GB2156032A - A fitting for a rainwater system - Google Patents

Abstract

A fitting consists of a section of downpipe having an aperture 8 therein, a grating 12 adapted to retain on said grating leaves or other debris entrained by rainwater passing through said section, the grating 12 being so inclined relative to said aperture 8 that leaves or other debris retained by said grating 12 will be discharged from the fitting through said aperture 8, an inclined plate 15 associated with the grating and adapted to facilitate flow of water through the grating by means of surface tension effects, and an inclined deflector plate 5 located upstream of the grating and said plate, in the path of water passing through the fitting to deflect water onto said plate in a laminar and non-turbulent manner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A fitting for a rainwater system This invention relates to a fitting for a rainwater system.

There is with rainwater systems a problem that leaves and other debris entrained with rainwater captured by the guttering will pass into the pipes and drainage system and there cause blockages.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby the incidence of such blockages can be considerably reduced.

According to the present invention there is provided a fitting for a rainwater system which includes capture means for capturing from rainwater passing through said fitting entrained leaves or other debris and for expelling said captured leaves or other debris from the fitting, said capture means including an inclined flow-promoting plate adapted to promote passage of water through said capture means, and the fitting including deflector means adapted to so deflect water passing through the fitting that it impinges upon the flow-promoting plate in a substantially laminar manner.

The fitting according to the present invention preferably consists of a section of downpipe having an aperture therein, a grating adapted to retain on said grating leaves or other debris entrained by rainwater passing through said section, the grating being so inclined relative to said aperture that leaves or other debris retained by said grating will be discharged from the fitting through said aperture, a flow-promoting plate associated with the grating and adapted to facilitate flow of water through the grating by means of surface tension effects, and an inclined deflector plate located upstream of the grating and flowpromoting plate, in the path of water passing through the fitting to deflect water onto the flow-promoting plate in a laminar and nonturbulent manner.This imparts maximum velocity to leaves etc. carried in the water, and whilst the debris is on the flow-promoting plate, water flow keeps the debris moving.

Leaves etc. too big to pass through the grid are ejected by their own momentum. Should a leaf remain on the grid, it will be dislodged by following leaves and water, or if the rainfall stops, it will dry out and fall or be blown away.

The fitting may be made of any suitable material such as plastics, glass reinforced plastics or metal. Examples of suitable materials are polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene polybutylene, acetal resin, cast iron, aluminium and alloys of e.g. magnesium and/or aluminium.

The fitting may be of generally rectangular (square or oblong) horizontal cross-section or may be generally circulare or elliptical in such cross-section.

The grating may consist of a plurality of parallel ribs, each of which may be provided with a knife edge at its upper edge. Alternatively a series of parallel wires may be used.

Alternatively the grating may include a grid or network of intersecting members to catch the leaves or other debris. Preferably the grating is arranged to present as small a surface area to descending water as possible thereby to deflect as little of the water as possible. The aforementioned knife edges have been found to be suitable for this purpose.

The grating will generally be rectangular when the fitting is generally rectangular in horizontal cross-section and elliptical when the fitting is generally circular in horizontal crosssection. The grating may be integral with the fitting or removable therefrom for cleaning or maintenance purposes.

The flow-promoting plate is preferably formed integrally with the grating and comprises a smooth inclined surface having a curved lower edge to deflect water through the grating and hence away from the said aperture.

The deflector plate is preferably formed integrally with the fitting, e.g. by injection moulding of a suitable plastics material.

An embodiment of the fitting of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fitting according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the fitting of Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the grating of the fitting of Figs.1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of a fitting acoording to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the fitting of Fig.4; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the fitting of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a section along the line A-A in Fig.

6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, a fitting 1 of generlaly rectangular cross-section comprises at its upper end a female inlet socket portion 2, an intermediate vertically extending portion 3 of greater horizontal depth than said portion 2, an inclined male outlet socket portion 4 at the lower end of the fitting 1, communicating with said portion 3 and an inclined deflector plate 5, extending downwardly from the front wall 6 of the portion 2.

The portion 3 includes in its front wall 7 a rectangular aperture 8, the lower edge of said aperture 8 including a lip 9. A horizontally extending lip 10 is provided at the upper region of the back wall 11. A grille or grating 12 is located between said lips 9 and < 1.0 consisting of a series of parallel ribs 13 each provided on its upper edge with a knife edge 14. grating 12 also includes at its upper end an inclined flow-promoting plate portion 15 having a curved lower edge 16, adapted to cause water impinging on the flow-promoting plate to follow the surface thereof and pass through the grille or grating 12. The length of the flow-promoting plate portion 15 is such that substantially all water from the defelctor plate 5 falls onto it.As shown in Fig. 2, the grille or grating 12 extends across the depth of intermediate portion 3 and is inclined to the vertical.

The arrangement is such that water from a running outlet of a gutter will, when the running outlet is mated with the fitting, pass through the grating 12 and pass through outlet portion 4 into a downpipe connected thereto. The knife edges 14 of the ribs 13 ensure that little or no obstruction is presented to the water by the grating 10. However any leaves or other debris entrained with the water will be caught upon the ribs 19 and will thereafter pass out through aperture 8 in the intermediate part 3 of the fitting 1. The orientation of the fitting in use is preferably such that leaves and debris swept from the fitting fall outwards and away from the building in connection with which it is being used.

This also ensures that any water which, for example, is deflected out of the aperture 8 by leaves sticking on said grating also falls away from the building.

The portion 2 may be of oblong crosssection but will normally be used in conjunction with a square cross-section spigot of a running outlet. The difference in cross-section is of little practical consequence but may serve to entrain air into the fitting with possible beneficial effects.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings, a second embodiment of a fitting according to the present invention is shown. Like parts to those of Figs. 1 to 3 are correspondingly numbered. It will be observed that in this embodiment the intermediate portion 3 has the same horizontal depth as the inlet socket portion 2 and it will likewise be noticed that in this embodiment a deflector plate 5 of curved cross-section is employed unlike the planar deflector plate 5 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3. Furthermore, the flow-promoting plate 15 is curved in crosssection, is tapered at its upper end 17 and has its lower end 16 now extending below the ribs 13, as at 18, to further prevent splashing of water passing through the fitting. In addition to the foregoing it will be seen that the outlet socket portion 4 is not rectangular but rather is octagonal to mate with correspondingly octagonal drainpiping (not shown). The grille or grating 12 is integrally formed with the flow-promoting plate 15 and is retained within the fitting 1 by the cooperation of lugs 19 with the lower edge of aperture 8 and by cooperation between shoulders 20 and 21 provided respectively on grating 12 and within the fitting 1.

The fitting of the present invention provides a cost-effective and practical way of removing leaves and other debris from rainwater passing into a rainwater system.

Claims (12)

1. A fitting for a rainwater system which includes capture means for capturing from rainwater passing through said fitting entrained leaves or other debris and for expelling said captured leaves or other debris from the fitting, said capture means including an inclined plate adapted to promote passage of water through said capture means and the fitting including deflector means adapted to so deflect water passing through the fitting that it impinges upon said plate in a substantially laminar manner.

2. A fitting according to claim 1, which comprises a section of downpipe having an aperture therein, a grating adapted to retain on said grating leaves or other debris entrained by rainwater passing through said section, the grating being so inclined relative to said aperture that leaves or other debris retained by said grating will be discharged from the fitting through said aperture, said plate being associated with said grating and adapted to facilitate flow of water through the grating by means of surface tension effects, and an inclined deflector plate located upstream of the grating and said plate, in the path of water passing through the fitting in order to deflect water on to said plate in a substantially laminar and nonturbulent manner.

3. A fitting according to claim 2, wherein the grating comprises a plurality of parallel ribs each of which is provided with a knife edge at its upper edge.

4. A fitting according to claims 2 or 3 wherein the grating is removably mounted in said fitting.

5. A fitting according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said passage-promoting plate is integral with the grating.

6. A fitting according to claim 5, wherein said plate comprises a smooth inclined surface having a convexly curved lower edge to deflect water through the grating.

7. A fitting according to claim 6, wherein said plate extends beneath the grating.

8. A fitting according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said plate is generally concavely curved in cross-section.

9. A fitting according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the deflector plate is concavely curved in cross-section.

10. A fitting for a rainwater system, substantially as hereinbefore described with refer ence to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A fitting for a rainwater system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

12. The features hereinbefore disclosed, or their equivalents in any novel selection.