GB2410973A

GB2410973A - Automatic flood barrier for a building vent

Info

Publication number: GB2410973A
Application number: GB0403291A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Tovey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-14
Filing date: 2004-02-14
Publication date: 2005-08-17
Also published as: GB0403291D0

Abstract

An automatic flood barrier for a building vent comprises a unit for fitting over a building vent. The unit has a housing with ventilating holes 2 in the front, which are automatically blocked off in the event of a flood but which remain open in the absence of flood water. The barrier may be operated by a float or floats 3 contained within a housing of the device. The floats 3 may be lifted by floodwater entering holes 7 in the base of the device. The floats 3 block the vent holes 2 in the front of the housing and so prevent flood water from entering the building vent over which the device is fitted. Preferably there are three floats 3 disposed within the housing and each float 3 comprises a block with a hemisphere on top. Preferably there are dividers 4 separating the floats 3. Preferably the housing has a door 5 to provide access for cleaning.

Description

24 1 0973

AUTOMATIC FLOOD PREVENTION DEVICE FOR

HOUSING VENTILATION SYSTEMS

Flooding is a major problem for houses all around the world. The area of flooding that my device protects is the ventilation system. Most houses have ventilation systems under them to keep an air current so no damp rises into the house. This means that if the house is in a flood risk area, in flood conditions when there is a flood the ventilation system will let the floodwater enter though the vents on the sides of the house. This water can then rise through the floorboards flooding the house.

My device automatically seals off the ventilation system of a house so when there is a flood the water cannot get in through the vents and then flood the house through the floorboards. When the building is not at risk from flooding the air vents can ventilate as normal.

My device fits on airbricks of all shapes arid size e.g. rectangular, circular. It also works if there is zero clearance level underneath the airbrick. If the vent is at the bottom of a wall the device will work.

The device is made from a plastic such as ADS which is ideal, as it is strong and waterproof. Inside the device there are three floats (as opposed to one as this minimises the amount the device sticks out from the wall) which are made from a plastic hemisphere and a block of polystyrene underneath (this could all be one hollow shape injection moulded in a thin plastic).

FIGURE 1 shows a frontal view of the device.

FIGURE 2 Show a view looking up at the device from below.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the device.

FIGURE 4 is a drawing showing what the device looks like over a vent on a wall.

FIGURE 5 is a drawing of the device with the door open to see the floats nsl e.

1 - This is where the three holes are, where when the floats (3) are down, air ventilates through these holes and when the floodwater lifts the floats up they push inside to perform a watertight seal.

2 - These are the holes on the front of the box to let the air in to ventilate.

There is a flap over them to stop debris going in. When the float is down the air flow goes through these vents on the front through the holes ( 1) and then to the airbrick which is at (8).

3 - These are the three floats. The hemisphere on top and the block below.

4 - This is a divider to stop the floats rubbing against each other. There are two between the three floats.

- This is a door on the front so the device can be accessed and clean if necessary.

6 - This is a handle to lift the door (5) with.

7 - This is a hole at the bottom to let water in so the float rises up in the device. There are three of these holes, one under each float (3).

8 - This is an open back which fits over the space on the wall where the airbrick is.

9 - This is a hole so the device can be secured to a wall with four bolts.

Sealant should also be put around the edge of the box so it has a water tight seal.

Claims

1. An automatic flood prevention device that prevents water entering the building ventilation system.

2. An automatic flood prevention device as in claim 1 operated by means of a float or floats.

3. An automatic flood prevention device as in claim I or claim 2 that can be fined over the ventilation or fixed in place of the ventilation brick.

4. An automatic flood prevention device as in claim 1 that uses a float or floats as in claim 2 to seal off the ventilation orifice.

5. An automatic flood prevention device as in claim 1 which houses a float or floats as in claim 2.

6. An automatic flood prevention device as in claim 1 with a housing system as in claim 5 which raises the ventilation orifice allowing the device as in claim 1 to operate with zero clearance level beneath the ventilation orifice (as in figure 3 raising the orifice from the level of 7 at the bottom of the device up to 1).