GB2231907A

GB2231907A - Rain water collector

Info

Publication number: GB2231907A
Application number: GB8912134A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond C Curnow
Original assignee: EXPROCAD SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: EXPROCAD SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 1989-05-26
Filing date: 1989-05-26
Publication date: 1990-11-28
Also published as: GB8912134D0

Abstract

A device for collecting and containing rain water comprising a container (4) mounted, or mountable, on a drainpipe and connected in series to an inlet conduit (13) and an overflow conduit (14); the inlet conduit and overflow conduit being formed as two drainpipe sections having an opening defined between them and communicating with the interior of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

RAIN WATER COLLECTOR Background to the Invention The invention relates to the collecting and containing of rain water, and more particularly to a device which collects and contains rain water from a domestic drainpipe.

It is known to collect rain water using a water butt which stands beside a wall of a building, and is positioned beneath a drainpipe leading down from a gutter which collects rain water falling on the roof of the building. The bottom end of the drainpipe is so positioned in the top region of the butt that rain water passing down the drainpipe from the gutter is collected in the butt.

Water butts are often used to provide water, for certain domestic uses, where there is no readily accessible mains water supply, or where it is desirable to reduce the rate of consumption of mains supplied water.

The disadvantage with the conventional arrangement is that the water butt is not provided with an overflow. Thus, in particularly wet weather, water may spill out of the water butt onto the surrounding ground. At best this causes some inconvenience to anyone walking over that ground, but there is also the risk that this spillage may adversely affect the structure of the building.

In one broad aspect, the invention provides a device for collecting and containing rain water comprising a container mounted, or mountable, on a drainpipe and connected in series to an inlet conduit and an overflow conduit; the inlet conduit and overflow conduit being formed as two drainpipe sections having an opening defined between them, which opening communicates with the interior of the container.

Preferably the portions of the drainpipe sections adjacent the opening are wholly enclosed within the container, and the drainpipe section forming the outlet conduit exits the container through an aperture formed in the container.

The drainpipe sections forming the inlet and outlet conduits may with advantage be formed as an initially single length of drainpipe. In this case, there may also be provided a deflector mounted in the opening adjacent the inlet conduit, and so arranged as to deflect, in use, water passing into the container through the inlet conduit away from the overflow conduit.

In another broad aspect, the invention provides a method of collecting and containing rain water from a generally vertical drainpipe, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming an opening in the pipe; (b) ensuring that some or all of the rain water passing through the pipe exits the pipe through the opening; (c) so mounting a container on the pipe that the open ing communicates with the interior of the container, and that water exiting the pipe through the opening may be contained in the container; and (d) providing that, in use, the section of the pipe above the opening acts as an inlet conduit, whilst the section of the pipe below the opening acts as an overflow conduit.

Since the invention can be used with an existing domestic drainpipe, it can be relatively easily stored. Furthermore, any overflow will be removed via the drainpipe, using any existing drainage facilities connected to the drainpipe.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention when mounted on a drainpipe; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of part of the upper region of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section taken along the line III-III in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a corresponding view to Figure 2, are shows one way of anchoring the device to the wall of a building; and Figure 6 is a sectional side view of the top of the device.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment The device shown in Figure 1 includes a base 1 which is so generally 'W' shaped when viewed end-on as to define a pair of ground-engaging feet 2. A lip 3 is formed in the top region of the base 1, and retains a container 4 by engaging the periphery of the base of the container 4. The container 4, which is generally rectangular in horizontal cross-section is supported by its engagement with the lip 3, and with a region of the base 1 between the feet 2.

The container 4 is open-topped but may be covered by a removable lid 5. As can be seen from Figure 6, the lid 5 is located in position by a channel 6 defined between an outer, downward facing rim 7 and the underside of a groove 8. The groove 8 runs around the front, the sides and substantially the whole of the back of the lid 5, whilst the rim 7 extends around only the sides and front of the lid 5, enabling the lid 5 to be situated close to a building wall 9 adjacent which the container 4 is situated.

The back of the lid 5 includes a slot 10, through which a drainpipe 11 passes. In Figure 1, the slot 10 is provided towards the left-hand side of the lid 5. This enables the container 4 to be mounted adjacent the wall without protruding beyond a corner of the wall situated to the left of the drainpipe 11. However, it is envisaged that the lid 5 will be supplied, not with a slot 10, but with a pair of weakened sections, for example, a section 12, disposed one on either side of the lid 5. By cutting out just one of the weakened sections, it is possible to provide a slot in either the righthand side or the left-hand side of the lid 5, depending on where in relation to the gutter 11 the corner of the wall is situated.

Referring to Figure 2, the drainpipe 11 passes into the upper region of interior of the container 4 where it is divided into an upper section 13 and a lower section 14 by a gap 15 which defines an opening communicating with the interior of the container 4. A deflector 16 is mounted at the end of the section 13 at an annular rim 17. The deflector 16 includes an angled plate 18, the shape of which so corresponds to the shape of the section 13 that water passing down the section 13 is prevented from simply traversing the gap 15 and passing straight into the section 14 by being deflected from the plate 18 into the body of the container 4.

A region of the back wall of the container 4 is so stepped as to define a vertical external channel 19 which runs from the top region to the bottom of the container 4, and through which the section 14 passes. The section 14 is sealed against the walls of a circular orifice formed in the upper end of the channel 19 by an annular "drive-in" seal of a suitably flexible plastics material.

Referring to the detailed view in figure 2, which shows part of the seal 20 in section, the seal 20 comprises a stop formed as a flange in the top of the seal 20, and a substantially vertical sealing wall which projects downwards from the flange 21 and which tapers from top to bottom. The purpose of the seal 20 is to prevent, or sufficiently inhibit, any loss of water between the section 14 and the orifice formed at the end of the channel 19 in the container 4. With the section 14 appropriately positioned in the orifice, the seal 20 is installed by being gently tapped into position with, for example, a hammer.

The device may be Installed in the following way. Firstly, the gap 15 is formed by cutting a section out of the drainpipe 11, and the deflector 16 is then inserted into the section 13.

The base 1 and container 4, with the lid 5 removed, are then so positioned adjacent the wall 9 that the section 14 passes through the orifice in the top of the channel 19. The seal 20 is then inserted, and the lid 5 with an appropriately located slot 10, is placed on top of the container 4. Additionally, the container 4 may include holes through which it can be anchored to the wall 9 in the way illustrated in Figure 5.

If enough of these holes are provided, then these fixings, which are of a known kind, may provide the sole means for supporting the container 4, and thus enable the base 1 to be dispensed with. The base 1 may therefore be provided as an optional extra component for the device.

Rain water travelling down the drainpipe 11, and hence the section 13, will be deflected by the deflector 16 into the body of the container 4 where it can be stored for use. The container 4 is full when the water level reaches the top of the section 14.

When the container is full, any additional water passing into the section 13 will cause water to pour into the section 14, and hence out of container 4. From this it will be seen that the section 13 acts as an inlet conduit, whilst the section 14 acts as an overflow conduit. Since water travelling in through the section 13 is deflected into the container 4, it will also be seen that the container 4 is connected in series with the sections 13 and 14.

The base of the container 4 includes a number of attachment points for standard taps 23, which are, when installed, situated far enough above ground level, i.e. at least eighteen inches (say forty-six cm), to be able to be used to fill a standard watering can.

The outer surface of the container also includes a number of fixing points 24 for such decorative embellishments as a trellis work.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A device for collecting and containing rain water comprising a container mounted, or mountable, on a drainpipe and connected in series to an inlet conduit and an overflow conduit; the inlet conduit and overflow conduit being formed as two drainpipe sections having an opening defined between them and communicating with the interior of the container.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the opening in the drainpipe is wholly enclosed within the container.

3. A device according to either of the preceding claims in which the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit are formed as an initially single length of drainpipe.

4. A device according to claim 3 in which there is provided a deflector mounted in the opening adjacent the inlet conduit and so arranged as to deflect, in use, water passing into the container through the inlet conduit away from the overflow conduit.

5. A method of collecting and containing rain water from a generally vertical drainpipe, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming an opening in the pipe; (b) ensuring that some or all of the rain water passing through the pipe exits the pipe through the opening; (c) so mounting a container on the pipe that the open ing communicates with the interior of the container, and that water exiting the pipe through the opening may be contained in the container; and (d) providing that, in use, the section of the pipe above the opening acts as an inlet conduit whilst the section of the pipe below the opening acts as an overflow conduit.

6. A device substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.