GB2437096A

GB2437096A - Central heating radiator drainage receptacle

Info

Publication number: GB2437096A
Application number: GB0607258A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Charles Lupton; Ian Metcalfe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-11
Filing date: 2006-04-11
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-11
Also published as: GB2437096B; GB0607258D0

Abstract

A central heating radiator drainage receptacle comprises a container 1 having a straight side 2 with a recess 3 that permits the side of the receptacle to be fitted around pipework (9, fig 3) of a radiator (10) that emerges vertically from a floor and thereby permits the receptacle to be placed under the radiator (10) right up to a wall or other structure, upon which the radiator is supported. The receptacle may comprise of a further side having a scoop 4 with a recess 3 so that the receptacle can be positioned under the radiator (10) when the pipework (9) runs horizontally (fig 4). The recesses may be fitted with deformable compression seals 5 that close around the pipework, which may be of different sizes, to create a water resistant seal inside the recess and between the receptacle and the wall. The receptacle may have a handgrip 7 and a pouring spout 8 and may be manufactured from metal or plastics.

Description

CENTRAL HEATING RADIATOR DRAINAGE RECEPTACLE

The invention relates to a container of a novel design to enable the efficient drainage of a radiator that is part of a central heating system of a type commonly but not exclusively installed in domestic, industrial, commercial, healthcare and educational premises.

In such a system a boiler heats water and normally a pump circulates the water through interconnected pipework and radiators and back to the boiler.

Such radiators are typically mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall. General practice is for the main network of pipes to be installed underneath a floor with a pair of flow and return pipes rising from the floor to each radiator, to which they are connected, one at each bottom corner, by means of valves.

These valves control the flow of water into and out of the radiator and may be closed in order to isolate the radiator from the rest of the heating system. When the valves are closed it is possible to disconnect the radiator from them, thus permitting the radiator to be removed. Removal of a radiator is typically but not exclusively undertaken to provide access to the structure behind the radiator for maintenance of the heating system, redecoration of a building and maintenance or replacement of the radiator.

It is well known that a significant problem encountered when removing a radiator is how to manage the release of water when the connection with the valves is broken.

Because the outlets to which the valves are connected are normally positioned at the bottom of a radiator, gravity ensures that water escapes freely and uncontrollably once a radiator has been disconnected from a valve.

Collecting the contents of a radiator mounted in a typical location presents a practical difficulty in that the pipework and valves and the low height of a radiator make it impossible to position a container such as a bucket or bowl directly beneath an outlet. In particular, it is well known that a pipe rising directly from the floor to a valve prevents a conventional container from being placed underneath an outlet.

Spillage is therefore inevitable and a constant factor whenever radiator removal is undertaken and it is a source of concern for tradesmen and DIV enthusiasts alike.

Water spillage is not merely inconvenient, it can cause expensive damage to floors, floor coverings and wall coverings.

The only method available currently for protecting against damage from water spillage caused by the removal of a radiator is the careful positioning of rags and other protective materials beneath the radiator. There is no purpose-designed device that allows this procedure to be carried out in anything other than an ad hoc fashion.

An object of the invention is to provide a methodical, reliable and consistent means of capturing water released from a radiator.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a container with at least one straight side that has been formed to provide an integral full-height vertical recess into which a pipe protruding from the floor may fit.

This solution overcomes the obstruction presented by a pipe and allows the device to be positioned directly beneath an outlet. The device may be pushed against the surface on which the radiator is mounted to prevent water from running down behind the container.

The container may also incorporate a side with a top edge extended to create a scoop to project over a horizontal pipe that may be installed beneath a radiator. This projection may also have an integral pipe recess as described above. This feature ensures that the device may be positioned directly beneath the outlet of a radiator attached to a pipe that runs vertically downwards from a valve but which does not enter the floor but instead runs horizontally away from the radiator.

The scoop enables the device to be used where horizontal pipework would normally impede an ordinary container and allows it to be pushed back against a wall behind a radiator.

The container is made from metal or plastic material and may be fitted with a flexible seal made of a deformable waterproof material such as neoprene or rubber attached to the full length of the lip of a side incorporating a recess.

It is of particular significance that the seal is fitted around the top edge of the recess with the surfaces of the opposing parts of the seal in contact with each other.

In conjunction with the other novel features of the device, the seal is key to providing a watertight or water-resistant barrier between the container and the surface behind the radiator and in particular the deformable nature of the seal ensures that a water-resistant barrier can be obtained around any bore of pipe normally used in central heating systems.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1: shows a perspective view of the device FIGURE 2: is a plan view of the device FIGURE 3: shows the device positioned beneath a radiator valve where the pipe runs down from the radiator directly into the floor FIGURE 4: shows the device positioned beneath a radiator valve where the pipe does not descend directly to the floor but runs horizontally below the radiator As shown in Figure 1, the device comprises a container 1 of such depth that allows it to fit beneath a typical central heating radiator. The container 1 has a side 2 with an integral pipe recess 3 that allows the container to fit under a radiator by sliding round the pipes that are normally connected to each end of a radiator.

The top edge of the opposing side of the container has a projection that forms a scoop 4 with an integral pipe recess 3 that allows the device to fit over a pipe that does not run down into the floor directly below the valve but which runs horizontally beneath a radiator.

A deformable seal 5 is fitted to the container 1 to ensure a water-resistant fit around a pipe entering a pipe recess 3 and also between the device and a wall surface behind the radiator.

It is thus possible to locate the device in the correct position to collect all the water released from a radiator and the possibility of significant amounts of water spilling onto the surrounding floor surfaces is eliminated.

The base 6 of the container is flat to provide stability and the container 1 may incorporate a handgrip 7 to aid lifting when full and a pouring spout 8 for emptying the container.

Figure 2 shows how the deformable seal 5 allows pipe recess 3 to close around a pipe 9 and thus accommodate any size of pipe normally used in central heating systems and to allow for installations where the pipes do not run vertically from floor to valve. The seal 5 also deforms to counteract any irregularity in the surface of the structure on which the radiator is mounted, thus providing a barrier against any water that might splash behind the radiator.

Figure 3 shows the device in situ beneath a radiator 10 where a radiator pipe 9 typically runs directly from a radiator valve 11 to the floor and is enveloped by the seal 5 inside pipe recess 3. Pipe recess 3 is rendered water-resistant by the grip of the deformable seal 5.

Figure 4 shows the device in situ with scoop 4 and pipe recess 3 where a radiator pipe 9 first descends vertically from radiator valve 11 but then runs horizontally above floor level below scoop 4 and radiator 10.

Claims

CLAIMS

1 A central-heating radiator drainage receptacle that comprises a container with a straight side incorporating a recess so arranged to overcome an obstruction caused by pipework emerging from the floor and connected to a radiator's flow and return outlets, thus enabling the receptacle to be placed fully beneath a radiator and maximise the capture of drained fluid.

2 A receptacle as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the depth and length of the recess are so arranged to allow the side incorporating the recess to be positioned against a wall or other structure upon which the radiator is mounted.

3 A receptacle as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 which further comprises a side the top edge of which is so arranged to extend horizontally outwards to form a scoop that incorporates a recess, as defined in Claims 1 and 2, to allow the receptacle to be positioned beneath a radiator where pipes run horizontally to and from the radiator rather than directly to the floor as defined in Claim 1.

4 A receptacle as claimed in any preceding or proceeding claim wherein the sides of the container incorporating the recesses are fitted with deformable compression sealing devices so arranged to close on a pipe admitted into a recess to create a water-resistant seal inside the recess and also between the receptacle and the wall behind the radiator.

A receptacle as defined in any preceding or proceeding claim having a handgrip to aid lifting when the receptacle contains fluid.

6 A receptacle as defined in any preceding or proceeding claim having an integral spout to aid the emptying of fluid from the receptacle.

7 A receptacle as defined in any preceding or proceeding claim manufactured from any rigid or semi-rigid waterproof material including metals and plastics.

8 A receptacle substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.