Lift station safety spider web

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11674284-B2
Application number	US-202016934472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2020
Priority date	Jul 21, 2020
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A safety apparatus includes a safety fabric that in use is positioned in an access opening of a subsurface chamber. The safety fabric has a mesh with a plurality of mesh openings and a band formed around a perimeter of the mesh. At least one safety indicator is attached to the band by at least one strap. The safety indicator may be positioned outside of the access opening by extension of the strap when the safety fabric is positioned in the access opening. The subsurface chamber with the access opening may be an inlet chamber of a lift station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A safety apparatus comprising:
a safety fabric that in use is positioned in an access opening of a subsurface chamber, the safety fabric comprising a mesh having a plurality of mesh openings and a band formed around a perimeter of the mesh;
at least one vacuum port formed in the mesh, the at least one vacuum port comprising a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole; and
at least one safety indicator attached to the band by at least one strap, the at least one safety indicator to be positioned outside of the access opening by extension of the at least one strap when the safety fabric is positioned in the access opening.

2. The safety apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising two vacuum ports formed at opposite ends of the mesh, each of the two vacuum ports comprising a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole.

3. The safety apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mesh is made of a plurality of straps that are crisscrossed to form the mesh openings.

4. The safety apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of straps and the at least one strap are made of a synthetic fabric material.

5. The safety apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of straps and the at least one strap are made of a nylon material or a polyester material.

6. The safety apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the safety fabric has a safety color.

7. The safety apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one strap has a safety color.

8. The safety apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the safety indicator comprises a case carrying a warning label.

9. The safety apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the safety indicator comprises at least one of a light source and an RFID tag.

10. The safety apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising eyelets formed in and along the band, the eyelets to engage hooks on a surface in the access opening when the safety fabric is positioned in the access opening.

11. A lift station comprising:
an enclosure having a first subsurface chamber, a second subsurface chamber, and an access opening, the first subsurface chamber to receive a liquid stream from a flowline, the second subsurface chamber fluidly connected to the first subsurface chamber, the access opening connected to the first subsurface chamber;
at least one pump having a suction end fluidly connected to the second subsurface chamber and operable to pump liquid out of the second subsurface chamber;
a safety fabric removably positioned in the access opening, the safety fabric comprising a mesh having a plurality of mesh openings and a band formed around a perimeter of the mesh;
at least one vacuum port formed in the mesh, the at least one vacuum port comprising a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole;
at least one safety indicator attached to the band by at least one strap, the at least one safety indicator positioned outside of the enclosure by extension of the strap outside of the access opening; and
at least one removable cover plate mounted over the access opening.

12. The lift station of claim 11 , wherein the at least one strap is pinned to a wall of the enclosure by the at least one removable cover plate.

13. The lift station of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of removable cover plates are mounted over the access opening, and wherein the at least one removable cover plate includes an indication of a location of the at least one vacuum port.

14. The lift station of claim 11 , wherein the mesh is made of a plurality of straps that are crisscrossed to form the mesh openings.

15. The lift station of claim 11 , wherein each of the safety fabric and the at least one strap has a safety color.

16. The lift station of claim 15 , wherein the safety indicator comprises a case and at least one of a warning label, a light source, and an RFID tag carried by the case.

17. The lift station of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of hooks attached to a wall of the access opening and a plurality of eyelets formed in and along the band, the plurality of eyelets releasably engaging the plurality of hooks to position the safety fabric in the access opening.

18. A method of cleaning a lift station, the method comprising:
detecting at least one safety indicator coupled to a safety fabric disposed in an access opening of the lift station from outside of the lift station;
removing at least one cover plate mounted over the access opening to reveal the safety fabric;
inserting a hose of a vacuum tanker through at least one vacuum port formed in a mesh of the safety fabric into a subsurface chamber of the lift station, wherein the at least one vacuum port comprises a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole; and
operating the vacuum tanker to clean the subsurface chamber.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Jamea Khalid H

Classifications

• B08B5/04

  Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action · CPC title

• B08B9/035

  by suction · CPC title

• D04G1/00

  Making nets by knotting of filamentary material · CPC title

• E02D2200/13

  having at least a mesh portion · CPC title

• E02D29/127 Primary

  with devices for impeding fall or injuries of persons · CPC title