Sediment collector with self installation and self removal feature

Abstract

A sediment collector assembly (100) (and associated method) includes a housing (102) dimensioned for receipt in an associated waterway. The housing has a wall (104, 106, 108, 112) forming an internal cavity (120). An opening (126) receives associated sediment from the associated waterway and temporarily stores the associated sediment in a hopper (128) received in the cavity and the associated sediment is subsequently removed therefrom. A chamber (160) in the housing includes at least one inlet port (162) extending through the wall that communicates with the chamber. A plurality of perforations (164) are spaced from the inlet port and extend through the wall. The inlet port is in selective, alternative, operative communication with an associated source of (i) pressurized fluid or (ii) pressurized air whereby when the pressurized fluid is introduced into the collector assembly chamber an overall weight of the collector increases and when ejected through the perforations, the fluid displaces associated soil from a bottom surface of the associated waterway.

1 . A collector assembly comprising:
 a housing dimensioned for receipt in an associated waterway and having a wall forming an internal cavity, and an opening communicating with the cavity is configured to receive associated sediment from the associated waterway and temporarily stores the associated sediment in the cavity and the associated sediment is subsequently removed therefrom;   a chamber in the housing includes at least one inlet port extending through the wall that communicates with the chamber, and a plurality of perforations spaced from the inlet extending through the wall and that communicate with the chamber, the inlet port in selective, alternative, operative communication with an associated source of (i) pressurized fluid to increase an overall weight of the collector and ejected through the perforations for displacing associated soil from a bottom surface of the associated waterway, and (ii) pressurized air whereby filling the chamber with air facilitates buoyancy and aids in extraction of the collector assembly from the associated waterway.   
     
     
         2 . The collector assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing has a generally v-shaped cross-section, and the chamber perforations are located in a vertex region of the v-shaped housing. 
     
     
         3 . The collector assembly of  claim 2  wherein the chamber perforations are directed outwardly from the housing in a pattern that extends over an acute angle. 
     
     
         4 . The collector assembly of  claim 1  wherein the inlet port and the chamber perforations are disposed at top and bottom portions of the housing, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The collector assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing has first and second sidewall portions inclined relative to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The collector assembly of  claim 1  further wherein the opening includes a grate that prevents large dimensioned material from entering the internal cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The collector assembly of  claim 6  wherein the internal cavity includes hoppers disposed beneath the grate that receive the associated sediment therein. 
     
     
         8 . The collector assembly of  claim 7  wherein an outlet communicates with the hoppers to remove the collected associated sediment from the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The collector assembly of  claim 6  further comprising an injector port extending through the housing into communication with the hoppers for introducing fluid into the hoppers. 
     
     
         10 . The collector assembly of  claim 9  further comprising an ejector port connected to an associated vacuum source, the ejector port extending through the housing into communication with the hoppers to facilitate removal of sediment collected therein. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of installing and/or removing a collector assembly from a waterway, the collector assembly including a housing dimensioned for receipt in an associated waterway and the housing having a wall that includes at least one inlet port extending through the wall that communicates with the chamber, and a plurality of perforations spaced from the inlet port extending through the wall and that communicate with the chamber, the method comprising:
 providing pressurized fluid through the inlet port into the chamber whereby the fluid increases an overall weight of the collector assembly;   ejecting the pressurized fluid through the perforations toward a bottom surface of the associated waterway for displacing associated soil from the bottom surface of the waterway; and   at least partially filling the chamber with air to facilitate buoyancy and aid in extraction of the collector assembly from the associated waterway.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the ejecting steps include directing the pressurized fluid or pressurized air over a pattern that extends through an acute angle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising forming the housing to have a V-shaped cross-sectional portion and locating the perforations adjacent a vertex of the V-shaped cross-sectional portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising terminating the pressurized fluid into the chamber once the housing is situated in the bottom surface of the waterway. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the housing further includes forming a hopper, and an injector port and an ejector port communicating with the hopper, the hopper receiving sediment from the associated waterway. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising temporarily storing the sediment in the hopper. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising subsequently removing sediment from the hopper via the ejector port. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising providing a pressurized flow across a surface of a grate that covers the opening to keep the grate surface clean. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the waterway is a sandy beach shore, the method further comprising locating the collector assembly adjacent where waves break at a coastline. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising controlling speed of associated pumps that communicate with the injector/and ejector ports, to thereby provide a zero suction impingement upon a surface of the grate. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)