GB2373532A

GB2373532A - Flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2373532A
Application number: GB0105816A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Rowland Holman-Howes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-09
Filing date: 2001-03-09
Publication date: 2002-09-25
Also published as: GB0105816D0

Abstract

A flood barrier 50 comprises a retaining member 52, which may comprise an elongate channel, attached to the periphery 53 of a building aperture and a baffler means 57 removably attachable to the retaining member 52. The barrier means 57 is engageable with the retaining member 52 to form a water tight seal. The seal between the barrier means 57 and the retaining member 52 may be a strip of resilient material which may be fixed to the retaining member 52 or to the barrier means 57, the baffler means 57 may also comprise an inwardly facing seal forming member along its base to engage with the building. The flood barrier may further comprise a plurality of barrier sections, locking means, a rain guard and/or a handle 51. The barrier means 57 may be mounted to the retaining member by hinges.

Description

A FLOOD BARRIER

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus to prevent flood water entering a building through an aperture in the building such as doorway or window The apparatus is particularly adapted to be used with existing doorways or windows Background to the Invention Flood water, particularly flood water from swollen rivers and waste waters washed back from the sewage system, causes millions of pounds worth of damage to domestic and industrial buildings each year. The costs of repairing flood damage are at present borne principally by insurance companies or the owners of the buildings. Buildings constructed on the flood plain of a river or near a coast line are particularly prone to flooding.

Unfortunately, due to an increased demand for buildings, particularly domestic dwellings, construction is increasingly being carried out in areas formerly considered as unsuitable due to the higher associated risk of flooding Moreover, as increasingly more open ground is covered by concrete, the overall capacity of the available ground to soak up water is considerably reduced Additionally, the agricultural practice of"micro-tilling"reduces the capacity of ploughed fields to absorb rainwater. Rainwater therefore, instead of being absorbed into the ground runs off rapidly into other nearby water courses such as rivers and streams This causes the level of water of the river or stream to rise rapidly and to a higher level than would formerly have been the case.

The usual method of trying to prevent or reduce the quantity of flood water entering a building through a window or door aperture is by deploying sandbags against the aperture. Experience has shown however, that this is difficult to carry out and the method does not perform well The disadvantages associates with the deployment of sandbags includes such observations as sandbags are both heavy and difficult to move from one area to another Furthermore, to protect window apertures, either large numbers of sandbags are required to build up to the window or the sill must support the bags The latter option is only feasible with wide sills, uncommon in modern houses Also, where there is no sill, the weight of the sandbags could smash the glass This problem is exacerbated when the sandbags are wet, as they are then much heavier than normal due to the water absorbed Due to the weight, sandbags are also unsuitable for use by the elderly or infirm A further disadvantage is that water is not fully prevented from penetrating a barrier formed from sandbags as it seeps through the gaps between the bags and also through the sandbags themselves They are therefore ineffective over a long

period of time Additionally, when the sand bag is not being used, it must be 11") 9 stored, which can require a large volume of space Storage must also be carried out carefully, as the material from which the sandbags are typically made can be prone to perishing, especially if it is not stored in dry conditions or is not allowed to dry out prior to storage It is an object of the present invention to seek to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide an apparatus which provides a barrier to resist the entry of water into a building It is a further object of the invention to reduce the need to use sandbags or the number of sandbags used when attempting to prevent ingress water through the apertures of a building Summary of the Invention According to the invention there is provided an apparatus of the type used to shield a building aperture and/or the normal closure device associated with said

aperture from flood water to prevent the ingress of water through the aperture, the apparatus comprising : a barrier retaining member adapted for permanent attachment to at least a portion c of the periphery of a building aperture ; and a barrier means removably attachable to the retaining member, the barrier means being sealingly engageable to the retaining member so as to form a substantially water-tight seal The apparatus preferably includes at least one strip of resilient material for abutting the barrier retaining mean so as to form a seal. The resilient material is optionally fixed to the barrier-retaining means.

In one particularly advantageous embodiment the shape of the barrier means is a planar rectangle or square, to conform to the standard form of the aperture of a building.

Additionally, the barrier means has one or more strips of resilient material along one or more of its edges to provide a seal.

The barrier-retaining means preferably has an elongate channel. The channel advantageously has a U-shaped cross-section, to facilitate the fitment of the barrier means The apparatus conveniently comprises locking means to prevent the barrier means from being inadvertently removed either by flood water or theft. Additionally the locking means may urge the barrier means downwards, and improve a seal along the lower edge.

The apparatus advantageously comprises a rain barrier which prevents penetration of water between the barrier means and the normal closure means of the aperture The rain barrier is advantageously a strip of resilient material sealably pressed against the barrier means and the normal closure means of the aperture The rain barrier is preferably mounted on the barrier means, for ease of operation and storage The barrier means preferably comprises an inwardly facing seal-forming member along its base to sealably engage with the building.

The apparatus optionally includes a handle, selectively movable to retain or release from engagement the barrier means and the barrier retaining means Advantageously, movement of the handle to the retaining position urges the barrier means and the barrier retaining means together to improve the strength of the seals between. The handle is preferably mounted to the barrier means, in similar fashion to a conventional door.

The barrier means is preferably hingeably mounted to the barrier retaining means, to enable it both to be stored, and more easily lie against different windows or doors.

The barrier means optionally comprises a plurality of barrier sections sealingly engageable with each other, to enable a flood barrier to systematically built up as the flood water rises, and to enable the barrier means to be lifted and carried more easily Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying I drawings which show by way of example only, two embodiments of a flood barrier In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a flood barrier inner frame fixed to an already existing door frame of a building ;

Figure 2 is an inside view of the door of a flood barrier ; Figures 3 and 4 are a side view and a partial top view of the hinge of the door of a flood barrier showing rings to slot over frame pegs ; Figure 5 is a side view of a quarter-size flood barrier attached to a door frame, Figure 6 is a side view of a half-size flood barrier including a weather board,

Figures 7 and 8 show a closure mechanism for a flood barrier, Figure 9 shows a window frame incorporating a channel according to a second embodiment of the invention,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a flood board for use with a channel shown in m Figure 9, Figures 11 and 12 show respectively the bottom view and the top view of the I flood board as shown in Figure 10, Figures 13 and 14 show respectively the side views of the board as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Figure 15 shows a completed flood barrier according to a second embodiment of c the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention In Figure 1, a door 10 is housed on the door frame 11 of a building. A frame 12, forming part of a first embodiment of the invention is attached to the lower half of the door frame 11 by means of screws 13. On one side of the frame 12 are two upwardly pointing pegs 14,15 to receive a flood door. A suitable flood door is shown in Figures 2 to 4. The inside of the door is shown in Figure 2 The door 20 is basically square in shape. On one side of the door 20, two ring hinges 21,22, to engage the pegs 14,15 on the frame 12, project from the door 20 A seal 23, formed from rubber, is fixed at a spaced distance from the edge of the door 20.

An assembled flood barrier 50, having an external handle 51 is shown diagrammatically in Figure 5. The frame 52 of the flood barrier 50 is fixed to a door frame 53 of the building 54 by means of screws 55. A waterproof seal 56 is present between the frames 52 and 53 to prevent water seepage into the building 54 The door 57 of the flood barrier 50 lies against the frame 52 forming a further water-tight seal.

In Figure 6, the flood barrier 60 is substantially as shown in Figure 5, but comprises in addition a weather board 61. The weather board 61 is formed from a flexible material and hingeably mounted to the flood barrier 60. The weather board 61 prevents rain water from falling behind the closed flood barrier 60 As this rain water would be unable to run away from the door it would build up behind the flood barrier 60 until the level of water reached a height sufficient for it to be able to seep into the building 62 Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a handle suitable for securing the seal on a flood barrier. The handle 70 is located on the inside of the door 71. In order to secure the door 71 in position, the handle 70 engages a rising keep 72 on the frame 73 of the flood barrier The dog-leg 74 of the rising keep 72 forces the door 71 to move laterally and against the frame 73 The seal 75, formed of a resilient material, on the door 71 is thereby compressed against the frame 73 and forms an effective barrier against water Figures 9 to 15 show a second embodiment of a barrier In Figure 9, a channel 90 fits inside an already installed wooden window frame 91 The channel 90 and the frame 91 form a water-tight seal to resist the passage of water there between In Figures 10 to 14, a wooden board 100 generally rectangular in shape The in-use upper edge 101 of the board 100 has a groove 102 along the centre of the upper edge 101. A projection 103 runs along the lower edge 104 of the board 100.

The groove 102 is lined with a rubber material 105. Furthermore, the projection 103 has an outer surface 106 also formed of rubber.

In use, the channel 90 is fixed to the exterior portion of the conventional window frame 91. The channel 90 is fixed to the window frame 91 by conventional screws and plugs. A rubber sealant layer 92, provided between the wooden frame 91 and channel 90 prevents the passage of water between the channel 90 and the frame 91. A board 100, is passed down the channel 90. The width and depth of the board 100 are such that they enable the outer rubber material 105 to sealingly engage the lower section of the channel 90. When the first board 100 has been correctly positioned, a second board is slid down the channel 90 until the projection 103 of the second board locates within the groove 102 of the first board

100 The seal 106 on the projection 103 thereby sealingly engages the rubber c

material 105 in the groove 102.

In an analogous manner, further successive boards are added into the channel 90 until the barrier is of the height required to prevent entry of flood water through the window Figure 15 shows a barrier 150 having three boards 100 located within a channel 90 Where there is a particular risk or increasing risk of the building flooded, then employing apparatus according to the first embodiment described above, a frame 12 is fixed to an existing door frame The frame 12 has pegs 14,15 onto which the ring hinges 21,22 of a flood door 20 are located The frame 12 has a rising keep 72 to receive a handle 70 located on the inside of the flood door 20 The action of inserting and raising the handle 70 in the rising keep 72 forces the flood door 20 against the frame 12 forming thereby a water-tight seal In addition to the embodiments described above, the invention can comprise a number of additional features which do not depart from the scope of the invention The flood door can be so sized as to cover only partially the aperture of the door, or alternatively to cover the entire aperture. It can be for example a quarter or a half the size of a normal full size door. Furthermore, the door can have one or more sections each independently operable. Where, the door comprises one or more sections, the seal can be provided at the or each joint between the sections to ensure that water does not seep through the joint. The flood barrier can thus function as a type of stable door and prevent children or pets from running out of the building, particularly where the flood door is permanently fixed to the building.

The frame of the existing door or window can be modified to releasably receive the frame of the flood door or barrier. Where therefore the flood door or barrier is required for only a short period each year, or where the flood door or barrier needs to be put into position quickly, the frame can for example, be clipped into position. Once the danger of flooding has decreased the frame can be removed and stored safely out of the way.

If required, the flood door can be incorporated as the main door of the building Furthermore, the features of the door can be incorporated into a window to provide a flood resistant window. Where no further protection is given to the window, the window can be formed from toughened glass to enable the window

to withstand the weight of the flood water and the impact of objects floating or 17 being carried by the flood water.

Where one or more pegs are used to mount a flood door, a cap can be provided on the or each peg to prevent the flood door from being lifted off the pegs due to pressure from the water or from a person trying to effect entry into the building A mastic material can be introduced between the frame of the flood barrier and the existing frame to increase the waterproof properties of the seal It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims A flood barrier to prevent the ingress of water through building apertures, the apparatus comprising: a retaining member adapted to be sealingly attached to at least a portion of the periphery of a building aperture; and a barrier means removably attachable to the retaining member, the barrier means being sealingly engageable to the retaining member so as to form a substantially water-tight seal between the barrier means and the retaining member.
2. A flood barrier according to Claim 1, wherein the seal between the barrier means and the retaining member is formed by using at least one strip of resilient material.
3. A flood barrier according to Claim 2, wherein the resilient material is fixed to the retaining member.
4. A flood barrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means has a shape or profile adapted to conform to the standard shape of the aperture of a building.
5. A flood barrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means has one or more strips of resilient material along one or more of its edges to form a seal either alone or in combination with a retaining member seal.
6. A flood barrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining member includes an elongate channel having a U-shaped cross-section.
7. A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a locking means is provided to prevent the barrier means from being removed from the retaining member.
8 A flood barrier according to Claim 7, wherein the locking means urges the barrier means into contact with at least one edge of the retaining member so as to improve the seal therewith
9 A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flood barrier includes a rain guard arranged to prevent penetration of rain water between the barrier means and the normal closure means of the aperture.
10 A flood barrier according to Claim 9, wherein the rain guard is a strip of resilient material in sealing proximity to the barrier means and the normal closure means of the aperture
11 A flood barrier according to either of Claims 9 or 10, wherein the rain guard is mounted on the barrier means.
12. A flood barrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means comprises an inwardly facing seal-forming member along its base to sealingly engage with the building.
13. A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flood barrier includes a handle, selectively movable between a release position and an engaged position to respectively release and engage the barrier means with the retaining member
14. A flood barrier according to Claim 13, wherein the movement of the handle to the engaged position urges the barrier means and the retaining member together to improve the strength of the seals therebetween 15 A flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the barrier means is mounted to the retaining member by at least one hinge.

16 A flood barrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means comprises a plurality of barrier sections sealingly engageable with each other.

17 A flood barrier substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings