GB2545209A

GB2545209A - Flood barrier apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: GB2545209A
Application number: GB1521649.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Walmsley Peter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-12-09
Filing date: 2015-12-09
Publication date: 2017-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2035-12-09
Also published as: GB201521649D0; GB2545209B; GB2545209B8

Abstract

A flood barrier apparatus 1 comprises one or more adjustable-width bracing frames 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37 which can be propped against the sides 2 of a vertical aperture, such as a door or window opening. The apparatus also comprises an adjustable-width barrier assembly 20 for fitting between the side surfaces of the opening, with the barrier assembly including means for mounting on the bracing frame. Urging means 24, 28 and 23, 29 are used to force panels 21, 22 against the sides of the opening. The barrier plates 21, 22 comprise sealing edges 251 and 252. The device can include plate engagement means 26, 27 for retaining the panels in a parallel, sliding configuration where the panels may overlap. A bottom edge seal 25b may be provided, as well as supplementary urging means. A deployment method for the flood barrier is also described.

Description

Flood barrier apparatus and method

The present invention relates to a temporary flood barrier which can be adjustably fitted to openings in vertical structures such as walls. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an adjustable-width flood barrier apparatus which can be fitted in a doorway, gateway or window opening of a building or similar structure, so as to prevent or reduce the ingress of flood water through the opening.

Background of the invention

Flooding is a constant concern for residents and local authorities in low-lying regions. The unpredictable and infrequent nature of some flood risk means that it is difficult and costly to provide effective flood prevention measures to all households which may potentially be affected. Traditionally, temporary flood defences have been provided in the form of sandbags, for example. However, the bags and sand are costly to transport and inconvenient for domestic households to store.

Prior art

It has been proposed to provide an adjustable flood barrier constructed from two panels or plates which can be fitted in a doorway and clamped together using bolts, thereby sealing the assembly against the floor and sides of the doorway. Such an arrangement is depicted in figures 1 and 2 of the drawings appended to this description. The prior art solution is mechanically simple, but such a barrier has a small adjustment range, because the panels 3 and 4 must share a large overlap area to give the barrier 1 sufficient strength to withstand the forces exerted by the weight of flood water against it. The strength of such a barrier is determined by the material of the panels 3 and 4, and the strength of the bolts 7. This kind of barrier is virtually impossible to install if flood water is already pouring through the opening, because it cannot easily be held in place while the installer attempts to brace its panels 3, 4 against the side surfaces 8,9 of the opening 2. The rigid nature of the assembled, bolted barrier panels means that, even if the installer is able to achieve a significant lateral force bracing the panels 3 and 4 against the side surfaces 8 and 9, the barrier is no longer adjustable once installed. This kind of device is thus principally suitable for use in openings which have doorjambs or similar fixed features against which the flood barrier 1 can be placed so as to provide the necessary strength for resisting the pressure of the flood water. As a result, the prior art barrier is principally suitable for fitting outside a door leaf, and is not suitable for fitting in a doorway with an outward-opening leaf. Furthermore, the pressure of flood water against such a prior art barrier acts to urge the panels 3 and 4 apart as the barrier begins to bend or give, which may quickly result in a reduction in the lateral bracing force, whereupon the sealing effect provided by edging strips 5 will be reduced. When this happens, the lateral bracing force cannot easily be adjusted to improve the seal with side surfaces 8, 9.

There is thus a need for a flood barrier which can be easily transported, which is quick and easy to install in a wide variety of sizes and configurations of openings, which provides strong, reliable flood withstanding capacity without relying on the support of doorjambs or the like, which can be adjusted in situ, even during flooded conditions, and which can be fitted inside or outside a door leaf without altering the weight-bearing capacity of the barrier.

Brief description of the invention

The invention aims to overcome at least some of the above and other difficulties inherent in the prior art. In particular, the invention aims to provide a flood barrier apparatus as set out in appended claim 1, and a barrier-deployment method as set out in appended claim 15. Further variants of the apparatus and method of the invention are described in dependent claims 2 to 14 and 16 and 17. By separating the bracing and barrier functions, a barrier according to the invention can provide a much stronger, more adaptable adjustable-width barrier, which can nevertheless be easily stored, transported and deployed.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention and its advantages will be explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show front elevation and plan views of a prior art adjustable flood barrier apparatus as mentioned above.

Figure 3 shows an example of a flood barrier apparatus according to the invention.

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show schematic representations of three cross-sections of the example apparatus of figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a schematic rear elevation view of the example apparatus of figure 3.

Figure 6 shows in schematic plan view a variant of a barrier assembly for use with a flood barrier apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 7 shows in schematic plan view an example of how the flood barrier apparatus of figure 3 can be fitted between doorjambs.

Figure 8 shows in schematic plan view a further example variant of a food barrier apparatus according to the invention.

The drawings are intended merely as exemplary illustrations, for the purpose of understanding certain principles underlying the invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Where the same reference numerals are used in different drawings, these reference numerals are intended to refer to the same or corresponding features. However, the use of different reference numerals should not necessarily be taken as an indication that the referenced features differ in any particular respect.

Referring to the example shown in figures 3, 4a, 4b, 4c and 5, an adjustable flood barrier 1 is shown fitted in an opening 2, such as a doorway, formed between two opposite side surfaces 8 and 9. The barrier 1 comprises two assemblies: an impermeable, width-adjustable barrier assembly 20 on the front, flood-facing side of the barrier 1 (towards the top of figure 3) and a width-adjustable bracing frame assembly 30 on the rear side of the barrier 1 away from the flood-facing side. The barrier assembly 20 of this example comprises two overlapping barrier panels or plates 21 and 22. This overlapping panel arrangement is similar to the barrier 1 shown in figures 1 and 2, with the exception that the overlapping panels 21 and 22 are not clamped together by bolts when the flood barrier 1 is in use. The panels 21, 22 are retained in slidable engagement by means of protrusions 27 on the front side of the rear panel 21 (also referred to as the first panel), which engage with a corresponding longitudinal slider channel 26 let into the rear surface of the front panel 22 (also referred to as the second panel). The panel engagement means (eg protrusions 27 and slider channel 26) are designed to keep the panels 21, 22 in parallel contact, or near-contact, with each other, but without impeding the panels' ability to slide past each other in the lateral direction. As will be discussed below, the engagement means 26, 27 do not need to be strong enough to provide rigid support against the weight of flood water pressing against the front surface of the barrier assembly, because all or most of the load can be transferred to the bracing frame assembly behind. Note that the lateral direction refers to a direction along a horizontal axis extending directly across the opening 2 between the first and second sides 8 and 9. Each of the panels 21 and 22 is preferably provided with a sealing strip 25i, 25z along its vertical outer side edge, and this strip is designed to be pressed against one of the side surfaces 8 or 9 of the opening 2 so as to form a substantially watertight seal to prevent flood water from flowing around the edges of the barrier assembly. As shown in figures 4a, 4b, 4c and 5, a similar seal 25b is preferably also provided along the bottom edges of the panels 21, 22. A further urging means (not illustrated in the figures) may be provided to exert a downward urging force on each of the panels 21, 22, by pressing against the bracing frame assembly 30, so as to press the bottom seal 25b against the bottom surface of the opening 2.

As shown in figures 3, 4a, 4c and 5, further seals 253 and 244 are arranged along the opposite (inner) vertical side edges of the first and second panels 21, 22. One or both of the seals 253 and 244 may be present, in order to provide a seal between the panels 21, 22 to prevent water from flowing between the panels. Thus the panels 21, 22 may be separated by a small gap to facilitate the slidable engagement described above, without allowing water ingress. The bottom seal 25b is similarly arranged to provide a seal between the two bottom edges of the panels 21, 22. The seals may comprise an elastically-compressible elastomeric strip, for example, such as can be used for vehicle door seals. When in use, the bracing force causes the strip to spread and press against the neighbouring surface (eg the face of a neighbouring panel, or the bulge of a neighbouring seal strip) to further improve the sealing effect. Note that the sliding panel implementation described above is just one example of an adjustable-width barrier assembly which can be used in the invention. Other types of adjustable-width barrier assembly may be used in conjunction with the bracing frame assembly and urging means of the invention which will be described below.

The barrier assembly 20 is located and held in place on a bracing frame assembly 30, in this example by means of two brackets 23, 24, which hook over the bracing frame assembly 30. The bracing frame assembly 30 provides a rigid support, firmly braced between the side surfaces 8, 9, for the barrier assembly 20. In this example, the bracing frame assembly 30 comprises a rigid member 31, such as a length of square-section tubing, and at least one extensible bracing means for adjusting the width of the bracing frame assembly 30, and for generating the bracing force which braces the bracing frame firmly in position between the sides 8, 9 of the opening 2. In the example shown, the bracing frame assembly 30 comprises two extensible bracing means, each comprising a threaded rod 32, 35 and corresponding female threaded elements (eg nuts 34, 37, and/or internally threaded portions of the rigid element 31 - not shown). The threading on one bracing means may advantageously be left-handed and the other right-handed, so that the bracing can be carried out by simply turning the rigid element 31.

In the illustrated example, the bracing frame assembly is shown as comprising two separate horizontal bracing elements; an upper and a lower one, as shown in figures 4a, 4b, 4c and 5. However, the bracing frame assembly may alternatively be constructed as a single bracing frame, advantageously with two or more pairs of opposed extensible bracing means. Such a bracing frame could be configured as a scissor-frame, for example, with the bracing force being provided by vertically-oriented tensioning means acting on the scissor arms. Other bracing means may be used in place of the threaded rod and nut arrangement described above. A ratchet arrangement, for example with a rack and pinion, may be used. A quick release mechanism may be provided for quickly releasing the bracing and/or urging forces mentioned here, so that the barrier assembly 20 and/or the bracing frame assembly 30 may quickly removed from the opening 2.

Once the bracing frame assembly 30 is braced in the opening 2, the barrier assembly 20 is mounted on the bracing frame assembly 30, in this example by sliding slots 38 of mounting brackets 23, 24 over the threaded rods 32, 35. The slots 38 of the brackets 23, 24 are vertically elongated to permit a wide tolerance of vertical positioning of the bracing frame elements 30. Once mounted, the panels 21, 22 of the barrier assembly 20 can be braced against the sides 8, 9 using urging means 24, 28 and 23, 29, which exert a lateral force between the bracing frame (the threaded rods 32, 35 in this example) by turning tensioning nuts 28, 29 so as to press against brackets 23, 24. In this example, the threaded rods 32, 35 advantageously provide the support for both the bracing means of the bracing frame assembly 30 and the urging means of the barrier assembly 20. However, the functions of bracing and urging functions against the bracing frame assembly could be provided by separate elements. A spacer element 19 is also shown in the figures, and may be required to provide support for the barrier assembly 20 by transferring load to the bracing assembly 30 if there is a gap between the barrier and bracing assemblies 20, 30, as in the illustrated example.

Figure 6 shows an alternative to the protrusions 27 and channel 26 of figures 3 to 5. In this variant, the two panels are held together in slidable engagement by rods 13, which each have one end secured to one panel (22 in this case) and are each inserted into a tube or channel 14 in the other panel 21. Such an arrangement has the advantage that a greater overlap range can be achieved. The rod can in principle be fixed to the panel 22 at its outside edge, near strip 252, and extend almost the full width of the panel 22. In this way, the barrier assembly can be arranged to operate with just a very small overlap and a very large width-adjustment range. Since the net loading on the barrier assembly 20 due to the weight of flood water can be virtually zero, or very small, thanks to the load transfer to the bracing frame assembly 30, it is of little structural significance that the small overlap can withstand very little perpendicular load.

Figure 7 shows how the separate bracing frame assembly 30 and barrier assembly 20 can be installed with different widths. In the illustrated example, the bracing frame assembly 30 is fitted between doorjambs 10 and 11, just in front of door leaf 12, for example, while the barrier assembly 20 is fitted between the surfaces 8, 9 of the walls of the opening 2.

Figure 8 shows a variant of a barrier 1 according to the invention, in which the barrier assembly 20 comprises multiple panels (in this case three: 21, 22, 40). As with the previously-described variant, the two outer panels 21, 22 are urged against the side surfaces 8, 9 by urging means which act against the bracing frame assembly 30. The variant is not limited to three panels, and can be extended to use as many panels as required to cover the width of the opening 2. The panels, the urging means and the retaining means can advantageously be constructed such that the panels are identical and interchangeable.

Claims

1. Flood barrier apparatus (1) for fitting in an opening (2) of a vertical structure so as to resist ingress of flood water through the opening, the barrier apparatus (1) comprising: an adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) for being fitted between a first side surface (8) of the opening (2) and a second side surface (9) of the opening (2), opposite to the first side surface (2), so as to form a substantially water-tight barrier across at least a lower part of the opening (2) between the two side surfaces (8,9), characterised in that: the flood barrier apparatus (1) comprises at least one adjustable-width bracing frame assembly (30) configured for being fitted to and laterally braced between the first and second side surfaces (8, 9) of the opening (2); the barrier assembly (20) comprises mounting means for fitting the barrier assembly (20) to a flood-facing side of the bracing frame assembly (30); the flood barrier apparatus (1) comprises first urging means (24, 28) for exerting a first lateral urging force between a first element (21) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) and the bracing frame assembly (30), for thereby urging a first lateral sealing edge (25i) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) against the first side surface (8) of the opening (2); and the flood barrier apparatus (1) comprises second urging means (23, 29) for exerting a second lateral urging force, substantially opposite in direction to the first lateral urging force, between a second element (22) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) and the bracing frame assembly (30), for thereby urging a

2. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first element (21) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) comprises a first substantially impermeable barrier plate (21) comprising the first lateral sealing edge (251), and the second element (22) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) comprises a second substantially impermeable barrier plate (22) comprising the second lateral sealing edge (252), whereby the first and second barrier plates (21, 22) are arranged parallel to each other.

3. Apparatus (1) according to claim 2, comprising plate engagement means (13, 14, 26, 27) for retaining the first and second barrier plates (21, 22) in parallel lateral slidable engagement with each other.

4. Apparatus (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first and second barrier plates (21, 22) are arranged in slidable overlapping engagement with each other.

5. Apparatus (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first and second barrier plates (21, 22) are substantially coplanar, and wherein the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) further comprises a third barrier plate (40), parallel to the first and second barrier plates (21, 22) and in lateral slidable overlapping engagement with at least one of the first (21) and second (22) barrier plates.

6. Apparatus (1) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the first, second and third barrier plates (21, 22, 40) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly each comprise a bottom sealing edge (25b) for sealing against a bottom surface of the opening (2).

7. Apparatus (1) according to claim 6, comprising third, fourth and/or fifth urging means for each exerting a respective third, fourth and/or fifth urging force, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first and second lateral urging forces, between the first, second and/or third barrier plates (21, 22, 40) and the bracing frame assembly (30), so as to urge the bottom sealing edge (25b) of the respective first, second and/or third barrier plate (21, 22, 40) against the bottom surface of the opening (2).

8. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first lateral edge (25i), the second lateral edge (252) and/or the bottom sealing edge (25b) comprise an elastically compressible seal strip which is thicker than the plate thickness of the respective first, second or third barrier plate (21, 22, 40) when compressed by the respective urging force, causing the respective seal edge strip (25i, 252, 25b) to press against the overlapping first, second or third barrier plate (21, 22, 40) or against the bottom seal edge strip (25b) of the adjacent overlapping barrier plate (21, 22, 40).

9. Apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bracing frame element (30) comprises: a substantially rigid element (31) for being arranged laterally across a medial width portion of the opening along a horizontal width axis of the opening (2) extending between the first and second sides (8, 9), first extensible bracing means (32, 33, 34) for bracing between the rigid element 31 and the first side surface (8), second extensible bracing means (35, 36, 37) for bracing laterally between the rigid element 31 and the second side surface (9).

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first extensible bracing means (32, 33, 34) comprises a first threaded rod (32) and further comprises a female-threaded nut element (34) and/or a first female threaded part of the rigid element (31), and wherein the second extensible bracing means (35, 36, 37) comprises a second threaded rod (35) and further comprises a female-threaded nut element (37) and/or a second female threaded part of the rigid element (31).

11. Apparatus according to one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the first extensible bracing means (32, 33, 34) and the first urging means (23, 28, 32) share a first common element (32), and/or wherein the second extensible bracing (35, 36, 37) means and the second urging means (23, 29 35) share a second common element (35).

12 Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first common element is the first threaded rod (32) and the first urging means (24, 28) comprises a third nut element (28) threaded on the first threaded rod (32), and the second common element is the second threaded rod (35), and the second urging means (23, 29) comprises a fourth nut element (29) threaded on the second threaded rod (35).

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first barrier plate (21) and the second barrier plate (22) comprise locating guide means (23, 24, 38) for, when the bracing frame assembly is braced in the opening, locating the first or second barrier plate (21, 22) in position for engagement with the respective first or second urging means (28, 29).

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein each of the locating guide means comprises a slotted bracket (23, 24, 38) for slotting over the respective first or second threaded rod (32, 35).

15. Method of deploying an adjustable-width flood barrier apparatus (1) in an opening (2) of a vertical structure so as to resist ingress of flood water through the opening (2), the method comprising: a first step of fitting an adjustable-width bracing frame assembly (30) laterally across the opening (2) between the first and second side surfaces (8, 9, 10, 11) of the opening (2), a second step of bracing the bracing frame assembly (30) against the side surfaces (8, 9,10,12) of the opening (2), a fourth step of tensioning a first barrier plate (21) of the barrier assembly (20) against the bracing frame assembly (30) so as to urge a first lateral sealing edge (25i) of the first barrier plate (20) against the first side surface (8) of the opening (2) and a fifth step of tensioning a second barrier plate (22) of the barrier assembly (20) so as urge a second lateral sealing edge (252) of the adjustable-width barrier assembly (20) against the second side surface (8) of the opening (2).

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the fourth and fifth steps are performed as one step.

17. A method according to one of claims 15 or 16, wherein the flood barrier apparatus (1) is an apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 14.