GB2283524A

GB2283524A - Inflatable flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2283524A
Application number: GB9422199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elizabeth Mcpherson Dunlop
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-11-03
Filing date: 1994-11-03
Publication date: 1995-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2014-11-03
Also published as: GB2283524B; GB9422199D0; GB9322669D0

Abstract

A barrier for location in doorways and the like comprises a flexible-walled enclosure (10) for location in an opening (20), the enclosure being inflatable to provide for engagement with the sides of the opening. In a preferred arrangement the walls (12, 16, 17) of the enclosure provide sealing engagement with the sides of the opening such that the enclosure may be located in, for example, a doorway and inflated to a sealingly engaged at least the lower portion of the door frame to prevent the ingress of flood water through the doorway. The enclosure may only occupy a lower portion of the opening or may completely seal the opening. <IMAGE>

Description

BARRIER This invention relates to a barrier and in particular to a temporary flood protection barrier for location in doorways and the like.

GB 2 253 873 A discloses a flood protection barrier comprising a rigid barrier or shield which is fixed in an angled U-shaped frame provided in a doorway. The frame is a permanent fixture, while the barrier is only fixed in the frame when flooding is imminent. As use of the device requires the provision of a prefitted frame, this limits the forms of doorways that may accommodate the device and also prevents the device being fitted at short notice in buildings not provided with the appropriate frames.

It is among the objects of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a barrier for location in doorways and the like, the barrier comprising a flexible-walled enclosure for location in an opening, the enclosure being inflatable to provide for engagement with the sides of the opening.

The barrier may be utilised as means of partially blocking a doorway to, for example, prevent pets or children gaining access to a particular room.

In a preferred form, the barrier provides for sealing engagement with the sides of the opening, and is thus suitable as a flood protection barrier. Thus, in use, the enclosure may be located in, for example, a doorway and inflated to sealingly engage at least the lower portion of the door frame to prevent the ingress of flood water through the doorway. The enclosure may only occupy a lower portion of the opening or may completely seal the opening.

For use as a flood barrier, the enclosure may be partially filled with a liquid, such as water, or dense granular material, such as sand prior to being pressurised, typically with air, the liquid or granular material providing the enclosure with increased stability.

The enclosure walls of a flood barrier must be sufficiently flexible to allow the side walls of the enclosure to be pressed into sealing engagement with the sides of the opening on inflation, however the walls may be at least partially rigid or provided with bracing to assist the barrier in resisting the pressure forces that would be applied to the barrier by the flood water.

The side walls of the enclosure may be planar for engaging, for example, the planar walls defining a door or passageway opening. Further, the side walls may be planar but possess a sufficient degree of flexibility to allow conformity with, for example, a non-planar door frame.

Alternatively, the side walls of the enclosure may be preformed to conform to, and therefore more securely engage, a non-planar door frame.

The enclosure may be retained in the opening by means of engagement of the side walls of the enclosure with the sides of the opening. Alternatively, the enclosure may be provided with a rearwardly extending portion for engaging a floor surface extending rearwardly of the opening, the additional frictional engagement between the rearwardly extending portion and the floor surface preventing the barrier from being pushed rearwardly by the force of the flood water. A bracing arrangement may also be provided, extending upwardly of the rearwardly extending portion, for supporting the front wall of the enclosure.

For protecting wider openings, such as the entrances of public buildings, a plurality of barriers may be provided, in conjunction with members for securing to the floor of the opening, between which the barriers may be located. Conveniently, the members are in the form of upstanding plates which may be releasably secured in appropriate keying locations in the floor.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securing an opening in the exterior of a building against flood water, the method comprising the steps: providing a flexible-walled enclosure; locating the enclosure in an opening; and inflating the enclosure to bring the side walls of the enclosure into sealing engagement with the walls of the opening.

These and other aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a barrier in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the barrier of Figure 1 located in a doorway; Figure 3 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a barrier in accordance with a second embodiment for the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the barrier of Figure 3 located in a doorway; Figure 5 is a perspective view from the rear of a barrier in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, shown located in a doorway; Figure 6 is a perspective view of support members for use in combination with barriers in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of a barrier in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, shown located in an air vent.

Reference is first made to Figure 1 of the drawings, which illustrates a barrier in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The barrier is in the form of a generally wedge-shaped enclosure 10 having a flexible base 12, front wall 14, side walls 16, 17 and upper walls 18, 19.

In use, when there is imminent risk of flooding, the enclosure 10 is positioned in an opening, such as a passageway mouth 20, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, with the front wall 14 facing to the building exterior and the base 12 resting on the passageway floor.

The enclosure 10 is first partially filled with water and then pressurised with air from a suitable compressor. The internal pressure pushes the side walls 16, 17 into sealing engagement with the passageway walls.

In the event of flooding, the sealing engagement between the side wall 16, 17 and the passageway walls, and the base 12 and the passageway floor, prevents water gaining access to the passageway. Further, the friction between the side walls 16, 17 and the base 12 and the passageway walls and floor, respectively, prevents the enclosure 10 being pushed inwardly by the force of the flood water.

Reference is now made to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings which illustrate a barrier 30 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The barrier 30 is similar to the barrier 10 described above, other than in that the barrier 30 is generally cuboid in form, and is intended for location in openings such as doorways where the barrier 30 may be supported by a closed external door, and where the door opening 32 is rebated to provide surfaces against which the side walls and base of the barrier may bear.

Where a door is not provided in a rebated opening, a barrier 40 as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings may be provided, to be located within the doorway with the door 42 open. It will also be noted that the enclosure 40 extends over the full height of the doorway, rather than only the lower portion of the doorway as in the previously described embodiments. With this form of barrier 40, the barrier may be divided into upper and lower separately inflated portions, allowing the upper portion to be deflated to allow entry and exit through the doorway.

For location in wide doorways, as in the entrance to a theatre, a very wide barrier may not possess sufficient rigidity to resist the pressure forces applied by flood water. Accordingly, it is preferred that a plurality of narrower barriers are provided and in order to support such barriers spaced upstanding support plates 50 (Figure 7) may be provided, the barriers being located between the plates 50. To locate the plates 50 in the doorways, openings may be provided in the floor to engage with pegs 52 provided in the lower ends of the plates.

When flooding occurs water may also gain access to buildings through low-lying vent openings, and the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings is intended to address this problem. In this case, a small inflatable barrier 60 is shown located in a vent opening 62. Where the vent arrangement permits, the barrier may be fitted in front or behind the vent, though in many circumstances it may be necessary to knock out the existing vent brick and replace this with the barrier 60. Where this is not convenient, the vent may simply be sealed with a sheet which is sealed to the brick-work around the vent.

It will be clear to those of skill in the art that the above-described embodiments of the present invention provide a simple, inexpensive and portable flood barrier which may be rapidly fitted into the doorways of buildings that are threatened with flooding. It will also be clear to those of skill in the art that the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention and that various modifications and improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention: for example, the front wall of the enclosure may be provided with anchoring portions for extending beyond the sides of the opening to engage the wall beyond the edges of the opening, which portions would assist in preventing the inflated enclosure being pushed through the opening by flood water. Also, the invention is not restricted to use as a flood barrier, and may simply be utilised to partially block an opening, such as a doorway, to restrict access by, for example, children or pets.

Claims

1. A barrier for location in doorways and the like, the barrier comprising a flexible-walled enclosure for location in an opening, the enclosure being inflatable to provide for engagement with the sides of the opening.

2. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the enclosure is adapted to provide sealing engagement with the sides of the opening.

3. The barrier of claim 2 wherein the walls are at least partially rigid or provided with bracing to assist the barrier in resisting the pressure forces that would be applied to the barrier by flood water.

4. The barrier of any of the preceding claims wherein the side walls of the enclosure are planar for engaging planar walls defining an opening.

5. The barrier of any of the preceding claims wherein the side walls are planar but possess a sufficient degree of flexibility to allow conformity with a non-planar opening.

6. The barrier of any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the side walls of the enclosure are preformed to conform to, and therefore more securely engage, a non-planar opening.

7. The barrier of any of the preceding claims wherein the enclosure is adapted to be retained in the opening solely by means of engagement of the side walls of the enclosure with the sides of the opening.

8. The barrier of any of claims 1 to 6 provided with a rearwardly extending portion for engaging a floor surface extending rearwardly of the opening.

9. The barrier of claim 8 wherein a bracing arrangement is provided and extends upwardly of the rearwardly extending portion, for supporting the front wall of the enclosure.

10. A system for providing flood protection for wider openings comprising a plurality of barriers as claimed in any of the preceding claims in combination with members for securing to the floor of the opening, between which the barriers are located.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the members are in the form of upstanding plates which may be releasably secured in appropriate keying locations in the floor.

12. A method of securing an opening in the exterior of a building against flood water, the method comprising the steps: providing a flexible-walled enclosure; locating the enclosure in an opening; and inflating the enclosure to bring the side walls of the enclosure into sealing engagement with the walls of the opening.

13. A barrier substantially as described herein and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, Figure 6 or Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.