GB2361733A

GB2361733A - Flexible curved flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2361733A
Application number: GB0007844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Borland Cuthbertson; James Edward Cuthbertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-31
Filing date: 2000-03-31
Publication date: 2001-10-31
Also published as: GB0007844D0

Abstract

A flood barrier panel 22 for mounting across an opening 10 in a building is flexible or semi-rigid and is curved between two retaining members 18 on either side of the opening. The barrier may comprise more than one panel, adjacent panels sealing together in a watertight manner. Retaining means for the panel(s) may be elongate vertical runners which may be channel shaped. The interior groove may be filled with a hard sealant, leaving a recess to receive the barrier panels, which panels may be wider than the opening, requiring them be flexed as they are emplaced. When not in use, a cover may be provided to protect the mounting groove. Also disclosed is a flood barrier comprising two or more barrier elements incorporating means for sealing between each other. These means may be tongue-and-groove joints (figure 4) which may be V-shaped. The point of the V may locate in a bulbous recess which may be filled with a waterproof substance.

Description

2361733 Flood Barrier This invention relates to a flood barrier for

providing a water-tight guard to prevent water from entering a building or structure through doors, windows and the like.

A well known method of at least restricting the amount of water entering a building through doors in the event of a flood is illustrated in Figure 6. The method simply involves building a wall across the door of fabric bags filled with sand. The sandbags absorb and retain large quantities of water, preventing it from reaching the door. However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with this method. Firstly, the sandbags can only absorb a f inite volume of water. once the bags are saturated, they can no longer effectively prevent water from reaching the door. Secondly, building the wall of sandbags is heavy work and time consuming, so it is not only impractical for many people but there may also be insufficient warning of an impending flood for a suitable wall to be built. Finally, there is no real way of predicting the depths of water which may result from a flood. Once the water level rises above the sandbags, water will immediately start entering the building.

We have now devised an arrangement which overcomes the problems outlined above.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flood barrier comprising at least one barrier member formed of a flexible, or semi rigid, watertight material, and retaining means mounted or fixed on opposite sides of an opening (such as a doorway) in a building for retaining said barrier member at opposite ends thereof across said opening; the barrier member having a generally bowed configuration between the ends being retained by the retaining means.

Because of the bowed configuration of the barrier member, when a body of water extends pressure thereon, a strong resultant force is created at each end of the barrier member which tends to push the ends of the barrier member into a greater sealing relationship with its respective retaining means.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flood barrier comprising two or more barrier members formed of a water-tight material, and retaining means for removably retaining said barrier members across an opening (such as a doorway) in a building; the barrier members including means for creating a substantially water-tight sealing relationship with each other.

The modular nature of the second aspect of the invention means that barrier members can be quickly and easily added to produce a higher barrier as flood waters rise.

With regard to both aspects of the invention, the barrier member or members are preferably formed of a semi-rigid plastic material, such as uPVC. The retaining means conveniently consist of elongate runners fixed or mounted on either side of the opening, generally in parallel therewith. The runners are provided with a recess or groove, which runs along at least a part of the length of the runner, for receiving a portion of the end of the barrier member. Beneficially, the recess or groove allows the end of the barrier member to be inserted into it and then slid downward to the desired position across the opening. A removable cover is preferably provided to cover the recess or groove when the f lood barrier is not in use to prevent moisture or debris entering it.

The runner is conveniently formed of a rigid, water-tight frame filled with a hard sealing substance, the recess or groove being provided in the hard seal.

With regard to the first aspect of the invention, the flood barrier preferably comprises two or more removable barrier members which include means for creating a substantially water-tight sealing relationship with each other, so that barrier members can be quickly and easily added to produce a higher and higher barrier as flood waters rise.

With regard to both aspects of the invention, the barrier members preferably comprise generally rectangular sheets of flexible water-tight material which are substantially flat when not in use, the width of which is greater than the width of the gap between the retaining means so that, when the barrier member is in place across the opening it takes on a bowed configuration.

The means for creating a water-tight sealing relationship between barrier members is preferably integrally formed with the or each barrier member. Beneficially, each barrier member is formed with a groove along all or substantially all of one edge, and a complimentary tongue portion along all or substantially all of the opposite edge, the tongue portion of one of the barrier members being arranged to be inserted in the groove of another barrier member to create a sealing relationship therewith. In a preferred embodiment, the tongue portion is generally V' shape. The lower end of the 'V' shaped groove may be formed with an enlarged bulbous portion. Said bulbous portion may be at least partially filled with a waterproof substance, such as waterproof grease or the like.

The flood barrier beneficially also includes a sealing base for providing a sealing relationship between the barrier member (or the lowest barrier member in a series) and the ground or the lower surface of the doorframe. The sealing base preferably comprises an elongate member which is formed with a groove or tongue portion for co-operation with the tongue portion or groove of the barrier member.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional plan view of a door and frame fitted with a flood barrier according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a magnified cross-sectional plan view of a runner and portion of the barrier member of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of a door fitted with a flood barrier according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the flood barrier of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the sealing base of the f lood barrier of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a front view of a door provided with a type of flood barrier means which is well known in the art.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a door 10, hinged at one side to a door frame 12 fixed within a gap provided in the outer wall 14 of a building, so that the door 10 opens into the building as depicted by arrow 16. Elongate runners 18 are fixed on either side of the doorway adjacent and parallel to the outer surface of the frame 12 and the wall 14.

Each runner 18 is formed with a recess 20 for slidably receiving and retaining a peripheral edge of a barrier member 22. The length of the barrier member 22, which is formed of a resiliently flexible material is greater in length than the width of the gap between the runners 18 so that, when it is in use, the barrier member 22 forms a convex screen across the door 10, as shown.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, each runner 18 comprises an elongate post 28 formed of a rigid water-tight material, such as uPVC or other rigid plastic material, and consisting of two side walls 28a which are substantially equal in length and joined together at one end generally perpendicular to each other to form an apex 28b, and a respective flange 26 extending from the opposite end of each of the side walls, and generally perpendicular thereto, each flange being parallel with the other side wall. Thus, the side walls 28a and the flanges 26 form a partial enclosure, which is conveniently made as a single piece moulding of rigid water-tight material.

The partial enclosure formed by the side walls 28a and flanges 26 is filled with a hard waterproof seal 24 formed of, for example, resin or the like. As shown, the outer ends of the flanges 26 are curved outwardly, and the edge of the hard seal 24 not determined by either the side walls 28a or the flanges 26, runs along a diagonal line defined between the curved ends of the flanges 26.

The hard seal 24 is formed with a recess 20 which runs along at least a substantial portion of the length of the runner 18. The recess 20, when viewed in cross-section, is slightly curved to slidably receive and retain the ends of the convex screen formed by the barrier member 22 when in use.

The runners 18 are f ixed on either side of a doorway with the apex 28b formed between the side walls 28a abutting the apex formed between the outer surface of the door frame 12 and the wall 14. A water-tight soft seal layer 30 is used to secure the runners 18 in place and ensure a water-tight sealing relationship between the runner 18 and the door frame 12 on one side and the wall 14 on the other.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, the runners 18 are permanently fixed in place on either side of a doorway. They may extend up along the whole height of the door 10 if required, or only partially, as shown. The recess 20 in each of the runners 18 is accessible at the upper end thereof so that, when required, the edges of a barrier member 22 can be easily lined up therewith an inserted therein, and then pushed downwardly to the required position, to form a convex screen across the door 10.

However, when the flood barrier is not being used a cover (not shown) may be provided to prevent entry of moisture or debris.

The reliable water-tight sealing relationship of the barrier members 22 with the runners 18, is achieved due to their convex nature when in use. When a body of water exerts pressure on a barrier member 22, a strong resulting force (indicated in Figure 1 by arrows 34) is exerted on the ends of the barrier member, forcing and retaining the ends of the barrier member into a greater sealing relationship with the edges of the recess 20.

In order to guard against any required depth of flood water, more than one barrier member 22 can be used to form a barrier wall of any height up to the length of the runners 18. In this case, adjacent barrier members 18 must of course be in a sealing relationship with each other. This is achieved by means of a type of "tongue and groove" arrangement between the elongate edges of the barrier members, as shown in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, one of the elongate edges of the barrier member 22 is formed with a generally central groove 40 along its entire length. In crosssection, the shape of the groove 40 is generally W, shaped with a round bulbous section at the apex. The other edge of the barrier member 22 is formed with a generally 'V' shaped tongue portion 42, the angle of the 'V' corresponds with the angle of the V, shaped portion of the groove 40 for a water-tight fit. In addition, the bulbous section at the apex of the groove 40 is at least partially filled with waterproof grease or the like. Such that, if water does enter the groove 40, it is prevented from penetrating the barrier and reaching the door.

It is also necessary to provide a water-tight barrier between the lowest barrier member and the surface outside the door. Referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, this is achieved by fixing a sealing base 46 across the gap between the two runners. The sealing base 46 must be in a sealing relationship with the runners 18 and the surface, e.g. the lower horizontal edge of the door frame 12. The sealing base 46 comprises an elongate rod of generally rectangular cross-section. The rod 46 comprises a single-piece moulding consisting of two opposing sidewalls 46a and a lower wall 46b, formed of a rigid water-tight material such a S UPVC. The space defined between the outer walls is filled with a hard seal 48, such as a resin. A generally 'V' shaped groove 40 is provided along the length of the sealing base 46, the groove being the same as that provided in the barrier members 22, described with reference to Figure 4. The sealing base is fixed on the ground across the doorway by means of a layer of soft sealing substance 50. The ends of the sealing base 46 must be arranged in a sealing relationship with the lower portion of the runners 18. A cover 52 is provided to prevent moisture or debris entering the groove 40 when the flood barrier is not in use.

An embodiment of the invention has been described above by way of example only and many modifications within the scope of the invention are envisaged.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 A flood barrier comprising at least one barrier member formed of a flexible, or semi-rigid, watertight material, and retaining means mounted or f ixed on opposite sides of an opening (such as a doorway) in a building for retaining said barrier member at opposite ends thereof across said opening; the barrier member having a generally bowed configuration between the ends being retained by the retaining means.

2. A flood barrier comprising two or more barrier members formed of a watertight material, and retaining means for removably retaining said barrier members across an opening (such as a doorway) in a building; the barrier members including means for creating a substantially watertight sealing arrangement with each other.

3. A f lood barrier according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the barrier member or members are formed of a semi-rigid plastic material, such as uPVC.

4. A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining means consist of elongate runners fixed or mounted on either side of the opening, generally in parallel therewith.

5. A f lood barrier according to claim 4, wherein the runners are provided with a recess or groove, which runs along at least a part of the length of said runner, for receiving a portion of the end of the barrier member.

6. A flood barrier according to claim 5, wherein the recess or groove allows the end of a barrier member to be inserted into it and then slid downward to the desired position across the opening.

7. A f lood barrier according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein a removable cover is provided to cover the recess or groove when the flood barrier is not in use.

8. A flood barrier according to claim 5, wherein the runner is formed of a rigid, watertight frame filled with a hard sealing substance, the recess or groove being provided in the hard seal.

9. A flood barrier according to claim 1, comprising two or more removable barrier members which include means for creating a substantially watertight sealing relationship with each other.

10. A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the barrier member or members comprise generally rectangular sheets of flexible watertight material which is substantially flat when not in use.

11. A flood barrier according to claim 10, wherein the width of the barrier member or members is greater than the width of the gap between the retaining means so that, when the barrier member is in place across the opening, it takes on a bowed configuration.

12. A flood barrier according to claim 2, wherein the means for creating a watertight sealing relationship between barrier members is integrally formed with the or each barrier member.

13. A flood barrier according to claim 12, wherein the or each barrier member is formed with a groove along all or substantially all of one edge, and a complimentary tongue portion along all or substantially all of the opposite edge, the tongue portion of one of the barrier members being arranged to be inserted in the groove of another barrier member to create a sealing relationship therewith.

14. A flood barrier according to claim 13, wherein the tongue portion is generally "V" shaped.

15. A flood barrier according to claim 14, wherein the lower end of the "V" shaped groove is formed within an enlarged bulbous portion.

16. A flood barrier according to claim 15, wherein said bulbous portion is at least partially filled with a waterproof substance, such as waterproof grease or the like.

17. A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, including a sealing base for providing a sealing relationship between a barrier member and the ground or the lower surface of a doorframe.

18. A flood barrier according to claim 17, wherein the sealing base comprises an elongate member which is formed with a groove or tongue portion for cooperation with a tongue portion or groove of a barrier member.

19. A flood barrier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.