GB2191808A

GB2191808A - Water barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2191808A
Application number: GB08714590A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kay Jenkins Narbett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-06-20
Filing date: 1987-06-22
Publication date: 1987-12-23
Also published as: GB8615128D0; GB8714590D0; GB2191808B

Abstract

The water barrier comprises a rigid, generally rectangular panel 1 and a frame 2 secured to the ground outside a door opening and to upright wall surfaces also outside the door opening. A sealing strip 4 is provided between the frame and the panel and the panel is biassed towards the frame by handles 3 secured to the panel so as to compress the sealing strip and produce a watertight seal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Water barrier The present invention is concerned with water barriers intended to be secured to a building outside an existing external door opening, which barriers are suitable for preventing water ingress through the door opening into the house during floods.

Flood water barriers are known in which a rigid panel is detachably secured to a frame which is itself secured around at least the lower part of a door opening, with a waterproof seal between the panel and the frame.

Examples of such barriers are described in U.S. patent 3861081 and U.K. Specifications 2086456 and 2114199.

In the arrangement described in U.S. patent 3861081, the frame comprises a U-shaped channel structure secured to the ground and the upright wall surfaces outside the door opening; this arrangement has the disadvantage that it is necessary to have a filler strip to fill the channel to prevent accumulation of dirt during periods of non-use. In the arrangement described in U.K. Specification 2086456, the panel is secured to the frame by means of hook bolts provided on the panels which engage on studs provided on the frame. In the arrangement described in U.K. Specification 2114199, separate clamp arms are required for urging the panel towards part of the frame.

All of these arrangements are complicated and the installation of the panel into its operational position is sometimes difficult. It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least alleviate these disadvantages.

According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a water barrier for preventing water ingress into a building through a door opening, which barrier comprises: (a) a frame adapted to be secured to the ground and to a pair of upright wall surfaces outside said door opening so as to define a continuous, inwardly directed flange around three sides of said opening; (b) a rigid waterproof panel locatable with its edges adjacent to and overlapping one face of said flange; (c) sealing means locatable between said panel and said one face; and (d) a plurality of handles fixed to said panel and arranged to engage the opposite face of said flange so as to compress said sealing means between the panel and said flange snd thereby produce a watertight seal between the panel and the frame.

Preferably at least one handle is disposed adjacent each of the overlapping edges of the panel. Each handle preferably comprises a hand-grip portion, a frame-engaging portion with a bevelled edge, and an intermediate pivotal connection to the panel.

The panel is typically made of aluminium, steel, plastics sheeting, glass or waterproof timber or board; unplasticised PVC sheeting is particularly preferred as this can be easily cut to size depending on the size of the doorway, and of the frame. The panel is typically no more than about 60cm high, so that only the lower portion of the doorway is blocked by the gate according to the invention. The panel is preferably fully removable (that is, it is not permanently attached to the frame).

The frame may be made of rigid anglepieces or channel-section pieces of, for example, unplasticised PVC (such as the type of angle pieces conventionally used for window frames), steel or aluminium. When channel-section pieces are used, the panel may be slotted between opposed faces of the channel.

The frame may be secured to the ground and wall surfaces by means of screws; a mastic type sealant is preferably disposed between the frame and the ground or wall.

The sealing means disposed between the elongate members and the panel is preferably a rubber strip, which may be separate or attached to either the frame or the panel. In one preferred embodiment it is attached to the panel.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an exemplary water barrier according to the invention when installed in a doorway; Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of the water barrier shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows in more detail the handle shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an opening 11 in a wall 12, the opening having a door surround 13 to which is hingedly connected a door 14.

Within the opening 11, and spaced from the door surround 13, is disposed a rigid panel 1 (of, for example, PVC sheeting of thickness about 12.5mm), secured to a frame 2 of steel or PVC angle-pieces. The latter is secured to both horizontal and vertical surfaces of the door opening (that is, to the ground and opposed walls).

The panel 1 is secured to the frame 2 by means of handles 3. Each handle 3 is secured to the panel 1 by means of a bolt 6. As can be seen in more detail in Figure 3, between the frame 2 and the panel 1 is disposed a rubber sealing strip 4 so that closure of the handle 3 causes compression of the strip 4.

The handle itself has a hand-grip portion 15, an intermediate pivotal connecting portion 16 (having a bore for bolt 6) and a frame engaging portion 17 having a bevelled edge 18 for enhanced compression of the strip. As will be seen, in the clamped position, the sealing strip is sandwiched between edge 18 (and frame 2) and the panel 1.

The frame 2 is secured to the wall 12 by means of a series of screws 8 with plugs 7; a sealant 5 is interposed between the frame 2 and the wall 12.

The barrier according to the invention can in addition to preventing water ingress, act to restrain access into or out of the building by, for example, children or animals.

Claims

1 A water barrier for preventing water ingress into a building through a door opening, which barrier comprises: (a) a frame adapted to be secured to the ground and to a pair of upright wall surfaces outside said door opening so as to define a continuous, inwardly directed flange around three sides of said opening; (b) a rigid waterproof panel locatable with its edges adjacent to and overlapping one face of said flange; (c) sealing means locatable between said panel and said one face; and (d) a plurality of handles fixed to ssid panel and arranged to engage the opposite face of said flange so as to compress said sealing means between the panel and said flange and thereby produce a watertight seal between the panel and the frame.

2. A water barrier according to claim 1, in which at least one handle is disposed adjacent each of the overlapping edges of said panel.

3. A water barrier according to claim 1 or 2, in which each handle comprises a hand-grip portion, a frame-engaging portion having a bevelled edge, and an intermediate pivotal connection to said panel.

4. A water barrier according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which said panel comprises unplasticised PVC sheeting.

5. A water barrier according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which said frame comprises three angle pieces each comprising part of said flange and a portion substantially perpendicular to said part of said flange for engagement with either the ground or a respective one of said wall surfaces.

6. A water barrier according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which said sealing means comprises a rubber strip fixed to said panel.

7. A water barrier substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.