Water Blocking Device

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to temporary dams and wall structures for controlling surface water primarily within the interiors of buildings and the like, but also usable exteriorly thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are no known prior art devices usable within buildings for the purpose of this invention. However, there are a few temporary wall and dam-type devices used and known to be used on the ground exterior of buildings. None of these known devices offers the flexibility of the new and unique features of the disclosed invention.

A common problem with the known damming-type structures is that they are unduly complicated and difficult to assemble. Furthermore, they are bulky, heavy, and fairly difficult to assemble and use. With most of them some additional support structure or attachment structure is necessary in order to secure them to the earth or ground. With the known type having pointed attachment rods or prongs, some means of hammering or driving them into the ground is also required.

Also, known prior art devices are of straight configuration and are not readily adaptable to curved structures with a pleasing appearance. Crude and unpleasing structures outside of buildings may be entirely acceptable, but when used inside of structures, it is desirable that the structures not only be functionally useful but also aesthetically appealable. Known prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are as follows:

U.S. Pat. No. 627,375 -- June 20, 1899 -- Zanetti; U.S. Pat. No. 972,059 -- Oct. 4, 1910 -- Clarke; U.S. Pat. No. 1,013,610 -- Jan. 2, 1912 -- Pedley; U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,539 -- Aug. 27, 1968 -- Fore.

None of these known prior art devices offers the new and unique features of the invention disclosed herein.

An object of the present invention is to provide a semi-permanent water blocking device which may be used to direct and control flow of liquid within a building.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water blocking device which has a straight form and a curved form with each form provided with interlocking ends which engage each other and form a water-tight interlocking structure. This will permit either straight or curved blocking structure combinations for readily adapting the desired structure to the existing building arrangement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a water blocking device which is quickly and easily interlocked to block surface water within a building or exterior of a building and provided with suction cup type devices along the contact edge of the blocking devices for semi-permanently securing the blocking devices to the floor or other surfaces of said building.

Another further very important object is to provide the blocking sections with a special configuration which will tend to increase the holding power of the suction cup devices as the height of water being blocked increases, that is, the weight of water being blocked, which weight of water increases with the greater height of water behind the "dam", is used to effectively increase the holding power of the sections.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a readily removable and installable water blocking device which is completely water-tight once assembled and yet may be quickly disassembled for removal and transporting to another use point.

A further additional object of this invention is to provide water blocking structure made of rather soft yet flexible material which will readily conform to small surface irregularities and create a water-tightness therewith which is not available with structures of a rigid construction.

The water blocking structures of this invention consist of straight sections of basically triangular cross-sectional configurations with the sides tapering or sloping to create a water weight responsive surface along each side. Also, the structures have tongue and groove interlocking ends in order to present a continuous water-tight blocking surface. Also, the bottom floor or surface engaging portions of said triangular sections which are basically flat have disc suction cup type recesses therein to form a positive water blocking seal through suction cup type action with the surface with which the water blocking sections are used. A second shape provided and envisioned by this invention consists of approximately 45.degree. angle sections having similar cross-sectional configurations as the straight sections. Also, as envisioned by this invention, complete semi-circle sections of 90.degree. or even 180.degree. may be supplied, if desired. Normally, however, the sections of straight type and 45.degree. type will be adequate and sufficient to permit a user to construct and quickly build any type blocking dam or wall which the user may need or desire.

Another important feature of this invention is that the sections described above are made of material which is rather soft and yet firm for permitting the sections to conform to any slight surface irregularities in order to improve the water blocking action of the sections. A soft yet firm rubber material has been discovered to be very successful. Other type materials also may be used, such as the newer plastics, etc.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two of the straight sections of the water blocking device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the water blocking sections of FIG. 1 showing the disc-type, suction cup recesses provided therein.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the curved type sections of water blocking device of this invention.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view, of the respective ends of the sections of FIG. 1 and show the tongue and groove interlocking joint thereof and the special shape of the sides of each section.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates in general the water blocking structure of this invention. The structure of this invention consists of two basic type structures. One of the structures is of straight configuration having interlocking joints at the ends thereof and provided with suction cup type recesses along a bottom surface and the second type is of similar construction but of a semi-circular configuration of preferably 45.degree. .

Looking at the figures, the basic common structure consists of slightly curved or tapered side walls 12 meeting at a flat top portion 14 and provided with a substantially wide bottom surface 15. This over-all configuration as viewed from the end thereof presents a generally triangular shaped device. However, the tapered sides do perform a very important function as described below. Interlocking joint means are provided at the ends of each of the structures for joining as shown by 16 in FIG. 1.

The basically flat bottom surface of the triangular sections, that is the surface 15, as best seen in FIG. 2, is provided with regularly spaced indentations or circular recesses 18. These circular recesses provide a suction cup type action when the unit is resting on a floor or other smooth surface and when the top edge 14 of the unit is pressed downwardly against the floor surface. As is well known with suction cup devices, once the suction cup effect takes place and a device is attached by this type attachment, the degree of attachment is rather strong and the pieces will tend to remain firmly attached until forcibly separated. Plus, in addition to this, the tapered sides 12 are of such a shape for the specific purpose of creating an additional force in the vertical direction A due to the weight of the blocked water than the horizontal force B caused by the same blocked water. Thus the weight of water being blocked will increase the hold of the suction cups as the height of the water increases. This is a very important feature of the structure of this invention.

The joint 16 is formed by a tongue and groove type connection. FIG. 4 shows this manner of connection in enlarged detail. One end of each of the water blocking sections is provided with a tongue 20 while the other end of the same section is provided with a recess 22. Using this tongue and groove type connection, a number of the water blocking sections can be easily and quickly assembled. Some of the sections of the curved type, preferably will have the tongue and groove ends interchanged so that these sections may be used with the other sections for producing reverse curves, etc. With the straight sections, obviously, the section itself merely needs to be turned end for end in order to create the same result.

The sections described herein are normally made of soft, yet firm, rubber material or may be made from the new-type plastic materials, or any suitable material which is semi-resilient, yet fairly firm and, of course, water-resistant.

This water blocking device can be used to direct the flow of liquid to a certain area, or confine it, or whatever type of control of surface water is desired, as the case may be. For instance, as an example, a janitor may use this device as a holding unit at the bottom of a flight of stairs while he flushes down a stairwell with water. After completion of his flushing of the stairwell, the janitor may then proceed down stairs and use a hydro-vac to suck up the water that the water blocking device of this invention has confined and contained at the base of the stairs. Obviously, this is very important because otherwise said water might flow into the furnace area or other area where damage could occur. The sections of water blocking structure of this invention are short and light enough that they may be easily carried as a bundle by the average janitor, and/or workman, and will, once used, become so helpful to the janitor or other worker that it will be no problem getting the person to use them on a continuous basis. Thus, in the case of building maintenance and cleaning the water blocking device of this invention will be extremely useful.

There are obviously many other very useful applications of a device such as that disclosed herein. The device also will be quite useful around swimming pools and patios and the like. Anywhere, either inside or outside of building structures where the over-all surface area is relatively smooth and where the surface area is such that the suction cups 18 will secure the devices will be suitable applications for the use thereof of this invention. Also, the feature of increased suction cup holding action effected by the special shape of the sides of the blocking sections is very useful.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of this invention.