GB2588834A

GB2588834A - A cavity weep hole duct made of metal

Info

Publication number: GB2588834A
Application number: GB1916812.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Irwin Anthony
Original assignee: RYTONS BUILDING PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: RYTONS BUILDING PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2019-11-06
Filing date: 2019-12-09
Publication date: 2021-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2039-12-09
Also published as: GB2588834B; GB201916812D0; GB201916157D0; GB201916811D0

Abstract

The cavity weep hole duct has a unitary body structure 2 with vertical 4 and horizontal 6 drainage channels extending along the vertical and horizontal edges respectively of the body, the body being made of metal. The vertical channel is formed by the vertical wall of the structure being open. The metal bay be A1 fire rated. The metal may be zinc. Also claimed is a method of manufacturing the duct comprising the process of die-casting. The weep hole duct may be used for drainage of water from within a masonry veneer or cavity wall. The weep hole duct may be triangular, circular, or rectangular. The horizontal channel may be formed by a closed horizontal base leading to a vertically aligned end aperture.

Description

A CAVITY WEEP HOLE DUCT MADE OF METAL

S Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a cavity weep hole duct that is made of metal.

Background of the Invention

Cavity weep hole ducts (referred to hereinafter as "cavity weeps") are used in building construction and are used for drainage of water from within a structural assembly. They are typically found in a masonry veneer or cavity wall.

Typically, cavity weeps are formed as a triangular construction with a drainage channel. They sit within brickwork. In practice a cavity weep replaces a vertical mortar joint and is positioned on the mortar bed against the brick or block. They are typically spaced every four bricks to drain cavities below the damp proof course, and above lintels and cavity trays.

Known cavity weeps marketed and sold by the Applicant over many years generally comprise a triangular structure boundered by vertical and horizontal drainage channels.

The structure of a cavity weep needs to be cost effective and easy to manufacture but they also need to be robust and strong due to the conditions and surroundings of their use. Typically they are made from high-impact polystyrene.

Following a recent high-rise building fire in which a large number of the public perished, building regulations are being revised to improved the safety of building structures, particularly in terms of improved fire resistance. The change in regulations have caused the applicant to look at alternative materials for their building components, including their cavity weep.

Materials such as metal have, until recently, never been considered for such components due to the cost and complexity of manufacture.

Statement of invention

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a cavity weep hole duct having a unitary body structure with vertical and horizontal drainage channels extending along the vertical and horizontal edges respectively of the body, wherein the body is made from metal.

Preferably the metal is Al fire rated.

Preferably the body is made from zinc.

Preferably the body is manufactured by a process of die-casting

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 is a side view of a cavity weep hole duct constructed in accordance with the 20 invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the duct of figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the duct.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

The description refers to the orientation of the cavity weep structure as shown in the figures. In practice the cavity weep would be placed within a wall structure such that the vertical edge shown in the figures is orientated horizontally.

The cavity weep is formed as a hollow, generally triangular, structure 2. The structure 2 consists of vertical and horizontal drainage channels 4, 6 at either end of a generally triangular section 8. As previously described the structure have an alternative shape, such as circular or rectangular for example.

The structure 2 includes vertical and horizontal drainage channels 4, 6 extending along the vertical and horizontal edges respectively of the structure. The vertical drainage channel 4 is formed by the vertical wall of the structure being open. The horizontal channel 6 is formed by the closed horizontal base leading to a vertically aligned end aperture 8.

Typically the duct has a length of 101 mm, height of 66 mm and width of 10 mm.

The duct is virtually invisible when installed showing on a small weep outlet. The design is quick and easy to fit with no special brickwork required and the flush face maintains the aesthetic appearance of the building.

In the present application the weep consists of a single die-cast mould structure made from a fire-rated zinc metal. Preferably the metal is Al fire-rated zinc in accordance with European Commission paper 96/603/EC referred to in BS EN 13501-1:2018. The Al definition requires the duct to be non-combustible so to provide no contribution to fire.

To this end, molten zinc ingots are poured into a die mould.

The process of die-casting has a slow production time and requires significantly more rigorous quality monitoring than plastic injection moulding typically used for plastic cavity weeps. Nevertheless, the applicant is of the opinion that the safety benefits of producing a metal duct fabricated from Al fire-rated zinc metal outweighs the extra expense and complexity of manufacture.

The duct may be coated with a fire-rated RAL colour powder coating.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A cavity weep hole duct having a unitary body structure with vertical and horizontal drainage channels extending along the vertical and horizontal edges respectively of the body, wherein the body is made from metal.
2. A duct according to claim 1, wherein the metal is Al fire rated.
3. A duct according to claim 2, wherein the metal is zinc.
4. A method of manufacturing the duct of claim 1, comprising the process of die-casting.