GB2530643A - Plug holes - Google Patents

Abstract

There is shown apparatus 1 for obviating back flow of water through a plug hole 2 (figure 1) of an installation such as a bath, sink or shower, comprising a chamber 3 for receiving water through an inlet 4 and means 5 adjacent the inlet 4 adapted to mount the chamber 3 at the plug hole 2.The chamber 3 is generally cylindrical and the inlet 4 is at the lower end of a tube 4' which is also generally cylindrical and mounted in the embodiment concentrically with the chamber 3 mounted using an adhesive . The tube 4' forms an orifice 6 through a boundary wall thereof through which back water can flow back into a plumbing system when back flow ceases.

Description

Plug Holes The invention relates to apparatus for obviating of a fluid, particularly water such as flood water, through a plug hole which can be found in baths, sinks or showers for example.

The problem of flooding is an increasing one owing to the effect of climate change around the world. Domestic flooding is of particular concern, but commercial properties are under similar threat which insurance companies are struggling to underwrite.

Accidental chemical or fuel spills are also a major concern to the environment. Road traffic accidents for example often result in spilled fluids which find their way into drains and contaminate the local water. Fire brigade call -outs to fires on industrial sites and even farms often result in similar problems with chemicals or effluent washed down into surface drains.

The difficulty in reliably preventing flood ingress through a plug hole can be particularly troublesome as there are generally several in say a domestic dwelling.

Creating apparatus that is generally applicable to plug holes has therefore been practically impossible hitherto.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for obviating back flow of water through a plug hole of an installation, comprising a chamber for receiving back flow water through an inlet and means adjacent the inlet adapted to mount the chamber at a plug hole.

The said installation may suitably comprise a bath, sink or shower.

The chamber may be adapted to be mounted over the plug hole. This provides a simple yet efficient apparatus, particularly when the inlet may comprise a tube extending into the chamber.

The tube and chamber may be substantially concentric. This provides for ease of manufacture and use.

Suitably the tube may comprise a device adapted to allow drainage of water from the chamber. This allows for drainage under atmospheric pressure.

Preferably the device may comprise an orifice through a wall of the tube, and the orifice may be positioned within the chamber.

The orifice may suitably be adjacent a lower, in use, end of the tube.

The chamber may be laterally offset from the inlet, to provide for mounting the apparatus over a plug hole close to a boundary wall of the installation.

The said means may comprise an adhesive element adjacent the inlet.

The adhesive element may be mounted on a spacer carried by the apparatus.

The spacer may be positioned below, in use, the chamber.

The adhesive element may preferably comprise a butyl plastic device.

According to a second aspect of the invention there may be provided an installation such as a bath, sink or shower in combination with apparatus as hereinbefore described mounted at a plug hole thereof.

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig.1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the apparatus, separated from a plug hole of a shower; Fig.2 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of Fig.1; and Figs 3 and 3A show schematic side elevational views of a second embodiment of apparatus embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 1, 20 for obviating back flow of water through a plug hole 2, comprising a chamber 3 for receiving water through an inlet 4 and means 5 adjacent the inlet 4 adapted to mount the chamber 3 at the plug hole 2.

The chamber 3 is generally cylindrical and the inlet 4is at the lower in use end ofa tube 4' which is also generally cylindrical and mounted in the embodiment substantially concentrically with the chamber 3.

The tube 4' has means in the form of an orifice 6 through a boundary wall thereof adjacent a lower end thereof in use. The orifice is within the chamber 3. Although shown as a single circular hole, it will be understood that the means 6 may be of any suitable form, for example a series of circumferentially arranged holes or one or more through slots or slits.

The means 5 in the embodiment is an adhesive member, suitably a butyl plastic annulus or washer. There is a spacer 7 between the washer Sand a lower boundary walls of the chamber 3. The spacer? may be made of any suitable material, for example a sponge, the spacer 7 being flexible enough to ensure that any depression or dishing 9 surrounding the plug hole 2 does not prevent application of the apparatus lover the plug hole 2. The spacer 7 acts to ensure that the washers can be firmly applied round the circumference of the plug hole 2.

There is a further tube 10 extending from the interior of the chamber 3 opposite the inlet tube 4'. This allows the interior to be at atmospheric pressure so that any back flow of water into the chamber 3 is not prevented by pressure building up in the chamber 3 as the water level rises in the chamber.

In use during a flood event, any masking tape or similar is removed from the washer Sand the apparatus 1 is offered up to the plug hole 2 and mounted thereat and thereon, the spacer 7 allowing for firm adhesion of the washer at 9. Flood water flows up through the inlet 4 to the inlet tube 4' and into the chamber 3 through the open upper end of the tube 4'. The chamber 3 is of generally sufficient volume to cope with the volume of back flow water entering through the plug hole 2. Any excess water can pass up the tube 10. When the flood recedes, the water in the chamber 3 drains out through the orifice 6 and passes back via the inlet 4 to the plumbing system associated with the plug hole 2. The orifice 6 thus acts as a drain hole. The tube 10, being open to atmosphere, allows for a smooth flow out of the chamber 3 as no holding' vacuum is created in the chamber 3.

In a further embodiment, Figs 3 and 3A, in which like numerals are used for parts like those of Fig.l and 2, apparatus 20 embodying the invention can be used in situations where the plug hole is close to the edge or boundary wall of a bath, sink or shower. In this case the chamber 3 of the apparatus 20 is offset laterally from the inlet 4, Fig. 3. Thus the chamber 3 is nearer the interior of the bath, sink or shower by being offset from the edge or boundary wall thereof, so that there is enough room to accommodate the apparatus 20 internally of the bath, sink or shower while mounting it at the plug hole. There is a connecting tube 21 between the inlet 4 and the interior of the apparatus 20, the interior of the chamber 3 being of substantially identical construction to that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. As before, there is a means such as a butyl seal 5 to mount the apparatus 20 over the plug hole, and the apparatus 20 in use functions in the same way as described above for the first embodiment. In order to provide stability in use, a support device in the form of a wedge-like member 22 or crescent -shaped member 23 is inserted under the chamber 3 opposite the inlet to provide support by preventing canting under gravity away from the boundary wall and thus to maintain a positive connection to the plug hole.

The apparatus in either embodiment may be made of any suitable material, for example plastic.

Claims (15)

1. Claims 1. Apparatus for obviating backflow of water through a plug hole of an installation, comprising a chamber for receiving backflow water through an inlet, and means adjacent the inlet adapted to mount the chamber at a plug hole.
2. 2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the chamber being adapted to be mounted over the plug hole.
3. 3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the inlet comprising a tube extending into the chamber.
4. 4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, the tube and chamber being substantially concentric.
5. 5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the tube comprising a device adapted to allow drainage of water from the chamber.
6. 6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the device comprising an orifice through a wall of the tube, the orifice being positioned within the chamber.
7. 7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, the orifice being adjacent a lower, in use, end of the tube.
8. 8. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, the chamber being laterally offset from the inlet whereby to allow mounting of the apparatus at a plug hole which is close to a boundary wall of an installation.
9. 9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, comprising a support element for the apparatus.
10. 10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, the support element comprising a wedge-like member or crescent-like support member.
11. 11. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, the means comprising an adhesive element adjacent the inlet.
12. 12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, the adhesive element being mounted on a spacer carried by the apparatus.
13. 13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, the spacer being positioned below, in use, the chamber.
14. 14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or Claim 13, the adhesive element comprising a butyl plastic device.
15. 15. Apparatus for obviating back flow of water through a plug hole of an installation, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.15. A construction such as a bath, sink or shower in combination with apparatus according to any preceding claim mounted at a plug hole thereof.