1. Field of Invention
The field of the Invention is a group of devices designed to prevent trash and eroded soil from being washed into a storm sewer drain thereby stopping up the drain or filling with trash the storm sewer or stream into which the storm sewer flows.
2. Description of Prior Art
Over the years, many devices have been developed for preventing trash and eroded soil from being washed into storm sewers. Representative of prior art are the following patents. U.S. Pat. No. 809,201, Jan. 2, 1906, to Lutz, discloses a boxlike device with metal grates which is installed inside a storm sewer inlet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,474, Apr. 4, 1995, to Emery, discloses a metal mesh box filled with gravel which may be placed in a gutter and up against a storm sewer inlet. Because this device is one large box full of gravel, it would be very heavy to move and install. U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,254, Jan. 2, 1996, to Autry, discloses a metal box containing gravel held in place by wire mesh which is placed over a storm sewer inlet; again, this device would be very difficult to install and remove because of its weight, since the frame is heavy and all the heavy gravel must be removed at the same time. U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,707, Aug. 22, 2000, to Morris, discloses a metal and wire mesh basket containing gravel which must be installed down into a storm sewer opening. Publication U.S. 2003/0047497, Mar. 13, 2003, by Harris, discloses a curb inlet catch basin filter which is hung inside of, and down into, a storm sewer inlet; apparently debris would build up in this filter and restrict water flow, and the debris would be difficult to remove. Many of these inventions are expensive and complicated to make. They may also be difficult to install, remove, or clean out. Many of these inventions are not always effective in preventing debris and trash from being washed into storm sewer inlets, and they do not deal well with large volumes of water from strong storms.
A prior art device of the Inventor comprised a long 6 foot rectangular box of small re-bars (⅜ inch) covered with thin “chicken wire” on the top and front surfaces (away from the curb storm sewer inlet). Around the three sides away from the curb was cloth “silt fence”. The device was too weak to sustain a vehicle driving over it, and the cloth silt fence was inadequate regarding strength, durability and ability to handle heavy flows of water. Its size made it difficult for one person to handle.