AU626564B2

AU626564B2 - A method and apparatus for forming a drain

Info

Publication number: AU626564B2
Application number: AU38944/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Joseph Creighton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-01-17
Filing date: 1989-07-24
Publication date: 1992-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2009-07-24
Also published as: AU3894489A

Description

;i' t 1 626564 COMMONWL'ALTH OF AUSTRALIA FORM PATENTS ACT 1952 S P ECIF I CA T T C OMP LET E S P E C I F I Q A T 1 0 FOR OFFICE USE: Class Application Number: Lodged: Int.Class ,4 *0 00 0 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: o Priority: Related Art: o. Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: JOHN JOSEPH CREIGHTON 31 Currie Road FORESTVILLE NSW 2087 Actual Inventor: JOHN JOSEPH CREIGHTON Address for Service: SHELSTON WATERS, 55 Clarence-St-reet, Sydney Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: "A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A DRAIN" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- (Complete of PJ2320 dated 17th January, 1989) 1 S00"P008 24/07/e 9

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F o ooo a oe ooor oooo Doc o o o o o 6o 0 a 0 0a 0 ^0 a o o eo Q 0 o0 o o u a oo a o ao i1 0 0 0 CO o 20 z 0 0 6 a o The present invention relates to drains and in particular to a method and apparatus for construction or forming a drain.

The invention has been developed primarily for use in concrete constructions and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular material.

In the past, the forming of drains in concrete constructions has proven difficult and time consuming because of the extensive amount of preliminary formwork required before the concrete can be poured. This formwork is usually painstakingly prepared using plywood sheets and wooden blocks in a manner well known in the art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for constructing drains which overcomes or substantially ameliorates at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to a first aspect, the invention consists in a method of forming a drain, comprising the steps of forming a drainage apparatus including a hollow drainage tube having an opening formed therein and channel wall members extending outwardly from the drainage tube to define a channel region there between, placing the drainage apparatus in a location to be drained, pouring a hardenable material around the apparatus so as to substantially cover the tube whereby the channel wall members prevent the hardenable material from entering the tube through the opening;" 2- 2 ii i; j it ii

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i- ~CI~LILI~Y~-* ~l~lllli-L-- P -LIII-~~ and allowing the hardenable matertial to at least partially harden to, in use, permit liquid to flow into said channel region, through said opening, into the drainage tube and away from the area to be drained.

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rll 2A The term hardenaL'e material as herein used includes common hardenable materials used in building construction such as concrete, cement, plaster, mortar and resins as well as other suitable materials such as porcelain, clay, mud, sand and earth.

Preferably the hollow drainage tube is a pipe of durable plastics material such as PVC and is annular in cross-section. The hardenable material is preferably concrete.

Preferably also a plurality of openings are provided in the drainage tube in the form of a series of fi longitudinally extending elongate slots in coaxial alignment.

In one preferred form of the invention, the means to prevent hardenable material from entering the tube through the openings comprises a form member releasably attached to the tube to cover the openings. The hardenable material is poured so as to at least partially cover the o008 form member such that removal thereof defines a a0 a complementary channel region extending between the opening and an upper surface of the hardenable material.

The form member is preferably an elongate wooden member which tapers outwardly in cross section to facilitate removal from the hardened concrete and which is releasably attached to the side wall of the drainage tube by self tapping screws.

In an alternative form of the invention, the means to prevent hardenable material from entering the tube 3 i i1: 7 j ~r6 k through the opening comprises channel wall members extending outwardly from the hollow tube to, in use, define a channel region extending upwardly between the opening and the upper surface of the hardenable material.

The channel wall members preferably comprise a pair of spaced apart generally parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls which depend upwardly from the hollow tube.

Preferably also, each channel wall member includes an outwardly extending flange formation for engagement with the hardenable material.

00i9 According to a second aspect, the invention consists aeo in a drainage apparatus for use in the formation of a 00,0 drain, said apparatus comprising a hollow drainage tube having an opening formed therein, and channel wall members o o pa extending outwardly from said drainage tube to define a channel region, said opening providing fluid communication between said hollow tube and said channel region to, in 0 099 00 9~ 00 use, permit liquid to flow into said channel region, through said opening, into said drainage tube and away 00 from the area to be drained.

Preferably, the drainage apparatus further includes oS grate means extending across the channel region to 0046 9 restrict entry of debris into the drainage tube.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 4 i 1,

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Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the drainage tube and form member according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation of a drain formed using the drainage tube and form member of figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic sectional end elevation showing the drain of figure 2 formed with surrounding steel reinforcement; Figure 4 is a sectional end view showing a drainage tube having integral wall members according to a second aspect of the invention; orrr Figure 5 shows a junction trap assembly according to oQ0, oc the invention.

0000 0° Referring to figures 1 to 3 of the drawings showing 00 a first aspect of the invention, a hollow drainage tube 1 includes openings in the form of longitudinally extending elongate slots 2 in coaxial alignment to allow liquid to enter the tube 1 therethrough. A wedge shaped form member 000 o0o 3 is releasably attached to the tube 1 by self tapping screws 4 such that the elongate slots 2 are substantially covered by the form member to prevent hardenable material i such as concrete from entering the tube 1 through the slots. The form member 3 tapers radially outwardly from i the tube 1 to permit easy removal after the concrete. has hardened.

Turning now to describe the method of construction of the drain in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the tube 1 with form member 3 attached is first i: i positioned in the area to be drained such as adjacent a swimming pool, bath, drive way, gutter or the like. The tube is orientated such that the elongate slots 2 and form member 3 are directed generally upwardly.

The concrete 5 in liquid form is then poured around the drainage tube 1 and steel reinforcing 6 to substantially cover the tube but to leave at least the upper surface 7 of form member 3 uncovered. When the surrounding concrete has hardened sufficiently to be self supporting, the screws 4 are removed and the form member 3 withdrawn to define a drainage channel 8 in the hardened concrete extending between the now exposed slots 2 and the upper surface of the concrete. The drainage tube 1 rai a remains embedded in the concrete. The concrete is screeded to the top of the channel 8 to provide a gradient falling towards the drain to facilitate drainage, in the convention manner.

4. When excess liquid is present in the vicinity of the drain, the liquid flows through drainage channel 8, 4, 4 through the slots 2, into the drainage tube, and away from i the area to be drained for discharge to the conventional i stormwater drainage system.

47. Referring now to figure 4 showing a drainage apparatus according to a second aspect of the invention, wherein corresponding features are denoted by corresponding reference numerals, the hollow drainage tube 1 includes a linear army of openings in the form of longitudinally extending elongate slots 2.

6 1; In this form of the invention, the drainage apparatus further includes a pair of spaced apart parallel channel wall members 10 extending outwardly from the drainage tube to define a channel region 11 therebetween, The slots 2 provide fluid communication between the drainage tube 1 and the channel region 11.

The channel wall members 10 include outwardly extending longitudinal flange formations 12 adapted to be embedded within the concrete to support and retain the wall members in engagement within the surrounding concrete. The locking engagement between the flanges 12 and the surrounding concrete resists the tendency for a Sgap to form between the channel walls and the concrete as a result of alternate expansion and contraction under varying conditions of temperature and moisture content.

0 The channel wall members may be formed integrally with the drainage tube as a single extrusion, or may be attached to a standard cylindrical pipe by conventional 0 means such as riveting, glueing or plastic welding.

The method of construction of the drain using the abovedescribed drainage apparatus is similar to that of the first form of the invention. The drainage tube 1 is positioned in the area to be drained such that the elongate slots 2 and channel wall members 10 depend generally upwardly.

The concrete is then poured around the drainage apparatus to substantially cover the drainage tube, to a level adjacent or slightly above the upper marginal edges I N2 T 0 J :1 13 of the channel wall members 10, whereby the concrete is prevented from entering the tube through the slots 2.

During pouring of the concrete, a support member such as an elongaLe wooden insert block (not shown) may be temporarily inserted into the channel region 11 intermediate the channel wall members to prevent any accidental overflow or spillage of wet concrete into the drain. The wooden support block also serves to resist any tendency for the channel wall members to bend or collapse inwardly due to the pressure of the wet concrete or the rough placement of the concrete around the drain. The r *block is removed once the concrete has hardened sufficiently to become self supporting, leaving the o 0 ro drainage tube and channel wall members firmly embedded in 0 the hardened cowicrete.

o C When the drain has thus been formed, excess liquid is permitted to flow through the channel region 11, through the slots 2, into the drainage tube and away from 0° the area to be drained for discharge into the conventional 0 .I stormwater drainage network.

A grate or filter (not shown) can be incorporated with the drain formed in accordance with either form of the invention to extend across the slots 2 or channel 4 regions 8 or 11 to restrict entry of debris such as leaves, branches and other foreign matter into the drainage tube. The grate can be formed integrally with the drainage tube or can be removably inserted into the channel region after (or while) 'the drain is formed. i 8

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j i ;al--UP In one preferred form of the invention, a grate is releasably attached to, or formed integrally with the drainage apparatus to extend between channel wall members and across channel region 11 to provide structural support and resist any tendency for the channel walls to bend or collapse inwardly under pressure as the drain is being formed in the wet concrete. This form of the invention wherein the grate extends across the channel region to provide structural support during construction obviates the need for a removable insert block and in this case, a self-adhesive tape can be temporarily applied over the channel 11 to prevent wet concrete from entering the drain or obscuring the slots.

The grate can be formed from any suitable metal or plastics material and particular gatiges can be selected to t4 0 suit individual applications.

The invention preferably also provides for the incorporation of junction traps spaced apart at intervals 0 0 along the length of the drain, as shown in figure 0 0 The junction trap assembly 15 comprises a recessed 0. container portion 16 to removeable receive and locate a, complementary trap such as a grate or a guaze basket 17.

The trap is releasably retained in the container 16 by an access plug 18. In use, any heavier particulate debris such as sand, dirt, grit and metallic particles carried in suspension along the drain tend to fall into the container 16 to be captured and retained by the basket 17 for periodic removal as required. The collection of -9- 0 V i ii 44 4t.

4 4 49 4 particulate debris by the juncton trap prevents progressive accumulation of sediment which can gradually cause the drain to become blocked.

The spacing of the junction traps can be varied to suit particular conditions and can be provided at "trouble spots" such as adjacent gutter downpipes and at intersections where the drain changes direction. It has been found that a suitable spacing for the junction trap is every 6 meters of drain length. For best results, a juncton trap should be provided at every intersection.

This invention provides a simple, efficient and effective method and apparatus for forming a drain in concrete, and provides substantial savings in time and money over currently used methods. The drain is particularly suitable for use as a form of weather barrier in applications such as under a garage door to prevent water from entering the garage through the doorway.

However, it will be apparent that the invention lends 4 itself to a wide variety of other application such as the 20 removal of ground water and seepage, the prevention of S runoff water fron, flowing across footpaths, the separation of wet and dry areas, industrial applications and the like.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

For example, the drainage tube need not be constructed from plastics material but could be formed 4444 4 4 44 4 44 4 4O 4 44 10 r E from porcelain, copper or any other suitable material in any convenient shape. The hardenable material need not be concrete but could comprise plaster, clay or any other suitable hardenable material.

Furthermore, the openings in the drainage tube need not be in the form of elongate longitudinally extending slots but could comprise a linear array of circular holes or any other form of openings or perforations. These openings can also be formed in the drainage tube after the tube has been embedded in the concrete.

In addition, the method and apparatus of the present invention is applicable to any application where drainage is required, for example around a swimming pool, adjacent a domestic bath or shower, across a garage or driveway, under a garage door, in 3 car park, or any other suitable domestic or industrial application and can be used in conjunction with or instead of a conventional drain.

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Claims

1. A method of forming a drain, comprising the steps of forming a drainage apparatus including a hollow drainage tube having an opening formed therein and channel wall members extending outwardly from the drainage tube to define a channel region therebetween, placing the drainage apparatus in a location to be drained, pouring a hardenable material around the apparatus so as to substantially cover the tube whereby the channel wall members prevent the hardenable material from entering the tube through the opening, and allowing the hardenable material to, at least partially harden to, in use, permit liquid to flow into said channel region, through said opening, into the drainage tube and away from the area to be drained.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the hollow Sdrainage tube comprises a plastic pipe.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hollow drainage tube is annular in cross section. i a 4. A method according to any one of the proceeding claims wherein the hardenable material is concrete. A method according to any one of the proceeding claims wherein the drainage tube includes a plurality of openings in longitudinal alignment.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein each opening comprises a longitudinally extending elongate slot.

7. A method according to any one of the proceeding claims wherein said means to prevent hardenable material 12 I from entering the tube comprises a form member releasably attached to the tube to cover the opening and wherein said method includes the further step of removing said form member from the the tube when said hardenable material has at least partially hardened, to expose said opening. 0 0oo0 0 00 c a o 0.00 o a o o 0 0 0. C 00 0 O 00 0 12A V_ ft has at leat partially hardened, to expose said opning.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said hardenable material is poured so as to at least partially cover said form member such that removal thereof defines a complementary channel region extending between said opening and an upper surface of the hardenable material ho, in use, permit liquid to be drained to flow through said channel region and said opening, into the tube, and away from the area to be drained.

9. A method according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the form member is tapered in cross section to diverge outwardly from the drainage tube to facilitate removal from the hardenable material.

10. A method according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the form member is releasably attached to the tube by mean' of self-tapping screws.

11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said means to prevent hardenable material from entering the tube through the opening comprises channel wall members extending outwardly from the hollow tube to define a channel region extending between said opening and an upper surface of the hardenable material to, in use, permit liquid to be drained to flow through said channel region and said opening, into the tube, and away from the area to be drained.

12. A method according to clain 11 wherein the channel wall members comprise a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls ©Ra -13 -9 I Ii which, in use, depend generally upwardly from the hollow tube.

13. A method according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the channel wall members include at least one outwardly extending flange formation for engagement with the hardenable material.

14. A method according to any one of the preceeding claims, comprising the further step of providing a junction trap in said drain. A drainage apparatus for use in the formation of a drain, said apparatus comprising a hollow drainage tube having an opening formed therein, and channel wall .04. members extending outwardly from said drainage tube to 0 0 S' define a channel region therebetween, said opening a S a ov providing fluid communication between said hollow tube a 0 t and said channel region to, in use, permit liquid to flow into said channel region, through said opening, into said drainage tube and away from the area to be drained. a 4

16. A drainage apparatus according to claim 15 wherein 3 the hollow drainage tube comprises a plastics pipe.

17. A drainage apparatus according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the drainage tube is substantially annular in 1 4 4 cross section. 0" a: 18. A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims to 17 wherein the drainage tube includes a plurality of openings in longitudinal alignment. j

19. A drainage apparatus according to claim 18 wherein each opening comprises a longitudinally extending elongate slot. !I 14 A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims to 19 wherein the channel wall members comprise a paiy of spaced apart substantially parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls which depend generally outwardly from the drainage tube.

21. A drainage apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the channel wall members include at least one outwardly extending flange formation for engagement with the hardenable material.

22. A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 21 wherein the channel wall members are integral O with the drainage tube. C oo 0 23. A drainage apparatus according to claim 22 wherein o 1 the drainage apparatus is formed substantially as a single extrusion. 0 o 024. A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims 0 15 to 21 wherein the channel wall members are releasably attached to the drainage tube. 0 25. A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 24 further including grate means extending across said opening or said channel region to restrict entry of debris into the drainage tube.

26. A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims to 25 further including support means to support the channel wall members.

27. A drainage apparatus according to any one of claims to 26 further including a junction trap. 15 'IV L L r 1 I:

28. A method of forming a drain, said method being substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 2 or figure 3 or figure 4 of the accompanying drawings. oore 0o 000 0 00 00 0 0 0 o 1 o og 0 k 15A 1 :l ~A 0i, i H e o 0 0 ::I B: '1 -9 1".

29. A drainage apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 24th day of July, 1989 JOHN JOSEPH CREIGHTON 0*0* 000* o 0 o 0 0 0400 0 00 o 0 1'1 P~ r 16- L- I