GB2361954A

GB2361954A - Emergency flood barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2361954A
Application number: GB0105809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Gerard Woodburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-07
Filing date: 2001-03-07
Publication date: 2001-11-07
Also published as: GB0005292D0; GB0105809D0

Abstract

An emergency flood barrier comprises one or more sheets of material defining a barrier having a lower edge 7 and two side edges 9,11. Resilient sealing means 13, 43, 63 is provided which extends along a peripheral portion of the barrier at or adjacent to the lower edge 7 and side edges 9, 11 to provide a seal with a building aperture. The sheet material may be water impermeable and plastic, metal or wood. The barrier may be of a fixed size or with an adjustable width. Widthwise adjustment may be facilitated by two relatively movable elements with sealing means between them. The barrier may consist of a central element 1 with two side elements 3, 5 that are adjustably mounted and there may be sealing means at or adjacent to the lower edge, sides and between the elements. The side edge sealing may be a continuation of the lower edge sealing means. Part of the securing means of the barrier may be secured in a slide way to permit widthwise adjustment. The peripheral seal of the barrier may comprise a plastic moulding or extrusion with a compressible flexible resilient element and a reception portion by which it is fitted on to the edge of the barrier or element.

Description

2361954 Title: EmerReney Flood Barrier

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an emergency barrier for use in doorways or other opening of buildings as an alternative to sand bags to inhibit the flow of water in flood situations.

At present the only method of inhibiting the ingress of water into buildings in flood situations, is by means of sandbags. However, occupiers of buildings are not in a position to keep on hand the necessary supply of sandbags and therefore have to rely on them being delivered by emergency services. This relies on there being a sufficient advance warning of the impending flood and on there being an adequate supply of sand bags and adequate man power to deploy them.

If occupiers of buildings had on hand means which could provide an emergency flood barrier, buildings could be protected adequately and more quickly by the occupiers. The present invention aims to provide a solution which avoids the reliance on sandbags and the problems associated with their use.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an emergency flood barrier comprising one or more sheets of material defining a barrier having a lower edge and two side edges extending upwardly from opposite ends of the lower edge, and wherein.resilient sealing means is provided which extends along a peripheral portion of said barrier at or adjacent said lower edge and upwardly there from at or adjacent said side edges, to provide, in use, a seal with a building aperture across which the barrier is placed.

The emergency flood barrier is conveniently formed of sheet material and will itself be water impermeable. Any suitable material may be employed, although one of 2 light weight is to be preferred. Plastics or metal may be utilised or wood - such as plywood or the like or NMF - with waterproofing as necessary.

The barrier may be custom made to fit the size of building aperture in which it is to be used. Most usually the aperture will be a door way, and as these come in a limited number of standard sizes, barriers can be made to fit the door frames for the most popular of those standard sizes. However, a barrier which is adjustable in width is to be preferred. This may comprise two relatively movable elements facilitating widthwise adjustment which are provided with sealing means there between. More preferably, three elements are provided, comprising a central barrier and two side wings which are adjustably mounted to the central element to provide width wise adjustment of the barrier defined by the three elements. Each of the three elements has a lower edge and two side edges to opposite ends of the lower edge. Horizontally extending sealing means at or adjacent the lower edge of the three elements provides a seal there along, and further sealing means extending upwards from the lower edge seal are provided between the central element and each of the side elements, as well as sealing means carried by the side elements extending upwardly from the lower edge seal up or adjacent the outer side edge of each side element.

Means is provided for securing the side elements to the central element at a desired width wise dimension. Part of the securing means is conveniently secured in a slide way to permit width wise adjustment.

The means providing the peripheral seal for the barrier conveniently comprises a plastic moulding or extrusion having a flexible resilient element which is compressible for sealing purposes, and a reception portion by which it is fitted on to the peripheral edge of the or each element of the barrier, The type of synthetic rubber/plastics sealing strips which are used to provide a seal between an automobile door and its aperture is suitable.

3 The present invention will now be described fiu-ther, hereinafter, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: - Figure I is an exploded perspective view of a three-piece emergency flood barrier according to one embodiment of the invention, as viewed from the rear, Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the barrier of Figure I when assembled.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate one embodiment of emergency flood barrier according to the invention which is made up of three elements. A central element 1 and two side elements 3, 5. The central element 1 is substantially rectangular and has a lower edge 7 and two side edges 9, 11 extending upwardly from the lower edge. A continuous resilient element 13 is fitted along the lower edge and rapped around the comers to extend up the side edges 9, 11. The resilient portion has a U-shaped reception portion 15 which is a push fit on to the edges of the central element 1. A hollow tubular moulding 17 is formed integrally with the reception portion 15 and extends to the rear of the central portion I and preferably also providing a resilient edge region along both side edges 9, 11 and a lower edge 7. In this basic form the central element I could be used in an aperture of a doorway if the width-wise dimension X of the central element is suited to the aperture. In such a situation the tubular element 17 will form a seal with the doorframe and/or the reveals of the door opening.

However, it is preferred to make the width of the barrier adjustable so that it can be adapted to suit different widths of aperture which are to be closed off using the barrier and for this purpose the side elements 3, 5 are employed. These are made of sheet material and are substantially rectangular having respective lower edges 37, 57 and outer side edges 39, 61. The side edges and lower edges are fitted with a continuous resilient element 43, 63 made up of a reception portion and a hollow tubular portion, as per the resilient element used with the central element 1. The resilient element thereof extends to 4 a rear face of the respective side elements 3, 5 and preferably also to the side and lower edges.

In order to secure the side elements 3, 5 adjustably with respect to the central element 1, slide-ways 25 are secured to the rear face of the central element 1 and comprise respective elongate members having a Tshaped slot which is open to the rear and which receives a respective headed pin 27. The pins are shown in position on the left-hand guides and prior to installation in the right-hand side. The pins pass through respective holes 28 in the side elements and are secured by way of nuts 29. The slide ways facilitate adjustment in the direction of the arrow Z as shown in Figure 2 to tailor the width-wise dimension Y of the assembly to the opening with which the barrier is to be used. A handle 21 is provided on the central element and individual handles may be provided on each of the side elements for convenience of adjustment - see handles 23, 24 which are mounted on the rear face of the side elements. The opposite face of the side elements is provided with an L-shaped sealing element referenced 71, 73 and shown in dotted outline. This provides additional sealing between the rear face of the central element and the respective side elements 3, 5 and is conveniently made of a closed cell foam. Stiffening ribs are shown at 75 on the rear face of the central element and the inner edges of the side elements are preferably provided with stiffening ribs 77, 79. The ribs 75, 77 and 79 are the same thickness as the slide ways 25.

When it is required to use the barrier the nuts 29 are freed to allow the side elements 3, 5 to be slid to the desired width and then the nuts secured to draw the side elements into contact with the central element. A sealis achieved between the respective elements. The seals on the side elements provide sealing engagement of the barriejr across the aperture with which the barrier is to be used. Preferably engagement is with the doorframe which by virtue of being smooth will provide a better seal. In the event of a flood the weight of water acting on the barrier acts to increase the scaling force. Because of the sheet like nature of the barrier it can be conveniently stored when not in use and it can readily be brought into use when required. The central elements and the side elements are made of any convenient material be it wood, plastics or even metal.

Claims

6 CLAIMS

1. An emergency flood barrier comprising one or more sheets of material defining a barrier having a lower edge and two side edges extending upwardly from opposite ends of the lower edge, and wherein resilient scaling means is provided which extends along a peripheral portion of said barrier at or adjacent said lower edge and upwardly therefrom at or adjacent said side edges, to provide, in use, a seal with a building aperture across which the barrier is placed.

2. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 1 when formed from sheet material that is itself water impermeable.

3. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the sheet material is chosen from plastics, metal or wood.

4. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the barrier is of fixed size.

5. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 1, 1 and 3 in which the width tn of the barrier is adjustable.

6. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 5 in which the barrier comprises two relatively movable elements facilitating widthwise adjustment which are provided with sealing means therebetween.

7. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 5 in which the barrier comprises three elements, made up of a central barrier and two side wings which are adjustably mounted to the central element to provide widthwise adjustment of the barrier defined by the three elements.

8. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 7 in which each of the three elements has a lower edge and two side edges to opposite ends of the lower edge.

Z"> 7

9. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 8 in which horizontally extending scaling means at or adjacent the lower edge of the three elements provides a seal there along, and further sealing means extending upwards from the lower edge seal are provided between the central element and each of the side elements, as well as sealing means carried by the side elements extending upwardly from the lower edge seal up or adjacent the outer side edge of each side element.

10. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 9 in which the edge sealing means is a continuation of the lower edge sealing means.

11. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 in which means is provided for securing the side elements to the central element at a desired widthwise dimension.

12. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in claim 11 in which part of the securing means is secured in a slide way to permit widthwise adjustment.

13. An emergency flood barrier as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims in which the means providing the peripheral seal for the barrier comprises a plastic moulding or extrusion having a flexible resilient element which is compressible for sealing purposes, and a reception portion by which it is fitted on to the peripheral edge of the or each element of the barrier.

14. An emergency flood barrier constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.