A PLASTICS GULLY

Abstract: A plastics gully for piping systems for collecting water, particularly surface water, comprises a bottom portion (1). This bottom portion is provided with at least one inlet (4) and at least one outlet (5), and a top portion (2) integrally formed with the bottom portion (1) and having an access opening (8). A piping system, of which the gully may be part, may be inspected through said access opening. The bottom portion (1) is provided with stiffening ribs (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10a', 10b', 10c', 10d', 10e', 10f') at at least a part of its surface. As a result a considerably increase of the strength of the bottom portion is obtained in spite on only a small additional consumption of plastics, and the gully can easily be produced by rotary moulding.

Description: Title: A Plastics Gully. Technical Field The invention relates to a plastics gully for a piping system for collecting water, particularly surface water, said gully comprising a bottom portion provided with at least one inlet and at least one outlet and a top portion integrally formed with said bottom portion and having an access opening through which the system, of which the gully is part, may be inspected. Background Art A gully of this type having a bottom portion and a top portion is known, in which the top portion is provided with corrugations. This gully will when buried in the earth in a depth of about 1.5 m have a tendency to break down due to the great earth pressure. To overcome this problem the gully may be manufactured with a greater wall thickness; this will, however, be expensive. The method of manufacture to be applied must under all circumstances be very inexpensive. Description of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide a gully of the above type, which in spite of a comparatively small wall thickness displays great strength and which is more¬ over easy to manufacture by rotary moulding. The inventive gully is characterised in that the bottom portion is provided with stiffening ribs at at least a part of its surface. As a result a strong increase of the strength of the bottom portion is obtained by a very small additional consumption of plastics, so that the tendency of the bottom portion to collapse due to great outer stresses is reduced considerably. When the gully is pro¬ duced by rotary moulding the only requirement is that certain cuttings of material be made in the mould wall. In rotary moulding the individual gully is moreover pro- duced by fine plastics powder being rotated via two axes to touch the inner walls of the metal mould used. According to a further embodiment of the invention the bottom portion may comprise a substantially cylindrical part, and the stiffening ribs may be situated on the outer surface of said part. As a result the bottom portion will display a particularly great resistance to collapse due to the outer earth pressure. An additional embodiment of the gully according to the invention comprising a second inlet is characterised in that one or more of the stiffening ribs, which are farthest from a vertical central plane through the gully extend 360° around the bottom portion. A further improvement of the rigidity of the bottom portion is consequently ob¬ tained. The stiffening rib extending over 360° may e.g. form a sort of flange on the sleeve forming the inlet or the outlet and being positioned on the bottom portion. One or more of the stiffening ribs which are relatively close to said vertical central plane through the gully may according to the invention extend over at least part of their length along a circular arc smaller than 360°. As a result the stiffening ribs are easily adaptable to the geometry of the top portion. According to a further embodiment according to the in¬ vention the stiffening ribs may be substantially equally spaced, and as a result the strength of the bottom portion will be particularly good. The arc, along which each stiffening rib extends, may ac- cording to the invention be constant or may increase the farther away the stiffening rib is situated from said ver¬ tical central plane. The strength of the bottom portion will consequently be very great. According to an additional embodiment according to the invention one or more of the stiffening ribs, preferably the ribs adjacent to said vertical central plane comprises or comprise a rectilinear extension. As a result the ribs may be extended over said top portion, and the strength of the gully as a whole against collapse will thus be increas¬ ed. The number of stiffening ribs may according to the inven¬ tion be at least ten, and this number has proved to be particularly advantageous. Furthermore, according to the invention each stiffening rib may be constituted by a thickening in the bottom por¬ tion and may be cogwheel-tooth-shape in cross-section or of a cross-section delimited by a sinusoidal curve. As a result the stiffening rib will achieve an adequate body. Another embodiment of the inventive gully, in which the axis of an inlet and the axis of an outlet form an angle in the range of 100-170°, for instance 135°, and in which the bottom portion is correspondingly curved, is charac¬ terised in that the stiffening ribs are situated in planes with substantially equal solid angles. A particarly good stiffening of the bottom portion is thus obtained. On the surface part of the bottom portion farthest away from an outer center of curvature of the bottom portion a plurality of auxiliary ribs may according to the invention be provided between the stiffening ribs, said auxiliary ribs being shorter than the stiffening ribs. As a result an additional stiffening of the surface of the bottom portion farthest away from said center of curvature is obtained. Finally according to the inventin the stiffening ribs may be constituted by a long helix-shaped rib provided with interruptions in certain places. The rigidity of the bottom portion is thus increased further. Brief Description of the Drawing The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a gully according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a top view of the inventive gully, Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the gully along the plane (the line) A of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a top view of another embodiment of the gully, in which the inlet and the outlet form an angle of 135°, and the bottom portion is correspondingly curved, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of part of the wall of the bottom portion, in which each stiffening rib is delimited by part of a sinusoidal curve. Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention The plastics gully illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a bottom portion 1 and a top portion 2 integrally formed with the bottom portion. The bottom portion 1 comprises an inlet 4, an outlet 5 as well as an in- or outlet 6. The top portion 2 comprises an upper access opening 8, through which the cavity 9 of the bottom portion 1 may be inspec- ted. The bottom portion 1 is as shown provided with stif¬ fening ribs 10a., 10b , 10c., lOd., lOe., lOf., 10a.' , 10b' , 10c.' , 10d' , 10g.' , lOf.' , said ribs extending over at least part of the surface, but not necessarily over the entire surface of the bottom portion. In Fig. 1 the ribs are situated on the outer surface of the bottom portion 1. There is, however, nothing to prevent the ribs from being situated on the inner surface or on the inner as well as on the outer surface of the bottom portion 1. Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate particularly clearly that the bottom portion may comprise a substantially curved portion la., on the outer surface of which the stiffening ribs are located. Fig. 2 illustrates how the axis 4a. of the inlet 4 and the axis 4b. of the outlet 5 are situated in the same plane, whereas a second axis 6a. of a third inlet or outlet 6 are orthogonal to the congruent axes 4a. and 4b.. Inter alia in this case one or more stiffening ribs 10£ which are far¬ thest from a vertical central plane A through the gully (in Figs. 1 and 2 the plane is orthogonal to the plane of the paper) may as illustrated in Fig. 1 extend 360° around the bottom portion. As it appears, the inlet 4 and outlet 5 are provided in a kind of sleeves on the bottom portion. The pipes to be joined by means of the gully can be in- serted into these sleeves, preferably by using one or more sealing rings (not shown) . Fig. 1 illustrates how one or more of the stiffening ribs 10b, 10c., lOd, lOe., 10b.' , 10c.' , 10d' , lOe.' which are re¬ latively close to the vertical central plane A, may ex- tend along a circular arc smaller than 360°. As illustrated in Fig. 1 the stiffening ribs may be substantially equally spaced; this is, however, no absolute requirement. Fig. 1 further illustrates how the arc, along which each stiffening rib extends, may increase the farther away the stiffening rib is situated from the vertical central plane A. It is, however, also possible that some of the ribs extend over an arc of the same arc measure, e.g. the stif- 5 fening ribs lOd. and lOe.. This would correspond to the dotted lines (indicating a side view of the stiffening ribs) being of the same height. One or more of the stiffening ribs, preferably the ribs 10a.' adjacent to said vertical central plane A may as 0 illustrated in Fig. 3 at one end or the other comprise a rectilinear extension 10a_ more or less extending over the top portion 2. The lower extension part lθa.2 is as illustrated horizontal, but in connection with the ribs situated somewhat closer to the rib lOf,' each stiffening 5 rib is provided with rectilinear, substantially vertical extension parts. The rib 10f_' comprises, however, usually no extension parts. These extension parts contribute con¬ siderably to the stiffening of the bottom portion. The number of stiffening ribs may be any number, but ten 0 ribs or more are preferred. As illustrated in Fig. 1 each stiffening rib 10a., 10b., 10c., lOd, lOe., lOf, 10a' , 10b' , 10c.' , 10α?' , lOe.' , 10f may be constituted by a thickening in the wall of the bottom portion 1 and -be cogwheel-tooth-shape in cross- 25 section. There is, however, nothing to prevent that each stiffening rib 10 may be of a cross-section delimited by part of a sinusoidal curve 15, cf. Fig. 5. Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the inventive gully, in which the inlet 4 and the outlet 5 form an angle 302. of about 135°, and in which the bottom portion 1 is correspondingly curved. The angle v will normally be in the range of 100-170°. The Figure illustrates, how the stiffening ribs 20, 20a., 20b., 20c., 20d, 20a.' , 20b' , 20c.' , 20d.' are situated in planes with substantially equal solid angles . A number of auxiliary ribs 21a., 21b., 21c., 21d., 21e., 21f., 21k. may optionally be provided on the surface part If, farthest away from the outer center of curvature C of the bottom portion 1. As illustrated these auxiliary ribs are situated approximately in the midst of the stif¬ fening ribs. The length of the auxiliary ribs is somewhat shorter than the length of the stiffening ribs, as little room is provided for them, cf. the fact that the distance between the stiffening ribs 20a., 20fe., 20c., etc. on the side of the bottom portion facing the center of curvature G is comparatively small. Instead of the stiffening ribs 10a.-10f., and 10a.' -lOf.' being situated in parallel planes as illustrated in Fig. 1 the stiffening ribs may be constituted by one long helix- shaped rib provided with interruptions in certain places. The interruptions are situated where the helix cuts the top portion 2. The invention may be varied in many ways without thereby deviating from its idea. The function of the inlet 4 and the outlet 5 may thus be changed in such a manner that 4 is an outlet and 5 is an inlet. It is also possible to provide the gully with a sleeve (not shown) at the bottom of Fig. 2, said sleeve serving as inlet or outlet according to requirement. The inventive gully may be used both in piping systems for collecting rain water (surface water) - in which case the piping system and the associated gully are buried in the earth in a depth of about 1.5 m - and for deeper lying piping systems. Instead of the parts 4, 5, and 6 being formed as sleeves, in which a spigot end may be inserted, the parts 4, 5, and 6 may be formed as taper pipe pieces insertable in the end sleeves of the pipes to be joined by means of the gully. It is also possible that some of the parts 4, 5, and 6 be constituted by sleeve parts and the rest of the parts by taper pipe pieces. Consequently, when the words "inlet" and "outlet" are used in the claims it involves no limitation of whether it is a question of a sleeve part or a taper piece part.

Claims: Claims 1. A plastics gully for a piping system for collecting water, particularly surface water, said gully comprising a bottom portion (1) provided with at least one inlet (4) and at least one outlet (5) and a top portion (2) inte¬ grally formed with said bottom portion (1) and having an access opening (8) through which the system, of which the gully is part, may be inspected, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that the bottom portion (1) is provided with stiffening ribs (10a., 10b, 10c., lOd, lOe., lOf., 10a,' , 10b' , 10c.' , 10d' , lOe.' , 10J ' ) at at least a part of its surface. 2. A gully as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that the bottom portion comprises at least one substantially cylindrical curved part (Fig. 1), and in that the stiffening ribs (10a.-10f, 10.' -lOf,') are situated on the outer surface of said curved part. 3. A gully as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that the stiffening ribs (10a.-10f., 10a.'- lOf.' ) are situated in planes substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical part. 4. A gully as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3 and comprising a second inlet (6) . c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that one or more (lOf,) of the stiffening ribs, which are far- thest from a vertical central plane (A) through the gully extend 360° around the bottom portion (1). 5. A gully as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that one or more (10b., 10c., lOd., lOe., 10b.' , 10c', 10d' , lOe.' ) of the stiffening ribs, which are relatively close to said vertical central plane (A) extend over at least part of their length along a circular arc smaller than 360°. 6. A gully as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, c h a- r a c t e r i s e d in that the stiffening ribs (10a.- 10£, 10a.' -lOf,') are substantially equally spaced. 7. A gully as claimed in claim 6, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that the arc along which each stiffening rib (10b, 10c., lOd,, lOe., 10^.' , lO≤.' , 10d,' , lOe.' ) extends, is constant or increases the farther away the stiffening rib is situated from said vertical central plane (A) . 8. A gully as claimed in claim 6 or 7, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that one or more (10a.-10e., 10a' -lOf,') of the stiffening ribs, preferably the ribs adjacent to said vertical central plane, comprises or comprise a rec- • tilinear extension (10a^,, 10a. ) . 9. A gully as claimed in one or more of claims 1-8," c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the number of stiffening ribs (10a.-10j , 10a -lOf.') is at least ten. 10. A gully as claimed in one or more of claims 1-9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that each stiffening rib (10a.-10f., 10a -lOf.') is constituted by a thickening (10) in the wall (30) of the bottom portion (1) (Fig. 5) and is cogwheel-tooth-shape in cross-section (cf. Fig. 1) or of a cross-section (10) (Fig. 5) delimited by a sinusoi¬ dal curve (15) . 11. A gully as claimed in one or more of claims 1-10, in which the axis (14) of an inlet (4) and the axis (25) of an outlet (5) form an angle (v) in the range of 100-170°, for instance of 135°, the bottom portion (1) being corres¬ pondingly curved, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the stiffening ribs (20a.-20d., 20a/ -20d/) are situated in planes with substantially equal solid angles (cc) . 12. A gully as claimed in claim 11, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that on the surface part (If.) of the bottom portion (1) farthest away from an outer center of curvature (C) of said bottom portion (1) a plurality of auxiliary ribs (21a.-21h.) are provided between the stif- fening ribs (20a.-20d, 20a -20d'), said auxiliary ribs being shorter than the stiffening ribs.

Inventors: ELZINK WILLEM, LODDER BERNHARD, POULSEN VAGN S, ELZINK, WILLEM, LODDER, BERNHARD, POULSEN, VAGN, S.
Applicants: NORDISK WAVIN AS, NORDISK WAVIN A/S
Application year: 1986
Main classification: E03F5
IPC codes: E03F5