GB2269604A - Drain gully adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

A drain gully adaptor comprises a body providing a through bore, a flange 7 of dimensions suitable to locate in the position normally occupied by a gully grid, a means 11 for locating the adaptor within the vacated grid position and a means 10 for securing the adaptor to at least one above ground pipe or fitting, such that when in situ the adaptor provides a continuous through path between the at least one pipe and a below ground pipe or gully system. The adaptor converts the gully from an obsolescent method of water discharge (above grid/non self-cleansing) to the contemporary means (below grid/self-cleansing) and prevents one of the main drawbacks of open gullies, leaves and debris blocking the grid and inhibiting discharge. <IMAGE>

Description

DRAIN GULLY ADAPTOR This invention relates to a drain gully adaptor and to a method of adapting an above grid discharge drain gully.

Figure 1 illustrates a drain gully, of the type common in the UK and used on virtually every dwelling earlier this century. Waste water from household sinks, baths, etc, was directed into external waste pipes which led to the gully. Referring to the figures, a gully inlet 1 with a grid 2 is located under two waste water pipes 3.

The discharge from the waste water pipes 3 is contained by a gully surround 4. Underground pipes lead from inlet 1 to a sewage system via a water trap. In this arrangement the pipes 3 discharge a distance above the gully inlet.

This arrangement is a legacy of the Victorian conviction that 'drain air' was a primary cause of virtually all ills. The gully permitted household waste water to flow into the underground drainage system without the risk of supposedly noxious gases entering the house from the underground system. This was achieved by discharging waste water (other than from soil fittings such as WCs) in the open air over the gully grid. The gully had a trapped outlet that was connected to the underground drain. Drain gases could not pass the trap (water seal) and even if they did, they would disperse into the open air, not within the house. Gullies provided up to World War 2 and for a decade or so afterwards (that is to say, the overwhelming majority of gullies still in use in the UK) were usually made in one piece, in glazed stoneware.The inlet was square in plan and was fitted with a metal grid to prevent leaves and other debris washing into the drain and producing a blockage. Two piece stoneware gullies were also common during this period, comprising a large flat receptacle (basin or hopper) usually fitted with a circular metal grid and having a separate water trap connecting it to the underground drain.

It will be realised that only, say, half a dozen fallen autumn leaves or a wind-blow paper were sufficient to block the gully grid, producing a flooded yard. This was bad enough in one or two storey domestic premises, but if the gully took waste water from multistorey buildings it was quite possible for occupants to continue discharging waste water totally oblivious to the havoc being created at ground or basement level. Most of the troubles to which such previously proposed gullies are prone are caused by the grid which dissipates the force of the waste water discharging from sinks, baths and wash basins and thus prevents the gully from being selfcleansing (which nowadays would be regarded as the very first requirement of any sanitary appliance).The selfcleansing flow of the waste water was broken by discharging it over the gully grid, from which it descended into the water in the trap below in a gentle rain. Debris, if it was not retained by the grid, fell into the trap and stayed there, decomposing, as water gently overflowed from the gully outlet into the underground drain. Debris trapped by the grid was a source of drain smells, and an obstructed grid was a common cause of yard flooding, as already described.

One remedy is to discharge the waste water into the gully above the water trap but below the grid.

The revolution which produced the present generation of drain gullies and resulted in thousands of older gullies being replaced by under-grid discharge gullies, came with the widespread development of plastics materials in underground drainage, and (at about the same time) with the Building regulations of the early 1960's which insisted upon under-grid discharge in all new drainage work.

A typical modern plastics gully assembly comprises three components; the gully inlet (hopper) with one or more socket inlets for waste and rain water pipes, the trap itself, and the outlet pipe. The three components are usually solvent welded together on site.

The old stoneware gullies, once installed, are virtually impervious to damage, but the same cannot be said about the cement-rendered gully surround. The cement-rendering is very liable to crack, chip or flake off, leaving cracks into which potentially odorous waste water can seep. The join between the gully surround and the house wall is particularly prone to leakage allowing foul water to seep under the house.

Replacing an existing stoneware gully with a modern plastics one is a desirable but relatively costly exercise. As with many other plumbing and drainage operations the most difficult part is likely to be the removal of the old fitting. This involves excavating the surrounding surface to expose the old gully and its connection to the stoneware drain. The exposed gully then has to be separated from the underground drain, usually by deliberately breaking the gully and without damaging the pipe socket. This can be a difficult operation because the gully that is being removed and jettisoned is probably just as sound and serviceable as the stoneware drain pipe being retained.

The present invention arose in an attempt to improve existing above-grid discharge type gullies.

According to the present invention there is provided a drain gully adaptor comprising a body providing a through bore, a flange of dimensions suitable to locate in the position normally occupied by a gully grid, a means for locating the adaptor within the vacated grid position and a means for securing the adaptor to at least one above ground pipe or fitting, such that when in situ the adaptor provides a continuous through path between the at least one pipe and a below ground pipe or gully system.

According to the present invention in a further aspect there is provided a method of converting an existing above-grid discharge drain gully having a gully grid and at least one above-grid discharge pipe to a below-grid discharge one, comprising removing the gully grid, inserting an adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims to the space vacated by the gully grid, the adaptor being of such a size that its flange locates in the position previously occupied by the grid and connecting the or each above-grid pipe to the adaptor to provide a substantially continuous through-path between the above-ground pipe or pipes and the pre-existing belowground pipe system.

According to the present invention in a yet further aspect there is provided a drain gully adaptor which, when secured into a location normally occupied by a gully grid, enables above ground pipework and/or fittings to be connected directly to the gully and discharge their contents into the gully, below the level of the original grid location.

It is seen that by adapting the gully inlet to enable the above ground pipework to be connected, it effectively converts the gully from an obsolescent method of water discharge (above grid/non self-cleansing) to the modern method (below grid/self-cleansing), without incurring the expense of a new gully and the substantial cost to fit it.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a presently available type of gully with an obsolescent method of water discharge; Figure 2 shows the gully with an adaptor in place enabling the pipe contents to discharge directly into the gully; Figure 3 shows a drain gully adaptor for a square grid location with a spigot for connection to above ground pipework; Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view through an alternative embodiment of drain gully adaptor; and Figure 5 shows a view of the underside of the adaptor of Figure 4.

As described above, Figure 1 shows a gully of the type which was commonly used, and of which many still exist. In embodiments of the invention, to enable waste water pipes 3 (or other pipes such as rainwater conduits) to discharge below grid level, but above the water trap, the grid 2 is removed and an adaptor 5 is secured into the location vacated by the grid 2. A short boss pipe 6 is secured to the adaptor 5 and the waste water pipes 3 are connected to the short boss pipe 6. Typically, boss pipe 6 requires at least the same number of outlets as there are pipes 3 to be connected. Alternatively, two or more bosses may be provided, in a stacked fashion for example, to accommodate the pipes. As shown in Figure 2, additional connectors 12, 13 and/or pipe lengths 14 may be required to extend the flow path to boss 6.The connectors shown are elbows 12, 13 but other types may be required for different pipe/gully configurations.

In one embodiment shown in Figure 3 the adaptor 5 has a central bore surrounded by a square flange 7 of outer dimensions similar to the grid it is to replace, with a generally square tubular projection 11 on the underside 8 and a cylindrical spigot 10 on the top side 9.

The adaptor may be secured in the gully by any suitable method, such as using a bonding mastic or adhesive, or by a friction fit for example.

Other configurations of adaptor may of course be used and need not be square or rectangular. The flange may be circular for example and the topside may have a socket instead of a spigot. Only a short projection or no projection at all may be required on the underside if the adaptor can still be firmly secured. The top of the adaptor may comprise a socket for accommodating pipe spigots or fittings or may be formed into a spigot to accommodate pipe sockets or fittings. The pipes or fittings may be push or friction fitted, or solvent welded into place for example. Alternatively, suitable adhesives may be used. One or more seals may be provided The adaptor may be formed of a plastics material, such as unplasticised PVC (UPVC), ABS (Acrilonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) or EPDM (ethylenepropylene-dene-monomer) rubber for example.

Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative embodiment of adaptor. In this embodiment, the adaptor comprises a tubular body 41 having an upper flange 42 which is generally square shaped (for example) to locate in the space of a gully vacated by a previously removed grid. A seal 43, having a tubular central section and a plurality of longitudinally spaced, circumferential ribs 44 is located around a portion of body 41. To locate seal 43, body 41 is provided in one embodiment with a thinner lower portion 46 and a thicker upper portion 47, the portions being delimited by means of a ledge portion 45 against which the top portion of seal 43 abuts. The seal may be otherwise located. The inner diameter of seal 43 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of body 41 below the ledge.The seal is preferably of a resilient, flexible, water-impermeable material such as a plastics material or rubber, for example EPDM rubber.

Body 41 is thicker at its lowest part to include an inwardly directed lip 48 at its lower end to limit the insertion depth of an inserted spigot or pipe.

Figure 5 shows the understand of the adaptor of Figure 4. This illustrates the provision of vent holes 49, which may be provided on any embodiment of the invention. The purpose of these is to reduce the likelihood of siphoning effects. The vent holes in Figure 5 allow pressure to be equalised. In this embodiment, they are provided longitudinally in seal 43. One or more channels (not shown) may then be provided on the underside and edge of flange 42 or through holes may be provided on the flange to release any pressure build-up to the atmosphere. Many other methods of providing antisiphoning, whether by vents or valves for example, may be used.

In a modification, the flange 42, or any other part of the adaptor may comprise a dispenser for a degreasing agent. In one embodiment this may be such that water or other fluid flowing past the flange causes an amount of this agent to be released. The flange may comprise a cavity or dispenser for holding a quantity of a suitable degreasing agent (eg detergent), and a means for releasing a quantity of this. The dispenser may be arranged to continuously or periodically release a small quantity of degreasing agent and may, for example comprise a container or cavity having a small orifice which allows drops of agent to release by gravity. This may alternatively be provided in, or be associated with a boss such as that shown in 6.

In a modification, the flange portion 7 or 42 may be perforated or be shaped so that it does not entirely fit the space vacated by the grid (ie it may include a notched or cut-out portion for example), so that surface water can drain away. Thus, the adaptor may also act as a yard gully.

Once the adaptor has been installed, the gully surround becomes superflous and may be removed.

In this specification the terms below-grid, under-grid, or similar refer also to systems in which the grid has been removed and should be construed as meaning under the level normally or previously occupied by a grid or grating.

Claims (17)

1. A drain gully adaptor which, when secured into a location vacated by a gully grid, enables above ground pipework and/or fittings to be connected directly to the gully and discharge their contents into the gully, below the level of the original grid location.

2. A drain gully adaptor comprising a body providing a through bore, a flange of dimensions suitable to locate in the position normally occupied by a gully grid, a means for locating the adaptor within the vacated grid position and a means for securing the adaptor to at least one above ground pipe or fitting, such that when in situ the adaptor provides a continuous through path between the at least one pipe and a below ground pipe or gully system.

3. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the securing means comprises a downwardly projecting tubular portion.

4. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, including an upwardly projecting spigot for receiving a pipe socket or fitting.

5. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, the adaptor having an upper portion including a recess for receiving a pipe spigot or fitting.

6. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a seal.

7. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the seal comprises a plurality of circumferential longitudinally spaced ribs.

8. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a dispenser for a degreasing agent.

9. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and including venting means.

10. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flange portion is adapted to allow drainage of surface water.

11. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the flange portion is perforated.

12. A drain gully adaptor as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the flange portion is shaped to not entirely fill the space vacated by the grid.

13. A method of converting an existing above-grid discharge drain gully having a gully grid to a below-grid discharge one, comprising removing the gully grid, inserting an adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims to the spaced vacated by the gully grid, the adaptor being of such a size that its flange locates in the position previously occupied by the grid and connecting the above-grid discharge to the adaptor to provide a substantially continuous through-path between the above-ground pipe or pipes and the pre-existing belowgrid pipe system.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein a boss section is connected to an upper part of the adaptor and the or each pipe is connected to the boss.

15. A method as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, wherein the or each above ground pipe is connected via one or more further pipe pieces and/or connectors.

16. A drain gully adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, any of Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of adapting a drain gully substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.