally, during transportation, it is advantageous to have the manway access assembly 20 connected directly to the tank connector 16 via the standoffs 44. In one or more embodiments, the standoffs 44 include a spacer body 46, a bottom end 48 from which the bottom key 42 extends, and a top end 50 opposite the bottom end 48 from which a top key 52 extends. In one or more embodiments, the top and bottom keys 42, 52 are identical so that the standoffs 44 can be installed with either end 48, 50 adjacent the connector 16. The keys 42, 52 each include a narrow neck portion 54 and a head 56 that couples to the T-slots. The neck portion 54 is configured to slide into the slot 40 with the head 56 extending into a channel 39 formed in the raised portions 38. The top walls 41 of the raised portions 38 keep the heads 56 of the standoffs 44 from shifting vertically, thereby providing vertical structural support.

[0036] Turning briefly back to FIG. 2, the manway 18 comprises a plurality of hollow riser sections 58, 60, 62. While FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the riser assembly 10 having six and three riser sections, respectively, the riser assembly 10 may include any number of riser sections without departing from the scope of the present invention, including no riser sections (as depicted in FIG. 8). The riser sections 58, 60, 62 may be interchangeable so that they can be connected in any order.

[0037] Figure 4 depicts riser section 58 in relation to the tank connector 16 and as a representative riser section. The other riser sections 60, 62 may be substantially the same as riser section 58. The riser section 58 or segment comprises a cylindrical wall 64 with a top end 66 having upper mating tabs 68 and a bottom end 70 opposite to the top end 66 and having lower mating tabs 72. In one or more embodiments, the riser section 58 has a height of about 5 centimeters (cm) to about 20 cm, 10 cm to about 15 cm, or about 12.7 cm (or about five inches). It will thus be appreciated that the desired total height of a riser stack to form the manway 18 comprising one or more riser sections can be customized in increments of the height of the riser section until the desire grade level is reached and / or within a margin of the design grade according to the height of a single riser section.

[0038] The lower mating tabs 72 include protrusions 74 that extend radially outward from the lower mating tabs 72 and define top surfaces 76 configured to engage with the bottom surfaces 28 of the connector mating tabs 24 or the upper mating tabs 68 of other riser sections 60, 62. The lower mating tabs 72 may further include a detent 78 for being inserted into the notches 32 of the connector 16 or the notches 80 of the upper mating tabs 68 of other riser sections 60, 62. The riser section 58 may further include alignment indicators 82 associated with the lower mating tabs 72 and configured to align with the alignment indicators 33 of the connector 16 or with alignment indicators 84 of the upper mating tabs 68 of other riser sections 60, 62. The riser section 58 is configured so that its lower mating tabs 72 are inserted into the tank connector 16 and rotated clockwise so that the top surfaces 76 of the protrusions 74 slide against the bottom surfaces 28 of the connector mating tabs 24. As the riser section 58 is rotated, the compression force between the riser section 58 and tank connector 16 is increased due to the slope of the bottom surface 28 of the connector mating tabs 24, thereby compressing a gasket of the riser section (as shown in FIG. 5) between the riser section 58 and the manhole neck 22 to provide a seal.

[0039] The upper mating tabs 68 allow for the stacking of additional riser sections 60, 62 if needed to reach the desired elevation. The upper mating tabs 68 are configured to engage the lower mating tabs 72 of the riser sections stacked on top. In one or more embodiments, the upper mating tabs 68 include protrusions 86 that extend radially inwardly and are complementary to the outwardly extending protrusions 74 of the lower mating tabs 72. The upper mating tab protrusions 86 define lower surfaces for sliding against the top surfaces 76 of the lower mating tabs 72. The upper mating tabs 68 may further include handle portions 88 that help users to rotate the riser sections58. The upper and lower tabs and the corresponding notches and detents enable the riser sections to be readily rotated and locked into place with the alignment indicators 82, 84 indicating sufficient rotation.

[0040] In one or more embodiments, the riser section 58 includes a radially inwardly protruding rib or internal ridge 90. Turning to FIG. 5, the ridge 90 defines a groove or channel 92 in one or more lower surface of the internal ridge 90 for seating a sealing member 94, such as a gasket. The groove is located to align with a top surface of the manhole neck 22 and / or a top surface of the top end 66 of the riser section below it. This allows the riser sections to seal against the tank 12 and one another. The sealing member is configured to be compressed between the manhole neck and the internal ridge 90 of the riser section 58, thereby forming a seal.

[0041] Turning briefly back to FIG. 2, the manway access assembly 20 broadly comprises an adapter gasket 96, an access adapter 98, and a cover assembly 100. The adapter gasket 96 is operable to receive a portion of the access adapter 98 and provide a seal between the access adapter 98 and the topmost riser section 62 or the manhole neck 22. Turning back to FIG. 5, the adapter gasket 96 includes a bottom portion 102, a top portion 104, and a transition portion 106. The bottom portion 102 is configured to mate with the top end 66 of the riser section 58. The top portion 104 is operable to receive the portion of the access adapter.

[0042] The transition portion 106 connects the top and bottom portions 102, 104 and may have a frustoconical shape due to the top portion 104 having a smaller diameter than the bottom portion 102. In one or more embodiments, the transition portion 106 comprises a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs 108. The ribs 108 prevent vertical deflection and allow the cover assembly 100 to be stood upon by operators. Vertical deflection is when the top portion bends downward into the bottom portion, which can create issues with the functioning of the access assembly 20, such as a lack of a seal, damage to the adapter gasket 96, or the like.

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the top and bottom portions 102, 104 each include a pair of spaced apart walls 110, 112, 114, 116 that extend radially outwardly to define channels operable to receive band clamps. In one or more embodiments, the pairs of walls 110, 112, 114, 116 extend outwardly from their respective portions 102, 104 in convergent directions to releasably retain their band clamps in the channels. In other words, the channels narrow depth-wise from the bottoms of the channels where they are widest to the tops of the channels where they are narrower. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the tops of the channels are farther from a center of the adapter gasket96 in a radial direction than the bottoms of the channels. The narrowing channels retain the band clamps and allow the adapter gasket 96 to be dropped without the band clamps falling out of the channels. To form the various features of the adapter gasket 96, in one or more embodiments, the adapter gasket 96 is injection molded.

[0044] Turning to FIG. 6, the access adapter 98 broadly comprises a hollow insert portion 118 and an upper rim 120. The hollow insert portion 118 is configured to be inserted into the adapter gasket to couple with the manway / riser sections or the manhole neck. Due to the resiliency of the adapter gasket 96, the access adapter 98 can be positioned in a plurality of orientations relative to the riser sections or tank to accommodate different grades of surfaces to which the riser assembly 10 extends. In one or more embodiments, the access adapter 98 can be positioned so that its longitudinal axis is at an angle up to five degrees relative to a plane intersecting the opening of the manway / riser sections or the manhole neck. This allows the surface of the cover of the cover assembly 100 to be flush and / or parallel with the surface of the grade. In one or more embodiments, the hollow insert portion 118 is cylindrically shaped.

[0045] The insert portion 118 includes one or more access adapter mating tabs 122 that facilitate the attachment of the cover assembly 100. The mating tabs 122 may extend circumferentially along a segment of the adapter 98 and protrude radially inwardly. The mating tabs 122 enable an access restrictor (discussed below) of the cover assembly 100 to be readily rotated into engagement with the adapter 98. The tabs 122 may include a stop 124 for preventing the access restrictor from being rotated beyond a certain point and disengaging from the access adapter 98. In one or more embodiments, the access adapter 98 also includes catch protrusions 126 defining slots 128 with the adapter mating tabs 122 for receiving latches of the access restrictor, as discussed in detail below.

[0046] In one or more embodiments, the rim 120 is connected to and extends from an insert flange 130 of the insert portion 118. The rim 120 and insert flange 130 define a seat for receiving the cover assembly 100. In one or more embodiments, the rim 120 includes a flange 132, a band 134 positioned below the rim flange 132, and a plurality of ribs or vanes 136 connected to the rim flange 132, the band 134, and the insert portion 118 of the adapter 98. In one or more embodiments, the band 134 is an annular ring, and the flange 132 is concentric with the band 134 so that the vanes 136 extend radially between insert portion 118 and the band 134. The flange 132, ribs 136, and band 134 define holes 138 through which uncured pavement material (e.g.,concrete) can flow to secure the adapter 98 therein. The holes 138 prevent air from being trapped when the pavement material flows around the adapter 98. Trapped air would prevent the pavement material from fully filling around the adapter and can also cause cracks, water leaks, or weak spots in the pavement material once it cures.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, one or more outer margins of the access adapter 98 define adapter slots 140 for receiving the top keys 52 of standoffs 44. The adapter slots 140 may be T- slots and / or keyhole slots that are arranged on the band 134 to align with the slots 40 of the tank connector 16.

[0048] The cover assembly 100 broadly comprises an access restrictor 142 and a cover 144. The access restrictor 142 comprises a rim portion 146, restrictor mating tabs 148 extending radially outwardly from the rim portion 146 and configured to mate with the adapter mating tabs 122, a hub 150 attached to the rim portion 146 and having a fastener hole 152, and one or more spokes 154 extending within the rim portion 146 and connecting the rim portion 146 to the hub 150. The spoke portions 154 provide grips or handles for readily rotating the access restrictor 142 into engagement with the access adapter 98 with the restrictor mating tabs 148 rotating into engagement with the tabs 122 of the access adapter 98. The rim portion 146 includes upper flange sections 156, 158 for seating on the shoulder defined by the insert flange 130 of the access adapter 98. The upper flange sections 156, 158 define spaces or gaps therebetween below which extend the restrictor mating tabs 148. In one or more embodiments, the fastener hole 152 is threaded for receiving a fastener, such as a bolt, or the like. The hub 150 may be located at a center of the rim portion 146, and the fastener hole 152 may be located at the center of the hub 150.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, at least one of the flange sections 158 includes a latch 160 configured to extend into the slots 128 of the adapter 98 to temporarily lock the access restrictor 142 to the adapter 98. Turning to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the latch 160 is shiftable between a latched state (FIG. 7A) and an unlatched state (FIG. 7B). In the latched state, a lower portion 162 of the latch 160 protrudes downwardly into the slot 128 of the access adapter 98 so that the cover 144 can be placed at a first distance from a top surface 164 of the flange section 158, or otherwise sit generally flush with a top surface of the flange 132 of the rim 120 of the access adapter 98.

[0050] In one or more embodiments, in the unlatched state, the latch 160 protrudes upwardly above the top surface 164 of the flange section 158 so that at least a portion of the cover 144 would be at a second distance from the top surface 164 of the flange section 158. Figure 7B depicts thelatch 160 shifted upwards similar to how it would be when seated on the access adapter 98 in the unlatched state for demonstrative purposes. The portion of the cover 144 at the second distance (when the latch 160 is in the unlatched state) is farther away than the first distance when the cover 144 is placed on the access restrictor 142 with the latch 160 in the latched state. This is so that the cover 144 can be visually identified as not sitting correctly in the access adapter 98 when the latch 160 is in the unlatched state and therefore indicating the access restrictor 142 is not properly and / or completely engaged with the access adapter 98. In one or more embodiments, the aperture 168 of the cover 144 is not axially aligned with the fastener hole 152 of the access restrictor 142 when the latch 160 is in the unlatched state, thereby making it impossible for the cover 144 to be fastened to the restrictor 142. In one or more embodiments, the latch 160 is biased in the latched state due to the resiliency of a hinge portion 166 of the latch 160, which connects the latch 160 to the flange section 158. The hinge portion 166 may bend when the latch 160 is in the unlatched state. The latch 160 also prevents the access restrictor 142 from backing out or disconnecting from the access adapter 98 when the bolt / fastener of the cover 144 is being unfastened. While the latch 160 is depicted as being an integral part of the access restrictor 142, the latch 160 may be configured and biased any number of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0051] Turning back to FIG. 6, the access restrictor 142 is inserted into the access adapter 98 so that the restrictor mating tabs 148 extend into the slots 128 of the adapter 98 while the top surface of one of the catch protrusions 126 pushes against the lower portion 162 of the latch 160, thereby shifting the latch 160 into the unlatched state. The access restrictor 142 is then rotated so that the restrictor mating tabs 148 shift into engagement with the adapter mating tabs 122. As the access restrictor 142 is being rotated, the lower portion 162 of the latch 160 slides against the catch protrusion 126 and eventually shifts over the slot 128. Once the access restrictor 142 is rotated sufficiently, the bias of the hinge portion 166 pushes the latch 160 into the slot 128 to shift the latch 160 into the latched state, thereby temporarily locking the access restrictor 142 to the access adapter 98.

[0052] The cover 144 is configured to be positioned within the upper rim 120 of the access adapter 98. The cover 144 includes an aperture 168 that aligns with the fastener hole 152 of the access restrictor 142, allowing for secure fastening of the cover 144 to the access restrictor 142. In one or more embodiments, the cover 144 is made of cast iron.

[0053] Turning to FIG. 8, as mentioned above, the manway access assembly 20 is operable to be coupled directly to the separation device 12. For example, the tank 12 and manway access assembly 20 may be shipped separately than the riser sections. Additionally, in some applications, such as when the tank 12 is buried roughly at or close to grade, the riser sections are not needed so that the manway access assembly 20 can be installed directly on the tank 12. Specifically, the tank connector 16 is secured to the tank 12 and the access adapter 98 is coupled to the tank connector 16 via the standoffs 44. The tank connector 16 may first be attached to the tank 16, then the adapter gasket 96 is coupled to the manhole neck with the bottom portion 102 of the gasket 96 receiving the manhole neck. The corresponding band clamp 170 may then be tightened to hold the gasket 96 on the manhole neck. The standoffs 44 may then be coupled to the tank connector 16, and the access adapter 98 (without or without the cover assembly 100 attached) is inserted into the gasket 96. The access adapter 98 may be rotated so that it couples with the top ends of the standoffs 44. The band clamp 172 of the top portion 104 of the gasket 96 may then be tightened to secured the manway access assembly 20 to the tank 12.

[0054] A plurality of riser sections 58A, 60A, 62A and a manway access assembly 20A constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 9. The riser sections 58A, 60A, 62A and manway access assembly 20A may comprise substantially similar components as riser sections 58, 60, 62 and manway access assembly 20; thus, the components of riser sections 58A, 60A, 62A and manway access assembly 20A that correspond to similar components in riser sections 58, 60, 62 and manway access assembly 20 have an ‘A’ appended to their reference numerals.

[0055] The riser sections 58A, 60A, 62A and manway access assembly 20A includes all the features of riser sections 58, 60, 62 and manway access assembly 20 except that the access adapter 98A further includes one or more shiftable grade-lock wings 174, 176. In one or more embodiments, the grade-lock wings 174, 176 are hingedly connected to an outer margin of the access adapter 98 A, and in preferred embodiments to the band 134A of the access adapter 98 A. The grade-lock wings 174, 176 are configured to be bent downwards and secured to one or more of the riser sections 58A, 60A, 62A. The grade-lock wings 174, 176 may be secured using a fastener, adhesive, band clamps, and / or the like. When secured to the riser section below, the grade-lock wings 174, 176 stabilize the adapter 98A so that the angle, depth, and / or orientation of the adapter 98A does not change during installation.

[0056] A customizable manway 18B constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 10. The manway 18B may comprise similar components as manway 18; thus, the components of manway 18B that correspond to similar components in manway 18 have a ‘B’ appended to their reference numerals.

[0057] The manway 18B may include similar features as manway 18 except that instead of the riser sections connecting to one another through mating tabs, the riser sections of the manway 18B are connected to one another through joints 178 that are adhered to one another with a sealant. One or more rip cords 180 may be embedded within each sealant joint 178 and have tabs 182 protruding from the sealant joint 178 for grasping by a user. When the tab 82 is pulled, the embedded rip cord 180 shears the sealant joint 178 to at least partially detach one of the riser sections 58B from the manway 18B. In this manner, the height of the manway 18B can readily be customized to bring the access assembly to grade.

[0058] A riser section 58C constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 11. The riser section 58C may comprise similar components as riser section 58C; thus, the components of riser section 58C that correspond to similar components in riser section 58 have a ‘C’ appended to their reference numerals.

[0059] The riser section 58C may include similar features as riser section 58 except that it is split longitudinally into two portions that are joined and locked together via slide locks 184. Turning to FIG. 12, the two portions 186, 188 of the riser section 58C include sets of ribs 190, 192 operable to interface with one another. Turning to FIG. 13, the two portions 186, 188 are joined together so that the ribs 190, 192 are aligned. The slide lock 184 may include two walls that define a T- slot 194 that is operable to receive the joined ribs 190, 192 therein to lock the two portions 186, 188 together. The slide lock 184 may be configured to receive the joined ribs 190, 192 by positioning the slide lock 184 over the ribs 190, 192 in alignment with the T-slot 194 and sliding the slide lock 184 vertically (as indicated by the arrow) so that the ribs 190, 192 enter the T-slot 194.

[0060] Figures 14-20 depict alternative constructions according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0061] The flow chart of FIG. 21 depicts the steps of an exemplary method 2100 of installing a riser assembly to an effluent separation device. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the various blocks may occur out of the order depicted in FIG. 21. For example, twoblocks shown in succession in FIG. 21 may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order depending upon the functionality involved. In addition, some steps may be optional. The method 2100 is described below, for ease of reference, as being executed with the exemplary devices and components introduced with the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-8; however, the method 2100 may be implemented with the devices and components depicted elsewhere in the present application without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0062] Referring to step 2102, the tank connector is attached to the tank around the manhole opening. The tank connector may be attached via one or more fasteners and / or adhesives. The tank connector may be centered around the manhole, and particularly around the manhole neck.

[0063] Referring to step 2104, one or more of the riser sections are stacked upon the tank connector until a desired elevation is reached. The elevation may be selected so that the cover is seated substantially flush with a surface of pavement to be formed around the cover. The elevation may be selected so that the cover is seated within a predetermined margin of being flush with the surface of the pavement. This step may include positioning a first riser section in engagement with the tank connector by inserting the lower mating tabs of the riser section into the tank connector and rotating the riser section so that the lower mating tabs engage the corresponding connector mating tabs. The first riser section may be positioned so that its riser gasket forms a seal with the manhole neck.

[0064] This step may include coupling a second riser section to the first riser section. The bottom end of the second riser receives the top end of the first riser section and the lower mating tabs of the second riser section extend next to the upper mating tabs of the first riser section. The second riser section may then be rotated relative to the first riser section so that the lower mating tabs of the second riser section engage the upper mating tabs of the first riser section. The second riser section may be rotated until the detents of the lower mating tabs enter the notches of the upper mating tabs, thereby providing audible and haptic feedback, and the alignment indicators associated with the lower mating tabs are aligned with the alignment indicators of the upper mating tabs, thereby providing visual feedback. As the second riser section is coupled to the first riser section, the gasket of the second riser section abuts and provides a seal against the top end of the first riser section. This may be repeated with subsequent riser sections until the desired elevationis reached. It will thus be appreciated that the installation methods of the invention do not require cutting down the height of a riser section or removing excess material, as in current approaches.

[0065] Referring to step 2106, the adapter gasket is mated with the top end of the topmost riser section. This step may include positioning the adapter gasket over the top end of the topmost riser section so that the bottom portion of the adapter gasket receives the top end of the topmost riser section. The band clamp on the bottom portion of the adapter gasket may then be tightened to form a seal between the adapter gasket and the topmost riser section.

[0066] Referring to step 2108, the access adapter is then mated with the adapter gasket. This step may include inserting the insertion portion of the access adapter into the top portion of the adapter gasket. The insert portion may be inserted into the adapter gasket at a desired depth. The depth of insertion may vary based on the approximate elevation of the finished pavement and / or the elevation at which the cover is desired to be located. In one or more embodiments, this step includes orienting the access adapter at a desired orientation to generally be coplanar with a top surface of the pavement. This step may further include tightening the band clamp on the top portion of the gasket to secure the access adapter at the desired depth and in the desired orientation.

[0067] Referring to step 2110, the cover assembly is attached to access adapter. This step may include inserting the tabs of the access restrictor into the slots of the access adapter and rotating the access restrictor until the mating tabs engage one another and the latch extends into one of the slots to shift to the latched state. The cover may then be seated on the access adapter and fastened to the access restrictor using a fastener, such as a bolt, or the like.

[0068] The method 2100 may include additional, less, or alternate steps and / or device(s), including those discussed elsewhere herein.

[0069] Although the above description presents features of preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept, other preferred embodiments may also be created in keeping with the principles of the invention. Furthermore, these other preferred embodiments may in some instances be realized through a combination of features compatible for use together despite having been presented independently in the above description.

[0070] Furthermore, directional references (e.g., top, bottom, front, back, up, down, etc.) are used herein solely for the sake of convenience and should be understood only in relation to each other. For instance, a component might in practice be oriented such that faces referred to as “top” and “bottom” are sideways, angled, inverted, etc. relative to the chosen frame of reference.

[0071] It is further noted that the term annular or aperture shall be interpreted to mean that the referenced object or structure extends around a central opening so as to be generally toroidal or ring-shaped. It is not necessary for the object to be precisely circular, nor does the object have to be continuous. Similarly, the term toroidal shall not be interpreted to mean that the object must be circular or continuous, as other geometries may be used including oval, polygonal, rectangular, etc. depending upon the particular feature design.

[0072] Throughout this specification, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and / or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the current invention can include a variety of combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0073] Although the present application sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent and equivalents. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical. Numerous alternative embodiments may be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0074] Throughout this specification, plural instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.

[0075] As used herein, the phrase “and / or,” when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a composition is described as containing or excluding components A, B, and / or C, the composition can contain or exclude A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

[0076] The present description also uses numerical ranges to quantify certain parameters relating to various embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that when numerical ranges are provided, such ranges are to be construed as providing literal support for claim limitations that only recite the lower value of the range as well as claim limitations that only recite the upper value of the range. For example, a disclosed numerical range of about 10 to about 100 provides literal support for a claim reciting “greater than or equal to about 10” (with no upper bounds) and a claim reciting “less than or equal to about 100” (with no lower bounds).

[0077] As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0078] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, any directional references (e.g., upper, lower, above, below, etc.) are used herein solely for the sake of convenience and should be understood only in relation to each other. For instance, a component might in practice be oriented such that faces referred to as “upper” and “lower” are sideways, angled, inverted, etc. relative to the chosen frame of reference.

[0079] The patent claims at the end of this patent application are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless traditional means-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as “means for” or “step for” language being explicitly recited in the claim(s).

[0080] Although the technology has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the technology as recited in the claims.

[0081] Having thus described various embodiments of the technology, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

Claims

CLAIMS1. A manway access assembly for connecting to a manway of an effluent separation device, the manway access assembly comprising: an access adapter with a hollow insert portion sized to be inserted into in the manway, an adapter mating tab protruding radially inwardly from the hollow insert portion; an access restrictor having a rim portion sized to be at least partially inserted into the hollow insert portion, a restrictor mating tab extending radially outwardly from the rim portion and configured to mate with the adapter mating tab, and a hub attached the rim portion and having a fastener hole; and a cover having an aperture that aligns with the fastener hole when the cover is positioned over the access adapter.

2. The manway access assembly of claim 1, wherein: the access adapter includes a catch protrusion defining a slot with the adapter mating tab, and the access restrictor comprises: a flange section extending radially outwardly from the rim portion; and a latch connected to the flange section and shiftable between: a latched state in which the latch protrudes downwardly into the slot so that the cover can be placed at a first distance from the flange section, and an unlatched state in which the latch protrudes upwardly from a top surface of the flange section so that the cover is at a second distance from the flange section, the second distance being longer than the first distance when the cover is placed on the access restrictor.

3. The manway access assembly of claim 2, wherein the aperture of the cover is not axially aligned with the fastener hole of the access restrictor when the latch is in the unlatched state.

4. The manway access assembly of claim 2, wherein the latch is biased in the latched state.

5. The manway access assembly of claim 2, wherein the restrictor mating tab is configured to be inserted into the slot and slide into engagement with the adapter mating tab when the access restrictor is rotated relative to the access adapter.

6. The manway access assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture extends through a center of a top surface of the cover.

7. The manway access assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener hole is threaded.

8. A riser assembly for providing grade-level access to a manhole of an effluent separation device, the riser assembly comprising: a tank connector operable to be secured to the effluent separation device around the manhole and including a connector mating tab; a hollow riser section comprising: a bottom end with a lower mating tab that is configured to engage the connector mating tab, and a top end having an upper mating tab; and an access adapter with an insert portion sized to be inserted into in the hollow riser section.

9. The riser assembly of claim 8, wherein the hollow riser section comprises an internal ridge that defines a channel that faces the tank connector when positioned on the tank connector, and a riser gasket seated in the channel that is operable to be sandwiched between the internal ridge and the manhole when the tank connector and the hollow riser section are secured to the effluent separation device.

10. The riser assembly of claim 8, wherein the connector mating tab extends radially inward, and the lower mating tab includes a protrusion that extends radially outward with a top surface that is operable to abut a bottom surface of the connector mating tab.

11. The riser assembly of claim 10, wherein the hollow riser section is operable to rotate relative to the tank connector so that the top surface of the protrusion slides against the bottom surface of the connector mating tab, and the connector mating tab includes a stop that the protrusion is operable to abut to prevent over rotation.

12. The riser assembly of claim 11, wherein the tank connector includes a top end that faces the hollow riser section when the hollow riser section is connected to the tank connector, and the bottom surface of the connector mating tab is sloped away from the top end.

13. The riser assembly of claim 8, wherein the hollow riser section is a first hollow riser section, further comprising a second hollow riser section comprising: a bottom end comprising a lower mating tab that is configured to engage the upper mating tab of the first hollow riser section, and a top end having an upper mating tab.

14. The riser assembly of claim 13, wherein the lower mating tab of the second hollow riser section includes a detent, and the upper mating tab of the first hollow riser section includes a notch configured to receive the detent when the second hollow riser section is engaged with the first hollow riser section.

15. The riser assembly of claim 8, wherein the lower mating tab includes a detent, and the connector mating tab includes a notch configured to receive the detent when the hollow riser section is engaged with the tank connector.

16. The riser assembly of claim 8, further comprising a gasket operable to provide a seal between the hollow riser section and the access adapter, the gasket comprising a top portion operable to receive the hollow insert portion of the access adapter and a bottom portion connected to the top portion and operable to receive the top end of the hollow riser section.

17. The riser assembly of claim 16, wherein the gasket further comprises a transition portion connecting the top and bottom portions, the transition portion comprising a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs.

18. The riser assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the top portion or the bottom portion includes a pair of spaced apart walls that extend radially outwardly to define a channel operable to receive a band clamp, wherein the pair of walls extend in convergent directions to releasably retain the band clamp in the channel.

19. A kit for providing grade-level access to a manhole of an effluent separation device, the kit comprising: a riser assembly of claim 8, wherein tank connector includes an outer margin that defines a connector T-slot, and the access adapter includes an outer margin that defines an adapter T-slot; and a standoff for releasably coupling the tank connector and the access adapter when the hollow riser section is removed, the standoff comprising: a spacer body for positioning between the tank connector and the access adapter and having a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end; a bottom key operable to couple the connector T-slot; and a top key operable to couple to the adapter T-slot.

20. A method of installing a riser assembly to an effluent separation device, the method comprising: attaching a tank connector to the effluent separation device around a manhole opening of the effluent separation device, the tank connector including a connector mating tab; stacking one or more hollow riser sections on the tank connector so that a topmost point of the one or more hollow riser sections is at a desired elevation, the one or more hollow riser sections comprising: a bottom end comprising a lower mating tab that is configured to engage the connector mating tab and a lower surface that faces downward when installed, a riser gasket positioned on the lower surface of the bottom end, and a top end having an upper mating tab; mating an adapter gasket with the top end of the one or more hollow riser sections; inserting an insert portion of an access adapter into the adapter gasket so that the access adapter is at a desired orientation, the access adapter having an upper rim with an adapter mating tab; and attaching a cover assembly to the access adapter, the cover assembly having a cover mating tab configured to engage the adapter mating tab.

21. A riser assembly for providing above grade access to a manhole of an effluent separation device, the riser assembly comprising: a tank connector operable to be secured to the effluent separation device around the manhole and including a connector mating tab and comprising an outer margin that defines a connector T-slot; an access adapter with an insert portion sized to be inserted into in the manhole and a rim portion with an outer margin that defines an adapter T-slot; and a standoff for coupling the tank connector and the access adapter and providing vertical support to the access adapter, the standoff comprising: a spacer body for positioning between the tank connector and the access adapter and having a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end; a bottom key operable to couple the connector T-slot; and a top key operable to couple to the adapter T-slot.

22. The riser assembly of claim 21, further comprising a gasket operable to provide a seal between the effluent separation device and the access adapter, the gasket comprising a top portion operable to receive the hollow insert portion of the access adapter and a bottom portion connected to the top portion and operable to a manhole neck.

23. The riser assembly of claim 22, wherein the gasket further comprises a transition portion connecting the top and bottom portions, the transition portion comprising a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs.

24. The riser assembly of claim 22, wherein at least one of the top portion or the bottom portion includes a pair of spaced apart walls that extend radially outwardly to define a channel operable to receive a band clamp, wherein the pair of walls extend in convergent directions to releasably retain the band clamp in the channel.

Images