EP2365134B1

EP2365134B1 - flood barrier incorporating a demountable support

Info

Publication number: EP2365134B1
Application number: EP11156739.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank Kelly
Original assignee: BLUEWATER DESIGN ASSOCIATES Ltd
Current assignee: BLUEWATER DESIGN ASSOCIATES Ltd
Priority date: 2010-03-08
Filing date: 2011-03-03
Publication date: 2016-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-03
Also published as: ES2605428T3; EP2365134A2; EP2365134A3; GB201003717D0; GB2478524A; GB2478524B

Description

This invention relates to a flood barrier incorporating a demountable support.
Conventional demountable systems in the flood protection market require many parts and removable stanchions. This is not only time consuming when erecting such a flood protection system, but also leads to parts being lost and gives rise to problems with storage.
EP-2-090-698-A1 discloses a flood barrier according to the preamble of claim 1.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a flood barrier incorporating a demountable support which overcomes, or at least ameliorates, the abovementioned disadvantages.
This above object is achieved through the features of claim 1.
The demountable support may include a lock for releasably locking the lid and the box.
The box may be provided with ties for securing the box in place, for example in the ground or in concrete.
The mounting means may include two such recesses. The or each recess may open laterally of the lid. For example, the recesses may be provided in a member of substantially H-section. A seal may be provided in the or each recess, for example positioned in the recess at a point remote from the lid.
The stay may include two strut portions which are pivotably connected to each other and one of which is pivotably connected to the lid, while the other is pivotably connected to the box, and means for retaining the two strut portions in a substantially linear configuration. Locking means may be provided to releasably maintain the two strut portions in the substantially linear configuration. The strut portion pivotably connected to the lid and/or the box may be connected to a reinforcing means which extends in the longitudinal direction of the lid and/or the box.
The barrier portion may be provided with one or more handles, for example along an upper edge thereof.
The flood barrier according to the present invention incorporates only a single removable part, that being the barrier portion, which results in reduced time for installing the flood barrier, reduced storage requirements, and reduced risk of losing the removable parts.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a demountable support according to the present invention in a closed configuration;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the demountable support of Figure 1 in an open configuration;
Figure 3 is a perspective view corresponding to that of Figure 2, but from a different direction; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flood barrier according to the present invention incorporating a plurality of demountable supports as shown in Figures 1 to 3.

The demountable support shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a box 1 including a lid 3 which is hinged to a base 5 of the box at one end and which is lockable to the base 5 by means of a lock 7 provided at the other end of the box. The top of the lid may be textured and/or coloured to blend with the surroundings of the box. In practice, the box is set in the ground, for example in concrete, with the upper surface of the lid 3 substantially flush with the ground surface and is provided with ties 9, for example welded to the external surfaces of the base portion of the box, in order to secured to box in the ground. The demountable supports are located at predetermined spacings, for example 1.2, 1.5 or 1.8 m, in order to receive a barrier portion of predetermined dimensions as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.
When the box 1 is closed, the other components of the demountable support are contained within the box. Immediately beneath and secured to or forming part of the lid 3 is an H-section portion 11 which provides a mounting means for receiving an edge region of a barrier portion on either side as will be explained in more detail hereinafter. It is not essential that the portion 11 should be specifically of an H-section, but a longitudinally extending recess should be provided for receiving an edge region of each barrier portion.
The lid 3 of the box is movable between a first position in which the lid effectively closes the box and a second position in which the lid is substantially upright. In the upright position the lid 3 is supported by a foldable strut 13 which is contained within the box in the closed position of the lid. The foldable strut 13 is in two portions 15, 17 which are hinged together at 16 with one portion 15 being hinged to the lid 3 in the region of the free end thereof and the other portion being hinged within the base 5 in the region thereof remote from the hinge. The two strut portions 15, 17 are provided with restraining means 19 which prevents the strut portions moving to a configuration substantially beyond co-linear.
The strut portion 15 which is hinged to the lid 3 may be mounted by way of a pivot pin 21 passing through a reinforcing rib 23 on the H-section portion. The strut portion 15 may be generally channel shaped with arms extending either side of the reinforcing rib.
The strut portion 17 which is hinged to the base may be mounted by way of a pivot pin 25 passing through a reinforcing rib 27 provided within the base 5 of the box. The strut portion 17 may be generally channel shaped with arms extending either side of the reinforcing rib.
One of the strut portions 15, 17, for example the strut portion 15, may have larger dimensions than the other strut portion in order that one strut portion may fit over the other in the region where they are hinged together with the other strut portion extending within the said one strut portion in order that removable locking means 29 can be employed to maintain the lid 3 in its upright position and to prevent any tampering with the demountable support.
That face of each recess in the H-section portion further from the lid is provided with a D-shaped seal 31, for example of compressible rubber material, against which a barrier portion can be urged in the event of a flood as will be explained in more detail. That part of the H-section portion adjacent to the lid is provided with a plurality of, for example three, locking fastenings 33 for urging the barrier portion against the seal 31 which is positioned in the recess at a point remote from the lid. The fastenings may be, for example, half-turn locking nuts which are accessed from the other side of the lid 3.
Figure 4 shows three demountable supports 35, each with its lid in the upright position, together with a barrier portion 37 located in the longitudinal recesses of the H-section portions. The demountable supports are positioned a predetermined distance apart, such as 1.2, 1.5 or 1.8 m depending on the height of the barrier portion 37, the distance being less for greater height of the barrier portion. Each barrier 37 is provided with one or more handles 39 for manoeuvring the barrier portions into and out of position.
As indicated in Figure 4, where a barrier portion 37 is to be positioned between a demountable support and a fixed location such as a wall, a simple channel member can be provided together with a seal and locking fastenings.
In use of the demountable supports and the barrier portions, in the event of a threat of a flood, the lids 3 of each of the boxes 1 can be unlocked and the lids can be raised and locked in place with the removable locking means 29 to provide a row of upright stanchions. The strut 13 effectively transmits the force exerted by the flood water into the base of the box and therefore into the ground in which the box is secured. A barrier portion 37 is lowered into position between each pair of stanchions using the handles 39 and secured in place with the locking fastenings 33. A barrier portion between a demountable support and a fixed location is inserted in the same way. The barrier portions at their lower edge may be inserted into a recess which is provided with a seal in the same manner as the H-section portion.
Once the threat of a flood has receded, the locking fastenings 33 can be released and the barrier portions 37 can be removed and returned to storage. The removable locking means 29 can be released and the strut 13 can be folded to lower the lid 3 onto the box 1 where it can be locked in place with lock 7 until needed once more, thereby enclosing the components of the demountable support within the box 1.
It should be noted the demountable supports, when not in use to support the barrier portions 37 can be used for other purposes, such as to provide demountable barriers to restrict the passage of vehicles.

Claims

A flood barrier comprising a plurality of demountable supports (35) each comprising a box (1) having an open top, a lid (3) hinged to the box (1) and movable between a demounted position in which the box (1) is closed and a mounted position in which the lid (3) is substantially upright, a stay (13) for maintaining the lid (3) in the mounted position, the stay (13) being contained within the box (1) when the lid (3) is in the demounted position, and at least one barrier portion (37) mounted between adjacent demountable supports, characterised in that mounting means for the barrier portion (37) is provided on the inside of the lid (3), the mounting means including at least one recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the lid (3), whereby, in the event of a threat of a flood, each lid (3) can be raised to the mounted position and a barrier portion (37) lowered into position in the at least one recess of each lid (3) so as to extend between each adjacent pair of raised lids (3) and, once the threat of a flood has receded, the barrier portions (37) can be removed and returned to storage and each lid can be lowered to close the respective box (1).
A flood barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support includes a lock (7) for releasably locking the lid (3) to the box (1).
A flood barrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the box (1) is provided with ties (9) for securing the box in place.
A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means includes two such recesses.
A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each recess opens laterally of the lid (3).
A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the recesses are provided in a member (11) of substantially H-section.
A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a seal (31) is provided in the or each recess.
A flood barrier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seal (31) is positioned in the recess at a point remote from the lid (3).
A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stay (13) includes two strut portions (15, 17) which are pivotably connected to each other and one of which is pivotably connected to the lid (3), while the other is pivotably connected to the box (1), and means (29) for retaining the two strut portions in a substantially linear configuration.
A flood barrier as claimed in claim 9, wherein locking means (29) is provided to releasably maintain the two strut portions (15, 17) in the substantially linear configuration.
A flood barrier as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the strut portion (15, 17) pivotably connected to the lid (3) and/or the box (1) is connected to a reinforcing means (23, 27) which extends in the longitudinal direction of the lid and/or the box.
A flood barrier comprising a plurality of demountable supports (35) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 and at least one barrier portion (37) mounted between adjacent demountable supports.
A flood barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier portion (37) is provided with one or more handles (39)
A flood barrier as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one or more handles (39) are provided along an upper edge of the barrier portion (37).