GB2114199A

GB2114199A - Barriers for flood water

Info

Publication number: GB2114199A
Application number: GB08303153A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marian Iskra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-02-06
Filing date: 1983-02-04
Publication date: 1983-08-17
Also published as: GB8303153D0

Abstract

A flood water barrier for a building has a channel section 10 sealingly secured around at least the lower part of an opening 11 in the building, and a panel 15 which is located in said channel section and is urged into engagement with a sealing strip therein by a plurality of clamps 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Barriers for flood water This invention relates to barriers for flood water, and in particular to barriers for preventing flood water from entering buildings.

While it is known to protect buildings from flood water by erecting barriers of, for example, sand bags, such known barriers are laborious to construct, moreover the necessary building materials are frequently not to hand when needed, being difficult to store and frequently, particularly in the case of sand bags deteriorating in storage.

It is an objection of the invention to provide a water barrier which can rapidly be assembled in an opening of a building.

According to the invention a flood water barrier for installation in an opening of a fixed structure comprises an abutment member adapted to extend round the sides of said opening to at least a level thereon to which flood water is expected to reach, means for sealingly securing said abutment member to said opening, a closure panel locatable adjacent said abutment member, outwardly of said building, a sealing element engageable between said panel and said abutment member, and clamping means for urging said panel towards said abutment member.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the ac#companying drawings in which:~ Figure 1 is an elevation of a door in a building, with a flood water barrier in situ, Figure 2 is a section, to an enlarged scale, on line 2-2 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section, corresponding to Figure 2 showing an alternative clamping and sealingly arrangement, and Figure 4 shows a modified form of the barrier in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a metal channel section 10 is mounted so as to extend sealingly around the bottom portion of a door opening 11 in a building. The section 10 includes an abutment member 12 and a further portion 13, the portion 13 being outwardly of the member 12, with respect to the building. An elastomeric sealing strip 14 is secured to the member 12 along the whole length of the channel section 10.

A panel 15 has dimensions which enable it to enter the channel section 10, if necessary through the upper open ends thereof and to lie against the sealing strip 14. A plurality of clamp arms 16 cooperate with the portions 13 to provide means for clamping the panel 15 into sealing engagement with the strip 14. As shown in Figure 2 each of the arms 16 has a recessed portion 17 engageable with the portion 13 of the channel section. Preferably the arms 16 are formed so as to be slightly over centre when in full clamping engagement, as indicated in Figure 2.

Since it is desirable that the panel 15 should be as light as possible, consistent with the rigidity, it may be provided with stiffening ribs, indicated at 18 in Figure 1, these ribs being positioned so as to provide maximum support at a position one third of the way up from the bottom of the panel.

The height of the panel may, of course, be selected having regard to anticipated levels of water in areas liable to flooding.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 2 a suitable sealing mastic may be introduced between the channel section 10 and the adjacent surface 1 9 of the door opening 11. Alternatively a channel section of somewhat different form may be cemented directly into the surrounding building fabric.

Figure 3 shows an alterative form of channel section 20 which includes provision for mounting tubular elastomeric sealing elements 21 which are compressed between the section 20 and the door opening. The section 20 includes a recessed portion 22 which receives one end of a clamp arm 23, generally similar to the arm 16 of Figure 2 an elastomeric sealing strip 24 is provided on an abutment portion of the channel 20 and may have outwardly facing readily deformable ribs which readily accommodate themselves to the surface of the panel 15.

Figure 4 shows a modification of the panel shown in 15. In Figure 4 two panels 25, 26 are provided and may be assembled into the channel 10 either separately or in a desired combination.

The panel 25 may be inserted when a low level of flooding is anticipated, and may readily be stepped over to enter the building. Panel 26 may be used when a higher level of flood water is expected and both the panels 25, 26 used to give a barrier height equal to that of the panel 1 5 in Figure 1. In this last alternative a suitable sealing means 27 is engaged between the edges of the panels to maintain the water tightness of the assembly as a whole.

Smaller arrangements of channel section may be provided so as to extend completely round other, smaller openings in the buildings, for example air brick openings, and correspondingly sized panels inserted to completely close these openings.

Claims

1. A flood water barrier for installation in an opening of a fixed structure, comprising an abutment member adapted to extend round the sides of said opening to at least a height thereof, to which it is expected that flood water will reach, means for sealingly securing said abutment member to said opening, a closure panel locatable adjacent said abutment element and outwardly thereof with respect to said building, a sealing element engageable between said panel and said abutment member, and clamping means for urging said panel towards said abutment member.

2. A barrier as claimed in Claim 1 in which said clamping means includes an integral extension of said abutment member and a plurality of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Barriers for flood water This invention relates to barriers for flood water, and in particular to barriers for preventing flood water from entering buildings. While it is known to protect buildings from flood water by erecting barriers of, for example, sand bags, such known barriers are laborious to construct, moreover the necessary building materials are frequently not to hand when needed, being difficult to store and frequently, particularly in the case of sand bags deteriorating in storage. It is an objection of the invention to provide a water barrier which can rapidly be assembled in an opening of a building. According to the invention a flood water barrier for installation in an opening of a fixed structure comprises an abutment member adapted to extend round the sides of said opening to at least a level thereon to which flood water is expected to reach, means for sealingly securing said abutment member to said opening, a closure panel locatable adjacent said abutment member, outwardly of said building, a sealing element engageable between said panel and said abutment member, and clamping means for urging said panel towards said abutment member. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the ac#companying drawings in which:~ Figure 1 is an elevation of a door in a building, with a flood water barrier in situ, Figure 2 is a section, to an enlarged scale, on line 2-2 in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section, corresponding to Figure 2 showing an alternative clamping and sealingly arrangement, and Figure 4 shows a modified form of the barrier in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a metal channel section 10 is mounted so as to extend sealingly around the bottom portion of a door opening 11 in a building. The section 10 includes an abutment member 12 and a further portion 13, the portion 13 being outwardly of the member 12, with respect to the building. An elastomeric sealing strip 14 is secured to the member 12 along the whole length of the channel section 10. A panel 15 has dimensions which enable it to enter the channel section 10, if necessary through the upper open ends thereof and to lie against the sealing strip 14. A plurality of clamp arms 16 cooperate with the portions 13 to provide means for clamping the panel 15 into sealing engagement with the strip 14. As shown in Figure 2 each of the arms 16 has a recessed portion 17 engageable with the portion 13 of the channel section. Preferably the arms 16 are formed so as to be slightly over centre when in full clamping engagement, as indicated in Figure 2. Since it is desirable that the panel 15 should be as light as possible, consistent with the rigidity, it may be provided with stiffening ribs, indicated at 18 in Figure 1, these ribs being positioned so as to provide maximum support at a position one third of the way up from the bottom of the panel. The height of the panel may, of course, be selected having regard to anticipated levels of water in areas liable to flooding. In the arrangement shown in Figure 2 a suitable sealing mastic may be introduced between the channel section 10 and the adjacent surface 1 9 of the door opening 11. Alternatively a channel section of somewhat different form may be cemented directly into the surrounding building fabric. Figure 3 shows an alterative form of channel section 20 which includes provision for mounting tubular elastomeric sealing elements 21 which are compressed between the section 20 and the door opening. The section 20 includes a recessed portion 22 which receives one end of a clamp arm 23, generally similar to the arm 16 of Figure 2 an elastomeric sealing strip 24 is provided on an abutment portion of the channel 20 and may have outwardly facing readily deformable ribs which readily accommodate themselves to the surface of the panel 15. Figure 4 shows a modification of the panel shown in 15. In Figure 4 two panels 25, 26 are provided and may be assembled into the channel 10 either separately or in a desired combination. The panel 25 may be inserted when a low level of flooding is anticipated, and may readily be stepped over to enter the building. Panel 26 may be used when a higher level of flood water is expected and both the panels 25, 26 used to give a barrier height equal to that of the panel 1 5 in Figure 1. In this last alternative a suitable sealing means 27 is engaged between the edges of the panels to maintain the water tightness of the assembly as a whole. Smaller arrangements of channel section may be provided so as to extend completely round other, smaller openings in the buildings, for example air brick openings, and correspondingly sized panels inserted to completely close these openings. Claims

2. A barrier as claimed in Claim 1 in which said clamping means includes an integral extension of said abutment member and a plurality of clamping devices engageable between said extension and said panel.

3. A barrier as claimed in Claim 2 in which said abutment member and said extension comprise portions of a metal section.

4. A barrier as claimed in any preceding claim in which said sealing element is mounted on said abutment member.

5. A barrier as claimed in Claim 3 which includes an elastomeric sealing element which is located on said metal section and which is engageable with the sides of said opening.

6. A flood water barrier for a building opening, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or as modified by Figures 3 or 4 of the accompanying drawings.