NO20220150A1 - Rainwater gully - Google Patents

Description

RAINWATER GULLY

Field of the application

The present invention relates to a rainwater gully comprising a mounting support protruding from the frame of the rainwater gully and arranged to be fastened to a wall.

Background

A rainwater gully is a part of a rainwater sewer system for buildings and the like, intended to collect rain, runoff, storm, and/or melt water or the like, and to guide it further. Normally, a rainwater gully is mounted at ground level, for example below a waterspout or the like. Normally, a rainwater gully comprises an inner space formed by a frame, the frame comprising a cylindrical shell and, at the end of the shell, an opening normally formed by or closely connected to the shell, via which shell water enters the rainwater gully. The inner space may also comprise one or more bottoms. The inner space may branch into one or more pipeline fittings, via which water can eventually exit the rainwater gully and which may be fitted with a pipe for draining the water away.

In some cases, it is desirable or necessary to mount the rainwater gully in such a way that its frame or shell is placed partly or entirely above a base, such as the ground surface, whereby it cannot be supported to the base, but it is supported by, for example, a discharge pipe.

Rainwater may sometimes flow at high pressure when entering the gully, which may cause various problems. For example, the water flowing at high pressure into the gully may cause displacement of the rainwater gully, or its basin, particularly if the basin or the gully is mounted above the base, for example above ground surface.

Thus, the position of the rainwater gully may be changed over time, which changes, for example, the positioning of the downpipe conveying water into the gully, and the flow of the water in the gully, which may further cause incomplete propagation of water into or within the gully and cause splashing outside the gully. It is thus necessary to be able to prevent these undesired phenomena and to be able to stabilize the rainwater gully in various mounting situations and uses.

Brief summary

The invention presents a solution by which a rainwater gully can be firmly mounted for various conditions, for example above the ground. It is thus possible to solve problems of prior art. The rainwater gully can be mounted in a desired position which makes it possible, for example, to install a downpipe in a desired position and location with respect to the gully, and to control water flowing into and within the gully. This is achieved by means of a support or holder which is connected to the rainwater gully and which may be fastened to, for example, a wall or a corresponding support. Normally, a rainwater gully is placed next to a wall, whereby a fastening to the wall is easy to implement.

The present application discloses a rainwater gully 10 comprising a frame 18 with a basin 14 formed by an inner surface 12 and defining an opening 16 for receiving water in the rainwater gully, the rainwater gully comprising a mounting support 20 which protrudes from the frame 18 and is arranged to be fastened to a wall.

The present application also discloses a rainwater gully 10 in its mounted position.

The present application further discloses a method for mounting a rainwater gully, the method comprising

– providing a rainwater gully 10 and a mounting support 20 for it,

– arranging the rainwater gully 10 in a desired location on a mounting surface, and − fastening the mounting support 20 to a wall or a corresponding support.

Various embodiments of the rainwater gully are presented in the dependent claims. Various rainwater gullies may be implemented by combining the examples and embodiments presented herein.

The mounting support protruding from the outer surface of the frame, or from the outside of the rainwater gully, makes it possible to implement a fastening device in, for example, a detachable form, whereby it can be connected to the frame of the rainwater gully only when needed, or separate elements of the gully can be detached independently as needed, for example upon cleaning or maintenance of the gully. For example, it is not necessary to remove the fastening device fastened to the wall when disassembling the gully. The mounting support can be connected to the frame of the rainwater gully in a location which allows an optimum support for the gully, for example in view of connecting the downpipe.

In the following, the rainwater gully will be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows a first example of a rainwater gully seen from different directions (Figs. 1A to E).

Figure 2 shows a second example of a rainwater gully in a diagonal top view, in which the parts of the mounting support are shown separately.

Figure 3 shows a third example of a rainwater gully in a cross-sectional view.

Figure 4 shows a fourth example of a rainwater gully in a diagonal top view.

Detailed description

The application describes a rainwater gully and a mounting support arranged to be installed in the rainwater gully. The terms used in the descriptions of the positions of the rainwater gully and the related parts, such as the top side and the bottom side, refer to the rainwater gully in its mounted position or in a corresponding position.

The present rainwater gully comprises an inner space formed by a frame 18, the frame having a bowl-like or similar basin 14 which is formed or defined by an inner surface, and which may be, for example, cylindrical or partly cylindrical or have a different shape, such as square shape, and the basin defines an opening 16 for receiving water in the rainwater gully. The basin may also be called a storm sewer or a rainwater funnel. The frame 18 may comprise one or more shells defining the outer structure of the basin and/or the frame. The frame may comprise, for example, one shell, or it may comprise two or more shells which may define, for example, an inner basin for the frame and the outside of the frame, and which shells may be integrated. The frame may be substantially the element constituting the basin, or the frame may also comprise other elements, for example a frame part which is left below the basin when installed and which may be used as a base for the basin.

In particular, when it is intended to mount a part of the gully, particularly the element containing or comprising the basin, above the ground, and/or it is desired to keep its uppermost part wider than the part extending downwards, the rainwater gully or a part of it may be designed as a funnel-like, bowl-like or cup-like basin. The basin makes it possible to form a large space for water, which can be used for controlling the flow of water and, for example, for preventing overflow. A basin-like solution allows for various uses, and for example, a downpipe can be connected to it, or structures for guiding water may be installed in the basin.

The opening may be formed by or closely related to the (inner) shell and arranged to receive water in the rainwater gully. The inner space of the basin of the rainwater gully may have one or more bottoms, for example an intermediate bottom, whereby a water space defined by the bottom and the shell/inner surface is formed in the rainwater gully. The basin may have a uniform shape from the top edge down to the bottom, as shown in Figs.1 and 4, or the basin may have a widening bowl-like upper part and a narrower part connected to it and limited by the bottom, as shown in Figs.

2 and 3. The top edge may have a constant height, or it may be designed to have one elevated edge section, as the edge section on the side of the mounting support or on the side opposite to it. The elevation may also be implemented with a separate auxiliary element which may be a splash guard.

In the bottom, a discharge opening 32 is provided, such as a discharge opening equipped with a grating or a corresponding perforated guard 33, for example a cuplike guard, via which water is arranged to exit the gully, for example into a sewer pipe or another discharge pipe that can be connected to an outlet port or an outlet pipe 34 at the bottom of the gully. The discharge opening may be at the centre of the bottom, or it may be noncentral. The inner space may branch into one or more pipe fittings, for example a pipe fitting, such as a sleeve joint, which is coupled to the discharge opening and in which a sewage pipe may be installed for draining water away. Normally, these pipes are below the ground or below the surface of the ground when the rainwater gully is in its mounted position.

The present rainwater gully comprises a mounting support 20 protruding from the frame 18 and arranged to be fastened to a wall or a corresponding support. The wall may be the wall of a building, but in this context, the wall may also be interpreted to refer to any other suitable support to which the mounting support can be fastened. The mounting support 20 may be connected or fastened to the outer surface 13 of the frame, the outer shell of the frame, or deeper into the frame, and the point of contact or fastening may be at the basin, in the frame part below the basin, or at the junction of these. The frame may comprise a receiving element 28 to which the mounting support is fastened or from which it protrudes. The mounting support may be an integral part of the frame, or it may be connected, or arranged to be connected, to the rainwater gully 10 or its frame 18 in a detachable way. The receiving element 28 comprised in the frame 18 may be such that the mounting support 20 is lockable to it. “Lockable” may refer to the design of the parts or of means connected or connectible to them, which means can be arranged in such a way that they are interlocked, and their movement is prevented after the locking, for example in one or more directions, or their movement is limited. The locking may be implemented by means of, for example, an element placed within another element, a pin or a nodule fitting in a hole, or a combination of these. Being lockable means that the lockable parts are separate parts which can be connected to each other by interlocking and possibly also disconnected from each other by unlocking.

The mounting support 20 may comprise two parts, and the parts of the mounting support, such as the first part 22 and the second part 24, may be movable with respect to each other for adjusting the length of the mounting support. The parts of the mounting support may be nestable or staggerable. The parts 22, 24 of the mounting support may be fastened to the frame and/or to each other in a detachable way; or, for example, the first part 22 of the mounting support may be an integral part of the frame, fixed to the frame, such as its outer surface or outer shell, for example, by means of the part 28 or a corresponding design, as shown in Fig.4.

The parts 22, 24 of the mounting support may interlockable, such as for providing one or more locked lengths for the mounting support 20, which one or more locked lengths may be predetermined lengths. The locked length may also be called the mounting length which is the final length of the mounting support needed for achieving an acceptable installation. By means of the adjustable mounting support, it is possible to arrange, for example, the length of the mounting support within a desired range. The length of the mounting support may be adjustable to a length between 10 and 40 cm, such as between 15 and 30 cm. The locking may be implemented according to the principle presented above. For example, the locking may be implemented by providing (Fig.2) at least one side of the first part 22 with a protrusion, such as a short pin, and the corresponding side of the second part 24 with two or more holes, for example holes of 3 to 8 mm, such as about 6 mm, in which holes the protrusion can be received for interlocking the parts, to achieve the locked length of the mounting support. These lengths may be predetermined, which is achieved by providing a desired number of holes at desired spaces from each other. The second part can be slid with respect to the first part until the desired length of the mounting support is achieved, at which the mounting support is locked. Correspondingly, assemblies of holes and protrusions may be provided on one or more sides of the first and second parts, whereby the assemblies on several sides secure the stability of the locking. Alternatively, or in addition, the parts can be fastened to each other by one or more screws or corresponding fastening means, for example via said holes. For example, after achieving the desired length, it can be secured simply by driving a screw through one hole to the inner part which may be made of plastic and thus easily screwable without boring holes.

The second part 24 of the mounting support 20, its second end which is opposite to the first end fastened to the rainwater gully, may be provided with a mounting plate 21 which may be provided with holes 27 for fastening to a wall or another support. Screws or nails may be driven into the holes, and/or another suitable fastening may be provided for the mounting support, for example by applying a glue or a sticker. Also, a piece arranged to receive the mounting support or its mounting place, for example to interlock with it, may be fastened to the wall.

The rainwater gully may be mounted in connection with a downpipe, i.e. a downspout, via which rain water collected from e.g. a roof and flowing at high pressure will enter the rainwater gully. The high water pressure might displace the rainwater gully or its basin. The present solution secures that particularly the part that receives water from or via the downpipe is supported so that water coming from the downpipe, or another movement of the downpipe, will not change the position of the rainwater gully or its basin. To achieve this, an expansion 26 may be formed in the frame 18, such as the basin 14, for receiving the downpipe or the water coming from it, at least partly, the expansion being located at the site of the mounting support 10 in the opening 16 of the frame or the basin. At the expansion, the downpipe may be placed in contact with or within a short distance from the rainwater gully. The expansion 26 may also guide the flow of incoming water so that the flow of water is better controlled, to reduce swirling and splashing.

The present solution is particularly advantageous in cases in which the frame 18 of the rainwater gully, preferably the basin 14 or the part comprising the basin, is arranged to be mounted above the mounting level, such as the ground surface or another corresponding mounting level or surface, whereby preferably the mounting support 20 is also arranged to be placed above this level or surface, either in whole or in part. In many conventional solutions, the part left below the ground, such as in cases where the rainwater gully comprises an elongate frame which is substantially integral with the water receiving part, is capable of supporting the part left above the ground, whereby it is not very susceptible to external forces. However, the risk of displacement is high, for example, in solutions in which the rainwater gully comprises a separate basin which may be an expansion, possibly detachable, and not an integral part, at the end of the discharge pipe remaining in the ground.

The separate frame left above the ground may be further supported, for example, in such a way that the lower edge of the mounting support 20 is flush with the lower edge of the frame 18 of the rainwater gully 10 in its mounted position. This kind of a solution is shown, for example, in Fig. 3. Such a solution may be mounted immediately at the level of the mounting surface, which will further support both the rainwater gully and the mounting support and reduce the risk of displacement of the parts.

Because the rainwater gully is often mounted close to a wall of a building, one problem is posed by splashes of water, flowing at a high pressure into the gully, which may hit walls or other objects nearby. Over time, splashing water may cause not only fouling but also moulding, decay, corrosion, or other damage of materials. One phenomenon causing or increasing splashing is swirling of water in the rainwater gully. When water flows at a high pressure from a downpipe, for example during a rain, such a strong swirl is formed in a circular rainwater gully that water splashes over the edges.

If the amount of water entering the gully is relatively small, the water will exit the gully immediately via the discharge opening. However, in case of a higher pressure of the water entering the rainwater gully, splashing may be caused, whereby water as well as any matter entrained in it or contained in the rainwater gully will splash outside the rainwater gully.

In connection with the invention, it was surprisingly found that the formation of a swirl causing splashing can be reduced or even prevented by installing a suitable splash water guide in the gully, and particularly by positioning it in a suitable way with respect to the downpipe and/or the mounting support. A suitably positioned splash water guide helps to control the flow of water, such as a swirl, in the basin. In an embodiment, one or more separate walls 30, 31 are provided in the basin 14, for example inside or above it, for guiding water entering the rainwater gully and/or for preventing or reducing splashing, whereby at least one wall 30, 31 is provided on the side of the basin 14 opposite to the mounting support 20. The wall 30 may be close to the discharge opening of the basin, as shown in Fig.2, or the wall 31 may be an extension of the opening 16 defined by the inner surface of the basin, as shown in Fig.4. The wall may be a separate part which can be connected to the rainwater gully, whereby it can be connected to the frame in a detachable way. When the splash water guide is placed on the opposite side of the basin with respect to the mounting support, normally on the opposite side of the discharge opening with respect to the mounting support, the achieved solution supports the positioning of the downpipe with respect to the splash water guide and the installation guide, particularly if said expansion 26 is provided for the downpipe. The splash water guide positioned in this way reduces swirling and thereby splashing towards a wall on the side of the mounting support.

The rainwater gully and/or the mounting support and/or the other elements mentioned herein may be made of a plastic, which may be any suitable plastic, such as a thermoplastic polymer. In an example, the plastic is polypropylene, which has a hardness well suited for the purpose. In an example, the plastic is polyethylene. In an example, the plastic is polystyrene. In an example, the plastic is polyethylene terephtalate (PET). In an example, the plastic is polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Combinations of these may be applied as well, whereby the rainwater gully and the mounting support, and possibly the splash water guide, may be made of different plastics. The rainwater gully and the mounting support and the other possible elements may also be made of the same plastic, whereby they are certainly compatible with each other, which may also simplify the manufacturing process. Said components may be made by any suitable method, for example by injection moulding, i.e. die casting.

The rainwater gully presented herein may be provided installed in its mounted position, for example fastened to a wall or a corresponding support. As described herein, the rainwater gully may be mounted, for example, by a method which comprises providing a rainwater gully and a mounting support for it; arranging the rainwater gully in a desired location on a mounting surface, such as for receiving water from, for example, a downpipe or the like; and fastening the mounting support to a wall or a corresponding support, and possibly fastening the mounting support to the rainwater gully and/or adjusting the length of the mounting support.

In the following, the present solution will be described by referring to example embodiments which are shown in the figures and which conform to uniform principles but in which, for example, the shape of the basin and the structure of the frame may vary. A detail presented in one example may be combined with an embodiment presented in another example.

Examples

Example 1.

Figure 1 shows a first example of a rainwater gully, in which the frame 18 comprises a first shell forming the basin 14, and a second shell forming the outer surface 13 of the rainwater gully, but the shells are integrated in the same frame structure, as can be seen in the cross-sectional view 1C. Figure 1A shows how a discharge pipe 34 protrudes from the level of the bottom of the frame and also extends further than a mounting plate 21 to be fastened to the wall of a mounting support 20 and having holes for fixing with screws or the like. The discharge pipe is aligned with the axis A of the frame, that is, in the centre of the bottom of the gully or the basin.

Figure 1B shows how the mounting support 20 protrudes from the outer surface of the frame, flush with the bottom part of the frame. These figures shows the first and second parts 22, 24 of the mounting support 20 placed within each other so that the length of the mounting support is at its shortest (about 15 cm from the frame).

Figure 1C shows a cross-section of the rainwater gully, illustrating the structure of the basin 14. At the bottom of the basin, a perforated protective dome 33 extends from the bottom, preventing large debris from entering the gully. Figures 1C to E show an expansion 26 designed for the discharge pipe, expanding the circular opening of the gully at the location of the mounting support.

Example 2.

Figure 2 shows another example of a rainwater gully where the frame 18 only comprises one shell or layer forming the basin 14. This basin, too, is provided with an expansion 26 designed for a downpipe or for water entering the gully, and immediately below the expansion, the frame is provided with an element 28 for receiving the mounting support, comprising two grooved parts designed for receiving the first part 22 of the mounting support. The first part can be slid into the receiving element from below the gully, whereby the first part cannot detach from the frame when the rainwater gully is in its mounted position. The second part 24 of the mounting support 20 is designed to be placed on top of the first part 22 and to be slid therein for adjusting the length of the mounting support. On three sides of the second part, holes 25 of 6 mm are provided for locking.

The second part 24 of the mounting support 20, namely its second end which is opposite to the first end placed in the rainwater gully, is provided with a mounting plate 21 with holes 27 for fastening means to be fixed to a wall or another support.

Example 3.

Figure 3 shows a third example of a rainwater gully 10, in which the basin 14 is designed to be elevated with respect to the upper edge on the side of the mounting support 20. The figure shows the inner surface 12 and the outer surface 13 of the basin 14 or the frame 18, which are the opposite surfaces of one shell. The mounting support 20 protrudes from the lower part of the frame 18, substantially flush with the lower part of the frame, and the end of the mounting support is provided with an integrated mounting plate 21 to be fastened to a wall or the like. The discharge pipe 34 is arranged to be connected to the rainwater gully or the like, which may be placed below the ground surface.

Example 4.

Figure 4 shows a fourth example of a rainwater gully 14, in which the basin 14 is designed to be square and the frame is provided with an inner shell forming the basin 14 and an outer shell forming the outer surface of the frame 18. The frame, more precisely its outer surface or outer shell, is provided with an element 28 for receiving the mounting support, integral with the first part 22 of the mounting support 20. The second part 24 of the mounting support 20 is placed on top of the first part 22, where it can be moved to achieve the desired length for the mounting support 20 and fastened or locked to the first part via the holes 27.

A splash water shield 31 is placed on the basin 14, more precisely on top of it or at its upper edge, to elevate the upper edge of the basin 24 on the side opposite to the mounting support 20.

Claims (12)

Claims:

1. A rainwater gully (10) comprising a frame (18) with a basin (14) formed by an inner surface (12) and defining an opening (16) for receiving water into the rainwater gully, characterized in that the rainwater gully comprises a mounting support (20) which protrudes from the frame (18), such as from the outer surface (13) of the frame, and is arranged to be fastened to a wall.

2. The rainwater gully according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting support (20) comprises two parts, and the parts (22, 24) of the mounting support are movable with respect to each other for adjusting the length of the mounting support.

3. The rainwater gully according to claim 2, characterized in that the length of the mounting support is adjustable to a length between 10 and 40 cm, for example to a length between 15 and 30 cm.

4. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parts (22, 24) of the mounting support (20) are interlockable, such as for achieving one or more locked lengths of the mounting support.

5. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that an expansion (26) is formed in the basin (14) for receiving the downpipe or the water coming from it, at least partly, the expansion being located at the site of the mounting support (20) in the opening (16) of the basin.

6. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (18) is arranged to be installed above a mounting surface, such as the ground surface, preferably the mounting support (20) being arranged to be placed above the mounting surface.

7. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting support (20) is arranged to be connected to the frame (18) in a detachable way, for example so that the frame (18) is provided with a receiving element (28) for the mounting support (20), with which the mounting support can be locked.

8. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basin (14) is provided with one or more separate walls (30, 31), for example inside or above the basin (14), for guiding water entering the rainwater gully, and/or for preventing or reducing splashing, whereby the basin (14) is provided with at least one wall (30, 31) on the side opposite to the mounting support (20).

9. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower edge of the mounting support (20) is flush with the lower edge of the frame (18) in the mounted position of the rainwater gully.

10. The rainwater gully according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rainwater gully (10) and/or the mounting support (20) is made of a plastic, such as a thermoplastic polymer, for example polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephtalate (PET), and/or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

11. The rainwater gully (10) according to any of the preceding claims installed in its mounted position, such as fastened to a wall or a corresponding support.

12. A method for installing a rainwater gully according to any of the claims 1 to 10, the method comprising

– providing the rainwater gully (10) and the mounting support (20) for it,

– arranging the rainwater gully (10) in a desired location on a mounting surface, and -fastening the mounting support (20) to a wall or a corresponding support, and possibly fastening the mounting support (20) to the rainwater gully (10) and/or adjusting the length of the mounting support (20).