GB2469111A

GB2469111A - Flood indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2469111A
Application number: GB0905778A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tony Robins
Original assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Current assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Priority date: 2009-04-03
Filing date: 2009-04-03
Publication date: 2010-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2029-04-03
Also published as: GB0905778D0; GB2469111B

Abstract

A gully flood indicator comprises a support structure (2, 4) for mounting the indicator to a gully grating, a float (22) which has a lower non-flood position and a higher flood position and a retainer (26) for retaining the float in the higher flood position. An indicator device (28) enables visual determination that the float is in the higher flood position.

Description

FLOOD INDICATOR

Background of the invention

This invention relates to a flood indicator, in particular for indicating when there has been a flood in a man-made gully.

Gullies are the most common form of positive surface water drainage system used on highways. A gully consists of a pot (sump) to retain silt, and a connection to the drainage system. A top grating allows water to flow into the unit and is capable of taking traffic loadings.

Gullies can become blocked due to silting up or blockages in the drainage system.

When a gully fails to work effectively, the water level rises above the grating, and standing water remains on the highway causing localised flooding, with obvious safety implications.

It is often the case that a gully is not totally blocked but due to a problem is not working at full capacity. In this situation, the water causing the flood seeps away leaving no evidence of the flood.

Highways networks are regularly inspected for safety and maintenance, including correct operation of the gullies. However, unless the inspection coincides with heavy rain and localised flooding, there is no way for the inspector to know of the problem.

Problems thus remain and worsen, causing dangerous flooding on the highway network.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention, there is provided a gully flood indicator comprising: a support structure for mounting the indicator to a gully grating; a float which has a lower non-flood position and a higher flood position; a retainer for retaining the float in the higher flood position; and an indicator device enabling visual determination that the float is in the higher flood position.

The device of the invention gives a visual indication that the water level has exceeded the grating level at any time in the past since the last inspection. This allows the problem to be investigated and rectified. The device can be made cheaply and can be maintenance free, so it can be widely deployed unlike telemetric solutions currently available.

The support structure may comprise: an upper plate for sitting across the top of the bars of a gully grating; a clamping arm, arranged such that the gully grating can be clamped between the upper plate and the clamping arm.

This enables the indicator to be physically clamped to the gully grating. The upper plate can comprise a channel and side flanges on opposite sides of the channel.

This enables the device to be dropped in a grating slot, with the flanges holding the device up, and the channel preventing lateral movement.

The clamping arm can be rotatable between a first orientation in which it is aligned with gully grating openings, and a second orientation in which it extends across the gully grating openings. In the aligned position, the arm can fit through the grating slot, so that the complete device can be lowered into the grating slot. The rotation then enables the clamping function to be performed.

The clamping arm can be coupled to a control rod for controlling rotation of the clamping arm between the first and second orientations and to control raising of the clamping arm when in the second orientation. A single control rod is thus used to install the device. First, the orientation changes so that the clamping can take place (with the arm across the bars of the grating), and then the spacing between the top plate and the arm is reduced.

The top of the control rod is preferably located in the channel. This means it is not readily accessible to the public. The top may have a non-standard fitting so that standard tools are not able to remove the device.

The retainer can comprise a magnet, for example attached to the float so that in the higher flood position, the magnet is brought into contact with a portion of the support structure, for example a lower surface of the channel.

The indicator can comprise a visual marker attached to the float. This can be housed within the channel, attached to the float by a link which extends through the base of the channel.

The indicator is preferably sized to be lowered between adjacent bars of a gully grating.

Brief description of the drawing:

An example of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an indicator device of the invention; and Figure 2 shows the device installed into a gully from above.

Detailed description

The invention provides a device which enables the flooding of a gully in the recent past to be detected, even if, at the time of the inspection, the flood waters have receded. The invention uses a float which is held in the high flood position, so that it can be seen that the water levels had previously risen to levels indicative of flooding, and therefore suggesting possible gully blockage.

Figure 1 shows an example of indicator device of the invention.

The device comprises a support structure 2,4 for mounting the device to a gully grating. In particular, the device is clamped between upper and lower surfaces of the grating.

An upper plate 2 rests on top of the grating, sitting across the top of the bars of the gully grating. A clamping arm 4 enables the gully grating to be clamped between the upper plate 2 and the clamping arm 4.

The upper plate has a channel 6 and side flanges 8 on opposite sides of the channel. This enables the device to be dropped in a grating slot, with the flanges holding the device up, and the channel preventing lateral movement. The outer width of the channel is thus slightly smaller than the slot width of the gully grating.

The clamping arm 4 is rotatable between a first orientation in which it is aligned with gully grating openings, and a second orientation in which it extends across the gully grating openings. The second orientation is as shown in Figure 1. In the aligned position, the arm can fit through the grating slot, so that the complete device can be lowered into the grating slot. The total width of the device is less than the slot width in the first orientation of the device.

The clamping arm 4 has a threaded bore through which a threaded control rod 10 passes. The rotation of the arm 4 is limited between the two perpendicular orientations by stops in the form of a guide surface. The guide surface 12 prevents rotation anticlockwise (when viewed from above) beyond the orientation shown in Figure 1. A similar guide surface 14 at 90 degrees limits the rotation in the clockwise direction. The two guide surfaces 12, 14 together form an "L" cross section mounting structure for the control rod 10. At the bottom of the structure is a bottom plate 16 through which the control rod passes, with a locknut 18 at the end of the control rod.

By rotating the control rod, the clamping arm 4 reaches the limiting orientation in that direction, and then rises or falls up or down the control rod. Thus, the clamping can be tightened and loosened by the control rod. A single control rod is thus used to install the device. After the device is dropped into a grating slot, the orientation of the clamping arm first changes to the perpendicular orientation shown in Figure 1 and then the spacing between the top plate 2 and the arm 4 is reduced.

The top 20 of the control rod 10 is located in the channel (as seen in Figure 2).

This means it is not readily accessible to the public. The top can have a non-standard fitting so that standard tools are not able to remove the device.

The device has a float 22 which has a lower non-flood position (shown in Figure 1) and a higher flood position. The movement between these positions is guided by ashroud24.

A retainer in the form of a magnet 26 enables the float to be held in the higher flood position. The magnet makes contact with the bottom of the channel 6 when in the raised flood position.

An indicator device 28 enables visual determination that the float is in the higher flood position. This is simply a visual marker attached to the float. The marker is housed within the channel 6, attached to the float by a link 30 which extends through the base of the channel.

The marker 28 can remain in the channel in the high and low positions, so that it cannot be struck by traffic over the gulley grating. However, it may project above the gulley for easier visual determination, particularly if the gully grating is not in a position where it is likely to be contacted by pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

Figure 2 shows the device installed into a gully from above. The gully grating 40 has slots 42, with the channel of the device sitting in one of the slots.

The device of the invention is thus is fitted to the gully grating by clamping, which enables simple fitting with no additional on-site assembly. When the water level rises to the grating level the float raises the indicator making the change visible.

After the water level drops the indicator is held in place by the magnet.

The indicator is light weight and forms no hazard to traffic. The indicator can be reset by pressing down. Damaged floats and indicators can be replaced without replacing the clamp assembly.

Only one example of device of the invention has been described. However, there are many alternatives. For example, the magnet may be replaced by a mechanical catch, or else the indicator may have greater friction acting against downward movement than upward movement, so that the buoyancy of the float is able to overcome the upward friction, but the weight under gravity is not able to overcome the downward friction. Many other arrangements for holding the indicator in its flood position are possible.

The clamping arrangement is preferred as this requires no on site assembly and simple tools. However, other arrangements for fitting the device to the gully grating are possible, for example clamps that are fixed around the bars of the gully grating.

Various other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A gully flood indicator comprising: a support structure for mounting the indicator to a gully grating; a float which has a lower non-flood position and a higher flood position; a retainer for retaining the float in the higher flood position; and an indicator device enabling visual determination that the float is in the higher flood position.
2. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises: an upper plate for sitting across the top of the bars of a gully grating; a clamping arm, arranged such that the gully grating can be clamped between the upper plate and the clamping arm.
3. An indicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper plate comprises a channel and side flanges on opposite sides of the channel.
4. An indicator as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the clamping arm is rotatable between a first orientation in which it is aligned with gully grating openings, and a second orientation in which it extends across the gully grating openings.
5. An indicator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the clamping arm is coupled to a control rod for controlling rotation of the clamping arm between the first and second orientations and to control raising of the clamping arm when in the second orientation.
6. An indicator as claimed in claim 5 and claim 3, wherein the top of the control rod is located in the channel.
7. An indicator as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the retainer comprises a magnet.
8. An indicator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the magnet is attached to the float, and in the higher flood position, the magnet is brought into contact with a portion of the support structure.
9. An indicator as claimed in claim 7 and claim 3, wherein in the higher flood position, the magnet is brought into contact with a lower surface of the channel.
10. An indicator as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the indicator comprises a visual marker attached to the float.
11. An indicator as claimed in claim 10 and claim 3, wherein the visual marker is housed within the channel and is attached to the float by a link which extends through the base of the channel.
12. An indicator as claimed in any preceding claim, which is sized to be lowered between adjacent bars of a gully grating.