Leaf trap

Abstract: The invention relates to a leaf trap consisting of a dish (1) made of plastics, for instance (recycled) PVC or similar plastics waste material, provided with legs (2) between which water passage gates (5) are provided, the dish (1) being open on one side and being filled with a weight-increasing filler (3), for instance fly ash, concrete mortar or similar material, or a mixture thereof.

Description: This invention relates to a leaf trap consisting of a body made of plastics, equipped with legs between which water passage gates are provided. Such leaf traps are known from practice but do not satisfy the requirements to be met. They are typically too light, so that in the case of larger (wind) loads, they a) do not retain their position, or b) give way, or c) get clogged easily. These drawbacks are also inherent to the commonly used spherical wire grates, which are made of metal and are essentially in the form of a chimney cap. Leaf traps of this type moreover have the disadvantage that, owing to their volume, they constrict the drain they are arranged in. From US-A-2,283,160 a leaf trap is known consisting of a slotted cover member provided over a drain head in a roof. The cover member has a bottom flange, to be secured to the roof by screws. The object of the invention is to provide a leaf trap of the type described above, in which these disadvantages are overcome and which, moreover, is ecologically sound. To that end, the leaf trap according to the invention is characterized in that the plastics body consists of a dish open on one side, filled up with a weight-increasing filler. The dish preferably consists of recycled PVC or similar plastics material. The filler preferably consists of fly ash, concrete mortar or similar material, or a mixture thereof. The exterior of the leaf trap preferably has a shape which is adapted to its location on the roof or to the roof gutter. The advantage of the leaf trap according to the invention is that it is possible to use exclusively waste materials for its manufacture. By filling up the plastics dish with fly ash, concrete or the like, the leaf trap is made heavier to such an extent that it need not be connected to the roof, while, moreover, a robust construction is obtained. One embodiment of the leaf trap according to the invention will now be further explained, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a section of a leaf trap, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the leaf trap according to Figure 1. The leaf trap shown in the drawings consists of a dish-shaped body 1 which is equipped with legs 2 and is filled with a filler 3 consisting of fly ash, concrete mortar or a similar material, or a mixture thereof. The dish-shaped body 1 is made of plastics, for instance recycled PVC or a similar waste material. Between the legs 2 of the dish-shaped body 1, passages 5 are present. The legs 2 can be of circular cross-section, but may also have other cross-sections which are favourable from a flow-technical point of view. It is important that leaf material or the like, swept along by the wind, can readily pass through the passages 5 and does not clog them. The top of the dish-shaped body comprises a passage or overflow 6 which enables the passage of water when all gates are clogged. In the embodiment shown, the opening 6 is rectangular. It is desirable to make the opening 6 of non-circular shape so that is cannot be closed off by a playing ball which has accidentally ended up on the roof. Preferably, the leaf trap has the size of a paving stone, so that it can easily be fitted into the tiled roof coverings currently used, as for instance for parking roofs.

Claims: A leaf trap consisting of a body (1) made of plastics, equipped with legs (2) between which water passage gates (5) are provided, characterized in that the plastics body (1) consists of a dish open on one side, which is filled with a weight-increasing filler (3). A leaf trap according to claim 1, characterized in that the dish (1) is made from a plastics waste material, such as recycled PVC. A leaf trap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the filler (3) consists of fly ash, concrete mortar or a mixture thereof. A leaf trap according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the leaf trap is provided at the top of the dish-shaped body (1) with one or more free passages or overflows (6).

Inventors: VAN DER SCHAAF ADRIANUS JOHANN, VAN DER SCHAAF GERARDUS BENEDI, VAN DER SCHAAF, ADRIANUS JOHANNES, VAN DER SCHAAF, GERARDUS BENEDICTUS
Applicants: SCHAAF ADRIANUS JOHANNES V D, SCHAAF GERARDUS BENEDICTUS V D, VAN DER SCHAAF, ADRIANUS JOHANNES, VAN DER SCHAAF, GERARDUS BENEDICTUS
Application year: 1992
Main classification: E04D13
IPC codes: E04D13