GB2457225A

GB2457225A - Water deflection device for buildings

Info

Publication number: GB2457225A
Application number: GB0725390A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Mortimore Rose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-12-06
Filing date: 2007-12-06
Publication date: 2009-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-06
Also published as: GB2457225B; GB0725390D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a weather deflection device for buildings, sidewalks, bridges, sea shores and beaches, especially for protecting against hurricanes. The device comprises a main body having an arcuate shape, an inlet 6 for wind or water, at least three rotatable outlet nozzles 4b to deflect the wind or water outwards in three distinct directions and a skirt 3a and (3b figure 3) mounted at the inlet 6 to the device. At least one faceplate 7 is pivotly mounted inside the main body and is resiliently connected to a compression spring (7a figure 2). The three nozzles 4b are mounted on the top of the device and have their own inlets from a venturi shaped area (9 figure 2) within the body. The device is fastened to a building as a single unit or preferably as several units. As the wind or water enters the inlet 6 of the device the wind or water travels inwards forcing the faceplate (9 figure 2) against the compression spring (7a figure 2) thereby altering the cross section area of the cavity (9 figure 2) and altering the venturi effect of the device. The velocity of the wind or water is altered and exits out through the rotatable nozzles 4b at the top, preferably in the direction of the incoming wind or water.

Description

Anti-Hurricane Attacker

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTiON

1. Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates generally to deflection devices. More specifically, the application is a bad weather deflector for buildings, sidewalks, bridges, sea-shores and beaches used for the reduction of wind erosion and or water erosion, surge or wash over and gusts that often promote the development of dangerous and destructive eddy currents, shear or other such affects; usually causing immediate damage or eventual complete destruction. The Anti-Hurricane Attacker device is forthwith known as AHA.

2. Description of Related Art.

A number of different deflector devices or structures have been devised for the reducing of loadings against aircraft, cars, buildings and other structures susceptible to the adverse affects of bad weather syndrome. In most cases, aerodynamic designs have served to improve perfonnance and attempt to remedy the affects of bad conditions and or potential damage by pure deflection means. Nonetheless, bad weather interference has been documented as the prime cause for disasters over the many years of record taking. Whole structures have been destroyed because proper defense measures against bad weather syndrome were not considered important enough safety features or were so cost prohibitive so as to forgo their uses.

Conventional deflector devices have attempted to make improvements in the regard of safety by the redirection of the bad influence to reduce the apparent loading of the area affected; however, much improvement is still needed. Thus a deflection device as herein described is needed to not only reduce the loading on the affected area but also to reduce the amount of loading force being directed at the area. This is a significant differentiation.

I

Anti-Hurricane Attacker

Description of other related patents.

The Inventor notes that the U.S.P.T.O. has records of previous patents granted with similar wordings of: Hurricane and wind 815 records found Or Hurricane and water = 688 records found These are to be fully investigated as part of the thorough search process for actual patent filing; however, the first pass did not reveal anything significant to prevent this Utility filing.

As seen in the stated archives, most previous inventions merely act in a manner to re-direct (deflect) the oncoming or incoming wind or water away to a different direction.

The AHA is specifically designed to redirect the energy of the bad weather syndrome (wind and br water) back into the face of the incoming element. The Al-IA device incorporates several principles, which in incorporation of each other make for a sound weapon against bad weather syndrome. The law of physics in having to push against a reflective force is known through Newtons 2 and 3rd laws of motion and reaction, that of half mass times velocity squared (impact). In other words, the harder you push the incoming force, so will a proportionate force of passed resistance be accommodated. The feasibility is the use of that incoming energy against itself, with an mbuilt adaptive accelerator, thereby comparatively reducing that incoming force for however long and strong said force is. The design also incorporates two other aspects of physics in its operation, that of Hookes Law regarding the equilibrium to compression ratio of the springs holding the faceplate and the use of Bernoulli's principle of the venturi effect regarding pressure and velocity when the incoming force overcomes the faceplate to thrust upwards and exit the nozzles.

The AHA device is used for areas of protection against high-energy forces which other devices are not capable of, as found in dealing with Hurricanes or Tsunami events, facing both elements of water or wind or combination thereof.

Anti-Hurricane Attacker

3. Summary of the invention

The AHA device according to the invention is a relative bad weather deflector (wind and/or water) for various structures such as buildings, bridges, sidewalks, seashores and beaches and other like places or locations; in which it serves to reduce directly the bad weather syndrome by the reducing of the amount of effective incoming material affecting the specific area requiring safety from such damage or interference.

If the affects of hurricane Katrina could have been reduced by 25% or 10%, then obviously less damage would have resulted and substantial costs adverted in repair or replacements of materials so affected by such weathering action.

The A}IA has an angular accurate three dimensional design, consisting of front face and two sides (shell) having an internal cavity for the intake, passing and onward passage to exhaust the deflection of the bad weather syndrome to reduce loadings on the various applicable structures/places (bridges, buildings, sidewalks, seashores or beaches).

At least one faceplate is disposed within the cavity on top and bottom portions of the AHA for attachment with an interior wall portion of the device. The top portion of the faceplate is secured by at least one cantilevered spring member. The bottom portion of the faceplate is fastened by at least two mechanical fasteners such as stem and bolt fasteners and may be optionally fastened by welding or other bonding to a roll bar.

The special aerodynamic design structure of the AHA disperses relative wind or water in at least three directions.

At least one skirt attachment (front or side) is of a set size, selection from an optional choice. The size is accordingly used to set the angle of incoming force attack in the relationship to the internal faceplate.

Accordingly, it is the principle object of the invention to provide a bad weather syndrome (wind or water) reducing the attack loading by directly deflecting returning force against the incoming force.

It is a secondary object of this invention to provide an anti-bad weather syndrome deflector, which reduces relative wind or water by redirection force in other distinct directions.

It is an object of the invention to provide anti-bad weather syndrome deflector that can be produced in various materials resistant to elements of wind or water in various metallic bases, composite materials or plastic moldings thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an anti-bad weather syndrome deflector that requires minimum number of fasteners for easy installation or later removal.

Anti-Hurricane Attacker It is an object of the invention to provide an anti-bad weather syndrome that has improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, simple, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purpose.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specifications and associative drawings.

4. Brief Description of the Drawings.

The present invention is directed to a bad weather syndrome deflector for reducing adverse loadings. The preferred visual embodiments of the present invention are depicted in Figs. attached. Fig. I & Fig. 2 being a side elevation viewed from the left, Fig. 3 showing internal areas, being the front elevation, Fig. 4 being the top elevation and Fig. 5 demonstrating possible environmental settings for AHA placements. The references for

descriptions are as follows:

Top fastener IA Bottom fastener I B Back plate 2 Adj. Fix points skirts 2B Angled member body 3 Side skirt 3A Front skirt 3B lop plate 4 Swivel housing 4A Outlet nozzle 4B Outlet exhaust area 5 Inlet mouth area 6 Faceplate (internal) 7 Spring member (internal) 7A Faceplate pivot (internal) 7B Spring anchor (internal) 7C Cavity (internal) 8 Venturi action area (internal) 9 Section dividers (internal) 10 Section fix point (internal) I OA Compression area (internal) 11 Hookes Law effect 12 Newtons Law effect 13 Bernoulli Law effect 14 Bad weather attack direction 15 Impact zone 16 Deflection zone 17 Anti Hurricane Attacker 5. Detailed Description of the preferred embodiments The embodiment of the present invention will be described below, utilizing the Figs 1-4 accordingly; the numerals from the references will be assigned appropriately to each figure but may not appear on all Figs., for sake of reading clarity.

The operation of the invention in a basic run through of workings. The invention as stated Will be positioned in the direct pathways of the incoming bad weather syndrome (15), where the capture of some of those elements from that force are now into the Inlet area (6), the side skirts (3A) direct the force upwards into the lower cavity area underneath the faceplate (7) which is being held in the lower position of closed, by the spring member (7A). With the overcoming force of the elements pushing the faceplate upwards, said force enters the internal cavity (8) and is being pushed against the faceplate (7) and it forces its self past the faceplate, Hookes law applies here (12), the narrow passage causes the area to be the Venturi effect (9) where Bernoulli law (14) is in effect, changing the pressure into velocity of the element force (15) further upwards to the top plate (4) having the swivel housing (4A) containing the nozzles (4B). The element force exits the cavity through the nozzles, which point in set direction, causing the outlet area (5) to now come into contact with the oncoming elements (15) causing the zone of impact (16) and the law of Newton (13) regarding impact affecting the onslaught by reduction of the bad weather syndrome by pushing back against the incoming elements.

The construction of the present invention is shown in the Figs. 1-4 accordingly. In looking at Fig.3, the front elevation of the AHA. It can be clearly seen the shell or angled arcurate body (3), which is affixed to the back plate (2) by welding, or other methods of bonding. It is currently expected that this be larger in flat surface area than the device, as it will have to be affixed to the area of protection by fasteners in locations (1 A and 1 B) accordingly, by use of bolt or rigid screw. A larger version may require additional fasteners to be so placed on the back plate. The angled body will sit in the uppermost part of the back plate, allowing the application of additional skirts, side left and side right (3A) and that of the front (3B) to come down but not exceed the length of said back plate.

The skirts are different sizes for the reason of creating the angle of attack from the direct oncoming force striking against the faceplate change from the 30 degrees to 90 degrees.

This setting of skirt will be dependent upon the air or wave conditions being experienced in that particular placement zone, and can be easily changed out if previous sized skirts not rendering correct amount of effective element force upwards into the faceplate and cavity.

Furthermore, in looking at Fig 3, the internal cavity can house two internal dividers, (10) making separate cavities (chutes) for each nozzle (4B). It would be a design feature to have a faceplate for each section, being important when dealing with wave frequency and angles thereof that strike the AHA, because the shift may cause one side to be taking in more elements of bad weather syndrome than the other and therefore allows for non uniform passage of incoming/outgoing forces. The dividers are of durable material, yet simple strips bonded or welded to the back plate (1 OA) accordingly and are of such shape to fit and seal the intended cavity.

Anti Hurricane Attacker Left blank.

Claims

Anti Hurricane Attacker 6. Claims 1. An anti hurricane attack (AHA) device having an arcuate dimensional shape, made up of angled main body, with additional different sized skirts and comprises a cavity, an inlet and an outlet for permitting the flow of wind or water and deflecting same outwards in three distinct directions, the shape is rigidity disposed upon a back plate, said AHA further comprises: At least one faceplate disposed on a first and second interior surface position of the back plate within the cavity of the shape.

The first interior surface further comprises at least one housing for compression means (spring) for moveably attaching said faceplate thereto, The second interior surface further comprises at least two pivotal means for pivotal movement of said faceplate within the cavity of the Al-IA device, At least three separate nozzles disposed on the top plane of the Al-IA device (having own inlet from area of venturi and to nozzle to outer environment) sat within a universal housing, The universal housing being a swivel of pivotal means, allowing the nozzle to be rotated in a manner of forwards, backwards and sideways, rendering different directional outflow, A fastening means for securely fastening the AHA device to a structure or placement for deflecting wind or water in different multiple directions
2. The Al-IA device according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means nut and bolt or rigid screw affixation of the back plate to a fix point on planned area of protection.
3. The Al-IA according to claim 1, wherein the faceplate is fixed to the back plate at an angle defined as -j' defmed by an axis parallel to a front surface, wherein said front surface comprises the first and second interior surfaces for the pivotal and compression means.
4. The AHA according to claim 3, wherein the faceplate is affixed by and to the first and second interior surfaces by means of one or more spring rods at top most portion (according to the strength of force capability off of the back plate housing) and pivotal holding bolt at bottom most portion.
5. The AF1A according to claim 3, wherein the faceplate is attached to the back plate at an angle of "-wherein angle is at least between 0 > < 50 degrees.
6. The AHA according to claim I, wherein the nozzle is affixed to the main body by a swivel housing unit permitting universal angular movement of said nozzle, movement is at an angle of -, wherein said angle is operable between at least 0> -<50 degrees.
7. The Al-IA according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle-housing unit is attached to the main body at the top most portion of the shell.
8. The AMA according to claim 5, wherein the faceplate is affixed to the back plate provides a variable Ventura depending upon the inflow forces pressured against said faceplate.

Anti Hurricane Attacker Claims continued
9. The AHA according to claim 5, wherein the faceplate affixed to the back plate, will cause an area of variable compression by resisting against the stronger inflow forces pressured against said faceplate, thereby causing a jet stream of incoming material into the cavity.
10. The AHA according to claim 5, wherein the Ventura effect will cause pressure and volume of incoming material to cause velocity increase of the ejected material from cavity through nozzles.
11. The AHA according to claim 1, wherein has affixed side and front skirts, added to main body, will cause an area known as the mouth or inlet to have variable size.
12. The AHA according to claim 1, wherein has ability to accommodate various sized skirts for side and front affixation to main body, will cause the angle of attack to have variable angled force striking against the faceplate, wherein angle is operable between at least 0> -90 degrees.
13. The AHA according to claim 1, wherein has the ability to accommodate one of more faceplates, according to the optional feature of utilizing internal section dividers.
14. The AHA according to claim 1, wherein said AHA is constructed of weather conditions durable materials.
15. The Al-IA according to claim 14, wherein said AHA is constructed of metallic, composites or plastic material.
16. The AHA according to claim 1, wherein the device be affixed to a structure, maybe installed at time of high risk and removed once danger period has ceased.
17. The AHA according to claim 1, wherein the device can be made of differing sizes and dimension, thereby permits multiples to be placed in situ.