GB2114197A

GB2114197A - Flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2114197A
Application number: GB08220163A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Petty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-07-11
Filing date: 1982-07-12
Publication date: 1983-08-17
Also published as: GB2114197B

Abstract

An outwardly convex flood barrier for installation in a doorframe or a windowframe comprises a metal framework 2 and a flat sealing bag, not shown, to the edges of which is bonded a sealing strip. The framework 2 is foldable by means of pin joints 16, 22, disposed on horizontal struts 4. The width of the erected framework, is adjusted for the doorframe size by means of rods 24, in oppositely threaded engagement at each end, which are provided on the horizontal struts. The framework is then collapsed, placed in the sealing bag, erected and locked by means of tubes 28 slidable over pin joints. The sealing strip pressure at the base 26 may be increased by depressing the axially movable inner vertical rod 32. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Flood barrier The invention relates to a barrier for preventing the passage of flood water into a building.

Flood water can enter a building via the peripheral gaps between the lower portions of a door or window, and the frames thereof. It is an object of the present invention to prevent such ingress, using a barrier which may quickly and easily be installed in its sealing position in a frame.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a barrier fixable in a gap in the wall of a building, for the prevention of the passage of flood water therethrough, comprising a foldable framework of rigid members bounded in its erected configuration by a substantially horizontal base and by substantially vertical sides, and further comprising an impervious obstruction to prevent the ingress of water between the members of the framework, and a seal to prevent the ingress of water between the vertical edges and base of the framework and the vertical edges and base of the gap in which it is located.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a barrier for preventing the passage of flood water through a gap and into a building comprising a framework of rigid members bounded by a substantially horizontal base and by substantially vertical sides, and further comprising means for varying the separation of the substantially vertical sides of the framework, means to prevent the ingress of water between the members of a framework and means to prevent the ingress of water between the vertical edges and base framework and the vertical edges and base of the gap in which it is located.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a barrier sealable in a gap in the wall of a building, for the prevention of the passage of flood water therethrough, comprising a collapsible framework of rigid members bounded in its erected configuration, by a substantially horizontal base and by substantially vertical sides, and further comprising a generally rectangular bag of plastics material within which the framework in its erected configuration can be accommodated, whereby the walls of the bag serve to prevent ingress of water through the framework.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the framework of the barrier in its erected configuration, Fig. 2 shows a horizontal strut of the erected barrier, Fig. 3 shows the central vertical member of the framework, Fig. 4 shows the erected framework in a horizontal cross-section taken along the line AA' of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the framework in its folded configuration, and Fig. 6 shows in diagrammatic form the barrier installed in a doorframe.

The erected framework as is shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, has three vertical members. Four parallel horizontal struts 4 are positioned between the central vertical member 6 and each of the outer vertical members 8. As is best seen in Fig. 2 each strut 4 comprises a short outer member 10 fixed to the respective outer vertical member 8. The inward facing end 12 of each outer member 10 has a screw threaded shank 14 projecting therefrom. A pin joint 16 disposed on the outer member 10 enables an inner portion including the shank 14 to be rotated in the plane of the framework, with respect to the outer vertical member 8.

Each strut 4 further comprises a longer inner member 18, fixed perpendicularly to the central vertical member 6. The member 18 has a screw threaded shank 20 at its outermost end. An outer portion of the member 18 which contains the shank 20, is rotatable in the plane of the framework, with respect to the rest of the inner member 18 and the central vertical member 6 by means of a pin joint 22 disposed towards the outer end of the member 1 8.

The two shanks 1 4, 20, of each horizontal strut 4 are formed with oppositely handed threads, that is with one left-handed and one right-handed thread.

Each horizontal strut 4 finally has a hollow bar 24 having screw threads cut on its inner surface at each end to engage the threaded shanks 14, 20 of the short outer member 10, and longer inner member 18. The hollow bar 24 is thus the middle member of each horizontal strut 4.

Rotation of a set of bars 24 disposed between a pair of vertical members 6, 8 changes the spacing of those members.

Each "pair" of adjacent inner horizontal members 18 fixed to the central vertical member 6 at the same height above the base 26 of the framework is, in fact, one horizontal bar fixed at its centre to the vertical member 6. For convenience, this bar is considered as being two members, each a part of the appropriate horizontal strut 4.

The horizontal struts 4 are equally spaced. The lowest pair of struts define the base 26 of the framework. The sides are defined by the outer vertical members 8, 8.

The framework is lockable in the erected position of Fig. 1 by means of tubes 28, one disposed slidably on each of the two top horizontal struts. The tubes 28 are slid to cover and lock the inner pin joints 22 of these struts.

When the framework is in its installed position in a frame, the framework may only be removed by raising the central vertical member 6 with respect to the outer vertical members 8. This movement cannot occur if the framework is locked, as described.

As is best seen from Fig. 3 the central vertical member 6 comprises a hollow bar 30 surrounding an inner rod 32. The inner rod 32 bears upon the centre of the base 26 of the framework. At the top of the central vertical member are provided means to adjust the position of the rod 32 with respect to the hollow bar 30. The means comprise a hollow turning cap 34 in threaded engagement with the outer wall 36 of the hollow bar 30. The rod 32 extends above the hollow bar 30 and engages the undersurface 38 of the turning cap 34. Thus, when the cap 34 is screwed down the rod 32 is depressed, thereby increasing the sealing pressure at the base 36 of the framework.

The hollow bar 30 is not moved.

The inner member of each of the bottom horizontal struts 4 has a block 40 fixed to it on its upper part adjacent to the pin joint 22. The block 40 projects over the pin joint 22, to cover the adjoining end of the middle member 34 of the horizontal strut 4. In this way, the method of increasing the sealing pressure by depressing the inner rod 32 of the vertical member 6 is made more effective.

As is shown in Fig. 4, the framework 2 is bowshaped in horizontal cross-section, the two planar halves, 42, 44 of the framework defining an obtuse angle.

The framework 2 is shown in its folded configuration in Fig. 5. The erected framework of Fig. 1 is made to adopt the folded configuration in the following way. The tubes 28 are slid from their positions covering the inner pin joints 22 of the two upper horizontal members 4. The central vertical member 6 is raised with respect to the two outer vertical members by pulling the member upwards using the handle 46 provided at the cap 34. The erection of the framework from its folded position is correspondingly effected by pushing down the inner vertical member 6, and then sliding the two tubes 28 to cover the inner pin joints 22 of the two upper horizontal members 4.

The framework in its installed position in a gap is situated inside a bag of impervious material, not shown in the accompanying drawings. The bag is flat, substantially rectangular and is fully open along one edge. A rubber sealing strip is bonded along the three remaining edges. The sealing strip provides a seal between the base and sides of the installed barrier, and the gap in which it is fixed.

The barrier is used in the following way. The framework is erected in isolation from the bag, and is held adjacent to the gap to be sealed. The width of the framework is adjusted for the gap size by changing the length of the horizontal struts 4 by rotating the hollow bars 24. Preferably this is done on an occasion when the flood barrier is not needed, so that time can be saved in an emergency, for example, when flood water is rising rapidly.

In such an emergency, the barrier can rapidly be installed in the gap. The folded framework is placed inside the bag. The assembly is placed within the gap with the convex side of the framework 48 facing away from the building, with the opening of the bag uppermost and with the sealing strip adjacent to the edges of the gap. On depression of the inner vertical member 6 the framework adopts its erected configuration, with the sealing strip situated between the base and sides of the framework and the corresponding edges of the gap. The tubes 28 are now slid to cover the pin joints 22 and thereby lock the framework. The seal at the base of the barrier may be improved by screwing down the inner rod 32 of the centre vertical member 6. This feature enables the barrier to seal a doorframe which is concave at its base due to wear.The barrier may be thus installed either behind or in front of the door or window. In Fig. 6 it is shown behind the door, inside the house. The position chosen will depend on the space available on the frame.

As the water level rises the sealing pressure of the barrier increases as a result of the increased compressive force acting on the outwardly convex barrier.

The useful amount of lateral adjustment of the erected barrier is limited by the extensibility of the bag and sealing strip rather than by the amount of lateral adjustment of the frame itself. One frame, having a wide adjustment range, could be sold with a number of bags of different sizes enabling a sealing barrier to be achieved in a wide range of door frame sizes, on selection of the bag of appropriate size for the frame.

The framework is preferably made of steel.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment described is one of many possibilities. A variety of different frameworks could be used incorporating different arrangements of structural members, different methods of collapsing and erecting a framework, different methods of varying the lateral width of the erected framework, and different methods of increasing the sealing pressure at the base of the installed barrier.

Equally, although it is convenient to use a bag with a sealing strip bonded thereto to prevent the ingress of flood water, various other arrangements of impervious bags or sheets and sealing strips could also be used. Moreover, a bag of a suitable plastics material could be used without a sealing strip.

It is apparent that the two methods of adjusting the lateral width of the framework, namely, providing means for folding the framework and means for adjusting the width of an erected framework, could each be used alone in a flood barrier, albeit with some loss in flexibility of use of such a barrier.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the prevention of flood water entering a building, it may be used in other circumstances in which it is desired to prevent liquids from entering a chamber.

Claims

1. A barrier fixable in a gap in the wall of a building, for the prevention of the passage of flood water therethrough, comprising a foldable framework of rigid members bounded in its erected configuration by a substantially horizontal base and by substantially vertical sides, and further comprising an impervious obstruction to prevent the ingress of water between the members of the framework and a seal to prevent the ingress of water between the vertical edges and base of framework and the vertical edges and base of the gap in which it is located.

2. A barrier according to claim 1, in which the framework in its erected configuration comprises a plurality of substantially vertical members, adjacent vertical members having positioned between them a plurality of parallel, substantially horizontal struts, the framework being foldable by means of pin joints disposed on the horizontal struts.

3. A barrier according to claim 2, in which at least one horizonal strut of each set of horizontal struts disposed between adjacent pairs of vertical members has tubing slidably engaged thereon, so that the pin jointing may be covered and the framework locked in its erected configuration.

4. A barrier according to any preceding claim, in which the framework in its installed position in a gap has three substantially vertical members, the central member of which is raised with respect to the other two, to fold the framework and thereby remove the barrier from the gap, and in which the middle vertical member of the folded framework may be depressed with respect to the other two to erect the framework and thereby install the barrier in a gap.

5. A barrier according to any of the preceding claims, in which the central vertical member of the erected framework is a hollow tube containing a rod which bears upon the base of the framework, means being provided to depress the rod with respect to the hollow tube to increase the sealing pressure at the base of the framework.

6. A barrier according to any preceding claim, in which the erected framework is substantially bow-shaped in horizontal cross-section, so that water pressure acting against the convex side of the barrier in its installed position in a gap acts to compress the framework in the horizontal direction and thereby to increase the sealing pressure between the barrier and the vertical edges of the gap in which it is located.

7. A barrier according to any preceding claim in which the impervious obstruction is a bag of plastics material, in which the framework in its installed position in the gap is situated.

8. A barrier according to claim 7, in which the seal is strip of plastics material bonded to the bag.

9. A barrier for preventing the passage of flood water through a gap and into a building, comprising a framework of rigid members bounded by a substantially horizontal base and by substantially vertical sides, and further comprising means for varying the separation of the substantially vertical sides of the framework, means to prevent the ingress of water between the members of a framework and means to prevent the ingress of water between the vertical edges and base framework and the vertical edges and base of the gap in which it is located.

10. A barrier according to claim 9, in which the framework comprises a plurality of vertical members, adjacent vertical members having positioned between them a plurality of parallel, substantially horizontal struts, and in which the length of each of the horizontal struts positioned between adjacent vertical members may be altered to vary the separation of the substantially vertical sides.

11. A barrier according to claim 10, in which each horizontal strut has a middle member which is in opposite-handed threaded engagement at both of its ends with other members.

12. A barrier according to any of claims 9 to 11 in which the central vertical member of the erected framework is a hollow tube containing a rod which bears upon the base of the framework, means being provided to depress the rod with respect to the hollow tube to increase the sealing pressure at the base of the framework.

13. A barrier according to any of claims 11 to 12, in which the erected framework is substantially bow-shaped in horizontal crosssection, so that water pressure acting against the convex side of the barrier in its installed position in a gap acts to compress the framework in the horizontal direction and thereby to increase the sealing pressure between the barrier and the vertical edges of the gap in which it is located.

14. A barrier according to any of claims 9 to 13, in which the impervous obstruction is a bag of plastics material, in which the framework in its installed position in the gap is situated.

15. A barrier according to claim 14, in which the seal is a strip of pastics material bonded to the bag.

16. A barrier sealable in a gap in the wall of a building, for the prevention of the passage of flood water therethrough, comprising a collapsible framework of rigid members bounded in its erected configuration by a substantially horizontal base and by substantially vertical sides, and further comprising a generally rectangular bag of plastics material within which the framework in its erected configuration can be accommodated, whereby the walls of the bag serve to prevent ingress of water through the framework.

17. A barrier according to claim 16, in which the framework in its erected configuration comprises a plurality of substantially vertical members, adjacent vertical members having positioned between them a plurality of parallel, substantially horizontal struts, the framework being foldable by means of pin joints disposed on the horizontal struts.

18. A barrier according to claim 17, in which at least one horizontal strut of each set of horizontal struts disposed between adjacent pairs of vertical members has tubing slidably engaged thereon, so that the pin jointing may be covered and the framework locked in its erected configuration.

19. A barrier according to any of claims 16 to 18, in which the framework in its installed position in a gap has three substantially vertical members, the central member of which is raised with respect to the other two, to fold the framework and thereby remove the barrier from the gap, and in which the middle vertical member of the folded framework may be depressed with respect to the other two to erect the framework and thereby install the barrier in a gap.

20. A barrier according to any of claims 16 to 1 9, in which the central vertical member of the erected framework is a hollow tube containing a rod which bears upon the base of the framework, means being provided to depress the rod with respect to the hollow tube to increase the sealing pressure at the base of the framework.

21. A barrier according to any of claims 16 to 20, in which the erected framework is substantially bow-shaped in horizontal crosssection, so that water pressure acting against the convex side of the barrier in its installed position in a gap acts to compress the framework in the horizontal direction and thereby to increase the sealing pressure between the barrier and the vertical edges of the gap in which it is located.

22. A kit for making therefrom a barrier according to any preceding claim.

23. A barrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.