GB2397606A

GB2397606A - Self-filling removable flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2397606A
Application number: GB0301850A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Jack Edler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-27
Filing date: 2003-01-27
Publication date: 2004-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2023-01-27
Also published as: GB0301850D0; GB2397606B

Abstract

A removable flood barrier 1 comprises a watertight wall 2, a tank connected to the wall and an inlet 9 in the tank for receiving water. The inlet and at least a portion of the tank are located below the top 3 of the watertight wall. The tank may form an integral part of the wall such that the flood barrier has a substantially triangular cross-section. The base of the tank may be formed from reinforced sheeting 11 which moulds to the surface on which the tank is positioned. An air vent 4 and 5 may be provided above the level of the inlet to allow air to escape from the tank as flood water enters the tank though the inlet. Either end of the wall may be provided with means (14 and 17, Fig 3) to connect water tightly to the end of another removable flood barrier.

Description

A FLOOD BARRIER

T

he present invention relates to a removable flood barrier.

The prevention of flooding is a serious consideration both for the avoidance of death and injury and for the protection of property. Flooding often occurs repeatedly in certain coastal areas or in river flood plains. In these instances, it is common to erect permanent flood defences, such as concrete walls, to control and direct excess water away from settlements or other areas that require protection. The problem with this type of permanent flood defence is that it is expensive to put in place and has a constant presence in the environment which may cause an eyesore or require the movement of roads or footpaths.

In some areas, flooding may be occasional, or very rare, such that it is not cost effective, or at least is unnecessary, to erect permanent flood defences.

In these areas, it is usual to use sandbags to provide a removable flood barrier when flooding is expected or is taking place. Typically, a sandbag comprises a permeable sack in which sand is packed, a number of sandbags then being stacked up to provide a wall. The problem with using sandbags to erect a removable flood barrier is that it is very inefficient and time consuming to create a stretch of wall and large numbers of people are required in order to do so.

The present invention seeks to alleviate one or more of the above problems.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable flood barrier comprising: a watertight wall having an upper level up to which it is capable of withholding water; a tank connected to the wall; and an inlet in the tank for receiving water, the inlet and at least a portion of the tank being located below the upper level.

Conveniently, the tank is an integral part of the wall.

Preferably, the base of the flood barrier is broader than the top, the base enclosing the tank.

Advantageously the flood barrier has a substantially triangular crosssection.

Conveniently, the tank is located on the wall such that both the wall and the tank are positionable on a surface.

Preferably the base of the tank is made from a flexible material such that the base of the tank moulds itself to the surface when the tank contains water.

Advantageously the base of the tank is made from reinforced sheeting.

Conveniently, the flood barrier further comprises an air vent located in the tank, above the level of the inlet.

Preferably the air vent is located in the top of the tank.

Advantageously either end of the wall is provided with means to connect water tightly to the end of another removable flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims.

Conveniently the watertight connecting means at one end of the wall comprises a substantially cylindrical, vertically aligned protrusion and the watertight connecting means at the other end of the wall comprises a socket correspondingly proportioned to receive the protrusion slidingly.

Preferably the air vent is located at the top of the substantially cylindrical protrusion. Advantageously the wall is curved about a vertical axis.

Conveniently the inlet is provided on one side of the wall, the wall being curved concavely with respect to the inlet.

Preferably the inlet is provided on one side of the wall, the wall being curved convexly with respect to the inlet.

Advantageously the inlet comprises a lateral elongate slit.

Conveniently the wall is made of a moulded plastics material.

Preferably the wall is made of a flexible material such that it can be curved about a vertical axis both convexly and concavely.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable flood barrier system comprising at least one removable flood barrier wherein the wall is curved concavely and at least one removable flood barrier wherein the wall is curved convexly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable flood barrier system comprising a plurality of removable flood barriers made of a flexible material such that each can be curved about a vertical axis both convexly and concavely.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a removable flood barrier comprising: a watertight wall, either end of the wall being provided with means to connect watertightly to the end of another removable flood barrier, the watertight connecting means at one end of the wall comprising a substantially cylindrical, vertically aligned protrusion and the watertight connecting means at the other end of the wall comprising a socket correspondingly proportioned to receive such a protrusion slidingly.

Preferably the removable flood barrier is otherwise as described above.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a removable flood barrier in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A of the removable flood barrier of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a plurality of removable flood barriers according to another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a plan view of a plurality of removable flood barriers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a removable flood barrier 1 comprises a vertical outer wall 2, at the top of which is located a horizontal top panel 3 in which are located two apertures, or air vents 4,5. The other side of the top panel 3 is connected to an inner wall 6 comprising a vertical section 7 beneath which is a longer, angled section 8. The angled section 8 is angled outwardly towards the bottom of the removable flood barrier 1. Near the lower end of the angled section 8 is provided a lateral, elongate slit 9 which forms an inlet into the interior of the removable flood barrier 1. Thus, the removable flood barrier 1 is broader at the base than at the top and, in cross-section, is substantially triangular. At either end of the removable flood barrier, an end panel 10 is provided.

The outer wall 2, the top panel 3, the inner wall 6 and the end panels 10 are made from a moulded plastics material which is watertight.

The base of the flood barrier 1 is formed from flexible sheeting 11 which is attached in a watertight seal along the lower portions of the outer wall 2, the angled section 8 and the two end panels 10.

As can most clearly be seen in Figure 2, the removable flood barrier 1 has a hollow interior 12 bounded by the outer wall 2, the upper panel 3, the inner wall 6, the end panels 10 and the flexible sheeting 11. The only access to the hollow interior of the removable flood barrier 1 is via the inlet 9 and the air vents 4,5.

In use, the removable flood barrier 1 is positioned on a surface in an area where flooding is expected (e.g. in front of the door of a building) such that the inner wall 6 faces towards the expected water and the outer wall 2 faces away from the expected water. When flooding occurs, the water level rises up and around the removable flood barrier 1 and is withheld because of the watertight nature of the materials from which it is made.

When the level of flood water reaches the level of the inlet 9, the flood water enters the hollow interior of the removable flood barrier 1. The water is enclosed within the hollow interior 12 by the flexible sheeting 11, the outer wall 2 and the inner wall 6. As the water fills the interior 12 of the removable flood barrier 1, air is displaced out of the interior 12 via the air vents 4,5.

The presence of the flood water within the removable flood barrier 1 causes the flexible sheeting 11 to flatten itself against the surface on which the removable flood barrier 1 is located so as to create a watertight seal between the base of the flood barrier 1 and the surface. Furthermore, the weight of the water on the flexible sheeting 11 stabilises the removable flood barrier 1 and secures it from being dislodged or swept away by the force of the flood water.

It is to be appreciated that, while water enters the hollow interior 12 of the removable flood barrier 1 during flooding, the flood water is still withheld by the removable flood barrier 1 by the watertight outer wall 2.

It is to be noted that the top of the outer wall 2 which connects to the upper panel 3 forms an upper level. So long as the flood water does not rise above this upper level the flood water can be withheld by the removable flood barrier 13. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the exact location of the inlet 9 can be varied. For example, the inlet 9 may be located closer to the base of the removable flood barrier 1, adjacent the flexible sheeting 11 so as to make emptying of the hollow interior 12 easier when flooding has subsided. On the other hand, the inlet 9 may be located higher in the inner wall 6, towards the upper panel 3 so as to strengthen the inner wall 6.

However, the inlet 9 and at least a portion of the hollow interior 12 must be located beneath the upper level of the outer wall 2 because otherwise flood water will not enter the hollow interior 12 while the removable flood barrier is still able to withhold water.

It is also to be appreciated that the hollow interior 12 effectively forms a tank which is filled with water during flooding in order to stabilise and secure the removable flood barrier 1. Thus, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the tank 12 and the outer wall 2 are not integrally formed as in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 but are separate items attached to one another. In some of these alternative embodiments, the tank 12 is located on the outer wall 2 such that the tank can be located upon the surface but this is not essential to the invention.

Referring now to Figure 3, another embodiment of the present invention is shown, in plan view. A removable flood barrier 13 comprises an outer wall 2, an upper panel 3 and an inner wall 6 comprising an angled section 8 as in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. The angled section 8 contains an elongate lateral slit forming the inlet 9. The base of flexible sheeting is also provided.

However, in this embodiment of the invention, there are two significant differences. Firstly, the removable flood barrier 13 (and, in particular, the outer wall 2, the top panel 3, the inner wall 6 and the inlet 9) are curved about a vertical axis. The removable flood barrier 13 is curved about an axis concavely with respect to the inner wall 6 on which the inlet 9 is located.

The second difference in this embodiment is that one end of the removable flood barrier 13 is provided with a substantially cylindrical protrusion in the end panel 10 from the base of the flood barrier 13 to the upper panel 3. Thus, in axial cross-section, the protrusion 14 is a circular head 15 having a narrower neck 16 adjacent to the end panel 10. An air vent 4 is provided in the top panel 3 which extends over the top of the cylindrical protrusion 14.

At the other end of the removable flood barrier 13 is provided a substantially cylindrical, vertically aligned socket 17 which is proportioned to receive a protrusion of a type identical to that of the protrusion 14 at the other end of the removable flood barrier 13. Thus, the socket 17 has an interior chamber 18 leading to the exterior via narrower jaws 19.

Also shown in Figure 3 is a second removable flood barrier 20. The second removable flood barrier 20 is identical to the first removable flood barrier 13 except that the curve of the barrier is convex with respect to the inner wall 6 in which the inlet 9 is located.

The first removable flood barrier 13 is connected to the second removable flood barrier 20 by way of the cylindrical protrusion 14 of the first removable flood barrier 13 being located within the socket 17 of the second removable flood barrier 20. The two flood barriers are connected together by sliding the first flood barrier 13 downwardly such that the cylindrical protrusion 14 is slidingly received within the socket 17. The jaws 19 of the socket 17 of the second removable flood barrier 20 are thus located around the neck 16 of the protrusion 14 of the first removable flood barrier 13 such that the two removable flood barriers 13, 20 are locked together and cannot be pulled apart by lateral movement.

The cylindrical protrusion 14 and the socket 17 are closely fitting and form a substantially watertight seal preventing water from flowing from the inner wall 6 side of the flood barrier 13 to the outer wall 2 side of the removable flood barrier 13.

A third removable flood barrier 21, which is identical to the first removable flood barrier 13, is also provided. The third removable flood barrier 21 is attached to the second removable flood barrier 20 by way of the cylindrical protrusion 14 of the second removable flood barrier 20 being received in the socket 17 of the third removable flood barrier 21.

Thus, the three removable flood barriers 13, 20, 21 form a removable flood barrier system which can be erected to provide an extended flood barrier defence. The three removable flood barriers 13, 20, 21 shown in Figure 3 have been arranged such that the extended flood defence that is erected is straight overall, despite the curvings of the individual flood barriers from which it is formed.

Referring to Figure 4, a further embodiment of the present invention in which a slightly different removable flood barrier system is shown. In this embodiment, three removable flood barriers 22, 23, 24 are linked together.

The first removable flood barrier 22 is the same as the first removable flood barrier 13 shown in Figure 3. However, both the second and third removable flood barriers 23, 24 of this embodiment are the same as the second removable flood barrier 20 of the embodiment shown in Figure 3. In other words, the first removable flood barrier 22 is curved concavely with respect to the inlet 9 whereas the second and third removable flood barriers 23, 24 are curved convexly with respect to the inlet 9. Thus, in this arrangement of flood barriers, the overall removable flood barrier system is not straight but curved.

It is to be appreciated that, in further embodiments of the present invention, flood barrier systems containing a plurality of both convexly curved and concavely curved removable flood barriers are provided such that the direction of the complete system can be varied as necessary when the individual flood barriers are connected together. Thus, the removable flood barrier system can, for example, follow the line of a road or river adjacent which a flood defence is to be erected.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the outer wall 2, upper panel 3, inner wall 6 and end panels 10 of each removable flood barrier 13 are not made from a moulded plastics material, which is rigid, but are made from a flexible material such as rubber. In this embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary for any removable flood barrier system to comprise concavely curved and convexly curved removable flood barriers but all flood barriers in the system are the same. Any curve in the flood barrier system that is required is obtained by bending the individual flood barriers as required.

Claims

CLAIMS: A removable flood barrier comprising: a watertight wall having an

upper level up to which it is capable of withholding water; a tank connected to the wall; and an inlet in the tank for receiving water, the inlet and at least a portion of the tank being located below the upper level.
2. A removable flood barrier according to claim 1 wherein the tank is an integral part of the wall.
3. A removable flood barrier according to claim 2 wherein the base of the flood barrier is broader than the top, the base enclosing the tank.
4. A removable flood barrier according to claim 3 wherein the flood barrier has a substantially triangular cross-section.
5. A removable flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tank is located on the wall such that both the wall and the tank are positionable on a surface.
6. A removable flood barrier according to claim 5 wherein the base of the tank is made from a flexible material such that the base of the tank moulds itself to the surface when the tank contains water.
7. A removable flood barrier according to claim 6 wherein the base of the tank is made from reinforced sheeting.
8. A removable flood barrier according to any of the preceding claims further comprising an air vent located in the tank, above the level of the inlet.
9. A removable flood barrier according to claim 8 wherein the air vent is located in the top of the tank.
10. A removable flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein either end of the wall is provided with means to connect water tightly to the end of another removable flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims.
11. A removable flood barrier according to claim 10 wherein the watertight connecting means at one end of the wall comprises a substantially cylindrical, vertically aligned protrusion and the watertight connecting means at the other end of the wall comprises a socket correspondingly proportioned to receive the protrusion slidingly.
12. A removable flood barrier according to claim 11 as dependent on claim 9 wherein the air vent is located at the top of the substantially cylindrical protrusion.
13. A removable flood barrier according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the wall is curved about a vertical axis.
14. A removable flood barrier according to claim 13 wherein the inlet is provided on one side of the wall, the wall being curved concavely with respect to the inlet.
15. A removable flood barrier according to claim 13 wherein the inlet is provided on one side of the wall, the wall being curved convexly with respect to the inlet.
16. A removable flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the inlet comprises a lateral elongate slit.
17. A removable flood barrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wall is made of a moulded plastics material.
18. A removable flood barrier according to any one of Claims 1 to 16 wherein the wall is made of a flexible material such that it can be curved about a vertical axis both convexly and concavely.
19. A removable flood barrier system comprising at least one removable flood barrier according to claim 14 and at least one removable flood barrier according to claim 15.
20. A removable flood barrier system comprising a plurality of removable flood barriers according to Claim 18.
21. A removable flood barrier substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
22. A removable flood barrier system substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.