Modular gutter for drainage channels

Abstract: The outer sides of the widened top embankment part (101, 101') of the gutter (1) are provided with small integral continuous longitudinal channels (201, 201') that face upwards and into which the terminal edge of the waterproof facing (M) of the concrete structure fitted with a drainage channel formed by the gutters in question can be correctly abutted so as to form a leaktight joint between the said facing and the gutters laid one after the other and such that the water discharged by the said facing into the supplementary channels (201, 201') can also be carried away. The ends and middle part of the gutter are also suitably shaped so that the gutter can be joined to other similar gutters, whether these be whole modules or modules cut into sections of the desired length.

Description: It has been known for some time to employ modular plastic gutters that can be assembled to support a grating that is suitable for pedestrians and vehicles, in order to collect and channel drainage water in sports stadia, entrances to garages, underground premises, along kerbs and elsewhere. From Italian Utility model Patent application ser. No. RM91U 000216 dated 11/11/91, a gutter is known of the type referred to above that has a male joint element at one end and a female joint element at the other end, of the guillotine type, so that several gutter modules can be laid one after the other to form the channel of the desired length, with a strong, leak-tight connection that involves inserting the male joint element of one module into the female joint element of the next module. It is also known for the outer surface of the abovementioned gutters to have pairs of transverse ribs that are spaced an even distance apart with a pitch that is a submultiple of the total length of the module, preferably one tenth of the length, and in which at least the rib nearest the end of the module having the female joint element reproduces a male joint element, so that when the module is cut within the small space located between the paired ribs, the module section terminates with the end produced by the cut and always with a male joint element, so that several modules can be coupled together one after the other, whether they be whole modules or cut-down sections, in order to form a drainage channel of the desired length. The paired ribs are spaced apart at a distance such that they act as a guide for the hacksaw used to cut the gutter down to the desired length. The top edges of the gutter widen outwards into an "L" shape in order to form a recess designed to accommodate a grating that is suitable for pedestrians and/or vehicles. The main problem of these and other gutters of known type resides in the fact that when the gutters are installed in paving slabs or on other sites having a bituminous protective facing, the facing does not abut tightly against the said gutters and a gap is formed through which water can seep. According to the invention this and other disadvantages of gutters of known type are overcome with a novel gutter having the features of independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims. Further advantages will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the figures in the two appended plates of drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a gutter module according to the invention partially sectioned at the end fitted with the female joint element, via which each gutter module can be connected to the corresponding end with the male joint element of another gutter module; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the end of the gutter module with the female joint element in greater detail; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the gutter accoding to the invention taken along the plane III-III of Figure 1. From the drawings, it can be seen that the gutter or gutter module 1 according to the invention, which is preferably made by injecting a suitable plastic, including recycled and filled plastic, into a mould, has an essentially "U"-shaped transverse section and its dimensions can vary depending on the field of application, its capacity and/or other parameters. The top edges 101, 101' of the gutter widen outwards into an "L" shape in order to form a recess 2 having dimensions designed to accommodate a grating 3, of any known type and not necessarily that illustrated in Figure 3, that is suitable for pedestrians and/or vehicles. According to the invention, on the outside of the said top edges 101, 101' there are small integral continuous longitudinal channels 201, 201' that face upwards and are preferably partly defined by the vertical wall of the said edges, being located towards the bottom of these edges. It is clear from Figure 3 that it is possible to fold or at least correctly abut the edge of the bituminous facing M, which is normally laid to prevent water seeping into the paving slabs or other sites where the gutter 1 in question may be installed, against the small channels 201, 201' so that any water which collects off the facing is discharged into the said channels 201, 201' which then carry it away at the same suitable slope as the drainage channel. The reference B indicates the usual paved surface laid over the protective facings M. Appropriate transverse stiffening ribs 4 can be provided on the outside of the gutter at the top, in order to join a portion of the side walls of the gutter with the bottom of the top parts 101, 201 and 101', 201'. Additional longitudinal ribs 5 and 6 are provided on the outside of the gutter to ensure that the latter is suitably anchored in the cast concrete G. It may be seen from Figures 1 and 2 that one end of the gutter 1 terminates in a face 7 that lies in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the said gutter and that an integral edge 8 projects out from this face and has a "U"-shaped part 108 in front of the gutter body and horizontal top fins 208, 208' located in front of the base of the top embankment complex 101, 201 and 101', 201'. A continuous transverse groove 9, for example of semicircular shape, runs down the middle of the inside of the edge 8. The gutter end shaped in this way forms the female joint element that enables several gutter modules of the type in question to be coupled together. The other end of the gutter 1 terminates in a face 7' parallel to the face 7 described above, with the outside of the gutter having a continuous projecting transverse rib 10 of shape complementary to that of the said groove 9 and whose distance D from the adjoining face 7' is essentially equal to the distance between the opposite face 7 and the groove 9. The rib 10 also extends along the bottom of the top complex 101, 201 and 101', 201' of the gutter. This end of the gutter forms the male joint element that enables several gutter modules to be coupled together. It is quite clear how several gutters of the type described can be laid one after the other, with the end having the rib 10 inserted in and supported by the edge 8, the said rib 10 engaging via a guillotine action with the groove 9 of the said edge 8. The faces 7 and 7' of the successive gutter modules abut against each other. Mastic or silicone can advantageously be inserted between the gutter joints. To complete the gutter according to the invention, pairs of ribs 110 identical to the end rib 10 referred to above are provided, located on planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the said gutter and spaced an even distance apart with a pitch P which is a submultiple of the length of the said gutter, preferably with a decimal pitch. The pitch P is for example 10 cm and the overall length of the gutter module is for example 50 cm. The distance between the paired ribs 110 is essentially twice the said distance D between the projection 10 and the adjacent face 7'. A continuous groove 11, which forms a useful guide for the hacksaw used to reduce the length of the gutter by the required amount as and when this proves necessary, runs down the middle of the space between the said ribs 110, parallel to them. The groove 11 preferably runs solely round the body of the gutter 1, however, it should be understood that it may also extend along the bottom of the top embankment complex 101, 201 and 101', 201'. When the gutter is cut along a groove 11, the resulting gutter sections have a rib 110 at one end which replaces the original rib 10 of the complete module so that this said end of the section can be coupled to the end with the groove 9, referred to above, of a whole module or of a similarly cut-down gutter section. Even sections that happen to have male coupling parts at both ends can be used to complete a drainage channel.

Claims: Gutter module of the type having a widened top section designed to accommodate a grating that is suitable for pedestrians and/or vehicles and having complementary male and female joint elements at its ends so that several gutter modules can be coupled together, one after the other, in order to form a drainage channel of the desired length, characterized by the fact that the outer side of the widened top part of each gutter is provided with corresponding integral continuous longitudinal channels (201, 201') that face upwards and are shaped such that the terminal edge of the waterproof facing (M) of the structure fitted with the drainage channel formed by the gutters in question can be correctly abutted so as to form a leaktight joint between the said facing and the gutters that are joined one after the other and such that the said joint will also enable the water discharged by the waterproof facing into the said supplementary channels (201, 201') to be carried away. Gutter module according to Claim 1, in which the supplementary channels (201, 201') have an essentially U-shaped section, face upwards and have a side wall in common with the widened top edges (101, 101') of the said gutter. Gutter module according to claims 1 and 2, in which the supplementary channels (201, 201') are located on the side of the lower part of the widened top edges (101, 101') of the said gutter and their height is suitably shorter than that of the recess (2) for accommodating the grating (3) which is formed by the said widened edges. Gutter module according to Claim 3, in which the bottom of the supplementary channels (201, 201') is a coplanar outward extension of the bottom of the widened top edges (101, 101') of the said gutter, while the side wall of these widened edges is essentially parallel to the side wall of the said supplementary channels. Gutter module according to claims 1 to 4, in which integral transverse ribs (4) joined to the sides of the said gutter are provided beneath the widened top edges (101, 101') and the supplementary channels (201, 201'), these ribs being distributed with appropriate symmetry along the length of the said gutter. Gutter module according to claims 1 to 5, in which the small outer side wall of the supplementary channels (201, 201') extends downwards every now and then to form longitudinal ribs (5) which, together with other longitudinal ribs (6) located in a known manner on the bottom outer part of the gutter body, ensure that the said gutter is firmly anchored once installed. Gutter module according to claims 1 to 6, in which the transverse ribs (4) located beneath the supplementary channels and the widened top edges of the said gutter are joined to the said lower longitudinal ribs (5) of the said supplementary channels, preferably in a "T" configuration. Gutter module according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that its end faces (7, 7') lie on planes normal to the longitudinal axis of the said gutter and, when several gutters of the type in question are laid one after the other, the said faces touch, with one end of the gutter having a continuous transverse rib (10), for example of semicircular shape, running round the outside at a distance (D) a few millimetres away from the corresponding face (7'), the said rib (10) running round the gutter body and along the bottom of the widened top edges (101, 101') of the said gutter, while the other end of each gutter has an integral projecting collar (8) that leaves the adjoining face (7) of the said gutter free, is fitted with horizontal top fins (208) and is approximately twice as long as the said distance (D) between the opposite end of the gutter and the adjoining outer rib (10), a continuous transverse groove (9) running down the middle of the inside of the said collar and being shaped such that the said rib can be inserted therein with a guillotine action when several gutters of the type in question are laid one after the other. Gutter module according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that its outer lateral surface has pairs of continuous transverse ribs (110) spaced an even distance apart with a pitch (P) which is a submultiple of the length of the gutter, these ribs being similar to the ribs (10) on the end of the gutter, the width between the paired ribs being essentially equal to the length of the end collar (8) with the groove (9), and a continuous transverse groove (11) running down the middle of the space between each pair of the said ribs (110), along which groove (11) the gutter can be cut in order to form sections of the required length. Gutter module according to Claim 9, in which the said groove (11) situated between each pair of transverse ribs (110) runs solely round the body of the said gutter.

Inventors: MANTELLI GIULIO, MANTELLI, GIULIO
Applicants: EDIL PLAST SRL, EDIL PLAST S.R.L.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E03F3
IPC codes: E03F3