GB2245634A

GB2245634A - Water butt feeder-unit incorporating overflow control

Info

Publication number: GB2245634A
Application number: GB9014480A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Richard King
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-06-29
Filing date: 1990-06-29
Publication date: 1992-01-08
Also published as: GB9014480D0

Abstract

A water-butt feeder and overflow device inserted in the down drain-pipe from a household roof gutter, consists of a housing (2) connected to the butt by means of a single tube of diameter not exceeding that of the drain-pipe. The housing incorporates a deflector which directs descending water to the butt as long as the latter has spare capacity. When the water level in the butt exceeds a predetermined level, line deflector is overriden and water runs to waste in the normal way. <IMAGE>

Description

WATER BUTT FEEDER-UNIT INCORPORATING OVERFLOW CONTROL This invention relates to a feeder-unit inserted into the down-pipe from i3 typical hoijseho ld roof gutter which controls the flow of water to water-butt and drain, using a single tube connection between feeder-unit and butt, of a diameter not exceeding the diameter of the drain-pipe Its @f. The feeder has no moving parts, and delivers water to the butt, using a deflector which may take a variety of forms, and w which is disabled when the water level in the butt reaches a predetermined level.

Water butts are in fairly wide use to collect rain-water from garden sheds and greenhouses They are normal ly fed by a swan-neck pi Pe trom above, and usual ly have no satisfactory arrangement for dealing with overflow.

During the next decade it is likely that water-metering will spread and that people will become more conscious of the need to conserve water. It will be useful to be able to feed a water-butt from a large roof area capable of filling the butt very quickly and producing heavy overflow The operation of the feeder relies on the fact that, except in heavy storm conditions, virtually all water draining into the down-pipe from a gutter will be flowing down the inner wall of the pipe, partly because it enters at the wal 1 and partly through the action of surface tension The feeder 1 ncorporates a deflector which directs the water to the butt, as long as there is spare capaci ty in the butt. When the butt is fll, the water overrides the deflector, and a I 1 the i ricomi ng water flows to waste in the normal manner The feeder is designed to transfer up to 95% of avai lable water to the butt, and provide adequate overflow.Within this general principle, various constructions are possible, providing models capable of dealing with small and large roof areas, and having the same storm-water capaci ty as the original drainage system Two embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 gives a general view to show the position of the feeder unit 1 in relation to the butt. Figure 2 shows the construction of the small capacity feeder, the main housing of which is either identical wit or similar to standard plastic drain-pipe, with flanges or connectors 3 to enable it to b inserted into the domestic system at a suitable position. The deflector 4, which is shown in perspective at figure 3, is a truncated plastic cone, welded into the housing at the base. Alternatively, the housing and the deflector could be moulded as one unit. The housing is inserted into the drain at a height to ensure that the top of the deflector is level with the highest water-level 5 requi @i red i n the butt, and the unlit i 5 connected to the butt by means of a semi-flexible tube 6 to allow for some degree of movement between butt and drain-pipe.The tube, which should have an internal diameter of at least 3cm, is pushed over a spigot welded to the side of the housing, and connects to the ttt by means of a commercially available connector. When the water in the butt rises above critical level 5, it flows over the top of the deflector and goes to waste in the normal way. The flexible tube is set so that it slopes slightly downwards towards the butt to minimise the collection of sediment, and a screw-cap 7 on the unit housing allows access for cleaning.

Figure 4 shows a different design with the same water-handling capacity as a normal household drainage system. The housing can, as with the smaller capacity model, te made either as a single moulding, or in two parts welded together. It is proposed to describe only those features where this model differs from that described above.

The deflector 8 is, as shown at figure 4, cylindrical and of the same diameter as the original drain. It is capped to aid the deflection process and has drain holes round the vertical wall. To maintain the storm water capacity of the device, it is necessary that the flexible connector to the butt, and the annular space between the inner drain tube ansi the outer housi ng, have the same capacity as the drai n tube itself For a standard drainage pipe of 6. 5 cm diameter, the outer housing would be of 9.2 cm diameter, and this old be easi ly accommodated by the space normally available between drain-pipe and wall. fAlternatively, the housing could be constructed eccentrically in relation to the centre-line of housing and drain tube.

Claims

1. A water-butt feeder with no moving parts, incorporated i a domestic roof drain-pipe, providing feed and overflow using a single tube connection with the butt, the tube connection being of a diameter not exceeding that of the original drain-pipe.

2. A water-butt feeder as in 1 above, capturing water by mears of any form of deflector which is overriden when the water-level i tr the btt reaches a predetermined level.

3. A water-butt feeder as in 1. and 2. above using a truncated conical deflector.

4.. A water-butt feeder as in 1 and 2 above using a capped cylindrical deflector.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A water-butt feeder with no moving parts, incorporated in a domestic roof drain-pipe, providing feed and overflow using a single tube connection with the butt, the tube connection Lie i ng of a diameter not exceeding that of the original drain-pipe.

2. A water-butt feeder as in 1 above, capturing water by means of any form of deflector which is overriden when the water-level in the butt reaches a predetermined level.

4. A water-butt feeder as in 1 and 2 above using a capped cylindrical deflector.

5. A water-butt feeder as in 3 above the body of which is capable of being manufactured by a single injection moulding.@

6. A water-butt feeder as in 4 above capable of handling the same volume of flow as the unmodified down-pipe.

7 R water-butt feeder as i ri 3 above with a port to perrsii t removal of debris without dismantling of the system.

8. A water-butt feeder as in 4 above with a port to permit removal of debris without dismantling of the system