IE80661B1 - Drainage system - Google Patents

Abstract

A kerb drainage block 10 has a base 12 and a cover 14 defining a longitudinal channel in the block. At each end of the cover 14, passages 24, 28 communicate between the channel and a kerb front face 26, the passage 28 opening upwardly into the passage 24. When a pair of blocks 10 are laid end-to-end in abutting relationship, an uppermost porous layer of a roadway is laid up to the lower edge of the aligned passages 24 whereby the latter open above ground level, the passages 28 being aligned with the porous layer. Water passing through the latter can therefore find an outlet into the drainage blocks 10 through the passages 28, whilst surface water can drain directly into the blocks through the passages 24.

Description

Drainage System This invention relates to drainage systems, and apparatus and components therefor, and is particularly concerned with kerb drainage blocks to be used in association with roadways or other surfaces which have surface layers of a porous material such as asphalt.

According to the present invention there is provided kerb apparatus to be used with a roadway, the apparatus comprising a base part having a drainage channel therein and arranged to be located in use in ground with the channel below ground level, and a closure for the base part, the closure providing a kerb front face which, in use, has an upper section exposed above a porous material layer defining ground level, and a lower section at the level of the porous material layer, the closure having at least one first passage providing communication between the channel in the base part and the upper section of the kerb front face, and at least one second passage providing communication between the channel and the lower section of the kerb front face.

Preferably the upper part has two of the first passages, each opening onto a respective end of the closure. The closure may also have two of the second passages, each opening onto a respective end thereof. The second passages may each open upwardly into a respective one of the first passages. -2 The or each first passage is preferably upwardly angled from internally to externally.

The or each second passage in the closure may open to a lower end of the closure. The base and closure may each be formed of a moulded cementitious 5 material such as polymer concrete.

The invention further provides a drainage system comprising a plurality of the kerb apparatus as described in any of the four preceding paragraphs laid in an end-to-end relationship, whereby the respective first and second passages opening onto respective ends of the closures are aligned to form embounded through passages.

Preferably each of the closures is laid across abutting ends of respective base parts.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:15 Fig. 1 is a side view of a kerb drainage block; Fig. 2 is a front view of an upper part of the drainage block of Fig;. 1; and Fig. 3 is a front view of part of a drainage system utilising the drainage block of Figs. 1 and 2. -3 Referring to the drawings, a kerb drainage block 10 is formed of two 1 parts or-components, a lower part or base 12 and an upper part or cover 14, relative to the orientation in use. The base 12 is substantially U-shaped, thereby presenting an upwardly open channel 16 extending longitudinally 5 through the base 12. Each channel leg 16a, 16b is profiled at its upper edge to provide an internal shoulder 18.

The cover 14 is of substantially inverted U-shape defining a shallower channel 20 extending longitudinally therethrough and having the same width at its opening as the channel 16 of the base 12. Each of the channel legs I* 17a, 17b of the cover 14 has a profile at its· lower end complementary to the profile of the respective channel » leg of the base 10, whereby to provide a projection 22 for seating on the respective shoulder 18 by way of a layer of mortar (not shown).

The base 12 and the cover 14 are each preferably formed from a moulded cementitious material, such as polymer concrete, and a plurality of the blocks 10 are laid end-to-end to form a kerbside road surface drainage system as hereinafter described.

The cover part 14 is formed in each end of the channel leg 17a, the front leg in use with a first recess defining a passage 24 opening onto the respective end and communicating between the internal channel 20 and a kerb front face 26. The passage 24 is upwardly angled from internally to externally of the cover 14, and has a semi-oval cross-section as shown in Fig. 2.

The cover 14 also has material removed from each end of the front channel leg 17a between the lower end thereof and the respective passage 24 to a predetermined depth, whereby to effectively define a passage 28 opening onto the respective end and communicating between the internal channel 20 and the kerb front face 24. The passage 28 has a depth less than that of the passage 24 and opens upwardly into the latter.

I In use, a plurality of the bases 12 are laid S end-to-end along a roadside in abutting relationship as shown in Fig. 3, and are securely embedded in the ground 5 by any conventional method, whereby the channels 16 are aligned to form a continuous drainage channel below the intended road level. A plurality of the covers 14 are then seated on the bases 12 in an end-to-end abutting relationship as shown in Fig. 3, with the channel legs 1θ 17a facing the roadway, and secured to the bases 12 by mortar. As shown in Fig. 3, the covers 14 are longitudinally off-set in relation to the bases 12.

When each pair of covers 14 are laid in an abutting relationship, the passages 24 in the respective ends align with one another to effectively define an embounded through passage 30 of substantially oval cross-section. The respective end passages 2B also are aligned to effectively form an embounded through passage 32 of rectangular cross-section.

When a roadway is formed with an uppermost porous layer 34, for example of asphalt, the latter is laid up • to the lower edge of the through passages 30, whereby the latter open above ground level and the through passages 32 are aligned with the porous layer 34. In this way, surface water on the roadway can drain’direct1y off the top surface thereof through the passages 30 into the drainage blocks 10, and by way of the drainage channel 16 therein to a remote location. Also, water passing through the porous layer 34 finds an outlet through the passages 32 and into the drainage blocks 10. Due to the off-set arrangement, water in the passages 32 does not tend to seep between adjacent bases 12.

There is thus provided a simple yet effective way of providing drainage for a roadway or other surface which can make use of the advantages inherent in having a porous surface layer. The provision of the passages in the ends of each cover 14 simplifies production and therefore is cost effective.

It should be appreciated however that the drainage passages may be formed other than in the ends of the cover 14. For example, each cover 14 may have only one pair of apertures 24, 28 formed therein, intermediate the ends thereof. Also it will be appreciated that the drainage apertures may be of other configurations, as may be the profiles of the base 12 and the cover 14 themselves.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the invention.

Claims (12)

1. Claims:1. Kerb apparatus to be used with a roadway, the apparatus comprising a base part having a drainage channel therein and arranged to be located in use in ground with the channel below ground level, and a closure for the base part, the closure providing a kerb front face which, in use, has an upper section exposed above a porous material layer defining ground level, and a lower section at the level of the porous material layer, the closure having at least one first passage providing communication between the channel in the base part and the upper section of the kerb front face, and at least one second passage providing communication between the channel and the lower section of the kerb front face.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, including two of the first passages, each opening onto a respective end of the closure.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, including two of the second passages, each opening onto a respective end of the closure.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the second passages each open upwardly into a respective one of the first passages.

5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the or each first passage is upwardly angled from internally to externally.

6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the or each second passage is open to a lower end of the closure.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the base and the closure are each formed of a moulded cementitious material.

8. Apparatus according Claim 7, wherein the moulded cementitious material is polymer concrete.

9. A drainage system comprising a plurality of the kerb apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims laid in an end-to-end relationship, whereby the respective first and second passages opening onto respective ends of the closures are aligned to form embounded through passages.

10. A system according to Claim 9, wherein each of the closures is laid across abutting ends of respective base parts.

11. Kerb apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A drainage system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.