CA2228826C - Animal control gate for culverts and the like - Google Patents

Animal control gate for culverts and the like Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2228826C
CA2228826C CA 2228826 CA2228826A CA2228826C CA 2228826 C CA2228826 C CA 2228826C CA 2228826 CA2228826 CA 2228826 CA 2228826 A CA2228826 A CA 2228826A CA 2228826 C CA2228826 C CA 2228826C
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
gate
comb
culvert
control gate
raising
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA 2228826
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French (fr)
Inventor
Paul William Taggart
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
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Priority to CA 2228826 priority Critical patent/CA2228826C/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2228826C publication Critical patent/CA2228826C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02BHYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
    • E02B8/00Details of barrages or weirs ; Energy dissipating devices carried by lock or dry-dock gates
    • E02B8/02Sediment base gates; Sand sluices; Structures for retaining arresting waterborne material
    • E02B8/023Arresting devices for waterborne materials
    • E02B8/026Cleaning devices
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01FADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F5/00Draining the sub-base, i.e. subgrade or ground-work, e.g. embankment of roads or of the ballastway of railways or draining-off road surface or ballastway drainage by trenches, culverts, or conduits or other specially adapted means
    • E01F5/005Culverts ; Head-structures for culverts, or for drainage-conduit outlets in slopes
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03FSEWERS; CESSPOOLS
    • E03F7/00Other installations or implements for operating sewer systems, e.g. for preventing or indicating stoppage; Emptying cesspools
    • E03F7/06Devices for restraining rats or other animals

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for screening off the ends of culverts and the like so that animals such as beavers and muskrats are unable to gain access to the interior of the culvert and are limited to building outside the culvert. The device includes a gate member with means for raising and lowering the gate to clear debris away from the mouth of the culvert.

Description

ANIMAL CONTROL GATE FOR CULVERTS AND THE LIKE
w FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to grates for a road culvert and the like and specifically to a control gate for keeping small animals of the water resident type from gaining access to culverts and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Culverts are placed under roads, embankments and the like to provide drainage from one side of the road to the other when the road interrupts normal drainage. The culverts must stay clear of debris. Otherwise, they become plugged and this can cause l0 flooding which, if serious enough, can wash away sections of roads. Road culverts continually become plugged by water bearing animals such as muskrats and beavers. The open ended culverts are very inviting to such animals and workers must be sent out almost on a daily basis to plug culverts to clear them out by hand. This is a very costly and time consuming solution to the problem.
Numerous attempts have been made to solve the problem outlined above but, for a variety of reasons, many of these attempts have not been successful. One example is shown in U.S. Patent 4,713,179 Goedderz, Sr. which discloses a removable culvert grate to be placed adjacent the inflow end of a culvert. It consists of a vertical grate having a plurality of slats to prevent the flow of beaver workings or similar debris and the 2 0 horizontal platform which extends outwardly from the lower edge of the vertical platform. The linkage bar is provided to connect the device to a power source such as a winch on the back of a truck. After beavers have constructed a dam or similar debris and is collected against the vertical grate, the unit can be lifted by the winch carried for example in a pick-up truck or similar vehicle, lifting the debris with the device.
Another example is shown in Canadian Patent Application 2,140,317 published 17 August 1996. In this arrangement, a frame consists of upper and lower crossbars positioned at the open end of a culvert and a plurality of vertical rods are positioned across the frame and are supported by the crossbars. The rods are individually movable r to and away from the debris blocking position, each rod having a grip at its upper end for raising and lowering the rods relative to the frame.
Another example of the prior art is shown in Canadian Patent 1,231,063 issued 5 January 1988. This patent discloses a beaver guard which consists of a flexible grid formed by a plurality of transversely extending, spaced apart steel rods welded to a pair of spaced apart steel chains. The rods are spaced apart about 4 inches. The chains are brought together at their upper ends to provide a loop which may be secured to a culvert by hanging it over the upper edge thereof.
Other examples of the prior art may be seen in the following United States Patents:
3,086,655 Compton 23 April 1963 2 0 4,042,506 Wilson 16 August 1977 3,955,596 Diaz 11 May 1976 4,174,913 Schliesser 20 November 1979 4,702,828 Mehmert et 27 October 1987 al Canadian application 2,016,323 published 9 November 1991 2 5 One of the objectives of the present invention is to reduce the manpower and the cost of keeping culverts clean. The main problem is to accomplish this task without any harm to the environment or to the animals in question.
The present invention addresses the problem described above by screening off the ends of the culvert so that an animal such as a muskrat or beaver is limited to building 3 o a nest or the like outside the culvert and not within it. The invention incorporates a gate that blocks the open end of the culvert and is provided with a mechanism which, when triggered, sends the gate upwards and clearing any debris that an animal might have brought to the mouth of the culvert as well as any debris that floats in on its own. The gate is then lowered back into place: The mechanism is operated, preferably, off a pneumatic system that requires very little maintenance or monitoring. The minimal attention required to operate the mechanism considerably reduces manpower and cost.
The control gate according to the invention can also address problems with beaver dams. If a culvert is placed in a beaver dam at the height they want the water to be, then the beaver control device can be installed at the end of the culvert.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
l0 The animal control gate according to the present invention operates on a pneumatic system powered by an air piston which, in turn, raises and.lowers a front gate of the device to clear away debris. The air is supplied by an air tank of suitable size, such as a five gallon tank, that is refilled with a small air compressor. The compressor may be powered by a twelve volt battery which is charged throughout the day by a five watt solar panel or other suitable means. These components keep the control gate running on its own with very little monitoring.
According to a broad aspect, the invention relates to an animal control gate for culverts and the like to screen off the end of a culvert or a pipe to prevent access to the interior thereof. The control gate comprises means for positioning the gate over the 2 0 culvert opening; means for raising and lower the gate; a comb located adj acent the gate for cleaning debris from the gate when the gate is being raised; a base member for supporting the raising and lowering means; and triggering means to actuate the mechanism to raise and lower the gate.
When an animal such as a muskrat or beaver carries sticks or mud to the entrance 2 5 of the culvert, it triggers the pneumatic system to raise the gate vertically through the associated comb and this action brushes off any debris it brings in. The gate then slowly lowers itself back in to the rest position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is illustrated in the accompany drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the base of the control gate accoridng to the lnventlon;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the control gate;
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the complete control gate assemlby including lts operating mechanism;
FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of the pneumatic operating mechanism for the control gate;
FIGURE 5 is an elevation view of the lift gate;
FIGURE 6 is an elevation view of the feeler bar;
FIGURES 7 and 8 are plan and elevation views respectively of the comb portion of the assembly;
FIGURE 9 is an elevation view of the lifting frame;
FIGURE 10 is a plan view thereof;
FIGURE 11 is a side view thereof;
FIGURE 12 is a plan view of the base plate;
FIGURE 13 is an end elevation thereof;
FIGURE 14 is a further plan view of the base; and 2 0 FIGURE 15 is a side view thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Refernng to the drawings, and specifically to Figures 1-4, the animal control gate assembly is shown generally at 10 and consists of a base plate 12 which supports the various components of the assembly and which is suitably secured such as by clamping or bolting to the upper surface of a culvert 14 adjacent the open end thereof.
As an example, the base 12 would comprise a piece of steel channel approximately 10 inches wide and 20 inches long. A clamp 8, would be provided on the underside of the base 12 so that the base could slide over the open end of the culvert and the clamp 8 could be tightened thereto. Base 12 may also be provided with a handle 13 as shown in Figures 14 and 15.
The main functional element of the assembly 10 is the gate mechanism illustrated generally at 16 and comprising a comb 18 of generally rectangular configuration, see Figure 5, and comprising a plurality of parallel tines 20 attached to a crossbar 22 and joined to a guide plate 24 by means of connecting bars 26 guide plate 24 has a pair of spaced, parallel depending legs 28 which are coaxial with and located within a pair of vertically oriented guide tubes 30. It will be evident that moving the guide plate 24 and its associated legs 28 up and down in the guide tubes 30 affects vertical,movement of the comb or gate 18. Guide tubes 30 are welded or otherwise secured to a crossbar 32 which is secured to the base member 12.
As shown in Figures 2, 7 and 8, the gate assembly 16 also includes a stationary cleaning bar or rake 34 mounted behind and adjacent to the comb 18 and is provided with a plurality of teeth 36 interspersed with the tines 20 of the comb. This bar 34 is secured, against any movement, to the end of the base member 12 by suitable brackets 35, Figure 8, and is provided with a plurality of teeth 36 interspersed between the tines 20 of the comb so that, when the gate 16 is raised, the teeth 36 serve to clear the comb tines ZO of any debris secured thereto.
2 o The means for raising and lowering the gate assembly, specifically the gate 18 and its tines 20, is shown in Figure 3 and, schematically, in Figure 4.
The gate 18 is raised and lowered through the action of a pneumatic cylinder secured at one end by a socket 37 to the base 12 (see figures 14 and 15) and having a reciprocal piston rod 40 with an eye 42 at the outer end thereof. A cable 44 is secured 2 5 at one end to the guide crossbar 24 and, at its other end, to a suitable fastener 46 secured to the base 12.
An air tank 48, filled to approximately 40 psi, is secured to the base 12 and is connected, as shown in Figure 4, to the pneumatic cylinder 38 through a solenoid valve 50 having a pressure switch 52 and a micro switch 54 associated therewith.
Micro switch 54 has a trigger lever 56 connected thereto and lever 56 is in a position to be engagable by gate member 18.
It will be evident from Figures 2 and 3 that when pneumatic cylinder 38 is activated, piston rod 40 will be extended and this will raise the guide bar 24 and the legs 28 of the gate member 18 in the guide tubes 30 through the upward action of the piston rod 40 and its connection to the cable 44. This operation of the pneumatic cylinder 38 is started by the micro switch 54 when it is operated by the trigger lever 56 which in turn is operated when it is pushed with sufficient force to engage the lever 56.
This force is w applied by the debris that is piled up against the gate by the waterborne animals. The micro switch 54 provides the solenoid valve 50 with a signal and it, in turn, releases the required amount of air, from the tank 48 to raise the piston and its rod 40 in the pneumatic cylinder 38. A magnet (not shown) is provided in the base of the piston and when this magnet comes in contact with a reed switch, it closes the contact that sends a further signal to the air valve to release more air from the tank to return the piston to its lower position. The speed of the raising and lowering of the gate is controlled by two mufflers 58 and 60 on the air valve 50 and illustrated in Figure 4 When pressure in the air tank 48 drops below 40 psi the pressure switch sends a signal to an air compressor which is activated and fills the air tank up to the desired pressure i.e. 40 psi. The air compressor and all other electrical devices are run off a 2 0 twelve volt battery which is charged daily through a five watt solar panel.
Feeler bars 62, Figure 6, may be attached to the bottom of the comb 18, specifically by menas of sleeves 64 adjustably secured to selected tines 20 as shown in Figure 3, and these are used to trigger the gate if an animal such as a beaver tries to build out and around the culvert. They are made of plastic and do not harm the animal when 2 5 they go up with the gate 18.
A spring mechanism keeps the gate of out reach from the limit switch. The purpose of this is so that the water flow itself does not trigger the limit switch. The strength of the spring mechanism can be adjusted to coincide with the water flow.
While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof and in a specific use, various modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
The terms and expressions which have been employed in this specification are used as terms of description and not of limitations, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claims.
w

Claims (4)

1. An animal control gate assembly for culverts and the like to screen off the end of a culvert or pipe to prevent access to the interior thereof, said control gate assembly comprising:
(a) means for positioning the gate over the culvert opening;
(b) means for raising and lowering the gate;
(c) means located adjacent the gate for cleaning debris from the gate when the gate is being raised;
(d) a base member for supporting the raising and lowering means; and (e) triggering means to actuate the means to raise and lower the gate.
2. A control gate according to claim 1 wherein said base member comprises a metal member having a generally flat upper surface and is detachably secured to the upper surface of the culvert adjacent an open end thereof.
3. A control gate assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said gate comprises a comb having a cross member and a plurality of parallel tines depending therefrom; a lifting frame mounted to said base member and connected to said comb for raising and lowering said comb relative to said culvert, and wherein said debris cleaning means comprises a cleaning rake secured to said gate assembly and having teeth interacting with said comb tines for clearing debris therefrom when said comb is raised by the lifting frame.
4. A control gate according to any one of the preceding claims 1-3 wherein the gate raising and lowering means comprises a pneumatic actuator secured to said base and connected to said lifting frame, a pressure tank for supplying air to said actuator, valve means for directing air to a selected end of said actuator to raise or lower said lifting frame and comb secured thereto and means for triggering said valve means responsive to pressure on said gate assembly.
CA 2228826 1998-04-14 1998-04-14 Animal control gate for culverts and the like Expired - Fee Related CA2228826C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2228826 CA2228826C (en) 1998-04-14 1998-04-14 Animal control gate for culverts and the like

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2228826 CA2228826C (en) 1998-04-14 1998-04-14 Animal control gate for culverts and the like

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2228826C true CA2228826C (en) 2000-10-31

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2228826 Expired - Fee Related CA2228826C (en) 1998-04-14 1998-04-14 Animal control gate for culverts and the like

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2907922A1 (en) * 2014-02-13 2015-08-19 Georg Baumann Underwater blocking element, hydraulic structure with said underwater blocking element and method for closing said underwater blocking element
CN110241744A (en) * 2019-06-18 2019-09-17 中国十七冶集团有限公司 The construction method of jacking frame box culvert is worn under a kind of railway
CN112031137A (en) * 2020-08-12 2020-12-04 丁芝强 Urban rainwater-accumulation-preventing well lid
CN115467257A (en) * 2022-08-25 2022-12-13 安徽省水利水电勘测设计研究总院有限公司 Prefabricated box culvert of assembled

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2907922A1 (en) * 2014-02-13 2015-08-19 Georg Baumann Underwater blocking element, hydraulic structure with said underwater blocking element and method for closing said underwater blocking element
CN110241744A (en) * 2019-06-18 2019-09-17 中国十七冶集团有限公司 The construction method of jacking frame box culvert is worn under a kind of railway
CN112031137A (en) * 2020-08-12 2020-12-04 丁芝强 Urban rainwater-accumulation-preventing well lid
CN115467257A (en) * 2022-08-25 2022-12-13 安徽省水利水电勘测设计研究总院有限公司 Prefabricated box culvert of assembled

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