GB2382097A

GB2382097A - Flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2382097A
Application number: GB0127589A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Margaret Judith Lewis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-17
Filing date: 2001-11-17
Publication date: 2003-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-17
Also published as: GB0127589D0; GB2382097B

Abstract

A flood barrier comprises a rigid panel 2 and a deformable, fixed-volume chamber 4. The chamber 4 contains a fluid which may be a gas, liquid or gel. A portion of the chamber 4 may be compressed causing the chamber 4 to expand in the plane of the panel 2. The chamber may be compressed by compression bars 12 which are interconnected by rods 13 such that upon pressing down of a handle 14 the bars 12 are displaced relative to the panel 2 to press against portions of the chamber 4 which project from the panel 2, perpendicular to the plane of the panel 2, adjacent its edges.

Description

Flood-barrier Apparatus The present invention relates to a flood-barrier apparatus for fitting within a doorway or a gateway, to prevent an ingress of flood-water therethrough.

Excess rainfall can often cause flooding which may result in severe damage to the contents of buildings, where those buildings are not adequately sealed against the ingress of flood waters through their doorways.

Whilst a number of flood-barriers are known for fitting within a doorway or gateway of a building, existing arrangements are typically time consuming to deploy, are not readily adaptable to fit doorways/gateways of different diameters and often require parts to be permanently fitted to the doorway to provide an effective seal.

It has recently been suggested to provide a floodbarrier in the form of a rigid panel having an inflatable air chamber extending along its base and side edges, so that, when arranged within a doorway or gateway of a building, the chamber may be inflated to secure the panel in place.

However, such an arrangement is limited in that it is time both time consuming to deploy and requires a pneumatic pump for inflating the chamber.

I have now devised a flood-barrier apparatus which overcomes the limitations of existing arrangements.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a flood-barrier apparatus comprising: a rigid panel for fitting within a doorway or gateway ; a deformable, substantially fixed-volume, fluid-filled chamber extending around at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the panel ; and means for compressing a portion of the chamber to cause the chamber to expand, in the plane of the panel, to secure the panel in place within the doorway or gateway.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus may thus be hastily deployed in the event of a flood, is readily adaptable to fit within doorways/gateways of different diameters (by varying the extent to which the chamber is compressed) and requires no permanent fittings to provide an effective seal.

Also, as the chamber is of substantially fixed volume, it is not necessary to provide pumping means for inflating the chamber each time it is used.

Preferably the deformable chamber extends along the side and base edges of the panel.

Preferably the compressible portion of the chamber projects perpendicularly from the plane of the panel and the compressing means comprise means displaceable against the compressible portion, in a plane parallel to the plane of the panel. Such an arrangement is not only convenient, but also provides a larger sealing interface against the inside of the doorway or gateway at the point of projection of the compressible portion from the peripheral edge of the panel.

Preferably the compressible portion of the chamber extends along the base edge of the panel, with the compressing means being displaceable downwards of the panel and against the compressible base portion of the chamber. It will be appreciated that in such an arrangement, the force exerted to displace the compressing means downwards will counteract the tendency of the panel to rise as the chamber expands beneath it (a similar problem to that associated with known arrangements having one or more pneumatically inflatable chambers), thereby improving the seal at the base of the doorway.

The compressible portion of the chamber may also or otherwise extend along one or both of the side edges of the panel, with the compressing means being displaceable laterally of the panel against the or each compressible side portion of

the chamber.

Preferably the apparatus comprises latching means for holding the compressing means in place against the compressible portion of the chamber.

Preferably, the chamber is only partially filled with fluid material, which may be a gaseous material a liquid material or, most preferably, a gel.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a flood-barrier comprising: providing a rigid panel within a doorway or gateway; and compressing a portion of a deformable, substantially fixed-volume, fluid-filled chamber to cause the chamber to expand, in the plane of the panel, to secure the panel in place within the doorway or gateway.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a disassembled apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 in its assembled state, showing the compressing means thereof in a retracted position; Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the apparatus showing the compressing means thereof in an expanded position; and Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a front elevation and a plan view of the apparatus deployed within the doorway of a building.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a flood-barrier apparatus is shown comprising a hollow, rigid panel 2 and a deformable chamber 4 of substantially fixed volume.

The chamber 4 is partially filled with a gel material, but otherwise evacuated such that the chamber is normally in

a flaccid condition.

The panel 2 is shown in Figure 1 rotated through a small angle about its central vertical axis to expose two of a plurality of sockets 6 formed in the periphery edge of the panel, into which corresponding projections 8 of the chamber 4 locate to connect the two parts 2,4 together (as shown in Figure 2), such that the chamber 4 overlies the side and base edges of the panel and projects partially beyond the inner surface 10 of the panel adjacent each of those edges.

Attached to the inner surface 10 of the panel 2 are three compression bars 12 which are interconnected by rods 13 such that, by pressing downwards upon a foot-rest 14, the bars are displaced radially of the panel (as shown in Figure 3) to press against the portions 16 of the chamber 4 which project from the panel adjacent its base and side edges, in which position the bars 12 are latched in place.

When the apparatus is arranged within a doorway, as shown in Figure 4, the effect of pressing the rods 12 against the projecting portions 16 of the chamber 4 is to compress those portions between the rods 12 and the inside of the doorway (as shown in Figure 5), thereby expanding the portions 18 of the chamber 4 which lie in the plane of the panel 3, so that the panel becomes secured in place.

It will be appreciated that the downwards force exerted upon the foot-rest 14 to displace the bars 12 outwards, will counteract the tendency of the panel 2 to rise as the chamber 4 expands beneath it, an effect which might otherwise result in a weak seal at the base of the doorway.

The apparatus thus described provides an effective means for preventing the ingress of water through the doorway of a building in the event of a flood.

Claims

Claims 1) A flood-barrier apparatus comprising: a rigid panel for fitting within a doorway or gateway ; a deformable, substantially fixed-volume, fluid-filled chamber extending around at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the panel ; and means for compressing a portion of the chamber to cause the chamber to expand, in the plane of the panel, to secure the panel in place within the doorway or gateway.
2) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the deformable chamber extends along the side and base edges of the panel.
3) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the compressible portion of the chamber projects perpendicularly from the plane of the panel and the compressing means comprise means displaceable against the compressible portion, in a plane parallel to the plane of the panel.
4) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the compressible portion of the chamber extends along the base edge of the panel, with the compressing means being displaceable downwards of the panel and against the compressible base portion of the chamber.
5) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the compressible portion of the chamber extends along one or both of the side edges of the panel, with the compressing means being displaceable laterally of the panel against the or each compressible side portion of the chamber.
6) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in any preceding

<Desc/Clms Page number 6>

claim, wherein the apparatus comprises latching means for holding the compressing means in place against the compressible portion of the chamber.
7) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chamber is only partially filled with fluid material.
8) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said fluid material comprises a gaseous material.
9) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said fluid material comprises a liquid material.
10) A flood-barrier apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said fluid material comprises a gel.
11) A method of forming a flood-barrier comprising: providing a rigid panel within a doorway or gateway ; and compressing a portion of a deformable, substantially fixed-volume, fluid-filled chamber to cause the chamber to expand, in the plane of the panel, to secure the panel in place within the doorway or gateway.
12) A flood-barrier apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
13) A method of forming a flood-barrier, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.