NZ535373A - Holding tank - Google Patents

Abstract

A holding tank (10) for holding waste products includes two end portions (14, 16) and one or more expansion portions (26) disposed when assembled between the end portions, each end portion when in the assembled position being sealably connected to adjacent portions via separable connection means (30), the holding tank being readily disassembled via the separable connection means in order that the holding tank may be disassembled via the separable connection means and the portions passed through one or more constricted openings such as for example hatch ways and access openings for installation and reassembly inside larger spaces.

Description

P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lester Miller\Specifications\12255101 complete.doc-16/09/04 35 3 7 3 - i - HOLDING TANK The present invention relates to holding tanks, in particular for use in marine applications. Although it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with 5 reference to this application, it is to be understood that this is not to be taken as a limitation of the scope of the invention.

Awareness of environmental damage to waterways, coast lines and oceans has promoted laws to be enacted mandating the storage of sewage waste on boats for 10 subsequent disposal at pump out stations. This is to reduce the amount of sewage in waterways, thus protecting the marine environment.

Boats built subsequent to the enactment of these laws will likely be fitted with suitable holding tanks during manufacture. However, there are thousands of boats without 15 holding tanks fitted. Suitable commercially available tanks are generally not able to be fitted through small hatchways and into holding spaces on these boats.

One form of commercially available tank comprises an inflatable bag of various sizes: such as for example 100 litre, 150 litre for the storage of sewage. This bag overcomes the problem of getting a sizeable tank through small portals and into an existing boat because it may be deflated. In order for it to be deflated, it is made of rubber materials. Therefore it is susceptible to punctures, cuts, ruptures and because it is cyclically inflated and deflated, it is susceptible to fatigue breakdown along creases and seams in stress concentration areas such as inlet and outlet fittings.

In another design the tank is of unitary construction. Therefore the size of the tank is restricted to the size of a hatch opening through which the tank must be passed to be stored in the boat.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages. tellectual of hz 17 SEP 7m P:\WPDOCS\LMD\Lester Millcr\Specifications\Full speciflcations\12497501.doc-18/l 1/04 intellfctual property office of N.Z. - 3 DEC 2004 RECEIVED According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a holding tank for holding waste products, the tank including two end portions and one or more expansion portions disposed when assembled between the end portions, each end portion when in the assembled position being sealably connected to adjacent portions via separable connection means, the holding tank being readily disassembled via the separable connection means in order that the holding tank may be disassembled via the separable connection means and the portions passed through one or more constricted openings such as for example hatch ways and access openings for installation and reassembly inside larger spaces.

Preferably, one or each end portion defines a volume inside which waste may be placed. In one preferred form however the end portion is a substantially planar closure with no substantial volume added. In a second preferred form, the or each end portion defines a substantial reservoir with an open top. The portions may be rectangular prisms, 15 triangular prisms, egg-shapes, and like forms. In one preferred form, the reservoir is generally cylindrical, having a circular base, open circular top, and a peripheral wall.

The preferred expansion portions may be any shape of annulus such as for example rectangular, triangular, ovoid and the like. In a preferred form the expansion portions are 20 generally circular annuli in shape and, in the installed position, are disposed between the end portions, removably connected thereto at each of its ends.

Preferably, the or each separable connection means includes a flange having through holes for receiving fasteners. The flange may be disposed for receiving and 25 mounting seals by a geometric adaptation, or other adhesive sealant on its faces.

Preferably, the tank is provided with inlets having inlet fittings. In one form the inlet fittings are sealably connected to pipes carrying waste from toilets, showers, and the like.

Preferably, the tank is also provided with outlets having outlet fittings. In one form P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lester Miller\Specificarions\l2255101 complete.doc-16/09/04 to proper disposal sites for further treatment and storage. A valve may be provided in line with the inlets or outlets to isolate the tanks from flow in or out. The waste may simply drain away from the tank when the valve is open.

In one form an outlet is provided which is connected to the top wall of the tank, wherein the outlet includes a pipe extending from the top to adjacent the base wall, so that a pump may be applied to the outlet and draw the waste from the bottom of the tank to a disposal and/or treatment site.

Preferably, an air pipe fitting is provided, for the purpose of replacing the displaced waste.

Stands may be provided in the form of a cradle to support the tank and fixedly mount the tank in position in a bilge. Straps may be used to retain the tank in position on the stands.

In order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention preferred embodiments will hereinafter be described with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a semi-exploded side elevation view of a first preferred embodiment of holding tank according to the present invention, in a vertical orientation when installed; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a second preferred embodiment in a horizontal orientation when installed; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a third preferred embodiment in a horizontal orientation when installed, and showing an expansion portion having a larger volume then that shown in Figures 1 and/or 2; Figure 4 is an isometric view of a fifth preferred embodiment, showing several expansion sections of differing selected volumes; P:\WPDOCS\LMD\Lester Miller\Specifications\Full specifications\12497501.doc-! 8/11/04 expansion sections of differing selected volumes; Figure 5 is an isometric view of a stand for use with preferred embodiments shown in at least Figures 2, 3, 4 and 9; Figure 6 shows various views of a stand for use with preferred embodiments shown in Figures 2, 3,4 and 9; Figure 7 shows plan and elevation views of a stand for use with embodiments 10 shown in Figures 1 and 8; Figure 8 is a depiction of a tank; Figure 9 is another depiction of a tank.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a holding tank generally indicated at 10 including end portions 12 in the form of a planar closure 16 and a reservoir 14. The reservoir 14 includes a base wall 18, peripheral wall 20 and an open top 22. There is also provided separable connection means 28 in the form of flanges 30 and through holes 32.

An inlet 35 having an inlet fitting is indicated at 36 in the form of a threaded deck fitting, threaded at 1 la " BSP. To give a watertight and pressure-tight seal, a pipe is fitted to this from a toilet system to carry waste to the tank 10. A Y-valve may be installed in this pipe for lawful disposal of waste at sea.

An an outlet 41 having an outlet fitting 42 is also provided, in the form of a threaded 1 Yi" BSP plastic deck fitting 44. Waste flows out of the tank via gravity. A second preferred embodiment of outlet shown in Figure 1 shows an alternative outlet fitting at 142. In this embodiment there is provided a pipe from the fitting 142 to adjacent 30 the base wall 18 so that waste may be withdrawn via a pump (not shown) to a treatment and/or storage location. intellectual property office of n.z. - 3 DEC 2004 n r« r ii ir- P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lester Miller\Specifications\I2255lOl complete.doc-16/09/04 stainless steel bolts and washers. A watertight and high-pressure seal is provided by the addition of a neoprene rubber seal 31 which is sandwiched between flanges 30.

The tank 10 is constructed from polyester resin reinforced with glass fibre. This 5 provides resistance to aggressive waste chemicals, and a generally harsh marine environment. The material is also electrically and chemically stable. The tank complies with AS3542-1996.

An expansion portion is shown at 24, in the form of a cylindrical annulus 26. The 10 expansion portions may be of differing lengths so as to provide varying volumes inside the tank, and several may be fitted in line to form a very large tank as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows that the expansion portions may be of various lengths so that differing volumes are defined by differing annuli 26.

A corrosion barrier is provided on the internal faces of the tank 10. When all sections of the tank are hand laid, the first two layers are glass tissue. This is a fine glass fibre, such that liquid is resisted in its efforts to be drawn by a capillary effect along the fibres, thus resisting liquid content penetrating the walls and the fibre glass reinforcing. This structure also alleviates osmosis and structural breakdown. This structure along with 20 a vinyl ester resin has a high chemical resistance and a high acidic resistance when hand laid and cured. These two steps produce a barrier between the waste and the tank walls.

An air pipe fitting is provided at 46 for the purpose of replacing the discharged sewage with air and thus reducing vacuum pressure on the walls of the tank 10. Stands are 25 provided at 50 having a peripheral wall receiving portion at 52.

Further embodiments are shown in Figure 2-4 and 8-9, wherein like numerals denote like parts.

In the installed position, the tanks in Figures 2-5 are placed such that the air pipe 46 is located at the top, and the drain 42 is at the bottom. This allows the stands 50 to receive P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lester Miller\Specifications\12255101 complete.doc-16/09/04 the peripheral wall 20 in portion 52 and retain the tank with straps (not shown) and/or braces 90. In the installed position, the tank in Figure 1 is disposed such that the air pipe 46 is disposed in an upper portion of the tank, and the drain 42 is at the bottom.

The embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 8 are, when installed, oriented so that a longitudinal axis of a cylinder created by assembly extends generally vertically. Other embodiments, shown in Figs 2-4 and 9, are oriented to have the longitudinal axis extend generally horizontally when installed and assembled. The latter arrangement is to take advantage of holding spaces in boats which generally extend along the longitudinal axis of 10 the hull. These spaces may extend quite a long way fore- and aftward, but often may only be accessed by a small hatchway once built.

Advantageously, the invention, especially in its preferred embodiments, may utilise large spaces for holding sewage tanks which may only be accessed by a small hatchway. 15 The tank may be disassembled, passed through the hatchway, then reassembled on the other side, in the holding space, with stands preferably placed along at certain intervals for support of the length of the tank. These holding spaces are generally found in boats, where this invention and its preferred embodiments may find one application.

The tank may provide selected volumes for storage, the volumes between, say, 40L and 5000L, though of course the volume provided may be outside this range. The walls, fittings, fasteners and flanges etc may be varied so as to accommodate this range.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or 25 additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims (21)

P:\WPDOCS\LMD\Lester Miller\Specifications\Full specifications\l2497501.doc-! 8/11/04 10 15 ® 20 25 -7- The claims defining the invention are as follows: intellectual property office of n.z. - 3 DEC 2004 RECEIVED

1. A holding tank for holding waste products, the tank including two end portions and one or more expansion portions disposed when assembled between the end portions, each end portion when in the assembled position being sealably connected to adjacent portions via separable connection means, the holding tank being readily disassembled via the separable connection means in order that the holding tank may be disassembled via the separable connection means and the portions passed through one or more constricted openings such as for example hatch ways and access openings for installation and reassembly inside larger spaces.

2. A holding tank as defined in claim 1, wherein one or both end portions define a reservoir inside which waste may be placed, the reservoir having an opening.

3. A holding tank as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the end portions is a substantially planar closure with no substantial volume added.

4. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein each end portion is a component part of a rectangular prism, triangular prism, egg-shape, or cylindrical form.

5. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the reservoir is generally cylindrical, having a circular base, open circular top, and a peripheral wall when installed.

6. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the or each expansion portion is an annulus of selected shape, such as for example rectangular, triangular, ovoid or cylindrical.

7. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the or each expansion portion is a generally circular annulus which, in the installed position, is disposed between the P:\WPDOCS\LMD\Lester Miller\SpecificationsVFull specifications\1249750l.doc-l8/ll/04 intellectual property office •sf n.z - 3 DEC 2004 RECEIVED 8- end portions, removably connected thereto at each of its ends.

8. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the or each separable connection means includes a flange having through holes for receiving fasteners. 5

9. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the flange is disposed for receiving and mounting seals by a geometric convolution.

10. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the tank is provided with 10 inlets having inlet fittings.

11. A holding tank as defined in claim 10 wherein the inlet fittings are sealably connected to pipes carrying waste from toilets and/or showers.. 15

12. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein the tank is provided with outlets having outlet fittings.

13. A holding tank as defined in claim 12 wherein the outlet fittings are provided at the base of the tank and sealably connected to pipes suitable for carrying waste to proper 20 disposal sites for further treatment and storage.

14. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein a valve may be provided in line with respective inlets or outlets to isolate the tanks from flow of sewage or other fluid in or out. 25

15. A holding tank as defined in claim 14 wherein the waste may simply drain away from the tank when the outlet valve is open. 30

16. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein an upper outlet is provided which is connected to an upper portion of a wall of the tank when installed, wherein the outlet includes a pipe extending from the upper portion of the wall to adjacent a base P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lester Miller\Specifications\12255lOl complete.doc-16/09/04 -9- draw the waste upwardly to the upper outlet from the bottom of the tank to a disposal and/or treatment site.

17. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein an air pipe fitting is provided, 5 for the purpose of replacing the displaced waste with air so that vacuum pressure is not created within the holding tank.

18. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein one or more stands are provided in the form of a cradle to support the tank and fixedly mount the tank in 10 position in a bilge.

19. A holding tank as defined in claim 18 wherein straps or braces are used to retain the tank in position on the stands. 15

20. A holding tank as defined in any previous claim wherein a longitudinal axis of the holding tank extends from an end wall of the tank to the other end wall, the axis extending generally horizontally or vertically.

21. A holding tank substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. 20 DATED this 16th day of September, 2004 ERNEST GRAHAM BEAGLEY By his Patent Attorneys DA VIES COLLISON CAVE END OF CLAIMS P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lester Miller\Specifications\12255l01 abstract, doc-16/09/04 5353 7 3 ABSTRACT According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a holding tank for holding waste products, the tank including two end portions and one or more expansion 5 portions disposed when assembled between the end portions, each end portion when in the assembled position being sealably connected to adjacent portions via separable connection means, the holding tank being readily disassembled via the separable connection means in order that the holding tank may be disassembled via the separable connection means and the portions passed through one or more constricted openings such as for example hatch 10 ways and access openings for installation and reassembly inside larger spaces.