GB2358886A

GB2358886A - Filter assembly for rainwater downpipe

Info

Publication number: GB2358886A
Application number: GB0100609A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Watt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-01-15
Filing date: 2001-01-10
Publication date: 2001-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-10
Also published as: GB0100609D0; GB0000844D0; GB2358886B

Abstract

A drainage system includes a filter (9) and an aperture having a removable cover (15) allowing access to the filter. The system may include an overflow conduit (30) communicating with the interior of said pipe section above the filter and/or the cover may be transparent so as to allow visual inspection of the interior of the device.

Description

2358886 1 1 Drainage Protection 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The present invention

relates to devices and systems for protecting drainage systems of buildings and the like against blockages caused by the presence of extraneous material in conduits of the drainage system.

Building drainage systems generally comprise a network of pipes, leading from a variety of points 11 and connected to a main underground drain conduit 12 13 14 leading to a sewerage system. Such systems commonly include roof guttering systems having downpipes extending from a roof to the underground drain and/or one or more vent pipes extending from an elevated level (normally roof-level) to the underground drain. Downpipes and vent pipes of this kind are normally open at their upper ends. As such, solid material may enter the drainage system via downpipes and vent pipes (whether by accident or as a result of 16 17 18 19 20 2 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 vandalism), commonly causing blockages in the system. If such blockages occur below ground level (or within the building below floor level), then considerable time, expense and trouble may be involved in accessing the blocked portion of the system in order to remove the blockage.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a protection device for a drainage system of a building comprising a pipe section incorporating filter means adapted to permit the free passage of fluids through the pipe section and to prevent the passage of solid material having a size greater than a predetermined minimum size, and including an aperture having a removable cover member allowing access to said filter means.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a drainage system incorporating a device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of protecting a drainage system against blockage comprising installing a device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention in a generally vertically extending downpipe or vent pipe of said system at a location which is readily accessible.

3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1,2 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Claims

other preferred features of the invention are defined in the Claims

appended hereto.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs 1A, 1B and 1C respectively show a side elevation, a front elevation and a sectional side elevation of a device in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a transverse cross section of the device of Figure 1; Fig. 3 shows one example of a drainage system incorporating the present invention; Fig. 4 shows a second example of a drainage system incorporating the present invention; and Figs. SA, 5B and 5C are front elevations illustrating a preferred embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention.

Figs 1A, 1B, 1C and 2 illustrate a device 1 in accordance with the invention for use in a vertical pipe of a drainage system.

The device 1 comprises a pipe section of generally uniform, circular cross section, incorporating an 4 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 enlarged chamber portion 3, which a generally square or rectangular upper end of the pipe section has diameter socket portion 5 adapted in this example has cross section. The an enlarged to receive a lower end of an upper, conventional pipe section and the lower end 7 will fit into a socket at the upper end of a lower, conventional pipe section, as is well known in the art. The overall length of the device may vary and any suitable means may be employed for incorporating the device into other pipework.

The lowermost end of the interior of the chamber 3 includes a peripheral shoulder or lip 11 defining a seat adapted to receive and support a filter element 9. The filter element 9 suitably comprises a generally planar, rigid mesh element and is adapted to allow the free passage of fluids (particularly water and air) therethrough, whilst blocking the passage of solid material or objects greater than a predetermined minimum size. The filter element 9 typically allows the passage of small solids, such as silt, which would normally be flushed through the drainage system.

The filter element 9 is preferably adapted to be easily removed and replaced, and may simply rest on the shoulder 11 or may be secured thereto by means of screws, clips or the like. As seen in Fig. 2, the filter element may comprise a solid peripheral portion 19 which rests on the shoulder 11 and a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 central mesh or grid portion 20 which overlies the inner diameter of the lower circular pipe section.

The chamber 3 includes an access aperture 17 which, in normal use, is closed by a cover member 15, removably secured to the wall of the chamber 3 surrounding the aperture 17 by any suitable means such as bolts 14, 16.

The chamber 3 and access aperture 17 are preferably of sufficient size to enable manual access to the interior of the chamber 3 for the removal of collected material therefrom and for the removal and replacement of the filter element 9 as required. The aperture 17 may also be employed as a conventional -rodding eye,, for conventional pipe or drain rodding (the filter element 9 would also be removed for this purpose).

The characteristics of the filter element 9 may be altered to suit the particular application of the device, having a larger or smaller mesh size as required. In general, the mesh should be sufficiently small to prevent the passage of material which is likely to lead to a blockage of the drainage system and sufficiently large to allow passage of material which would normally be expected to pass through the system. The same pipe section may be used with a variety of interchangeable filter elements.

6 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate examples of drainage systems incorporating the device 1 of Figs. 1 and 2. In all cases, it is preferred that the device be incorporated into the drainage system above ground or floor level, or within a manhole or the like if located below ground/floor level, in order to permit easy access for removing material collected in the chamber 3 or for other maintenance purposes. In Fig. 3, the device 1 is located in a vertical vent pipe 21 of a drainage system, at a point above any branch pipes 22 connected to the vent pipe 21 from locations inside the building. This prevents waste material which is intended to pass through the system from being trapped by the device 1. In Fig. 4, the device 1 is located in a rainwater downpipe 25, at a point below any rainwater branch pipes 27 connected to the downpipe 25. This ensures that any undesired material which enters the downpipe from a rainwater collection system is prevented from passing beyond the device 1 into the remainder of the drainage system.

The device 1 can be sized to suit all sizes of above ground drainage pipework and can be manufactured in any suitable material such as cast metal or plastics. The chamber 3 and filter 11 can be incorporated into any desired type/length of pipe section. The device 1 may be retro-fitted to existing drainage systems or may be integrated into new systems or subsystems.

7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 The device 1 prevents undesired materials from reaching underground pipes, which are, by their location, not readily accessible. The filter element 9 acts as a barrier to prevent objects from passing into inaccessible pipes, providing a significant saving in the time, effort and cost involved in removing blockages.

Since the device is positioned in an easily accessible part of the pipe, it can easily be checked for blockages during routine inspections. Alternative1y, where there is evidence that a blockage has occurred in the pipe, the removal of the objects or debris is a straightforward matter.

Figs. SA-C illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, modified to include an outlet (overflow) conduit or pipe 30 or the like communicating with the interior of the chamber above the filter element 9. In the illustrated embodiment the overflow pipe 30 communicates with the interior of the conduit above the chamber 3. Alternatively, the overflow pipe 30 could extend through the cover 15 and aperture 17 or through a side of the chamber 3. The overflow pipe 30 acts as a means of giving an early indication that the chamber is blocked due to a build up of debris or by the presence of a large object in the drain. In either case, when the pipe becomes blocked, fluid 32 will accumulate above the blockage, some of which will eventually exit through the overflow pipe 30 (Fig. 5C). The overflow pipe 30 can be monitored 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 periodically for signs of fluid flow and therefore, for signs that a blockage has occurred. Alternatively or additionally, the cover 15 may be transparent or may include a transparent panel 34, allowing visual inspection of the interior of the chamber 3 for the presence of material 36 which might cause a blockage. Otherwise, the cover would need to be removed to check for blockages.

9 Improvements and modifications may be incorporated 11 without departing from the scope of the invention.

9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Claims 1. A protection device for a drainage system of a building comprising a pipe section incorporating filter means adapted to permit the free passage of fluids through the pipe section and to prevent the passage of solid material having a size greater than a predetermined minimum size, and including an aperture having a removable cover member allowing access to said filter means.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said f ilter means is located at a lower end of an enlarged chamber portion incorporated into said pipe section and wherein said aperture is located in a side wall of said chamber portion.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said chamber portion is generally rectangular in transverse cross section.
4. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said pipe section is adapted for connection between adjacent pipe sections.
5. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said filter means comprises a substantially rigid mesh element.
6. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said filter means is supported by a 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 peripheral shoulder formed in the interior of said pipe section.
7. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said filter element is removable and replaceable via said aperture.
8. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, further including an overflow conduit communicating with the interior of said pipe section above said filter means.
9. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said removable cover member is at least partially transparent so as to allow visual inspection of the interior of said pipe section above said filter means.
10. A drainage system incorporating a device as claimed in any preceding Claim.
11. A drainage system as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said device is incorporated into a generally vertically extending downpipe or vent pipe at a location which is readily accessible.
12. A drainage system as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said device is located above ground or floor level, or within a manhole below ground or floor level.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 13. A drainage system as claimed in Claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said device is located above any branch pipes connected to said downpipe or vent pipe from locations inside a building in which the system is installed.
14. A drainage system as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 13, wherein said device is located below any rainwater branch pipes connected to said downpipe or vent pipe.
15. A method of protecting a drainage system against blockage comprising installing a device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9 in a generally vertically extending downpipe or vent pipe of said system at a location which is readily accessible.
16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, wherein said device is installed above ground or floor level, or within a manhole below ground or floor level.
17. A method as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16, wherein said device is installed above any branch pipes connected to said downpipe or vent pipe from locations inside a building in which the system is installed.
18. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 15 to 17, wherein said device is installed below any rainwater branch pipes connected to said downpipe or vent pipe.

12 1 2
19. A protection device for a drainage system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 6
20. A drainage system incorporating a protection device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8 9 10 11 12
21. A method of protecting a drainage system against blockage, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.