GB2277953A - Baffle arrangement in a rainwater system - Google Patents

Description

2277953 BAFFLE ARRANGEMENT IN A RAINWATER SYSTEM The subject-matter of the

invention is a baffle arrangement in a rainwater system for' trapping and retaining impurities.

So that impurities, floating on the surface of rainwater and waste water systems, can be retained, it is known to dip baffles, i.e. panel-like walls, into the surface of the waste water in the region of an overflow. In this way the floating impurities are retained by the baffle; however, water from lower areas can pass unhindered beneath the baffle and be discharged.

In addition to fixed baffles, which are fastened to the cover and wall of the structure, floating baffles are also known, which are supported by the waste water and dip into the fluid to a greater or lesser depth depending on their own weight.

If possible, the baffle should be disposed at a small spacing from the overflow wall, so that as few floatable substances as possible can rise through the rising water surface on the discharge side of the baffle and can thus be discharged.

When overflow walls are of an arcuate configuration, it is particularly difficult to incorporate the baffle at a small spacing from the overflow wall, because considerable inaccurate dimensions always occur in respect of the structure and, in consequence, have to be absorbed by the design of the baffle.

In consequence, the object of the present invention is to provide a baffle arrangement which permits a simple and economical assembly.

According to the present invention there is provided a baf f le arrangement in a rainwater system f or trapping and retaining impurities, in which the baf f le comprises at least two pivotally interconnected baf f le portions, and in which the baffle portions are mounted on guiding and retaining means.

Because of the pivotal connection of the baffle, which is divided into portions, all of the inaccurate dimensions of the structure and/or of the baffle are absorbed from the outset by the baffle. If the baffle is divided into a relatively large number of short portions, such portions can substantially accurately follow the configuration of the overflow wall, although the portions are of a rectilinear configuration. In such case, it is immaterial whether the overflow wall has a regular or irregular curvature. Linear expansions as a consequence of temperature variations, both of the structure and of the baffle, are absorbed by the baffle in a tension-free manner. The baffle arrangement of the invention may also be fastened to the structure without struts, which reduce the overflow cross-section at the inlet end. The baffle is supported by pipes, which are fastened to the cover and/or the walls and may simultaneously serve as vertically extending pivot axles for the individual, interconnected baf f le portions. Connecting struts for connection with the adjacent wall of the structure only serve to stabilise the position of the baffle. The baffle portions may be produced from various materials, such as metal or plastics material, and be fastened to the pivotal pipes in a simple manner. When telescopic retaining rods and floating baffle portions are used, only the baffle portions in fact dip into the inflowing water. It is also possible to fasten individual baffle portions at variable heights. The baffle portions can also be disassembled again at any time if alterations to the structure should become necessary.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of a rainwater system; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a baffle portion showing the end-face points of connection; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through a floating baffle with telescopic guide means; and Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of only a portion of a baffle having retaining means disposed at a spacing from the end faces of said baffle.

A waste water structure 1 is provided, of which only a portion is illustrated and which has a relief channel 3 and a relief tank 5, which are separated from each other by means of an overflow wall 7 having an overflow rim 9, and a baffle 11 is disposed in said structure at a mean spacing a from the overflow wall 7. The overflow wall 7 is of an arcuate configuration and, in consequence, the baffle 11 also follows the overflow wall 7 in a suitably similar arc.

The baffle 11 comprises a plurality of baffle portions 13. The connections between the individual baffle portions 13 are effected at the junctions 15, which are disposed at the end faces and permit a pivotal connection of the baffle portions 13, which abut one another. The junctions 15 may be constructed as f ollows (Fig. 3). Sleeves 19 are fastened to both end-face ends 17 of the panel-like baffle portions 13. The axial length 1 of the sleeves 19 corresponds, f or example, to half the height h of the baffle portions 13. The sleeves 19 are preferably connected to a fastening plate 23 by a weld seam 21. The fastening plate 23, in turn, is connected to the ends 17 of the baf f le portions 13 by fastening means 25, e.g. screws or rivets. The fastening plates 23 might also, of course, be welded directly onto the baffle portions 13. It is also possible to weld the sleeves 19 directly onto the baff le portions 13. The sleeves 19 may also be connected to the fastening plate 25 by other means.

The second alternative for direct connection, e.g. welding the sleeve 19 to the baffle portion 13, is more complicated since the exact alignment of the sleeve axes A perpendicular to the upper edge of the baffle portion 13 is more complicated than producing a sleeve 19 with a fastening plate 23, which is subsequently connected to the baffle portion 13. The sleeves 19 may have a cylindrical or polygonal casing.

The sleeve 19 is preferably fastened at one end 17 in the upper half of the baffle portion 13 and fastened at the other end in the lower half. It becomes possible, therefore,for the baffles 11 to be interconnectable as desired without having to ensure the position in which the sleeves 19 are disposed. If the height 1 of the sleeve 19 is only h/3, a sleeve 19 must be inserted into the centre of the end 17 at one end 17, and two sleeves are disposed one above the other with a spacing 1 therebetween on the oppositely situated side. Fig. 3 illustrates two baffle portions 13 which lie parallel one above the other. Depending on the desired depth of immersion and the configuration of the rainwater system, the number"of baffle portions 13 disposed above one another may comprise one or more parts. The baffle portions 13 could, of course, be configured as a onepiece construction with a height 2h.

The baffle portions 13, which are intended to lie adjacent one another, are connected by pipes or rods 27. which extend through the sleeves 19, the upper end of said pipes or rods being fastened to the cover 31 of the structure 1 by means of a flange or a plate 29, for example. The pipes 27 may additionally be connected to substantially horizontally extending retaining pipes 35 by means of pipe connecting means 33 if very large forces are to be absorbed. The retaining pipes 35, which are fastened to a lateral wall 37 of the structure 1, may either act as additional supports or support the pipes 27 and the baffle portions 13 as a whole.

For the axial securement of the baffle portions 13 on the pipes 27, clips 39 are clamped on to the pipes 27. When the baffle portions 13 are of a hollow configuration, a clip 39 may also be required on the upper edge of the baffle portions 13 in order to prevent uncontrolled rising as a result of the buoyancy in the water. Instead of using clips 39, a pin could, of course, be used which is inserted through a bore in the rod 27 (not shown).

The outermost, securedly disposed baffle portions 13 may be fastened directly at their ends 17 to the building wall by angle plates 41. Alternatively, it is also possible to dispose a pipe 27 in the region of the building wall and to fasten the baf f le portions 13 in exactly the same manner as the fastening between the individual baffle portions 13. For additional stabilisation of the baffle portions 13, the rods 27 may be connected to the overflow wall 7 or to the base by connecting means 36 and 40. The rods 27 may be disposed both in a perpendicular manner and in an inclined manner (indicated by reference numeral 40).

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the baffle portions 13 are mounted on pipes 27, which have been telescoped together. Because of the buoyancy which the baffle portions 13 experience in the water, only the lowermost pipe of the telescopic arrangement ever dips into the water. The upper pipes are situated outside the water at any water level. The connection between the adjacent baffle portions 13 and the pipes 27 may be effected as illustrated in Figure 3, or the rods 27 may be fastened to a lateral face of the baffle portions 13 by retaining means 28, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In order to prevent water from leaking at the end-face ends 17 of the baffle portions 13, these ends 17 may be interconnected in a flexible manner by a collar 30 formed from plastics material, rubber or metal (Fig. 5).

Instead of the baffle portions 13 being flat, they may also be arcuate, the arcuate configuration thereof having to be adapted to the configuration of the overflow wall 7 (not shown). The baffle portions 13 may also have profiled parts in order to increase their strength. Furthermore, the baffle portions 13 may be produced from perforated sheet metal in order to reduce the forces which act on the baffle arrangement and are caused by the water flowing past (not shown).

7 - The assembly of the baf f le arrangement according to the invention is explained hereinafter.

The pipes 27 are fastened to the cover 31 of the structure 1 by the flanges 29 at calculated spacings from one another. The baffle portions 13 are subsequently inserted into the lower free ends 27. The inserted baffle portions 13 are subsequently pushed to the predetermined height and secured at the definitive height by means of clips 39. Inaccurate dimensions when laying the pipes 27 and inaccuracies in respect of the structure are compensated-for by the elasticity of the pipes 27. This occurs especially when the baffle 11 is not laid in a straight line, but when it must be adapted to follow any desirable arcuate configuration of the overflow wall 7. Any desirable angle a may be selected between the individual baffle portions 13 without impairing the operability of the baffle.

The position of the vertical pipes 27 with the baffle portions 13 mounted thereon may be stabilised by the horizontally extending retaining pipes 35.

Claims (1)

1. A baf f le arrangement in a rainwater system f or trapping and retaining impurities, in which the baf f le comprises at least two pivotally interconnected baf f le portions, and in which the baffle portions are mounted on guiding and retaining means.

   2. A baf f le arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which means for the pivotal connection of adjacent baffle portions are fastened on the endface ends of neighbouring baffle portions.

   3. A baf f le arrangement as claimed in claim 2, in which sleeves, having a circular cylindrical or polygonal cross-section, are connected to the ends as means f or connecting the baf f le portions, which sleeves are guided on the guide means.

   4. A baf f le arrangement as claimed in claim 2, in which the ends of the baffle portions are interconnected by collars formed from plastics material, rubber or metal.

   5. A baffle arrangement as claimed in claim 4, in which the lateral faces of the baf f le portions are connected to the guide means.

   6. A baffle arrangement as claimed in any of claims 2 or 3, in which the wall portions are interconnected by pipes or rods, which extend through axial bores in the sleeves.

   7. A baf f le arrangement as claimed in claim 6, in which the baffle portions are prevented from being axially displaced on the pipes by clips or other 9 - clamping or locking means.

   A baffle arrangement as claimed in claim 6 or 7, in which the pipes are fastened to the cover and/or a wall of the rainwater system.

   A baffle arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, in which fastening plates are attached to the sleeves for connecting the sleeves to the baffle portions.

   10. A baffle arrangement as claimed in any one of claims I to 6, 8 and 9, in which the guiding and retaining means comprise pipes which are telescoped together, and the baffle portions are connected to the lowermost pipe.

   11. A baffle arrangement in a rainwater system for trapping and retaining impurities, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.