GB2458211A

GB2458211A - Flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2458211A
Application number: GB0904215A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Alexander Deschamps
Original assignee: METMAX Ltd
Current assignee: METMAX Ltd
Priority date: 2008-03-11
Filing date: 2009-03-11
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Also published as: GB0904215D0

Abstract

A flood barrier 10 comprises a U-shaped frame 16 for receiving a, preferably planar, gate 16. A separate, elongate seal 28 is removably mountable in an operative position in the zone adjacent the gate. The seal may be inflatable or a solid elongate body of resiliently flexible material. The U shaped frame comprises a first 18 and second 20 substantially parallel members and a link member 22 extending between opposed ends of the parallel members, each of the member made from flat bar sections. The seal may be held in place using a removable member. A handle may be provided for lifting the panel out of the frame. A kit of parts and a method of sealing a doorway is also claimed. The method comprising securing the frame, sliding the gate into place and inserting the seal into the frame adjacent to the gate. There is a further independent claim for an elongate seal for a flood barrier.

Description

1 2458211

FLOOD BARRIER

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a flood barrier for an opening in a wall, such as an opening in a wall of a building, which opening is openable and closable by a door. The invention also relates to a flood barrier kit, a seal for a flood barrier and a method of sealing at least part of an opening defined in a wall of a dwelling.

Flood barriers for domestic use are known in the art. However, many of the known barriers for use at a door of a house or dwelling are intricate devices, relatively difficult to install and to operate, and often also unnecessarily expensive.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative flood barrier and associated method with which the applicant believes the aforementioned disadvantages may at least be alleviated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a flood barrier comprising; -a U-shaped frame comprising first and second substantially parallel members and a link member extending between opposed ends of the parallel members; -the frame defining a gate receiving zone for slidingly and removably receiving a liquid tight gate from a region of the frame opposite to the link; and -a seal in the zone adjacent the gate.

The seal is preferably separate, manually manipulatable and removably mountable in an operative position in the zone adjacent the gate.

The seal may be elongate and resiliently flexible. The seal may comprise an elongate inflatable tube of a flexible material. Alternatively, the seal may comprise a solid elongate body of a resiliently flexible material.

The first and second parallel members and the link member may comprise respective flat bar sections.

In one embodiment, each of the members may further comprise respective right-angled sections. One leg of the right-angled section may extend perpendicularly to the flat bar section and another leg of the right-angled section may extend parallel to the flat bar section, so that the zone is defined by a clearance between the flat bar section and the other leg of the right-angled section In another embodiment, the members may comprise elongate stepped sections.

Each section may comprise a first part, a transverse part and a second part extending parallel to the first part and away from the transverse part in a direction opposite to the first part.

The sections may be formed integrally from any suitable material such as a metal or a plastics material.

The gate may comprise a planar sheet having a thickness less than the aforementioned clearance. The sheet may be substantially rectangular in configuration having opposed sides and opposed ends. A handle may be provided towards one of said opposed sides. Suitable reinforcing formations may be provided on the sheet.

The gate may comprise a removable member for holding the seal in position.

The invention also includes within its scope a seal as herein defined and/or described.

Yet further included within the scope of the invention is a flood barrier kit comprising: -U-shaped frame comprising first and second substantially parallel members and a link member extending between opposed ends of the parallel members; -the frame defining a gate receiving zone for slidingly and removably receiving a liquid tight gate from a region of the frame opposite to the link; and -a seal in the zone adjacent the gate.

Still further included within the scope of the present invention is a method of sealing at least part of an opening defined in a wall of a dwelling, the method comprising the steps of: -utilizing a frame permanently installed at the opening and which frame defines a gate receiving zone; -removably inserting the gate into the gate receiving zone; and -removably mounting an elongate seal in an operative position in the zone adjacent the gate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DIAGRAMS

The invention will now further be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein: figure 1 is a diagrammatic exploded perspective view of one example embodiment of a flood barrier according to the invention from one side of the flood barrier; figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view from the outside of an opening in a wall and a frame of the flood barrier in exploded form, figure 3 is a view similar to figure 2 with the frame secured to the wall; figure 4 is a similar view with a gate of the flood barrier in position in the frame; figure 5 is a perspective view of the barrier from an opposite side showing a retaining means for a seal of the barrier in exploded form, figure 6 is a section on line VI in figure 4; figure 7 is a view similar to figure 6, illustrating an alternative installation configuration; figure 8 is a sectional view from above of an alternative example embodiment of the barrier, configured to be mounted in a passage; figure 9(a) is a similar sectional view of yet another example embodiment of the barrier; and figure 9(b) Is a similar view of still another example embodiment of the barrier

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A flood barrier according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 in figures 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 to 9(b).

As best shown in figure 6, the flood barrier 10 may be used at an opening 12 in a wall 14, such as at an entrance to a house or dwelling, to stop a body of water on the outside 62 of the house from entering the house through the opening 12.

Referring to figure 1, the flood barrier 10 comprises a U-shaped frame 16 comprising first and second substantially parallel members 18 and 20. A link member 22 extends between opposed ends of the parallel members. The frame 16 defines a gate receiving zone 24 for slidingly and removably receiving a gate 26 from a region of the frame opposite to the link. A seal 28 is located in the zone adjacent the gate. Preferably, the seal 28 comprises an elongate, manually manipulatable member, which is manually an removably mountable in the zone adjacent to the gate.

In one example embodiment, the first member 18, second member 20 and link member 22 comprise a respective flat bar section. Welded to each of the flat bar sections are respective right-angled sections 30, 32 and 34. In each case, a first leg 36 of the right-angled section is welded to the flat bar section to extend perpendicularly thereto and another leg 38 of the right-angled section extends parallel to the flat bar section and towards an inside of the U-shaped frame, thereby to define the gate receiving zone 24 in the form of a clearance 40 in a channel between the flat bar sections on the one hand and the other legs of the right-angled members on the other hand. Stop elements 21 and 23 for the gate are provided at the distal ends of other legs 38 of the right-angled members 30 and 32.

The gate 26 comprises a sheet of a suitable material having a thickness I less than the aforementioned clearance. The gate has opposed parallel ends 26.1 and 26.2 and opposed parallel sides 26.3 and 26.4. Corners between side 26.3 and the ends may be radiussed. A handle 50 is provided towards side 26.4 and terminates short of the opposed ends 26.1 and 26.2, so that shoulder formations 25, 27 are formed on side 26.4 and towards the aforementioned ends. Suitable reinforcement formations (not shown, but typically in the form of integral ribs) may be provided on the gate.

The seal 28 may comprise a suitable length of an elongate, resiliently flexible body. The body may comprise an inflatable tube of a flexible material. In other embodiments, the body 28 may be solid and resiliently flexible. For example, the seal may comprise a solid tube of a resiliently flexible material such as rubber or a suitable plastic material. The tube may be circular or substantially circular in transverse cross section.

Referring to figure 2, the frame 16 is permanently secured to the outside of wall 14, in a region adjacent an underside of the opening 12. The frame is so secured by means of bolts 52 extending through the flat bar sections 18, 20 and 22 and into the wall. The installed frame is shown in figure 3. It will be appreciated that the removable gate 26 is used only in the event of an expected rise of a water level on the outside of the wall 14 and opening 12.

In such an event, the gate is slidingly inserted into the region 24 as shown in figure 3 until it reaches the position shown in figure 4. The shoulder formations and 27 abut against the stop elements 21 and 23. The seal 28 is inserted between the gate 26 and the flat bar sections 18, 20 and 22. The seal may be so inserted manually and/or with the aid of a tool (not shown) such as paddle or the like.

In figure 5 the barrier 10 is shown from the inside of the dwelling. Threaded stubs 54 are provided on an inside face of the sheet 26 and a U-shaped frame formation 56 for the seal may removably be mounted by wing-nuts 58 cooperating with stubs 56 on the inside face of the sheet 26, to keep the seal 28 in place, either by providing an inner abutment surface and/or by clamping the seal onto the sheet 26.

As best illustrated in figure 6, the gate 26 in the frame 16 forms a watertight barrier to a body 60 of water on the outside 62 of the wall 14. Once the level of the body has fallen to below an upper lip of the element 34, the gate may be removed by manually gripping the gate by the handle 50 and sliding the gate out of the zone 24.

In the event of a further rise in the level, the gate is reinserted as hereinbefore described.

It will be appreciated that there are many variations in detail on the barrier according to the invention as herein defined and/or described without departing

from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

For example, in figure 7 there is shown the barrier 10 with the link member 22 mounted in a cut groove 64 in the floor 66, so that an upper lip of member 34 is substantially flush with the floor.

In figure 8, the barrier 10 is mounted in a passage 74 between opposed walls 72 and 75. In this embodiment the gate receiving zone 24 is defined between two substantially parallel webs 76 and 78 on a flat bar 80. The webs 76 and 78 may be formed integrally with the flat bar or may be secured thereto, for example by welding. The flat bar 80 may be secured to the wall 75, for example by suitable bolts (not shown) or the like.

In the embodiment in figure 9(a), the door frame 100 is of a plastics material.

The U-shaped member comprises parallel elongate stepped members 102 and 104 and a similarly stepped link member (not shown) extend between opposed ends of the parallel members. Each stepped member comprises a first flat part 106, a transverse part 108 and a second flat part 110. The first and second flat parts extend substantially parallel to one another so that when the first part abuts against frame 100, the gate receiving zone 24 is defined between the frame 100 and the second part 110. The seal 28 is mounted between the gate 26 and the second part 110.

The embodiment shown in figure 9(b) is similar to the embodiment of figure 9(a), except that the seal 28 is mounted between the frame 100 and the gate 26.

The flood barrier as herein defined and/or described, may be provided in kit form, including a kit for do-it-yourself purposes or applications.

Claims

Claims 1. A flood barrier comprising: -a U-shaped frame comprising first and second substantially parallel members and a link member extending between opposed ends of the parallel members; -the frame defining a gate receiving zone for slidingly and removably receiving a liquid tight gate from a region of the frame opposite to the link; and -a seal in the zone adjacent the gate.
2. A flood barrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seal is separate and removably mountable in an operative position in the zone adjacent the gate.
3. A flood barrier as claimed in claim 2 wherein the seal comprises an elongate inflatable tube of a flexible material.
4. A flood barrier as claimed in claim 2 wherein the seal comprises a solid elongate body of a resiliently flexible material.
5. A flood barrier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the first and second parallel members and the link member comprise respective flat bar sections.
6. A flood barrier as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of the members further comprise respective right-angled sections, one leg of the right-angled section extending perpendicularly to the flat bar section and another leg of the right-angled section extending parallel to the flat bar section, so that the zone is defined by a clearance between the flat bar section and the other leg of the right-angled section.
7. A flood barrier as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of the members comprise elongate stepped sections, each section comprising a first part, a transverse part and a second part extending parallel to the first part and away from the transverse part in a direction opposite to the first part.
8. A flood barrier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein each member is formed integrally from any suitable material.
9. A flood barrier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the gate comprises a planar sheet.
10. A flood barrier as claimed in claim 9 wherein the sheet is substantially rectangular in configuration having opposed sides and opposed ends, wherein a handle is provided towards one of said opposed sides and reinforcing formations are provided on the sheet.
11. A flood barrier as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 10 wherein the gate comprises a removable member for holding the seal in the operative position.
12. A seal for a flood barrier comprising an elongate resiliently flexible body.
13. A flood barrier kit comprising: -a U-shaped frame comprising first and second substantially parallel members and a link member extending between opposed ends of the parallel members; -the frame defining a gate receiving zone for slidingly and removably receiving a liquid tight gate from a region of the frame opposite to the link; and -a seal in the zone adjacent the gate.
14. A method of sealing at least part of an opening defined in a wall of a dwelling, the method comprising the steps of: -utilizing a frame permanently installed at the opening and which frame defines a gate receiving zone; -removably inserting the gate into the gate receiving zone; and -removably mounting an elongate seal in an operative position in the zone adjacent the gate.
15. A flood barrier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.
16. A seal for a flood barrier substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.
17. A flood barrier kit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.
18. A method of sealing at least part of an opening defined in a wall of a dwelling substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.